Using Data-Driven Insights to Understand Factors Shaping STEM Interest in Secondary Education

This study examines the factors influencing Malaysia’s secondary school students’ interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) by adapting the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) as foundation. The key constructs which include self-efficacy, outcome expectations, self-input, and learning experience are explored to understand their role in shaping students’ motivation towards STEM fields (Lent et al., 1994; Byars-Winston et al., 2010). A quantitative research design is employed, involving a structured questionnaire consisting of 38 items on a 5-point Likert scale distributed online to 456 secondary school students in Kuala Lumpur and Sabah. Using purposive sampling, respondents were selected from participants of a STEM outreach programme conducted in Malaysia, and the survey was administered in a single day during the event. The data will be analysed using SmartPLS to identify significant predictors of STEM interest (Razali et al., 2018). While the sample is limited to two regions, the findings offer practical implications for enhancing STEM education, particularly in under-resourced settings (Halim & Subahan, 2010; Chng et al., 2023). This research could offer valuable insights for the teachers, counsellors, policymakers, and private sector stakeholders particularly those involved in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to develop more thoughtful and strategic approach to increase student interest in STEM subjects and also supporting national goals related to future high-tech development. This research is also aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4, which emphasise the important of quality and fair education for everyone (UNESCO, 2017).