Relationships between the Availability and Use of Science Equipment and Attitudes to both Science and Sources of Scientific Information in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

The influence of both teacher and pupil use of science equipment on pupils’ attitudes to science within third and fourth forms (aged mainly 14 to 15 years) was examined in Nigerian schools. It was found that schools making good use of laboratory equipment inculcated more favourable attitudes to ‘scientific inquiry’ and ‘scientists/normality of scientists’ with both boys and girls than schools making less use of such equipment. With girls additional significant associations with the degree of use of science equipment occurred with the following attitude dimensions, namely, ‘social implications of science’, leisure interests in science’, ‘objectivity in science’ and ‘practical work’. Thus schools making considerable use of science equipment, particularly with girls, were associated with more positive attitudes to many aspects of science.