This study investigated Turkish school students’ attitudes towards STEM disciplines and careers and explored determinants of students’ STEM career goals. In total, 117 lower secondary school students (aged 11 to 14) completed the STEM Semantic Survey including an open-ended question about their career intention after high school and the reasons for their goals. Using the conceptualisation of the influences of behavioural, personal, and contextual variables in career choice decisions, the students’ descriptions of career goal reasons were presented to elaborate on the variables that influence their STEM career goals. Attitudes towards individual STEM disciplines were from moderate to high and towards STEM careers were high. The gender difference was negligible. One of the key determinants of students’ career intentions was interests, involving interest in a particular career (e.g., architect) and career-relevant activities (e.g., planning, drawing, and designing) or subjects (e.g., mathematics). Larger, societal influences (altruism and patriotism) were among the motives of students’ career goals. Implications for research, practice, and policy-making were presented.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	draw a mathematics classroom, social cognitive career theory, STEM career goals, school students
Research Division:	Education
Research Group:	Curriculum and pedagogy
Research Field:	Science, technology and engineering curriculum and pedagogy
Objective Division:	Education and Training
Objective Group:	Schools and learning environments
Objective Field:	Gender aspects in education
UTAS Author:	Hatisaru, V (Dr Vesife Hatisaru)
ID Code:	142426
Year Published:	2021
Deposited By:	Education
Deposited On:	2021-01-17
Last Modified:	2021-10-01
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