Making Mathematics Relevant: an Examination of Student Interest in Mathematics, Interest in STEM Careers, and Perceived Relevance

The purpose of this study was to analyze the interest in learning mathematics of twenty English education students at a university in West Papua. This research method is a qualitative research method using descriptive techniques. The procedure of this research starts from the development of the questionnaire instrument, the development of the interview instrument, the validation of the instrument, the distribution of the questionnaire, the determination of the subject, and the interview. Based on the results of data analysis, it is known that the interest in learning mathematics of English education students based on indicators of student interest in learning mathematics is categorized into three groups, namely students who are not interested in learning mathematics, quite interested in learning mathematics, and interested in learning mathematics. Students in the category of the uninterested group have not been able to meet the indicators of interest in learning mathematics. Meanwhile, students in the moderately interested groups can fulfill three indicators of interest in learning mathematics: students' feelings of pleasure in mathematics, students' interest in mathematics, and students' attention to mathematics. Students from the interest group category can fulfill the four indicators of interest in learning mathematics: students' feelings of pleasure in mathematics, student interest in mathematics, student attention to mathematics, and student involvement in mathematics.

In the context of improving student engagement and interest in mathematics, innovative teaching methods are essential. This study aims to examine: (1) students' interest in learning mathematics using a conventional teaching model, (2) students' interest in learning mathematics using a Flippity-based Teams Games Tournament (TGT) model, and (3) the effect of the Flippity-based TGT model on students' interest in learning mathematics. The research employs an experimental design with a quasi-experimental approach using a nonequivalent control group design. The population consists of eighth-grade students at SMP Muhammadiyah 4 Yogyakarta, and cluster random sampling was used to select the sample. Data were collected through observation, questionnaires, and documentation. Data analysis was conducted using a t-test. The results indicated that students' interest in mathematics with the conventional model had an average score of 68.04, categorized as average, while the TGT-based Flippity model showed an average score of 72.72, categorized as good. The hypothesis test revealed a significant effect of the Flippity-based TGT model on students' interest in learning mathematics, with a p-value of 0.036 (p < 0.05). Based on these findings, it is recommended that mathematics teachers consider implementing the TGT model with Flippity media, as this combination positively impacts students' interest in mathematics learning.

BackgroundFemales are underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields all over the world. To encourage more girls to choose STEM majors and careers, it is critical to increase their interest in STEM careers. Many studies have investigated the factors that influence females' entry into STEM fields, but few studies have explored the gender differences in the relationships between these factors. Therefore, based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory, this study explored the gender differences in the effects of environmental factors (school education, informal education, social support, and media) on high school students' interest in STEM careers through the mediating roles of STEM self-efficacy and STEM careers perceptions.ResultsA questionnaire survey was conducted among 1240 high school students in Hunan Province, China, and the results of t-test, regression analysis, and structural equation model multi-group comparison showed that: Firstly, the scores of male students in all the dimensions except for STEM career perception were significantly higher than those of female students. Secondly, the environmental factor that had the greatest effect on male and female students' interest in STEM careers was different. Finally, there were gender differences in the mediating roles of STEM self-efficacy and STEM careers perceptions between environmental factors and interest in STEM careers.ConclusionsThis study revealed the influence mechanisms and gender differences in male and female students' interest in STEM careers in the context of Chinese Confucian culture, and the conclusions are as follows: (1) Male students' interest in STEM careers was significantly higher than that of female students; (2) The environmental factors that had the greatest effect on male and female students' interest in STEM careers were social support and media, respectively; and (3) Environmental factors could affect male students' interest in STEM careers through the mediating roles of STEM self-efficacy and STEM career perception, while environmental factors could affect female students' interest in STEM careers through the mediating role of STEM self-efficacy. Finally, the mediating mechanisms of STEM self-efficacy and STEM career perception between environmental factors and interest in STEM careers, and the importance of STEM self-efficacy for female students were discussed.

