Measurement Invariance of High School Students’ Attitudes Toward STEM Across Gender

• In Event: Women and STEM Education

Abstract

This study investigates the factorial and item-level invariance of the attitude towards STEM across gender among the high school students in mainland China and Macau. Utilizing Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis, the study examines whether the responses to the instrument were comparable at the configural, metric, and scalar levels across gender among the high schoolers in China. Person reliability and item reliability as well as item difficulty and person ability were reported. By understanding the nuances of how attitudes toward STEM are formed and influenced by gender, educators can develop more targeted interventions that encourage all students, regardless of gender, to engage in STEM. .

Authors

• Chuang Wang, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Qiao Liu, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Julia Wang, Weddington High School