EXPLORING LOWER-SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ IMAGES AND OPINIONS OF THE BIOLOGIST

Abstract

In the past decades much research on the image of the scientist has been conducted, but the image of the specific scientist who does biological work, namely, the biologist, is under researched. Without this aspect of research school biology education may operate nowhere near to promoting the growth of students’ appropriate image of the biologist. Drawing on previous approach, this research presents students’ images of the biologist by administering a Draw Biologist Test (DBT) to 121 lower-secondary school students from the 7th, 8th and 9th grades. Findings indicate that when compared with the images elsewhere, the lower-secondary school students exhibit similar patterns regarding gender, teamwork and general attitude, but tend to include more descriptors of white lab coat, tidy hairstyle, microscope, other ethnicities, serious looking, practical activities and indoor contexts, fewer descriptors of knowledge and technology symbols and less gloomy side of biological work. It is suggested that school biology education should mitigate the gendered image of the biologist, duly expose students to more theoretical and outdoor biological activities, value cooperation and collaboration as well as transform students’ positive attitude into future engagements. Key words: lower-secondary school, Draw Biologist Test, image of biologist, educational implications.