Secondary School Students’ Interest in STEM Careers in Qatar

In light of the high demand for skilled professionals and talents internationally, STEM skills carry special significance in today’s competitive economy. Drawing on the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and insights gleaned from the extant literature, our study sought to investigate the factors...

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Main Authors: Abdel Latif Sellami, Noof Abdulhadi Al-Rakeb, Evren Tok
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-04-01
Series:Education Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/4/369
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author Abdel Latif Sellami
Noof Abdulhadi Al-Rakeb
Evren Tok
author_facet Abdel Latif Sellami
Noof Abdulhadi Al-Rakeb
Evren Tok
author_sort Abdel Latif Sellami
collection DOAJ
description In light of the high demand for skilled professionals and talents internationally, STEM skills carry special significance in today’s competitive economy. Drawing on the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and insights gleaned from the extant literature, our study sought to investigate the factors that are likely to predict students’ interest in a STEM-related career in Qatar. An online survey was administered online via computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) and paper-and-Pencil Interviewing (PAPI) during the Spring term of 2021. Data was gathered from a sample of 1505 secondary school students, including 278 in grade 11 and 764 in grade 12) students in Qatar. Findings concluded from a two-level mixed-effects logistic regression revealed statistically significant differences based on students’ age, nationality, and support from the family. Non-Qatari (expatriate) students attending private schools are significantly more likely to display interest in STEM-related careers. Additionally, taking a STEM course and teachers’ use of experiments emerged as additional significant factors that affect student interest in a STEM-related career in Qatar. Our results point to the need for instruction to incorporate and emphasize practical activities to encourage students to engage in real-life STEM learning.
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spelling doaj.art-c6b441a4727d4ad9907f580cc2f6c3972023-11-17T18:59:30ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022023-04-0113436910.3390/educsci13040369Secondary School Students’ Interest in STEM Careers in QatarAbdel Latif Sellami0Noof Abdulhadi Al-Rakeb1Evren Tok2The Educational Research Center, The College of Education, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, QatarSupreme Judiciary Council, Doha P.O. Box 9673, QatarCollege of Public Policy, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha P.O. Box 34110, QatarIn light of the high demand for skilled professionals and talents internationally, STEM skills carry special significance in today’s competitive economy. Drawing on the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and insights gleaned from the extant literature, our study sought to investigate the factors that are likely to predict students’ interest in a STEM-related career in Qatar. An online survey was administered online via computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) and paper-and-Pencil Interviewing (PAPI) during the Spring term of 2021. Data was gathered from a sample of 1505 secondary school students, including 278 in grade 11 and 764 in grade 12) students in Qatar. Findings concluded from a two-level mixed-effects logistic regression revealed statistically significant differences based on students’ age, nationality, and support from the family. Non-Qatari (expatriate) students attending private schools are significantly more likely to display interest in STEM-related careers. Additionally, taking a STEM course and teachers’ use of experiments emerged as additional significant factors that affect student interest in a STEM-related career in Qatar. Our results point to the need for instruction to incorporate and emphasize practical activities to encourage students to engage in real-life STEM learning.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/4/369career interestmixed-models analysisQatarsecondary school studentsSTEM
spellingShingle Abdel Latif Sellami
Noof Abdulhadi Al-Rakeb
Evren Tok
Secondary School Students’ Interest in STEM Careers in Qatar
Education Sciences
career interest
mixed-models analysis
Qatar
secondary school students
STEM
title Secondary School Students’ Interest in STEM Careers in Qatar
title_full Secondary School Students’ Interest in STEM Careers in Qatar
title_fullStr Secondary School Students’ Interest in STEM Careers in Qatar
title_full_unstemmed Secondary School Students’ Interest in STEM Careers in Qatar
title_short Secondary School Students’ Interest in STEM Careers in Qatar
title_sort secondary school students interest in stem careers in qatar
topic career interest
mixed-models analysis
Qatar
secondary school students
STEM
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/4/369
work_keys_str_mv AT abdellatifsellami secondaryschoolstudentsinterestinstemcareersinqatar
AT noofabdulhadialrakeb secondaryschoolstudentsinterestinstemcareersinqatar
AT evrentok secondaryschoolstudentsinterestinstemcareersinqatar