Abstract

Intractable shortages of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers have prompted international policy efforts to recruit career changers to the profession. This research determines the significant influences on career changers’ decisions to pursue or pass on STEM teaching careers. Surveys completed by 91 career changers from Queensland, Australia, were analysed with Best–Worst Scaling (BWS) methods and Margaret Archer’s theories of reflexivity to establish the relative importance of factors influencing career changers’ deliberations on a STEM teaching career. The social impact of teaching was the most influential factor for career changers considering STEM teaching. Career changers who pursued the profession were also influenced by past teaching experiences and feelings towards STEM subjects. Conversely, career changers who decided against STEM teaching indicated their personal traits and life circumstances might not suit a teaching career. These findings offer implications for research and policy aimed at recruiting career changers into STEM teaching careers.

中文翻译：

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了解转行者追求或放弃 STEM 教学职业的原因：最佳-最差扩展 (BWS) 方法

摘要

科学、技术、工程和数学 (STEM) 教师的棘手短缺促使国际政策努力招募职业改变者进入该行业。这项研究确定了对职业改变者追求或放弃 STEM 教学职业的决定的重大影响。采用最佳-最差量表 (BWS) 方法和玛格丽特·阿彻的反身性理论对来自澳大利亚昆士兰州的 91 名职业转换者完成的调查进行了分析，以确定影响职业转换者对 STEM 教学职业考虑的因素的相对重要性。教学的社会影响是职业转换者考虑 STEM 教学的最有影响力的因素。从事该职业的转行者也受到过去的教学经验和对 STEM 科目的感受的影响。相反，决定反对 STEM 教学的职业改变者表明他们的个人特质和生活环境可能不适合教学职业。这些发现对旨在招募职业改变者进入 STEM 教学职业的研究和政策具有启示意义。