The Emotional Costs of Computers: An Expectancy-value Theory Analysis of Young Students’ STEM Attitudes

• In Event: 022 - Regular Session. Internet and Society

Abstract

There is a strong push to increase American students’ interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematic (STEM) careers. However, minority and female students remain underrepresented in the STEM fields. Therefore, it is essential that we continue to examine the potential factors that both incite and dissuade STEM interest. We apply Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT) to examine STEM attitudes of predominantly minority elementary school students over the course of a computing intervention. Furthermore, we integrate the digital divide mental access conceptualization of “emotional costs” into the EVT model in order to predict students’ negative STEM attitudes. Data are from a large-scale computing intervention that took place in a primarily minority, high poverty, urban elementary school district located in the southeastern United States. Results indicate that positive expectancies for success and subjective task values predict students’ positive STEM attitudes. Emotional costs towards technology primarily predict negative STEM attitudes. Students’ expectancies/values and emotional costs may have a “push-and-pull” effect on the formation of STEM attitudes. This study successfully links digital disparities to STEM disparities by integrating the digital divide concept of emotional costs. Practically, we conclude that future computing interventions should increase students’ academic related expectancies and values while also minimizing their emotional costs in order to address both digital and STEM disparities. Theoretically, we conclude that broad conceptualizations of emotional costs should be included in future studies to help explain negative attitudes/motivations towards STEM-related topics.

Authors

• Christopher Ball, Michigan State University

• Kuo-Ting Huang, Michigan State University

• RV Rikard, Michigan State University

• Shelia R. Cotten, Michigan State University