Bridging the Gap: Student Attitudes to Science Education

1. Bridging the Gap: Student Attitudes to Science Education Janice Crerar Student in Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education, CDU

2. Background to research • Increased recognition of the place for student voice to inform educational pedagogy (Smyth et al, 2000; Cushman, 2003). • Concept is not new to individual teachers • However, transformative practice in education relies on sustained techniques and practices (Fielding, 2005).

3. Student voice and science education • Literature review and personal experiences of science teachers indicates that secondary science education is becoming less popular (Steering & Rennie, 1996; Jenkins, 2005).

4. Setting of research • Research involved science students from year 8-12 at Kormilda college, Darwin. • Year 9 science group formed a focus group for the research • Ethical clearance from CDU and approval from Kormilda College, teachers, students and parents.

5. Aims of Research • Seek student attitudes on science and ask how it could become more relevant and interesting to their lives. • Provide a forum for a junior secondary science class to express their attitudes to science and ideas for change. • Incorporate student ideas in science lessons and determine if student attitudes to science education change as a result. • Compare attitudes and ideas generated through focus groups discussion with broader views identified by survey questionnaire

6. Aims of Research A further aim of the research was to compare the educational research process between Darwin and Windesheim in Holland. Initial communication was by email until a web log was established in august.

7. Seeking student attitudes and ideas on science education • Questionnaires for junior and senior students to ascertain current attitudes and ideas • Open-ended probing questions to prompt thought • Researcher explained process to class to ensure them that their ideas were valued Methodology 1

8. Forum for junior secondary science class to express attitudes and ideas • Focus group discussion • Students worked in groups to address a series of open-ended questions • Responses discussed with class • Students provided notes on responses to teacher • Student notes used for thematic analysis • Emerging themes from session discussed further in class to ensure mutual understanding Methodology 2

9. Incorporating student ideas into lessons • Student ideas for change incorporated into lesson plans for next few weeks • Informal focus group discussion used to guide and direct further changes Methodology 3

10. Determine if student attitudes change as a result of using their ideas for lessons • Informal discussion during science class • Made space for open discussion on changes as they occurred • On final week of class students completed a short questionnaire to ascertain changes in attitudes or ideas of science Methodology 3

11. Comparing attitudes and ideas generated through focus group and broader views identified by questionnaire • Emergent themes from questionnaires and focus group discussion were compared to determine if trends were constant across age groups and research methodologies Methodology 4

12. Student ideas and attitudes to science education (questionnaire) • 63 respondents from years 8-12 • 46 junior school and 17 senior • 80% junior students enjoy science at least some of the time • 94% senior students found science interesting • 71% junior students would study science if given choice

13. Student ideas and attitudes to science education (questionnaire) • 61% junior students and 76% senior preferred practical or ‘hands on’ activities • Most junior students (54%) find science theory, written and textbook work boring • Senior student less vocal on theory, written or textbook work • 24% junior students said they would prefer practical learning through project work

14. Student ideas and attitudes to science education (questionnaire) • 67% junior and 29% senior students said they would find science more interesting if they could choose their topic • 61% junior and 100% senior students felt that science was relevant to their life • Many students indicated that science would be more relevant if topics were based on ‘real life’

15. Student ideas and attitudes to science education (questionnaire) • 95% of all students felt that science could be studied outside of the classroom or science laboratory • 51% depicted lab based scientists when asked to draw or describe a scientist (mostly male)

16. Themes emerging from year 9 focus group discussion • Would prefer to ‘discover’ rather than having theory lessons then practical experiments • Feel motivated when encouraged to investigate something of interest to them • Science reflecting ‘real life’ important • Would prefer to choose topic of investigation

17. Themes emerging from year 9 focus group discussion • Would like to work outside of classroom environment and enjoy excursions • Students prefer ‘hands on’ or practical work • Often find theory boring or difficult, do not enjoy teacher talking with them listening or using textbooks • Do not like practical ‘write-ups’ and would prefer to choose method of reporting

18. Themes emerging from year 9 focus group discussion • Overall, students would prefer to work in a more relaxed environment • Class based lessons are preferred when interactive and involve ICT, video, web quests and visual other aids for learning • Most students would prefer to choose groups rather than teacher allocated groups

19. Changes to classroom practice in response to focus groups ideas • Practical investigations then discussion of scientific concepts supporting results with more “what if’ prompts and encouragement to try different things • Students worked on Environmental project for 2 weeks (included outdoor data collection, laboratory experiments, library research and discussion of theoretical framework)

20. Changes to classroom practice in response to focus groups ideas • Group structure negotiated with class • Students could negotiate with teacher on their preferred format for reporting on environmental project • Lessons more discursive and negotiated • Less use of textbooks and no ‘lecturing’ on theory • Choice provided where possible and negotiated

21. Did student attitudes to science change as a result of using their ideas in science class? • Informal discussion with students indicates YES • Questionnaire responses indicate that 73% students felt that their ideas on science had changed as a result. • 80% felt they had learnt more • 93% found science more interesting

22. Did student attitudes to science change as a result of using their ideas in science class? • Comments from students indicate that they became more involved in classroom and the learning process “It is good to know that your ideas are taken on board” “By extending on our ideas it helps us to improve our ideas” “Allows us to become more involved in subject”

23. Did student attitudes to science change as a result of using their ideas in science class? • Students were more interested “It was fun and I listened more to what was happening” “I understood science by learning by experiments” “It was more interesting when we had a little freedom”.

24. Comparing attitudes and ideas generated through focus group discussion and questionnaire • Several themes common in responses from both and all age groups • Practical or ‘hands on’ learning • Dislike of theory or textbook based lessons (but little comment from senior students) • Would prefer to choose topic of study

25. Comparing attitudes and ideas generated through focus group discussion and questionnaire • Focus group discussion provided greater detail • Subtle themes emerged in focus group • Group work • Ideas for practical/discovery approaches to teaching • Practical ‘write ups’

26. Comparing research with Holland • Communication successful in early stages of the project, however, limited since August after the web log was established. No comparison of the research process was achieved.

27. Discussion of the research results • Advantages for listening to student voice are clear for focus group • Listening to student voice has positive outcomes for students • Applying results to other groups has problems – homogenising the student voice (Keighley-James, 2003; Fielding, 2004). • Results are useful in determining current attitudes at that place and time

28. Discussion of the research results • Research does provide a method for incorporating student voice into lesson design even where curriculum is set. • Research involved transformation of the ‘teacher’, students and classroom environment • Challenging to traditional practices (Fielding, 2004; Cushman, 2003)

29. Recommendations for further studies • Longer timeframe to develop relationships with students in focus groups and remove ‘novelty’ factor • Develop a measure for assessing student learning or ability • Similar studies at schools with students from different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds

30. Recommendations for cross-cultural comparisons • Longer timeframe to develop relationships and clear communication networks • This may also limit the impact of different semester times across hemispheres

31. Finally • The process provided a pre-service teacher with a tool to incorporate student voice into classroom practice and transformed her approach to teaching. • When teachers listen, students can teach.

32. Acknowledgements • I would like to acknowledge and thank Kormilda College students and staff for their participation in this research project, with special thanks to Alf Cassar and students in 9T1 for supporting, encouraging and advising on the focus group aspect of research.