Gender and Developmental Differences in Attitudes toward Science between Grade 7 and Grade 9 Pupils

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating gender differences in attitudes toward science in Ghanaian schools. It also attempted to study developmental differences in attitudes toward science between pupils when they were in grade 7 and when they got to grade 9 two years after. A stratified random sample (N=248) was obtained and studied using gender and grade level variables as independent ones and the attitude to science as the dependent variable. T-test was employed in data analysis at 0.05 level of significance. The results reflected clearly that female pupils in both grade 7 and grade 9 expressed positive attitude toward science. However, male pupils in both grade 7 and grade 9 expressed higher positive attitude toward science than the female pupils. Regarding whether there were developmental differences in attitude toward science between the pupils when they were in grade 7 and when they got to grade 9, the findings indicated no significant differences. The fact that the females expressed positive attitudes toward science is an indication that when classroom environments are made conducive to both boys and girls, and girls are frequently exposed to women role models, more girls will take up to study science at the higher levels.

African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences Vol. 9, 2011