Can You See Yourself Here? Broadening Participation in STEM Through Virtual Reality Career Exploration

• In Event: Equipping School Counselors for Inclusive Postsecondary Transitions: Navigating Student Shifting Plans, Racial Injustice, and College Readiness Strategies

Abstract

Objectives/ Purpose: There have been numerous calls for more STEM specific career exploration and advising to meet the needs of the modern workforce (Byars-Winston, 2014; Casad, et al., 2018; Falco, 2017), especially in rural districts with less access to resources. Technology can be one medium to support career exploration for students. Virtual reality with 360 videos (360/VR) have been found as a useful tool for career development as it meets students’ preferences for realistic and engaging content (Jiang, et al., 2021; Ping, et al., 2020). The present study reports on a two-year randomized pre-post intervention study conducted with three rural high schools, testing the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) as a resource for career exploration.

Theoretical Framework: Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) provides an understanding of how a person pursues a career based on their self-efficacy and expected positive benefits from the career in question (Falco, 2017; Jiang, et al., 2021; Lent, et al., 2017) while acknowledging that external factors like identities (racial, ethnic, gender, class) impact an individual’s access to career choices, overall interests, and self-efficacy (Lent, et al., 2017). Self-efficacy is crucial as an individual needs to believe in their abilities to complete career-related tasks, have access to the career, and receive guidance from external supports (Falco, 2017; Jiang, et al., 2021; Lent, et al., 2017).

Methods & Data Collection: An experimental study design with randomization within clusters was used to estimate the effectiveness of the VR technology career exploration intervention at three rural high schools (n = 268). There were two groups: a control group that had “business as usual” meetings with their school counselor, and a treatment group that received the VR career exploration. Randomization was done within the school cluster. Pre and post intervention data included a demographic survey, Measures of science interest (Science Motivation Questionnaire II; Glynn, et al., 2017), career decision self-efficacy (Career Decision-Making and Self-Efficacy Brief Decisional scale; Lent, et al., 2017), and knowledge of engineering technician careers (researcher developed Career Knowledge measure; Author, 2022).

Results: Significant effects for the treatment group were found for science motivation, and significant growth over time was found for both career knowledge and career decision-making self-efficacy.

Scholarly Significance: Results from this data support the positive impact VR career exploration can have on high school students’ motivation and career exploration in science and engineering careers. Positive effects for the treatment group in increasing science interest and knowledge of the target career (i.e., survey and mapping engineering technician) aligns with the SCCT conception that learning experiences increase self-efficacy and outcome expectations for career development (Lent, et al., 2017). The results in the present analysis also support the prior literature on 360/VR videos as a new medium for learning and development of self-efficacy for students (Jiang, et al, 2021; Ping, et al., 2020; Gomez-Tone, et al., 2022).

Authors

• Sarah Ferguson, Rowan University

• Kara Ieva, Rowan University

• Marjorie Blicharz, Rowan University

• Ashley Elmes, Rowan University