How do STEM-interested students pursue multiple interests in their higher educational choice?

Jonne Pieter Vulperhorst*, Koen Rens Wessels, Arthur Bakker, S.F. Akkerman

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has lately received attention in research due to a gap between the number of STEM students and the needs of the labour market. As interest seems to be one of the most important factors in deciding what to study, we focus in the present study on how STEM-interested students weigh multiple interests in making educational choices. A questionnaire with both open-ended and closed-ended items was administered to 91 STEM-interested students enrolled in a STEM programme of a Dutch University for secondary school students. Results indicate that students find it important that a study programme allows them to pursue multiple interests. Some students pursued multiple interests by choosing to enrol in two programmes at the same time. Most students chose one programme that enabled them to combine multiple interests. Combinations of pursued interests were dependent on the disciplinary range of interests of students. Students who were interested in diverse domains combined interests in an educational programme across academic and non-academic domains, whilst students who were mainly interested in STEM combined only STEM-focused interests. Together these findings stress the importance of taking a multiple interest perspective on interest development and educational choice.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)828-846
Number of pages19
JournalInternational Journal of Science Education
Volume40
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 24 May 2018

Keywords

  • combination of interests
  • educational choice
  • interest
  • interest profile
  • multiple interest perspective
  • STEM

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