Attitudes Towards Science: A Study of Gender Differences and Grade Level
It should be noted that learning outcomes are not students’ only achievement; attitude is also the main output in learning. This research explor.
- Pub. date: April 15, 2022
- Pages: 599-608
- 1717 Downloads
- 1393 Views
- 2 Citations
It should be noted that learning outcomes are not students’ only achievement; attitude is also the main output in learning. This research explores students’ attitudes toward science learning based on gender and the grade level of schools in Aceh, Indonesia. The participants are 1,023 students from the sixth grade of primary schools and the eighth grade of secondary schools. The total sample includes 16 schools spread across the province. The data have been collected using TOSRA. By using the Likert scale, this questionnaire is useful for obtaining descriptions of the students’ attitudes and assigning scores for a certain group of participants. Based on gender, the results show females reflect more positive attitudes toward science than male students do. According to the grade level of the schools, the data reflect the equality of students’ attitudes toward science between primary and secondary schools. Nevertheless, when primary school students enter secondary school, the majority of students enjoy learning science less. This fact is meaningful feedback for science teachers. This result supports the scholars seeking ways to avoid the gender gap in learning activities. Pedagogical implications are also discussed.
Keywords: Attitudes toward science, gender, grade levels, primary and secondary school students.
References
Aini, R. Q., Rachmatullah, A., & Ha, M. (2019). Indonesian primary school and middle school students’ attitudes toward science: Focus on gender and academic level. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 18(5), 654-667. https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/19.18.654
Al-Araimi, S., Ambusaidi, A., Selim, M., & Al Amri, M. (2018). The impact of caricature drawings in the acquisition of scientific concepts and attitudes of 4th-grade students for basic education towards science. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 17(3), 414-427. https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/18.17.414
Anderson, D., Lucas, K., & Ginns, I. S. (2003). Theoretical perspectives on learning in an informal setting in an informal setting. Journal of Research on Science Teaching, 40(2), 177-199. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.10071
Chaerul, A. (2002). A study of student attitudes toward physics and classroom environment based on gender and grade level among senior secondary education students in Indonesia (Publication No. 3058579) [Doctoral dissertation, New Mexico State University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.
Chumbley, S. B., Haynes, C., & Stofer, K. A. (2015). A measure of students’ motivation to learn science through agricultural STEM emphasis. Journal of Agricultural Education, 56(4), 107-122. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2015.04107
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Routledge Academic.
Craker, D. E. (2006). Attitude toward science of students enrolled in introductory-level science courses at UW-La Crosse. UW-L Journal of Undergraduate Research, 9, 1-6. https://www.uwlax.edu/urc/jur-online/2006/
Daher, W., Alfahel, E., & Anabousy, A. (2021). Moderating the relationship between student’s gender and science motivation. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 17(5), em1956. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/10829
DeWitt, J., & Archer, L. (2015). Who aspires to a science career? A comparison of survey responses from primary and secondary school students. International Journal of Science Education, 37(13), 2170–2192. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2015.1071899
Eccles, L. (2007). Gender differences in teacher-student interactions, attitudes and achievement in middle school science [Doctoral dissertation, Curtin University of Technology]. Escape- Curtin’s Institutional Repository. https://espace.curtin.edu.au/handle/20.500.11937/1525
Fraser, B. J. (1981). TOSRA: Test of science-related attitudes handbook. Australian Council for Educational Research.
