Gender Differences in Conceptualizations of STEM Career Interest: Complementary Perspectives from Data Mining, Multivariate Data Analysis and Multidimensional Scaling

Autor/inn/en	Knezek, Gerald; Christensen, Rhonda; Tyler-Wood, Tandra; Gibson, David
Titel	Gender Differences in Conceptualizations of STEM Career Interest: Complementary Perspectives from Data Mining, Multivariate Data Analysis and Multidimensional Scaling
Quelle	In: Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 16 (2015) 4, S.13-19 (7 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1557-5284
Schlagwörter	Middle School Students; Gender Differences; STEM Education; Occupational Aspiration; Personality Traits; Predictor Variables; Student Interests; Multivariate Analysis; Creativity; Science Interests; Mathematics; Engineering; Vocational Interests; Questionnaires; Likert Scales; Student Surveys; Grade 6; Grade 7; Data Collection; Regression (Statistics); Scaling; Louisiana; Maine; Texas; Vermont + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Geschlechterkonflikt; STEM; Berufsneigung; Berufsziel; Individual characteristics; Personality characteristic; Persönlichkeitsmerkmal; Prädiktor; Studieninteresse; Multivariate Analyse; Kreativität; Mathematik; Maschinenbau; Berufsinteresse; Fragebogen; Likert-Skala; Schülerbefragung; School year 06; 6. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 06; School year 07; 7. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 07; Data capture; Datensammlung; Regression; Regressionsanalyse; Scale construction; Skalenkonstruktion
Abstract	Data gathered from 325 middle school students in four U.S. states indicate that both male (p < 0.0005, RSQ = 0.33) and female (p < 0.0005, RSQ = 0.36) career aspirations for "being a scientist" are predictable based on knowledge of dispositions toward mathematics, science and engineering, plus self-reported creative tendencies. For males, strong predictors are creative tendencies (beta = 0.348) and dispositions toward science (beta = 0.326), while dispositions toward mathematics is a weaker (beta = 0.137) but still a significant (p < 0.05) predictor. For females, significant (p < 0.05) predictors ordered by strength of contribution are dispositions toward science (beta = 0.360), creative tendencies (beta = 0.253) and dispositions toward mathematics (beta = 0.200). Additional analyses indicate that engineering appears to be more closely aligned with STEM career aspirations for females than for males. These findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge indicating that at the middle school level major contributors to choosing a path toward a STEM career differ for boys versus girls. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Institute for STEM Education and Research. P.O. Box 4001, Auburn, AL 36831. Tel: 334-844-3360; Web site: http://www.jstem.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01