Perceptions of High School Students on Academic Training for Science and Technology in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Mexican high school students have a strong inclination to deem scientific and technological college-level education as overly challenging. The purpose of this study was to present firsthand information to learn the following: (a) current problems associated with scientific and technological human capital training in the Mexico City metropolitan area and (b) perceptions of high school students from this geographical area with regard to the challenges of pursuing a degree in science or technology. The study is relevant because it shows the low impact of scientific and technological human capital training in the geographical area, which has both the largest number of public institutions and the largest allocation of economic resources in Mexico. Among the most important results of the study were the predominant low interest in scientific or technological careers and the fact that such indifference is primarily due to the scientific and technological environment in Mexico, which lacks prestige; therefore, students do not foresee an attractive future after achieving a bachelor’s degree related to science or technology.

Keywords

statistical analysis science and technology high school public education educational policy public policies

Introduction

Bachelor’s students have been shown to report a larger proportion of positive than negative experiences in terms of the acquisition of scientific, professional, personal, learning, and research skills, among others and, to varying extents, as a result of their participation in research activities (Kardash, 2000; Seymour, Hunter, Laursen, & DeAntoni, 2004). The performance of Latin American students abroad in the areas of engineering, mathematics, science, and technology has been associated with cultural variables, which have identified the importance of creating sound strategies for their adaptation to foreign environments (Cole & Espinoza, 2008).

Education is one of the catalysts of research, and professional practice is essential for exerting an influence on policy (Slavin, 2002). Moreover, the development of higher education students’ educational and personal pathways is facilitated when they are motivated to participate in actual academic endeavors and extracurricular activities along with academic staff and other institutional actors (Astin, 1999). On the contrary, personal perceptions are a useful approach for identifying areas that should be further explored, such as in the case of online education, for which perception studies have been used to determine its relevant components and the challenges in promoting learning (Song, Singleton, Hill, & Hwa Koh, 2004). In this regard, an important line of analysis emerges in the context of student perceptions associated with current evaluation mechanisms in higher education, including the opinions of other actors (Struyven, Dochy, & Janssens, 2005).

Also of interest are student perceptions about the study of science as a partial explanation for the decrease in the number of people who make that choice. Some of these perceptions should be given special attention, such as student motivation toward a higher income by engaging in a scientific career and other aspects affecting motivation such as gender, curricula, faculty performance, cultural aspects, and education quality (Osborne, Simon, & Collins, 2003). Specifically, education quality is a central element for stakeholders at schools and universities interested in providing basic and state-of-the-art knowledge to solve problems in their social environments (Austin, 2002).

Among the causes of hard science and engineering students dropping out of highly competitive institutions are factors associated with gender and context (mostly in the case of women); strong competition; migration to other, more attractive knowledge areas; low faculty interest and commitment; and complex work associated with curricula (Strenta, Elliott, Adair, Matier, & Scott, 1994).

Psychological well-being has been identified as an essential aspect of school performance development at the high school level. Issues such as an unfavorable socioeconomic level, the use of drugs or illegal substances (even when these are used briefly, they can lead to addictions, for instance, alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, and cannabis), early pregnancy, and crime are part of many students’ environments; racial differences can also represent an issue. These issues can trigger low academic commitment and performance, leading to school dropout. As a result, strategies to mitigate such issues become necessary to mitigate low academic performance and to prevent emotional and physical health problems in the future. Therefore, the commitment and cooperation of parents and students within an adequate school environment are essential to initiate such strategies (Caraway, Tucker, Reinke, & Hall, 2003; Cox, Zhang, Johnson, & Bender, 2007; Diego, Field, & Sanders, 2003; Perry & McConney, 2010; Stewart, 2007).

Other problems associated with high school students are stress and depression, which are more prevalent among women. In fact, these two variables have been associated with other undesirable behaviors such as smoking, poor eating habits, fighting, and careless sexual and reproductive attitudes (Brooks, Harris, Thrall, & Woods, 2002). In addition, the motivations for men and women to pursue a scientific career can be differentiated by factors such as generational links, the labor market, the desired lifestyle, professional interests, and possible goals provided by each discipline, all of must be remembered when the vision of science is discussed from a gender perspective (Miller, Blessing, & Schwartz, 2006). In addition, the discussion must include the necessity of policy and programs aimed at leading young people toward these professions to promote the economic development and social well-being of countries.

Bullying is another aspect of the problem; both bullies and their victims have been shown to be prone to develop in violent environments where drugs are available and to present low academic performance (Bradshaw, Waasdorp, Goldweber, & Johnson, 2013). Cyberbullying uses electronic media to promote aggression and harassment in virtual environments (Hinduja & Patchin, 2013). In this regard, student victimization should be given special attention, particularly when directed at people with alternative sexual preferences, due to the repercussions of victimization on adolescent mental health; therefore, parental and school interventions are important factors in addressing this part of the problem (Russell, Ryan, Toomey, Diaz, & Sanchez, 2011; Stadler, Feifel, Rohrmann, Vermeiren, & Poustka, 2010).

