A Multi-Dimensional Scale for Measuring Undergraduates Interest in STEM Disciplines

IF 3.3 1区教育学 Q1 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Journal of Science Education and Technology Pub Date : 2024-07-27 DOI:10.1007/s10956-024-10140-w

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.

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衡量大学生对 STEM 学科兴趣的多维量表

当今教育系统面临的主要挑战之一是大学生对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）学科缺乏兴趣。这一点尤其令人担忧，因为世界正变得越来越以技术为驱动力，而熟练的劳动力是满足未来需求的必要条件。因此，培养本科生对 STEM 领域的兴趣对于提高他们对这些学科的参与度和坚持度至关重要。在正规、非正规和非正式的学习环境中，已经采取了许多措施来提高学生对 STEM 的兴趣。然而，要评估这些措施的有效性，需要有一个以理论和经验证据为基础的、可靠的、经过验证的测量工具。如果没有一个有效而可靠的工具，要确定这些措施在促进大学生 STEM 教育和兴趣方面的有效性将是一个挑战。本研究提出了一个 STEM 兴趣量表（SIS），它捕捉了影响学生对 STEM 兴趣的各种心理因素。为编制该量表，本研究采用了横断面定量设计。数据收集过程包括开发和验证量表的两个阶段。在第一阶段，对 280 名参与者进行了调查，以进行探索性因子分析（EFA），确定 STEM 兴趣的基本维度。在第二阶段，对 266 名学生进行了抽样调查，采用确认性因素分析（CFA）和名义效度评估 "STEM 兴趣量表（SIS）"的心理测量特征。EFA结果显示，STEM兴趣量表由四个心理因素组成：内在动机、自我效能感、自我概念和就业愿望，而CFA和提名网络证实了这些因素的有效性。本研究开创性地从整体上把握了 STEM 兴趣，从而为 STEM 教育的知情干预铺平了道路。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Science Education and Technology EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES-

CiteScore

9.40

自引率

4.50%

发文量

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

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.