Glynn, S. M., Brickman, P., Armstrong, N., & Taasoobshirazi, G. (2011). Science motivation questionnaire II: Validation with science majors and nonscience majors. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 48(10), 1159-1176. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20442
Greenfield, T. A. (1997). Gender-and grade-level differences in science interest and participation. Science Education, 81(3), 259-276. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-237X(199706)81:3<259::AID-SCE1>3.0.CO;2-C
Hong, Z. R., & Lin, H. S. (2011). An investigation of students’ personality traits and attitudes toward science. International Journal of Science Education, 33(7), 1001–1028. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2010.524949
Jerrim, J., & Schoon, I. (2014). Do teenagers want to become scientists? A comparison of gender differences in attitudes toward science, career expectations, and academic skill across 29 countries. In I. Schoon & J. Eccles (Eds.), Gender differences in aspirations and attainment (pp. 203–223). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139128933.014
Jones, M. G., Howe, A., & Rua, M. (2000). Gender differences in students’ experiences, interests, and attitudes towards science and scientists. Science Education, 84(2), 180-192. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-237X(200003)84:2<180::AID-SCE3>3.0.CO;2-X
Khitab, U., Zaman, A., Ghaffar, A., & Jan, Q. (2015). Impact of low cost teaching materials on students’ attitude towards science at secondary level in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. International Journal of Innovation in Teaching and Learning, 1(2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.35993/ijitl.v1i2.403
Navarro, M., Förster, C., González, C., & González-Pose, P. (2016). Attitudes toward science: Measurement and psychometric properties of the test of science-related attitudes for its use in Spanish-speaking classrooms. International Journal of Science Education, 38(9), 1459–1482. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2016.1195521
Osborne, J., & Collins, S. (2001). Pupils’ views of the role and value of the science curriculum: A focus-group study. International Journal of Science Education, 23(5), 441-467. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500690010006518
Osborne, J., Simon, S., & Collins, S. (2003). Attitudes towards science: A review of the literature and its implications. International Journal of Science Education, 25(9), 1049-1079. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0950069032000032199
Pell, A., & Jarvis, T. (2001). Developing attitude to science scales for use with children of ages five to eleven years. International Journal of Science Education, 23(8), 847-862. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500690010016111
Potvin, P., & Hasni, A. (2014). Analysis of the decline in interest towards school science and technology from grades 5 through 11. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 23, 784–802. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-014-9512-x
Rabgay, T. (2018). The effect of using the cooperative learning method on tenth grade students’ learning achievement and attitude towards biology. International Journal of Instruction, 11(2), 265-280. https://doi.org/10.12973/iji.2018.11218a
Safkolam, R., Khumwong, P., Pruekpramool, C., & Hajisamoh, A. (2021). Effects of Islamic scientist history on seventh graders’ understandings of nature of science in a Thai Islamic private school. Indonesian Journal of Science Education/ Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia, 10(2), 282-291. https://doi.org/10.15294/jpii.v10i2.26668
Said, Z., Summers, R., Abd-El-Khalick, F., & Wang, S. (2016). Attitudes toward science among Grades 3 through 12 Arab students in Qatar: Findings from a cross-sectional national study. International Journal of Science Education, 38(4), 621–643. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2016.1156184
Shah, Z. A., Mahmood, N., & Harrison, C. (2013). Attitude towards science learning: An exploration of Pakistani students. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 10(2), 35-47. https://bit.ly/3ft41dy
Sheldrake, R., Mujtaba, T., & Reiss, M. J. (2017). Science teaching and students’ attitudes and aspirations: The importance of conveying the applications and relevance of science. International Journal of Educational Research, 85, 167–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2017.08.002
Siegel, M. A., & Ranney, M. A. (2003). Developing the changes in attitude about the relevance of science (CARS) questionnaire and assessing two high school science classes. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(8), 757-775. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.10110
Sorge, C. (2007). What happens? Relationship of age and gender with science attitudes from primary to middle school. Science Educator, 16(2), 33-37.
Toma, R. B., Greca, I. M., & Gómez, M. L. O. (2019). Attitudes towards science and views of the nature of science among primary school students in terms of gender, cultural background, and grade level variables. Research in Science & Technological Education, 37(4), 492-515. https://doi.org/10.1080/02635143.2018.1561433
Townsend, L. A. (2012). The effects of laboratory-based activities on student attitudes towards science [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Montana State University.
Wan, Z. C. H., & Lee, J. C. K. (2017). Hong Kong secondary school students’ attitudes towards science: A study of structural models and gender differences, International Journal of Science Education, 39(5), 507-527. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2017.1292015
Weinburgh, M. H. (2000). Gender, ethnicity, and grade level as a predictor of middle school students’ attitude to science. Report Research of Educational Resources Information Center. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED442662