Top

Journal of Science Education and Technology

Published in:

20-06-2017

Development of an Attitude Scale to Measure the Undergraduate Students’ Attitudes Towards Nanobiotechnology

Author: Seyda Gul

Published in: Journal of Science Education and Technology | Issue 5/2017

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config

AI-assisted search

Off

Abstract

Nanobiotechnology, which resulted from the convergence of biotechnology and nanotechnology, is a new field of research, and it has an increasing impact on peoples’ everyday lives. Thus, it is important to measure peoples’ attitudes towards nanobiotechnology, in particular, those who are specifically involved in biology and science education. However, despite the existence of an adequate number of instruments on biotechnology or nanotechnology, for nanobiotechnology, there is no instrument that has been rigorously validated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a nanobiotechnology scale for assessing the undergraduate students’ attitudes. The data were gathered from 236 student teachers enrolled in the departments of biology education and elementary science education. The findings from exploratory factor analysis (EFA) provided evidence for the validity and reliability of the final form of the scale. At total of 36 items were identified and contained within the following four factors, nanobiotechnology awareness, interest in nanobiotechnology, nanobiotechnology education, and the applications of nanobiotechnology. The total variance was 53.021%, and the Cronbach’s alpha for the overall scale was 0.93. The scale was later given to 203 student teachers, the results of which were presented in this study. The results indicated significant differences in gender and department in some of the subscales of the scale. As a result, it is believed that the instrument will be a valuable tool for both instructors and researchers in science education to assess the student teachers’ attitudes about nanobiotechnology.

previous article Short Project-Based Learning with MATLAB Applications to Support the Learning of Video-Image Processing

next article Conceptualizing Student Affect for Science and Technology at the Middle School Level: Development and Implementation of a Measure of Affect in Science and Technology (MAST)

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 102.000 Bücher
über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Bailey JM, Johnson B, Prather EE, Slater TF (2012) Development and validation of the star properties concept inventory. Int J Sci Educ 34(14):2257–2286CrossRef

BalemenN (2009) Biyoloji öğretmen adaylarının nanobiyoteknoloji konularındaki bilgi seviyelerinin belirlenmesi ve nanobiyoteknoloji öğretim yöntem ve seviyelerinin araştırılması [Examining of preservice biology teachers’ knowledge levels on topics of nanobiotechology and their nanobiotechnology teaching methods and levels]. Unpublished Master Thesis, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey

Besley J (2010) Current research on public perceptions of nanotechnology. Emerging Health Threats Journal 3(8):1–7

Bhukuvhani C, Tigere A, Sana A, Mhishi M, Sunzuma G, Mupa P (2013) Science and technology education curriculum reforms for the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (NST) revolution. J Educ 3(1):44–47

Bilen K, Özel M (2012) Gifted students’ knowledge of and attitudes toward biotechnology. Necatibey Faculty of Education Electronic Journal of Science and Mathematics Education 6(2):135–152

Bryan LA, Magana AJ, Sederberg D (2015) Published research on pre-college students’ and teachers’ nanoscale science, engineering, and technology learning. Nanotechnol Rev 4(1):7–32

Bryce T, Gray D (2004) Tough acts to follow: the challenges to science teachers presented by biotechnological progress. Int J Sci Educ 26(6):717–733CrossRef

Bryman A, Cramer D (2001) Quantitative data analysis with SPSS release on for windows. Routledge, PhiladelphiaCrossRef

Büyükozturk S (2010) Sosyal bilimler için veri analizi el kitabı (11th Ed.) [Manual of data analysis for social sciences]. Pegem A Yayıncılık, Ankara

Chambers SK, Andre T (1997) Gender, prior knowledge, interest, and experience in electricity and conceptual change text manipulations in learning about direct current. J Res Sci Teach 34(2):107–123CrossRef

Chang RPH (2006) A call for nanoscience education. Nano Today 1(2):6–7CrossRef

Chen SY, Raffan J (1999) Biotechnology: student’s knowledge and attitudes in the LJK and Taiwan. J Biol Educ 34(1):17–23CrossRef

