Attitudes and achievement in chemistry : a longitudinal study

Abstract

This study attempted to investigate the factors that affect the students' attitudes towards Chemistry and analyse whether attitude varies with gender, school type and grade level. It also aimed to investigate whether the attitudes of students who study a subject from their own accord, by choosing it as option, differ from the attitudes of students that study a subject compulsorily. The study also considered the relationship between attitudes and achievement. The data for this research study were obtained mainly by means of questionnaires distributed to Form 3 Chemistry students when they had being studying Chemistry for eight months. The same students were given a similar questionnaire eight months later, when they were in Form 4. Some interviews with Chemistry students were also conducted. The results of the study revealed that various school and non-school factors affect students' attitudes, with some factors leaving a greater impact than others do. The students' attitudes did not vary significantly with gender, but they varied significantly with grade level and to a certain extent with school type. A very significant difference in attitude was revealed between students who study Chemistry as a compulsory subject and those who study it as an optional subject. A low to moderate correlation of 0.327 to 0.610 between attitudes and achievement was noted. These findings have relevant implications for Chemistry teaching, providing an insight into how teachers can be instrumental in enhancing positive attitudes towards Chemistry.