Relative Effects of Classroom Utility Value Intervention on the Science Motivation of Girls and Boys

Emerging evidence attests to the need to intervene in young students’ science motivation and achievement before their science motivation starts to dwindle. Heeding this call, we implemented a science utility value intervention for fifth and sixth graders in 23 classrooms (N = 550). Through five intervention sessions that consisted of diverse individual and group activities including writing, students learned and internalized the personal and communal usefulness of science for 14 popular non-STEM professions as well as their own aspired future careers. After the intervention, the students in the experimental condition perceived greater utility value of science, were more interested and self-efficacious in their science classes, expressed greater appreciation of the role science played in their future careers, and aspired to science-related careers more strongly than the students in the control condition. The intervention was especially effective for improving the personal utility value, appreciation, and science-related career intention of girls. The advantage of the experimental group in science interest and self-efficacy, compared to the control group that received a delayed intervention, was maintained till the end of the semester. The findings provide important empirical and practical insights into designing effective science interventions for young learners.