Science as Interests but not for Career: Understanding High School Students’ Engagement in Science in Abu Dhabi

Abstract

Background:Understanding high school students’ engagement in science is important for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.Material and methods:Drawing on data from the ROSE Survey conducted in Abu Dhabi schools in 2013, this paper used a multi-dimensional framework to explore associations between high school students’ engagement in science and a range of student psychosocial and behavioral factors.Results:The results of multi-level regression revealed that students’ emotional and cognitive engagement in science was most strongly related to students’ confidence in abilities in science, students’ perceived benefits of S&T, students’ views about science and scientists, student’s out-of-school experience, and the job orientation of self-actualization. Students’ future career aspiration in science was also associated with students’ gender, grade, and socioeconomic background, which highlighted the role of social values, gender socialization, and family cultural capital in understanding students’ occupational engagement in science.Conclusions:These factors and policy implications were discussed in the light of international research findings and the empirical context of Abu Dhabi where the transformation of socioeconomic development is taking place.