Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics Students Research Articles

Does Gender Composition in a Field of Study Matter? Gender Disparities in College Students’ Academic Self-Concepts

AbstractGendered field-of-study choice is a lively topic of discussion. The explanation usually given for the fact that women are still an exception in typically ‘male’ fields—particularly STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)—employs domain-specific stereotypes regarding men’s and women’s ‘natural’ abilities in different fields. The central argument of our study is that domain-specific gender stereotypes help explain why few women enter such fields; however, they are not necessarily the driving forces behind the finding that female students who chose typically male subjects have weaker academic self-concepts than their male peers. If it were only domain-specific gender stereotypes that influence students’ perceptions of their abilities, we should find the opposite result in typically female fields of study and no differences in gender-mixed fields. Because existing studies often focus on the male-dominated STEM domain alone, research may have drawn the wrong conclusions. By comparing students in male-dominated, female-dominated, and gender-mixed fields of study, we ask: Does gender composition in the field of study matter for gender disparities in college (university) students’ academic self-concepts? Using data from 10,425 students in the German National Educational Panel Study, our results suggest that it is not only in male-dominated fields of study that women rate their own abilities to be poorer than men rate theirs; the same is true in female-dominated and gender-mixed fields. Therefore, domain-specific gender stereotypes regarding students’ abilities do not (alone) seem to drive gender disparities in STEM students’ perception of their own abilities. No matter what academic field we consider, female students generally exhibit weaker academic self-concepts; however, the gap is most pronounced in male-dominated fields.

Empowering Students’ Comprehension in Calculus with eCALculator

Calculus is a fundamental subject in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) study programs. Despite the introduction of basic calculus concepts as early as secondary school, many undergraduate students still encounter difficulties in comprehending and solving differentiation and integration problems. As calculus is fundamental to fields like science and engineering, possessing a solid mathematical and calculus foundation becomes essential for STEM students. Struggling to grasp these fundamental concepts not only impacts performance in calculus but also poses challenges when tackling advanced related topics. Recognizing this challenge, the eCALculator is introduced as a comprehensive and accessible solution. This innovative tool takes the form of a step-by-step e-manual, guiding students in determining a function’s derivatives and integrals using a calculator. The e-manual can be accessed via a flipbook, encompasses instructional videos and exercises. The eCALculator was tested to 40 engineering students enrolled in Calculus courses at UiTM Cawangan Pulau Pinang. Survey results indicate that the eCALculator not only helps improving students’ comprehension and accuracy in calculus problem-solving but also increases motivation and interest in learning, particularly among low-achieving mathematics students who require additional support.

The early bird gets the worm: age of entry to STEM-related academic education – gender and SES differences

ABSTRACT Background The transition to adulthood in contemporary industrialized society, which once followed a fairly standard pattern, has undergone many changes in terms of timing and order of events. Today’s emerging adults are as likely as not to postpone their entry to college after high school, withdraw temporarily from studies after enrolling, and switch study tracks as well as colleges or universities. While there may be a risk of inappropriate educational choice for those of younger age due to low career maturity, a substantial ‘price’ may also be paid for delayed entry in terms of several labor market indicators. Purpose The study examines gender and SES differences in the age of entering an academic education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) field in Israel. Sample and methods This research was conducted through an online survey of a representative sample of 313 STEM students. Results The findings show the non-significant effect of SES on the age of entering academic education among young women. In contrast, young men with higher SES were likely to start STEM education earlier compared to their lower SES counterparts. Conclusions In the competitive STEM-oriented labor market with its pronounced preference for younger graduates from academic institutions, low SES men who postponed their entry to academic institutions may thus be ‘punished’ for their relatively older age. Therefore, the timing of entering academic education should not be overlooked in social stratification models and theories. Identifying ‘risk groups’ in relation to postponing vs speeding up factors may provide insights for STEM policy makers and practitioners.

