A Path Analysis Of Connecting Epistemic Belief To Student’s Career Expectancy

Professionals in science field have gradually become an important driving force for promoting economic development and enhancing international competitiveness.In PISA 2015,students from four provinces and cities in China ranked among the top in the world in terms of their scientific literacy levels,but their willingness to pursue science careers lags far behind that of many developed countries.As an important upstream factor that influences students’ science education and career choices,epistemic beliefs are likely to have a predictive effect on students’ science career expectations.This study conducted a visualization analysis and summary of relevant research in the epistemological beliefs and scientific career expectations field.Drawing on the expectancy-value theory,self-regulated learning and epistemological belief integration model,and empirical research,a model for predicting scientific career expectations was constructed.Using empirical data from PISA 2015,quantitative analysis methods such as structural equation modeling and mediation effects were used to test and refine the model.Therefore,this study constructs a model that predicts science career expectations through epistemic beliefs,aiming to clarify how epistemic beliefs affect career expectations through factors such as self-efficacy,motivation,and science academic achievement.The model is tested and modified using empirical research data from PISA 2015.The results of the study show that the model of how epistemic beliefs affect science career expectancies is moderately well-fitted.Epistemic beliefs can significantly and positively predict self-efficacy,motivation,and scientific academic achievement,and these variables will predict science career expectations to varying degrees.The results of the mediation effect test show that the paths from epistemic beliefs to science career expectancies are all significant,and epistemic beliefs will indirectly affect science career expectancies by influencing variables such as selfefficacy,motivation,and scientific academic achievement.The results of the crossgender comparison show that the paths by which epistemic beliefs affect science career expectancies for male and female students are basically the same,but the effects of intrinsic motivation and scientific academic achievement on female students’ career choices and science learning processes are weakened.This study fills the gap in the formation path and mechanism of epistemic beliefs in predicting science career expectancies,and establishes a model of how epistemic beliefs affect the formation of science career expectancies for Chinese students.Based on the research results,feasible suggestions are proposed to promote the cultivation of Chinese students’ science career expectancies.