Conceptual Framework, Research Questions, and Limitations

As previously mentioned, education catalyzes the progress of research, and its influence on policies and practices aimed at fostering scientific activity is essential for scientific advancement (Slavin, 2002). As a result, higher education student participation and motivation should involve the possibility of engaging students in academic work and extracurricular activities guided by academic staff and other institutional actors with the intention of encouraging students’ educational and personal development (Astin, 1999). Thus, education (which is nothing more than the learning process) in science involves numerous implications; for instance, the United States of America has emphasized the need to establish learning strategies based on teaching methods proven with the largest number of students. However, change has been slow and some scientists have resisted it (Handelsman et al., 2004).

Currently, technology and information stand as the fundamental axes of development; therefore, scientific education represents a highly relevant asset in facing the challenges of the future. Consequently, the participation of politicians, teachers, students, and researchers is a starting point for achieving successful developments (Lau & Roeser, 2002). Nevertheless, the idea of learning in different knowledge areas might be influenced by students’ idiosyncrasies, and based on this perception,¹ they may establish their learning mechanisms, which exert a direct effect on the learning process (Lee, Johanson, & Tsai, 2008). Therefore, their specific educational needs must be discovered to generate ad hoc strategies based on those needs.

The interest of high school students in science has been associated with intrinsic motivation, performance, efficacy, and the determination they display to achieve learning, as well as with their active participation in collaborative learning activities and the future vision to pursue a career, but most importantly, the teaching methods used by the faculty must be innovative and must involve students (Bryan, Glynn, & Kittleson, 2011). Favorable long-term results have been observed when secondary school students participate in summer programs aimed at stimulating their interest in science and science-related careers compared with students who have not received this kind of stimulation (Gibson & Chase, 2002). Scientific learning results are also affected by the process per se (memorizing, practicing, applying knowledge, etc.), which must be adequately addressed to avoid negative notions about learning. These various perceptions about the learning process can be classified according to their relationship with knowledge acquisition, motivation, and evaluation, as was revealed by a study with Taiwanese high school students (Tsai, 2004). Nevertheless, these results must be contextualized according to geographical regions, also considering the relevant cultural considerations.

Different dimensions of scientific work are included in curricula, for instance, the study and comprehension of laws, models, and theories on one hand, and on the other, the process through which research is taken from the initial idea to the publication of results (Ryder, Leach, & Driver, 1999). These dimensions are joined by circumstances associated with the challenges of learning and the lack of opportunities and job offers, which result in high school students losing their interest in pursuing careers in science, engineering, and medical research. However, encouraging and promoting these careers can help to support their values and to generate a positive perception of these employment options among students (Aschbacher, Li, & Roth, 2010). Nevertheless, important challenges remain, such as the persistent lack of experience in reviewing and analyzing adequate scientific information among high school students, which affects their academic performance (Julien & Barker, 2009). Undoubtedly, this study contextualizes the tasks that academic institutions must face.

Attitudes toward choosing science as a career have also been studied to understand why fewer people make that choice, for instance, the perceived income associated with scientific careers. Gender, curricula, faculty, culture, and education quality are other examples of related factors (Osborne et al., 2003). Specifically, teaching quality is central to provide the relevant basic and contemporary skills needed to solve problems in the social environment (Austin, 2002), which must be addressed at the high school level in developing countries to increase student involvement in these careers.

Nevertheless, in the context of developing economies, challenges to the progress of scientific research are more numerous, especially in regard to human resources, education, technology, culture, and policy (Harris, 2004). Although scientific and technological development does not depend only on the allocation of economic resources, it represents an important point of departure. The average expenditure on experimental research and development in 2012 among OCDE (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development) countries was 2.4% of the GDP, whereas the same expenditure in developing countries such as Brazil was 1.21% (2011), 0.74% in Argentina, 0.35% in Chile, and 0.43% in Mexico (National Council for Science and Technology [CONACYT], 2014).

A similar tendency can be observed in tertiary (college) education. In 2014, developed countries allocated considerable resources to these institutions. For instance, Germany spent US$17,180 per student, the United States spent US$29,328, and the United Kingdom spent US$24,542, whereas Mexico spent US$8,949, Chile spent US$7,836, and Argentina spent US$5,085 per student. The framework described in this section leads to the following question: What are students’ perceptions with regard to pursuing a career in science or technology in a given context? In this study, we focus on the specific case of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). The following questions lead our inquiry: (a) What are the necessary strategies to motivate students toward a career in these areas? and (b) What are the necessary mechanisms to facilitate minimum learning conditions in scientific and technological fields?

Mexico currently faces many challenges, among them educating its young population. Public high schools in the MCMA face a number of difficulties training quality human resources. In addition to their very limited budgets, these public institutions face problems derived from corruption and the impunity of the authorities; these phenomena are a negative referent for students and have a detrimental effect on student education. Moreover, these public schools admit young people from different socioeconomic levels, some of whom are constantly defeated by problems such as drugs, alcoholism, gangs, violent robberies, women slaughter, and undesired pregnancies, among others. To make things worse, these young people also lack sufficient money to continue their education due to their conditions of poverty; thus, they are forced to take underpaid jobs. They are also malnourished, which causes health problems and difficulties sustaining attention during class. In sum, young people in the MCMA currently face numerous challenges beginning and continuing their high school education. The present study may not cover the entire problem, but it serves as a first approach to the psychological reality of these young students and their relationships with their academic environments.

