2017 - Pressurizing the STEM Pipeline: an Expectancy-Value Theory Analysis of Youths’ STEM Attitudes

Attribution: Ball, Christopher, Huang, Kuo-Ting, Cotton, Shelia R., & V. Rikard, R.
Researchers: Christopher BallKuo-Ting HuangR.V. RikardShelia R. Cotton
University Affiliation: Michigan State University
Email: Ballchr3@msu.edu
Research Question:
Through the lens of expectancy-value theory (EVT), what are the potential factors that influence STEM attitudes in the context of computing intervention?
Published: Yes
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: Journal of Science Education and Technology
Journal Entry: Volume 26, Issue 4, pp. 372-382
Year: 2017
Findings:

– Both intrinsic values and utility values predict students’ STEM attitudes but they influence attitudes related to the various dimensions of STEM differently.
– Future computing interventions, as well as STEM interventions in general, should begin to emphasize EVT-related values and beliefs at an early age. Interventions that accentuate the interesting, fun, and useful aspects of academia will increase students’ positive attitudes towards STEM.
– The computing intervention in the current study did not produce statistically significant changes in students’ EVT-related beliefs and their attitudes towards STEM.
– Despite that there was no significant increase of students’ attitudes towards STEM fields between
pretest and posttest, students who reported an increased intrinsic values, utility values, and expectancy also showed increased positive STEM attitudes.
– The findings indicate that computing interventions are well suited to increase STEM attitudes via the manipulation of EVT-related variables.

 

Scholarship Types: Journal Article Reporting Empirical ResearchKeywords: AttitudesElementary SchoolExpectancy Value ModelInterestMinoritiesSTEMRegions: SEMethodologies: QuantitativeResearch Designs: SurveyAnalysis Methods: Descriptive StatisticsOLS (Ordinary least-squares) Sampling Frame:Minority Elementary Students
Sampling Types: Non-Random - PurposiveAnalysis Units: StudentData Types: Quantitative-Longitudinal
Data Description:

There are two core theoretical constructs within the (EVT). These two constructs have a direct influence on student’s task choice, persistence, and motivation. The first EVT construct is expectancies for success and the second is subjective task values. The expectancies for success construct taps into an individual’s belief regarding their ability to succeed at a given task. Meanwhile, the subjective task values concept taps into the various dimensions of value that a person may place on a particular task or activity. Unlike expectancies, subjective task value contains four important sub-constructs: attainment value (importance), intrinsic value (interest), utility value (usefulness), and cost.

Data for this study was gathered over the course of a large-scale computing intervention which sought to increase students’ STEM interest. This computing intervention took place in an urban elementary school district located within the southeastern USA.

The goal of the intervention was to increase the number of minority students entering STEM careers by enhancing students’ computer usage and increasing students’ computer access by integrating computer use across the curriculum. Fourth and fifth-grade teachers and students were recruited
for various activities during the computing intervention.

Data were collected from pre- and posttest surveys administered to fourth- and fifth-grade students enrolled in 12 schools in the Fall of 2012 and Spring of 2013. Participating students completed paper and pencil surveys before and after the intervention. The pretest survey (T1) was conducted at the
beginning of the school year and the posttest survey (T2) was administered at the end of the school year. A total of 1666 students completed either the pre- or posttest survey. After eliminating all of the cases with missing values, 1155 students were included in the analytic sample.

In order to measure students’ attitudes towards STEM subjects, the change scores for five dependent variables were calculated. The change scores were calculated by subtracting the pretest scores from the posttest scores for the dependent variables. The five dependent variables are as follows: (1) science affinity, (2) math affinity, (3) technology affinity, (4) math importance, and (5) technology importance. The response options included no, yes, and maybe.

The EVT variables were constructed post hoc out of a previously used survey instrument for examining the results of the computing intervention. The survey included items about students’ computer use, information and communication technology (ICT) self-efficacy, and academic self-efficacy. The survey contained a number of items which were similar to other EVT measures. Therefore, they conducted an exploratory factor analysis with a varimax rotation and three EVT factors emerged: expectancies (five items), intrinsic values (two items), and utility values (six items).

Gender, race, and grade level served as the control variables in the present analyses. All the control variables were recoded as dichotomous dummy variables.

Theoretical Framework:
Relevance:STEM Interest/Pursuit/Aspirations/Intent
Archives: K-16 STEM Abstracts