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The construction of a questionnaire to evaluate the science orientedness of students' identities as learners from a cognitive perspective |
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| Authors: | Ruurd Taconis Lesley GM de Putter-Smits Steven Henry Perry J den Brok Douwe Beijaard |
| Institution: | 1. Eindhoven School of Education, Eindhoven University of Technology , Eindhoven, The Netherlands R.Taconis@tue.nl;3. Eindhoven School of Education, Eindhoven University of Technology , Eindhoven, The Netherlands;4. Eindhoven School of Education, Eindhoven University of Technology , Eindhoven, The Netherlands |
| Abstract: | Forming a science-oriented identity is considered a process underlying both interest and achievement in science education. A questionnaire is developed for describing “identities as learners” and evaluating their science orientedness. The instrument (k = 65) focuses on cognitive aspects. An internal coherence of .88 was found. Five subscales were defined that proved interrelated yet distinguishable. A pilot amongst 40 students from Dutch general secondary education showed that preferring science over non-science subjects and relatively high grades for sciences subjects were strongly correlated to science orientedness of the learner identity (rs = .65; p < .001). The results support the reliability and validity of the questionnaire but also point to the importance of identity as a central concept in studying science education. It is concluded that we made a promising step in constructing an instrument for monitoring the development of cognitive aspects of science-oriented identities during (innovative) science education. |
| Keywords: | identity cognitive science education |