Exploring Students’ Attitudes toward Science and Course Engagement as Predictors of Science Literacy

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

2022

Abstract

Studies are limited that investigate the relationship of students’ attitudes toward science and their engagement in the teaching-learning process to science literacy in a higher education setting and within the context of a pandemic. Hence, this cross-sectional, correlational study seeks to determine if (1) students’ attitudes toward science are significantly related to science literacy; (2) student course engagement is significantly related to science literacy; (3) students’ attitudes toward science and their course engagement are significant predictors of science literacy. 67 undergraduate students taking the mandated Science, Technology, and Society during the second semester of the academic year 2020 to 2021 in an institution of Jesuit higher education in the Philippines were surveyed in this study. Results revealed that 1) there is a positive moderate relationship between students’ attitudes toward science and science literacy (p < 0.001); 2) there exists a positive strong relationship between student course engagement and science literacy (p < 0.001); 3) both students’ attitudes toward science (p = 0.02) and their course engagement (p < 0.001) are significant predictors of science literacy. Such results can be helpful in (re)designing science education in a higher education setting and within the context of a pandemic.

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