18. Instructional time in upper SS
4.4. Teachers’ perception of biology and other areas of science
Obviously, teachers’ attitudes toward various components of their work have a profound impact on students’ minds and future choices. Therefore, it is crucial to study a specific system of education together with teachers’ assessment of it. Such studies are especially valuable when a system of education is experiencing a reform, as in Japan, because teachers can provide a comparative evaluation of old and new curricula. For this country research in teachers’ perception of science might become one of major steps on the way from ‘minimum standards’.
4.4.1. Teachers’ confidence in knowledge of biology and other areas of science
One of the main concepts of science perception is self-confidence in science for both teachers and students. TIMSS project inquires about teachers’ confidence and implicates that there is a significant difference not only between individuals, but also between countries. Apparently, teacher’s nationality greatly affects his ways of self-evaluation, and in regard to the expression of self-confidence teachers from Japan are among the last ones. It does not mean that Japanese teachers spend less time preparing for classes than their colleagues from other countries. Instead, they are reported to be overloaded with work. Of course, teachers obligated to conduct classes in four areas of science may express less confidence than their colleague who conducts classes in only one discipline. However, reasons of this tendency are rather cultural.
In this study, teachers were asked to evaluate their knowledge in science from 0% to 100%. The results are presented in Table 4.4.
Table 4.4. Teachers’ confidence in knowledge in areas of science
Answers (n=68).
According to Table 4.4, respondents’ level of confidence in physics, chemistry and biology is similar, while in biology it is slightly lower than in other two areas. In the case of
Confidence, % Teachers, %
Physics Chemistry Biology Earth Science
0-25% 4.55 4.55 6.07 12.14
26-50% 16.67 12.14 19.70 18.19
51-75% 25.77 25.77 24.24 31.83
76-100% 53.03 57.58 50.00 37.88
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Earth science respondents express a considerably lower confidence than in physics, chemistry and biology.
4.4.2. Teachers’ enjoyment from teaching biology and other areas of science
In Japan, teachers of lower secondary schools (grades from 7 to 9) are teaching four areas of science while usually having a major in one area. Therefore, they often admit to prefer teaching some disciplines over others, and that this issue affects the quality of their work.
Surveys’ participants were asked to evaluate their enjoyment from teaching areas of science by the following scale: 1 – like very much; 2 – like; 3 – cannot say; 4 – rather dislike; 5 – dislike.
The mean was calculated as:
𝜇 = ∑
𝑛𝑖=0𝑝
𝑖𝑥
𝑖,
(4.1) Where 𝑥𝑖 – a value, 𝑝𝑖 – the probability of 𝑥.The results are presented in Table 4.5.
Table 4.5. Teachers’ enjoyment from teaching areas of science
Physics Chemistry Biology Earth Science
2.57 2.22 2.51 2.84
Answers (n=68).
According to Table 4.5, respondents expressed the most positive attitude toward chemistry, followed by biology, physics and Earth science. While there is no substantial difference in perception of three first areas of science, in the case of Earth science it is less positive. It is needed to be considered that a significant ratio of respondents were of chemistry major.
4.4.3. Teachers’ assessment of students’ preferences in science depending on performance
In order to clarify, if areas of science are identified with certain groups of students, respondents were asked to evaluate students’ perception of science disciplines depending on academic performance and gender. In regard to the academic performance, teachers were asked, what areas of science students with ‘good marks’ (top performers) and ‘bad marks’
(low performers) ‘like’ in their opinion. The results are presented in Table 4.6.
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Table 4.6. Teachers’ assessment of students’ preferences in science depending on performance*
Academic performance Teachers, %
Physics Chemistry Biology Earth Science
Students with good marks 66.15 75.38 23.08 6.15
Students with bad marks 3.08 10.77 78.46 20.00
* Answers (n=65).
Table 4.6 shows that in respondents’ opinion, top performing students prefer physics and chemistry over biology and Earth science. The difference between areas is very significant, i.e.
while 75% and 66% of respondents think that students with ‘good’ marks ‘like’ chemistry and physics (respectively), in the case of biology and Earth science it is 23% and 6%. When teachers evaluate low performing students the difference between disciplines is significant too.
78% of respondents think that students with ‘bad’ marks in science ‘like’ biology. In the case of Earth science it is 20%, in the case of physics and chemistry 3% and 11%.
4.4.4. Teachers’ assessment of students’ preferences in science depending on gender When enquiring about teachers’ perception of students’ attitudes toward science depending on gender, firstly participants were asked what areas of science boys and girls ‘like’. The results are presented in Table 4.7.
Table 4.7. Teachers’ assessment of students’ preferences in science depending on gender
Gender Teachers, %
Physics Chemistry Biology Earth Science
Boys 43.75 71.88 23.44 6.25
Girls 1.56 34.38 82.81 9.38
Answers (n=64).
According to Table 4.7, the majority of respondents (72%) see chemistry as the most favourite area of science for boys. For girls it is biology. On boys’ scale of preferences chemistry is followed by physics (44% of respondents), biology (23%) and Earth science (6%). In the case of girls, biology is followed by chemistry with a gap of almost 50%. Only 9% of respondents suggest that girls ‘like’ Earth science, and only 1 teacher gave this assessment in regard to physics. Therefore, there is a clear difference between areas of science depending on students’ gender in teachers’ assessment. Boys are supposed to prefer chemistry and possibly physics. Girls are supposed to prefer biology and rather dislike physics.
After evaluating what areas of science students like in general, teachers were asked to give an assessment of students’ attitudes by the following scale: 1 – dislike; 2 – indifferent; 3
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– little interest; 4 – moderate interest; 5 – deep interest. The mean is presented in Table 4.8.
