Factors explaining gymnasium students' technology related career orientations

Abstract

In the current study, gymnasium students’ technology-related career orientations were studied from a Social Cognitive Career Theory perspective. In order to address students’ lack of interest in technology related careers as recognised worldwide, the design-based science learning (DBSL) approach was used. For the purposes of the current study, five learning modules were adapted by the research team from those developed within a European project and taught by science teachers (N=18). At the beginning of the study, 10th-11th grade students (N=314)completed a questionnaire consisting of measures of career goals, interests, self-efficacy, outcome expectations and contextual supports in relation to technology. After teaching 2-3 modules, students’ technology-related career goals were again determined using a reduced version of the same questionnaire. Based on the outcomes, it was found that at the beginning of the study, boys’ future career goals were significantly more connected with technology than those for girls. In addition, boys had a stronger background related to technology. As a result of the intervention,students’ technology-related career goals became significantly stronger for both boys, as well as for girls, but the change was more pronounced for girls.ESTABLIS