Poster #70 - A Mixed Methods Examination of Students’ Hopeful Future Expectations in STEM Careers

• In Event: 2-055 - Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Section - Education, Schooling

Integrative Statement

Engagement in STEM among U.S. youth continues to decline, evidenced by decreasing achievement on STEM global assessments (DeSilver, 2017) and low college enrollment and attainment of STEM degrees (National Science Board, 2014). Because students’ positive expectations of activities have significant implications for their motivation and subsequent engagement and success in that activity (Wigfield & Eccles, 1992: 2000), understanding students’ positive future expectations of STEM careers is of clear value. Hope—harnessing resources to attain goals (Callina, Snow, & Murray, 2017)—is a strong motivator for identifying, pursuing, and sustaining long-term goals (Snyder, 2000), such as attaining a STEM career. Despite an abundance of research on STEM engagement and achievement (e.g., McDonald, 2016; Becker & Park, 2011) and on hope and academic achievement (e.g., Lopez et al., 2009; Day et al., 2010), little is known about associations between hope and students’ positive future expectations regarding STEM careers. Using Expectancy Value Theory (EVT) (Eccles et al., 1983) as a guide, we addressed this issue by using a mixed-methods approach to (a) test relations among students’ hope, number of positive future expectations for a STEM career, and desire to pursue a STEM career, and (b) qualitatively analyze student responses regarding STEM future expectations.

Participants were 639 fifth through twelfth grade students (47.6% female) in a rural southwestern U.S. county. Students completed an online survey in which they responded to the 6-item Children's Hope Scale (Snyder et al., 1997), (1=None of the time; 5=All of the time) and reported their interest in obtaining a STEM career, (0= not interested; 3= very interested). In addition, students were prompted to provide as many reasons as possible as to why they might want to pursue a STEM career (i.e., positive future expectations of STEM careers).

Results from hierarchical regressions (Table 1) showed that hope predicted interest in STEM (B = .03, SE = .01, p < .001) and that number of positive future expectations of STEM careers mediated the relationship between hope and interest in STEM (B = .16, SE = .04, p < .001), in that hope no longer predicted interest in STEM after controlling for the mediator (B = .02, SE = .01, p =.11).

Next, using EVT as a guide, we qualitatively coded students’ open-ended positive future expectations of STEM careers in the themes expectations for success, subjective task values, goals, and perceptions of socializers (Table 2). Expectations for success were characterized by self-concepts and confidence in task-specific abilities in STEM subjects. Subjective task values were characterized by intrinsic interests in and utility value of STEM careers and subjects. Goals were characterized as student’s desired STEM careers. Finally, perceptions of socializers were characterized as pursuing a STEM career to be like a mentor or family member. Findings from this exploratory mixed-methods study will be discussed in terms of the significant role of both students’ hope and students’ positive future expectations of STEM careers in promoting student engagement and attainment of STEM related careers.

Authors

• Jayley Janssen, Arizona State University
  Presenting Author

• Brittany L Alexander, Arizona State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Tashia Abry, Arizona State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Crystal Bryce, Arizona State University
  Non-Presenting Author