ERANDA PATRA (Ricinus communis L.) AS A KRIMIGHNA DRAVYA (ANTIMICROBIAL DRUG) WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ESCHERICHIA COLI BACTERIA- AN IN VITRO STUDY

One of the Department of Educations (DepEd) programs is the K-12 program. They extended it for two more years to give students more time to consider their options for the future. The Senior High School (SHS) program had four tracks: Arts and Design, Sports, Technical and Vocational, and Academic, which included the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) strand. STEM is understood to be an integral part of math and science courses at the school level. It also contributed to the development of 21st-century abilities for all learners. This study determined the status of STEM students in the Philippines. Through descriptive research, this study described and analyzed the trends in the enrolment of STEM students as well as the factors that explain the dropout rate of STEM students. The data under this study came from a trusted source, which is the Department of Educations reports of enrollment from 2016- 2021. The enrollment rate and completion rate of SHS-STEM students are steadily increasing year after year. Thus, different intervention activities were proposed to address the identified factors that led to students dropping out of the STEM track. In addition, the findings of this study were used to improve the STEM strands implementation in SHS and helped future generations as well as the Department of Education in the effective implementation of STEM education across the country. KEYWORDS: STEM, Department of Education, SHS, Enrollment rate, Completion rate.

Implications of dispositions for foreign language writing: The case of the Arabic–English learner

Individual differences matter in foreign language writing. Yet, little information exists on female students in Saudi Arabia, a patriarchal society that is being re-engineered to foster gender equity. This study asked whether particular psychological dispositions can account for the performance in English composition of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and non-STEM Saudi female students (i.e. an understudied population whose first language is Arabic). Examined were dispositions such as anxiety, which was expected to be detrimental to attainment, and self-efficacy and emotional intelligence, which were expected to be beneficial. A sample of 430 Saudi female students for whom English was their second language was surveyed. Students had completed a required English composition course the previous semester. Cluster analysis illustrated three distinct groups of students. Students who did not report anxiety were either STEM or a subsection of non-STEM students. The remaining non-STEM students reported anxiety as well as lower self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, and writing attainment than the other two groups. Findings suggest that, within this particular understudied population, consideration of individual differences can inform the selection of remedies for at-risk students in English composition courses.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT COLLEGE COURSES THROUGH CAREER GUIDANCE PROGRAM (CGP) MODULES AND WORK IMMERSION (WI)

This study was conducted to determine if the conduct of Career Guidance Program (CGP) Modules and Work Immersion (WI) are really helping Grade 12 learners in choosing their right college courses. The researcher utilized descriptive research design. Then, he randomly selected the respondents from the two (2) sections of Grade 12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learners of Los Baños Senior High School (LBSHS) S. Y. 2018 - 2019. In addition to this, four (4) teachers were also chosen as additional respondents. A researcher made a questionnaire and distributed to the fourty – two (42) chosen respondents. Simple statistics like Frequency and Percentage were used to get the analysis of data. The Career Guidance Program (CGP) Modules and Work Immersion (WI) were found to provide help in choosing the college courses of Grade 12 STEM students. This is reflected on the significant learnings of the respondents. It is also visible in the identified help or assistance that they rendered to the respondents. In general, the courses taken by Grade 12 STEM students are related to their Track and Strand which are Academic and STEM respectively. This is denoted by thirty - six (36) responses or equivalent to 94.74 % the total responses. Most of the courses that they intend to take are related to Science and Mathematics. The learners are also becoming more involved in making the decisions of what particular college course they will pursue. It is visible in the percentage of their involvement particularly twelve (12) responses or 31.58 % for the child and twenty- two (22) or 57.89 % for both child and parents. It is also recommended that in the conduct of CGP Modules, consider having more self - assessment activities, and more reading and oral activities like sharing of outputs. Allot enough time to execute the modules to the SHS students. In the conduct of Work Immersion, try to make the time longer, have more exposure to actual field works and assign the students to institutions where their interests could be enhanced. In addition, other school programs or activities are suggested in order to augment the right career choices of SHS students like symposia or seminars about career path and opportunities, job fair, and organize club like peer educators or counselors club through the guidance counselors or advocates. And finally intensify the Counselling Program for SHS students focused on career pathing.

Cultivating a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) community for two-year college student success and persistence.