Chen MF, Lin YP, Cheng TJ (2013) Public attitudes toward nanotechnology applications in Taiwan. Technovation 33(2):88–96CrossRef

Chiang WW, Liu CJ (2014) Scale of academic emotion in science education: development and validation. Int J Sci Educ 36(6):908–928CrossRef

Chien-Yun D, Wan-Fei C, Yu-His Y, Chia-Hung Y (2012) A study on modification of knowledge, attitude and practice on vocational high school electronics courses integrated with nanotechnology concept. Int J Therm Environ Eng 4(1):73–79CrossRef

Currall SC, King EB, Lane N, Madera J, Turner S (2006) What drives public acceptance of nanotechnology? Nat Nanotechnol 1(2):153–155CrossRef

Dawson V (2007) An exploration of high school (12–17 year old) students’ understandings of, and attitudes towards biotechnology processes. Res Sci Educ 37(1):59–73CrossRef

Dyehouse MA, Diefes-Dux HA, Bennett DE, Imbrie PK (2008) Development of an instrument to measure undergraduates’ nanotechnology awareness, exposure, motivation, and knowledge. J Sci Educ Technol 17(5):500–510CrossRef

Eagly A, Chaiken S (1993) The psychology of attitudes. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Fort Worth

Elmarzugi NA, Keleb EI, Mohamed AT, Benyones HM, Bendala NM, Mehemed AI, Eid AM (2014) Awareness of Libyan students and academic staff members of nanotechnology. J Appl Pharm Sci 4(6):110–114

Erdogan M, Özel M, Uşak M, Prokop P (2009) Development and validation of an instrument to measure university students’ biotechnology attitude. J Sci Educ Technol 18(3):255–264CrossRef

Farshchi P, Sadrnezhaad SK, Nejad NM, Mahmoodi M, Abadi LIG (2011) Nanotechnology in the public eye: the case of Iran, as a developing country. J Nanopart Res 13(8):3511–3519CrossRef

Field A (2013) Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics, 4th edn. Sage Publication, London

Fischer AR, van Dijk H, de Jonge J, Rowe G, Frewer LJ (2012) Attitudes and attitudinal ambivalence change towards nanotechnology applied to food production. Public Underst Sci 22(7):817–831CrossRef

Fonseca MJ, Costa P, Lencastre L, Tavares F (2012) Disclosing biology teachers’ beliefs about biotechnology and biotechnology education. Teach Teach Educ 28(3):368–381CrossRef

Gardner G, Jones G, Taylor A, Forrester J, Robertson L (2010) Students’ risk perceptions of nanotechnology applications: implications for science education. Int J Sci Educ 32(14):1951–1969CrossRef

GazitE (2007) Plenty of room for biology at the bottom: an introduction to bionanotechnology. Imperial College Press, [Online] http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/p465, retrieved on August 17, 2015

Germann PJ (1988) Development of the attitude toward science in school assessment and its use to investigate the relationship between science achievement and attitude toward science in school. J Res Sci Teach 25(8):689–703CrossRef

Glynn SM, Taasoobshirazi G, Brickman P (2009) Science motivation questionnaire: construct validation with nonscience majors. J Res Sci Teach 46(2):127–146CrossRef

Goodhew P (2006) Education moves to a new scale. Nano Today 1(2):40–43CrossRef

Greenberg A (2009) Integrating nanoscience into the classroom perspectives on nanoscience education projects. ACS Nano 3(4):762–769CrossRef

Gürer MD, Yıldırım Z (2014) Development, validity and reliability study of the learning object evaluation scale. Eğitim ve Bilim 39(176):121–130

Haidar H, Chouman M, Tayeh PA (2014) Attitudes of Lebanese secondary school students and teachers towards biotechnology and its teaching. Am J Educ Res 2(6):430–435CrossRef

Hanegan N, Bigler A (2009) Infusing authentic inquiry into biotechnology. J Sci Educ Technol 18(5):393–401CrossRef

