Abstract

ABSTRACT Encouraging more students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers has become a significant goal of STEM education. Driven by policies, more and more scientists have visited primary and secondary schools to carry out STEM educational activities in recent years. Therefore, studying how scientists’ STEM educational activities affect students’ STEM career aspirations is necessary. The main aim of this study was to explore the extent and mechanism of the influence of scientists’ STEM educational activities in school on students’ STEM career aspirations. Multiple regression analyses were conducted on survey data from 16822 Chinese students to test the hypothetical model in this study. It was found that students’ STEM educational experiences regarding scientists’ STEM educational activities in school positively predict their STEM career aspirations. Students’ STEM career perceptions were found to mediate this influence path. Additionally, students’ family STEM capital plays a moderating role in the direct path and the first half of the mediating path. The results indicate the potential direct and indirect impact of scientists’ STEM educational activities in school on students’ STEM career aspirations through students’ STEM career perceptions and family STEM capital. These findings have implications for further enhancing students’ STEM career aspirations.

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