Children's Perceptions of the Factors That Led to Their Enrolment in Advanced, Middle-School Science Programmes

Autor/inn/en	Caspi, Avner; Gorsky, Paul; Nitzani-Hendel, Rakefet; Zacharia, Zacharias C.; Rosenfeld, Sherman; Berman, Shmuel; Shildhouse, Bruria
Titel	Children's Perceptions of the Factors That Led to Their Enrolment in Advanced, Middle-School Science Programmes
Quelle	In: International Journal of Science Education, 42 (2020) 11, S.1915-1939 (25 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Caspi, Avner) ORCID (Gorsky, Paul)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0950-0693
DOI	10.1080/09500693.2020.1802083
Schlagwörter	Student Attitudes; Grade 6; Grade 7; Decision Making; Course Selection (Students); Middle School Students; STEM Education; Science Interests; Self Efficacy; Student Interests; Parent Influence; Peer Influence; Elementary Education; Informal Education; Foreign Countries; Enrollment; Value Judgment; Success; Expectation; Environmental Influences; Advanced Courses; Israel + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Schülerverhalten; School year 06; 6. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 06; School year 07; 7. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 07; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Course selection; Student; Students; Kurswahl; Middle school; Middle schools; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; STEM; Self-efficacy; Selbstwirksamkeit; Studieninteresse; Elementarunterricht; Informelle Bildung; Nichtformale Bildung; Ausland; Einschulung; Werturteil; Erfolg; Expectancy; Erwartung; Environmental influence; Umwelteinfluss; Fortgeschrittenenunterricht
Abstract	Toward the end of 6th grade, some bright and highly motivated science-oriented Israeli students and their parents are required to make a decision: whether or not to enrol in a non-mandatory advanced science programme for 7th graders ([almost equal to] 12 year olds) upon entering middle-school. In other words, for many students, entry into the STEM pipeline begins at an earlier age than previously reported and, to date, reasons for doing so are unknown. The aim of this study was to identify and model the factors that contributed to enrolment. Data collected from 7th graders in three Israeli middle-schools (N=615) included self-efficacy and interest in STEM learning, perceived parental encouragement to learn STEM, perceived peer interest in STEM, recollections of STEM learning in primary schools and participation in informal STEM programmes. Path analysis showed that 'self-efficacy', 'parents', 'peers' and 'participation' directly predicted enrolment. Self-efficacy mediated the effects of environmental variables on academic choice. The significant effect of participation in informal STEM programmes points toward an even earlier entry into the STEM pipeline. Quantitative content analysis was used to categorise the reasons for enrolling in the advanced science programmes (N=179). Unexpectedly, students overwhelmingly cited practical importance ('utility value') vis-à-vis short, medium and long-term goals. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01