Students' Motivation to Learn Mathematics Predicts their STEM Career Expectations and Mediates the Effects of Gender, Parental Occupations and Math Classroom Environments.

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Title: Students' Motivation to Learn Mathematics Predicts their STEM Career Expectations and Mediates the Effects of Gender, Parental Occupations and Math Classroom Environments.
Authors: Caspi, Avner1 (AUTHOR) avnerca@openu.ac.il, Gorsky, Paul2 (AUTHOR) paulgorsky@gmail.com
Source: International Journal of Science & Mathematics Education. Dec2025, Vol. 23 Issue 8, p3627-3658. 32p.
Subject Terms: *Motivation (Psychology), *STEM occupations, *Educational intervention, *Students, *Classroom environment, *Gender, Mathematics, Professions
Company/Entity: Programme for International Student Assessment
Abstract: Aligned with Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022's focus on math teaching and learning, we analyzed how demographics and classroom factors relate to the motivation to learn mathematics among 16-year-old Israeli students (N = 4,577). The factors included: (1) gender, (2) mother's occupation, (3) father's occupation, (4) math classroom disciplinary climate, (5) math teacher support, (6) instructional strategies fostering mathematical reasoning, (7) instructional strategies fostering mathematical thinking, and (8) exposure to tasks focused on math conceptual understanding outside math classrooms. We further examined the relationship between this motivation and students' science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) versus non-STEM career expectations. Path analysis showed that all eight predictors positively related to math motivation, which in turn predicted STEM career expectations. The mediating role of math motivation in linking reasoning/thinking strategies to STEM career expectations highlights the potential of targeted educational interventions to strengthen both math engagement and STEM career interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of International Journal of Science & Mathematics Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Students' Motivation to Learn Mathematics Predicts their STEM Career Expectations and Mediates the Effects of Gender, Parental Occupations and Math Classroom Environments.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22International+Journal+of+Science+%26+Mathematics+Education%22">International Journal of Science & Mathematics Education</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 23 Issue 8, p3627-3658. 32p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motivation+%28Psychology%29%22">Motivation (Psychology)</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22STEM+occupations%22">STEM occupations</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+intervention%22">Educational intervention</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Students%22">Students</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Classroom+environment%22">Classroom environment</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender%22">Gender</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics%22">Mathematics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professions%22">Professions</searchLink>
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  Data: Aligned with Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022's focus on math teaching and learning, we analyzed how demographics and classroom factors relate to the motivation to learn mathematics among 16-year-old Israeli students (N = 4,577). The factors included: (1) gender, (2) mother's occupation, (3) father's occupation, (4) math classroom disciplinary climate, (5) math teacher support, (6) instructional strategies fostering mathematical reasoning, (7) instructional strategies fostering mathematical thinking, and (8) exposure to tasks focused on math conceptual understanding outside math classrooms. We further examined the relationship between this motivation and students' science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) versus non-STEM career expectations. Path analysis showed that all eight predictors positively related to math motivation, which in turn predicted STEM career expectations. The mediating role of math motivation in linking reasoning/thinking strategies to STEM career expectations highlights the potential of targeted educational interventions to strengthen both math engagement and STEM career interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of International Journal of Science & Mathematics Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10763-025-10581-8
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: STEM occupations
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      – SubjectFull: Educational intervention
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      – SubjectFull: Students
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      – SubjectFull: Classroom environment
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      – SubjectFull: Gender
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      – SubjectFull: Mathematics
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      – SubjectFull: Professions
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      – SubjectFull: Programme for International Student Assessment
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      – TitleFull: Students' Motivation to Learn Mathematics Predicts their STEM Career Expectations and Mediates the Effects of Gender, Parental Occupations and Math Classroom Environments.
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              M: 12
              Text: Dec2025
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              Y: 2025
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