Impact of science-technology learning environment characteristics on learning outcomes: pupils’ perceptions and gender differences

Science and technology are connected to each other and are mutually inspiring. The science-technology curriculum for junior-high school in Israel suggests that teachers integrate these subjects. In addition, this curriculum calls for infusing thinking competencies into the learning subjects and for implementing alternatives in assessment methods in the classes. The current research included three stages: field research, pilot research and expanded research. In the field research, an intervention program was planned and implemented. The intervention program included a three-year inservice training workshop consisting of 224 hours each year. Quantitative and qualitative tools were used to assess teachers’ implementation of the intervention program. The findings revealed the characteristics of the science-technology learning environment and various learning outcomes. The pilot research enabled the development and validation of a questionnaire called the Science-Technology Learning Environment Questionnaire (STLEQ). The STLEQ was aimed at assessing teachers’ and pupils’ perceptions of learning environment. The conclusions from the pilot research showed differences between teachers’ and pupils’ perceptions towards the impact of learning environment characteristics on learning outcomes.In the expanded research, two cohorts of pupils participated, namely, the 2002 cohort (N = 207) and the 2003 cohort (N = 159). These cohorts had studied science-technology in junior-high school. The findings of the expanded research partly match the findings from the pilot research, leading to insight into the pupils’ perspective of the science-technology learning environment. No gender differences were found in pupils’ scoring of learning outcomes. On the other hand, boys scored higher than girls on Computer Usage. This research enables researchers and teachers to use the questionnaire in order to investigate pupils’ perceptions of their learning environment.

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