The image of a scientist held by primary students in the junior years

Abstract

Research on children's image of a scientist shows that children hold a strong stereotypic image of a scientist as a male, wearing a lab coat having unruly hair and a beard or moustache, wearing spectacles and works in a laboratory as early as at the Junior years at primary level. The aim of this research is to provide more in-depth information about what the children in Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 really think about science and scientists. The main research involved a drawing exercise and a short questionnaire in conjunction with the DAST and an interview. The questionnaires and drawings were administered to ninety (90) students and the interviews were conducted with eighteen ( 18) students. The typical image depicted was that of a white elderly male working indoors mostly in a laboratory using test tubes and mixing liquids wearing a white coat and eyeglasses doing some sort of research. It was found that representations of female scientists by boys decreased through the years. From this study one would notice that different primary schools give different perceptions to scientists. The DAST may not be as reliable as one should expect since in this study a certain number of students did not keep their stereotype. Students' view of science and scientist can be improved by exposing students to real scientists of both genders.