Article Analysis Room 1
The following research synthesis is a comparative literature review of three studies about gender, achievement, and attitudes toward science. The subjects for the studies include elementary, middle and high school students from various areas in the United States. The research articles for the synthesis are: 1.) What happens? Relationship of Age and Gender with Science Attitudes from Elementary to Middle school by Carmen Sorge; 2.) Gender Achievement and Perception Toward Science Activities by Daniel P. Shepardson and Edward L. Pizzini; and 3.) Gender Differences in Science-Related Attitudes and Interests Among Middle School and High School Students by Elizabeth A. Desy, Scott A. Peterson and Vicky Brockman. Based on …show more content…
The Desy et al (2011) study consisted of 1299 students in middle school grades 6-8 and high school. The study took place at six different school districts in southwest Minnesota during the spring semester. A 50-item survey instrument was developed for this study. The study was broken into sections. The first section using 24 items requiring a Likert-Style response measured attitudes toward science. The remaining 26 items on the survey consisted of questions related to student’s interest in science, encouragement from adults, participation in science, their personal connections to science, perceived opportunities and demographic characteristics. The results provided are a general acknowledgement of the gender …show more content…
According to Desy et al. (2011) “The students in our study had relatively neutral attitudes toward science … These findings suggest that although most students neither enjoy nor have an interest in science, they nevertheless recognize the importance of science in today’s world” (p.27). Shepardson & Pizzini (1994) believed that when science is taught dynamically, student attitude toward science may be enhanced through positive student perception of science activities. This supports that students are building toward a respect of science. Detsy et al (2011) and Shepardson & Pizzini (1994) studied middle and high school students where change was measurable. Sorge (2007) conducted a study using elementary students and noted that “maturation of the subjects may also have played a role in the students change in attitude” (p.36). Bringing all the three studies together it is apparent that males gravitate more toward science. Desy et al. (2011) noted that “teachers are likely to play an important role influencing student attitudes toward science” (p.28). More research is needed that focuses specifically focusing on how gender of the teacher correlates with attitude and interest of the student toward
The following research synthesis is a comparative literature review of three studies about gender, achievement, and attitudes toward science. The subjects for the studies include elementary, middle and high school students from various areas in the United States. The research articles for the synthesis are: 1.) What happens? Relationship of Age and Gender with Science Attitudes from Elementary to Middle school by Carmen Sorge; 2.) Gender Achievement and Perception Toward Science Activities by Daniel P. Shepardson and Edward L. Pizzini; and 3.) Gender Differences in Science-Related Attitudes and Interests Among Middle School and High School Students by Elizabeth A. Desy, Scott A. Peterson and Vicky Brockman. Based on …show more content…
The Desy et al (2011) study consisted of 1299 students in middle school grades 6-8 and high school. The study took place at six different school districts in southwest Minnesota during the spring semester. A 50-item survey instrument was developed for this study. The study was broken into sections. The first section using 24 items requiring a Likert-Style response measured attitudes toward science. The remaining 26 items on the survey consisted of questions related to student’s interest in science, encouragement from adults, participation in science, their personal connections to science, perceived opportunities and demographic characteristics. The results provided are a general acknowledgement of the gender …show more content…
According to Desy et al. (2011) “The students in our study had relatively neutral attitudes toward science … These findings suggest that although most students neither enjoy nor have an interest in science, they nevertheless recognize the importance of science in today’s world” (p.27). Shepardson & Pizzini (1994) believed that when science is taught dynamically, student attitude toward science may be enhanced through positive student perception of science activities. This supports that students are building toward a respect of science. Detsy et al (2011) and Shepardson & Pizzini (1994) studied middle and high school students where change was measurable. Sorge (2007) conducted a study using elementary students and noted that “maturation of the subjects may also have played a role in the students change in attitude” (p.36). Bringing all the three studies together it is apparent that males gravitate more toward science. Desy et al. (2011) noted that “teachers are likely to play an important role influencing student attitudes toward science” (p.28). More research is needed that focuses specifically focusing on how gender of the teacher correlates with attitude and interest of the student toward