Scientific and Technological Education in the MCMA

According to the 2010 population and housing census (National Institute for Statistics and Geography [INEGI], 2011b), Mexico had a population of 112,336,538 (54,855,231 men and 57,481,307 women). The MCMA accounted for the highest percentage of inhabitants (11%) of all the country’s regions (4.1% in the Federal District² and 6.9% in the State of Mexico). The National Survey on Public Perceptions of Science and Technology in Mexico³ (INEGI, 2011a) reported that 26.47% of the Mexican population above 18 years of age had completed higher education studies, 22.98% had completed studies at the high school or secondary levels, 46.84% had completed the basic level, and 3.70% reported no formal education. The majority of this population studied in public schools (73.09%), whereas 26.72% studied in private schools and the remaining 0.19% in other types of academic institutions.

In 2011, 16,042,143 people above 18 years of age lived in the MCMA (22.4% of the national population; 8.8% in the Federal District and 13.6% in the State of Mexico). Education levels for this population were as follows: 77.1% had no higher education (69.7% in the Federal District and 13.6% in the State of Mexico), 2.8% had a high school education and technical or commercial training (3.2% in the Federal District and 2.5% in the State of Mexico), 18% had higher education studies (23.8% in the Federal District and 14.2% in the State of Mexico), 1.7% had master’s or PhD-level studies (2.7% in the Federal District and 1.0% in the State of Mexico), and the remaining 0.4% of people failed to specify their education level (0.6% in the Federal District and 0.4% in the State of Mexico; INEGI, 2011c). These figures clarify that the MCMA lacks specialized human resources at both the postgraduate level and as early as the high school level when human resources possessing a talent for more advanced science and technology studies begin to be noticed.

Concerning the central theme of this study, figures presented by the Public Education Secretariat (SEP; 2011) indicate that 949,680 students were conducting high school studies during the 2011-2012 school year at institutions in the Federal District (45.9%) and the State of Mexico (54.1%). According to figures from the National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES; 2011), only 702,062 students (a mere 4.4% of total population above 18 years of age) were enrolled in higher education institutions in the MCMA during 2011. These students were distributed by the following knowledge areas: agriculture and stockbreeding sciences, 1.9% (1.3% in the Federal District and 2.7% in the State of Mexico); health sciences, 9.5% (11.3% in the Federal District and 7.1% in the State of Mexico); natural and exact sciences, 3.2% (3.7% in the Federal District and 2.4% in the State of Mexico); social and administrative sciences, 45.0% (44.3% in the Federal District and 45.9% in the State of Mexico); education and the humanities, 8.2% (7.5% in the Federal District and 9.2% in the State of Mexico); and technology and engineering, 32.3% (31.9% in the Federal District and 32.7% in the State of Mexico). These percentages are promising. From the total, 35.5% (248,594 students) were enrolled in programs within the areas of natural and exact sciences (relative participation of 67.6% in the Federal District and 32.4% in the State of Mexico) and the technology and engineering areas (relative participation of 57.0% in the Federal District and 43.0% in the State of Mexico).

However, these figures fail to reflect the same progress with regard to students who obtained their higher education degrees: ANUIES (2011) reported that only 78,275 students in the MCMA obtained their degrees in 2011 (59.3% in the Federal District and 40.7% in the State of Mexico), which represents 11.1% of students enrolled that same year. Of those 78,275 degrees, 1,768 (2.3%) were conferred on students in the areas of natural and exact sciences and 20,950 (26.8%) to technology and engineering students. Also in 2011, reports by ANUIES indicate that 74,991 students were enrolled in master’s and PhD programs in the MCMA (77.1% in the Federal District and 22.9% in the State of Mexico). Of those 74,991 students, 4,727 (6.3%) were enrolled in postgraduate programs within the areas of natural and exact sciences, and 8,099 (10.8%) were enrolled in technology and engineering postgraduate programs. The number of students who obtained a degree in a given year includes students from several previous years. However, only 17,290 postgraduate students in the MCMA obtained their master’s or PhD degrees (77.9% in the Federal District and 22.1% in the State of Mexico), which reflects the scarce generation of specialized human resources, especially in the areas of natural and exact sciences and of engineering and technology, in which only 6.3% (1,087) and 10.0% (1,737) of students, respectively, obtained their degrees. In 2011, only 0.5% of the population above 18 years of age living in the MCMA (0.3% in the Federal District and 0.2% in the State of Mexico) had a higher education degree in science or technology. Furthermore, only 0.1% of this same population had a postgraduate degree in science or technology.

Research Method and Study Objective

The present study sought to present a general landscape of the current challenges associated with the academic training of human capital at the high school level in scientific and technological areas in the MCMA. At the same time, the study analyzes the perceptions of high school students from the MCMA and the obstacles associated with studying science or technology at the university level. The data obtained by fieldwork and analyzed in this study are useful for outlining strategies aimed at directing public policy efforts to facilitate the production of human resources in scientific and technological areas and to redirect federal government investment more specifically.

