Factors Affecting Cambodian Upper Secondary School Students’ Choice of Science Track
https://doi.org/10.17583/rise.2020.4823
Downloads
Abstract
Upper secondary school years have been considered as a critical period for attracting students into future science-related majors and careers; yet, Cambodia is facing a worrisome decline trend in the students’ choice of science track. Through the lens of the making of engineers and scientists conceptual framework, the study aims to investigate the factors affecting Cambodian upper secondary school students’ choice of science track. With self-rating questionnaire survey, which randomly covered 751 11th graders in nine upper secondary schools in three provinces of Cambodia, the researcher collected data on three significant factors namely individual ability and personality, family background and encouragement, and upper secondary school experience and support. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that performance in science and mathematics subjects, attitude towards science, plan to major in STEM, time spent self-studying in science and mathematics subjects, family encouragement, mother’s education, and school location significantly predicted students’ choice of science track. Some important implications for pedagogical orientation were also discussed.Downloads
References
Arslan, Y. (2016). Determinants of the choice of high school track in Turkey (Unpublished Master’s Thesis). Institute of social science, Turkey. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Determinants-of-the-choice-of-high-school-track-in-Arslan/94c55d6f5bab1085ed7aac59e58d74e6546f3576.
Google Scholar CrossrefAsian Development Bank [ADB]. (2011). Improving instructional quality: Focus on faculty development. Higher Education in Dynamic Asia. Manila, Philippines.
Google Scholar CrossrefAyalon, H., & Yogev, A. (1997). Students, schools, and enrollment in science and humanity courses in Israeli secondary education. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 19(4), 339-353. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1164448.
Google Scholar CrossrefBrunello, G., & Checchi, D. (2007). Does school tracking affect equality of opportunity? New international evidence. Economic policy, 22(52), 782-861. http://hdl.handle.net/10419/33789.
Google Scholar CrossrefCambodia Development Resource Institute [CDRI]. (2018). Cambodia development research forum (DRF) symposium 2018: Post-secondary education development through multi-stakeholder engagement. Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Google Scholar CrossrefChen, W. C. (2013). Causes and consequences of high school curriculum track selection: Gender, belief, teacher's gender, and cognitive development. Taiwanese Sociology, (25).
Google Scholar CrossrefCroxford, L. (1994). Equal opportunities in the secondary school curriculum in Scotland, 1977‐91. British educational research journal, 20(4), 371-391.
Google Scholar CrossrefDarolia, R., Koedel, C., Main, J. B., Ndashimye, J. F., & Yan, J. (2018). High School Course Access and Postsecondary STEM Enrollment and Attainment. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 0162373719876923.
Google Scholar CrossrefDustmann, C. (2004). Parental background, secondary school track choice, and wages. Oxford Economic Papers, 56(2), 209-230.
Google Scholar CrossrefDustmann, C., Puhani, P. A., & Schönberg, U. (2017). The long‐term effects of early track choice. The Economic Journal, 127(603), 1348-1380.
Google Scholar CrossrefEng, S., & Szmodis, W. (2016). Stem Learning Achievement among Cambodian Middle School Students: An Examination of Gender and Psychosocial Factors. In Annual Review of Comparative and International Education 2015 (pp. 279-305). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Google Scholar CrossrefField, A. (2009). Discovering statistics using SPSS. Sage publications.
Google Scholar CrossrefFreedman, M. P. (1997). Relationship among laboratory instruction, attitude toward science, and achievement in science knowledge. Journal of Research in Science Teaching: The Official Journal of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, 34(4), 343-357.
Google Scholar CrossrefGamoran, A. (1992). The variable effects of high school tracking. American Sociological Review, 812-828.
Google Scholar CrossrefGamoran, A., & Mare, R. D. (1989). Secondary school tracking and educational inequality: Compensation, reinforcement, or neutrality? American journal of Sociology, 94(5), 1146-1183.
Google Scholar CrossrefGeorge-Jackson, C.E. (2012). Generation me: influence of students’ choice of major. Project STEP-UP. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Google Scholar CrossrefHanushek, E. A., & W ößmann, L. (2006). Does educational tracking affect performance and inequality? Differences‐in‐differences evidence across countries. The Economic Journal, 116(510), C63-C76.
Google Scholar CrossrefJapan International Cooperation Agency [JICA]. (2016). Data collection survey on human resource development for industrialization in the education sector in the Kingdom of Cambodia (Report No. HM-JR-16-042). Cambodia, JICA.
