Whose recognition is meaningful in developing a STEM identity? A preliminary exploration with Thai secondary school students

The likelihood that students pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) depends on the extent to which they identify with these fields (i.e., STEM identity). In order for students to develop a STEM identity, it is crucial that they receive social recognition from others (e.g., family members, teachers, friends, and professionals in STEM). Yet, research that explicitly compares whose recognition is meaningful to students in developing STEM is still scarce. This study examines to what extent 134 Thai secondary school students (47 males and 87 females) perceive meaningfulness of recognition in STEM if they gain from different persons. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using statistical methods. The results indicate that, regardless of the students’ gender and educational levels, students similarly appreciate social recognition from friends, family members, teachers, and unspecified others. Only recognition from professionals in STEM, however, is significantly lesser meaningful than that from other kinds of persons. Moreover, students with strong STEM identities are more likely than those with weak STEM identities to appreciate social recognition. These results highlight not only the importance of recognition from those with whom students are already intimate, rather than recognition from those who work in STEM fields, but also different scaffoldings for students with varying degrees of STEM identity to see themselves as STEM persons.