The method used in the present study to accomplish these objectives involved the following phases:

a. Preparation. This study favored information that could help us understand the context and situation of high school education in the MCMA. A 24-item structured questionnaire was designed to identify the dependent and independent variables of a probabilistic model. The first section requests the interviewee’s general information (age, sex, place of birth, and education level). The second section includes questions related to lessons, attendance, reasons for selecting a subject or course, teacher performance, possibility of choosing a scientific or technological career in the future, and so on. The questionnaire was administered by 20 previously trained interviewers.

The information collected in the questionnaire was used to populate a database measuring the knowledge, notions, and attitudes of MCMA students in regard to science and technology as professional careers. Surveys were conducted in the context of personal interviews carried out by the interviewers based on the previously prepared questionnaire with randomly chosen students in the study population who were enrolled in an educational institution in the MCMA. The obtained information was immediately reviewed to follow up on the tasks carried out by the interviewers during their work and to provide corrective feedback if needed.

b. Fieldwork. Fieldwork consisted of administering questionnaires to preselected students enrolled in both morning and evening programs during a 3-month period. Students who were given the questionnaire were enrolled in on-campus high school programs of the following types: (a) federal management (administrative control, including schools financed by the federal government, technically and administratively operated by the SEP and other state secretariats or federal bodies), (b) state management (schools financed, managed, and technically supervised by the SEP of each state), (c) autonomous management (institutional control is based on the institution’s capacity to manage itself, although the school is financed by the federal and state governments), and (d) private management (all financing and administrative control depend on the institution itself; SEP, 2017).

Figures presented by the SEP (2011) indicate that 949,680 students⁴ were in high school during the 2011-2012 school year at institutions in the Federal District (45.9%) and the State of Mexico (54.1%). These students were classified into two groups: (a) students who were enrolled in technical professional programs (10.6%) and (b) students who were enrolled in regular high school programs (89.4%). According to management type, the distribution of students in on-school programs in the study area was as follows: federal management, 59.5%; state management (does not apply because Mexico City, formerly the Federal District, is not considered a state); autonomous management, 22.2%; and private management, 18.3%. In the State of Mexico, the distribution was federal management, 13.3%; state management, 64.2%; autonomous management, 5.9%; and private management, 16.6%. Distribution by sex was as follows: men, 49.3% (50.8% in Mexico City and 48.0% in the State of Mexico), and women, 50.7% (49.2% in Mexico City and 52.0% in the State of Mexico). Given that the number of students is not the same for each management type, neither was the probability of selecting a student. Therefore, stratified random sampling was chosen with proportional allocation (Cochran, 1977). Thus, a statistically significant sample was calculated (Raj, 1968; Scheaffer, Mendenhall, & Ott, 1987) with a 5% standard error, a 95% confidence level, and 50% homogeneity. The statistically significant sample⁵ calculation resulted in 769 interviewed subjects, of which 384 were from Mexico City and 385 were from the State of Mexico.

Given that the present study did not focus on gender equity, and a cohort method was not used,⁶ sampling design considered only the locations and numbers of institutions. Those data were employed to weigh the interviews. Interview distribution by management type was as follows: federal management, 280 interviews (229 in Mexico City and 51 in the State of Mexico); state management, 247 interviews (zero in Mexico City and 247 in the State of Mexico); autonomous management, 108 interviews (85 in Mexico City and 23 in the State of Mexico); and private management, 143 interviews (70 in Mexico City and 64 in the State of Mexico). Distribution by type of studies (technical professional or regular high school) was as follows: technical professional, 82 interviews (42 in Mexico City and 40 in the State of Mexico), and regular high school, 687 interviews (342 in Mexico City and 345 in the State of Mexico).

Once the statistically significant sample size for stratified random sampling with proportional allocation was determined, a pilot interview was conducted to validate the exercise using Cronbach’s (1951) alpha⁷ and to confirm that the instrument was adequate for data surveying purposes. This initial analysis guaranteed robust and reliable results, which were used as the basis for a statistical exploration, and, afterward, to express and interpret the obtained data.⁸ To that end, data were normalized to detect the most influential variables for a high school student from the MCMA to opt for college-level education in science or technology. These variables were identified by using a logit⁹ probabilistic model (Greene, 2012; Johnston & Dinardo, 2001; Kmenta, 1986; Maddala, 1992; Pindyck & Rubinfeld, 1983). This type of model allows for the probabilistic estimation of a given individual belonging to any of the different groups under study (although not simultaneously), while as a regression analysis, it allows the identification of the sensitivity of the variables explaining differences among groups. The logit model uses a logistic function (Greene, 2012); once the dependent variable is defined as the occurrence or nonoccurrence of an event, the model provides probabilistic information. The model uses the logistic function to estimate the probability that an event will take place, that is, that an individual will choose option 1 of the dependent variable, provided certain values for explanatory variables have been determined.

Given that the logit model is not linear with respect to independent variables, the inverse logistic function is considered instead, which is the odds logit or logarithm. Its interpretation favors Option 1 over Option 0, or the number of times a phenomenon is more likely to occur than not occur. This result is also defined as the quotient between the probability of an event’s occurrence and nonoccurrence. In the present study, the response variable takes the value of 1 when the event occurs (when an interviewed student responds that they will opt for a scientific or technological bachelor’s) and 0 otherwise.

