ABSTRACT

Background: STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education is attracting increasing public interest and policy attention and being promoted at different educational levels in Cambodia.

Purpose: The study seeks to identify factors associated with Cambodian university freshmen’s choice of STEM major and how significant associations differ by gender and university location.

Sample: The study draws on primary data collected from a survey of 2,016 freshmen at 15 universities across Cambodia.

Design and method: Binary logistic regression was applied to detect correlates of major choice (dichotomized into STEM major and non-STEM major).

Results: Students who choose a STEM major are likely to be male, have clearly prioritized the major since high school, have high self-efficacy in the chosen major, want a career in STEM, enrol at a Phnom Penh-based university, excel at mathematics at high school, excel at science at high school, have no job while studying, and value the importance of science and technology to society. When moderated by gender and university location, only excellence in mathematics, excellence in science, and STEM career prospects remained significantly associated with STEM major choice.

Conclusion: Student experience in learning mathematics and science subjects at high school and their exposure to career information and guidance are vital in widening participation in STEM disciplines at higher education level in Cambodia.

摘要

背景：STEM（科学，技术，工程，数学）教育正在引起越来越多的公众兴趣和政策关注，并在柬埔寨的不同教育级别得到推广。

目的：该研究旨在确定与柬埔寨大学新生选择STEM专业相关的因素，以及重要协会在性别和大学位置方面的差异。

样本：该研究基于对柬埔寨15所大学的2,016名新生的调查收集的主要数据。

设计和方法：应用二元logistic回归检测主要选择的相关性（分为STEM专业和非STEM专业）。

结果：选择STEM专业的学生很可能是男性，自高中以来就明确了该专业的优先顺序，在所选专业中具有较高的自我效能感，想从事STEM的职业，就读于金边的一所大学，擅长于高中时期的数学，高中时期的科学出色，学习期间没有工作，并重视科学技术对社会的重要性。在按性别和大学位置进行管理时，只有数学上的卓越，科学上的卓越以及STEM的职业前景仍然与STEM的主要选择显着相关。

结论：高中学生学习数学和科学学科的经验以及他们对职业信息和指导的了解，对于扩大柬埔寨高等教育水平中的STEM学科的参与至关重要。