Investigation of Social and Cultural Informal Learning Opportunities for Middle and High School Students

This study aims to investigate the social and cultural informal learning opportunities of middle and high school students based on gender, grade level, and place of residence. The sample consists of 1,310 students from a province located in eastern Türkiye. Data were collected through three items concerning personal information and two special multiple-response items in the Informal Learning Opportunities Test (ILOT). The data were analyzed using multiple response analysis and the chi-square test of independence. The results indicated that gender did not significantly influence students’ camp preferences; however, it had a significant effect on their activity preferences. Both boy and girl students exhibited low participation in science camps, yet girl students tended to prefer social, cultural, and nature-based activities, while boy students favored physical or technical activities. Participation in STEM-related activities was low for both genders. Grade level did not significantly affect camp preferences but showed a significant influence on activity preferences. Upper-grade students were more open to a variety of camp experiences, whereas 10th-grade students demonstrated limited participation. Younger students (5th and 6th graders) preferred entertainment-oriented visits, 7th graders were more inclined toward science and cultural trips, and older students (9th and 10th graders) tended to engage in vocational visits. Moreover, significant differences were found in both camp and activity preferences according to place of residence. Students from city and district areas participated in camps more frequently than those from villages or metropolitan regions. While village and district students preferred nature-based activities, city students showed a greater inclination toward cultural activities.