Abstract
This study was grounded in the social cognitive career theoretical framework (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994). The purpose of this four-year longitudinal study was to examine the factors that may have contributed to students’ motivation to develop STEM interest during secondary school years. The participants in our study were 9th- 11th grade high school students from a large K-12 college preparatory charter school system, Harmony Public Schools (HPS) in Texas. We utilized descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses to carry out the study. The results revealed that three-year survey takers’ STEM major interest seemed to decrease steadily each year. Although there was a significant gender gap between males and females in STEM selection in 9th and 10th grade, this difference was not significant at the end of 11th grade. White and Asian students were significantly more likely to be interested in STEM careers. We also found that students who were most likely to choose a STEM major in college had higher parent and teacher expectations, higher math and science self-efficacy, higher GPA grades, took more AP courses, and participated in STEM clubs.
Highlights
All stakeholders including researchers, policymakers, and members of the business and industry are concerned about the supply-demand issue for qualified professionals in STEM areas
We found that students who were most likely to choose a STEM major in college had higher parent and teacher expectations, higher math and science self-efficacy, higher grade point average (GPA) grades, took more Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and participated in STEM clubs
The results of this study lead to several implications for policymakers, administrators, and educators. It suggests that school districts and schools can have a positive impact of students’ intentions to major in STEM areas
Summary
Policymakers, and members of the business and industry are concerned about the supply-demand issue for qualified professionals in STEM areas. The United States has been experiencing and will continue to experience a shortage of qualified professionals in the STEM workforce (Heaverlo, Cooper, & Lannan, 2013; Noonan, 2017; Xue & Larson, 2015). Addressing this shortage is vital for the nation’s defense system and for maintaining a cutting edge in today’s extremely competitive global market (National Science Board, 2018). Interest in a particular program of study in college and in a particular career after college starts as early as the elementary school, but the most critical step is the high school years because they serve as a gateway into college
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