Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Theses
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Theses
    • View Item

    Ethnic minority science students in New Zealand : attitudes and learning environments

    9832_Lightburn, Millard 1999.pdf (7.431Mb)
    Access Status
    Open access
    Authors
    Lillis, David A.
    Date
    1999
    Supervisor
    Professor Darrell Fisher
    Type
    Thesis
    Award
    PhD
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    School
    Science and Mathematics Education Centre
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/949
    Collection
    • Curtin Theses
    Abstract

    This thesis describes a study of the attitudes towards science and learning environments among junior secondary school science students in New Zealand, focussing particularly on Maori and Pacific Island students. The rationale for the research was that ethnic minority group students often experience difficulties in adapting to modern science education. The study was restricted to forms three, four and five of the New Zealand education system in order to focus attention primarily on the development of recommendations for enhancement of science education outcomes which relate to the early years of science education.The study aimed to investigate student attitudes towards science and their perceptions of their learning environments by using questionnaire surveys and interviews in order to produce complementary information about students' attitudes and perceptions. The study produced some unexpected findings. For example, Maori and Pacific Island students displayed more positive attitudes towards science than others, and female students displayed more positive attitudes than males. These findings contradict those of many previous studies.The findings of the study are used to provide input to the development of recommendations for the enhancement of educational outcomes for all students, but especially for ethnic minority students in science.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Evaluation of anthropometry activities for high school science: student outcomes and classroom environment
      Lightburn, Millard E. (2002)
      The study involved the evaluation of anthropometric activities for high school science. The activities actively engaged students in the process of gathering, processing and analyzing data derived from human body measurements, ...
    • A precollege engineering program’s effects on the grade eight minority students’ attitudes and achievement in science and mathematics
      Rosales, Ava Dawn Innerarity (2009)
      The National Science Board has declared that the production of citizens literate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is at an all time low in the United States. Schools are not sufficiently preparing ...
    • The Effect of Cooperative Group Work and Assessment on the Attitudes of Students towards Science in New Zealand
      Lowe, John Paul (2004)
      The improvement of secondary-level students’ attitude to science is encouraged in the New Zealand curriculum document. It is also noteworthy that employers in scientific institutions and commercial organisations place ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.