Family socioeconomic status and students’ choice of STEM majors

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-65
Author(s):  
Kao Sovansophal
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Academic Major ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Stem Majors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Family Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Scholarship Students ◽  
And Mathematics

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the trends of Cambodian government scholarship students’ choice of academic major; the significant association between family socioeconomic status (SES) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors, and the patterns of STEM major choices across demographic and geographical characteristics. Design/methodology/approach Descriptive analysis and cross-tabulation statistical tests were employed to analyze the data of 1,000 students drawn from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport scholarships database of 2018. The study employed a correlational study design. Findings Findings revealed that the Cambodian government scholarship students were more inclined to major in social science than science and engineering-related fields. Findings also positioned that students’ choice of STEM majors was significantly associated with family SES, gender and locality. Students from families with higher SES, male students and students from the provinces were more likely to choose STEM majors than their counterparts. Originality/value These findings point to some practical considerations on how to maximize low SES students’ enrollment in STEM majors at a higher education of Cambodia.

Local food and changes in tourist eating habits in a sun-and-sea destination: a segmentation approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (11) ◽  
pp. 3501-3521 ◽  
Author(s):  
José António C. Santos ◽  
Margarida Custódio Santos ◽  
Luis Nobre Pereira ◽  
Greg Richards ◽  
Luis Caiado
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Fast Food ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tourism Experience

Purpose Little is known about how tourists’ eating habits change between everyday life and holidays. This study aims to identify market segments based on changes in food consumption and experiences of a sun-and-sea destination’s local food. The authors evaluate to what extent tourists consume local food and assess the contribution of local food experiences to the tourists’ overall experience. Design/methodology/approach The target population was all tourists visiting the Algarve in the Summer 2018 and included both domestic and international sun-and-sea tourists. A sample of 378 valid questionnaires was collected. Data analysis included descriptive analysis, statistical tests and cluster analysis. Findings Cluster analysis identified three segments: non-foodies, selective foodies and local gastronomy foodies. Results indicate that tourists change their eating habits during holidays, eating significantly more seafood and fish and less legumes, meat, fast food and cereals and their derivatives. International and domestic sun-and-sea tourists reported that eating local food contributes significantly to their overall tourism experience. Practical implications Sun-and-sea destinations should promote the offer of local dishes, especially those that include locally produced fish and seafood, to improve the tourist experience, differentiate the destination and increase sustainability. Originality/value The authors address three identified research gaps: a posteriori segmentation based on tourists’ food consumption behaviour; measurement of changes in eating practices between home and in a sun-and-sea destination; and assessment of the role of food experiences to overall tourism experience of tourists visiting a sun-and-sea destination.

scholarly journals The level of STEM knowledge, skills, and values among the students of bachelor’s degree of education in geography

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 69
Author(s):  
Sumayyah Aimi Mohd Najib ◽  
Hanifah Mahat ◽  
Nur Hidayah Baharudin
Keyword(s):  
Stem Education ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Bachelor's Degree ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Education Study ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
High Level ◽  
Academy Of Sciences

<span>The demand for individuals with educational background in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields has been rapidly growing. This paper presents the level of STEM education knowledge, skills and values among the students of Bachelor’s Degree of Education (B.Ed.) in Geography at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. Research on STEM education study in geography involves assessing the STEM knowledge, skills and values. This article reports the findings from the survey conducted on 400 students of ISMP in Geography in the first to the eighth semester in 2018. The research instrument involves variables such as knowledge, skills and value. The items for each variable were constructed and modified based on the STEM implementation guide set by the Ministry of Education Malaysia and the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, and validated by the experts. Descriptive analysis was selected to evaluate the level of STEM knowledge, skills and values among the students. The findings show that the students indeed possess high level of STEM knowledge, skills and values. Overall, this study is important to examine the variables that influence the development in Geography and STEM. In a nutshell, this study will help the departments and faculties to further improve the development in Geography field at both national and international levels.</span>

Does academic major matter in mobile assisted language learning? A quasi-experimental study

