CORRELATION BETWEEN SCIENCE ANXIETY AND CHOICE OF SUBJECT AMONG JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53555/nnssh.v8i8.1353Keywords:
science anxiety, choice of subject, students, junior secondaryAbstract
Previous research has underscored the critical role of science anxiety in the declining science education in developing countries. However, little is known about the relationship between science anxiousness and students' subject preference. The present paper examined the correlation between science anxiety and choice of subject among junior secondary school students. One hundred and sixty-six students drawn from public and private secondary schools in the Enugu State participated in the study. They completed a self-report measure of science anxiety with demographic information. Pearson's product-moment correlation was performed to determine the correlation between science anxiety and students' choice of subject. The result revealed a statistically significant, moderate positive correlation between science anxiety and students' choice of subject, r (164) = .42, p < .001. Most importantly, observation of the R2 revealed that science anxiety explained about 21% of the variation in the choice of subject. Thus, the study concludes that science anxiety is positively associated with students' choice of subject in the secondary school classroom.
References
Adams, A., & Salome, A. A. (2014). Factors Affecting the Choice of Science Subjects among Female Students in Jigawa Metropolis, Nigeria. Creative Education, 05(14). https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2014.514148
Adhiambo Nyayieka, M., Kemuma Nyagwencha, S., & Nzyuko, S. (2020). Correlation of clinical depression, anxiety and academic performance of adolescents in selected secondary schools in Kenya. American Journal of Applied Psychology, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20200901.13
Afolayan. (2018). Relationship between anxiety and academic performance of nursing students, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Pelagia Research Library, 4(5).
Ahmed, K., Trager, B., Rodwell, M., Foinding, L., & Lopez, C. (2017). A review of mindfulness research related to alleviating math and science anxiety. Journal for Leadership and Instruction, 16(2).
Brownlow, S., Jacobi, T., & Rogers, M. (2000). Science anxiety as a function of gender and experience. Sex Roles, 42(1–2). https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1007040529319
Bryant, F. B., Kastrup, H., Udo, M., Hislop, N., Shefner, R., & Mallow, J. (2013). Science anxiety, science attitudes, and constructivism: a binational study. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 22(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-012-9404-x
Carlisle, D. L., & Weaver, G. C. (2018). STEM education centers: catalyzing the improvement of undergraduate STEM education. International Journal of STEM Education, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-018-0143-2
Dickson, M., McMinn, M., & Kadbey, H. (2017). Science anxiety levels in Emirati student teachers. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.18538/lthe.v14.n1.250
England, B. J., Brigati, J. R., Schussler, E. E., & Chen, M. M. (2019). Student anxiety and perception of difficulty impact performance and persistence in introductory biology courses. CBE Life Sciences Education, 18(2). https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.17-12-0284
Gao, X., Li, P., Shen, J., & Sun, H. (2020). Reviewing assessment of student learning in interdisciplinary STEM education. In International Journal of STEM Education (Vol. 7, Issue 1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-020-00225-4
Griggs, M. S., Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., Merritt, E. G., & Patton, C. L. (2013). The responsive classroom approach and fifth-grade students' math and science anxiety and self-efficacy. School Psychology Quarterly, 28(4). https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000026
He, X., Li, T., Turel, O., Kuang, Y., Zhao, H., & He, Q. (2021). The impact of STEM education on mathematical development in children aged 5-6 Years. International Journal of Educational Research, 109, 101795. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJER.2021.101795
Henschel, S. (2021). Antecedents of science anxiety in elementary school. Journal of Educational Research, 114(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2021.1922989
Javed, A. (2018). Investigating factors affecting students' subject selection at secondary school level. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 8(11), 815–820. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2018.8.11.1145
Kao, S., & Shimizu, K. (2020). Factors affecting Cambodian upper secondary school students' choice of science track. International Journal of Sociology of Education, 9(3). https://doi.org/10.17583/rise.2020.4823
Kaya, E., & Yildirim, A. (2014). Science anxiety among failing students. Elementary Education Online, 13(2).
Kihwele, J. E. (2014). Students' perception of science subjects and their attitude in Tanzanian secondary schools. World Journal of Educational Research, 1(1).
Kuan, F. L., & Tek, O. E. (2007). Science anxiety among form four students in penang: a gender comparison. Journal of Science and Mathematics Education in Southeast Asia, 30(1).
Mabula, N. (2012). Challenges and opportunities for secondary school students in Tanzania promote science subject choices. Academic Research International, 3(3).