Internationally, efforts to increase student interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers have been on the rise. It is often the goal of such efforts that increased interest in STEM careers should stimulate economic growth and enhance innovation. Scientific and educational organizations recommend that efforts to interest students in STEM majors and careers begin at the middle school level, a time when students are developing their own interests and recognizing their academic strengths. These factors have led scholars to call for instruments that effectively measure interest in STEM classes and careers, particularly for middle school students. In response, we leveraged the social cognitive career theory to develop a survey with subscales in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In this manuscript, we detail the six stages of development of the STEM Career Interest Survey. To investigate the instrument's reliability and psychometric properties, we administered this 44-item survey to over 1,000 middle school students (grades 6–8) who primarily were in rural, high-poverty districts in the southeastern USA. Confirmatory factor analyses indicate that the STEM-CIS is a strong, single factor instrument and also has four strong, discipline-specific subscales, which allow for the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subscales to be administered separately or in combination. This instrument should prove helpful in research, evaluation, and professional development to measure STEM career interest in secondary level students.

ABSTRACTPre-college student participation in science fairs, robotics competitions, computing contests and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) competitions increases every year in the United States. This is despite the fact that little is known about the relationship between STEM competition participation and career interest in STEM. Through logistic regressions, this study addresses three main research questions: Controlling for student background variables and prior STEM career interest, does participating in a STEM competition increase the likelihood of STEM career interest at the end of high school? Does the field of competition (robotics, engineering, science fair, information technology) a student participates in influence the sub-discipline of STEM career interest? And, what is the relationship between the number of competitions participated in and the probability of interest in a STEM career? The study uses data from the ‘Outreach Programs and Science Career Intentions’ survey (N = 15,847), a large-scale sample of university students enrolled in mandatory English courses. Our data reveal three results of interest. First, students who participate in STEM competitions are more likely to express interest in a STEM-related career at the end of high school than are students who do not participate, even when students’ prior career interest in STEM is controlled for. Second, the relationship between competition participation and interest in a STEM career appears to be domain specific. Third, the impact of competition participation on pursuit of a STEM career is three times stronger when students compete in more than one competition. These findings suggest that competitions are an effective way to foster career interest in specific STEM careers.

Despite pervasive educational efforts, student interest in STEM careers continues to decline in many countries. The present study seeks to better understand this phenomenon by examining how internal factors (gender) and external factors (school grades, grade level, family size) relate to Kazakh students' STEM career interests. To this end, a newly developed instrument (STEM Career Interest Survey) based on social cognitive career theory was used to assess interest in STEM careers among middle‐ and secondary students in Kazakhstan. The survey was completed by a sample of 396 Kazakh students in grades 7 to 12. Our statistical analyses revealed that (1) female students were generally less interested in STEM careers than male students; (2) students with higher grades in physics classes were significantly more interested in STEM careers than low‐performing students; (3) students at higher grade levels were generally more interested in STEM careers than those in lower grade levels; (4) the number of siblings was positively associated with student interest in mathematics careers; and, (5) family support and role models were significantly correlated with student STEM career interest. Our findings suggest that student development of interest in STEM careers constitutes an epigenetic phenomenon that involves complex interactions between internal factors (e.g., self‐efficacy) and external factors (e.g., gender stereotypes). Based on this, it is argued that the promotion of student interest in STEM careers is a multifaceted problem whose resolution requires, among other things, dispelling stereotypes in students' sociocultural context through systematic renegotiation of traditional gender‐technology relations characteristic of a country's culture.

Scientific advocacy and outreach programs are encouraged to increase public understanding of scientific knowledge and generate interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. However, evaluation of these events' effectiveness is difficult and somewhat rare. This study's purpose was to better understand how effective an established physiology-based outreach program was in generating interest in STEM careers, while simultaneously providing information that can be used to increase the effectiveness of future events. We partnered with a private school located in Omaha, Nebraska, where 64-80 students participated in 3 h of physiology-based activities presented by volunteers from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The event included a brief presentation of the eye, sensory, heart, and lung systems, followed by hands-on demonstrations and activities. Each session concluded with 15 min of questions and answers (Q&A), where students were encouraged to engage the volunteers in inquiries about what they just learned, career-related questions, or any topic of their choosing. Each Q&A session was audio recorded and evaluated using thematic analysis to identify patterns in the Q&A data. Two major themes of questions were identified: 1) scientific content (animal circulatory systems and how organs are affected by disease or stimulus); and 2) career-related content, including typical day-to-day activities of a scientist and the volunteers' satisfaction with a scientific career. We conclude that hands-on physiology-based learning opportunities are effective in generating short-term interest in STEM content and careers. The results of this study will also facilitate informed modification of event content to better suit student's interests.

