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Attitudes to science of pre-service primary teachers
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Type
Thesis
Author
Roy, S. Chandra
Supervisor
Diong, Cheong Hoong
Abstract
This study was designed to find out in the Singapore context the relationships between the academic background, understanding of science, scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching of pre-service primary teachers.
The sample comprised 233 pre-service teachers in the July 1985 Certificate in Education programme at the Institute of Education, Singapore. Three questionnaires were administered. Test on Understanding Science (TOUS) was selected to ascertain the understanding of science levels. The Scientific Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ) was used to assess scientific attitudes. The Attitudes to Science and Science Teaching Questionnaire (ASSTQ) was administered to assess opinions and reflections to science and science teaching.
This study was guided by two propositions. The first proposition investigated the relationships of the background of pre-service teachers on understanding of science, scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching. The second proposition investigated correlations between understanding of science, scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching.
The analyses of the data were partly inferential and partly descriptive. The main inferential statistics were the Pearson Product Moment Correlation and t-test comparison of means. Descriptive statistics involved frequency, percentages, means and standard deviations.
Based on the data collected, the analyses indicated low TOUS mean score of the study sample and relatively high mean scores for SAQ and ASSTQ. There were no significant differences in mean scores for understanding of science or scientific attitudes of pre-service teachers with 'A' level science background when compared to those with Arts or Commerce background. Significant differences were obtained only for attitudes to science and science teaching between the science and non-science 'A' level groups.
When the 'O' level backgrounds of the study population was examined, it was found that pre-service teachers with two or more pure science subjects at the 'O' level had a higher level of understanding of science, a more positive scientific attitude and more positive attitudes to science and science teaching as compared to pre-service teachers who did the non-pure science subjects, i.e. Human and Social Biology or General Science at 'O' levels.
Understanding of science was positively correlated with their scientific attitudes when the total study sample was considered. There were also positive correlations between their understanding of science and attitudes to science and science teaching and between scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching.
Correlational studies between the relationships of academic groups and the scores obtained in understanding of science, scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching showed significant correlations between the three variables only for pre-services teachers with Arts background. A similar trend was also detected among pre-service teachers who had offered Human and Social Biology or General Science at 'O' levels.
Pre-service teachers who had high mean scores for understanding of science recorded significantly high mean scores for scientific attitudes to science and science teaching. Likewise, those that received low acores for Test on Understanding Science also obtained significantly low scores for scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching.
The pattern identified in this study imply that some attention may be needed to introduce concepts necessary in understanding of science in the core area of the pre-service science teaching curriculum if large numbers of pre-service teachers with little or no pure science background are enrolled in the Certificate-in-Education programme. Alternatively, the entry requirement to the programme could have an additional criterion of having obtained a pass in a science subject other than Human and Social Biology or General Science at 'O' level.
This study also implied that there is a relationship between understanding of science and scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching. The understanding of science affects scientific attitudes and attitudinal levels of science and science teaching.
The sample comprised 233 pre-service teachers in the July 1985 Certificate in Education programme at the Institute of Education, Singapore. Three questionnaires were administered. Test on Understanding Science (TOUS) was selected to ascertain the understanding of science levels. The Scientific Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ) was used to assess scientific attitudes. The Attitudes to Science and Science Teaching Questionnaire (ASSTQ) was administered to assess opinions and reflections to science and science teaching.
This study was guided by two propositions. The first proposition investigated the relationships of the background of pre-service teachers on understanding of science, scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching. The second proposition investigated correlations between understanding of science, scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching.
The analyses of the data were partly inferential and partly descriptive. The main inferential statistics were the Pearson Product Moment Correlation and t-test comparison of means. Descriptive statistics involved frequency, percentages, means and standard deviations.
Based on the data collected, the analyses indicated low TOUS mean score of the study sample and relatively high mean scores for SAQ and ASSTQ. There were no significant differences in mean scores for understanding of science or scientific attitudes of pre-service teachers with 'A' level science background when compared to those with Arts or Commerce background. Significant differences were obtained only for attitudes to science and science teaching between the science and non-science 'A' level groups.
When the 'O' level backgrounds of the study population was examined, it was found that pre-service teachers with two or more pure science subjects at the 'O' level had a higher level of understanding of science, a more positive scientific attitude and more positive attitudes to science and science teaching as compared to pre-service teachers who did the non-pure science subjects, i.e. Human and Social Biology or General Science at 'O' levels.
Understanding of science was positively correlated with their scientific attitudes when the total study sample was considered. There were also positive correlations between their understanding of science and attitudes to science and science teaching and between scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching.
Correlational studies between the relationships of academic groups and the scores obtained in understanding of science, scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching showed significant correlations between the three variables only for pre-services teachers with Arts background. A similar trend was also detected among pre-service teachers who had offered Human and Social Biology or General Science at 'O' levels.
Pre-service teachers who had high mean scores for understanding of science recorded significantly high mean scores for scientific attitudes to science and science teaching. Likewise, those that received low acores for Test on Understanding Science also obtained significantly low scores for scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching.
The pattern identified in this study imply that some attention may be needed to introduce concepts necessary in understanding of science in the core area of the pre-service science teaching curriculum if large numbers of pre-service teachers with little or no pure science background are enrolled in the Certificate-in-Education programme. Alternatively, the entry requirement to the programme could have an additional criterion of having obtained a pass in a science subject other than Human and Social Biology or General Science at 'O' level.
This study also implied that there is a relationship between understanding of science and scientific attitudes and attitudes to science and science teaching. The understanding of science affects scientific attitudes and attitudinal levels of science and science teaching.
Date Issued
1987
Call Number
Q183.4.S5 Roy
Date Submitted
1987