STEM BASELINE
RESEARCH
STEM CAREERS MODULE: STEM MOVING ON
IMPROVING STEM AWARENESS IN
SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES PROJECT
For this project, Careers
company, Babcock
and Centre for Science
Education conducted
a wide ranging
baseline survey in
2008/09, published Jan
2010
THE SURVEYS
Who was surveyed?
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Yrs 9,10,11
Parents and carers
Careers practitioners and STEM Teachers
All surveys were anonymous, with questions tailored to the
audience
• The purpose was to measure the potential impact of project
activities:
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Development of STEM curriculum careers related resources
CPD for teachers
IAG professional support resources
An Economic Wellbeing resource
Work placements, mentors and work experience resources
STUDENTS
3,729 respondents were evenly
spread across year groups and
roughly equal in gender terms
Response rate was 71%
• Students rated themselves
on:
•
•
•
•
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Personal skills and capabilities
Enjoyment of subjects
Views on STEM subjects
Progression in STEM
Choices in STEM careers
STUDENT RESPONSES
• Students viewed themselves as good team
workers and creative.
• Girls had a less positive self image than
boys..
• Students most enjoyed PE, art, English and
science.
• Enjoyment of STEM subjects varied: 32%
enjoyed ICT, 26% maths, 7% engineering
Preferences fell within gender lines : girls liked food
tech, art English; boys liked maths, science, ICT,
engineering.
WHAT ABOUT STEM?
• Students were more positive towards science and
maths than technology & engineering
• Technology & engineering perceived as being more
suitable for boys
• Responses towards engineering included lots of ‘don’t
knows’ implying a lack of information/understanding
• 50% want edto continue to study science; maths the
most popular and engineering the least
• Apart from Biology, more boys than girls wanted to
continue in STEM.
• Interest in further study of STEM declined between
years 9 and 11
STEM CAREERS
• Between 40% and 50% of students
agreed that STEM careers are highly
paid, enjoyable, have prospects and
need qualifications
• 29% indicated that STEM careers were
no different to others and 20% thought
they were ‘for boys’
• 15% thought STEM careers were ‘easy’
• 49-34% of ‘don’t knows’ implied a lack of knowledge
about STEM careers. 30% wanted to know more
• Internet, role models, parents and teachers were the most
influential sources of IAG
PARENT/CARER SURVEY
• There were 880 parent
respondents, mostly
mothers, evenly
distributed across year
groups. Response rate
was 19%
• 95% wanted their child
to stay in learning post
16
.
Technology perceived as more useful than
separate science subjects
PARENTS/CARERS & STEM CAREERS
• Parents were positive about STEM careers, with gender
differences, e.g. fathers more positive about engineering
than mothers.
• Virtually no parents said they would discourage their
child from considering STEM careers, but most felt they
needed more information. Fathers were most confident
in discussing STEM careers with their child
• Parents perceived the 3 most useful STEM careers
activities as work experience, STEM-related activity days,
and visits to STEM employers
• Few had seen anything in the media promoting STEM
careers
TEACHER/CAREER PROFESSIONALS
SURVEY
• Total of 98 responses.
• 47% of respondents taught combined
science.
• 25% taught one of biology, chemistry, or
technology.
• Physics was taught by 7%,
• 21% taught maths
• 5% engineering.
• Most taught yrs 8-11. 78% taught 4 year
groups or more, indicating the sustained
impact a teacher can have.
• 46% had STEM related careers before
teaching (but not always related to the
subject they now taught)
• 42% had 11 years or more teaching
experience
TEACHERS/CAREERS PROFESSIONALS
AND STEM
• Teachers thought that ‘focussed hard workers’ are
successful in STEM and those less so had ‘personal,
support, or learning difficulties’
• 11% of respondents were involved in placing
students in work experience, placements or tasters
• 49% said students explored STEM careers beyond
the classroom, but mostly this was via work
experience. Problem solving, Taster days and FE/HE
visits were the next most mentioned
• 31% used STEM careers resources - mostly posters,
websites and the Connexions service
BARRIERS TO STEM
• Teachers saw main barrier to
participation in STEM as the male
domination of these subjects,
especially in engineering and science,
but not so much in technology and
maths
• Teachers said that the limited
exposure students get in school to the
range of jobs and careers related to
STEM subjects, and their subsequently
poor understanding of the range of
careers available were also barriers to
participation in these subjects.
CONCLUSIONS
• Boost STEM participation, particularly in
engineering, by engaging more girls.
• Work experience is very influential in
turning young people on to STEM.
• Informing parents about STEM opportunities
is very important.
• Students need more exposure to STEM
careers whilst at school.
• More teachers should be involved in
placements and work experience,
especially those who have worked in STEM
careers prior to teaching.