Student Willingness to Pursue STEM : The Role of Students' Goals, Self‐Regulated Learning, Self‐Efficacy, and Parental Involvement

It is critical today that schools, teachers, and parents encourage young learners' interest in the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in this global and artificial intelligence (AI) focused world we now live in. This article presents findings of a study examining how undergraduate students' goals, self‐efficacy, and self‐regulated learning predict students' interest in pursuing math‐related STEM majors and careers in college. Participants included 748 participants enrolled in undergraduate math coursework at a large southeastern university in the United States. The results of mediation analyses indicated that while students with mastery‐approach goals are more likely to be interested in a STEM major and STEM career, these relationships can be explained by how these goals influence their self‐efficacy for math‐related tasks or their self‐regulated learning. In addition, parents' involvement while growing up influences students' interest in a STEM major and career by influencing students' self‐regulated learning. There were no gender differences for any of the above mediation effects. Implications are discussed for how encouraging students' mastery goals, self‐efficacy, and self‐regulated learning—supported by meaningful parental involvement—can strengthen students' interest in pursuing STEM pathways.