Studying science and engineering at UCT : students' background, experience of science an reasons for studying science or engineering

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It is the contention of this study that competence in science and mathematics is anecessary condition for access to higher education, but that it is a general interest inscience that will inspire learners to pursue careers in science and technology. Theobjective of this study was to develop a profile of the individual who chooses to studyscience and engineering. The three research questions were, firstly, what is thebackground profile of a group of learners who have decided to study science andengineering? Secondly, what are the characteristic features of the school-scienceexperience of these learners? Lastly, what are the factors that learners think mostinfluenced their decision to study science and engineering?This study was formulated as having a descriptive purpose and hence a surveyresearch design was used. Self-reported retrospective data were collected using aquestionnaire which was designed with reference to a number of sources (e.g.,Woolnough, 1994). After piloting the questionnaire, it was administered to all firstyearstudents registered in the faculties of Science and Engineering at the Universityof Cape Town. A total of 204 first-year science and 247 first-year engineeringstudents formed the final sample of this study.Quantitative analysis of the students' responses showed that 66% of respondentswere male. The majority of female students were registered in the science faculty.English was the home language of 55% of the sample, with 32% of students reportedspeaking one of the other nine official languages at home. Parents, careercounselors and teachers most influenced students' decision to study science orengineering. The vast majority of respondents took Physical Science at school.Students' experiences of school science were diverse. Students' responses generallyreflected a poor commitment on the part of schools to expose students to noncurriculumactivities generally thought to promote an interest in science. Overall, themajority of students reflected an enthusiasm for learning to do science throughscientific experiments, albeit with preference for a teacher-driven approach toclassroom activities. Personal motivation, receiving a bursary, and access toinformation were the main factors that students said influenced their decision to studyscience and engineering. While information received at a careers open day andparticipating in a school science competition was crucial for science students, engineering students showed a general curiosity for science, for knowing how thingswork, and for creating and designing things. For most African students informationreceived at a careers open day was important, while a curiosity for science andreceiving a bursary were equally important in influencing non-African students topursue further study in science or engineering.The results of this study suggest that what parents say, and the information thatlearners have access to, is important to the decisions that learners make in regard tofuture careers in science and engineering. It is suggested that future strategies forpromoting science in general must include parents, teachers and senior learners inthe dissemination of general information about science, about people in science,about using science in everyday life, and about the possibilities for further study inscience and engineering.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University