Abstract
There is concern about the low numbers and diversity of young people choosing careers and study subjects in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) at university and beyond. Many interventions aimed at addressing this issue have focused on young people aged 14+ years old. However, these interventions have resulted in little improvement in the numbers and diversity of young people progressing into STEM careers. The aim of this study is to ask “What are the affordances of a Theory of Change (ToC) for increasing the diversity and number of young people choosing a career in STEM post-18?” An innovative ToC is introduced which provides the theoretical underpinnings and context for the complex mix of interventions necessary to lead to a significant change in the number and diversity of those choosing STEM careers. Case studies of interventions developed using the ToC are presented. This approach, and associated ToC, is widely applicable across STEM, education and public engagement fields.
Highlights
IntroductionThe aim of the project is to increase the diversity and number of young people choosing further study and a career in STEM
This research paper outlines the development of a Theory of Change (ToC) to shape childfocussed Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) interventions of an Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.Research in Science Education (2021) 51:997–1011Outreach Project in the North East of England
Whilst the number of young people studying some STEM subjects at university has increased, limited progress has been made on changing the diversity of the young people interested in a career in STEM, outside of the biological sciences
Summary
The aim of the project is to increase the diversity and number of young people choosing further study and a career in STEM. The ToC developed identifies how children, young people and their teachers and families can be engaged to increase the diversity and number of young people choosing STEM careers. Whilst the number of young people studying some STEM subjects at university has increased, limited progress has been made on changing the diversity of the young people interested in a career in STEM, outside of the biological sciences. The continuing lack of diversity of young people engaging in physical sciences, technology and engineering study suggests that the standard narratives and solutions for increasing uptake and diversity of STEM careers are not working. Young people with high levels of science capital are more likely to express a desire for a future science career (DeWitt et al 2016)
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