Interest in science is critical for science learning. The family plays a major role in supporting the development of children's interest in science by eliciting and fostering interest and engagement with science content and practice. This study characterizes triggers for interest in science in everyday family life and measures the duration of…

Girls often express less interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education and careers than boys, despite having comparable aptitude. We randomly assigned 242 girls (Mdn[subscript age] = 12 years; 38% East Asian; 37% White) at Canadian STEM camps to control conversations about generic camp experiences, or intervention…

Situated Expectancy Value Theory (SEVT) emphasizes the role parents play in shaping children's confidence and value they place on science. Although a robust literature has documented parental influences on children's science motivations in school-based contexts, less is known about how parents' attitudes and support shape children's science…

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the influence of science volunteering initiatives on the experiences of women and their subsequent inclination to continue volunteering. The research sought to examine the impact of particular social cognitive variables on their eagerness to partake in events and organizations. The study…

Combining the inherent strengths of school teaching and museum exhibitions on socio-scientific issues could be a complementary approach to prepare students in a holistic and reasonably time-effective way for major future challenges. However, at present it is not known how effective these exhibitions really are, nor to what extent topic interest…

Educators are often trying to foster Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) engagement by facilitating interest in STEM content, but research suggests that STEM interest generally declines through the primary and secondary grades. To counter this trend, STEM interventions have begun to focus on younger students. To support this work, we…

Science remains an exclusionary field to people who do not align with "acceptable" worldviews (e.g., white, Western, masculine). One avenue for making science more welcoming and inclusive is to empower current science students to become change agents in their fields. However, it is useful to understand where students are starting from…

During adolescence, individuals make key decisions about coursework, and career paths, including paths toward careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study identified groups of adolescents who vary in STEM career interests, feelings of support, and perceptions of barriers in STEM and explored what factors predict…

Teen Science Cafés are Out-of-School Time (OST) programs led by teens--for teens--underway at 84 sites in 34 states. Supported by a national network, a new teen leadership opportunity offered youth-focused training and collaborative opportunities to a cohort of 50 teens from 13 Café sites with the goal of sustaining and expanding the impact of…

This study explored the mediating roles of interest in broad science topics (IBST) on the effects of students' perceptions of teachers' formative assessment on science achievement, using data from PISA 2015. We focused on 9,841 15-year-old students from Mainland (B-S-J-G) China. The results revealed that: (1) a classical suppression effect, where…

This study examined student engagement in sixth-grade science using the 5E Learning Model. A qualitative research approach was used to explore the effectiveness of the 5E learning model compared to the inquiry-based learning model used to integrate STEM within the sixth-grade science classroom. Data was gathered through observations, time on task,…

Camps are among the activities that teachers join in by taking full responsibility for their own ongoing development and eagerly following in accordance with their needs. This paper aims to demonstrate that the affinity space and authentic nature of astronomy camp activities provide teachers much more than expected. Therefore, the study will…

This meta-analysis explores the impact of informal science education experiences (such as after-school programs, enrichment activities, etc.) on students' attitudes towards, and interest in, STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The research addresses two primary questions: (1) What is the overall effect size of…

Little attention has been given to understanding motivational profiles among gifted students. Instead, much research suggests that gifted individuals are highly motivated and homogenous in their motivations. We clarified this by identifying four distinct profiles among gifted Year 9 and 10 students (N = 414) in science: Low Motivation, Low…

Plant morphology courses develop students' understanding of plant structures and identification skills through mini-research activities. Effective species identification requires a literature review and the ability to find, evaluate, and use relevant information. This qualitative study examines students' information literacy skills in completing…