Comparison of attitudes and achievement in the sciences in single-gender and co-educational schools

Abstract

This study compares the attitudes of male and female students towards the three science subjects (Biology, Chemistry and Physics). This was investigated through a questionnaire to Form 4 students who attend single-gender and co-ed schools. The items in the questionnaire were taken, and adapted, from the international ROSE (Relevance of Science Education) study. The questionnaire was divided into two sections: ‘What I Want to Learn About’ and ‘My Science Classes’. The questionnaire responses were then analysed for any information regarding the effects of being in a mixed-gender or a co-ed school on the attitudes of students towards the three subjects. Maltese students studying all three sciences find their science classes relevant and are mostly interested in biology, followed by physics and chemistry. It was observed that differences in attitudes are often due to gender differences rather than on school type. The achievement in the three subjects was also investigated, based on gender and school type. Data of the general Secondary Education Certificate results of the past three years for the three subjects was considered. Female students coming from co-educational schools outperform their male peers, coming from the same school type as well as their male and female peers from different schools. Students achieve best in physics, followed by biology and chemistry. This data was then confronted with the attitudes towards the three subjects to determine whether there are any patterns with regards to students’ attitudes and examination achievement. In chemistry, the relation between attitudes and achievement was clear, however for the other two subjects, it seems that there were more factors in play.