Abstract:

Educational systems face a paradox: the global demand for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) specialists is increasing, yet interest in these fields often declines during early adolescence. High school students frequently perceive STEM subjects as abstract, difficult, and disconnected from everyday life. This decline appears to be driven by subject-related stereotypes, negative school experiences, and the limited visibility of authentic female role models. At the same time, many countries treat STEM education as a strategic priority, emphasizing the development of digital, critical, and creative thinking as essential skills for addressing global challenges.

This study examines Science Girl (Tudóslány), a ten-episode multimodal video series aimed at upper-primary and secondary school students in Hungary. The project was designed to increase interest in STEM, particularly among girls, by presenting scientific concepts through formats that resonate with students’ everyday media environments. The series is grounded in constructivist, authentic, and culturally relevant pedagogical principles and offers an alternative to traditional frontal instruction by integrating memes, interviews, storytelling, and participatory learning activities. This approach positions students as active meaning-makers rather than passive recipients of knowledge. A central element of the project is the visibility of authentic female scientists, whose presence is intended to broaden students’ perceptions of belonging and possibility within STEM career pathways.

The research employed a mixed-methods design involving pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, open-ended student reflections, qualitative feedback from students across multiple grade levels, and platform analytics.

The project addressed three central questions:
(1) How does the series influence students’ attitudes toward STEM subjects?
(2) What role do female scientists play in identification processes?
(3) How do multimodal elements support conceptual understanding?

These questions provide a novel perspective on the relationship between science communication and school-based attitude formation.

Results indicate measurable short-term improvements in both cognitive outcomes and student attitudes. The strongest gains were associated with humor-driven and narrative elements, suggesting that culturally embedded metaphors and visual scaffolding can enhance recall, reduce subject-related anxiety, and increase engagement across achievement levels. Post-intervention responses also reflected more positive and confident perceptions of women in scientific careers, as well as a stronger sense that STEM career pathways are accessible.

The findings demonstrate that scientific interest and identity can be effectively supported through multimodal, youth-oriented content. By offering an out-of-classroom learning experience, the series can be meaningfully integrated into formal education and support various learning approaches, including PBL (project-based learning), IBL (inquiry-based learning), and DBL (design-based learning). The visibility of female role models may contribute to increasing girls’ interest in STEM careers, and this approach is particularly relevant for supporting the next generation of learners without requiring large-scale systemic educational reform.

Keywords:

STEM education, science communication, multimodal learning, digital pedagogy, gender inclusion.