Peer support, teacher support, and activity value in a STEAM contest: the role of helicopter parenting in learning

Helicopter parenting has long influenced children's learning in various areas, but its impact on STEAM activities has been less studied. This research aimed to fill this gap by investigating whether helicopter parenting can predict participants' perceived activity value in STEAM competitions. A total of 281 valid questionnaires were collected from students aged 11.19 +/- 2.79 years participating in a creativity and innovation-focused STEAM competition organized by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education. Based on socio-psychological theory, six research hypotheses were proposed to examine the direct effects of helicopter parenting in learning on teacher support and peer support, as well as the direct effects of teacher support and peer support on perceived activity value. Additionally, the hypotheses considered the indirect effects of helicopter parenting in learning on activity value, mediated by teacher support and peer support These hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. The results showed that helicopter parenting in learning positively predicted both teacher support and peer support. However, only peer support significantly predicted perceived activity value, while the effect of teacher support was not significant. It is recommended that parents focus on facilitating peer interaction opportunities in STEAM competitions to enhance the perceived activity value, as peer support showed a stronger impact compared to direct teacher support.