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Exploring the gender gap in science education : the effects of parental support and parental role modeling on students' academic self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation

Foeken, Lisanne van (2018) Exploring the gender gap in science education : the effects of parental support and parental role modeling on students' academic self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation.

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Abstract:The nature of gender inequality in science education is complex, since young women remain a minority when it comes to participating in science-related courses. Prior research suggests that study choice is reciprocally related to students’ intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy, as well as to parental influences. Using data from the PISA 2015 assessment of 15-year-old students in 18 countries, a series of mean comparisons and regression analyses were conducted to determine the relationships between students’ self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation, and parental support and parental role modeling (with science achievement as a control variable), as well as their interaction with gender. The results showed that even though the gender gap in science achievement is narrow, girls have lower self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation than boys do. Moreover, the results suggested that parents support their daughters and sons in different ways, since girls receive more emotional support and less science-related support. A remarkable finding was that science-related support has a significant impact on both self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation. In addition, only a few interaction effects were significant. In sum, gender remains an important factor for students’ academic self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation, even when science achievement and parental influences are controlled for.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:81 education, teaching
Programme:Educational Science and Technology MSc (60023)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/74887
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