Universal Journal of Educational Research 7(10): 2037-2044, 2019 http://www.hrpub.org DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2019.071001 Predicting Student's STEM Subject Performance by Using the Malay Version of S-STEM Liew-Kee Kor * , Shahida Farhan Zakaria Faculty of Computer & Mathematical Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Kedah, Malaysia Received July 1, 2019; Revised August 28, 2019; Accepted September 15, 2019 Copyright©2019 by authors, all rights reserved. Authors agree that this article remains permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License Abstract The study employed the Malay version of Student Attitude towards STEM (S-STEM) to predict STEM subject performance. The original S-STEM was translated from English to the Malay language and tested on a sample of 144 first year undergraduates. The instrument consisted of four constructs on attitudes: mathematics, science, engineering/technology, and 21st century skills. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the four factors contributed 53.2% to the explained variance. Structural Equation Modelling was employed to test the measurement and structural model. Item loadings below 0.6 were removed from the instrument. Results show that all constructs fulfilled most of the reliability criteria. Fit indices presented CFI = 0.925 and RMSEA= 0.069 which abide the rule of thumb with GFI = 0.836, AGFI = 0.789, NFI = 0.837 readings near the level of acceptance. When the Malay version of S-STEM was administered on 111 students in the following year, result shows that mathematics attitudes was the best factor to predict STEM subject performance followed by science attitudes, and then the 21st century skill. Impact of engineering/technology was not statistically significant at p <.05. Future researchers are encouraged to employ the Malay version S-STEM on other STEM subjects to generate more conclusive results. Keywords STEM, Mathematics, Structural Equation Modelling 1. Introduction STEM is more than just an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It is an approach to learning and development that integrates the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics [1]. STEM education is essential for developing a highly skilled and adaptable workforce that is capable of meeting productivity demands and changing technologies in the globalized world [2]. Concern for improving STEM education in many nations continues to grow as demand for STEM skills to meet economic challenges is becoming more acute [3, 4]. Continual advances in technology has indeed gradually replacing manual labour with automation and creating new jobs that require technological skills each day. As technology advances, it also changes the way students learn, connect and interact every day. The Department of Education [1] in Western Australia predicted that in coming years approximately 75 percent of all new jobs will require qualifications and skills in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Per se, employer’s demand for STEM qualifications and skills will continue to increase in the future. Although STEM education has been contemplated worldwide, numerous educational studies have indicated a common global phenomenon that is students’ interest and motivation towards STEM learning has declined especially in the western countries and in more prosperous Asian nations [4]. Wang [5] pointed out that while global demand for students to enter postsecondary STEM fields is increasing, students’ interest and readiness in pursuing STEM majors are not encouraging. A good example is found in the developed country like the United States who is currently facing a shortage of STEM majors and graduates [6]. 2. Objectives of the Study The aim of the study in this paper was to generate and employ a Malay version of STEM questionnaire to predict students’ performance in the STEM subject. The objectives of the study were: 1) To translate the existing S-STEM questionnaire [7] from English to Malay language; 2) To validate the new Malay version of S-STEM; and 3) To identify the factors (i.e. mathematics, science, engineering/technology, and 21 st century skill) that CITE THIS PAPER [1] Liew-Kee Kor , Shahida Farhan Zakaria , "Predicting Student's STEM Subject Performance by Using the Malay Version of S- STEM," Universal Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 7, No. 10, pp. 2037 - 2044, 2019. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2019.071001.