• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.835-849
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• 2016

The purpose of the present study is to analyze the trajectory of science core school students' STEM career motivation and to examine the relationship between the trajectory patterns and students' tracks. Longitudinal STEM career motivation data with seven constructs were collected from 256 students for five semesters and the data were analyzed by using group-based trajectory modelling analysis. In order to examine the relationship between trajectory pattern groups and the tracks, chi-square tests were conducted. Based on our findings, we found that students are likely to have similar trajectory patterns in STEM career education experience and in their perception towards STEM career value. In terms of parents' support, academic self-efficacy and STEM career motivation aspects are divided into two distinctive trajectory groups ('high' and 'low' group), while two other variables, STEM career self-efficacy and STEM career interest, are divided into three trajectory groups ('moderate declining', 'high declining', 'increasing' group). Most of the trajectory groups are shown the pattern that the level of each constructs increase until their second academic year, then after that, the patterns started going down. Moreover, there are significant relationship between track and each trajectory groups. Science track and science-core track students have similar trajectory patterns. In contrast, humanities track students have different trajectory groups in some constructs. Based on these findings, we suggest that STEM career education environment should consider various patterns of students' STEM career development.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.73-78
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• 2009

The purpose of the study was to analyze the career decision level and career preparation behavior of 2-3 and 4 year college students majoring in science and engineering. We used the raw data of KEEP(Korean Education & Employment Panel) survey. In the results, we found that the career decision level of the subjects had no relationship with gender, high school type, university level, and study fields. On the other hand, in terms of the career preparation behavior, male students had more concrete perception regarding future jobs and tasks in labor market than female counterparts. In addition, 4 year college students were more positive and directed to pursue the career search planning and activities than 2 or 3 year college students. Finally, the students who had high career decision level could identify future job-related tasks, direction, rewards, and skill matches. We suggested that early career education and counselling should be provided for freshman or sophomore level students majoring in science and engineering at colleges and universities.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.36-59
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to develop a theory appropriate to the context by identifying the career motivation formation process from the perspective of academic high school students using a grounded theory approach. In this study, participants were selected among non probability sampling was used for sampling by artificially reputational case selection methods. Forty two highschool students(21 male, 21 female) were participated in this study. Research data were collected mainly collected using in-depth interview data were analyzed by applying the grounded theory method of Strauss and Corbin (1998). According to the results, 319 concepts and 56 sub-categories, and 19 categories were derived n the open coding process. Academic high school students' formation of STEM career motivation were influenced by contextual conditions of "STEM-related career think that the instruments' causal conditions and 'STEM education experience in inside and outside of school' named 'STEM career understanding and self-understanding' using the strategy of being influenced in interventional conditions of social support and obstacle 'for the central phenomenon of "STEM efforts to achieve career goals, it appeared as a result of" satisfaction for STEM careers. And it had a 5-step process over time that the formation process of STEM career motivation. This is expected to provide homes, schools, communities, and contribute to have a new insight on the education of the country, given the direction of career education and counseling intervention and the basic data used to develop and apply STEM career education.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.75-86
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• 2016

The purpose of the present study is to develop and validate an instrument to assess STEM career motivation. We developed 32 items for 7 constructs (i.e. education experience, career value, academic self-efficacy, career self-efficacy, career interest, parents' support, and career motivation) on STEM career motivation based on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent et al.,1994). 767 first year high school students participated in this study. The items were validated by Messick's framework (1995). In this study, we examined the validity of items in four aspects (i.e. content, substantive, structural and generalizability of validity). Methodologically, we used Rasch analysis, Exploratory factor analysis, confirmative factor analysis based on structural equation modelling. We confirmed that our instrument with 32 items as valid and reliable for measuring the STEM career motivation. In addition, we tested the STEM career motivation model based on SCCT. Our model explained the data well, suggesting that external factors (education experience and parents' support) and cognitive factors (perception of value, self-efficacy and interest) were significantly related to STEM career motivation.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.31-39
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• 2005

