Science Interest, Utility, Self-Efficacy, Identity, and Science Achievement Among High School Students: An Application of SEM Tree.

Amal Alhadabi

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.634120

Abstract

The current study explored the associations between non–cognitive science-related variables, i.e., science interest, utility, self-efficacy, science identity, and science achievement in a serial mediation model. The study also further explored the potential heterogeneity in the model parameters using one of the data-mining techniques, which is the structural equation model (SEM) Tree. Data on 14,815 high school students were obtained from a large-scale database High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). The results highlighted science interest and science utility positively influencing science achievement through a sequential pathway of mediators, including science self-efficacy and science identity. The strength of direct effects considerably varied across students, resulting in classifying them into four subgroups. For instance, among females with a low SES subgroup, developing substantial science interest would result in better science self-efficacy and science identity that flourish science achievement. These valuable findings provide fruitful tailored recommendations, elevating the science achievement in the subgroups (146 words).

Highlights

Science achievement among high school students correlates with the likelihood of enrollment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors during college
Examples of questions that structural equation model (SEM) tree can answer are: (1) Is the model investigating the associations between factors influencing science achievement fit the data?; (2) Is there significant variability in the model parameters, conditioning on the observed demographic covariates, i.e., gender, SES, and ethnicity?; (3) What are the most influential covariates?; (4) What are the splitting points that result in classifying students, and to what degree are these splits meaningful? the objective of this study is to investigate the latent heterogeneity in the associations between the noncognitive science-related variable and science achievement by answering the four questions mentioned above
Students who conceptualize themselves as science persons, i.e., science identity, and actualize this perception holding productive skills and potential, i.e., science self-efficacy would be more eager to perform well in science

Summary

Introduction

Science achievement among high school students correlates with the likelihood of enrollment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors during college. Many studies have acknowledged the role of cognitive abilities in shaping the science achievement of students (O’Reilly and McNamara, 2007). A growing body of studies has found that science identity, as one of the non-cognitive attributes, had a proximal positive association with science achievement, e.g., Hill et al (2018), Kim (2018), Williams et al (2018). Related works of literature have shown that students in the United States have been developing weak science identities and increased negative perceptions of science as a field of study, resulting in what is known as scientific pipeline leakage (Schultz et al, 2011). The National Science Board (2016) showed that 17% more American students were at or below the 10% threshold of science achievement relative to other developed countries

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