Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Klop, Tanja
• Severiens, Sabine E.
• Knippels, Marie-Christine P. J.
• van Mil, Marc H. W.
• Ten Dam, Geert T. M.

Titel

Effects of a Science Education Module on Attitudes towards Modern Biotechnology of Secondary School Students

Ist Teil von

• International journal of science education, 2010-06, Vol.32 (9), p.1127-1150

Ort / Verlag

London: Routledge

Erscheinungsjahr

2010

Quelle

ERIC

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• This article evaluated the impact of a four-lesson science module on the attitudes of secondary school students. This science module (on cancer and modern biotechnology) utilises several design principles, related to a social constructivist perspective on learning. The expectation was that the module would help students become more articulate in this particular field. In a quasi-experimental design (experimental-, control groups, and pre- and post-tests), secondary school students' attitudes (N = 365) towards modern biotechnology were measured by a questionnaire. Data were analysed using Chi-square tests. Significant differences were obtained between the control and experimental conditions. Results showed that the science module had a significant effect on attitudes, although predominantly towards a more supportive and not towards a more critical stance. It is discussed that offering a science module of this kind can indeed encourage students to become more aware of modern biotechnology, although promoting a more critical attitude towards modern biotechnology should receive more attention.