Top

Journal of Science Education and Technology

Published in:

30-10-2015

Variation by Gender in Abu Dhabi High School Students’ Interests in Physics

Authors: Masood Badri, Karima Al Mazroui, Asma Al Rashedi, Guang Yang

Published in: Journal of Science Education and Technology | Issue 2/2016

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

search-config

AI-assisted search

Off

Abstract

Abu Dhabi high school students’ interest in physics in different contexts was investigated with a survey conducted in connection with the international project, The Relevance of Science Education (ROSE). The sample consisted of 2248 students in public and private schools. Means of most items that belong to the school physics context for both girls and boys were below the score of (3.0). The most interesting topics for both genders were connected with fantasy items. The least interesting items (particularly for girls) were connected with artifacts and technological processes. Girls assigned the highest scores for “why we dream” and “life and death.” Boys assigned the highest scores for “inventions and discoveries” and “life outside of earth.” The main message of the study is that new curricular approaches and textbooks can be developed through combining technological and human contexts. The implications for curriculum development, teacher professional development programs, and other education strategies in Abu Dhabi are discussed in light of the ROSE survey.

previous article Using Biomedically Relevant Multimedia Content in an Introductory Physics Course for Life Science and Pre-health Students

next article Communicating Science to Impact Learning? A Phenomenological Inquiry into 4th and 5th Graders’ Perceptions of Science Information Sources

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

Ainley M, Hidi S, Berndorff D (2002) Interest, learning, and the psychological processes that mediate their relationship. J Educ Psychol 94:545–561CrossRef

Ainley J, Kos J, Nicholas M (2008). Participation in science, mathematics and technology in Australian education. In: ACER research monograph, 63. Retrieved from http://research.acer.edu.au/acer_monographs/4/

American Association for the Advancement of Science (1990) Science for all Americans. Oxford University Press, New York

American Institute of Physics (2014) High School physics courses and Enrollments, June (2014). Retrieved from https://www.aip.org/sites/default/files/statistics/highschool/hs-courses-enroll-13.pdf

Asgari M, Kaufman D (2004). Relationships among computer games, fantasy, and learning. In: Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on imagination and education. Retrieved from http://www.ierg.net/confs/2004/

Bailey JM, Slater TF (2003) A review of astronomy education research. The Astronomy Education Review 2(2):20–45CrossRef

Barmby P, Kind PM, Jones K (2008) Examining changing attitudes in secondary school science. Int J Sci Educ 30(8):1075–1093CrossRef

Bennett J (2003) Teaching and learning science: a guide to recent research and its applications. Continuum, London

Biklen SK, Pollard D (2001) Feminist perspectives on gender in classrooms. In: Richardson V (ed) Handbook of research on teaching. American Educational Research Association, Washington, pp 723–747

Bordt M, DeBroucker P, Read C, Harris S, Zhang Y (2001) Determinants of science and technology skills: overview of the study. Educ Q Rev 1:8–11

Bottiaa M, Stearns E, Mickelsonb R, Moller S, Valentino L (2015) Growing the roots of STEM majors: female math and science high school faculty and the participation of students in STEM. Econ Educ Rev 45:14–27CrossRef

Breakwell GM, Vignoles VL, Robertson T (2003) Stereotypes and crossed category evaluations: the case of gender and science education. Br J Psychol 94:437–455CrossRef

Cambridge Occupational Analysts (COA) (2014) Campaigns to boost girls’ enthusiasm for science and engineering are beginning to bear fruit, according to data compiled from a survey of 20,000 sixth formers. http://www.coa.co.uk/about-coa/news-at-coa/25-popularity-of-science-and-engineering-degrees-growing-fastest-among-girls-national-survey-finds

Ceci SJ, Ginther DK, Kahn S, Williams WM (2014) Women in academic science: a changing landscape. Psychol Sci Public Interest 15(3):75–141CrossRef

Christensen R, Knezek G, Tyler-Wood T (2014) Student perceptions of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) content and careers. Comput Hum Behav 34:173–186CrossRef

Cohen J (1988) Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale

Commission of European Communities (2001) The concrete future objectives of education systems (Report NP. COM 2001/59). CEC, Brussels

Correl S (2004) Constraints into preferences: gender, status, and emerging career aspirations. Am Soc Rev 69(1):93–113CrossRef

Creagh C, Parlevliet D (2014) Enhancing student engagement in Physics using inquiry oriented learning activities. Int J Innov Sci Math Educ 22(1):43–56

Dawson C (2000) Upper primary boys’ and girls’ interests in science: have they changed since 1980? Int J Sci Educ 22(6):557–570CrossRef

Dekkers J, DeLaeter J (2001) Enrolment trends in school science education in Australia. Int J Sci Educ 23:487–500CrossRef

Flowerday T, Schraw G (2000) Teacher beliefs about instructional choice. J Educ Psychol 92:634–645CrossRef

Francis L, Greer J (1999) Measuring attitudes towards science among secondary school students: the affective domain. J Res Sci Teach 35:877–896

