scholarly journals Equity or Stereotypes in Science Education? Perspectives from Pre-University Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9354
Author(s):  
Raquel Fernández-Cézar ◽  
Dunia Garrido ◽  
Melody García-Moya ◽  
Ariadna Gómezescobar ◽  
Natalia Solano-Pinto

In this work, we explore the presence of stereotypes in pre-university students with respect to gender, science, and scientists. The possible differences between boys and girls, school stage, and rurality are analyzed. For this purpose, a sample of 404 participants between 13 and 18 years old were delivered a form with items from the Questionnaire on Opinions about Science, Technology, and Society. The responses were offered using a five-point Likert scale and agreement percentages were calculated. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the analysis, where the effect size was calculated for items associated with any of the three factors. Our findings show that the stereotyped ideas of gender in science were more intense in Compulsory Secondary Education (CSE) students in rural areas than in High School (HS) students from urban areas. In addition, perceptions of science and scientists showed greater agreement for CSE than for HS students. However, no differences were found between girls and boys. Regarding science items, there was a major agreement on the relationship between science and technology with problem solving, regardless of sex or school rurality. Finally, reflections on stereotypes and the presence of girls in STEM careers are provided.

2017 ◽  
pp. 125-130
Author(s):  
Minh Tam Nguyen ◽  
Phuc Thanh Nhan Nguyen ◽  
Thi Thuy Hang Nguyen

The increasing use of smartphone among young people is creating negative effects and is an important public health problem in many countries. Smartphone abuse and addiction may cause physical and psychological disorders among users. However, the awarenes on this issue has been inadequate due to lacking of evidence. Objectives: To describe the current situation of smartphone using among students at highschools and universities in Hue city and to examine the relationship between smartphone using and sleep disturbances and psychological disstress among participants. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a randomly selected sample of 1,150 students at highschools and universities in Hue city. SAS-SV scale was used to evaluate phone addiction status, K10 scale was used for psychological distress assessment and PSQI scale was used to examine the sleep quality. Results: The proportion of students at highschools and universities having smartphones was 78.0%. The rate of smartphone addiction among high school students was 49.1% and that among university students was 43.7%. There was 57.3% of high school students had poor sleep quality, and that of university students was 51.6%. There was a statistically significant association between smartphone addiction and sleep disturbances and psychological disstress among participants (p <0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of smartphone addiction among students at highschools and universities is alarming and is related to sleep disturbances and psychological disstress among participants. There is a strong call to develop intervention to help students to aware and manage the use of smartphone effectively.


Author(s):  
Ruchika Agarwala ◽  
Vinod Vasudevan

Research shows that traffic fatality risk is generally higher in rural areas than in urban areas. In developing countries, vehicle ownership and investments in public transportation typically increase with economic growth. These two factors together increase the vehicle population, which in turn affects traffic safety. This paper presents a study focused on the relationship of various factors—including household consumption expenditure data—with traffic fatality in rural and urban areas and thereby aims to fill some of the gaps in the literature. One such gap is the impacts of personal and non-personal modes of travel on traffic safety in rural versus urban areas in developing countries which remains unexplored. An exhaustive panel data modeling approach is adopted. One important finding of this study is that evidence exists of a contrasting relationship between household expenditure and traffic fatality in rural and urban areas. The relationship between household expenditure and traffic fatality is observed to be positive in rural areas and a negative in urban areas. Increases in most expenditure variables, such as fuel, non-personal modes of travel, and two-wheeler expenditures, are found to be associated with an increase in traffic fatality in rural areas.


Author(s):  
Letícia Lenzi

ResumoAo longo do século XX a concepção tradicional de racionalidade da ciência sofreu duras críticas, principalmente após os trabalhos de Thomas Kuhn a respeito dos critérios de evolução das teorias científicas ao longo da história. Assim, filósofos da ciência assumiram a tarefa de redefinir o que se entende por racionalidade da ciência, garantindo novos critérios para salvaguardar a consistência do juízo científico na articulação das ideias e teorias. Neste artigo, evidenciam-se essas questões para se discutir ações que possam promover uma educação científica crítica e reflexiva, contemplando a relação entre Ciência, Tecnologia e Sociedade e uma compreensão mais adequada da natureza da ciência. Palavras-chave: Racionalidade da ciência; Natureza da ciência; Educação científica. AbstractThroughout the twentieth century, the traditional conception of rationality of Science suffered harsh criticism, especially after Thomas Kuhn's work concerning the development criteria of scientific theories throughout history. Thus, philosophers of Science have assumed the task of redefining what is meant by rationality of Science, guaranteeing new criteria to safeguard the consistency of scientific judgment in the articulation of ideas and theories. In this article, these issues are highlighted to discuss actions that can promote critical and reflective scientific education, considering the relationship between Science, Technology and Society and a better understanding of the nature of Science.Keywords: Rationality of Science; Nature of Science; Science education.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 39
Author(s):  
Bahjat Hamid Altakahyneh ◽  
Mofeed Abumusa

