MIE Lab: Inspiring Year 6 students for a career in STEM

In Australian there is an under-supply of intellectual capital to provide for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-related careers. The Make, Integrate, Explore School project focuses on examining the effect of providing primary school students with early positive STEM experiences based on the Australian science and technology curriculums. A quantitative case study design was used to evaluate the effect of providing inquiry-based, hands-on experiences with STEM activities on the formation of Year 6 students’ expectancies and beliefs. The analysis was conducted using the theoretical lens of the fixed and growth mindset, and the expectancy-value model. The findings establish that both Year 6 males and females can be switched on to studying STEM subjects at school and to consider a career in STEM. However, Year 6 males develop a stronger sense of ability beliefs that enable them to be more readily switched on to STEM than females in this year level.