Download - Kalle Juuti
To choose or not to choose – is there anything interesting: Finnish girls’ and boys’ opinions about physics
Kalle Juuti
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 2
::
16.5.2004
Background
Increasing the number of people in non-traditional occupations
has been seen as a way to develop a more equal society.
There are few girls in technical and science-related occupations,
but more qualified personnel are needed
Pupils’ opinions or benchmarking?
Two surveys:
• Reasons to choose
• Interest in context
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 3
::
16.5.2004
Predictors for the choice of scienceFuture relevance (future studies or occupation)
Interest in the contents of science subjects
Interest in a context where certain science domain is met
Interest in an activity type of students or method of
studying subject or teaching methods used
Achievement
Difficulty and appreciation of the topic
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 4
::
16.5.2004
Research questions
1. How interested are pupils in studying physics in this
context?
2. How do boys’ and girls’ interests to study physics differ
in this context?
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 5
::
16.5.2004
Methods for questions 1 and 2
• Survey, Finnish secondary schools, 3626 pupils, age
15,
• Pupils were asked to state: “How interested are you in
learning about the following?” Items were four-scaled
from not interested to very interested. Altogether, there
were 35 items probing interest.
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 6
::
16.5.2004
Contexts• Ideal science context: “Linear and circular motion caused by forces”
• Science and technology in society context: “Traffic safety (acceleration and braking)”
• Technical application context: “Forces acting in bridges, and building and planning of structures”
• Human being context: “Forces acting in muscles when using them in sports”
• Investigation context: “Studying linear and circular motion and how they are caused by different forces”
• Technology, design and construction context: “Making a mechanical toy, like a balancing object”
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 7
::
16.5.2004
Context sum variable
If a respondent stated not interested for every context item,
he or she gave the sum variable score 1, and if a
respondent stated very interested in every item, he or
she gave the sum variable score 4
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 8
::
16.5.2004
Ideal science context
Interest score
4,003,002,001,00
Co
un
t
300
200
100
0
girl or boy
girl
boy
Meansg: 1.72b: 2.20
moderate
effect
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 9
::
16.5.2004
Science and technology in society
Interest score
4,003,002,001,00
Co
un
t
300
200
100
0
girl or boy
girl
boy
moderate effect
meansg: 2.02B: 2.33
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 10
::
16.5.2004
Technology application
Interest score
4,003,503,002,502,001,501,00
Co
un
t
300
200
100
0
girl or boy
girl
boy
Meansg: 1.87b: 2.4
large effect
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 11
::
16.5.2004
Human being context
Interest score
4,003,002,001,00
Co
un
t
300
200
100
0
girl or boy
girl
boy
no effect betweenboys and girls
interest
meansg: 2.24b: 2.20
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 12
::
16.5.2004
Investigations
Interest score
4,003,002,001,00
Co
un
t
300
200
100
0
girl or boy
girl
boy
meansg: 1.97B 2.15
small effect
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 13
::
16.5.2004
Technology design and construction
Interest score
4,003,002,001,00
Co
un
t
300
200
100
0
girl or boy
girl
boy
meansg: 1.86b: 2.17
small effect
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 14
::
16.5.2004
Discussion
• Girls responded very sensitively to a change of context
• Textbooks: ideal “bodies” moving, warming up, or absorbing radiation. Textbook examples are typically technical applications
• Boys found technical application most interesting context largest gender difference
• Girls found human being most interestin context no gender difference
IMPLICATION FOR TEACHING
the measurement of physiological processes of the human body
with technical applications
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 15
::
16.5.2004
Research questions
3. How important the reason to reject or choose physic is?
4. How do boys’ and girls’ opinions of importance differ in
this reason?
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 16
::
16.5.2004
Methods for questions 3 and 4
Survey, Finnish upper secondary school students (N=
2934), age 17
Students were asked to answer questions for rejecters’ or
for choosers’ items.
Items were five-scaled from not important reason to very
important reason.
Altogether, there were 16 items probing choosing and 19
items probing rejecting physics.
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 17
::
16.5.2004
Reasons to reject physics, examples of items• ”My future studies do not require physics”
• ”I am not competent in physics”
• ”Content in physic is too masculine”
• ”Negative message from media”
• ”Mother or another female relative have negative opinion” about physics studies”
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 18
::
16.5.2004
Reasons to reject physics
small effect
Moderate effect
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 19
::
16.5.2004
reasons to choose physics, examples of items• ”Physics is useful in my future occupation”
• ”Physics is interesting subject”
• ”I am talented in physics”
• ”Positive attitude of my friends (e.g. my friend choose too)”
• ”Physics teacher supported to choose”
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 20
::
16.5.2004
Reasons to choose physics
small effect
: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 21
::
16.5.2004
Discussion 2
• Role of parents, counselling, media etc. are viewed
small
• Small gender differences, especially in group of
choosers
• Future relevance most important reason
• Reasoning or justifying choises…
IMPLICATIONSInforming pupils about future relevance
Help pupils to be aware of actors influencing their choices