Student interest in learning is a very important factor in determining student success in learning mathematics. Various attempts were made by educators and educational researchers to increase student interest in learning. This research is a classroom action research model by Kemmis and Mc Taggart that aims to describe the application of Guided Discovery learning in optimizing students' interest in learning mathematics. The increase in students' interest in learning mathematics is also supported by the results of student achievement. The research data consisted of students' interest in learning mathematics, learning achievement data, and observations of learning outcomes. Data on learning interest in mathematics is obtained through a questionnaire, data on learning achievement is obtained through tests and data on the results of observations of learning achievement are obtained through observation sheets during learning. In general, the results of the study showed that the average student interest in learning mathematics at 83.93 reached the good category. The completeness of student achievement test results reached 83.87% of students achieving the minimum completeness criteria with an average student score of 85.61. The percentage of teacher and student learning outcomes respectively at 83.80% and 76.91% reached the good category. Therefore it can be concluded that the Guided Discovery learning model can be applied to optimize students' interest in mathematics learning especially by paying attention to the results of reflections from this study.

This research investigates the impact of teacher motivation and communication style on students' interest in learning Mathematics. The background of the study highlights the critical role of these factors in enhancing student engagement and academic performance. The aim is to analyze the specific effects of teacher motivation and communication style on the learning interests of students. Utilizing a quantitative research method, data were gathered from 91 students through a questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale. The analysis employed multiple linear regression tests to assess the relationships. The results indicated that both teacher motivation and communication style significantly influence students' interest in Mathematics, both individually and collectively. The conclusion drawn from the study suggests that teachers should consistently provide motivation and maintain an effective communication style in the classroom to foster higher student interest in learning. Specifically, demonstrating openness in communication can create a comfortable learning environment, thereby enhancing students' engagement and interest in Mathematics. This research contributes to the education field by providing empirical evidence on the importance of teacher-student interactions in promoting academic interest and performance.

Studies have shown that various factors (the role of formal education, informal education, and community) contribute to the lack of participation in STEM and STEM careers. This research aimed to understand the multi pathways of factors contributing to the interest in STEM careers (STEM careers in physical sciences and STEM careers in life sciences). This research was a survey research which administered a questionnaire randomly to 1485 secondary school students (14 years of age). Data analysis was based on the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) to test the hypothesized model. A model containing five constructs, namely environmental factors (learning experiences, media, social influences), self-efficacy in science, technology, engineering and mathematics respectively, perceptions of STEM careers and interest in physical sciences and life sciences STEM careers was proposed in this research. The results show that students’ interest in life sciences based careers is influence by their self-efficacy and perceptions of the career. Meanwhile, students’ interest in physical sciences based careers is influence only by their self-efficacy and not influence by their perceptions of the career. The need to improve students’ self-efficacy through STEM learning experiences is imperative to ensure continued interest in STEM careers. Key words: environmental factors, life sciences STEM careers, perceptions of STEM careers, physical sciences STEM careers, self-efficacy, social cognitive career theory.

