Learning biology and geology through a participative teaching approach: the effect on student attitudes towards science and academic performance

ABSTRACT

The investigation has demonstrated that the science teaching strategy employed moderates the interest of students in learning the subject, along with academic achievement. In this article we used a mixed method design in a sample of secondary education students (n = 57) to examine the effect of the participative teaching approach in attitudes towards science and student academic performance in the Biology and Geology subject. We also analysed the influence of student learning styles in their academic performance. The statistical results show that the participative methodology has a positive effect on attitude towards student attitudes towards science and academic performance; this finding has been triangulated with class observations and the vision of the teacher participating in the experience. Furthermore, we identified different significances between boys and girls in pre-test academic performance, which disappeared post-test. Despite this, in both measurements the boys showed greater interest in and enjoyment of science learning than the girls. Finally, we are able to conclude that academic performance is positively related to attitude towards science and with reflexive and theoretical learning styles.

KEYWORDS:

• Participatory learning
• attitude toward science
• academic performance
• learning styles
• science education
• mixed methods

Acknowledgement

This study has been made possible thanks to the participation of teacher R.M.D and the first year secondary education students from the “Álvarez Cubero” school. We also wish to thank the University of Granada, the Autonomous Government of Andalusia and the European Social Fund for awarding contract No. 6161 for contracting Young Research Personnel.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. A compulsory subject in the Spanish education system for the first year of secondary education, equivalent to seventh grade (12–13 years old).