Effects of an Extracurricular Science Intervention on Science Performance, Self-Worth, Social Skills, and Sexist Attitudes of Taiwanese Adolescents from Single-Parent Families

Abstract

A one group pretest-posttest design was used to investigate effects of an extracurricular science intervention on female and male junior high school students' science performance, self-worth, social skills, and sexist attitudes. Twenty-eight 8th grade Taiwanese students (16 boys, 12 girls) from single parent families participated in this study. Student responses to a questionnaire measuring their selfworth, social skills, and sexist attitudes, and interviews and classroom observations used for triangulation and consolidation of qualitative findings revealed that girls improved significantly on several indices of science performance, and that both boys and girls decreased their sexist attitudes. Girls had significantly less sexist attitudes than boys at both pretest and posttest. Implications for practice and research are provided.

Boys’ and girls’ involvement in science learning and their self‐efficacy in Taiwan

“…Gender stereotyping is prevalent in Taiwan, where culture and society have been influenced by centuries of male domination in which women were placed in a subordinate role and subject to unequal treatment. Hong, McCarthy Veach, and Lawrenz (2003) and Hong et al (2008) found that Taiwanese junior and senior high school boys were significantly more likely than girls to think in gender stereotypic ways. Although Taiwanese girls are educated to be diligent learners, they have significantly lower scores compared to boys in terms of their perception of science, self-concept in science, enjoyment of science, instrumental motivation to learn science, future-oriented motivation to learn science, and general interests in learning science and science related activities (OECD, 2007).…”

“…It is clear from this study that girls are less involved in learning science during junior school and high schools. Hong et al (2003Hong et al ( , 2008 and Hong (2010) suggested a possible course of action-improve motivation of girls through encouragement to participate in extracurricular science activities. This has not been emphasized in the past.…”

“…With the whole picture as baseline knowledge, we are empowered to develop appropriate strategies for promoting educational equity in each school level. High expectation has long been regarded as an effective factor in promoting students' achievement (e.g., Hong, 2004;Hong, Lin, & McCarthy Veach, 2008;Singh, Granville, & Dika, 2002). Conversely, students' performance would be disadvantaged by low expectations, e.g., because of gender stereotyping.…”

“…On the other hand, in eastern settings, Wong et al (2002) found that girls outperformed boys in almost all subjects in Hong Kong's five secondary public examinationsalthough girls had lower motivational metacognitive competencies than boys, they held higher metacognitive competencies in secondary school. Hong et al (2008) found that science and engineering related careers are regarded as masculine careers, and there is a large gender gap in science and technology related occupations in Taiwan. The percentage of female versus male researchers is 8.59% to 91.41% respectively (cf.…”

Sociopolitical development and career interventions

“…Thus, this section will focus on the few studies that have targeted math/science or healthcare interventions. Hong, Lin, and Veach (2008) implemented a science career intervention with 8 th grade students from single-parent households in Taiwan. The goal of the study was to both assess gender differences in self-worth, social skills, sexist attitudes, and learning in science and the post intervention impact on these aspects and science performance.…”