Self-concept research in science and technology education – theoretical foundation, measurement instruments, and main findings

Abstract

This article gives an overview of the current state of science and technology self-concept research. Following a defined selection process, we analysed 74 peer-reviewed journal articles published from 1998 to 2017, which are indexed in the ERIC database and that deal with science and technology self-concepts (STSC) of school children and adolescents. In our analysis, we focus on the theoretical foundations, measurement instruments, and main findings from this area. (i) Theoretical foundations: today’s research on STSC is mainly based on the Shavelson and Marsh models of self-concept, i.e. it follows the tradition of educational psychology. (ii) Measurement instruments: a number of established and validated measurement instruments are available. However, the existing methodological resources should be employed more rigorously. (iii) Main findings: Some findings are well documented, such as the positive relation with achievement, the gender gap, and the fact that students of non-dominant ethnic groups tend to have lower STSCs. Recommendations: in order to gain a deeper understanding of these phenomena, it could be fruitful to further elaborate connections with science identity research and to enrich STSC research with qualitative data.