Online Video Gaming and Stem Outcomes Among College Students

The “leaky pipeline” in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has been well-documented with developed educational interventions to sustain students’ STEM interest (van den Hurk et al., 2019; Wu & Uttal, 2020). In recent years, scholars have criticized traditional Western education-focused STEM pipeline model (Mendick et al., 2017), and there is a lack of literature that has investigated non-traditional approach to access the pipeline, such as video games, and its impact on STEM outcomes. It is important to understand the impact of video game experience on college students’ STEM interest, during their first year which is a critical period of time to progress in the pipeline (Chen, 2013). In chapter 1 of this dissertation I conducted a systematized review and found engagement in leisure activities, especially entertainment video games, to be positively related to students’ STEM interest. However, no literature examined how the entertainment gaming environment, especially online gaming, may influence individuals’ gaming experience and STEM interest. In chapter 2, I conducted a quantitative study with a moderated mediation model design to examine the relationships among online gaming engagement, technology comfort level, gaming mastery goal structure, gaming performance goal structure, STEM self-efficacy, and STEM interest. Several hypotheses were formulated to better understand mediation and moderation effects of these variables. STEM self-efficacy was found to fully mediate the relationship between technology comfort level and STEM interest. Implications for research and practice about online gaming engagement, technology comfort level, and STEM outcomes are discussed.