A study of the correlation between

STEM career knowledge, mathematics

self-efficacy, career interests, and career
activities on the likelihood of pursuing a
STEM career among middle school
students

Authors: Karen A. Blotnicky, Tamara Franz-Odendaal,

Frederick French and Phillip Joy.

Published on May 16, 2018

Summary
• With the different variations of the level of understanding and knowledge of
middle school students around the globe in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics, their career interests and intentions of pursuing a STEM career,
influence a student's preference of what kind of future they will choose. Because
a STEM-based career path requires proper knowledge, it develops a risk that
students will ignore this as a potential option.

• Without career guidance, a particular STEM career will fade among

the options of the students. However, with the recent observations that
teaching students with STEM career knowledge early, improves the
behaviour of students to take more science and mathematics courses in
high school. An extensive study in 2015, surveying 24,000 students,
showed that occupational ambitions change dramatically between the
9th and 11th grades and that the relationship between STEM intention
and motivation is highly influenced by time.
Summary
• Both STEM career knowledge and career interests are also influenced by
society, these include people that students are exposed to such as teachers,
family members, and peers. These factors indicate the ability of the
students to grasp their career options and their hopes for their future. In
which self-efficacy is one of the keys to guiding students in selecting
majors during high school and post-secondary education.

• In conclusion, the grades 7 through 9 years (12–15-year-olds) are the

key period for influencing STEM career interest and for building this
self-efficacy. Early interest in STEM topics is an excellent predictor
for later learning and eventual career interests and choice.
 Formal and academic

Concise
Evaluation
Evidence-based

Focused on the research problem

 Explains the goal of the study

Evaluation Introduces the variables of the study

Cites related literature