Results and Discussion

Validation of Questionnaire and Sample Analysis

A statistically significant sample of 769 students was calculated for the 949,680 students in the study population. This sample of students was administered a previously designed ad hoc questionnaire. Questionnaire validity was given high importance; therefore, we approached the question whether the data collection instrument (questionnaire) was useful for its intended purposes. To that end, we conducted a pilot survey with 257 students likely to be interviewed, although the total number of students in this pilot survey was 312.¹⁰ Table 1 presents an information processing summary of pilot survey data.

Table 1.

Case Data Processing Summary.

	n	%
Cases
Valid	222	71.2
Deleted^a	90	28.8
Total	312	100.0

Source. Prepared by the author using results obtained by SPSS.

List-wise deletion based on all the variables in the procedure.

The results in Table 1 show that 71.2% of the analyzed data were valid, which can be deemed acceptable. Thus, a Cronbach’s alpha of .831 (83.1%) was obtained based on pilot survey data. Therefore, Cronbach’s alpha allowed us to confirm that the instrument used for data collection (questionnaire) was adequate for its intended purposes. The questionnaire can be used to investigate the perceptions of high school students in the MCMA who are considering a bachelor’s degree related to science or technology. At the same time, the analysis validates results obtained by using the probabilistic model: on one hand, factors directly affecting students’ decisions to choose a bachelor program related to science and technology are verified, and, on the other hand, the probability of a student with the previously mentioned characteristics choosing a career in these areas is established. Once questionnaire validity was confirmed, the information collected during the surveys with high school students was analyzed.

Respondent sex was distributed as follows: 51% female, 44% male, and a remaining 5% who did not respond to this item. The average age of the respondents at the beginning of the school year was 16.5 years. Respondents attended their classes during the morning in 57.5% of the cases (58.4% of the women and 60.7% of the men went to school in the morning). The percentage of students attending classes both in the morning and in the afternoon was, in the case of both sexes, less than 4%. Concerning birthplace, 56% of students enrolled in institutions located in the Federal District (50% of men and 62% of women) had also been born in the Federal District, whereas 56% of students enrolled in institutions in the State of Mexico (52% of men and 56% of women) had also been born in the State of Mexico.

These findings suggest that Mexico City educates a significant number of students born in other states, mostly in the State of Mexico, which has a relative share of 70.5%. The same phenomenon was observed in the State of Mexico, where a large number of students were born in other federal entities, but especially in the Federal District (68.2%). This interaction is not surprising because commuting from Mexico City to the State of Mexico (and vice versa) takes a short time, which allows for a student born in Mexico City to easily pursue their studies in the State of Mexico.

Vocation and Academic Performance

Regarding their currently selected courses, women’s responses seemed more assertive than men’s in terms of choosing a career and being accepted for studies they chose (Figure 1). However, nearly 50% of men were not studying something related to what they wanted to study in college, or their choice was motivated by inertia rather than a motivation to pursue such studies. This result suggests strongly that the lack of motivation resulting from choosing a career path not freely chosen makes a student more likely to abandon their studies. This result is important because specific actions or strategies to motivate them to continue with the studies they have already selected, whether they like them or not, can be implemented when students become aware of their own response.

Figure 1.

Current course selection.

The previous behavior was related to the fact that a large percentage (60.7%) of interviewed men were repeating their current courses. Perhaps this result is due, among other things, to the fact that students take some time to adapt to their new curricula. In this context, the percentage of interviewed women was 56.5%, so the problem was not as severe but still worrisome. These results suggest that men have a harder time adapting to a new learning system than women. Despite this observation, at the time of the interview, 58% of the students believed that their performance had been good (63% of women and 52% of men), although their performance may appear to be questionable according to the results shown in that part of the study. In addition, the results in Figure 2 show that several students lack a vocation in line with their current academic courses and that their selection was motivated by recommendations from other people or a family member. These results reflect the failure of authorities to develop strategies to support students with their academic career selections.

Figure 2.

Interest to carry out their current academic preparation.

Figure 3 shows reasons for good performance as reported by students. This part of the study highlights two points: both men and women consider the current assessment system as inadequate for appraising their academic performance, and interviewed students showed considerable disregard for this item. Interviewed students considered that their good academic performance was not the result of equally capable academic counseling or having received academic advice. Neither was the good performance of these students due to strategies they previously established, such as good planning when they chose their subjects and schedules, studying during courses, or studying enough because the courses motivated them. Rather, most of these students considered that their academic success was possible because they were not employed, so they had enough time to study and conduct academic activities. Although a large percentage of the interviewed students were responsible only for studying, some (26%) combined school with a job (24.5% of women and 28.7% of men). However, students who combined their studies with any useful paid activity considered they were not acquiring enough knowledge from their current courses because of work. This result can be explained, to some extent, because a large number of these students felt their work was in no way related to their current studies.

Figure 3.

Causes of academic performance according to the interviewed students.

