ROSE (The Relevance of Science Education) Final Report part 2. Western youth and science. (original) (raw)
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review of science, mathematics and ICT education , 2019
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Children's perceptions of school science
The School science review
A study of 8–11 year-old children indicates a progressive decline in their enjoyment of school science ABSTRACT A survey of over a thousand 8–11 year-old children in primary schools indicated that children in the more senior classes showed a marked decline in their enjoyment of school science. Older children found certain science topics – such as parts of the flower and evaporation – difficult, chiefly because of the complex terminology involved. There were clear differences between boys and girls: girls generally held more positive attitudes towards school science. The authors consider these results in relation to the content and teaching of primary science. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the well-documented erosion in children's interest in school science at secondary level has already started in the final years of primary school. We analysed approximately one thousand questionnaires in which children recorded the science topics they liked, their attitude...
Journal of Baltic Science Education, 2016
Innovative societies need people who are equipped with scientific and technological competences e.g. are scientifically literate. Being scientifically literate encompasses a large set of competences, many beyond those which are directly linked with exhibiting acquired scientific knowledge. While PISA studies mainly give a comparison of students’ science knowledge, thinking and process skills, the assessment is not so much about the skills needed in the workplace or functioning in society as a responsible citizen. This suggests there is a need for further comparative studies to cover this deficit. Such kind of research is essential directed to those countries which have shown high results in PISA studies (e.g. Estonia) in order to interpret PISA results more widely in new contexts. This is especially highlighted by recent findings from research carried out among a representative sample of Estonian gymnasium students. The outcomes showed that students’ problem solving, decision-making...
Science Education in Europe–Images, Approaches, Innovations
Proceedings of the 2nd International Multi-Conference …, 2009
Images of science, engineering and technology (SET) are often connected to outdated clichés about nerdy scientists and boring engineers representing various gender stereotypes. According to current studies many of these stereotypical schemes are still active and have great impact on study decision making processes and students' job expectations in the field of SET. This paper will discuss first results of the European project MOTIVATION, which is looking for factors influencing young people's perception of SET and SET education. Results from pupils' interviews and content analysis of youth magazines will be presented, in order to answer three main questions: First, how do upper secondary school pupils perceive the image of SET? Second, what influences this pupils' image of SET? And third, how could secondary school pupils get more attracted to SET study and job fields?
Public Understanding of Science and the out-of-school Scientific Experiences of Grade 11 Learners
2004
This study is an exploration of the outside the classroom scientific experiences of Grade 11 learners, as indicators of their interests, public understanding and engagement with Science and Technology. The out of school scientific experiences, interests and feelings of being informed about scientific issues, debates and developments of male and female grade 11 learners are described and then compared to ascertain significant differences. This investigation departs from the hypothesis that science teaching and learning focuses more on concepts, laws, principles and formulae with very little reference to science-related public issues and everyday life experiences of the learners. Gender differences and motivational traits related to the students' preferences for particular types of learning activities and needs are not considered in science curriculum planning and design and also in classroom teaching. This leads to boredom and diminishing interest in science among learners. The study analyses data from a survey of a sample of five schools with two hundred and twenty five Grade 11 learners. Tables of descriptive findings, analysis of variance and post-hoc comparison of means to analyse and interpret data from the learners are used. The researcher finds that generally learners have never had the scientific experiences described or seldom engage themselves with scientific activities, issues and debates beyond classroom science. Learners expressed interest in scientific issues and developments but indicated that they were not informed about such issues and developments. The results of significant differences showed that the outside the school scientific experiences, levels of interest and being informed of male and female Grade 11 learners differed. The study has implications not only for science curriculum planners and designers but also for science teachers and further research in the field of public understanding of science. I would like to take this opportunity to thank people who helped me to complete this thesis: o My Supervisor and Programme Director, Prof. Johann Mouton, for introducing me to the field of Philosophy and Sociology of Science; Research and Development and also Programme Evaluation, o Marthie Van Niekerk, Programme Coordinator and Executive Secretary, for her understanding, warmth, support, energy, enthusiasm for all the programme activities and its people and for attending to all my calls, E-maiIs and requests. o The educators and learners, for their cooperation , o My parents, friends and colleagues for their warm support and encouragement. iii Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
Beggs Children ’ s perceptions of school science Children ’ s perceptions of school science
2005
A survey of over a thousand 8–11 year-old children in primary schools indicated that children in the more senior classes showed a marked decline in their enjoyment of school science. Older children found certain science topics – such as parts of the flower and evaporation – difficult, chiefly because of the complex terminology involved. There were clear differences between boys and girls: girls generally held more positive attitudes towards school science. The authors consider these results in relation to the content and teaching of primary science. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the well-documented erosion in children’s interest in school science at secondary level has already started in the final years of primary school. We analysed approximately one thousand questionnaires in which children recorded the science topics they liked, their attitudes to science and their favourite subject. In addition, we gathered evidence from oral discussions about science betw...
Student experience of school science and its relationship to post-16 science take-up
2013
This study investigated the experience of school science and its relationship to take-up of science amongst post-16 students in England. The empirical work was based on a two-phased mixed methods approach. The first phase consisted of survey questionnaires involving the ‘storyline’ method in which students in Year 12 (ages 16-17) indicated the high and low points of their experience of school science covering Years 6 - 11. They were also asked to complete survey items to explain the factors that influenced their decisions to take science or not post-16. The second phase consisted of interviews of a sample of surveyed students in which they detailed aspects of their school science experiences and decisions to take science or not after GCSE. The results showed that the average pattern of graph trajectory became increasingly positive for scientists while the pattern for non-scientists remained the same as slightly positive throughout their years in secondary school. Students in this st...