DEVELOPING AN ATTITUDE SCALE TOWARDS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COURSES: A STUDY OF VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY

Abstract

Science education in primary school is critical for establishing a comprehensive understanding of the nature of science. Students with positive attitudes towards science courses are more likely to achieve academic success. Measuring and fostering positive attitudes is essential for effective instructional planning. This study aimed to develop a measurable scale to assess the attitudes of fourth-grade elementary school students in Northern Cyprus towards Science and Technology Courses (STC). While developing the Student Science and Technology Attitude Scale (SSTAS), the literature was reviewed, and 168 students were asked to write essays about STC. A pool of attitude items was created by analyzing the literature and essays, and expert opinions were sought. The preliminary scale was prepared based on expert consultation. The study group included 651 randomly selected fourth-grade students during the 2020-2021 academic year. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were conducted to determine SSTAS's construct validity. The results indicated that the scale is valid and reliable, comprising three dimensions. The first dimension measures students' attitudes towards the teaching process, with 13 items. The second dimension assesses students' negative attitudes, including five items. The third dimension evaluates students' attitudes towards experiments, containing five items. Keywords: science and technology lesson, attitude toward science and technology courses, attitude scale development