Students’ Perceptions of an Intervention Course Designed to Raise Science-Related Career Awareness

• Published in: European journal of educational research 2020-10, Vol.9-2020 (volume-9-issue-4-october-2020), p.1539-1555
• Main Authors: Soobard, Regina, Kotkas, Tormi, Holbrook, Jack, Rannikmae, Miia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Career Awareness; Eğitim Bilimleri; Foreign Countries; Grade 7; Grade 8; Grade 9; Intervention; Learning Modules; Program Effectiveness; Relevance (Education); Science Careers; Science Interests; Situated Learning; Student Attitudes; Student Motivation; Vignettes
• ISSN: 2165-8714; 2165-8714
• DOI: 10.12973/eu-jer.9.4.1539

This longitudinal study focuses on evaluating grade 7-9 school students’ perceptions of intervention modules intended to be relevant, as well as promoting learning attributes to raise awareness of science-related careers. Students are taught through six purposely developed and designed career-related teaching–learning modules (C-TLMs). Each module is initiated by means of a career-related scenario, followed up by promoting conceptual science learning plus drawing attention to careers to which each module intends to relate. Student perceptions are obtained by means of a questionnaire after each module with respect to its relevance and also the mean by which the learning environment raise interest, enjoyment and motivation associated with career awareness. Outcomes show that, in general, students participating in this study agree that the developed C-TLMs are relevant and students value the learning experienced through the different module contexts. Nevertheless, student appreciation of the specific inclusion of career awareness components in the modules is mixed.