Google Scholar CrossrefKao, S. (2019). Cambodian upper secondary school students’ attitudes towards science: Trends and patterns. Journal of International Development and Cooperation, 26(1), 15-27.
Google Scholar CrossrefKao, S., & Shimizu, K. (2019). Factors affecting students’ choice of science and engineering majors in higher education of Cambodia. International Journal of Curriculum Development and Practice, 21(1), 69-82.
Google Scholar CrossrefKerr, S. P., Pekkarinen, T. & Uusitalo, R. (2013). School tracking and development of cognitive skills. Journal of Labor Economics, 31(3), 577–602.
Google Scholar CrossrefKim, M. (2006). A gender difference in students’ choice of the mathematics and science field: Preference, achievement, and family background. In 5th Annual Conference of Korean Education and Employment Panel, Seoul, Korea.
Google Scholar CrossrefKind, P. M., Jones, K., & Barmby, P. (2007). Developing attitude towards science measure. International Journal of Science Education, 29(7), 871-893.
Google Scholar CrossrefKinyota, M. (2013). Students’ perceptions of factors influencing choice of science streams in Tanzania secondary schools (Master’s thesis). Available from Master's Capstone Projects (166).
Google Scholar CrossrefKwak, Y. (1993). A study of academic high school female students’ choice of major fields of study. The Study of Sociology of Education, 3(1), 79-106.
Google Scholar CrossrefLeTendre, G. K., Hofer, B. K., & Shimizu, H. (2003). What is tracking? Cultural expectations in the United States, Germany, and Japan. American Educational Research Journal, 40(1), 43-89.
Google Scholar CrossrefLi, X., & Kuan, P. Y. (2018). The effect of single-sex schooling on high school girls’ curriculum tracking selection in Taiwan. International Sociological Association, 302-303.
Google Scholar CrossrefLucas, S. R. (1999). Tracking Inequality: Stratification and Mobility in American High Schools. Sociology of Education Series. Teachers College Press, 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027.
Google Scholar CrossrefMaltese, A. V., & Tai, R. H. (2011). Pipeline persistence: examining the association of educational experiences with earned degrees in STEM among US students. Science education, 95(5), 877-907.
Google Scholar CrossrefMattoo, M. I. (2013). Career choices of secondary students with special reference to gender, type of stream and parental education. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(20), 55-61.
Google Scholar CrossrefMcPherson, A. (1969). Swing from science or retreat from reason? Higher Education Quarterly, 24(1), 29-43.
Google Scholar CrossrefMinistry of Education, Youth and Sport [MoEYS]. (2010). Announcement No. 23 on the implementation of the new curriculum in upper secondary education. Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Google Scholar CrossrefMinistry of Education, Youth and Sport [MoEYS]. (2011). Manual for the implementation of the new curriculum for grade 11th and 12th. Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Google Scholar CrossrefMinistry of Education, Youth and Sport [MoEYS]. (2014a). Higher education vision 2020–2030. Department of Higher Education, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Google Scholar CrossrefMinistry of Education, Youth and Sport [MoEYS]. (2014b) Results of high school completion examination 1980–2013. Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Google Scholar CrossrefMinistry of Education, Youth and Sport [MoEYS]. (2016a). Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education policy. Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Google Scholar CrossrefMinistry of Education, Youth and Sport [MoEYS]. (2016b). Announcement on the Results of Baccalaureate Examination in 2016. Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Google Scholar CrossrefMinistry of Education, Youth and Sport [MoEYS]. (2017). Statistic of enrolment in science and social science track in general education. Department of General Education, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Google Scholar CrossrefMinistry of Education, Youth and Sport [MoEYS]. (2019). Statistics of grade 12th students in the academic year 2018-2019 compiled by Department of Examination Affairs. Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Google Scholar CrossrefMyeong, J. O., & Crawley, F. E. (1993). Predicting and understanding Korean high school students' science track choice: Testing the theory of reasoned action by structural equation modeling. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 30(4), 381-400.
Google Scholar CrossrefOakes, J. (1986). Keeping track, part 1: The policy and practice of curriculum inequality. Phi Delta Kappan, 68(1), 12-17.
Google Scholar CrossrefOrganization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OCDE]. (2004). Learning for Tomorrow’s World: First Results from PISA 2003. OECD Publishing.
