A Path Analysis of Student Interest in STEM, with Specific Reference to Qatari Students

Abdellatif Sellami; Rima Charbaji El-Kassem; Haneen Basheer Al-Qassass; Noof Abdulhadi Al-Rakeb

doi:10.12973/eurasia.2017.00999a

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Abdellatif Sellami ¹ ^* , Rima Charbaji El-Kassem ¹, Haneen Basheer Al-Qassass ¹, Noof Abdulhadi Al-Rakeb ¹

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¹ Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI), Qatar University, Doha, Qatar^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This study sought to explore the factors that help predict students’ interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Qatar. Drawing on recent work in the field, the present paper examines the intersection of personal characteristics (gender and grade level) and contextual (teacher) variables, and their association with interest in STEM. The study involved a nation-wide survey of preparatory and secondary levels of education in Qatar implemented in 2015, and data from a sample of 660 preparatory (middle) and secondary (high) school students. Factor analysis extracted five valid dimensions and a path analytic model suggested that student interest in STEM is influenced by teachers, perceptions of homework assignments, self-confidence and intention to pursue further study. Gender and level of education were also identified as variables likely to affect student interest in a STEM field. The paper concludes with important recommendations for policy and suggestions for further study and research.

Keywords

causal model
interest in STEM
Qatar National Vision 2030
path analysis

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2017, Volume 13, Issue 9, 6045-6067

https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00999a

Publication date: 23 Aug 2017

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How to cite this article

APA

Sellami, A., El-Kassem, R. C., Al-Qassass, H. B., & Al-Rakeb, N. A. (2017). A Path Analysis of Student Interest in STEM, with Specific Reference to Qatari Students. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(9), 6045-6067. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00999a

Vancouver

Sellami A, El-Kassem RC, Al-Qassass HB, Al-Rakeb NA. A Path Analysis of Student Interest in STEM, with Specific Reference to Qatari Students. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2017;13(9):6045-67. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00999a

AMA

Sellami A, El-Kassem RC, Al-Qassass HB, Al-Rakeb NA. A Path Analysis of Student Interest in STEM, with Specific Reference to Qatari Students. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2017;13(9), 6045-6067. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00999a

Chicago

Sellami, Abdellatif, Rima Charbaji El-Kassem, Haneen Basheer Al-Qassass, and Noof Abdulhadi Al-Rakeb. "A Path Analysis of Student Interest in STEM, with Specific Reference to Qatari Students". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2017 13 no. 9 (2017): 6045-6067. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00999a

Harvard

Sellami, A., El-Kassem, R. C., Al-Qassass, H. B., and Al-Rakeb, N. A. (2017). A Path Analysis of Student Interest in STEM, with Specific Reference to Qatari Students. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(9), pp. 6045-6067. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00999a

MLA

Sellami, Abdellatif et al. "A Path Analysis of Student Interest in STEM, with Specific Reference to Qatari Students". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 13, no. 9, 2017, pp. 6045-6067. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00999a