Useful now, valuable later: everyday relevance, career awareness, and STEM aspirations in students’ interest in school science

A convergent mixed-methods study published in Frontiers in Education investigated Grade 9 students' declining interest in school science within the United Arab Emirates, evaluating how perceived everyday relevance, career awareness, and STEM career aspirations influence engagement. Utilizing Expectancy-Value Theory, the study analyzed survey responses from 382 public school students across five emirates alongside qualitative focus groups to assess adolescent STEM orientation.

Declining adolescent interest in science poses a strategic risk to future workforce development in critical STEM sectors. Addressing this drop requires identifying the pedagogical and contextual drivers that help students connect classroom science to real-world applications and future careers. Cultivating these links early ensures a resilient, domestic technical talent pipeline.

Adolescent science engagement is examined through the lens of Expectancy-Value Theory, linking immediate utility with future career pathways.

Forward consideration, not a verified fact.