ERIC Number: EJ1163569
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Jan
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-8326
EISSN: N/A
Using Q Methodology to Investigate Undergraduate Students' Attitudes toward the Geosciences
Young, Julia M.; Shepardson, Daniel P.
Science Education, v102 n1 p195-214 Jan 2018
Undergraduate students have different attitudes toward the geosciences, but few studies have investigated these attitudes using Q methodology. Q methodology allows the researcher to identify more detailed reasons for students' attitudes toward geology than Likert methodology. Thus this study used Q methodology to investigate the attitudes that 15 undergraduate students had toward the geosciences. Three different groups of undergraduates were sampled: geoscience majors, science majors, and nonscience majors. Three distinct perspectives emerged from the analysis: (1) knowledge-based outlook, (2) class isolated knowledge, and (3) specific geoscientific interests. Even though all students see value and importance in learning geoscience concepts, several students suggested that a better connection of the geosciences to their everyday lives would improve their attitude toward geology.
Descriptors: Student Attitudes, Science Education, Earth Science, Geology, Undergraduate Students, Majors (Students), Nonmajors, Likert Scales, Knowledge Level, Science Interests, Q Methodology
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A