Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Factor Influencing Students’ Scientific Literacy: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

Mohd Radzi Abu Bakar, Lilia Halim, Nurazidawati Mohamad Arsad

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v13-i12/20393

Open access

Knowing what influences students' ability to understand and apply science in their daily lives will help with intervention planning and better understanding of the factors that influence students' scientific literacy. Thus, this study aimed to develop an instrument to identify factors contributing to students’ scientific literacy. Four phases were employed to develop the instrument: conduct content validity, administer a pre-test, conduct construct validity using exploratory factor analysis, and determine construct reliability. A 131-item questionnaire was administered to 350 form four students aged 16 years old in daily government schools. Three constructs were subjected to exploratory factor analysis: the constructivist learning environment (CLE), attitude toward science (ATS), motivation, and self-efficacy (MSE). The five subconstructs of CLE are personal relevance, uncertainty, critical voice, shared control, and student negotiation. ATS comprises of seven subconstructs: social implications of science, normality of scientists, attitude to scientific inquiry, adoption of scientific attitudes, enjoyment of science lessons, leisure interest in science, and career interest in science. Finally, MSE consists of three subconstructs: intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy. The instrument is expected to be useful in research and evaluation to measure factors influencing students' scientific literacy.

Ajzen, I. (2012). The theory of planned behaviour. In P. A. M. van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, E. T. Higgins (Eds.). Handbook of theories of social psychology (pp. 438-459). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Aldoplhe, F. S. G., Fraser, B. J. & Aldigre, J. M. (2003). A cross-national study of learning environments and attitudes among junior secondary science students in Australia and Indonesia. Paper presented at Third International Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Conference, East London, South Africa.
Aldridge, J. M., Afari, E. & Fraser, B. J. (2013). Influence of teacher support and personel relevance on academic self-efficacy and enjoyment of mathematics lessons: A structural equation modeling approach. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 58(4), 614-633. http://doi.org/10.1037/t38960-000.
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action. Prentice-Hall.
Bay, E., Bagceci, B. & Cetin, B. (2012). The effects of social constructivist approach on the learners’ problem solving and metacognitive levels. Journal of Social Sciences, 8(3), 343-349. http://doi.org/10.3844/jssp.2012.343.349.
Bybee, R. & McCrae, B. (2011). Scientific literacy and student attitudes: Perspectives from PISA 2006 science. International Journal of Science Education, 33(1), 7-26. http://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2010.518644.
Chionh, Y. & Fraser, B. J. (2009). Classroom environment, achievement, attitudes and self-esteem in Geography and Mathematics in Singapore. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 18(1), 29-44.
http://doi.org/10.1080/10382040802591530.
Choi, K., Lee, H., Shin, N., Kim, S. & Krajcik, J. (2011). Re-conceptualization of scientific literacy in South Korea for the 21st century. Journal of Research in Teaching, 48(6), 670–697. http://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20424.
Fives, H., Huebner, W., Birnbaum, A. S. & Nicolich, M. (2014). Developing a measure of scientific literacy for middle school students. Science Education, 98(4), 549–580. http://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21115.
Fraser, B. J. (1981). Test of Science Related Attitudes: Handbook, Australian Council of Educational Research.
Hair, F. F., Anderson, R. E., Tatham, R. L., & Black, W. C. (2010). Multivariate data analysis 7th Ed.). Prentice Hall, Inc.
Halim, L. (2009, 10–12 November). Improving science literacy through a conducive laboratory learning environment: A proposed model. Paper presented at the International Conference on Science and Mathematics Education (CoSMEd) Penang, Malaysia.
Hofstein, A., Shore, R. & Kipnis, M. (2004). Providing High School Chemistry Students with Opportunities to Develop Learning Skills in an Inquiry-Type Laboratory: A Case Study,” International Journal of Science Education, 26, 47-62. http://doi.org/10.1080/0950069032000070342.
Huitt, W. (2003). Implementing effective school achievement reform: Four principles. Paper presented at the School Counseling Summit, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA.
J. C. Nunnally. (1997). The Study of Change Evaluation Research: Principle Concerning Measurement Experimental Design and Analysis, In E. L Struening & M. Guttentag (Eds.). Handbook of Evaluation Research. Sage.