Macphail, A. (2002). Subject choice in Scottish secondary school physical education: higher grade physical education. European Physical Education Review, 8(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X020083008
Mallow, J., Kastrup, H., Bryant, F. B., Hislop, N., Shefner, R., & Udo, M. (2010). Science anxiety, science attitudes, and gender: Interviews from a binational study. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 19(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-010-9205-z
Michael, F., & Asuquo, I. M. (2020). Students' career aspiration and choice of subject among senior secondary school students in Cross River State, Nigeria. IJRRE, 7, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.33500/ijrre.2020.07.001
Mkimbili, S. T., & Ødegaard, M. (2019). Student motivation in science subjects in tanzania, including students' voices. Research in Science Education, 49(6). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-017-9677-4
Nitu Kaur, & R.P. Vadhera. (2020). Identifying the connection between students' science anxiety levels and their achievement in science. EPRA International Journal of Research & Development (IJRD). https://doi.org/10.36713/epra5912
Oludipe, B. D., & Oludipe, D. I. (2019). Effect of gender and science anxiety on Nigerian junior secondary students' academic achievement in basic science. KIU Journal of Social Sciences, 5(3), 191–199.
Oriahi, C. I., Uhumuavbi, P. O., & Aguele, L. I. (2010). Choice of science and technology subjects among secondary school students. Journal of Social Sciences, 22(3), 191–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/09718923.2010.11892801
Pekrun, R., & Linnenbrink-Garcia, L. (2014). International handbook of emotions in education. In International Handbook of Emotions in Education. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203148211
Robertson, L. (2015). International handbook of emotions in education. Educational Psychology in Practice, 31(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2014.994350
Roos, A. L., Goetz, T., Voracek, M., Krannich, M., Bieg, M., Jarrell, A., & Pekrun, R. (2020). Test anxiety and physiological arousal: a systematic review and meta-analysis. In Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09543-z
Sanstad, E. (2018). The Fear of Science: A Study of Science Anxiety and the Learning Capabilities of Adult College Students. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, December.
Sota, V. V, & Agi, C. . . (2020). Parental influence on subject selection and academic performance of secondary school students in Rivers-East Senatorial District, Rivers State. International Journal of Innovative Psychology & Social Development, 8(1), 1–16. www.seahipaj.org
Tam, H. lin, Chan, A. Y. fung, & Lai, O. L. hin. (2020). Gender stereotyping and STEM education: Girls' empowerment through effective ICT training in Hong Kong. Children and Youth Services Review, 119, 105624. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.
Ucak, E., & Say, S. (2019). Analyzing the secondary school students' anxiety towards science courses in terms of a number of variables. European Journal of Educational Research, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.8.1.63
Udo, M. K., Ramsey, G. P., & Mallow, J. V. (2004). Science anxiety and gender in students taking general education science courses. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-004-1465-z
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Journal of Advance Research in Social Science and Humanities
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Terms & Condition
Submission -
Author can submit the manuscript through our online submission process or email us at the designated email id in contact details.
The other mode of submission not accepted than online and email.
Before submission please read the submission guidelines.
NN Publication accepts only article submitted in pdf/doc/docx/rtf file format. Another format except given file formats will no be considered .
Author will be responsible for the error mistakes in the submission files. The minor changes can be done without any cost after publication. But for major changes NN Publication may charges you the editing charges.
Publication (Online) -
The online publication is scheduled on last date of every month, but it can be delayed by 24 to 48 hours due to editorial process if huge number of articles comes to publish in single issue.
Automatic notificatation email will be sent to the all users on publication of an issue, so its author’s duty to check their email inbox or SPAM folder to get this notification.
After publication of article author can not withdraw their article.
If editor’s found any issue after publication of article then the NN Publication have the authority to remove the article from online website.
No refund will be provided after online publication of article.
Publication (Print) -
The print copy publication are sent as per the author’s request after 2 weeks of online publication of that issue.
NN Publication will ship the article by India Post and provide the consignment number on dispatch of print copy.
NN Publication follows all the guidelines of delivery provided by IndiaPost and hence not responsible for delay in delivery due to any kind of reasons.
Refund of hard copy will not be provided after dispatch or print of the journal.
NN Publication will be responsible for raise a complain if there is any issue occurs in delivery, but still will not be responsible for providing the refund.
NN Publication will be responsible to resend the print copy only and only if the print copy is lost or print copy is damaged in delivery / or there is delay more than 6 months.
According to India Post the delivery should be completed with in 1-3 weeks after dispatch of articles.
Privacy Policy-
NN Publicationl uses the email ids of authors and editors and readers for sending editorial or publication notification only, we do not reveal or sell the email ids to any other website or company.
