Survey on Changes in Awareness and Understanding of Science, Engineering and Technology: Report on Findings

This report details the findings of the 2007 Survey on Changes in Awareness and Understanding of Science, Engineering and Technology (SET).  This was a survey of parents, community members and secondary school students on their attitudes to, and participation in activities related to, science, engineering and technology. 

The report was preceded by a Literature Review on Changes in Awareness of SET, and builds on three previous surveys conducted in 1991, 1994 and 1997.

The report found that during the decade since the last similar survey, people have generally become more positive about the importance of SET and the rewards of a SET career, including for women.  However, young people are in some ways less positive towards and aware of SET than older people, and secondary students’ awareness of some science activities, such as Science Week and science-related websites, is low.

It was also found that both remote residence and lower socio-economic status have a significant negative impact on people’s participation in SET-awareness raising activities and the outcomes they get from them.  Most SET-related activities studied were highly effective in promoting understanding of and interest in SET, but not so effective in influencing children towards considering a career in SET.

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