Science-related professional aspirations and students’ social background: Developing and validating the Taste for Science Test (TaSTe)

IF 2.2 3区教育学 Q1 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Research in Science Education Pub Date : 2025-05-14 DOI:10.1007/s11165-025-10255-z

Jailton Correia Fraga Junior, Paulo Lima Junior

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Abstract

Students’ professional aspirations constitute an established area of research within the field of science education. To explore how students’ taste for science bridges the gap between their social background and professional aspirations, we developed the Taste for Science Test (TaSTe), which draws on Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice. We applied this test to a large sample of Brazilian students (n = 1582) for validation. Structural equation modelling (SEM) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were the main data analytical tools utilized. The results indicated that the TaSTe is a reliable measure of students’ taste for science and mediates the relationship between social background and professional aspirations. Although the effects of family income and parental education on students’ taste for science are modest, their effects on students’ professional aspirations are notable. While parental education and family income modestly increase the taste for science, even most affluent middle-class families do not consistently demonstrate a positive relationship with science. These results highlight the importance of cultivating students’ taste for science to address denialism and the lack of STEM professionals in developing economies.

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科学相关的职业抱负与学生的社会背景：科学品味测试（Taste）的开发与验证

学生的职业抱负构成了科学教育领域内一个既定的研究领域。为了探索学生的科学品味如何弥合他们的社会背景和职业抱负之间的差距，我们开发了科学品味测试（taste），它借鉴了皮埃尔·布迪厄的实践理论。我们将此测试应用于巴西学生的大样本（n = 1582）进行验证。结构方程模型（SEM）和方差分析（ANOVA）是主要的数据分析工具。结果表明，味觉是衡量学生科学品味的可靠指标，并在社会背景和职业抱负之间起中介作用。虽然家庭收入和父母教育程度对学生科学品味的影响不大，但对学生职业抱负的影响是显著的。虽然父母的教育程度和家庭收入适度地增加了对科学的兴趣，但即使是最富裕的中产阶级家庭也没有始终表现出与科学的积极关系。这些结果强调了培养学生对科学的品味对于解决发展中经济体中否认主义和缺乏STEM专业人员的重要性。

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来源期刊

Research in Science Education EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-

CiteScore

6.40

自引率

8.70%

发文量

期刊介绍： 2020 Five-Year Impact Factor: 4.021 2020 Impact Factor: 5.439 Ranking: 107/1319 (Education) – Scopus 2020 CiteScore 34.7 – Scopus Research in Science Education (RISE ) is highly regarded and widely recognised as a leading international journal for the promotion of scholarly science education research that is of interest to a wide readership. RISE publishes scholarly work that promotes science education research in all contexts and at all levels of education. This intention is aligned with the goals of Australasian Science Education Research Association (ASERA), the association connected with the journal. You should consider submitting your manscript to RISE if your research: Examines contexts such as early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary, workplace, and informal learning as they relate to science education; and Advances our knowledge in science education research rather than reproducing what we already know. RISE will consider scholarly works that explore areas such as STEM, health, environment, cognitive science, neuroscience, psychology and higher education where science education is forefronted. The scholarly works of interest published within RISE reflect and speak to a diversity of opinions, approaches and contexts. Additionally, the journal’s editorial team welcomes a diversity of form in relation to science education-focused submissions. With this in mind, RISE seeks to publish empirical research papers. Empircal contributions are: Theoretically or conceptually grounded; Relevant to science education theory and practice; Highlight limitations of the study; and Identify possible future research opportunities. From time to time, we commission independent reviewers to undertake book reviews of recent monographs, edited collections and/or textbooks. Before you submit your manuscript to RISE, please consider the following checklist. Your paper is: No longer than 6000 words, including references. Sufficiently proof read to ensure strong grammar, syntax, coherence and good readability; Explicitly stating the significant and/or innovative contribution to the body of knowledge in your field in science education; Internationalised in the sense that your work has relevance beyond your context to a broader audience; and Making a contribution to the ongoing conversation by engaging substantively with prior research published in RISE. While we encourage authors to submit papers to a maximum length of 6000 words, in rare cases where the authors make a persuasive case that a work makes a highly significant original contribution to knowledge in science education, the editors may choose to publish longer works.