Undergraduate students studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) often fail to persist in critical "gateway" courses, resulting in students leaving the STEM pathway. Community college students leave STEM pathways at higher rates than students at universities. Implementation of a program designed to engage community college STEM students and faculty in a community of support was associated with increased persistence in STEM gateway courses and associate degree completion. Program elements included support staff, a STEM study room with peer tutors, faculty advisors, and transfer assistance. Over seven years, 415 students joined this opt-in support program. The majority of students in this program were economically disadvantaged and many were nontraditional college students. Using institutional data we tested the hypothesis that participation in this program was associated with increased student success and persistence in STEM courses and at the college. The mean GPA for students in the program in the ten courses with the highest STEM enrollments was higher (2.89) than that for other students (2.76). Quarter-to-quarter persistence was 87% for program students compared to 67% for non-program students in a matched student population. In STEM gateway courses, program students had between 1.2x to 3.5x greater likelihood than non-program students of progressing to precalculus-2 controlling for first-attempt GPA in precalculus-1. Similar persistence patterns were observed for other gateway STEM courses. Observed persistence for students in the program was higher than comparable groups of students, including persistence for those who experienced early failure in STEM courses. These data suggest students should be supported through early failure to enable persistence in critical STEM sequences, especially in gateway Math and Chemistry courses.

Promoting Student Success and DE&I in Experiential Education at an HBCU: STEM Lab Internship Programs

Over the past four years, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Inclusive Excellence grant supported Delaware State University (DSU) to increase student success and foster faculty development in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. One component of this grant has provided students, particularly early sequence (freshman and sophomores), the opportunity to participate in a lab internship program. This program has provided students with access to vital research experience and removed some of the barriers for student opportunities, particularly for minority and first-generation students, in STEM fields. The internship program is rooted in principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion and is a cost-effective model for increasing experiential opportunities for STEM students. This paper will share the logistics and inclusive parameters of the program, survey data from student and faculty mentors, as well as highlight the benefits of incorporating an early experiential learning opportunity for students in STEM fields. The paper demonstrates the steps to create a low-cost lab program and how future internships experiences can be designed with diversity, equity, and inclusion as core principles.

Pursuing Stem Careers: Challenges of Senior High School Students during Distance Learning

The COVID-19 pandemic required the educational sector to implement countermeasures in order to continue educating students amidst the pandemic, this may have resulted in a gap in the number of people entering the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) field. This study determined the challenges of senior high school students in learning in STEM through distance learning. The respondents were 85 Grade 12 STEM students from the six (6) selected public and private educational institutions in the province of Zambales who were chosen through stratified random sampling. Results revealed that STEM 12 students often encountered challenges in terms of Learning Environment (LEC), Student Isolation (SIC), and Workload, simultaneously, it was noted that they sometimes encountered challenges in terms of Self-Regulation (SRC), Technological Sufficiency (TSC), and Technological Literacy and Competency (TLCC).Statistically significant differences were noted on the challenges encountered by Senior High School Students during distance learning in terms of school and age, but there were no significant differences that were noted regarding the other profile variables. The study suggests that the education sector should create program interventions to address the challenges such as curriculum development, to encourage or institutionalize special training courses in mathematics and science, and to develop learning continuity plans to empower teachers and students.

Gender inequality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics: gendered time disparities in perceived and actual time spent in practical laboratory-based activities

Lab-based activities provide essential skills for students within STEM disciplines, as lab activities provide students with research skills and science knowledge. Therefore, it is critical to note that female students have reported feeling less confident in conducting lab-based activities and report a lower sense of belonging in the lab. In two studies (N = 544) we examined gender differences in the time that students spent, and perceived they spent, on various laboratory-based activities. We predicted that female (vs. male) students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) would both perceive, and actually spend, less time in practical, science-specific activities, such as using equipment, compared to observing or note-taking. Study 1a (N = 227) was an online, cross-sectional survey where university STEM students reported their perceptions of time spent during lab-based practical activities, and how satisfied they were with their time spent in these activities. Study 1b (N = 318) was an observational study of university practical lab sessions in STEM disciplines. Our findings demonstrated that female (vs. male) students (1) spent more time recording and taking notes during lab sessions, (2) did not perceive, yet actually spent, less time in the lab using equipment, and (3) were equally satisfied with their time in the lab using equipment. Together, these results suggest that women occupy stereotypically gendered roles in the STEM lab, spending less time on activities that are key for their professional development. Furthermore, the fact that students from disciplines with more female participation were more satisfied with their time spent in lab activities can promote the insidious effects of assessing gender participation and equality in STEM through numbers only. The differences in time spent in lab activities-yet the lack of acknowledge of these differences-opens the discussion about how women might be receiving reduced utility from their programmes, and that universities may not be delivering on their obligations to ensure equal access to teaching resource and opportunities.