Academic Perception and Scientific/Technological Vocation

No consensus could be reached regarding the evaluation of variables concerning students’ perceptions of the subjects they have completed. However, students from the Federal District have a greater appreciation of the teaching approaches in courses they have taken. The differences (a positive difference means the students interviewed in Mexico City scored the corresponding response item higher; a negative difference means the students interviewed in the State of Mexico scored the item higher. Of course, a value of zero means that both subsets of students gave the same score to the corresponding item) in how they are taught become coincidences when assessing the teaching staff at the time of the interview because a large proportion (74.3%) of all students interviewed valued the quality of teachers in terms of their knowledge and mastery of their subjects (Table 2).

Table 2.

Perceptions of Students in Relation to the Subjects Studied.

Question	Qualify
Question	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
The teaching methodology is appropriate	−16	−1	8	−2	4	7	0	5	18	2
The theoretical content is suitable	−7	−3	−7	4	2	−1	8	4	12	10
The practical content (exercises, examples) is suitable	−4	6	−6	−6	5	11	12	−1	−1	10
They have allowed you to learn concepts, methodologies, and tools that will be useful when you integrate into the labor market	0	5	−2	−3	−4	−5	−9	8	27	4
In general, they have covered the expectations of them you had a priori	−2	−5	−4	1	4	5	21	2	6	−5
You tried to expand the contents in the teaching plan	8	4	−8	−8	9	−1	−1	2	13	6
In general, you have shown a positive attitude toward the teaching plan, classes, and teachers	1	0	−3	0	4	1	−5	8	16	2
In general, your understanding of the classes is correct	−2	5	−1	1	−1	−2	2	14	7	0
In general, the overall assessment of the subjects is positive	−7	−1	2	−5	5	4	6	2	15	5

Source. Prepared by the authors.

Table 3 presents results concerning the main target of this study, students who intended to enroll in a bachelor’s program related to science or technology in the near future. In general, we note that only four of 10 students had thought about studying science or technology in college; six of 10 students had not even considered that possibility.

Table 3.

Preference for a Bachelor’s Degree Related to Science and Technology.

Sex	Yes (%)	No (%)	Unspecified (%)	Total (%)
Women	42.5	51.9	5.6	100.0
Men	43.3	50.2	6.5	100.0
Unspecified	42.3	50.4	7.3	100.0
Total	42.3	50.4	7.3	100.0

Source. Prepared by the authors.

Scientific and technological areas are not a career option for more than 50% of the respondents. In addition, women were found to be slightly less inclined toward a scientific or technological career. For the reasons they would not enter a bachelor’s program in science or technology, their main arguments were that curricula were very difficult, followed by their desire to pursue a career unrelated to science or technology. Other perceptions, shared by a considerable number of respondents, were that school was not interesting and that work opportunities in scientific and technological fields were scarce in Mexico. Interviewed students believed that no opportunities existed for development in the Mexican scientific and technological areas.

Principal Reasons for Dropping Out of School

Concerning respondents’ plans to continue studying after completing their current courses, 40.1% were inclined to continue studying, preferably in a public university; 19.2% of respondents planned to continue their studies and work at the same time; 12% planned to continue their studies at a private university; 8.7% had no plans yet; 7.4% planned to leave school to find a job; and the remaining 12.5% failed to respond. These results indicate that only four of 10 students plan to continue their studies in any public university without seeking employment. Interviewees showed an aversion to answering the item about the main reasons why they would drop out of their current studies (Figure 4). However, the main reasons for women to drop out of school were economic (education is too expensive and I cannot afford it), whereas men reported reasons unrelated to school, for example, change of city residence or family reasons. Other factors leading to dropout included failing to reconcile their education with their jobs and thinking that their courses were inconsistent with their vocation. Interestingly, the most salient reasons for school dropout were factors not directly related to education per se or difficult curricula.

Figure 4.

Main causes for abandoning the students’ current studies.

The previous paragraphs characterize our interviewed student sample. We now attempt to answer the following question: What interests motivate students to pursue a degree in science or technology? A conclusive answer to this question is difficult to obtain based on the data from the interviews. However, when comparing the average vector of all items for students who would opt for a degree in the areas of science and technology with the corresponding average vector for those students who would not opt for such a degree, several items defined the profile of students interested in careers in science and technology (Table 4).

Table 4.

Outstanding Items for Interviewed Students Who Would Choose a Bachelor’s Degree Related to Science or Technology.

Question	Item	Concept	Score (average)
If you think your academic performance has been “very insufficient” or “insufficient,” rate the following items on a scale of 1 (completely in disagreement) to 10 (completely of agreement).	9A	Having not studied enough because you work or do not have enough time.	6
	9B	Having not studied enough because they have not motivated you with the proper materials.	7
	9C	Not having studied throughout the course, only in preparation for the examination.	8
	9D	Failure to follow good planning when choosing subjects and the academic and diploma scheduling.	6
	9E	Have not been advised or have not been adequately advised.	7
Considering the performance of teachers you have had so far, please rate the following items on a scale of 1 (completely in disagreement) to 10 (completely in agreement).	18A	In general, teachers have shown a high degree of knowledge in their taught subjects.	8
In relation to education, rate the following items on a scale of 1 (completely in disagreement) to 10 (completely in agreement).	19J	In general, do you think that when you complete your studies, you will have acquired sufficient knowledge, skills, and competencies to qualify you for a good job?	8
	19L	In general, are you satisfied with the teaching?	8
In relation to you, rate the following items on a scale of 1 (completely in disagreement) to 10 (completely in agreement).	20A	You feel exhausted at the end of the day.	6
In relation to the expectations you had before you begin your studies, rate the following items on a scale of 1 (completely in disagreement) to 10 (completely in agreement).	21B	In general, the educational system (curriculum, learning process, methods of evaluation, etc.) has been adapted.	8
	23	Because you think that it is too difficult to study and you cannot manage.	4

Source. Prepared by the authors.

