Attitudes of secondary school students towards doing research and design activities

Journal article (2018)

Authors

T.E. Vossen Science Education and Communication - AS , Universiteit Leiden
Ineke Henze Science Education and Communication - AS
R. C.A. Rippe Universiteit Leiden
J. H. Van Driel Universiteit Leiden, University of Melbourne
M.J. de Vries Ethics & Philosophy of Technology - TPM , Science Education and Communication - AS
Research Group
Science Education and Communication (AS) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2018 T.E. Vossen, Ineke Henze, R. C.A. Rippe, J. H. Van Driel, M.J. de Vries
DOI
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https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2018.1494395
STEM Secondary school Design activities Research activities Student attitudes
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Published Date

2018

Language

English

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Faculty

Applied Sciences

Department

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Research Group

Science Education and Communication

Abstract

Research and design activities are often employed in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) education. This study aims to examine students’ attitudes towards doing research and design activities in secondary school, among two groups of students: (1) students that take the quite recently introduced Dutch subject O&O (research & design), in which students perform authentic research and design projects related to STEM disciplines; and (2) students that do not take O&O. The subject O&O is only taught at a limited number of certified, so called ‘Technasium’, schools. A questionnaire, developed by the authors, was completed by 1625 students from Grades 8 and 11. Unlike previous studies on student attitudes, which usually use abstract concepts like ‘science’ or ‘technology’, the questionnaire used in this study contains active verbs to characterise research and design activities. The results showed that, in general, students who took the subject O&O had more positive attitudes towards doing research and design activities than regular students. Both student groups appeared to find doing design activities more enjoyable than doing research activities. The results of this study provide useful information for teachers as well as teacher educators about the existing attitudes of students, for example their preference for design projects over research projects.