Attitude and belief towards biology and their effect on students achievement

Science, as an important area of education, remained and served as basic requirement of every society. The study and exploration of science has and might,  still be an important component for our global future. it’s universally recognized and accepted by science educator that focus must even be directed towards preparing people to use science and technology to spice up their lives and to manage changes happening within the planet around them. in keeping with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) outlook for the next world isn’t possible without literate a science population (AAAS, 1990).

Science education may be a vicinity of professional education, including facilities, curriculum and teacher education as these relate to education in science (Good, 1973). Science education is vital for the research and development in science and science related careers. Education of field of study and its allied fields determines the economic destiny of the nations (Iqbal, 1997). Attitude could also be a general and enduring positive and negative feelings towards science (Koballa & crawlery, 1985).

 

Framework of Values and Beliefs

Attittudes arise from an inner framework of values and beliefs , developed over time (Davenport & prusak, 2000).beliefs id the condition within which a private holds a proposition or premise to be true (Schwitzgebel, 2006).proponents of adult learning state that so on attain competence and excellence, one must be able to teach and assess not only knowledge and skills but also attitudes. to undertake to to the present we’ve to be able to identify core values and beliefs systems that underpin attitudes (Davenport & prusak, 2000).

Many factors can influence person attitudes, including previous experiences and social influences (cracker, 2006). in line with (Nasr & Soltani, 2011) there are many factors that influence attitudes and achievement among adolescents. variety of the factors are associated with parental background and family environment. Other factors relate to individual characteristics like self-concept, locus of control, and achievement motivation. Still other variables are associated with school influences like class climate, teachers, and administrative style.

Components in their measure of attitudes

To keep with Osborne et al (2003), studies have incorporated a spread of components in their measure of attitudes to science studies including; the perception of the science teacher; anxiety toward sciences; the values of science; self-esteem at science; motivation towards science; enjoyment of science; attitudes of peers and friends towards science; attitudes of fogeys towards science; the character of the classroom environment; achievement in science; and fear of failure on track. A student’s attitude towards a selected discipline may affect his or her motivation to excel (Osborne et al, 2003). it is also has been suggested that students’ expectations and beliefs influence their study strategies and are related to their conceptual development.

As per Osborne et al (2003), Studies have incorporated a range of components in their measures of attitudes to science including: the perception of the science teacher; anxiety toward science; the value of science; self-esteem at science; motivation towards science; enjoyment of science; attitudes of peers and friends towards science; attitudes of folks towards science; the character of the classroom environment; achievement in science; and fear of failure on target. per him the term scientific attitude encompasses the talents and is linked to need the charge of practical work. Moreover, it’s related to the methodology or sorts of thinking of somebody. On the other hand, attitude towards science are the notions and pictures created within the minds of learners by interacting directly with multiple situations.

Webster and Fisher

Webster and Fisher conducted a study which strengthened the notion that students’ achievements within the sphere of science were linked with their attitudes towards science. within the identical way, Cavallo and Laubach considered course enrolment as a component working behind the student’s attitude toward science. In some ways, it (science) can safely be said, “the savior of mankind”. because the association between attitudes and learning recently has become more clear new instruments and methods to measure the impact of courses on students’ attitudes are developed (Baldwin et al. 1999; Coll et al. 2002; Quinnell et al, 2005; Adams et al.

The research is to research the link between students’ attitude and their achievement was initially focuses greatly on science generally (Dawson, 2000) and fewer attention was addressed to particular disciplines like biology, physics or chemistry (Salta & Tzougraki, 2004). this may partly cover-up students attitude because science isn’t viewed as homogenous subject (Spall et al., 2003). After realizing this aspect, recently there are many studies that investigated the attitude of students’ towards a selected science discipline like physics, chemistry or biology.

