This study explored the interest, outcome expectations, choice goals and choice actions in engineering and technology, collaboration value, problem solving attitudes, and spatial reasoning and orientation skills of 63 middle school females in grades six, seven, and eight. The participants were involved in a five full-day coding robotics summer…

Enhancing students' aspiration toward STEM-related careers is of a great importance for many communities that seeks the transformation to the knowledge-based economy. The problem this study explored was the literature gap in the relationship between Qatar students' attendance in STEM-related extracurricular programs and their aspiration to pursue…

Growing concerns about the employability of science graduates has led most Australian higher education providers to incorporate work-integrated learning (WIL) into their science curricula. Project-based learning (PjBL) is a student-centred approach to learning that focuses on the application of discipline specific skills and knowledge in…

This study examines the success and role of African women leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In the absence of significant research on women's STEM leadership, the success and roles of others could motivate an aspiring African woman to pursue a career in STEM. A qualitative approach was sought using open online…

To examine the combined effects of maths anxiety (MA), maths self-efficacy (MSE), and maths interest (MI) on STEM career choice, we analysed self-report data from 7908 Twins Early Development Study participants, collected at ages 16 (MSE, MI), 18 (MA) and 21 (STEM career choice). When analysed in the same model, MSE did not independently predict…

There are many initiatives currently in place to increase representation in STEM in K-12 schools, however there is still a lack of representation in STEM courses and STEM careers. The purpose of this multi-strand parallel sequential mixed method study was to provide insight into the barriers and perceptions of STEM held by educators, counselors,…

This study sought to determine what undergraduate science students envision when asked to picture a scientist at work. Stereotypical understandings of who becomes a scientist and what the work involves may deter young people from STEM careers. The Draw-A-Scientist Test (DAST) and variations have been used over 40 years to explore student…

The purpose of this study is to assess whether there is a relationship between neighborhood inequality in which underrepresented minorities (URMs) with STEM degrees reside and their employment in STEM fields. The current study deploys an Intersectional Theory (IT) research framework and Bourdieu's Theory of Practice to identify the influence of…

It appears that a disconnect may exist between the taught curriculum in middle school and the real-world applications of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) concepts, leaving students underprepared to envision themselves in future STEM roles. This two-cycle action research study investigated the connection between middle school…

Despite the shrinking gaps in STEM educational attainments worldwide, women and men still have different chances of starting their careers in STEM. Having a degree in STEM does not guarantee employment, and one of the weakest joints in the STEM pipeline is the connection between education and employment. To address the problem of…

This Handbook is the result of a project funded through the UNESCO-UNEVOC Coaction Initiative 2023. The project's objective was to establish the Latin American Mentorship Network for Gender Equity and Opportunities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in order to contribute to the region's efforts to promote inclusion and…

We examine three coding bootcamps offered by LaunchCode (LC101, Women+, and CodeCamp) to understand if tailored structures within coding bootcamp programs--designed for underrepresented groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)--lead to increased program persistence for women, underrepresented minorities, and low-income…

The underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields limits their development, their career opportunities, and societal progress. This study used social cognitive career theory to explore the relationship between informal STEM learning activities and STEM career intention in female high-school…

Research suggests that children as young as 6 years old could begin to develop a negative attitude towards the STEM disciplines and this results in disengagement and loss of interest in these areas, particularly for girls. Finding ways to address this apparent lack of interest among young students is critical as reports highlight a lack of…

The gender gap in STEM careers is shaped in part by educational choices. This study investigates two interventions--absolute performance feedback and personalized advice--aiming at narrowing the gender disparities in investments in math skills. Using an online lab experiment, participants chose between a math or verbal task after receiving one of…