ERIC ED404134: Women’s Participation in Science Courses pdf

ERIC ED404134: Women’s Participation in Science Courses

More Book Details

Description of the Book:

In previous research, participation in science studies in senior secondary school has been related to background characteristics of students and to earlier achievements and interests. This paper reports an investigation of participation in courses in senior secondary schools in Australia which embody different science orientations. Two science-oriented course types were identified: (1) a physical science course type which included both physics and chemistry and was followed by 15 percent of students; and (2) a biological and other science course type which included two science subjects other than the physics and chemistry and was followed by nine percent of students. As a generalization, participation in a physical science course was most strongly shaped by earlier achievement in numeracy, interest in investigative activities, and gender. In comparison, participation in a biological and other science course was shaped by investigative interests, social, and curriculum influences. Among males, the influence of earlier achievement on physical science participation was independent of socioeconomic status.

Among females, earlier achievement influenced participation for those of higher socioeconomic background but not for those of lower socioeconomic background. This suggests that differences in social processes are operating and that conventional expectations regarding women in science still limit some females in senior secondary school. (Author/ZWH

• Creator/s: ERIC
• Date: 1994-04
• Year: 1994
• Book Topics/Themes: ERIC Archive, Academic Achievement, Educational Research, Equal Education, Foreign Countries, High Schools, Science Education, Sciences, Sex Differences, Socioeconomic Status, Womens Education, Ainley, John

An excerpt captured from the PDF book