Interest in science as a career among Brazilian students: differences by sex, region, and school level
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15536/reducarmais.10.2026.4473Keywords:
Interest in scientific careers, Scientific literacy, Gender and science, GSLQ, Science educationAbstract
Interest in science as a career is an important factor in the development of future researchers and the strengthening of national science and technology systems. This study investigated Interest in Science as a Career (ISC) among 514 students from Brazilian basic and higher education using five items from the Brazilian version of the Global Scientific Literacy Questionnaire (GSLQ). A quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive-correlational design was adopted, with descriptive and inferential data analyses. The results indicated a moderate level of interest in scientific careers, with significant differences according to sex, geographic region, and educational level. Higher levels of interest were observed among female students and students from the Northeast region, whereas lower scores were found among students in the third year of upper secondary education. No significant differences were found according to school type or age. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the factors associated with interest in scientific careers in Brazil and provide evidence to inform educational policies and initiatives aimed at fostering scientific vocations.
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