Abstract: Increasing Student Interest in Mathematics in Class Xi Mia-3 Sma Negeri 2 Lubuk Pakam through Group Guidance Services for the 2019/2020 Academic Year. Interest is the tendency of a high heart to something that arises because of a need, felt or not felt or the desire of certain things. Interests can be defined as trends in certain fields. a feeling of preference and attachment to something or activity, without being told. Interest is basically the acceptance of a relationship between oneself and something outside oneself. The stronger or closer the relationship is, the greater the interest. To be interested or compelled to pay attention to someone's things or activities. To increase student interest in learning can be done with several services in counseling and one of them is group guidance services. Through the group guidance service approach, it is hoped that students can be more open with their problems, so that the supervisor can understand and get a clear picture of what students are facing. Provide full motivation to students to be able to increase students' interest in learning mathematics, so that students are motivated to always learn and can increase their academic value. As for the problem formulation in this research is how group guidance services can increase student interest in learning mathematics in class XI Mia-3 SMA Negeri 2 Lubuk Pakam for the 2019/2020 academic year. The purpose of this study was to determine the increase in student interest in mathematics through group guidance services in class XI Mia-3 SMA Negeri 2 Lubuk Pakam for the 2019/2020 academic year. The results obtained showed that the increase in student interest in learning in the first cycle of the first meeting reached 23.86 and at the second meeting it reached 42.04 followed by the second cycle of the third meeting 86.36 and increased at the fourth meeting of the second cycle to 95.45. The average indicator of students' interest in learning in the first cycle of first meeting was 23.86 and increased to 34.08 and in the second cycle of the third meeting it became 85.22 and in the fourth meeting it increased to 96.58. Thus it is stated that the research hypothesis is accepted. Keywords: Learning Interest, Mathematics Lessons, Group Guidance Service. Abstrak: Meningkatkan Minat Belajar Siswa Pada Pelajaran Matematika Di Kelas Xi Mia-3 Sma Negeri 2 Lubuk Pakam Melalui Layanan Bimbingan Kelompok Tahun Pelajaran 2019/2020. Minat merupakan kecenderungan hati yang tinggi terhadap sesuatu yang timbul karena kebutuhan, yang dirasa atau tidak dirasakan atau keinginan hal tertentu. Minat dapat diartikan kecenderungan bidang-bidang tertentu. suatu rasa lebih suka dan rasa keterikatan pada suatu hal atau aktivitas, tanpa ada yang menyuruh. Minat pada dasarnya adalah penerimaan akan suatu hubungan antara diri sendiri dengan sesuatu diluar diri. Semakin kuat atau dekat hubungan tersebut, semakin besar minat.untuk dapat tertarik atau terdorong untuk memperhatikan seseorang sesuatu barang atau kegiatan dalam. Untuk meningkan minat belajar siswa dapat dilakukan dengan beberapa layanan dalam bimbingan konseling dan salah satunya adalah layanan bimbingan kelompok. Melalui pendekatan layanan bimbingan kelompok, harapannya siswa dapat lebih terbuka dengan pemasalahannya, sehingga pembimbing dapat memahami dan mendapat gambaran secara jelas apa yang sedang dihadapi siswa. Memberikan motivasi sepenuhnya kepada siswa untuk bisa meningkatkan minat belajar siswa terhadap pelajaran matematika, sehingga siswa termotivasi untuk selalu belajar dan bisa meningkatkan nilai akademiknya. Adapun yang menjadi rumusan masalah dalam penelitian ini adalah bagaimana layanan bimbingn kelompok dapat meningkatkan minat belajar siswa terhadap pelajaran matematika di kelas XI Mia-3 SMA Negeri 2 Lubuk Pakam Tahun Pelajaran 2019/2020. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui peningkatan minat belajar siswa terhadap pelajaran matematika melalui layanan bimbingan kelompok di kelas XI Mia-3 SMA Negeri 2 Lubuk Pakam Tahun Pelajaran 2019/2020. Hasil penelitian yang diperoleh diketahui peningkatan minat belajar siswa pada siklus 1 pertemuan pertama mencapai 23,86 dan di pertemuan kedua mencapai 42,04 dilanjutkan siklus II pertemuan ketiga 86,36 dan meningkat pada pertemuan ke empat siklus II menjadi 95,45. Sedangkat rata-rata indikator minat belajar siswa pada sisklus I pertemua pertama 23,86 dan meningkat menjadi 34,08 dan pada siklus dua pertemuan ketiga menjadi 85,22 dan di petemuan keempat meningkat menjadi 96,58. Dengan demikian dinyatakan hipotesis penelitian ini diterima. Kata Kunci : Minat Belajar, Pelajaran Matematika, Layanan Bimbingan Kelompok.

The current studies investigated how interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers is predicted both by academic motivation as well as by beliefs that STEM careers allow the fulfillment of communal goals (i.e., communal affordances). This research also examines whether past course experiences of being exposed to communal information about STEM predicts increased beliefs that STEM careers afford communal goals. As anticipated, STEM communal affordances predicted increased STEM career interest, above and beyond the benefits of academic motivation/attitudes (e.g., positivity toward courses, intention to persist). Classroom exposure to communal opportunities in math and science predicted increased beliefs that STEM careers afford communal goals, and in turn predicted increased STEM career interest (Studies 2 and 3). Taken together, these studies suggest that focusing only on fostering STEM academic motivation may be insufficient to foster interest in STEM careers. Instead, focusing on both student academic motivation and student beliefs about whether STEM careers provide opportunities to pursue valued communal goals may provide a more holistic approach to fostering STEM career interest.

