Attitudes Towards Science: An Exploratory Survey of Pupils Preparing for National Examinations

Abstract

This article reports on the findings of a survey of attitudes towards science of Grade 7, Form 2 and Form 4 pupils preparing to sit the November 1991 national examinations in Zimbabwe. Six hundred and twenty seven pupils obtained by a two stage sampling procedure from Harare Region comprised the sample for the study. Attitudes towards science were significantly different at the .05 level between either grade seven or form two pupils and form four pupils with pupils at the. lower grade levels exhibiting significantly more favorable attitudes toward science compared to pupils at the higher grade level. Form 4pupils as a group had a slightly negative attitude towards science. Differences in attitudes towards science were not detected when pupils were grouped according to gender. Implications for science educators and for further research are discussed.