Google Scholar CrossrefOrmerod, M. B., & Duckworth, D. (1975). Pupils' Attitudes to Science. A Review of Research.
Google Scholar CrossrefOsborne, J., Simon, S., & Collins, S. (2003). Attitudes towards science: A review of the literature and its implications. International Journal of Science Education, 25(9), 1049-1079.
Google Scholar CrossrefPaik, S., & Shim, W. J. (2013). Tracking and college major choices in academic high schools in South Korea. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 22(4), 721-730.
Google Scholar CrossrefPapanastasiou, C., & Papanastasiou, E. C. (2004). Major influences on attitudes toward science. Educational Research and Evaluation, 10(3), 239-257.
Google Scholar CrossrefPen, S. (2011). Factor affecting high school students’ aspiration on choice of major at post-secondary education (Unpublished Master’s Thesis). Nagoya University, Japan.
Google Scholar CrossrefPeou, C. (2017). On Cambodian higher education and skills mismatch: Young people choosing university majors in a context of risk and uncertainty. Journal of Education and Work, 30(1), 26-38.
Google Scholar CrossrefRoyal Government of Cambodia [RGC]. (2015). Cambodia industrial development policy 2015–2025. “Market orientation and enabling environment for industrial development.” Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Google Scholar CrossrefShim, W. J., & Paik, S. (2014). The effects of high school track choice on students’ postsecondary enrollment and majors in South Korea. Asia Pacific Education Review, 15(4), 573-583.
Google Scholar CrossrefShin, J., Lee, H., McCarthy-Donovan, A., Hwang, H., Yim, S., & Seo, E. (2015). Home and motivational factors related to science-career pursuit: Gender differences and gender similarities. International Journal of Science Education, 37(9), 1478-1503.
Google Scholar CrossrefShin, S., Lee, J. K., & Ha, M. (2017). Influence of career motivation on science learning in Korean high-school students. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics Science and Technology Education, 13(5), 1517-1538.
Google Scholar CrossrefShin, S., Rachmatullah, A., Ha, M., & Lee, J. K. (2018). A longitudinal trajectory of science learning motivation in Korean high school students. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 17(4), 674-687.
Google Scholar CrossrefSimpkins, S. D., Price, C. D., & Garcia, K. (2015). Parental support and high school students' motivation in biology, chemistry, and physics: Understanding differences among Latino and Caucasian boys and girls. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 52(10), 1386-1407.
Google Scholar CrossrefSmith, E. (2011). Staying in the science stream: Patterns of participation in A‐level science subjects in the UK. Educational Studies, 37(1), 59-71.
Google Scholar CrossrefStokking, K. M. (2000). Predicting the choice of physics in secondary education. International Journal of Science Education, 22(12), 1261-1283.
Google Scholar CrossrefUn, L., & Sok, S. (2016). Higher education governance in Cambodia. Education Research Council, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Google Scholar CrossrefUNESCO. (2014). World TVET database Cambodia. UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Germany.
Google Scholar CrossrefUNESCO National Education Support Strategy [UNESS]. (2010). UNESCO educational support strategies. UNESCO, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Google Scholar CrossrefWelch, W. W. (1985). Research in science education: Review and recommendations. Science education, 69(3), 421-48.
Google Scholar CrossrefWoessmann, L. (2009). International evidence on school tracking: A review. CESifo DICE Report, 7(1), 26-34.
Google Scholar CrossrefWoolnough, B. E. (1994). Factors affecting students' choice of science and engineering. International Journal of Science Education, 16(6), 659-676.
Google Scholar CrossrefWoolnough, et al. (1997). Factors affecting student choice of career in science and engineering: Parallel studies in Australia, Canada, China, England, Japan and Portugal. Research in Science & Technological Education, 15(1), 105-121.
Google Scholar CrossrefYoon, M. (2009). Gender differences in predicting academic course choices of middle school students from motivational variables. The Korean Journal of Educational Psychology, 23(1), 145-160.
Google Scholar CrossrefZuniga, K., Olson, J.K., & Winter, M. (2005). Science education for rural Latino/a students: Course placement and success in science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 42(4), 376-402.
Google Scholar CrossrefDownloads
Published
Almetric
Dimensions
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
All articles are published under Creative Commons copyright (CC BY). Authors hold the copyright and retain publishing rights without restrictions, but authors allow anyone to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute, and/or copy articles as the original source is cited.