NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ1199904
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Dec
Pages: 29
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1696-2095
EISSN: N/A
In- and Out-of-School Activities and Their Influence on Attitudes and Expectations Regarding Science and Technology
Engel, Anna; Membrive, Antonio; Rochera, María José; Coll, César
Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, v16 n46 p631-659 Dec 2018
Introduction: Interest in understanding the decline in positive attitudes to science and technology (S&T) among children and young people has led to numerous studies in recent years. Some research has focused on how personal characteristics of children and young people and other demographic and sociocultural factors influence the development of these attitudes, while other studies have centred on activities in which they participate that provide learning opportunities. In both cases, further research is required to determine how children and adolescents perceive S&T, and how this perception is associated with their expectations of working in science in the future. In this context, the aim of this study was to examine whether student's preference for taking part in S&T-related activities in- and out-of-school was related to their attitudes towards science and scientists and their future professional aspirations. Method: We administered a survey to 1,336 students aged 10, 13 and 16 years. The frequencies and corresponding percentages were calculated with respect to the total for the sample, and according to the factors (regional location, socioeconomic status, age and gender) that were considered. The Pearson's chi-squared test was used to seek significant differences among the two populations of each factor. Results: The results showed that the greater the students' preference for participating in S&T-related activities, the more value they attributed to science work to improve people's quality of life. Future professional expectations were associated to a greater extent with a preference for taking S&T-related subjects at school than with participation in S&T-related activities outside school. Discussion and Conclusion: We discuss the need to analyse in depth the characteristics of these activities and what children and young people learn from participating in them, in order to define strategies that increase motivation and interest in learning about S&T and improving its teaching.
University of Almeria, Education & Psychology I+D+i. Faculty of Psychology Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, 04120 LaCanada de San Urbano, Almeria, Spain. Tel: +34-950-015354; Fax: +34-950-015083; Web site: http://ojs.ual.es/ojs/index.php/EJREP/index
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Spain
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A