Adolescents' images of science

The purpose in this study was to examine the important role of adolescents' attitudes toward science, achievement in the school subject, perceptions of those in science careers and how these factors influence interest in a science career. In the past decade, research has emphasized the lack of student achievement and participation in school science and the decreasing proportion of youth recruited to future science and technology fields. The Science Image Survey described 350 freshmen high school students' attitudes toward school science, scientists and future science career interest measured by Likert-type and semantic differential scales. A framework of research on school learning and attitudes provided a perspective for this study. The results indicated that in terms of three-factor space, students rated images of a biologist, chemist and computer scientist as different. Students perceived scientists' images as significantly different from their self images. Previous science grades, science interest and current scientists' images significantly predicted between 30 to 38 percent of the variance in future science career interest. Overall, students expressed favorable perceptions of science and scientists. Findings suggest that an educational intervention program, designed to modify or improve adolescents' perceptions of science by using scientists as role models in the classroom, might increase adolescents' participation in science study and work.