Development and Evaluation of the Preschool Family Attitudes and Beliefs towards Science Measure

• In Event: 2-075 - Engaging Young Learners in Science Both in and out of School

Integrative Statement

Although children are naturally curious and primed to explore their world starting at birth, there are already science achievement gaps present as early as kindergarten (Morgan, Farkas, Hillemeier, & Maczuga, 2016). This science achievement gap is even larger for children that come from economically disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds (Morgan et al., 2016; U.S. Department of Education, 2015). To date, much effort has been directed towards research and policy to better promote science in early childhood classrooms as well as provide more support and training to preschool educators in order to provide rich, meaningful science experiences for young children (Greenfield et al., 2009; Gropen, Kook, Hoisington, & Clark-Chiarelli, 2017; National Research Council, 2007). However, multiple policy reports from early childhood groups have stressed the powerful and unique position that parents have in building on their children’s natural interest in science and the need to develop a better understanding of parental perceptions of science in early childhood (McClure et al., 2017; Spaepen et al., 2017). Few studies have examined parents’ attitudes and beliefs towards science for their young children, especially within low-income families, partly due to the lack of measurement tools. The current study fills this gap in the early childhood field by (1) developing a self-report measure of preschool parents’ attitudes and beliefs towards science for their young children and (2) examining the psychometric properties of the measure using a sample of Head Start parents.
The measure development process for the current study included three focus groups with Head Start parents regarding their definition of science, general perceptions of science learning for young children, and how they engage in science with their children at home and in their community. An additional focus group with Head Start parents will be completed to obtain parent feedback on the clarity and appropriateness of survey items. Preliminary qualitative results from focus groups indicate parents varied in their definitions of science and types of science activities that they engaged in with their children. Results also suggest that although parents view science as important for their child, they indicated that time was the main barrier in their ability to support their child’s science learning. The presentation will also include quantitative analyses about preschool parents’ attitudes and beliefs towards science using the finalized measure in a sample of Head Start parents. Results from the parent focus groups and surveys will be discussed in terms of implications for interventions around parental support for early science learning.

Authors

• Elica B Sharifnia, University of Miami
  Presenting Author

• Daryl Greenfield, University of Miami
  Non-Presenting Author