The items in Table 4 show that, in general, some students were optimistic about and satisfied with the education they were receiving at the time of the interview. However, some students had a fragile commitment to their studies. Moreover, students who would potentially opt for a bachelor of science degree were exhausted at the end of their classes. These results are directly related to their education and not to the indirect factors related to their education. These variables point at a clearly weak outlook for science and technology, at least in the MCMA. This conclusion is reached because interviewed students reported the main cause for dropping out of current studies was that curricula were too difficult; consequently, they considered themselves incapable of achieving good academic performance. Such a situation has a negative effect on students, who are prone to expect an adverse scenario if they pursue their vocation, which can certainly motivate the decision to quit school.

Survey Analysis by the Probabilistic Model (Logit)

An analysis using the dichotomous logit probabilistic model was performed to detect the items that best defined those students interested in a scientific or technological degree. The response variable in this probability model took the value of 1 for students interested in a scientific or technological degree and 0 for other cases. The explanatory variables were the 26 items of the interview, each with its respective subsections. The logistic model analysis was performed using SPSS and the method called input. This analysis allowed us to learn, first, the probability for a student in the MCMA to choose a scientific or technological degree, and, second, items increasing the likelihood of showing interest in a college-level degree related to science or technology.

Statistically significant items were determined by the following numeric procedure. Once the model estimation was performed, the significance of independent variables was calculated using the Wald statistic, which is the square of statistical t; therefore, it has the asymptotic distribution of a chi-square function with one degree of freedom. Using this statistical analysis, the null hypothesis H₀: β_k = 0 can be confirmed, and the explanatory variable will be statistically significant if the significance level is lower than .05—two tails. The null hypothesis β_k = 0 is rejected with 90% confidence. The dichotomous logistic model hinted at only three questions from the questionnaire (Table 5). The first, Question 22b, asked why would you not pursue a degree related to science and technology. The second, Question 22c, asked what will you do when you finish your current studies. The third, Question 20, highlighted the following items: (E) you feel tired due to the courses you are taking and (F) overall, you feel involved into the cultural and social life of your institution. Four of five items from Question 22b were significant because the data collection instrument was designed to know why high school students in the MCMA are not inclined toward a scientific or technological bachelor’s degree.

Table 5.

Significant Variables for the Dichotomous Logistic Model.

Variables in the equation	B	E.T.	Wald statistics	Degrees of freedom	Significance	Exp(B)
22b_A(1)	2.122	0.978	4.709	1	0.030	8.351
22b_A(2)	2.305	1.038	4.925	1	0.026	10.020
22b_A(3)	3.623	1.266	8.186	1	0.004	37.448
22b_A(4)	2.296	1.033	4.941	1	0.026	9.938
22c_A(1)	3.259	1.626	4.016	1	0.045	26.021
20F	−0.377	0.156	5.855	1	0.016	0.686
20E	0.314	0.143	4.858	1	0.028	1.369

Source. Prepared by the authors.

E.T. refers to the standard error calculated by the model for each explanatory variable.

The results obtained using the dichotomous logistic model allowed us to build a profile of the students who would likely opt for a scientific or technological degree. Thus, the results from Item 20F show that these students do not feel like they are part of the cultural and social life of their institutions. This result is noted because the corresponding value of β is negative, and its odds ratio was less than 1. In addition, this group of students feels worn out by the education they are receiving (Item 20E). This group of students is marginally motivated by the quality of the education they have received up to the time of the interview. These potential scientists or technologists wished to continue studying, preferably at a public university. This result was expected because public institutions in Mexico have been traditionally characterized as the main trainers of intellectual human resources with a true vocation to create, develop, and implement science and technology in the country and, in some cases, internationally.

Item 22b revealed the reasons why interviewed students were not willing to pursue a scientific bachelor’s degree: (a) the Mexican scientific and technological sectors are seen as lacking prestige (Item A3); (b) work opportunities in science and technology in Mexico are limited (Item A2); (c) they have decided on a different career path, unrelated to science and technology (Item A4); and (d) curricula are difficult (Item A1). These results are compelling because the image of Mexican scientists, their environment, and their social status are not highly valued by young students, which will probably lead students to decide on a university degree not related to science or technology.

Conclusion

Education in Mexico faces significant challenges associated with the training of human resources in science and technology. This study shows, on one hand, the prevailing lack of interest among the studied population in college-level education on science or technology and, on the other hand, the adverse environment perceived by students already engaged in activities related to such fields. Among the most disconcerting related issues is a clear lack of motivation among students to pursue professional education in science and technology. In addition, the study provides elements that help to characterize the context of this problem and creates the need for actions to mitigate this adverse environment. An official strategy is missing to inform or advise students about their professional education selections, especially in the areas of science and technology, which undoubtedly skews the perception of new generations of students. The limited perception of science and technology shared by many of these young students results in a negative image of Mexican scientists, their environment, and their social status, which leads these students to study other topics outside the fields of science and technology. In addition, given that scientific and technical curricula are perceived as challenging, students usually pursue different career paths due to fear of failure or simply because they have no vocation for science or technology.

