Social Media on Students’ Interestedness in STEM Careers

Wei Wei Wong, Edy Hafizan Mohd Shahali, Mee Yeang Chan, Lilia Halim

Abstract

This study investigates the role of social media in predicting students’ choice in STEM career. Students’ choice of a particular career is influenced by personal and contextual factors. However, studies on the effect of social media on STEM careers are negligible. A survey was conducted on 330 secondary school students aged 13-17. The outcomes showed that (i) level of social media use in science learning and the (ii) level of students’ interestedness moderate. It was also found that changes in the level of using social media in science lessons might lead to equivalent changes in affinity toward STEM careers. This study provides evidence that the usage of social can result in a significant impact on students’ affinity toward STEM careers. Thus, efforts to increase teachers’ skills in conducting educational activities that use the social platform are necessary.  Hence, teachers would be convinced of the effectiveness of the application of online social networking applications in STEM learning.

 

Keywords: interest, social platform, social media in learning, secondary school students, STEM careers.


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