Hingant B, Albe V (2010) Nanosciences and nanotechnologies learning and teaching in secondary education: a review of literature. Stud Sci Educ 46(2):121–152CrossRef

HutchinsonK, ShinN, StevensSY, YunkerM, DelgadoC, GiordanoN, BodnerG (2007) Exploration of student understanding and motivation in nanoscience. Presented in the NCLT NSEE Symposium, NARST Conference, New Orleans, LA

Jones MG, Blonder R, Gardner GE, Albe V, Falvo M, Chevrier J (2013) Nanotechnology and nanoscale science: educational challenges. Int J Sci Educ 35:1490–1512CrossRef

Kidman G (2009) Attitudes and interests towards biotechnology: the mismatch between students and teachers. Eurasia J Math Sci Technol 5(2):135–143

KılıçG (2009) Üniversitelerin eğitim fakültelerinde öğrenim gören biyoloji eğitimi anabilim dali öğrencilerinin nanobiyoteknoloji eğitimi [Nanobiotechnology education of biology teaching programme students studying at educational sciences at universities]. Unpublished Master Thesis, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey

Klop T, Severiens S (2007) An exploration of attitudes towards modern biotechnology: a study among Dutch secondary school students. Int J Sci Educ 29(5):663–679CrossRef

Kolarova T (2011) Modern biotechnology from the point of view of 15–19-year-old high school students. Biotechnol Biotechnol Equip 25(3):2538–2546CrossRef

Krishnan V (2013) The early child development instrument (EDI): an item analysis using classical test theory (CTT) on Alberta’s data. Community-University Partnership (CUP), Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta, Edmonton

Küçük S, Yılmaz R, Baydaş Ö, Göktaş Y (2014) Augmented reality applications attitude scale in secondary schools: validity and reliability study. Educ Sci 39(176):383–392

Laher S (2010) Using exploratory factor analysis in personality research: best-practice recommendations: original research. SA J Ind Psychol 36(1):1–7CrossRef

Lan YL (2012) Development of an attitude scale to assess K-12 teachers’ attitudes toward nanotechnology. Int J Sci Educ 34(8):1189–1210CrossRef

Lawshe CH (1975) A quantitative approach to content validity. Pers Psychol 28:563–575CrossRef

Lee CJ, Scheufele DA, Lewenstein BV (2005) Public attitudes toward emerging technologies. Sci Commun 27(2):240–267CrossRef

Lin SF, Lin HS, Wu YY (2013) Validation and exploration of instruments for assessing public knowledge of and attitudes toward nanotechnology. J Sci Educ Technol 22(4):548–559CrossRef

López-Vázquez E, Brunner TA, Siegrist M (2010) Perceived risks and benefits of nanotechnology applied to the food and packaging sector in México. Br Food J 114(2):197–205CrossRef

Maynard AD (2007) Nanotechnology: the next big thing, or much ado about nothing? Ann Occup Hyg 51(1):1–12

Mazas B, Fernández-Manzanal MR, Zarza FJ, María GA (2013) Development and validation of a scale to assess students’ attitude towards animal welfare. Int J Sci Educ 35(11):1775–1799CrossRef

McNeil SE (2005) Nanotechnology for the biologist. J Leukoc Biol 78(3):585–594CrossRef

Osborne J, Simon S, Collins S (2003) Attitudes towards science: a review of literature and its implication. Int J Sci Educ 25(9):1049–1079CrossRef

Pardo R, Midden C, Miller J (2002) Attitudes toward biotechnology in the European Union. J Biotechnol 98(1):9–24CrossRef

Pohlmann JT (2004) Use and interpretation of factor analysis in The Journal of Educational Research: 1992–2002. J Educ Res 98(1):14–23CrossRef

Prokop P, Leškova A, Kubiatko M, Diran C (2007) Slovakian students’ knowledge of and attitude toward biotechnology. Int J Sci Educ 29(7):895–907CrossRef