Jackson A. W. & Davis, G. A. (2000). Turning points 2000: Educating adolescents in the 2lst century. Teachers College Press.
Karpudewan, M. & Chong, K. M. (2017). The effects of the classroom learning environment and laboratory learning environment on the attitude towards learning science in the 21st-century science lessons. Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction (MJLI), Special issue on Graduate Students Research on Education, 25–45. http://doi.org/10.32890/mjli.2017.7795.
McNeil, L. M. (2013). Contradictions of Control: School Structure and School Knowledge. Routledge,
Ministry of Education (MOE). (2013). Malaysia education blueprint 2013-2025 (Preschool to post-secondary education). Malaysia Ministry of Education.
Moeed, A. (2015). Motivation to Learn Science Investigation. In: Science Investigation. Springer Briefs in Education.
Nunnally, J. C. & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric Theory. (3rd Ed.). McGraw-Hill, Inc.
Olubu, O. M. (2015). Influence of laboratory learning environment on students’ academic performance in secondary school chemistry,” US-China Education Review, 5(12), 814-821. http://doi.org/10.17265/2161-623X/2015.12.005.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), (2019). PISA 2018 Insight and Interpretations. OECD Publishing.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2010). PISA 2009 Results: Executive Summary. OECD Publishing,
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2013). PISA 2012 Assessment and Analytical Framework: Mathematics, Reading, Science, Problem Solving and Financial Literacy. OECD Publishing.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2014). PISA 2012 Results in Focus. OECD Publishing.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2016). PISA 2015 Results in Focus. OECD Publishing.
Osman, K., Iksan, Z. H. & Halim, L. (2007). Scientific attitudes and attitudes towards science and among Science students. Jurnal Pendidikan, 32, 39-60.
Pintrich, P. R. & Schunk, D. H. (2002). Motivation in education: theory, research, and applications. Prentice-Hall.
Pintrich, P. R., Smith, D. A. F., Garcia, T. & McKeachie, W. J. (1991). A manual for the use of the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire (MSLQ). Ann Arbor, MI: National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, The University of Michigan.
Schunk, D. H. & Pajares, F. (2005). Competence perceptions and academic functioning. In A.J. Elliott, & C.S. Dweck (Eds.). Handbook of Competence and Motivation (pp. 85-104). Guilford Press,
Taylor, P. & Fraser, B. J. (1991). Development of an instrument for assessing constructivist learning environments. Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. Chicago.
Techakosit, S. & Wannapiroon, P. (2015). Connectivism Learning Environment in Augmented Reality Science Laboratory to Enhance Scientific Literacy. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Science, 174, 2108-2115. http://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.02.009.
Telli, S., Cakiroglu, J. & den Brok, P. (2006). “Turkish secondary education students’ perceptions of their classroom learning environment and their attitude towards Biology,” In D. L. Fisher & M. S. Khine (Eds.). Contemporary approaches to research on learning environments: World views, World Scientific, pp. 517-542.
Terhart, E. (2003). Constructivism and teaching: a new paradigm in general didactics? Journal of Curriculum Studies, 35(1), 25-44. http://doi.org/ 10.1080/00220270210163653.
The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational System (IEA). (2000). TIMSS 1999 International Science Report. IEA.
The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational System (IEA). (2004). TIMSS 2003 International Science Report. IEA.
The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational System (IEA). (2008). TIMSS 2007 International Science Report. IEA.
The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational System (IEA). (2012). TIMSS 2011 International Results in Science. IEA.
The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational System (IEA). (2016). TIMSS 2015 International Results in Science. IEA.
Topcu, M. S., Erbilgin, E. & Arikan, S. (2016). Factors Predicting Turkish and Korean Students’ Science and Mathematics Achievement in TIMSS 2011. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 12(7), http://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2016.1530a.
Wahyudi, W. & David, F. T. (2004). The status of science classroom learning environments in Indonesian lower secondary schools. Learning Environment Research, 7, 43-63.

(Bakar et al., 2023)
Bakar, M. R. A., Halim, L., & Arsad, N. M. (2023). Factor Influencing Students’Scientific Literacy: An Exploratory Factor Analysis. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(12), 5844–5863.