Science capital works in different ways in predicting primary school children's future science affinity

Activity: Academic Talks or Presentations › Oral presentation › Research

Description

There have been national and international STEM skills shortage reported in recent years (STEM Learning, 2018). However, research into the barriers of pupils' STEM learning and affinity has mostly focused on pupils at the secondary level. This large scale study explores primary school children's science capital, their future science affinity and understanding of science. Many of the children were entitled Free School Meal.
Factor analysis on children's understanding of science revealed three factors: 1. stereotypical view associated with lab-based subjects and experiments, 2. space and discovery associated with social science, and 3. utilitarian and future-orientated view associated with engineering and schooling/exams. The findings of regression analysis revealed that parents' attitude towards science combined with the children's racial background and school had differential impacts on children's future science affinity. The discussion will examine the role played by self-perception and self-efficacy in science learning in children who deemed science is not cool or out of their reach.
Period18 Jun 2021
Event titleUON Annual Research Conference 2021: HEBC Research Roundtable
Event typeConference

Keywords

  • Science capital
  • Science affinity

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