To choose or not to choose – is there anything interesting: Finnish girls’ and boys’ opinions about physics Kalle Juuti

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 2 :: Background Increasing the number of people in non-traditional occupations has been seen as a way to develop a more equal society. There are few girls in technical and science-related occupations, but more qualified personnel are needed Pupils’ opinions or benchmarking? Two surveys: Reasons to choose Interest in context

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 3 :: Predictors for the choice of science Future relevance (future studies or occupation) Interest in the contents of science subjects Interest in a context where certain science domain is met Interest in an activity type of students or method of studying subject or teaching methods used Achievement Difficulty and appreciation of the topic

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 4 :: Research questions 1.How interested are pupils in studying physics in this context? 2.How do boys’ and girls’ interests to study physics differ in this context?

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 5 :: Methods for questions 1 and 2 Survey, Finnish secondary schools, 3626 pupils, age 15, Pupils were asked to state: “How interested are you in learning about the following?” Items were four-scaled from not interested to very interested. Altogether, there were 35 items probing interest.

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 6 :: Contexts Ideal science context: “Linear and circular motion caused by forces” Science and technology in society context: “Traffic safety (acceleration and braking)” Technical application context: “Forces acting in bridges, and building and planning of structures” Human being context: “Forces acting in muscles when using them in sports” Investigation context: “Studying linear and circular motion and how they are caused by different forces” Technology, design and construction context: “Making a mechanical toy, like a balancing object”

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 7 :: Context sum variable If a respondent stated not interested for every context item, he or she gave the sum variable score 1, and if a respondent stated very interested in every item, he or she gave the sum variable score 4

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 8 :: Ideal science context Means g: 1.72 b: 2.20 moderate effect

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 9 :: Science and technology in society moderate effect means g: 2.02 B: 2.33

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 10 :: Technology application Means g: 1.87 b: 2.4 large effect

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 11 :: Human being context no effect between boys and girls interest means g: 2.24 b: 2.20

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 12 :: Investigations means g: 1.97 B 2.15 small effect

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 13 :: Technology design and construction means g: 1.86 b: 2.17 small effect

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 14 :: Discussion Girls responded very sensitively to a change of context Textbooks: ideal “bodies” moving, warming up, or absorbing radiation. Textbook examples are typically technical applications Boys found technical application most interesting context  largest gender difference Girls found human being most interestin context  no gender difference IMPLICATION FOR TEACHING the measurement of physiological processes of the human body with technical applications

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 15 :: Research questions 3.How important the reason to reject or choose physic is? 4.How do boys’ and girls’ opinions of importance differ in this reason?

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 16 :: Methods for questions 3 and 4 Survey, Finnish upper secondary school students (N= 2934), age 17 Students were asked to answer questions for rejecters’ or for choosers’ items. Items were five-scaled from not important reason to very important reason. Altogether, there were 16 items probing choosing and 19 items probing rejecting physics.

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 17 :: Reasons to reject physics, examples of items ”My future studies do not require physics” ”I am not competent in physics” ”Content in physic is too masculine” ”Negative message from media” ”Mother or another female relative have negative opinion” about physics studies”

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 18 :: Reasons to reject physics small effect Moderate effect

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 19 :: reasons to choose physics, examples of items ”Physics is useful in my future occupation” ”Physics is interesting subject” ”I am talented in physics” ”Positive attitude of my friends (e.g. my friend choose too)” ”Physics teacher supported to choose”

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 20 :: Reasons to choose physics small effect

: : Kalle Juuti : : : : Sivu 21 :: Discussion 2 Role of parents, counselling, media etc. are viewed small Small gender differences, especially in group of choosers Future relevance most important reason Reasoning or justifying choises… IMPLICATIONS Informing pupils about future relevance Help pupils to be aware of actors influencing their choices