The Relationship Between Attitude Toward Science and Academic Achievement in Science: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis

Science education is attracting increasing attention and many researchers focus on the issue about the attitude-achievement relationship in science, but there is still no consistent conclusion. By using a three-level meta-analytic approach, the aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between attitude toward science and academic achievement in learning science among primary and secondary school students, and to explore if some study characteristics could have contributed to the inconsistent findings with regard to this relationship as observed in the research literature. A total of 37 studies with 132 effect sizes involving a total of 1,042,537 participants were identified. The meta-analytic results revealed that there was an overall positive and moderate relationship between attitude toward science and learning achievement in science (r = 0.248, p < 0.001). The results further found that this association was moderated by the type of attitude and larger effect sizes were shown in self-efficacy than in interest, societal relevance of attitude toward science, and mixed attitude. Moreover, the effect sizes of studies with unstandardized measure to assess science achievement were larger than those with standardized measure. Possible explanations for these findings and its implications for future research directions were also discussed in this review.

Promoting Inquiry Based Learning through Entertaining Science Activities

Considering students’ increasing lack of interest and motivation for science subjects, it becomes almost imperative to introduce different methodology approaches in classrooms. Besides, decontextualized science teaching, where hands on activities are not sufficiently taken into account, can make the students attitude toward science-learning even worse. Inquiry Based Learning where elements such as games, toys and short experiments are included is showed as a useful methodological proposal. This paper presents how the use of these entertaining science activities can improve students’ interest and encourage them to speak about science, acquiring better argumentation and inquiry skills when they are properly performed in a formal classroom context.

“If a black hole is an oyster, then . . .”: The discoursal trends of popularization in science fiction movies

Science fiction movies could play a pivotal role in making scientific discoveries available to the public. In this study, we explored the dialogue-based strategies these movies employ to appealingly communicate science. To investigate the discursive resources these movies use to represent science, we analyzed the content of 10 award-winning science fiction movies over the last decade (2010–2019). The findings demonstrated that although these movies deploy certain discursive features such as pseudoscientific hints, question markers, probability signals, statistical estimates, science boosters, paradox clues, comparison markers, exemplification, and figurative language that may influence audience thought patterns and a critical-reflective attitude toward science, they predominantly represent a partial distorted version of science characterized by inconsistency, inaccuracy, and skepticism. The study posits implications for science communicators to safeguard the legitimacy of science.

Correlation Between Reading Fondness and Attitude Toward Science at Middle School

This research was conducted to analyze the correlation between reading fondness and attitude toward science. The number of research samples was 145 students. The research method used is a mix of quantitative and qualitative instruments that are descriptive. Quantitative instrument data collection techniques in the form of questionnaires and observations, qualitative instruments in the form of documentation and interviews. The statistical results of the attitude toward science variable, the average student chooses neutral in all indicators. The reading fondness variable of indicators general attitude towards reading and students' reading preferences average students chose neutral, the effect of reading on the ability of students chose to agree, and negative views of students towards reading chose not to agree. Based on the significance of 0.048 <0.05. So it can be concluded that there is a weak correlation between the attitude and reading variables.

PERBEDAAN SIKAP SISWA TERHADAP SAINS: STUDI BERDASARKAN LEVEL PENDIDIKAN DAN GENDER

Attitude toward science is believed as one of the factors that can influence student learning outcomes. Therefore, information related to students’ attitudes towards science is important. This study aims to determine the effect of different levels of education and gender on students’ attitudes towards science. Student attitudes toward science were measured using a questionnaire instrument with a Likert scale that was adapted to the My Attitude Toward Science (MATS) instrument. Data were analyzed by descriptive analysis and Mann-Whitney test. In general, the results of the study indicated students showed positive attitudes towards science. Mann-Whitney test results also showed that the level of education has a significant effect on students' attitudes towards science statistically [U=4259.5; p<0.05]. Meanwhile, statistically, gender differences significantly influence students' attitudes towards science [U=4384.0; p<0.05]. The implication of this study is teachers could consider these results when they want to design instruction. In addition, this result is also important to preservice science teachers at the level of junior high school and senior high school to know the characteristics of the students’ attitude.AbstrakSikap terhadap pelajaran sains dipahami sebagai salah satu faktor yang dapat memengaruhi hasil belajar siswa. Oleh karena itu, informasi terkait sikap siswa terhadap sains menjadi penting. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh perbedaan level pendidikan dan gender terhadap sikap siswa terhadap sain. Sikap siswa terhadap sains diukur dengan menggunakan instrumen kuesioner dengan skala likert. Sikap siswa terhadap sains diukur dengan menggunakan instrumen My Attitude Toward Science (MATS). Data dianalisis dengan analisis deskriptif dan uji Mann-Whitney. Secara umum, hasil penelitian menunjukkan persepsi sikap siswa yang positif terhadap sains. Hasil Mann-Whitney test menunjukkan bahwa secara statistik, level pendidikan berpengaruh signifikan terhadap sikap siswa terhadap sains [U=4259,5; p<0,05]. Sementara itu, secara statistik, perbedaan jenis kelamin berpengaruh signifikan terhadap sikap siswa terhadap sains [U = 4384,0; p<0,05]. Guru dapat menjadikan hasil ini sebagai pertimbangan dalam merancang pembelajaran. Selain itu, hasil ini juga penting diketahui bagi calon guru sains pada tingkatan Sekolah Menengah Pertama (SMP) maupun Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) sebagai salah satu poin yang perlu diperhatikan dalam mengajar.Kata Kunci: Gender, Level Pendidikan, Sains, Sikap

Standardizace české verze dotazníku DAS

Za jednu z příčin současného negativního postoje žáků k přírodovědným oborům a později i jejich zájmu tyto obory volit jako budoucí profesi, je uváděno pozdější zavádění přírodovědných témat do výuky. Náprava tohoto stavu úzce souvisí s připraveností učitelů na primárním stupni vzdělávání vyučovat přírodovědná témata tak, aby podnítili rozvoj pozitivních postojů u žáků. Podstatnou roli hrají postoje samotných (budoucích) učitelů, které mohou sloužit jako indikátor potřeby změn v této oblasti. Cílem příspěvku je představit českou verzi dotazníku DAS (Dimensions of Attitude toward Science) určeného k zjišťování postojů učitelů na primárním stupni vzdělávání k přírodovědným tématům a jejich výuce. Dotazník obsahuje 28 položek rozdělených do sedmi subškál. Data získaná prostřednictvím tohoto nástroje poskytují celkovou informaci o postoji respondenta, zároveň umožňují vytvoření postojového profilu (vysoký potenciál, slibný, lhostejný a neochotný). Na základě těchto informací je pak možné volit způsoby práce s konkrétním učitelem. Původní verze výzkumného nástroje byla nejprve přeložena, pilotována a následně použita v ostrém šetření. Na základě výsledků statistické analýzy (Cronbachovo alfa = 0,704 pro celý nástroj) je možné českou verzi dotazníku považovat za dostatečně spolehlivou a použitelnou v dalším výzkumu. Vysokou reliabilitu vykazovaly také dílčí subškály nástroje.