Abstract
Despite years of targeted interventions, young people experiencing socio-economic deprivation are still under-represented in those studying STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects post-16 and in higher education STEM pathways. We surveyed 61 young people who had participated in the S4 programme in South Wales, UK, and interviewed three of their teachers. Using the theoretical lens of science capital, we asked them about the S4 programme, and their views of science and education in terms of aspirations, attainment, and social obstacles. Whilst widely outdated, a ‘deficit model’ of aspiration raising still guides STEM outreach policy in Wales and we consider the answers to our survey in light of this. Broadly, our participants are enthusiastic and ambitious, and confident in their abilities in both science and wider skill areas. However, we found certain aspects of ambition were linked to socio-economic status. For example, whilst most young people we surveyed aspire to go university, those who do not cite different reasons depending on their socio-economic status. Despite high aspirations around science and education, teachers cited low literacy and numeracy, household poverty, entrenched generational unemployment, rural isolation, disabilities, caring responsibilities, and teenage pregnancy as barriers to higher education for their pupils. Importantly, S4's intervention had the greatest impact with those in the extremes of socio-economic deprivation, particularly in terms of bolstering existing science and education aspirations and increasing the ‘thinkability’ of attending university. Our findings contradict accepted thinking on science and education aspirations in that rather than participation in higher education being motivated by a lack of science and education aspiration or the discourse of family habitus ("people like us"), young people seem to be starkly aware of the very real socio-economic obstacles. We found no poverty of science and education aspiration in the participants we surveyed, and encourage a policy move away from the deficit model of raising science and education aspirations that will take a more nuanced view of widening access to STEM education and higher education in general in Wales.
Highlights
Poor socio-economic environment has long been assumed to kill aspiration in the young, exemplified by David Cameron attributing the lack of diversity in top jobs to the low ambitions of poor people
Since the ASPIRES study looks at young people in south-east England, we argue that there is a clear need for understanding science capital within the specific Welsh socio-economic context
The teachers we interviewed spoke of the multiple factors that can co-occur and combine to create a ‘perfect storm’ to their pupils: low attendance > low literacy and numeracy > low attainment > high drop out and nonprogression as they move through school
Summary
Poor socio-economic environment has long been assumed to kill aspiration in the young, exemplified by David Cameron attributing the lack of diversity in top jobs to the low ambitions of poor people Most educational STEM approaches assume that raising aspirations enhances social mobility, creating wealthier, more advanced societies, not least because scientifically competent young people seem better able to use their capabilities in more workplace settings (Archer et al 2017, Wang and Staver 2001). A government-led drive to increase STEM participation relies on an assumption that in economically poorer UK regions, such as Wales, this. This is an exploration of participant surveys from a science outreach programme based in South Wales, in the UK. We surveyed some of the young people who took part in the programme and interviewed some of their teachers, to explore their views on science, educational plans, and their aspirations. Surveying participants in science outreach programmes within the Welsh context is vital to understand how to effectively engage with young people in areas of low participation
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
