• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.835-849
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• 2016

The purpose of the present study is to analyze the trajectory of science core school students' STEM career motivation and to examine the relationship between the trajectory patterns and students' tracks. Longitudinal STEM career motivation data with seven constructs were collected from 256 students for five semesters and the data were analyzed by using group-based trajectory modelling analysis. In order to examine the relationship between trajectory pattern groups and the tracks, chi-square tests were conducted. Based on our findings, we found that students are likely to have similar trajectory patterns in STEM career education experience and in their perception towards STEM career value. In terms of parents' support, academic self-efficacy and STEM career motivation aspects are divided into two distinctive trajectory groups ('high' and 'low' group), while two other variables, STEM career self-efficacy and STEM career interest, are divided into three trajectory groups ('moderate declining', 'high declining', 'increasing' group). Most of the trajectory groups are shown the pattern that the level of each constructs increase until their second academic year, then after that, the patterns started going down. Moreover, there are significant relationship between track and each trajectory groups. Science track and science-core track students have similar trajectory patterns. In contrast, humanities track students have different trajectory groups in some constructs. Based on these findings, we suggest that STEM career education environment should consider various patterns of students' STEM career development.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.73-78
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• 2009

The purpose of the study was to analyze the career decision level and career preparation behavior of 2-3 and 4 year college students majoring in science and engineering. We used the raw data of KEEP(Korean Education & Employment Panel) survey. In the results, we found that the career decision level of the subjects had no relationship with gender, high school type, university level, and study fields. On the other hand, in terms of the career preparation behavior, male students had more concrete perception regarding future jobs and tasks in labor market than female counterparts. In addition, 4 year college students were more positive and directed to pursue the career search planning and activities than 2 or 3 year college students. Finally, the students who had high career decision level could identify future job-related tasks, direction, rewards, and skill matches. We suggested that early career education and counselling should be provided for freshman or sophomore level students majoring in science and engineering at colleges and universities.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.36-59
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to develop a theory appropriate to the context by identifying the career motivation formation process from the perspective of academic high school students using a grounded theory approach. In this study, participants were selected among non probability sampling was used for sampling by artificially reputational case selection methods. Forty two highschool students(21 male, 21 female) were participated in this study. Research data were collected mainly collected using in-depth interview data were analyzed by applying the grounded theory method of Strauss and Corbin (1998). According to the results, 319 concepts and 56 sub-categories, and 19 categories were derived n the open coding process. Academic high school students' formation of STEM career motivation were influenced by contextual conditions of "STEM-related career think that the instruments' causal conditions and 'STEM education experience in inside and outside of school' named 'STEM career understanding and self-understanding' using the strategy of being influenced in interventional conditions of social support and obstacle 'for the central phenomenon of "STEM efforts to achieve career goals, it appeared as a result of" satisfaction for STEM careers. And it had a 5-step process over time that the formation process of STEM career motivation. This is expected to provide homes, schools, communities, and contribute to have a new insight on the education of the country, given the direction of career education and counseling intervention and the basic data used to develop and apply STEM career education.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.75-86
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• 2016

The purpose of the present study is to develop and validate an instrument to assess STEM career motivation. We developed 32 items for 7 constructs (i.e. education experience, career value, academic self-efficacy, career self-efficacy, career interest, parents' support, and career motivation) on STEM career motivation based on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent et al.,1994). 767 first year high school students participated in this study. The items were validated by Messick's framework (1995). In this study, we examined the validity of items in four aspects (i.e. content, substantive, structural and generalizability of validity). Methodologically, we used Rasch analysis, Exploratory factor analysis, confirmative factor analysis based on structural equation modelling. We confirmed that our instrument with 32 items as valid and reliable for measuring the STEM career motivation. In addition, we tested the STEM career motivation model based on SCCT. Our model explained the data well, suggesting that external factors (education experience and parents' support) and cognitive factors (perception of value, self-efficacy and interest) were significantly related to STEM career motivation.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.56-62
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• 2009

The main aim of this study is to find out whether an elementary school's science-invention program for gifted pupils has an effect on their attitude towards science-engineering sector or related careers for their future. For hypothesis testing, a class for gifted pupils of 6th grade in D elementary school, J elementary school is chosen. The experiment was implemented 12 times during the period. Major findings were as follows. In career maturity, there weren't statistically meaningful differences found between experimental and controlled group as a result of invention program. This result showed that the invention program is not appropriate to promote the career maturity. However, there were still some evidence of change in their attitudes to science-engineering. Based on the result, an invention program which fails to improve career maturity should be amended.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.371-381
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• 2022