Higher education student intentions behind becoming an entrepreneur

PurposeThis research aims to identify the intentions behind becoming an entrepreneur and the perception of entrepreneurial failure among different groups of students. There has been significant research discussing the motivations behind becoming an entrepreneur. However, such a research study is often focused on individuals who are already in the entrepreneurial process. Therefore, this research focuses on the understanding of the entrepreneurial process specified on the intentions of becoming an entrepreneur and the associated risk, in the context of a learning process.Design/methodology/approachThe perspectives of students towards becoming an entrepreneur and their perception of associated risk are identified. A comparative exploratory case study method is used. Three cases developed in the light of empirical evidence consist of Business, Law and Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students.FindingsMajor results show that the law and STEM students were on the same line in terms of motivational factors, such as being career driven. In contrary, the business students were more driven by personal factors such as leaving something behind and building something meaningful.Originality/valueWhilst studies have attempted to understand entrepreneurial intentions, little work has considered students and their views on becoming entrepreneurs. Even with studies that looked at this subject matter, the focus was mainly business students. The authors build on previous work and construct the authors' views based on multi-disciplinary student base to know more about their intentions to become an entrepreneur. The science and law students were more influenced by external factors, whereas business students were focused more on their personal goals. Such classification of the diverse intentions based on student discipline opens a new and promising research avenue to better develop entrepreneurial education not only for business students but across all disciplines in higher education.

Exploring Pre-Service STEM Teachers’ Capacity to Teach Using a Gender-Responsive Approach

Teachers’ perceived efficacy of their ability to teach using a gender approach is key for future generations to become more gender-sensitive and respectful towards gender inequities. However, little is known about graduate training for gender-responsive STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teaching. In this study, after exploring the measurement invariance across countries (Greece and Spain) and sexes (male and female) of the TEGEP (Teacher Self-Efficacy for Gender Equality Practice) scale, a total of 222 prospective secondary school STEM teachers (136 Greek, 86 Spanish) from seven public universities were surveyed. Results showed that (1) the TEGEP has acceptable measurement invariance across countries and among sexes allowing comparison between groups and (2) that Greek and Spanish STEM students finish their master studies without sufficient confidence in gender knowledge, skills, and attitudes to practice a gender-sensitive teaching. The ability to teach gender knowledge was significantly higher in Greek than in Spanish students (4.52 vs. 4.03), while the latter felt more competent than the Greek students in conveying values/attitudes in regard to gender (4.54 vs. 4.83). The study calls for reflection, and considering that gender mainstreaming in STEM is anecdotal and not aligned with existing curricula, seeks to raise awareness and institutional compromise in implementing a gender-responsive approach in STEM. The TEGEP could be utilized to assess and monitor the gender competencies required of graduates in order to provide a more equitable and gender-sensitive STEM education in Greece and Spain.

Entrepreneurship education and its gendered effects on feasibility, desirability and intentions for technology entrepreneurship among STEM students

PurposeThis study aims to examine how entrepreneurship education influences intentions for starting a technology venture among science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students with particular attention to gender differences. This study builds on the model of entrepreneurial event and social role theory to assess the impact of entrepreneurship education on feasibility, desirability and intentions for technology entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses are tested with a sample of 879 Bulgarian science and engineering students from 15 universities. To test the models, this study uses ordinary least squares and logistic regressions with robust standard errors and Hayes mediation analysis with bootstrap bias-corrected confidence interval estimations for indirect effects. Two-stage Heckman regressions to control for sample selection bias and other robustness checks including propensity score matching were used.FindingsResults show that entrepreneurship education, measured as participation in an entrepreneurship course, has a stronger impact on feasibility, desirability and intentions for technology entrepreneurship for female STEM students compared to their male counterparts. As such, this study supports the notion that entrepreneurship education could be part of a solution to counteract societal norms that position technology entrepreneurship as a less desirable and/or less feasible choice for women in STEM. However, attention should be paid to the operationalization of entrepreneurship education, as other measures of entrepreneurship education (role models, entrepreneurship education support) did not have a moderation effect with gender.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors assume a positive correlation between entrepreneurial intentions and entrepreneurial behavior. Future studies should include actual entrepreneurial behavior to paint a more complete picture of the effect of entrepreneurship education.Originality/valueLittle is known about the role of entrepreneurship education in the field of technology entrepreneurship, and even less about the potential gender differences in entrepreneurship education among STEM students. The study contributes to the literature by examining factors that could help close the persistent gender gap in technology entrepreneurship.

