The hands-on STEM curriculum design promoting science learning and career self-efficacy for gifted girls

This study explored the differences in scientific learning interest, scientific learning motivation, scientific learning difficulties, career self-efficacy and career development before and after the implementation of the scientific hands-on STEM curriculum for gifted girls. The 10-hour curriculum mainly consisted three sets of theoretical and hands-on activities related to electrical, mechanical and temperature experiments. It also explored the difference between students in two different types of schools. A total of 32 gifted girls in the 11th grade participated. It used the pre-post questionnaire to analyze the change. After the curriculum, the results show that although there was no significant difference in career self-efficacy and career development, these students have increased their science interest and learning motivation. There were significant differences in the difficulty of science understanding and reading and the practical activities were are not easy for the students. Teachers, nevertheless, needed to help students to practice. There was a significant difference in verbal persuasion which meant that they felt encouraged. Moreover, the co-educational students improved significantly than that of girls in the single-sex school, especially, in the science learning motivation. It also showed that the science-related curriculum and hand-on activities were more beneficial to the improvement of girls' interest and motivation in co-educational school.