The use of school labs as extracurricular STEM programmes and their effects on STEM career intentions

Abstract Background Extracurricular science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programmes are very popular and are actively used by teachers and students. Studies evaluating these initiatives show positive effects on cognitive, affective, and motivational student traits, which in turn can influence career choices in STEM. Based on attendance at such programmes, specifically school labs, we measured students’ learning gain, the enjoyment experienced during attendance, the change in interest and self-efficacy beliefs in STEM, and how these factors related to STEM career intentions. To this end, 2605 students who had attended a school lab in Switzerland or in the Principality of Liechtenstein were surveyed with a questionnaire. Results Based on a structural equation model, it could be shown that learning gains and enjoyment of the visit correlated strongly. Furthermore, in the model these two variables did not have a direct effect on STEM career intentions, but an indirect one via the change in self-efficacy beliefs. This shift in beliefs related strongly to STEM career intentions as well as the development in interest in STEM, which was also highly associated with STEM career intentions. Conclusions Overall, we could demonstrate the importance of four direct and indirect factors resulting from attending a school lab that are important influences on the fostering of students’ STEM career intentions.