Parental engagement in children’s STEM education. Part II: Parental attitudes and motivation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31129/LUMAT.6.1.293Keywords:
informal and formal STEM education, parental engagement, STEM education, STEM outreachAbstract
This mixed-methods case study examines parental motivation for participation in a Canadian university-based STEM outreach event. Parents responded to a post-event questionnaire that was followed by individual interviews. The quantitative part revealed how and why parents engaged with their children’s STEM education. Surprisingly, neither university admission requirements nor STEM-related job opportunities were top motivating factors. The qualitative part indicated that some parents found it challenging to connect their children’s learning experience in school with the government-mandated curriculum or with their own experiences. Most interviewees were satisfied with their children’s STEM education and considered family support crucial in this process.
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Copyright (c) 2018 Carlos C. F. Marotto, Marina Milner-Bolotin
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.