Background Students’ interest in STEM careers is governed by various factors: (i) family influences, (ii) out-of-school time learning experiences, (iii) inside-of-school learning experiences, and (iii) media influences. Previous studies often investigate the direct influence of these factors, collectively known as environmental factors, on students’ interest in STEM careers. Purpose This study explains the role of self-efficacy on environmental factors that affect students’ interest in STEM careers through a structural equation model. Sample This study involved 14-year-old secondary school students who were selected based on cluster sampling and a total of 1800 students were chosen. However, only 1485 responses were considered valid for analysis. Design and Method Survey design was utilised in the study. Structural equation modelling analysis was used to analyse the data. Result The results of the survey demonstrated that the effects of family influences and out-of-school time learning experiences on interest in STEM careers were fully mediated by self-efficacy except for media influences that affected interest both directly and indirectly via self-efficacy (partial mediator). Inside-of-school learning experiences did not affect self-efficacy and interest in STEM careers. Conclusion STEM learning experiences through informal modality are better predictors of students’ interest in STEM careers. Improving formal STEM learning is imperative to ensure that STEM careers are promoted to all school students in a systemic manner.

BackgroundThe studies of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career interests have progressed substantially over the recent years. However, the influence of career awareness on STEM career interests is an area that requires further discussion. Evidently, Chinese adolescents have limited awareness and interest in STEM careers in the context of the Chinese cultural milieu, which can potentially constrain their future career trajectories. This study explored the influence of career awareness on the STEM career interests of Chinese high school students, examining the mediating roles of self-efficacy and outcome expectations for STEM courses in this relationship. Additionally, it analyzes the impact of gender on the average levels and interrelations of these variables. A sample of high school students from both eastern and western regions of China (N = 2542) was selected, and data was analyzed using a structural equation modeling approach.ResultsThe findings indicate that while STEM career awareness impacts various types of STEM career interests, minor differences exist in these effects. Specifically, the influence of STEM career awareness on analytical STEM career interests is entirely mediated by self-efficacy and outcome expectations in STEM courses. However, for life-survival and life-healthy STEM career interests, this mediation is only partial, with respective effects accounting for 39% and 45%. Notably, significant mean-level differences exist between male and female students in STEM career interests and self-efficacy in STEM courses, yet the relationships among these variables remain consistent across genders.ConclusionsThis study underscores the pivotal influence of career awareness in molding STEM career interests, shedding light on the mediating functions of self-efficacy and outcome expectations within STEM courses. Through a gender-based analysis, it offers valuable insights into the differing inclinations of male and female high school students in the STEM realm, while also revealing consistent patterns in the relationships among these variables across genders. These findings underscore the necessity for heightened efforts to bolster STEM career awareness and fortify self-efficacy and outcome expectations within STEM courses, particularly in domains characterized by notable gender disparities, aiming to foster equitable advancement within the STEM disciplines.

The U.S. continues to face a shortage of students entering Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers, including healthcare professions. Developing and strengthening a pipeline of programs, starting as early as middle school, to engage students in STEM and explore future STEM careers leading into higher education is a critical need. Game-based learning offers a promising approach to spark interest in STEM fields, especially when classroom access to careers or real-world contexts is limited. One solution is the use of a well-designed, online, scalable serious game that empowers students to explore different health science careers otherwise inaccessible to typical middle schoolers. This study examines the educational impact of End of Imperial, a serious online medical mystery game that allows students to roleplay as police detectives solving a fatal crash while collaborating with science and healthcare professionals. During gameplay, students identify clues and solve challenges across multiple settings, from the crash site to the hospital and beyond. Middle school students from three distinct school environments—urban public, urban charter, and suburban public—played the game and completed a post-survey capturing changes in STEM career interest and health-related behaviors. Data collection used a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree) to measure impressions immediately after gameplay. "Interest" was a measure of interest in health and science careers; "learning" measured self-perceived learning gains. Results across all locations showed a significant increase in health and science career interest. Students not only enjoyed the game but also reported substantial learning gains and increased confidence in science. In addition, students’ awareness of healthy sleep habits, a key theme in the mystery, was increased. The game’s community-based character representation, realistic narrative, and immersive roleplay contributed to engagement and learning. Findings suggest that serious games can positively influence middle school learners’ attitudes toward STEM careers and personal health decisions when designed with authenticity and social relevance in mind. Overall, results indicated that the interactive game was well-received, playable across diverse communities, and strongly increased students’ interest in STEM careers.