Profiles of Hong Kong Student Science Attitudes and Its Associations With Gender and Science Achievements

• In Event: The Interplay Between and Consequences of Classroom Climate and Student Identity in STEM Contexts

Abstract

Using the TIMSS 2015 data, this study aimed to explore the profiles of science attitudes among Hong Kong eighth-grade students (N = 4138), and further to investigate how these attitudinal profiles were associated with gender and science achievement. Results of a latent profile analysis indicated five distinct profiles of science attitudes: (1) negative attitudes, particularly on perceived science competence; (2) negative attitudes, particularly on science instrumental value and engaging science teaching; (3) moderately positive science attitudes; (4) positive science attitudes; and (5) very positive science attitudes. Furthermore, boys had more positive science attitudes than girls, particularly on perceived competence and instrumental value. Science attitudes were positively associated with science achievements. Implications and limitations of the results are discussed.

Authors

• Yue Ma, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

• Huihui Ma