The study aimed at investigating the attitudes of university students towards science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) approach. The participants of the study consist of (60) students who were studying in bachelor and master degree, they trained in the center of training at the university, the participants acquiring the skills of STEM approach by using the WeDo2.0 application, they received knowledge and skills of STEM approach. The tool of the study was questionnaire which was validity and reliability verified. Results of the study showed that positive student attitudes toward using STEM approach Reached 86.4%. Each of the following scores is ranked as descending order: desire to apply strategy (87.4 %%), collaboration and communication (86.4%), thinking and problem solving (86%), motivation and problem solving (86%). There was no statistical significance difference between the variable type degree of study (master/bachelor) as well as the nature of employment in terms of whether the learner was either an employee or non-employee. In light of results of the study, researchers recommend using STEM approach in teaching courses in open learning systems.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-32
Author(s):  
R Sarker ◽  
M Yeasmin ◽  
MA Rahman ◽  
MA Islam

The present study was conducted to investigate peoples’ perception level and awareness of air pollution in some selected areas of Mymensingh sadar upazila. The relationship of independent variables (age, educational qualification, family size, residence and communication exposure) with the peoples’ perception level and awareness of air pollution (dependent variable) was done to understand the objectives of the study. Six Hundreds (600) respondents were selected randomly from six study sites under Mymensingh sadar upazila for collecting data during the period of Jan 2016-April, 2017. Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficients were computed to examine the relationship between the concerned variables. The findings revealed that about half (46.67 percent) of the peoples had medium perception and awareness, 31.67 percent had low and 21.67 percent had high perception and awareness about air pollution. In rural areas, 43.33 percent respondents had low, 50.00 percent had medium and only 6.67 percent had high perception and awareness of air pollution. In urban areas, 20.00 percent respondents had low, 43.33 percent had medium and 36.67 percent had high perception and awareness of air pollution. Majority of the respondents (93.33 percent) were lacking of proper awareness of air pollution in rural areas while 63.33 percent in urban areas. Out of five independent variables, three variables such as educational qualification, residence and communication exposure had positive and significant relationship, age had negative and significant relationship and family size had no relationship with their perception and awareness of air pollution.Progressive Agriculture 29 (1): 22-32, 2018


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (14) ◽  
pp. 5631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Brand ◽  
Cézane Priscila Reuter ◽  
Arieli Fernandes Dias ◽  
Jorge Mota ◽  
Michael Duncan ◽  
...  

A mother’s healthy conduct may lead to the healthy conduct of their children. Thus, this study aimed to verify the role of demographic factors in the relationship between mothers’ physical activity (PA) and commuting to work with children and adolescent’s PA and commuting to school. This cross-sectional study comprised 1421 children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years and 1421 mothers, from Brazil. PA, commuting, socioeconomic status (SES), skin color/ethnicity, and living area were evaluated by questionnaire. Logistic binary regression models were used. Results indicated that mothers’ PA and commuting were associated with children and adolescent’s PA and commuting to school in crude and adjusted models. Considering the role of the demographic factors, an association was only observed for girls in the relationship between mother’s PA with children’s PA. In adolescents, an association was observed in both high/low SES, boys/girls, and rural/urban areas. Regarding children and adolescent active commuting to school, there was an association with mothers commuting. All demographic factors were strongly associated, except for rural areas. Therefore, mothers’ PA as well as commuting to work are associated with children and adolescent’s PA and commuting to school. Sex, living area, and SES are the related demographic factors.


Author(s):  
Arief Hargono ◽  
Hario Megatsari ◽  
Kurnia Dwi Artanti ◽  
Triska Susila Nindya ◽  
Ratna Dwi Wulandari

Background: The percentage of complete immunization in urban areas is higher than rural areas. The purpose of the study was to analyze the relationship between ownership of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) books with Complete Basic Immunization (CBI) coverage in slums and poor areas. Design and Methods: A rapid survey was conducted in selected slums and poor groups based on medical records from Public Health Center. Informants were mothers with a sample of 325 infants aged 12 to 23 months. Results: The lowest coverage of CBI for slum and poor residents is Pasuruan, which is 55.4%. The results of statistical analysis showed that there was a significant relationship between ownership of MCH books and the complete coverage of basic immunization in Malang (P=0.000; PR=3.682); Pasuruan (P=0.002; PR=1.854); Sidoarjo (P=0.000; PR=4.042); Surabaya (P=0.000; PR=2.425). Conclusions: It is recommended that the government should improve access to complete immunization programs in slums and poor population.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dina N. Kovarik ◽  
Davis G. Patterson ◽  
Carolyn Cohen ◽  
Elizabeth A. Sanders ◽  
Karen A. Peterson ◽  
...  

We investigated the effects of our Bio-ITEST teacher professional development model and bioinformatics curricula on cognitive traits (awareness, engagement, self-efficacy, and relevance) in high school teachers and students that are known to accompany a developing interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. The program included best practices in adult education and diverse resources to empower teachers to integrate STEM career information into their classrooms. The introductory unit, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Testing, uses bioinformatics to teach basic concepts in genetics and molecular biology, and the advanced unit, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Research, utilizes bioinformatics to study evolution and support student research with DNA barcoding. Pre–post surveys demonstrated significant growth (n = 24) among teachers in their preparation to teach the curricula and infuse career awareness into their classes, and these gains were sustained through the end of the academic year. Introductory unit students (n = 289) showed significant gains in awareness, relevance, and self-efficacy. While these students did not show significant gains in engagement, advanced unit students (n = 41) showed gains in all four cognitive areas. Lessons learned during Bio-ITEST are explored in the context of recommendations for other programs that wish to increase student interest in STEM careers.


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