Gardner P (1975) Attitudes to science: a review. Stud Sci Educ 2:1–41CrossRef

Garg K, Gupta B (2003) Decline in science education in India: a case study at +2 and undergraduate level. Curr Sci 84:1198–1201

Goto M (2001) ‘Japan’ in International Bureau for Education, Science education for contemporary society: problems, issues and dilemmas. IBE, UNESCO, Geneva, pp 31–38

Hannula I (2005) Need and possibilities of astronomy teaching in the Finnish comprehensive school. Report series in physics (no. HU-P-D124), University of Helsinki. Retrieved from http://ethesis.helsinki.fi/julkaisut/mat/fysik/vk/hannula/

Haubler P (1987) Measuring students’ interest in physics—design and results of a cross-sectional study in the Federal Republic of Germany. Int J Sci Educ 9:79–92CrossRef

Hendley D, Parkinson J, Stables A, Tanner H (1995) Gender differences in pupil attitudes to the national curriculum foundation subjects of English, mathematics, science and technology in Key Stage 3 in South Wales. Educ Stud 21:85–97CrossRef

Hidi S, Renninger A, Krapp A (2004) Interest, a motivational variable that combines affective and cognitive functioning. In: Dai DY, Sternberg RJ (eds) Motivation, emotion, and cognition. Lawrence Erlbaum, Mahwah, pp 89–115

Hodson D (2003) Time for action: science education for an alternative future. Int J Sci Educ 25(6):645–670CrossRef

Hoffman L (2002) Promoting girls’ interest and achievement in physics classes for beginners. Learn Instr 12:447–465CrossRef

Hong H-Y, Lin-Siegler X (2011) How learning about scientists’ struggles influences students’ interest and learning in physics. J Educ Psychol. doi:10.1037/a0026224

Howes E (2002) Connecting girls and science: constructivism, feminism and science education reform. Teachers College Press, New York

Jenkins EW, Nelson NW (2005) Important but not for me: students’ attitudes towards secondary school science in England. Res Sci Technol Educ 23(1):41–57CrossRef

Jones G, Howe A, Rua M (2000) Gender differences in students’ experiences, interests, and attitudes towards science and scientists. Sci Educ 84:180–192CrossRef

Kahle JB, Lakes MK (1983) The myth of equality in science classrooms. J Res Sci Teach 20(2):131–140CrossRef

Kahle J, Meece J (1994) Research on gender issues in the classroom. In: Gabel D (ed) Handbook of research on science teaching and learning. Macmillan, New York, pp 542–557

Krapp A (2002) Structural and dynamic aspects of interest development: theoretical considerations from an ontogenetic perspective. Learn Instr 12:383–409CrossRef

Krapp A (2003). Interest and human development—an educational–psychological perspective. British Journal of Educational Psychology. Monograph series II (2). Development and motivation: joint perspectives, pp 57–84

Krapp A (2005) Basic needs and the development of interest and intrinsic motivational orientations. Learn Instr 12:383–409CrossRef

Lavonen J, Byman J, Juuti K, Uitto A, Meisalo V (2005) Retrieved from http://roseproject.no/network/countries/finland/fin-lavonen-nordina2005.pdf

Lepper MR, Henderlong J (2000) Turning “play” into “work” and “work” into “play”: 25 years of research on intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation. In: Sansone C, Harackiewicz JM (eds) Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation: the search for optimal motivation and performance. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 257–307CrossRef

Maltese AV, Tai RH (2011) Pipeline persistence: examining the association of educational experiences with earned degrees in STEM among U.S. students. Sci Educ 5:877–907CrossRef

Mattern N, Schau C (2002) Gender differences in science attitude–achievement relationships over time among white middle-school students. J Res Sci Teach 39:324–340CrossRef

Menis J (1983) Attitudes towards chemistry as compared with those towards mathematics among tenth grade pupils (aged 15) in high level secondary schools in Israel. Res Sci Technol Educ 1:185–191CrossRef

Murphy C, Beggs J (2003) Children’s perceptions of school science. Sch Sci Rev 84:109–116

National Science Foundation (2002) Science and engineering indicators 2002. Retrieved from http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind02/c0/c0s1.htm

Ogunkola B (2011) Science teachers’ and students’ perceived difficult topics in the integrated science curriculum of lower secondary schools in Barbados. World J Educ 1(2):17–29CrossRef

Olasimbo O, Rotimi C (2012) Attitudes of students towards the study of physics in College of Education Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. Am Int J Contemp Res 2(12):86–89

Ormerod M, Duckworth D (1975) Pupils’ attitudes to science. Slough, National Foundation for Educational Research, Berkshire

Osborne J, Collins S (2001) Students’ views of the role and value of the science curriculum: a focus-group study. Int J Sci Educ 23(5):441–467CrossRef

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

Parker LE, Lepper MR (1992) Effects of fantasy contexts on children’s learning and motivation: making learning more fun. J Pers Soc Psychol 62:625–633CrossRef

Reid N, Skryabina EA (2003) Gender and physics. Int J Sci Educ 25:509–536CrossRef

