The Effects of Instruction on Science Students' Socio-Cultural Attitudes and Achievement

ABSTRACT

This study investigated whether instruction through the socio-cultural mode had any effect on students' attitude towards and achievement in science. The sample consisted of 600 students (442 boys, 158 girls) at the Senior Year One level from 15 selected secondary schools in Nigeria. The Socio-Cultural Environment Scale (SCES) and a Biology Achievement Test (BAT) were used to measure attitudes and achievement in biology during a six-week instructional treatment. The results indicated that instruction in science which deliberately encompassed the discussion of socio-cultural views about science concepts engendered achievement in science. The instructional method was equally effective for boys and girls in terms of the socio-cultural attitudes, but boys benefited more than girls from the treatment in terms of achievement.

The findings also suggest that a harmonious coexistence could be found for both the anthropomorphic and mechanistic views in such a way as to promote positive attitude towards the study of science in tradition cultures.

Keywords::

• Science achievement
• instruction
• attitudes
• gender difference