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nattaporn Thongsri ◽  
Liang Shen ◽  
Bao Yukun
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Academic Major ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Stem Majors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Mobile Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
Statistical Analysis Technique

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of mobile assisted language learning (MALL) in vocabulary learning among English foreign language learners in China with a lens on academic major difference. This study hypothesizes that academic majors including Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM differentiate the learners’ perception of computer self-efficacy (CSE) and MALL learning performance as well as moderate the effect of CSE on language learning performance. Design/methodology/approach Sample data for this study were collected from 200 university students enrolled in both STEM and non-STEM majors. Under the quasi-experiment, this study had been conducted vocabulary training, pre-test, post-test and a questionnaire. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, a statistical analysis technique based on ANOVA and regression were used to analyze the data. Findings The results support hypotheses that CSE, learning score and satisfaction are rated higher for STEM students than non-STEM ones and indicate the effect of CSE on language learning performance is stronger for STEM students than non-STEM ones in using MALL. Originality/value This paper addressed important issues in language learning on the academic major difference. The findings would be the guidelines for educational organizations to motivate and stimulate students with sustainable self-confidence important not only for improvement in students’ language learning achievements and outcomes but also for the advancement of mobile technology in language learning.

Family socioeconomic status and Chinese preschoolers’ social skills: Examining underlying family processes.

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 969-979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhongling Wu ◽  
Bi Ying Hu ◽  
Huiping Wu ◽  
Adam Winsler ◽  
Liang Chen
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Family Processes ◽  
Family Socioeconomic Status

Consumer-citizen willingness to pay for healthy eating messages

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 890-909 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuxia Ouyang ◽  
Amit Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Warning ◽  
Warning Messages ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Warning Message ◽  
Home Context ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Amazon's Mechanical Turk

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the preference of health-warning message labeling in an eating-away-from-home context. The authors assessed individuals’ preference valuation of such messaging from a dual – consumer and citizen – perspective and with associated expected risk reduction (RR) level.Design/methodology/approachIn an online stated choice experiment on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (N = 658), participants were asked to provide willingness to pay (WTP) preferences for health-warning messages and based on the expected RR from health-warning messages. Two types of multiple price list questions were used for consumer and citizen contexts. Interval regression and descriptive analysis methods were applied to analyze the data.FindingsThe study found that individuals placed a higher value (higher WTP) on health-warning message labeling when acting as citizens rather than as consumers. An RR expectation of 50 per cent was most effective in increasing participants’ WTP. Individuals who ate out frequently were more concerned about healthier food messages, and the influence of gender and age on WTP was conditional on individuals’ roles as consumers versus citizens.Originality/valueThis study extends the theory of consumer-citizen duality to the context of health-related information labeling, thus opening the discussion to extending such labeling from traditionally risky behavior such as alcohol and tobacco to also including food choice behavior. The authors also highlight implications on policy and industry practices to promote healthy food choices through such messages.

Factors Influencing Saudi Parents’ Choice of International Schools in Saudi Arabia

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 220-232
Author(s):  
Hamdah Abdullah Alfaraidy
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
International Education ◽  
School Quality ◽  
International Schools ◽  
Traditional Schools ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Mandated Curriculum ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Main Factors

The Saudi Ministry of Education has recently begun to allow all Saudi families to enroll their children in international schools. The international curriculum offered by such schools represents a notably different choice compared with Saudi traditional public and private schools, both of which teach the same state-mandated curriculum. As a result of the change, there has been a surge in demand for international education; the number of schools has increased rapidly, and there has been a steady “student leak” towards them and away from traditional schools. Little is known about why Saudi parents choose to enroll their children in international schools. We explored this question by surveying 431 Saudi parents of children attending such schools to identify the main factors contributing to their choice. Although all factors examined were important to parents, curriculum and overall school quality emerged as the most important; socioeconomic status was not influential in their decisions.

scholarly journals Conceptual causal models of socioeconomic status, family structure, family functioning and their role in public health

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederik Booysen ◽  
Ferdi Botha ◽  
Edwin Wouters
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Family Functioning ◽  
Family Structure ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Social Determinant ◽  
Causal Models ◽  
Family Socioeconomic Status ◽  
The Family ◽  
Social Determinant Of Health

AbstractSocial determinants of health frameworks are standard tools in public health. These frameworks for the most part omit a crucial factor: the family. Socioeconomic status moreover is a prominent social determinant of health. Insofar as family functioning is poorer in poor families and family structure and functioning are linked to health, it is critical to consider the pathways between these four constructs. In this correspondence, we reflect on how empirical studies of this conceptual nexus mirror two causal models. We conclude by reflecting on future directions for research in this field.

