Stability and Lability in Science Interest from Middle Schools to the Age of Science Choices (14 + )

Bottomley, Jennifer M.; Ormerod, M. B.

doi:10.1080/0140528810030311

Cited by 16 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…With this in mind he suggested that 'curricula and teaching behaviours will have to change along new dimensions if pupils' attitudes to science are to be improved'. Other studies suggest that students' attitudes are indeed quite malleable, and that individual teachers can have a major effect on both overall science interests and on more specific topic related ones (Bottomley andOrmerod 1981, Kelly 1988). Teachers who have this effect have indeed brought Gardner's 'new dimensions' to the curriculum and to their own teaching.…”

Section: Using the Information In Science Classroomsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Teachers who have this effect have indeed brought Gardner's 'new dimensions' to the curriculum and to their own teaching. Despite a recognition that it is most probably the individual teacher, rather than the system, which is most likely to accomplish greater changes, the situation is far from simple and Bottomley and Ormerod (1981) have reported a single teacher having quite different effects teaching the same topic to two different classes. Clearly the complexity of teacher-class interactions is important here, and a much better understanding of these is needed.…”

Section: Using the Information In Science Classroomsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Upper primary boys' and girls' interests in science: have they changed since 1980?

Dawson¹

2000

International Journal of Science Education

143

109

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Over the years concerns that many students have not been opting to study science further than required, and not progressing to scientific careers, have been partly related to low levels of interest and negative attitudes developed quite early in life. Of particular concern have been the differences observed between girls and boys, especially the negative attitudes of many girls to the physical sciences, where findings from many different international studies have been reasonably consistent. This paper reports on a 1997 study which repeated a 1980 survey of the attitudes of Year 7 South Australian primary school students. Given continuing approaches to improving science education, especially for girls, the aim was to discover whether the overall levels of interest, and the sex differences, detected in 1980 had changed in 1997. The results show that, while there have been some changes, these are not always in the desired direction. Some implications of the findings are discussed.

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Section: Using the Information In Science Classroomsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Using the Information In Science Classroomsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Upper primary boys' and girls' interests in science: have they changed since 1980?

Dawson¹

2000

International Journal of Science Education

143

109

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The development, validation and use of attitude scales is now well established and described by such authors as Haden (1983), Warburton (1983), Bottomley (1981), Ormerod (1979) and Wilkinson (1982). The main criterion in work of this nature is that the statements are generated and presented in the language of the pupils being investigated.…”

Section: The Attitude Testmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender Differences in Attitudes to Science for Third Year Pupils: an argument for single‐sex teaching groups in mixed schools

Harvey

Stables

1986

Research in Science & Technological Education

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An attitude to science scale for third year pupils in mixed and single-sex schools has been developed and given to 2300 children in the South-West of England. This test has five components, namely attitudes to science, physics, chemistry, biology and school. The results are analysed and used to support an argument for single-sexing some school subjects in mixed schools, thus helping to include some of the better features of single-sex schools in a mixed-school environment.

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“…The emphasis on practical work has been found to be a strong attractant of the sciences for both sexes in year 2 (age 13+) of secondary school in England, as is liking the teacher. However, 18%-30% of the students who thought they knew what they wanted to study at the end of the first year of secondary school changed their minds by the end of the second year (Bottomley & Ormerod, 1981). Interest in the subject of physics does not appear to be of a general nature.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Causal modeling of secondary science students' intentions to enroll in physics

Crawley

Black

1992

J Res Sci Teach

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The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of the theory of planned behavior model developed by social psychologists for understanding and predicting the behavioral intentions of secondary science students regarding enrolling in physics. In particular, the study used a three‐stage causal model to investigate the links from external variables to behavioral, normative, and control beliefs; from beliefs to attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control; and from attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control to behavioral intentions. The causal modeling method was employed to verify the underlying causes of secondary science students' interest in enrolling physics as predicted in the theory of planned behavior. Data were collected from secondary science students (N = 264) residing in a central Texas city who were enrolled in earth science (8th grade), biology (9th grade), physical science (10th grade), or chemistry (11th grade) courses. Cause‐and‐effect relationships were analyzed using path analysis to test the direct effects of model variables specified in the theory of planned behavior. Results of this study indicated that students' intention to enroll in a high school physics course was determined by their attitude toward enrollment and their degree of perceived behavioral control. Attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were, in turn, formed as a result of specific beliefs that students held about enrolling in physics. Grade level and career goals were found to be instrumental in shaping students' attitude. Immediate family members were identified as major referents in the social support system for enrolling in physics. Course and extracurricular conflicts and the fear of failure were shown to be the primary beliefs obstructing students' perception of control over physics enrollment. Specific recommendations are offered to researchers and practitioners for strengthening secondary school students' intentions to study physics.

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Stability and Lability in Science Interest from Middle Schools to the Age of Science Choices (14 + )

Cited by 16 publications

References 2 publications

Upper primary boys' and girls' interests in science: have they changed since 1980?

Upper primary boys' and girls' interests in science: have they changed since 1980?

Gender Differences in Attitudes to Science for Third Year Pupils: an argument for single‐sex teaching groups in mixed schools

Causal modeling of secondary science students' intentions to enroll in physics

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