Table 4.8. Teachers’ assessment of students’ interest toward science depending on gender
Gender Teachers
Physics Chemistry Biology Earth Science
Boys 3.44 3.84 3.25 3.19
Girls 2.29 3.20 3.85 3.13
* Answers (n=62, physics; n=61, chemistry; n=61, biology; n=60, Earth science).
According to Table 4.8, in teachers’ opinion, the most interesting science discipline for boys is chemistry. Respondents evaluate boys’ attitude toward this discipline as ‘moderate interest’, while for other disciplines it is closer to ‘little interest’. In teachers’ opinion, boys’
interests in science are as follows: 1) chemistry, 2) physics, 3) biology, 4) Earth science. Boys’
interest toward physics, chemistry and Earth science is presumed to be higher than of girls.
In respondents’ opinion, girls have the highest interest to biology (3.85 that is close to
‘moderate interest’). For other disciplines girls’ interest is much lower (2.29 for physics, 3.20 for chemistry and 3.13 for Earth science). Tables 4.7 and 4.8 show a similar trend, i.e. boys are supposed to prefer chemistry over all areas of science. Girls are supposed to have the most positive attitude toward biology, and the least positive one toward physics. There is a certain similarity in teachers’ assessment of students’ preferences in science depending on their academic performance and gender. Boys and top performing students are presumed to prefer chemistry over all other disciplines, girls and low performers are supposed to prefer biology.
The results of Table 4.7 may identify a perception of biology and Earth science as fields that boys in Japan ‘do not like’. Therefore, they might be evaluated as rather ‘inappropriate’
for male students in the Japanese society, despite teachers consider biology to be somewhat
‘interesting’ for boys (Table 4.8). In this regard, corresponding questions should be referred, as the survey’s results depend on how the questions were formulated. The first question (Table 4.7) enquired about areas of science that students ‘like’ in respondents’ opinion.
Question 2 (Table 4.8) presupposed a scale ranging from ‘dislike’ to ‘deep interest’.
Presumably, respondents either considered the categories ‘like’ and ‘interesting’ as rather independent, or might have preferred to express a positive opinion concerning the level of students’ interest in science.
4.4.5. Teachers’ assessment of complexity of science areas for students
When science topics are complex for students, teachers reallocate instructional hours between them and areas of science. Therefore, it is important to investigate, if teachers consider certain areas to be more complex for students’ comprehension than others. In this study teachers were asked to evaluate fields of science by the following scale: 1 (complex), 2 (rather complex), 3
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(rather simple), 4 (simple) in terms of their complexity for students. The results are presented in Table 4.9.
Table 4.9. Teachers’ assessment of complexity of science areas for students
Scale Teachers, %
Physics Chemistry Biology Earth Science
1 (the most complex) 75.00 9.38 1.56 12.50
2 20.31 59.38 7.81 20.31
3 3.13 29.69 21.88 46.88
4 (the easiest) 1.56 1.56 68.75 20.31
Answers (n=64).
According to Table 4.9, physics is presumed to be the most complex area. It is followed by chemistry (number 2) and Earth science (number 3). Biology is supposed to be the easiest discipline. This may be one of the reasons why biology instructional time is often given to physics and chemistry.
4.4.6. Teachers’ assessment of importance of science areas for students’ academic career In Japanese schools, one of the main goals for teachers is a successful performance of their students in the entrance exams (Central Exam) for universities and colleges, i.e. institutions of higher education. Japan, China, Hong Kong and Korea are known for ‘examination hell’
meaning a high competition for youth targeting several famous universities and almost unavoidable attendance of cram schools. In Japan, many faculties (including medical) require physics and chemistry to be passed during entrance exams. Therefore, it is important to investigate, what areas of science, in teachers’ opinion, are the ‘priority’ ones for students’
future. In this survey teachers were asked to identify areas that are ‘important for students' future’ if they continue studying in natural sciences and social sciences. The results are presented in Table 4.10.
Table 4.10. Teachers’ assessment of importance of science areas for students’ academic career Natural sciences (teachers, %) Social sciences (teachers, %)
Ph Ch Bi ES Ph Ch Bi ES
86.15 93.85 50.77 43.08 29.23 53.85 63.08 35.38
Answers (n=68).
According to Table 4.10, 94% and 86% of respondents evaluate chemistry and physics to be ‘important’ for students’ future if they continue studying in natural sciences. In the case of biology and Earth science it is 51% and 43% (accordingly). If students choose social sciences,
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biology and chemistry are presumed to be more ‘important’ than physics and Earth science. In this case, biology is the priority discipline.
Also, it was decided to enquire about areas of science that are ‘important for students’
future’ if they choose careers in medicine or science teaching. Teachers were asked to conduct an assessment by the scale from 1(the most important) to 4 (the least important). The results are presented in Table 4.11.
Table 4.11. Teachers’ assessment of importance of science areas for students’ career in medicine and school science teaching
Scale Teachers, %
Medicine* Science teaching**
Physics Chemistry Biology Earth Science
Physics Chemistry Biology Earth Science
1 1.89 35.85 66.04 0 31.58 50.00 10.53 7.89
2 9.43 58.49 30.19 1.89 47.37 36.84 10.53 5.26
3 86.79 5.66 1.89 7.55 21.05 7.89 47.37 28.95
4 1.89 0 1.89 90.57 0 5.26 31.58 57.89
* Answers (n=53).
** Answers (n=38).
According to Table 4.11, if students choose a career in medicine, teachers consider biology to be the most important area. The next is chemistry. Physics is presumed to be number three, and Earth science number four. If students decide to become school science teachers, the importance of science areas is as follows: chemistry, physics, biology, Earth science.