This article offers a review of the major literature about attitudes to science and its implications over the past 20 years. It argues that the continuing decline in numbers choosing to study science at the point of choice requires a research focus on students’ attitudes to science if the nature of the problem is to be understood and remediated. Starting from a consideration of what is meant by attitudes to science, it considers the problems inherent to their measurement, what is known about students’ attitudes towards science and the many factors of influence such as gender, teachers, curricula, cultural and other variables. The literature itself points to the crucial importance of gender and the quality of teaching. Given the importance of the latter we argue that there is a greater need for research to identify those aspects of science teaching that make school science engaging for pupils. In particular, a growing body of research on motivation offers important pointers to the kind of classroom environment and activities that might raise pupils’ interest in studying school science and a focus for future research.

Attitudes towards science: A review of the literature and its implications

Understanding how science students respond to anomalous data is essential to understanding knowledge acquisition in science classrooms. This article presents a detailed analysis of the ways in which scientists and science students respond to such data. We postulate that there are seven distinct forms of response to anomalous data, only one of which is to accept the data and change theories. The other six responses involve discounting the data in various ways in order to protect the preinstructional theory. We analyze the factors that influence which of these seven forms of response a scientist or student will choose, giving special attention to the factors that make theory change more likely. Finally, we discuss the implications of our framework for science instruction.

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The Role of Anomalous Data in Knowledge Acquisition: A Theoretical Framework and Implications for Science Instruction

STEM Integration in K-12 Education examines current efforts to connect the STEM disciplines in K-12 education This report identifies and characterizes existing approaches to integrated STEM education, both in formal and after- and out-of-school settings The report reviews the evidence for the impact of integrated approaches on various student outcomes, and it proposes a set of priority research questions to advance the understanding of integrated STEM education STEM Integration in K-12 Education proposes a framework to provide a common perspective and vocabulary for researchers, practitioners, and others to identify, discuss, and investigate specific integrated STEM initiatives within the K-12 education system of the United States STEM Integration in K-12 Education makes recommendations for designers of integrated STEM experiences, assessment developers, and researchers to design and document effective integrated STEM education This report will help to further their work and improve the chances that some forms of integrated STEM education will make a positive difference in student learning and interest and other valued outcomes

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STEM integration in K-12 education : status, prospects, and an agenda for research

A meta-analysis covering the literature between 1970 and 1991 was conducted using an approach similar to that suggested by Glass, McGaw, and Smith (1981) and Hedges, Shymansky, and Woodworth (1989). This analysis examined gender differences in student attitudes toward science, and correlations between attitudes toward science and achievement in science. Thirty-one effect sizes and seven correlations representing the testing of 6,753 subjects were found in 18 studies. The mean of the unweighted effect sizes was .20 (SD = .50) and the mean of the weighted effect size was .16 (SD = .50), indicating that boys have more positive attitudes toward science than girls. The mean correlation between attitude and achievement was .50 for boys and .55 for girls, suggesting that the correlations are comparable. Results of the analysis of gender differences in attitude as a function of science type indicate that boys show a more positive attitude toward science than girls in all types of science. The correlation between attitude and achievement for boys and girls as a function of science type indicates that for biology and physics the correlation is positive for both, but stronger for girls than for boys. Gender differences and correlations between attitude and achievement by gender as a function of publication date show no pattern. The results for the analysis of gender differences as a function of the selectivity of the sample indicate that general level students reflect a greater positive attitude for boys, whereas the high-performance students indicate a greater positive attitude for girls. The correlation between attitude and achievement as a function of selectivity indicates that in all cases a positive attitude results in higher achievement. This is particularly true for low-performance girls. The implications of these finding are discussed and further research suggested.

Gender differences in student attitudes toward science: A meta‐analysis of the literature from 1970 to 1991

This study examined the long-term impact of the Summer Science Exploration Program (SSEP), a 2-week inquiry-based science camp, conducted at Hampshire College Amherst, MA from 1992 to 1994. The goal of the program was to stimulate greater interest in science and scientific careers among middle-school students. One hundred fifty-eight students were selected from a pool of applicants to attend the program using stratified random sampling procedures. In 1996, 22 participants were selected to participate in follow-up interviews using stratified random sampling procedures. Two quantitative surveys, the Science Opinion Survey and the Career Decision-Making Revised Surveys, were administered to 79 SSEP students and 35 students who applied but were not accepted (the control group). Pretest and posttest scores were analyzed for any significant change over time. Additionally, a cohort of over 500 students who were enrolled in the same grades and public schools that SSEP students attended completed the two surveys in both 1992–1994 and 1996–1997. The interviews and surveys suggested that SSEP students maintained a more positive attitude towards science and a higher interest in science careers than students who applied to the program but were not selected. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed86:693–705, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/sce.10039

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Longitudinal impact of an inquiry-based science program on middle school students' attitudes toward science

A distinct and complex definition of attitude is evolving within the literature. A mental readiness to respond and a correlational consistency between attitude and behavior—although controversial and in need of further study and analysis—remain viable subcomponents within the definition. Most agree that evaluation is the heartbeat of attitude. The impact of social influence on attitudes is becoming increasingly important. Attitudes are learned and not inherited.

Defining attitude for science educators

Science attitude scales can be expected to predict science-related behavior. But A-B correspondence can seldom be expected to approach the r value of 1.00. Attitude and behavior covary to the degree that valid measurement and mediating variables are considered: Individual differences of subjects (e.g., high versus low self-monitoring); the social situation (e.g., direct experience); cognitive factors (e.g., attitude accessibility in memory). Attitude and behavior are reciprocal; that is, attitude can follow behavior. Variables other than attitude, e.g., behavioral intention, previous behavior, and habit, may under some conditions better predict behavior. Also, a viable alternative to attitude testing may be direct appraisal of some science classroom behaviors through ethnomethodology.

Robert L. Shrigley

Papers

Defining attitude for science educators

Attitude and behavior are correlates

What Research Says:: Revising the Science Attitude Scale

The Attitude Concept and Science Teaching.

The Attitude of Pre-Service Elementary Teachers Toward Science1