High school science fair: What students say-mastery, performance, and self-determination theory

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Science Education

Background:

• Science and Engineering Fairs (SEFs) are widely reported to increase high school students' interest in Science and Engineering (S&E).
• The specific factors driving student engagement and interest in SEFs remain underexplored.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for developing effective strategies to enhance student participation and outcomes in SEFs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the reasons behind increased or decreased student interest in S&E due to SEF participation.
• To analyze qualitative feedback from students regarding their experiences in SEFs.
• To identify best practices for SEFs to maximize positive impact on student interest and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A national survey was conducted with 1191 students participating in SEFs during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic years.
• A free-text 'Reason Why?' question was included to gather qualitative data on students' motivations and perceptions.
• Analysis focused on categorizing and quantifying positive and negative comments related to SEF participation and S&E interest.

Main Results:

• The most frequent positive reasons cited by students included learning new things, gaining research experience, finding the experience enjoyable/fun, and considering career choices.
• Common negative reasons involved the experience being not fun, stressful, or boring, having a poor project, lack of interest in science, or mandatory participation.
• Students receiving mentorship from scientists reported more positive comments and achieved better outcomes, whereas participation in school-only SEFs was associated with more negative feedback.

Conclusions:

• Student reasons for increased interest in S&E through SEFs align with mastery-oriented goals (learning and personal growth).
• Conversely, reasons for requiring competitive SEFs in prior studies align with performance-oriented goals (winning).
• Recognizing the interplay between mastery/performance orientations and self-determination theory (motivation, competence, community) can optimize SEF impact on STEM interest and career aspirations.