Schools’ Readiness, Teachers’ Proficiency, and Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Students’ Preparedness for Higher Education

Students’ preparedness is the extend to which students possess the skills, knowledge, and disposition necessary to succeed academically and socially in higher education practices. The purpose of this study was to determine schools’ level of readiness along funding resources, teacher training and curriculum, and teachers’ level of proficiency along pedagogies, qualification and training, classroom instruction and adequate resources, and STEM students’ level of preparedness for higher education and test the significant difference between the different factors that influence students’ preparedness for higher education. The researcher utilized descriptive-correlational method of research with the help of survey questionnaires as the main source of data. A value of 0.000 indicates a high level of the predictions of the dependent variable (STEM students’ preparedness for higher education). Further, the ANOVA shows that that the independent variable curriculum under the school readiness being statistically significantly predicted the dependent variable STEM student’s preparedness with an F-value of 6.331 and probability value of 0.000 which is less than the 0.05 significance level. This study is hoped to be a useful reference in sustaining schools’ readiness in terms of curriculum design. Curriculum defined as a complex, dynamic, and contested entity that is not limited to a prescribed set of content or outcomes, but it shaped by various actors and forces, including policy, culture, history, and social context.

Are STEM Students Creative Thinkers?

Scholarly research has increasingly examined the role of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, and that of creativity as a transversal skill. However, far fewer studies have investigated the relationship between the two, particularly in secondary-school contexts, and they have obtained inconsistent results. This paper contributes to the literature by asking: To what extent is studying STEM associated with higher levels of creativity in a secondary-school context? The study utilises a pre-existing dataset gathered in Malta (EU) from some 400 students aged between 11 and 16 years old. It yields information on both the engagement in STEM (measured by exposure to STEM chosen by students as optional subjects, and the enjoyment of STEM considered by students to be their favourite subjects), as well as creativity levels (measured by Divergent Thinking performance on Alternate Uses Tests). Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive link between the two phenomena, lending support to the notion that STEM students tend to be more creative than other students. Using regression analysis, a model is estimated to identify the possible effects of engaging in STEM subjects on creativity, once the other co-determinants of creativity are controlled. The results indicate that both the exposure to STEM subject/s and enjoyment thereof significantly and positively predict creativity, even after controlling for the other possible determinants of creativity (such as age, gender, parental education, and participation in creative activities). These findings offer encouraging insights into 21st century education and for curriculum development as they suggest that, in addition to having value in their own right, STEM subjects can contribute to the development of creativity in young people.

An Evidence-Based Approach to Employability Curricula and Transferable Skill Development: A Mixed Methods Study

Within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), there is cross cultural evidence of gaps in transferrable skills between new graduates’ capabilities and employers’ expectations. These gaps hinder graduates’ ability to obtain employment. Herein we report the impact of an evidence-based approach to closing skills gaps in senior STEM students based on their self-perceived employability. A capstone-style, for-credit elective module was developed for STEM students based on the skills gaps found in prior research. The impact of this intervention was measured utilising a mixed-method design. Students’ self-perceived employability pre- and post- module completion were measured, along with post-module reflections collected via a series of open-ended questions. Overall, the module had a positive impact on student self-perceived employability, with the greatest impact in the areas of ‘awareness of opportunity’, ‘perceptions of future success’, and ‘confidence in skills’. A post hoc analysis indicated significant increases in post-module completion ‘confidence in skills’ for women, an important insight given the gender-based issues in career progress and retention in STEM. The qualitative analysis suggested that students highly valued the opportunity to develop job application and transferable skills. The results are discussed in the light of the importance of evidence-based, curriculum-embedded interventions in guiding students to employment.