This study causally investigates whether high school student with high science learning motivation becomes to achieve more or vice versa, and also how those two factors affect STEM career motivation. Research participants were 1st year students in a high school at Seoul. We surveyed their science learning motivation three times in the same time interval in the fall semester of 2021, and once a STEM career motivation in the third period. We collected data from 171 students with their mid-term and final exam scores, with which, we constructed and fitted an autoregressive cross-lagged model. The research model shows high measurement stability and fit indices. All the autoregressive and cross-lagged paths were statistically significant. However, standardized regression coefficients were larger in path from motivation to achievement compared to the opposite. Only science learning motivation shows significant direct effect on STEM career motivation, rather than achievement. For indirect effects, the first science learning motivation affected the final exam score and STEM career motivation, and the final exam score affected STEM career motivation. However, the final exam score did not have a total effect toward STEM career motivation. The result of this study shows reciprocal and cyclic causality between science learning motivation and achievement - in comparison, the effect of motivation for the opposite is larger than that of achievement. Also the result of this study strongly reaffirms the importance of science learning motivation. Instructional implications for strengthening science learning motivation throughout a semester was discussed, and a study for the longitudinal effect of science learning motivation and achievement in high school student toward future STEM vocational life was suggested.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.779-786
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• 2014

Elementary children, hoping for jobs in science/engineering(Sci/Eng) or medicine(Med), were surveyed on the reasons for jobs, science/math preferences, interests in science, and science aspirations. For 3rd grade boys, twice more students picked Sci/Eng than Med choices. However, for 6th grade boys, the numbers of Sci/Eng and Med became close. The ratios of girls with Sci/Eng in 3rd and 6th grade did not differ much. The 6th graders chosing Med was 1.4 times bigger than 3rd graders for both boys and girls. For students with Sci/Eng, the most important reason for a job was that he/she liked it. For Med, helping others was as much important as doing what he/she liked. Science preference were the highest in the Sci/Eng group. The Med group came next with the non-science group being last. Math preferences were lower than the science preferences. Therefore, children need to be guided to increase the preferences for math as well as for science to keep the Sci/Eng and Med career choices. The interests in science and the science aspirations show similar patterns. The 3rd graders showed higher value than the 6th graders, the boys higher than girls, and the Sci/Eng group highest, the Med the second and non-science group the last. Science aspirations were higher than the interests only for the Sci/Eng group, while it was lower than the interests in all other groups. This implies that science aspirations might have bigger influence on getting a career in Sci/Eng than interest does.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.12-21
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to verify the effects of mastery goal orientation and time management ability on job search self-efficacy in the vocational education of engineering college students. A total of 52 samples were analyzed for this research. The result indicated that mastery goal orientation had positive effects on all sub-variables (job ability self-efficacy, career goal setting self-efficacy) of job search self-efficacy significantly. But time management ability had positive effects on career goal setting self-efficacy. And there are no significant differences in mean comparison of mastery goal orientation, time management ability, and job search self-efficacy according to gender and residence area. In addition, the interview results of engineering college students' perception of career, the understanding of vocational education, and job search self-efficacy were analyzed.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.577-583
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• 2020

This study analyzed the effect of career preparation behavior of female college graduates on their job satisfaction. The results of this study are as follows: First, the relationship between job satisfaction and career preparation behavior and a regression analysis of job satisfaction were all examined. This study used the original data from the Korea Employment Information Service for '2012 College Graduates' Occupation Route Survey'. The subjects of this study were 1,569 women in the science and engineering fields (649 engineering graduates, and 920 science graduates). The data was analyzed by frequency analysis, independent sample t tests, correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis using SPSS WIN 19.0. As a result, women with 4 years of college have higher job stability and job satisfaction than college students, but the reasons for major selection, university type, college location, and department. The results of this study are as follows. First, the effect of the variables on career satisfaction and job satisfaction was not statistically significant. This suggests that the type of college does not have a significant effect on job satisfaction if the university systematically prepares people for a career and the university suits a person's aptitude.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.73-84
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• 2015

In this research, two careers connectable with the contents of the curriculum of fifth to sixth grade elementary school students were selected among other promising future careers in biotechnology and medical engineering fields. 'Design-based promising future career STEAM program' was developed and its validity and effectiveness were verified. Reflecting recent issues, and complying with the STEAM standard (frame) instructional materials were developed through group deliberations for nine months, based on the achievement standards through an analysis of subject curriculum revised in 2009. This was prepared so that students are able to experience biotechnology and medical engineering related careers in a simulational form emphasized with creative design to make them prefer natural sciences and engineering careers and draw their interests and recognition of the relevant careers under the two disciplines. As a result of such application to STEAM Leader School students at the verification stage of the program, the contents and level of the program were verified suitable, receiving favorable reviews. And as a result of applying the developed program on other elementary school students, it was discovered that significant improvements were found in their career consciousness. Through this research, it was suggested that there is a need for a simplification of the curriculum content standards, a provision of 'standard for integration,' development of teachers' ability in reconstituting or organizing the STEAM and proceeding classes, continuous long-term support to see the effects of a policy or a program, and a reinforcement of career education integrated in the curriculum.