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ERIC Number: EJ1384151
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Aug
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0157-244X
EISSN: EISSN-1573-1898
Children and Parents' Perceptions of Access to Science Tools at Home and Their Role in Science Self-Efficacy
Ennes, Megan E.; Jones, M. Gail; Childers, Gina M.; Cayton, Emily M.; Chesnutt, Katherine M.
Research in Science Education, v53 n4 p671-687 Aug 2023
Families play a vital role in the development of the science interests and career aspirations of youth. Of particular interest is how a family's science capital and science habitus impact how children see themselves in relation to science. One aspect of science capital that has emerged as foundational in children's levels of science self-efficacy and academic self-concept is their access to science related tools outside of school. To learn more about the role of science tools in building the future science interests of youth, this exploratory study examined reported access to science-related tools and tool experiences for 89 participants (44 parents and 45 children). The results showed that more than half of the children reported a lack of home access to science tools such as a meter stick, compass, or scale. There were significant differences in reported access to science tools for African American and Latino/a youth. The reported access to tools for youth was significantly correlated with their science achievement value score (a measure of self-efficacy and self-concept). When comparing child and parent reported tool access, the parents noted having significantly more tools at home than the child participants. The findings from this study suggest that parents should provide opportunities for their children to explore these common household tools on their own as well as in family contexts. Having prior experiences with science tools outside of school is an important form of science capital that could foster success for children in the science classroom.
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2123/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Graduate Education (DGE); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: DGE1252376; 1614468