{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,9]],"date-time":"2026-04-09T01:35:53Z","timestamp":1775698553498,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Lectito Publications","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:p xml:lang=\"en\">Social cognitive career theory posits that career interests and decisions are influenced by individual, contextual, and behavioural factors. This research aims to assess the impact of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) activities on students\u2019 interest and aspirations in STEM careers. Additionally, the study aims to explore the critical factors that might shape students\u2019 STEM career aspirations. The research used a quantitative approach, with pre- and post-test measures for a cohort of 191 Portuguese secondary school students, using the Career Interest Questionnaire (CIQ). The results showed that STEM activities increased the intentions of non-STEM students to pursue educational opportunities that could potentially lead to a scientific career. Males, in contrast to females, showed a significant increase in their intentions to pursue educational opportunities that could eventually lead to a scientific career. Furthermore, gender along with the personal goals and positive perceptions of STEM careers were identified as significant predictors of the students\u2019 STEM career aspirations. These results highlight the critical role of STEM education in developing and sustaining students\u2019 interest in STEM careers. Integrated STEM activities should be developed in the early stages of education to enhance students\u2019 confidence in STEM and mitigate the gender gap.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.20897\/ejsteme\/15830","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,6]],"date-time":"2025-01-06T12:25:52Z","timestamp":1736166352000},"page":"21","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["The Impact of STEM Activities on the Interest and Aspirations in STEM Careers of 12th-Grade Portuguese Students in Science and Technology Curriculum"],"prefix":"10.20897","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Teresa","family":"Ribeirinha","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Education, Santar\u00e9m Polytechnic University; Life Quality Research Centre, PORTUGAL"}]},{"given":"M\u00f3nica","family":"Baptista","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UIDEF, Instituto de Educa\u00e7\u00e3o, Universidade de Lisboa, PORTUGAL"}]},{"given":"Marisa","family":"Correia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Education, Santar\u00e9m Polytechnic University; Life Quality Research Centre, PORTUGAL"}]}],"member":"8520","reference":[{"key":"471338","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Archer, L., DeWitt, J., Osborne, J., Dillon, J., Willis, B. and Wong, B. 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