Zubair Ahmad, Almaas Sultana, Nitha Siby, Mohammad Ammar, Noora J. Al-Thani
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
One of the major challenges faced by the education system today is the lack of interest exhibited by undergraduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This is particularly concerning as the world is becoming increasingly technology-driven, and a skilled workforce is necessary to meet future demands. Therefore, fostering interest among undergraduates in STEM fields is imperative to improve their engagement and persistence in these disciplines. Numerous initiatives have been undertaken to enhance students' STEM interests in formal, non-formal, and informal learning settings. However, assessing the effectiveness of these initiatives requires a robust and validated measurement tool grounded in theoretical and empirical evidence. Without a valid and reliable instrument, it would be challenging to determine the effectiveness of these initiatives in promoting STEM education and interest among undergraduates.
This study presents a STEM Interest Scale (SIS) that captures diverse psychological factors that affect students’ interest in STEM. To develop this scale, the study employs a cross-sectional quantitative design. The data collection process involved two phases for developing and validating the scale. In phase I, 280 participants were surveyed to perform exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to identify the underlying dimensions of STEM interest. In phase II, a sample of 266 students was used to assess the psychometric characteristics of the ‘STEM Interest Scale (SIS) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and nomological validity. The outcome of the EFA revealed that the STEM Interest scale is comprised of four psychological factors: intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, self-concept, and employment aspiration, while the CFA and nomological network confirm the validity of these factors. The present research is a pioneering effort to holistically capture STEM interest, thereby paving the way for informed interventions in STEM education.
期刊介绍：
Journal of Science Education and Technology is an interdisciplinary forum for the publication of original peer-reviewed, contributed and invited research articles of the highest quality that address the intersection of science education and technology with implications for improving and enhancing science education at all levels across the world. Topics covered can be categorized as disciplinary (biology, chemistry, physics, as well as some applications of computer science and engineering, including the processes of learning, teaching and teacher development), technological (hardware, software, deigned and situated environments involving applications characterized as with, through and in), and organizational (legislation, administration, implementation and teacher enhancement). Insofar as technology plays an ever-increasing role in our understanding and development of science disciplines, in the social relationships among people, information and institutions, the journal includes it as a component of science education. The journal provides a stimulating and informative variety of research papers that expand and deepen our theoretical understanding while providing practice and policy based implications in the anticipation that such high-quality work shared among a broad coalition of individuals and groups will facilitate future efforts.
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