Ellen Karoline Henriksen

Participation in science and technology: young people’s achievement‐related choices in late‐modern societies

Young people’s participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is a matter of international concern. Studies and careers that require physical sciences and advanced mathematics are most affected by the problem and women in particular are under‐represented in many STEM fields. This article views international research about young people’s relationships to, and participation in, STEM subjects and careers through the lens of an expectancy‐value model of achievement‐related choices. In addition it draws on sociological theories of late‐modernity and identity, which situate decision‐making in a cultural context. The article examines how these frameworks are useful in explaining the decisions of young people – and young women in particular – about participating in STEM and proposes possible strategies for removing barriers to participation.

An empirical-mathematical modelling approach to upper secondary physics

In this paper we describe a teaching approach focusing on modelling in physics, emphasizing scientific reasoning based on empirical data and using the notion of multiple representations of physical phenomena as a framework. We describe modelling activities from a project (PHYS 21) and relate some experiences from implementation of the modelling approach in Norwegian upper secondary physics classrooms.

The contribution of museums to scientific literacy: views from audience and museum professionals

The new goals outlined for museums in recent reports are in line with the efforts to improve the publics civic and practical scientific literacy. We have made a preliminary exploration of the potential of museums to provide information and experiences that the audience finds relevant in the context of science-related issues they encounter in their private or civic lives. We found that for a group of parents faced with the issue of radon in their childrens school, two museums in Oslo were not seen as having such a function; neither did the parents expect museums to have such a role. Professionals from the two museums expressed similar attitudes. If this skepticism toward the new goals is widespread, museums face a great challenge concerning how to relate to the new goals. Based on our findings, we suggest some pertinent issues for future research.

Expectancy-Value Perspectives on Choice of Science and Technology Education in Late-Modern Societies

This chapter introduces two theoretical perspectives of relevance to understanding educational choice related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). First, expectancy-value theory, as developed by Jacquelynne Eccles and colleagues during several decades, offers a comprehensive model of the different influence factors, considerations and values that are involved when individuals choose education and career. Second, sociological perspectives on the cultural traits and dominating values in late modern societies offer insight into the cultural context in which young people make their choices. The chapter discusses these two theoretical perspectives in relation to each other and to science education research literature concerning young people’s relationship to STEM subjects.

The Role of Out-of-School Experiences and Targeted Recruitment Efforts in Norwegian Science and Technology Students’ Educational Choice

Understanding young peoples educational choice is of interest in order to recruit sufficient numbers of young people to careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In this article, questionnaire data (closed and open-ended questions) from 5,007 Norwegian first-year students in all STEM higher-education disciplines are utilised to describe the role of out-of-school experiences and targeted recruitment efforts in the choice to enter an STEM higher-education programme. Out-of-school experiences were described as the more inspirational by our respondents, contributing to a stable interest for and identification with the STEM field through a long-term educational choice process. Among such experiences, popular science and also fiction or drama with a science component were rated high, whereas museums and science centres were rated lower. Popular science as well as leisure-time activities and experiences in nature were also frequently referred to in open questions. Targeted recruitment efforts are important mainly near educational decision points. The higher-education institutions’ own websites were rated as far more inspirational than campaign websites from official authorities, professional organisations, etc. Commercials, company visits and school counsellors received low ratings as sources of inspiration for an STEM choice, whereas education expositions and visits to or from a higher-education institution were rated somewhat higher. The results suggest that stakeholders wishing to improve STEM participation might consider partnerships with educational institutions, popular science, the media and organisations offering outdoor activities for children and adolescents, in designing information and outreach to improve STEM participation.

Short Stories of Educational Choice: In the Words of Science and Technology Students

In this chapter, we analyse written responses from science and technology students in Denmark, Norway and England to the open-ended question “Please describe how you came to choose this course”. Seven hundred eighty-four responses collected with the IRIS questionnaire instrument were analysed through a thematic approach and described in relation to expectancy-value theory for educational choice. Expressions of interest and intrinsic motivation dominated the responses, but utility value, expectation of success and attainment value were also among the motivations described. Concerning the sources of interest and enjoyment with science and technology, respondents referred to school experiences, family influence, popular science and outreach. Our results indicate that building and maintaining adolescents’ interest through presenting a variety of science and technology contents and contexts both in and outside of school is essential for making these subjects a real option for many students. Outreach and recruitment efforts may have an important role particularly in connection with educational decision points. The great emphasis respondents put on personal interest and enjoyment is discussed in relation to late modern ideals of self-realisation and identity development.

Introduction: Participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education: Presenting the Challenge and Introducing Project IRIS

Young people’s participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is a matter of international concern. Candidates qualified in physical sciences, mathematics and engineering in particular are expected to be in high demand in the coming years. Moreover, there is a distinct gender imbalance in many STEM disciplines. The research project Interests and Recruitment in Science, IRIS, emerged in response to this situation. The first part of this chapter presents the challenges connected with STEM participation, both in terms of global challenges requiring STEM expertise, in terms of equity and participation issues, and in terms of projected needs in the STEM workforce in different parts of Europe and the world. Commonalities as well as differences in participation patterns between countries and between STEM fields are displayed. In the final part of the chapter, the framework of IRIS is presented and the main data collection instruments are outlined. The objective of IRIS is to develop understanding of educational choice and recommendations concerning how a larger group of young people, women in particular, may come to consider STEM as a real and attractive option when making their educational and career choices. The IRIS project encompasses a range of qualitative and quantitative studies, which are briefly outlined. The chapter ends by presenting the structure and contents of the present book, which largely rests on results and perspectives produced within IRIS.

Improving Participation in Science and Technology Higher Education: Ways Forward

In this chapter we focus on how the insights which have emerged from the preceding chapters may be useful for stakeholders working to improve STEM participation. Stimulating interest in STEM may impact positively on many young people’s choice process, but on its own it will not improve STEM participation. Part of the problem is that students have limited knowledge about STEM-related applications and professions. However, it also seems that choosing an education is related not only to what you want to do, but to who you want to be. That finding points to the role of the media and the informal science sector in influencing young people’s images of science and technology. In terms of pedagogic strategies, engaging with socio-scientific issues within the school science curriculum encourages students to consider further STEM education. We also know that students are concerned about the workload and difficulty of STEM education which is something that needs to be considered when designing the curriculum and classroom activities. A variety of STEM-related experiences meets the needs of diverse student groups. In particular, interventions to improve recruitment should be designed with sensitivity to gender differences but without making essentialist claims about gender or reproducing self-fulfilling prophesies about gender and STEM. The nature of the STEM participation challenge may necessitate large-scale, national interventions over a sustained period. Finally, in order to increase the number of STEM graduates, keeping students on the STEM track is just as important as recruiting new ones and this requires that students’ experiences in undergraduate STEM programmes match their expectations. The chapter ends with a brief discussion of how improved participation in STEM is related to social and gender equity, free and well-informed choices, and society’s need for expertise and a scientifically and technologically literate workforce.

Reconsidering Recommendations for Educational Fieldwork in Earth Science: Exploring Students’ Learning Activities During Preparation, in the Field and Follow-up Work

The question that underlies Kari Beate Remmens thesis is ‘How can students’ learning processes be supported before, during and after fieldwork?’ This question is explored in the context of earth s...