Structural Equation Model on Pro-Social Skills and Expectancy-Value of STEM Students

<p style="text-align:justify">The objective of the study was to develop a structural model that explores the relationship between Mathematics Performance and students’ self-regulated learning skills, grit, and expectancy-value towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The research collected survey data from 664 senior high school students from 17 STEM high schools, and conducted a covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. The results of the SEM analysis indicate that the Re-specified Self-Regulated Learning Skill – Expectancy-Value towards STEM – Grit – Mathematics Performance (Re-specified SRL-EV-GR-MP) model is the most parsimonious fit, offering the best empirical support for the theoretical model of the study. The research findings suggest that the mathematics performance of senior high school students in STEM curriculum is attributed to their high expectancies for success and perceived values of the STEM tasks, high grit, and high self-regulated learning skills. Moreover, the research also observed evidence of mediating and moderating grit effects in the concurrent effects of expectancy-values towards STEM and self-regulated learning skills towards students’ mathematics performance.</p>

Perceptions of Lecturers and Engineering Students of Sophism and Paradox: The Case of Differential Equations

One of the important topics that many STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) students learn at the tertiary level is differential equations (DEs). Previous studies have explored students’ perceptions of engaging in puzzle tasks in STEM courses; however, no study has explored lecturers’ and students’ perceptions toward using sophism and paradox tasks in teaching mathematics courses, including DEs. This study explores DEs lecturers’ and undergraduate engineering students’ perceptions of using sophism and paradox tasks in the teaching and learning of DEs. The perceptions of 17 lecturers and 134 undergraduate engineering students of sophism and paradox tasks were explored using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The findings showed that more than 50% of lecturers and students perceived that sophism and paradox tasks are enjoyable and entertaining activities which improve students’ mathematical understanding and problem-solving skills, and enhance thinking skills. The findings suggest that sophism and paradox tasks can be used along with routine problems in teaching DEs to provide good opportunities for students to participate more effectively in classroom discussions and motivate them to learn DEs.

STEM students see the value of LinkedIn as a career development tool and continue to use it in the long-term post-assignment

Some empirical case studies provide support for using LinkedIn as a 21st century career development tool; however, little is known about the long-term impact on students’ use of LinkedIn. A LinkedIn assignment was implemented in a third-year subject taken by students in non-specialist science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees. The study aimed to determine: 1) Student use of LinkedIn prior to, and during the four months after the assignment was completed; 2) Student intentions to use LinkedIn as a career development tool in the long-term future; 3) Student perceptions of a LinkedIn assignment and associated employability skills; 4) Changes to students’ LinkedIn profiles and professional connections in the two years following completion of the assignment. Four months after the assignment, students completed an anonymous and voluntary questionnaire comprised of open-ended and Likert-scale questions. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on the Likert-scale responses and content analysis was conducted on the open-ended responses. Students’ LinkedIn profiles were analysed upon completion of the assignment and two years post-assignment to determine changes during this time. Students saw value in the assignment and LinkedIn as a career development tool, and many thought they had developed skills in building a connected identity and social network literacy. Students were less confident in their ability to build and engage with professional networks, although they thought this was important. Most students continued to use LinkedIn in the two years post-assignment. In conclusion, a LinkedIn assignment is an effective career development tool for students in non-specialist STEM degrees.

Investigation of factors influencing career choice among STEM undergraduates in Nigeria universities

Shortage of expertise in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields have been reported over the years despite financial and social interventions by government through policies and efforts of stakeholders. Remediating the afore stated requires a retrospection into the factors responsible for learners’ choice and career orientation in STEM. As such, this study investigated undergraduates’ choice of STEM field and career orientation employing descriptive research. Undergraduates’ choice of career questionnaire with interpersonal, intrapersonal and career outcome expectancy components formed the instrument with reliability index of 0.86. Purposive sampling was employed in the selection of 200 undergraduates in STEM related disciplines from public universities in Nigeria. Three research questions were raised to evaluate the extent of agreement and variance to each of the factors while three hypotheses were formulated and tested using one-way ANOVA among undergraduates’ choices. From the findings, career outcome expectancy outclassed both interpersonal and intrapersonal factors as reason for career choice. This study recommends that factors considered in this study have the possibility of impacting how institutional policies, educational leaders, and stakeholders determine the kind of support/intervention expected to buffer career choice among STEM students.