Determinants of Students’ STEM Attitudes in Primary School: Reading Experience, Preschool Education and Career Choice
Abstract
This study aims to examine primary school students’ STEM attitudes in terms of some demographic characteristics and to reveal their determinants. 616 students who are in the fourth grade of primary school in a province in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey participated in the study. The descriptive survey model was used in the study. The data of the study were collected through a personal information form and a STEM attitude scale. In the analysis of the data, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis H tests were used together with the descriptive statistics results. In addition, the effect size value was calculated for all the obtained results. As a result of the study, it was determined that STEM attitudes differed significantly according to whether the students received preschool education, whether they followed science-themed children's magazines, the number of books they read per month, the type of book they liked to read and the profession they chose; however, the gender variable did not have a significant effect. According to the results, it was suggested that students should gain reading habits, follow science-themed magazines and be supported in reading science fiction books. In addition, the importance of educational policies aimed at expanding preschool education in order to increase interest in STEM fields was emphasized.
Keywords
Primary school, STEM attitude, reading experience, career choice
Ethical Statement
Kırıkkale University Social and Humanities Research Ethics Committee Date: 18.02.2021, Number: 2021-02/02)
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