Evaluating Teachers’ Influence on Students’ Attitudes towards STEM Subjects from Selected Secondary Schools in Bayelsa State

This article attempts to assess teachers’ influence on students’ attitude towards science, engineering, mathematics (STEM) subjects in secondary schools in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. We specifically sought to find answers to whether certain characteristics of teachers—teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), teachers’ mastery of content knowledge, teacher enthusiasm, and teacher temperament contribute to secondary school students’ attitudes towards the choice of STEM subjects and subsequent future careers. Employing a survey design for the study, we used researcher designed questionnaire on a 4-point Likert-style scale to collect data. Data were analysed using the item means. Results revealed that the identified variables influenced students’ attitudes toward STEM subjects. This study builds on existing literature by examining students’ attitudes towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics in senior secondary schools in a developing world context. Attempt is made here to create the much-needed awareness in order to foster in students, a positive attitude towards STEM subjects, especially when they are making choices regarding their future careers at the university level.