Technology-based activities at home and STEM school achievement: the moderating effects of student gender and parental education

Background: STEM school achievement is related to various student, parent and family characteristics, and experiences in the school setting. Studies also acknowledge the role of informal learning in STEM achievement, mentioning the importance of student digital activities at home. However, the existing studies have not examined in detail the relationship between students’ engagement in specific technology-based activities at home and STEM achievement, and whether this relationship varies depending on student gender and parental education.Purpose: This study explores the relationship between students’ engagement in technology-based activities at home and STEM school achievement, and the possible moderating role of gender and parental education in this relationship.Sample: Participants in the study are 1,205 students (580 girls) attending fifth (n = 567) and sixth grades (n = 638) in 16 primary schools in Zagreb, Croatia. For each student, one of their parents also participated in the study, by completing questionnaires for parents.Methods: Students completed questionnaires containing questions assessing the frequency of various technology-based activities at home, and their STEM school achievement was assessed by objective paper-pencil tests.Results: The frequency of writing posts on social media sites and downloading music, movies, games or software from the internet negatively predicted STEM achievement, even after controlling for parental education and student gender. The relationship between frequency of certain technology-based activities at home and STEM achievement was found to vary depending on student gender and the combination of student gender and parental education.Conclusions: Although the frequency of certain activities at home is related to STEM achievement, the general conclusion is that engagement in technology-based activities at home does not substantially contribute to STEM achievement. Additionally, the relationship between technology-based activities and STEM achievement may differ for boys and girls, and for students with parents of different education levels.