Subject matter attributes and study interests in post-secondary education

MBA students rated their interests in eight subject areas and evaluated them in several aspects, such as logical appeal and contribution of perceived competence in a subject area due to self esteem. Affective reactions to the areas, and attitudes to grading and to surface vs depth learning were also measured. Interest was most strongly related to logical appeal of the subject area. LISREL modelling of the structure of the relationships showed that logical appeal, being intimately related to the contribution of competence to self esteem, occupied a central position. Interest was determined by several variables but had no further consequences in the model. Students who expressed a depth orientation to their work were more positive generally, more interested and invested more effort in their work.     

Separating Quantitative and Analytic Dimensions in the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (SweSAT)

The aim of the present study was to further investigate the properties of a “quantitative” factor previously identified in the “diagrams, tables and maps” subtest of SweSAT. The analyses were carried out with a structural equation modelling technique on the spring 1991 version of SweSAT with 19‐year‐old test takers and were replicated on four ensuing versions of the test (n?=?14,431–19,597). The “quantitative” factor was successfully separated from the analytic, problem‐solving dimension with regard to the first test, whereas the results of replications were somewhat less clear‐cut.     

Biology and Health Education

The Health Promoting Schools in Europe initiatives have highlighted the importance of health education in schools. Although health education is inter-disciplinary, biology teachers have an important role in teaching about health and in the formation of policy. Health education needs therefore to be part of initial teacher education programmes for those who are preparing to teach biology in secondary schools. Student teachers in England and Sweden have been involved in a pilot study that is investigating two aspects of teaching health education. The first element of the study has used questionnaires and small group discussions to explore biology student teachers’ perceptions of teaching about health as part of biology. In the second phase student teachers have been investigating secondary pupils’ understanding about aspects of health. In this paper we report on the initial findings and consider the implications of these results for the teaching of biology in secondary schools.