News site of the year

National
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Education
Save
Print
License article

A 'dire' lack of interest in students wanting to pursue maths careers

Alexandra Smith

Students have a "dire" lack of interest in pursing a career in maths, with just eight out of 6492 students expressing a desire to work in maths when they finish school, data from a four-year NSW study reveals. 

Kathryn Holmes, an education academic at Western Sydney University, was part of a study done at the University of Newcastle which explored why students choose science, mathematics, engineering and technology (STEM) careers.

Up Next

Sky News rejects Mark Latham's comments

null
Video duration
01:55

More National News Videos

null
Video duration
05:06

Australia lagging behind in STEM gender ...
null
Video duration
01:55

Sky News rejects Mark Latham's comments
null
Video duration
02:03

Bill Shorten revels in race-hate win
null
Video duration
02:01

What's in Mick Fuller's in tray?
null
Video duration
01:05

Safety warnings gone unheard

null
Video duration
01:55

Beenleigh swamped by floodwaters
null
Video duration
00:15

'Sally McManarchist': PM
More videos

Australia lagging behind in STEM gender equality

The organisational culture of scientific research 'resembles a feudal monastery' says leading Australian Mathematician Nalini Joshi. Vision courtesy ABC TV.

Professor Holmes said the study revealed "a dire lack of interest in, or possible lack of knowledge of" careers focused on maths, with only eight students expressing interest in a maths career throughout the four years of the study.

Using data from the four-year NSW longitudinal study, Professor Holmes and her colleagues followed a group of students who were in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 when the study started, and in years 6, 8, 10 and 12 when it finished.

Primary school students were asked 'What would you like to do when you grow up?' and high school students were asked 'Do you know what kind of work you would like to be doing at 25 years of age?'.

Professor Holmes said with demand for qualified graduates in STEM fields predicted to grow substantially, Australia would not have the graduates to fill the positions.

Advertisement

"We need students to be exposed to current contemporary careers," Professor Holmes said.

"If they knew more about these careers earlier then it could encourage more students to persevere with learning maths in lower secondary school."

She said the findings come as student participation in year 12 mathematics was declining and science was at its lowest point in 20 years. 

At the same time, Australian students' international performance in maths and science has consistently dropped since 2003, Professor Holmes said. 

"While this lack of interest in maths is concerning for the future of mathematics study in this country, it is even more concerning because of the role of mathematics, and studying mathematics subjects at school, in a wide range of STEM careers," Professor Holmes said.

"Careers education in years 9 and 10 is probably too late for STEM careers as many kids have already decided that maths isn't for them."

The study also showed that males are more likely to aspire to STEM careers than females and it found that students' academic ability was a key factor in determining their plans for STEM careers, especially for females.

The data revealed that of the 553 students who named science as a possible career, 47 per cent were female and 53 per cent were male, but when it came to a technology career, only 6 per cent of the 207 students who identified technology as a potential job option were females. 

Almost 396 students named engineering as a career path, but only 9 per cent of those were female.

Professor Holmes said that teachers needed to monitor their own behaviour in the classroom to watch for "unconscious bias" that could affect the interest and achievements of males and females. 

"Prior studies have shown that female students' achievement in STEM is still being undermined through teachers' unconscious bias towards males in the classroom, leading them to spend more time interacting with male students," she said.

0 comments