Therefore so as to facilitate learning, it’s important that educators familiarize themselves with students’ attitude, beliefs and associated behaviors (e.g. efforts, reasoning and problem solving skills) likewise because the factors that will influence students’ attitude and beliefs (Birol &Hansen, 2010).that’s why; add the demesne of students’ attitudes and beliefs toward science  motivated by the will to extend interest, performance. Student retention in science (third international mathematics and science study, 2001). Another reason to increase research on scientific attitude is that attitudes and beliefs are a part of “cognition” itself (Schoenfeld, 1985).

Global scientific and Technological growth

Statement of the matter With global scientific and technological growth occurring rapidly, declining student interest in science courses and careers may be a worldwide concern that has prompted science education reform efforts on a world scale (Nasr & Sultani, 2011). the belief that the scholars will acquire positive attitude towards science as they learn more science isn’t any longer valid (Rogers & Ford, 1997).Students prefer and show interest in computer and other technological subjects than biology at secondary level. That’s why the most purpose of this research to analyze the link between attitudes and beliefs towards science in biology courses. Its effect on biology students’ achievement Objective of the study.

The objective of the study are following to:

• Find out the middle school biology students’ attitude and beliefs towards biology.
• Identify the role of demographic factors (age, gender, school type, fathers’ and mothers’ qualification, income, occupation) on lyceum biology students’ beliefs towards biology.
• Investigate the connection between school biology students’ attitude towards biology and its effects on students’ achievement.
• Investigate the connection between Gymnasium biology students’ beliefs towards biology and its effects on students’ achievement.
• Find out the connection between school biology students’ attitude and beliefs towards biology. Research question
• Is there any relationship of lyceum biology students’ attitude and beliefs towards biology?
• If there is any role of demographic factors (age, gender, school type, fathers’ and mothers’ qualification, income, occupation) on Gymnasium biology students’ beliefs towards biology?
• Is there any relationship between school biology students’ attitude towards biology and its effects on students’ achievement.
• If there is relationship between Gymnasium biology students’ beliefs towards biology and its effects on students’ achievement?
• What is that the difference between lyceum biology students’ attitude and beliefs towards biology and its effect on student achievement?

Significance of the study

Significance of the study a big amount of research in science education is dedicated to understanding ways we will improve the standard of science education and increase enrolment in science courses and degrees. one in every of the key factors in learning science is students’ attitude and therefore the development of positive attitudes towards science, which might motivate students’ interest in science education and science –related careers (Nasr & soltani, 2011, p. 100). Attitudes considered the sum of beliefs (Ajzen, 1991).

It means the attitude is that the outcome of a person’s beliefs. Therefore the attitude of a student towards an issue depends upon the beliefs of the scholars towards the topic. According to propkop, Tuncer and Chuda (2007) students’ attitudes towards science significantly alter their achievement in science. Therefore identification and influence of attitudes became to be an important a part of the academic research.

Research in students’ attitudes towards science

Research in students’ attitudes towards science often involves science normally, but particular disciplines like biology or chemistry  overlooked (propkop. Tuncer & Chuda, 2007).Likewise, Ekici, Fettahlioglu, Çibik (2012) said that: one amongst the first purposes f the education system is to say the individual who are more conscious towards environment, like and protect the character and individuals’ awareness is additionally at a high level. to extend this awareness of the subject of biology should be learned and applied to life at the first ages Because science of biology both bears information for creating the human life better and has great significance in understanding all the creatures including human.

In this context, discipline of biology among sciences includes all the themes related to the entire creatures (p. 39). Nasr and Soltani (2011) said that, attitudes and beliefs towards science affects course and career choices of scholars.  It’s important to look at its different aspects and reinforce weak aspects through designing different educational programs. Biology as a crucial branch of science plays a considerable role in attitude towards biology. The researcher reviewed the related literature about students’ beliefs towards biology and located.  That there are many research studies about students’ and teachers’ beliefs towards physics and chemistry.

So this study are going to be particularly important as an initiative to explore students’ beliefs towards biology. The current study was to know and measure the attitude and also the beliefs of the scholars towards biology. Their effect assessed on their achievement. Limitation of the study

• There was little cooperation from the varsity administration.
• Some students weren’t taking interest to filling questionnaire.