Use of STEM Intervention Teaching Scenarios to Investigate Students' Attitudes Toward STEM Professions and Their Self-Evaluation of STEM Subjects

The present research initiated from the hypothesis that students' misconceptions can be resolved and replaced with new knowledge that is structured and organized through robust hypothetically-driven mental models. The assumption being that when students engage in teaching interventions that include hypothesis building and testing through STEM teaching scenarios and constructions, and are given the opportunity to discover the knowledge themselves, consequently, they enhance their attitudes towards STEM courses and career pathways as well as their own self-evaluation in mathematics and science. The quasi-experimental research methodology included a sample of 15-year-old students divided into an experimental and control group. The teaching intervention consisted of three scenarios developed primarily by the European Space Agency (ESA) but later adapted to meet the aptitude levels of students. Results showed improved attitudes in certain STEM courses and career pathways and a positive change in student's self-evaluations in science.