Rahayu S (2015) Evaluating the affective dimension in chemistry education. In: Kahveci M, Orgill MK (eds) Affective dimensions in chemistry education. Springer, New York, pp 30–47

Roco MC (2005) International perspective on government nanotechnology funding in 2005. J Nanopart Res 7(6):707–712CrossRef

Saez MJ, Niño AG, Carretero A (2008) Matching society values: students’ view of biotechnology. Int J Sci Educ 30(2):167–183CrossRef

Sahin N, Ekli E (2013) Nanotechnology awareness, opinions and risk perceptions among middle school students. Int J Technol Des Educ 23:867–881CrossRef

Scherer RF, Wiebe FA, Luther DC, Adams JS (1988) Dimensionality of coping: factor stability using the ways of coping questionnaire. Psychol Rep 62:76–770CrossRef

Schönborn KJ, Höst GE, Lundin-Palmerius KE (2015) Measuring understanding of nanoscience and nanotechnology: development and validation of the nano-knowledge instrument (NanoKI). Chem Educ Res Pract 16(2):346–354CrossRef

Shiarella AH, McCarthy AM, Tucker ML (2000) Development and construct validity of scores on the community service attitudes scale. Educ Psychol Meas 60(2):286–300CrossRef

SuTCJ, DudasM (2004) An easy way to introducing nanotechnology for undergraduate education. In: Second LACCEI International Latin American and Caribbean Conference for Engineering and Technology (LACCEI’2004)

Tabachnick BG, Fidell LS (2007) Using multivariate statistics, 5th edn. Pearson/A&B, Boston

Tarng W, Chang CH, Lin CM, Pei JH, Lee CY (2011) Development and research of web-based virtual nanotechnology laboratory for learning the basic concepts of nanoscience. Science 2(6):1255–1263

Teo T (2010) Examining the influence of subjective norm and facilitating conditions on the intention to use technology among pre-service teachers: a structural equation modeling of an extended technology acceptance model. Asia Pac Educ Rev 11(2):253–262CrossRef

Vandermoere F, Blanchemanche S, Bieberstein A, Marette S, Roosen J (2010) The morality of attitudes toward nanotechnology: about God, techno-scientific progress, and interfering with nature. J Nanopart Res 12:373–381CrossRef

Waldron AM, Spencer D, Batt CA (2006) The current state of public understanding of nanotechnology. J Nanopart Res 8(5):569–575CrossRef

WuMT, LinSY (2010) A study on the indicators of the nanotechnology literacy and ability of the university students. International Conference on Engineering Education ICEE, 18–22

YurdugülH (2005) Ölçek geliştirme çalışmalarında kapsam geçerliği için kapsam geçerlik indekslerinin kullanılması [Usage of content validity indexes for content validity in the studies of scale development]. A selection of papers presented at the XIVth Conference of National Education Sciences, Pamukkale University Educational Faculty, Denizli, Turkey

Title: Development of an Attitude Scale to Measure the Undergraduate Students’ Attitudes Towards Nanobiotechnology
Author: Seyda Gul
Publication date: 20-06-2017
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Journal of Science Education and Technology / Issue 5/2017
Print ISSN: 1059-0145
Electronic ISSN: 1573-1839
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-017-9696-y

Springer Professional

Abstract

Please log in to get access to your license.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Springer Professional "Technik"

Other articles of this Issue 5/2017

Stitching Codeable Circuits: High School Students’ Learning About Circuitry and Coding with Electronic Textiles

The Influence of Toy Design Activities on Middle School Students’ Understanding of the Engineering Design Processes

A Further Characterization of Empirical Research Related to Learning Outcome Achievement in Remote and Virtual Science Labs

Short Project-Based Learning with MATLAB Applications to Support the Learning of Video-Image Processing

Cloud Pedagogy: Utilizing Web-Based Technologies for the Promotion of Social Constructivist Learning in Science Teacher Preparation Courses

Conceptualizing Student Affect for Science and Technology at the Middle School Level: Development and Implementation of a Measure of Affect in Science and Technology (MAST)

Premium Partners