Urban middle-school students' attitudes toward a defined science

• Published in: Science education (Salem, Mass.) Vol. 88; no. 2; pp. 197 - 222
• Main Authors: Zacharia, Zacharias, Calabrese Barton, Angela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.03.2004; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Wiley; Wiley Periodicals Inc
• Subjects: Curriculum subjects: programmes and methods; Educational sciences; Empirische Untersuchung; Exact and natural sciences; Interesse; Measures (Individuals); Middle School Students; Minority Groups; Naturwissenschaften; Negative Attitudes; Schüler; Science Education; Student Attitudes; Teaching methods; Urban Schools; White Students; Secondary School Student; Science; Urban Environment; Behaviour; Programme attitude; Ethnic Minority
• ISSN: 0036-8326; 1098-237X
• DOI: 10.1002/sce.10110

Recent studies have shown that urban students and students of color have exceptionally negative attitudes toward school science and their futures in that field as compared with white students and nonurban students. In this paper we summarize research findings on students' attitudes toward science. We note that most of the studies of students' attitudes toward science that have been conducted so far have measured students' attitudes against the backdrop of a generalized science. Thus, we develop a detailed argument for why science needs to be more clearly defined in attitude instruments. We report on our development of this instrument as well as our initial findings.