Rivard LP, Straw SB (2000) The effect of talk and writing on learning science: an exploratory study. Sci Educ 84:566–593CrossRef

Sadler PM, Sonnert G, Hazari Z, Tai R (2012) Stability and volatility of STEM career interest in high school: a gender study. Sci Educ 96(3):411–427CrossRef

Sansone C, Wiebe DJ, Morgan C (1999) Self-regulating interest: the moderating role of hardiness and conscientiousness. J Pers 61:701–733CrossRef

Schiefele U (1991) Interest, learning, and motivation. Educ Psychol 26:299–323CrossRef

Schiefele U (1999) Interest and learning from text. Sci Stud Read 3:257–279CrossRef

Schraw G, Lehman S (2001) Situational interest: a review of the literature and directions for future research. Educ Psychol Rev 13:23–52CrossRef

Schraw G, Flowerday T, Lehman S (2001) Increasing situational interest in the classroom. Educ Psychol Rev 13:211–224CrossRef

Schreiner C, Sjøberg S (2004) Sowing the seeds of ROSE. Background, rationale, questionnaire development and data collection for ROSE (The Relevance of Science Education)—a comparative study of students’ views of science and science education. Acta Didactica, 4

Seker H (2005). The effects of using history of science on students’ interest in learning science. Paper presented at the 5th biannual conference of ESERA, Barcelona, Spain

Selim M, Shrigley R (1983) The group-dynamics approach: a socio-psychological approach for testing the effect of discovery and expository teaching on the science achievement and attitude of young Egyptian students. J Res Sci Teach 20:213–224CrossRef

Shroff R, Vogel D (2010) An investigation on individual students’ perceptions of interest utilizing a blended learning approach. Int J e-learn 9(2):279–294

Simon S (2000) Students’ attitudes towards science. In: Monk M, Osborne J (eds) Good practice in science teaching: what research has to say. Open University Press, Buckingham, pp 104–119

Simpson R, Oliver J (1990) A summary of major influences on attitude toward and achievement in science among adolescent students. Sci Educ 74:1–18CrossRef

Sjøberg S (2000) Interesting all children in ‘science for all’. In: Millar R, Leach J, Osborne J (eds) Improving science education: the contribution of research. Open University Press, Buckingham, pp 1–59

Sjøberg S (2002) Science and technology education in Europe: current challenges and possible solutions. Technol Environ Educ Newsl 27:1–5

Sjǿberg S, Schreiner C (2005) Young people and science: attitudes, values and priorities: evidence from the ROSE project. Keynote presentation at the European Union Science and Society Forum, Brussels, March 2005. Retrieve from http://www.ils.uio.no/forskning/rose

Smithers A, Robinson P (1988) The growth of mixed a levels. Department of Education, University of Manchester, Manchester

Stokking KM (2000) Predicting the choice of physics in secondary education. Int J Sci Educ 22(12):1261–1283CrossRef

Tai C-C, Tuan H-L (2005). Investigating the impact of inquiry vs. textbook instruction on 8th graders’ motivation towards learning science. Paper presented at the 5th biannual conference of ESERA, Barcelona, Spain

Trumper R (2006) Factors affecting junior high school students’ interest in physics. J Sci Educ Technol 15(1):47–58. doi:10.1007/s10956-006-0355-6 CrossRef

Uitto A, Juuti K, Lavonen J, Meisalo V (2005) Is students’ interest in biology related to their out-of-school experiences? In: Zogza V (ed) Proceedings of the 5th ERIDOB (European Researchers in Didactik of Biology) conference. Patras, Greece

Uitto A, Juuti K, Lavonen J, Meisalo V (2006) Students’ interest in biology and their out-of-school experiences. J Biol Educ 40:124–129CrossRef

Volet S, Järvelä S (2001) Motivation in learning contexts. Theoretical advances and methodological implications. Pergamon, Amsterdam, pp 45–59

Woolnough B (1994) Why students choose physics, or reject it. Phys Educ 29:368–374CrossRef

Zeilik M, Bisard W, Lee C (2002) Research-based reformed astronomy: will it travel? Astron Educ Rev 1(1):33–46CrossRef

Title: Variation by Gender in Abu Dhabi High School Students’ Interests in Physics
Authors: Masood Badri
Karima Al Mazroui
Asma Al Rashedi
Guang Yang
Publication date: 30-10-2015
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Journal of Science Education and Technology / Issue 2/2016
Print ISSN: 1059-0145
Electronic ISSN: 1573-1839
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-015-9589-x

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 2/2016

Podcasts on Mobile Devices as a Read-Aloud Testing Accommodation in Middle School Science Assessment

Communicating Science to Impact Learning? A Phenomenological Inquiry into 4th and 5th Graders’ Perceptions of Science Information Sources

Review and Discussion of Children’s Conceptions of Computers

Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program for Middle School-Aged Female Students

Investigating Students’ Ideas About Buoyancy and the Influence of Haptic Feedback

Identifying 21st Century STEM Competencies Using Workplace Data

Premium Partners