January 2012 Volume 15 Number 1 - Educational Technology ...

Gömleksiz, M. N. (2012). Elementary School Students' Perceptions of the New Science and Technology Curriculum by Gender.
Educational Technology & Society, 15 (1), 116–126.
Elementary School Students’ Perceptions of the New Science and Technology
Curriculum by Gender
Mehmet Nuri Gömleksiz
Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey //
nurigomleksiz@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to explore students’ perceptions of science and technology classes by gender in a
Turkish elementary school context. Data for the study were collected through a 20-item, five-point Likert scale
from a total of 1558 sixth-grade students at 20 different elementary schools in Turkey. The independent groups’
t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze the data. Statistically significant differences were observed
in the gender of the students. Male students considered learning science and technology more necessary and
important than female students did. They also found learning environment and teaching strategies more
sufficient and effective than females did. Findings revealed that male students were not satisfied with what the
teachers practised in science classrooms. Additionally, some useful implications are discussed based on the
research findings to construct and conduct science and technology classes effectively.
Keywords
Elementary schools, gender, science teaching, science curriculum, Science education, technology education
Theoretical framework and background of study
In Turkey, curriculum development activities started with the foundation of the Modern Turkish Republic in 1923.
Reforms of many curricula have been developed and implemented at schools so far (Gozutok, 2003; Basar, 2004;
Babadogan & Olkun, 2006). Turkey has always made major reforms in the area of curriculum development at the
elementary school level to improve the quality of education, and a new elementary school curriculum, including
science and technology, has been completely changed and implemented nationwide starting with the 2005–2006
academic year. These changes included both the name and the content of the science courses, and “science
education” was changed to “science education and technology” (Turkmen, 2006).
The aim of the new science and technology curriculum is to provide a student-centered learning environment based
on a cognitive and constructivist learning approach instead of on a rigid and strict behavioral approach. The
principles of multiple intelligences and active learning based on individual differences have also been adopted with
the new science and technology curriculum. Students are expected to gain the following skills that they previously
lacked: critical and creative thinking, communication, scientific research, problem solving, using information
technologies, and entrepreneurship. Students are also expected to become science and technology literate with the
new science and technology curriculum. They are required to understand the basic concepts of science and
technology and to relate technological and scientific knowledge to each other and to the world outside the school.
The increasingly complex changes in the nature and amount of knowledge and demands in the field of science and
technology necessitate an understanding of how students perceive science and technology classes in terms of their
gender. Differences in perceptions of science and technology between boys and girls have been examined by many
scholars (Kahle, 1983; Raat & de Vries, 1985; Baker, 1987; Collis & Williams, 1987; Kurth, 1987; Piburn & Baker,
1989; Bame, Dugger, de Vries & McBee, 1993; Weinburgh, 1995; Speering & Rennie, 1996; Baker, 1998; Francis &
Greer, 1999; Udo, Ramsey, & Mallow, 2005; Ogunjuyigbe, Ojofeitimi, & Akinlo, 2006). The studies have reported
that male students have greater interest and achievement than female students in science and technology.
Specifically, Boser, Palmer, and Daugherty, (1998) reported that female students consistently perceived technology
to be less interesting than male students did. In other related studies, Jewett (1996) and Silverman and Pritchard
(1993) found that technology, mathematics, and science are still considered nontraditional areas for females and that
some societal perceptions and expectations contribute to women’s reduced interest in these fields. In fact, the most
striking difference between males and females in science is not in achievement or in opportunities to learn, but in
confidence. Even when females have similar exposure to courses and a similar achievement level, they are less
confident in their ability, feel less prepared, and lack interest in science and technology (Lundeberg, Fox, &
Puncochar, 1994; Sax, 1995; Seymour & Hewitt, 1997).The results of several studies show that the overall trend for
male students’ perceptions about the utility, necessity, and importance of science and technology is positive (Kahle
& Lakes, 1983; Erickson & Erickson, 1984; Johnson, 1987; Meyer & Koehler, 1990; Erickson & Farkas, 1991;
Greenfield, 1997; Jovanovich & King, 1998; Spall, Barrett, Stanistreet, Dickson & Boyles, 2003). This means that
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