Gender Differences in High School Students' Interest in STEM Careers: A Multi-Group Comparison Based on Structural Equation Model

Autor/inn/en	Wang, Ning; Tan, Aik-Ling; Zhou, Xiaohong; Liu, Ke; Zeng, Feng; Xiang, Jiong
Titel	Gender Differences in High School Students' Interest in STEM Careers: A Multi-Group Comparison Based on Structural Equation Model
Quelle	In: International Journal of STEM Education, 10 (2023), Artikel 59 (21 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Wang, Ning) ORCID (Tan, Aik-Ling) ORCID (Zeng, Feng)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
DOI	10.1186/s40594-023-00443-6
Schlagwörter	Gender Differences; Disproportionate Representation; STEM Education; Womens Education; Females; Career Choice; Majors (Students); Environmental Influences; High School Students; Self Efficacy; Student Attitudes; Vocational Interests; Asian Culture; Student Interests; Foreign Countries; China + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Geschlechterkonflikt; STEM; 'Women''s education'; Frauenbildung; Weibliches Geschlecht; Environmental influence; Umwelteinfluss; High school; High schools; Student; Students; Oberschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Self-efficacy; Selbstwirksamkeit; Schülerverhalten; Berufsinteresse; Studieninteresse; Ausland
Abstract	Background: Females are underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields all over the world. To encourage more girls to choose STEM majors and careers, it is critical to increase their interest in STEM careers. Many studies have investigated the factors that influence females' entry into STEM fields, but few studies have explored the gender differences in the relationships between these factors. Therefore, based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory, this study explored the gender differences in the effects of environmental factors (school education, informal education, social support, and media) on high school students' interest in STEM careers through the mediating roles of STEM self-efficacy and STEM careers perceptions. Results: A questionnaire survey was conducted among 1240 high school students in Hunan Province, China, and the results of t-test, regression analysis, and structural equation model multi-group comparison showed that: Firstly, the scores of male students in all the dimensions except for STEM career perception were significantly higher than those of female students. Secondly, the environmental factor that had the greatest effect on male and female students' interest in STEM careers was different. Finally, there were gender differences in the mediating roles of STEM self-efficacy and STEM careers perceptions between environmental factors and interest in STEM careers. Conclusions: This study revealed the influence mechanisms and gender differences in male and female students' interest in STEM careers in the context of Chinese Confucian culture, and the conclusions are as follows: (1) Male students' interest in STEM careers was significantly higher than that of female students; (2) The environmental factors that had the greatest effect on male and female students' interest in STEM careers were social support and media, respectively; and (3) Environmental factors could affect male students' interest in STEM careers through the mediating roles of STEM self-efficacy and STEM career perception, while environmental factors could affect female students' interest in STEM careers through the mediating role of STEM self-efficacy. Finally, the mediating mechanisms of STEM self-efficacy and STEM career perception between environmental factors and interest in STEM careers, and the importance of STEM self-efficacy for female students were discussed. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01