All relevant actors in the region—including the government, firms, academia, and society in general—must join efforts to build strategies and provide desirable scenarios to prevent student dropout and, simultaneously, to promote the interest of high school students in science and technology, because these should be seen as attractive options for students seeking professional and economic development. This perspective should be observed both as beneficial to this sector of students and as a strategic starting point for the social and economic development of society and the country in the current knowledge economy context.

This article elaborated on existing problems associated with the academic training of scientific and technological human capital in the MCMA and described perceptions of high school students in the region on the hardships associated with scientific and technological curricula. In addition, the survey results explain the scarce numbers of formally trained scientists and engineers in a geographical area that concentrates both the largest number of public institutions and the most important allocation of economic resources in Mexico.

Education in Mexico has clear challenges associated with the academic training of human resources in areas related to science and technology. Students face obstacles to pursuing a career in science or technology from the moment they must decide on a professional college-level program, which undoubtedly defines their future working and intellectual lives. In addition, the scarce awareness of science and technology development in the local context and unfavorable perceptions associated with low social and economic prestige cause students to think their future would be uncertain if they decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in those areas.

Another relevant conclusion is that an adequate development of scientific and technological academic training in the MCMA requires social actors, including students, to compensate for the lack of information, motivation, and support associated with college-level programs in science and technology. Such an endeavor will certainly allow for a more complete intellectual and economic development in the heartland of the country, where the largest and most prestigious public universities are located.

And finally, the social actors involved in education (government, firms, the academia, and society in general) have failed to provide desirable scenarios and strategies to prevent school dropout and help high school students become interested in college-level programs in scientific or technological fields. By contrast, science and technology should be presented as attractive alternatives for professional and economic development in an emerging economy.

Footnotes

Acknowledgements

Gerardo Reyes thanks the National Polytechnic Institute (Centro de Investigaciones Económicas, Administrativas y Sociales [CIECAS]) through its program of national postdoctoral stays CONACYT (National Council for Science and Technology).

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The authors would like to acknowledge support from the National Polytechnic Institute (Instituto Politécnico Nacional) Secretariat for Research and Postgraduate Studies (Secretaría de Investigación y Posgrado), grant number 20180919.

Notes

Author Biographies

Gerardo Reyes-Ruiz is currently doing a postdoctoral stay at the National Polytechnic Institute (Centro de Investigaciones Económicas, Administrativas y Sociales [CIECAS]). He was also benefited with the Retention and Repatriation Program of the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT). He has a PhD in business studies from the University of Barcelona. His research areas are academic evaluation and the national system of science and technology. His last three publications are “Las evaluaciones internas del SNI: coherencias o coincidencias” in Revista Secuencia (2012, with J. Suriñach), “Las publicaciones de los investigadores mexicanos en el ISI: realidad o mito del SNI” in Sinéctica (2012, with J. Suriñach), and “Los nuevos ingresos como candidato a investigador en el SNI, 1996-2003” in Perfiles Educativos (2010, with J. Suriñach).

Alejandro Barragán-Ocaña works at the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), Centro de Investigaciones Económicas, Administrativas y Sociales (CIECAS), as a full-time professor, where he carries out activities of research, teaching, and academic management. His research interests are focused on the areas of economy, environment, knowledge society, quality, science and technology, innovation and technology management, intellectual property, technology transfer, management, soft systems, and planning. Among his latest publications stand out “Critical Factors Toward Successful R&D Projects in Public Research Centers: A Primer” in Journal of Applied Research and Technology (2013, with Judith Zubieta García), “Democratizing Knowledge: An Approach Through Public Universities” in The International Journal of Humanities Education (2013, with Arturo Ballesteros Leiner, Leticia Romero Rodríguez, and Miguel Ángel Morales Arroyo), and “Communities of Practice: A Focus From Complex Systems” in International Journal of General Systems (2012, with Álvaro Quijano, Guadalupe Vega, and Benito Sánchez).

Samuel Olmos-Peña has a PhD in systems engineering and master of science in systems engineering (IPN); both gradings won Honorable Mention. He also was recognized for Best Academic Performance generation in master’s and doctoral studies. His expertise is in the area of risk analysis/accidents, system failures, public safety, and natural disasters. He is currently attached to the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico as a full-time professor. Member of the research group Security, Risk Analysis, Accidents, and Reliability Systems (). Together, a member of the National Research System (SNI) and has the desired profile as a teacher (Public Education Secretariat [SEP]).

María Eugenia González-Ávila, MS and PhD, is a researcher titular “B” at El Colegio de la Frontera Norte in Monterrey, Nuevo León. She is an expert of environmental impact assessment in specific of water and electric waste in Mexico (2012-2014). Last year, she has worked on water quality management and operators body of water in the Mexico–United States border (2012-2013).

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