Boys significantly outnumber girls in the uptake of physics - in England, nearly 23,000 boys compared with 16,000 girls attempted GCSE physics and nearly three times as many boys were awarded physics A-level (2000 figures). The general conclusion of previous research cited by the authors, is that boys show more positive attitudes towards science, particularly physics, than girls. This cross-aged gender study from Scotland investigated whether negative attitudes towards studying physics is just the preserve of girls.
The researchers found that both boys' and girls' attitudes towards science, particularly physics, varied over time. They observed that the ups and downs in pupils' attitudes towards physics were related to the quality of the curriculum, the quality of the teacher and the perceived career benefits. The quality of the curriculum was strongly related to the extent to which pupils perceived the material being taught as related to their life style. This is consistent with similar concerns about the nature of the science curriculum in England where a recent report from the parliamentary science and technology committee suggested that the current GCSE curriculum fails to provide for the differing interests of boys and girls.
The findings of this study provide some insights into the ways in which pupils perceive and react to the physics part of the science curriculum and how it is presented. This information should help both those involved in designing new curricula and classroom teachers seeking to present the existing curriculum in new, more relevant ways.
Keywords
United Kingdom; Scotland; Secondary schools; Primary schools; GCSE; A level; Science; Gender; Boys; Girls; Pupils; Motivation; Attitudes; Key Stage 4
In Scotland, pupils transfer from primary to secondary school at age 12 years. Most pupils attend comprehensive schools. They follow a combined science course in the first two years of secondary school before opting for the two year Standard Grade physics course (GCSE equivalent). Pupils can then opt to pursue the one year Higher Grade course which determines entry to higher education.
The researchers set out to analyse the perceptions towards physics of boys and girls in different age groups and to explore the relationships between their:
Primary aged pupils were very motivated towards studying science. Over half of both boys and girls liked science lessons and enjoyed the subject, although boys found the lessons significantly more interesting.
There was an overall decline in attitudes towards science lessons on transfer to secondary school, which was more marked for girls. Compared with the boys, girls did not like science lessons or enjoy the subject, although they found science lessons as interesting as the boys. Boys regarded science as more important than the girls.
The deterioration in attitudes towards studying physics was halted for those who continued to study physics at Standard Grade Level (GCSE equivalent). Girls' attitudes improved particularly. Around half of both boys and girls liked science lessons and enjoyed the subject, and slightly less than half found the lessons interesting.
For those who continued with Higher Grade level there was a sharp drop in enjoyment of physics - for both girls and boys, although particularly for boys. Only a quarter of pupils enjoyed physics. Girls liked physics lessons more than boys and found them more interesting.
Primary aged pupils were very positive about their ability to cope with science. Girls and boys enjoyed practical work equally and three quarters of them found the subject easy, although girls felt they were learning more.
There was a marked decline in both boys' and girls' feelings about their ability to cope with science on transfer to secondary school. Girls' feelings were more negative than boys and significantly fewer girls thought physics was 'my subject' (15% of girls compared to 33% of boys) although they enjoyed practical work significantly more (72% of girls compared to 51% of boys).
For those pupils who chose to study for Standard Grade physics (GCSE equivalent), there was little difference between boys' and girls' feelings about their ability to cope with physics. Around half of all pupils felt they were coping well and three quarters of them enjoyed practical work. There was a marked increase in boys' feelings of physics as being 'my subject' over the two year course (from 36% to 57%), but few girls felt physics was 'my subject' (24%). All pupils' beliefs, but particularly the girls', about whether they felt they were 'learning new skills' improved considerably.
As with the Standard Grade course, around half of all pupils on the Higher Grade course felt they were coping well. However, there was a sharp drop in both boys' and girls' beliefs about obtaining new skills and enjoyment of practical work.
Primary school pupils demonstrated a strong desire to do science at secondary school. There was little difference between boys' and girls' intentions (96% of girls and 89% of boys).
Significantly fewer pupils in their second year at secondary school wanted to study science further than their younger peers. The trend was equally marked for boys and girls (66% of both boys and girls).
The pupils appeared to find the physics course at Standard Grade (GCSE equivalent) satisfying - there was a significant increase in the percentage of pupils who, by the end of the course, wished to study physics further, which was equally marked for boys and girls (92% of girls and 89% of boys).
There was little difference in the percentage of pupils expressing a desire to study at university - 86% of girls and 80% of boys wanted to go to university, with 13% of girls and 11% of boys wanting to study physics.
To gauge the interest of girls and boys in various physics topics, all pupils were asked to indicate all the topics they found interesting from a given list. Several marked gender differences in pupils' interest towards specific physics topics were found by the researchers:
The researchers commented that the end of lower secondary school is a critical time for choosing subjects. This makes the balance of topics an important feature of science education in these years.
Students' preferences towards physics activities, such as making equipment and problem solving, were also explored. In the younger classes, girls were generally much less positive about all physics activities than boys. However, in the older classes, girls showed similar interests to the boys for all the activities except they were significantly less interested than boys in doing practical work.
The researchers suggested that students' interest in physics revived in the Standard Grade course because the content was based on an applications led approach which engaged their interest. When students entered the Higher Grade course this enthusiasm diminished, they suggest, because the course was principles led rather than applications based. In addition, whilst the Standard Grade course is known to have an average difficulty level, the Higher Grade course is known to be very difficult.
Towards the end of the academic year questionnaires were completed by five samples of Scottish pupils, judged to be representative of the national population. The samples covered the whole of the 10-18 year age range, from primary science through to Higher Grade physics. The questionnaire was designed to explore pupils' perceptions of self, and their attitudes to, and interest in science lessons, particularly physics. Pupils' intentions of further studying science, particularly physics, were also investigated.
This cross-aged approach resulted in 'snapshots' of attitudes held by pupils simultaneously at different stages of schooling, enabling gender and age related comparisons to be made.
In completing this digest, the authors began to ask the following questions about implications for practitioners:
In completing this digest, the authors began to ask the following questions about implications for school leaders:
For examples of everyday situations to engage pupils interest in physics visit, http://www.physicscentral.com/news/news-02-1.html
An approach to engage pupils' interest in physics through comic book superheroes is described at: http://www.aip.org/pt/vol-55/iss-11/p29.html
For online resources for teaching physics, visit: http://www.ba.infn.it/www/didattica.html
Planet Jemma is a web site dedicated to providing resources and information designed to engage young girls' interest in science and encourage them to consider science as a career. http://www.planetjemma.com/
AWiSE is a British association concerned with equality issues for women in all sciences. It also provides information to women interested in a career in science and technology.
http://www.awise.org/
The Institute of Physics publishes information about strategies which are aimed at engaging girls’ interest in physics:
http://www.iop.org/search/results?source=All&querytext=Girls+and+physics&stem=1
A GTC Research of the Month summary based on Sukhnandan, L., Lee, B. and Kelleher, S. (2000) An Investigation into Gender Differences in Achievement, Phase 2: School and Classroom Strategies National Foundation for Educational Research can be found at: http://www.gtce.org.uk/PolicyAndResearch/research/ROMtopics