Gated communities in Ankara: are they a tool of social segregation?

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 687-702
Author(s):  
Leyla Alkan-Gökler
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Gated Communities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive View ◽  
Social Segregation ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Local Residents ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Gated communities, surrounded by walls or fences, have emerged as a new trend in almost all cities in Turkey, and are homogenous in terms of the socioeconomic status of their occupants. Within these communities, several facilities and services are provided that are available only to the residents, with restrictions on access from the outside, and this has led to criticisms of social segregation. This study aims to analyze the impact of these communities on social segregation in Ankara, through two different surveys aimed at investigating the attitudes of the residents of local neighborhoods and gated communities toward each other. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyzes how the process of gating has affected social segregation in Ankara through two separate surveys: with the residents of gated communities and with the residents of local neighborhoods around these gated communities. Findings The study revealed that the residents of gated communities tended to have a positive view of the residents of local neighborhoods. In contrast, the responses of the local residents show evidence of feelings of social segregation, based on the presence of the high walls, fences and guards that are in place to keep them out of the community. Originality/value This study shows that, although segregation from the rest of the society is not the main reason for gating, the emergence of gated communities in Ankara leads inevitably to a socially and economically segregated city in which local residents feel excluded from these gated areas.

Preventive maintenance scheduling using analysis of variance-based ant lion optimizer

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 254-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umamaheswari Elango ◽  
Ganesan Sivarajan ◽  
Abirami Manoharan ◽  
Subramanian Srikrishna
Keyword(s):  
Analysis Of Variance ◽  
Heuristic Algorithm ◽  
Heuristic Algorithms ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Maintenance Scheduling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ant Lion Optimizer ◽  
Ant Lion ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose Generator maintenance scheduling (GMS) is an essential task for electric power utilities as the periodical maintenance activity enhances the lifetime and also ensures the reliable and continuous operation of generating units. Though numerous meta-heuristic algorithms have been reported for the GMS solution, enhancing the existing techniques or developing new optimization procedure is still an interesting research task. The meta-heuristic algorithms are population based and the selection of their algorithmic parameters influences the quality of the solution. This paper aims to propose statistical tests guided meta-heuristic algorithm for solving the GMS problems. Design/methodology/approach The intricacy characteristics of the GMS problem in power systems necessitate an efficient and robust optimization tool. Though several meta-heuristic algorithms have been applied to solve the chosen power system operational problem, tuning of their control parameters is a protracting process. To prevail over the previously mentioned drawback, the modern meta-heuristic algorithm, namely, ant lion optimizer (ALO), is chosen as the optimization tool for solving the GMS problem. Findings The meta-heuristic algorithms are population based and require proper selection of algorithmic parameters. In this work, the ANOVA (analysis of variance) tool is proposed for selecting the most feasible decisive parameters in algorithm domain, and the statistical tests-based validation of solution quality is described. The parametric and non-parametric statistical tests are also performed to validate the selection of ALO against the various competing algorithms. The numerical and statistical results confirm that ALO is a promising tool for solving the GMS problems. Originality/value As a first attempt, ALO is applied to solve the GMS problem. Moreover, the ANOVA-based parameter selection is proposed and the statistical tests such as Wilcoxon signed rank and one-way ANOVA are conducted to validate the applicability of the intended optimization tool. The contribution of the paper can be summarized in two folds: the ANOVA-based ALO for GMS applications and statistical tests-based performance evaluation of intended algorithm.

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