The speed of the reformation of the Korean engineering and science education systems is very slow compared with the fast change of the society. Current society requires colleges to raise high quality gold color engineers, who can feed tens of thousands people, however current education system cannot fulfill the requirement. So we need a novel education system to adapt the fast change of the society. In this study, we analyzed the difference of the education quality between supplies and demands, and based on the analysis, we suggested a new continuous quality improving system. We also collected current data on the student capability of Korean engineering freshmen and surveyed on the required vocational basic skills. Finally we suggested some programs with that the government could support improving the quality of engineering and science college students.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.529-539
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to categorize and analyze the communication competency of engineering undergraduates and to develop educational content in order to improve that. In this study, communication competency of engineering undergraduates was categorized into three areas: critical thinking, scientific communication, and media literacy. As a means to improve communication competency, the experience with and perception of writing were investigated. The communication competency of undergraduates needs to be improved overall. There is a high need for writing programs that enhance critical thinking oriented around practice. It suggests flipped learning based on smart education, E-community, problem-solving programs based on action learning, cooperative learning programs, reflection journals & portfolio, and collaborative writing programs as educational content. The results of this study can be used as basic data to design competency-based communication curriculum and practical applications for engineering undergraduates.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.153-184
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• 2006

This study examines the job changes and the coincidence of job and major In the case of the youth, science and engineering graduates in Korea. The pattern of job changes and the coincidence of job and major get observed in the Unemployment Insurance Database and the Graduate List. This data enables us tracing all job changes in the labor market, and analysing the coincidence of job and major. The average rate of coincidence is not so high, the rate at first job is roughly one third. The youth with coincidence of job and major have earned less income than the youth without coincidence of job and major. But this result is impressive in the lower wage earners, any differences in regard to coincidence is not found in the upper wage earners. The probability of the coincidence of job and major is higher in case of the high wage and the high study attainments. The results suggests that the problem of the science and engineering graduates should be concentrated only on the lower manpower in the scientist and engineer jobs. Korean government have to lessen the number of entry into the science and engineering college and enlarge the number of entry into the science and engineering graduate school. Korean government have to prepare the system that aids establishment where the employee with coincidence of job and major earns more income.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.4 no.2 s.8
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• pp.1-32
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• 2004

Korean scientific community has recently argued that, in order to attract talented young people to the science and engineering fields, more ranking positions in the governmental office should be filled in by science and engineering majors. In this context, a special attention has been paid to the Chinese case where science and engineering majors have taken the highest places in Chinese political hierarchy. This paper examines historical and social background of the salience of science and engineering fields in modem China. A closer examination shows that the salience of science and engineering fields was resulted by the distinct historical experiences of China-the socialist reform of higher education system and Cultural Revolution. The former shaped the social conviction that humanities and social sciences are less useful than science and engineering fields. The latter even spread the idea that majoring in humanities or social sciences run the risk of political oppressions. Thus, the salience of science and engineering in China is a social phenomenon reflecting an academic hierarchy forced by the radical politics of modem China. Also, the higher proportion of science and engineering majors in the raking governmental officers has been resulted by a unique Chinese political system, in particular the personnel management system of the Chinese Communist Party that emphasizes practical experiences after college graduation. The comparison of the social position of science and engineering majors in China and Korea without taking account of such historical and social background may therefore mislead our understanding of the cause of and counterplan to the decreasing popularity of science and engineering fields in Korean universities.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.107-134
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• 2004

This paper attempts to find out the economic roots of the increasing tendency not to choose the science and engineering (S&E) fields in the colleges. The analysis shows that the relative economic position of the S&E graduates measured in terms of employment quality is not significantly different from that of the non-S&E graduates. But the S&E graduates earn relatively low wage and self-employment income. Furthermore, the relative income of the top 5% bracket of the S&E graduates has been declining in the recent five years. The paper concludes that low relative income of the average S&E graduates as well as the increasingly lower relative income of the most able S&E personnel, coupled with the increasing compensating differential required for the S&E jobs, is the main reason for the 'avoidance' phenomenon of the S&E fields.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.87-112
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• 2020

Since the 2000s, South Korea has made great efforts to nurture scientists and engineers. In 2004, the Special Act on Supporting Scientists and Engineers for Strengthening National Science and Technology Competitiveness was established to secure scientists and engineers and improve their qualities. This special act has served as a basis for official policies for nurturing and supporting scientific manpower and as a reference for various laws relevant to the issue. However, there is a debate about whether the term ''scientist and engineer'' (이공계 인력) used in this act is appropriate. Thus, this paper critically analyzed the concept of "Scientists and Engineers" from the perspective of inclusiveness, consistency and interconnection. As a result, it is found that interconnectedness is high, as the term is widely used in other laws, but that there is a lack of inclusiveness and consistence. In recent years, those who did not major in science and engineering are employed in jobs related to science and technology, although they would not be counted as ''science and engineering work force'' in the traditional sense of the term. This trend will grow further in the future. In response to these changes, it is necessary to expand or revise the definition of ''scientist and engineer'' to include a broader range of people engaged in science and technology fields (과학기술인).