Students’ task values, ability beliefs and STEM aspirations in early science education - A longitudinal study

• In Event: 1-089 - The integration of self-regulation and other school-related competencies in early and long-term educational success

Integrative Statement

The aim of the study is to examine elementary school students’ subjective task values (STVs), cost, and ability beliefs in science education. More specifically, we were interested on (1) how students’ science related STVs, cost, and ability beliefs are interrelated between first and second grade, and (2) does first graders’ science related task values, cost, and ability beliefs predict students’ dream occupation a year later. 333 first grade students were examined twice one year apart from seven elementary schools in Helsinki. Students filled in a self-report questionnaire assessing their subjective task values (importance, utility, and interest), cost (effort, exhaustion), and ability beliefs in science. Students were also asked to report their dream occupation, which were dummy coded to occupation level (support/professional), and if the reported occupation is on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) field or not. We used cross-lagged panel model to examine the objectives of the study. The mean levels of boys’ science ability beliefs decreased over a year. In cross-lagged SEM model science related ability beliefs at the first grade predicted lower cost at the second grade. Science related task-values at the first grade predicted students’ dream occupation at STEM field

Authors

• Katariina Salmela-Aro, European Association for Developmental Psychology (EADP)
  Presenting Author

• Janica Vinni-Laakso, University of Helsinki
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jiesi Guo, Australian Catholic University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jacque Eccles, University of California, Irvine
  Non-Presenting Author