AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE BEHAVIOUR THAT HAMPERS SCIENTIFIC ATTITUDE IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

Science has its significant role in promoting quality of life either directly or indirectly. Science not only satisfies the usual needs for its inclusion as a subject in the curriculum such as intellectual, cultural, moral, aesthetic, utilitarian as well as vocational values, science learning provides training in scientific method and also helps to develop a scientific attitude of mind in the learner. The acquisition of the knowledge of scientific terms, principles and concepts, a clear understanding of them, the ability to use such knowledge indifferent situations in the life and in the development of skills should be the outcomes of teaching and learning of science. Moreover, the students should develop a proper attitude towards the study of science, besides appreciating the importance of science in human life and civilization. It also helps to improve their abilities and capacities in science. Scientific attitude is the most important outcome of science teaching. The scientific attitude is really a composite of a number of mental habits or of tendencies to react consistently in certain ways to a novel or problematic situations. These habits or tendencies include accuracy, intellectual honesty, open-mindedness, suspended judgment, criticalness and a habit of looking for the cause and effect relationship. It is a cognitive concept. Scientific attitude is also a complex behavioural aspect of science having so many characteristics and it can be attributed to many situations. Scientific attitudes are normally associated with the mental process of scientists. These habits are important in the everyday life and thinking not only for the scientist but for everyone. To develop scientific attitude, the teachers should always remember that without a questioning mind and a spirit of enquiry, studies in science will only mean acceptance of dogma and will never lead to development of scientific attitude in the learners. The students should be made to practice and observe science so that they get the opportunity to feel and develop the components of scientific attitude in their minds. Hence there is a felt need to study scientific attitude of secondary school students.

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This researcher sees scientific attitudes as the characteristics, traits or attributes of a good scientist. Helping to develop scientific attitudes in student should be an important task on the part of the science teachers, as learning should not lie solely on cognitive and psychomotive domains but also on the affective domains (scientific attitudes) of the students. Since the scientific attitudes of the students haven’t been directly assessed in the classroom by science teachers and not much study have been done to show the level of scientific attitudes among science students. Hence, this study is an attempt to investigate the scientific attitudes of science students in secondary schools

• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objectives of the study are;

1. To investigate the level of scientific attitudes possessed by science students in secondary schools
2. To find out if the level of scientific attitude of science students differ by sex
3. To find out the behavior that hampers scientific attitude in senior secondary school
   • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;

H₀: there is no the level of scientific attitudes possessed by science students in secondary schools

H₁: there is the level of scientific attitudes possessed by science students in secondary schools

H₀²: there is no behavior that hampers scientific attitude in senior secondary school

H₂: there is behavior that hampers scientific attitude in senior secondary school

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be very significant to students, ministry of education and the general public. The study will give a clear insight on an investigation into the behaviour that hampers scientific attitude in senior secondary school. The study will also serve as a reference to others researcher that will embark on this topic

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUD

The scope of the study covers an investigation into the behaviour that hampers scientific attitude in senior secondary school. The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

 ATTITUDE: a settled way of thinking or feeling about something

SCIENTIFIC: based on or characterized by the methods and principles of science.