Impacts of a STSE high school biology course on the scientific literacy of Hong Kong students

Recall, understanding and application of biological concepts

A post-instructional test was administered to the both classes, assessing the recall, understanding and application of the biological concepts in the topic of human reproduction. The scores of the two classes were compared using ANCOVA, with the students’ S3 yearly scores in biology as covariate. The results are shown in Table II. The STSE class not only performed as well as the traditional class in recall and understanding of concepts, but also outperformed the traditional class in application of concepts (p<0.05) with a medium effect size (η²=0.06). The results are consistent with the literature that STSE approach is as good as or even better than traditional approach in content learning.

**Table II.**Assessment of the recall and understanding and application of biological concepts of the STSE and traditional classes
	Mean scores (adjusted for S3 biology scores)		Partial Eta squared
	STSE class	Traditional class
Recall and understanding of concepts (18 marks)	14.55	13.75	0.02
Application of concepts (56 marks)	26.63*	22.88	0.06

*P<0.05

Scientific inquiry skills

The students’ scientific inquiry skills were assessed by 22 multiple choice items in pretest–posttest format. The posttest scores of the two classes were compared using ANCOVA, with the pretest scores as covariates, and the results are shown in Table III. The overall posttest scores of the STSE class, after being adjusted for the pretest scores, are significantly higher than that of the traditional class, F(1,76)=15.46, p<0.01. The effect of the STSE course in improving the students’ scientific inquiry skills is strong, with a partial η²= 0.11.

**Table III.**Scores of the scientific inquiry skills of the two classes, adjusting for the pretest scores.
Scientific inquiry skills	Posttest mean scores (adjusted for pretest scores)		Partial Eta squared
	STSE class	Traditional class
a) Identify the questions that are scientifically investigable (21, 22)	**1.68	0.59	0.44
b) Identify the fair test for a research question/hypothesis (12, 13)	1.49	1.58
c) Identify the dependent, independent, and control variables of a test (1,2, 3, 4,5,9)	4.72	4.96
d) Define variables operationally (6,7,8)	2.05	1.75
e) Identify the hypothesis for a research question/test design (10,11,18)	**1.49	0.58	0.31
f) Interpret graph correctly (14, 15)	0.85	1.03
g) Draw valid conclusion from data/results (16, 17, 19, 20)	*3.08	2.67	0.05
Total	**15.46	13.07	0.11

*p<0.05, ** p<0.01 The numbers in the brackets show the item number.

Looking at the component scientific inquiry skills, the STSE class outperformed the traditional class in three skills, but other four displayed no significant differences. The two skills that the STSE class made positive outcomes, namely Identify the questions that are scientifically investigable and Identify the hypothesis for a research question/test design, are the inquiry skills that are seldom addressed in ordinary science classrooms of Hong Kong. But for other inquiry skills that are commonly touched upon in science teaching, such as the control of variables design, the outcomes of the STSE course were of no difference from the traditional course. The results thus demonstrate that the STSE course can address a wider scope of important scientific inquiry skills.

STSE awareness

The students’ STSE awareness was assessed by a questionnaire consisting of 13 Likert–scale items in pretest–posttest. For the positive statements, the responses of Strongly agree, Agree, Disagree and Strongly disagree were given 4,3,2,1 points respectively, while the points given to the negative statements were reversed. A higher point thus represents views that are closer to the expert views. An ANCOVA was conducted to compare the posttest scores of the two classes, with the pretest scores as covariates. The adjusted mean posttest scores of the STSE and traditional classes are 3.03 and 2.92 respectively, with the STSE class scoring significantly higher than that of the traditional class, with a medium effect size (η²=0.06) (see Table IV). The STSE course is particularly effective in promoting the awareness that science and technology play important roles in resolving social problems. That can be explained by the design of the STSE course in which the science and technologies are often given central role in dealing with the social issues.

**Table IV.**The STSE awareness of the STSE and traditional classes
STSE awareness	Posttest mean scores (adjusted for pretest scores)		Partial Eta squared
	STSE class	Traditional class
a) The technocratic and democratic views on socio-scientific decision making	3.23	3.17
b) The social responsibility of scientists	2.78	2.78
c) The role of science and technology in resolving social problems	3.11*	2.88	0.07
d) Government/societal control of science	2.92*	2.73	0.05
e) The interdependence of science and technology	2.98	2.90
f) The distinction between science and technology	3.21	3.18
Total	3.03*	2.92	0.06

*P<0.05

Understanding of nature of science

Eleven Likert–scale items were administered to the students of the two classes in pretest–posttest. The statements were constructed in both positive and negative directions, representing the expert views and the naive views on the nature of science. For the positive statements, the responses of ‘strongly agree’, ‘agree’, ‘disagree’ and ‘strongly disagree’ are given 4,3,2,1 points respectively, while the points given to the negative statements are reversed. A higher point thus represents a better understanding of the nature of science. An ANCOVA was conducted to compare the posttest scores of the students of the two classes, adjusted for the pretest scores. The results are shown in Table V. Contrary to expectation, the adjusted posttest scores of the traditional class are significantly larger than that of the STSE class. This may be a result of the ceiling effects, inadequate duration of the treatment and the transfer problem from the contexts of the course to the general statements in the assessment instrument.

**Table V.**NOS understanding of the STSE and traditional class
Understanding of nature of science	Posttest mean scores (adjusted for pretest scores)		Partial Eta squared
	STSE class	Traditional class
a) A scientist should be willing to alter his position on the basis of sufficient evidence.	2.94	3.38*	0.11
b) The laws and theories of science are approximations of truth and are subject to change.	3.07	3.16
c) Science cannot provide correct answers to all questions	2.84	3.28*	0.27
Total	2.95	3.26*	0.16

* p<0.01

Attitudes

The attitudes of the students were assessed by a questionnaire administered as pretest and posttest. There are eighteen statements in the questionnaire that express both positive and negative attitudes toward biology learning, values of biology, self-concept in learning biology and attitudes toward science careers. For the positive statements, the responses of ‘strongly agree’, ‘agree’, ‘disagree’ and ‘strongly disagree’ were given 4,3,2,1 points respectively, while the points given to the negative statements were reversed. Therefore, the more points the students gain, the more positive attitudes they have. An ANCOVA was conducted to compare the attitude changes of the STSE and traditional classes (Table VI).

**Table VI.**The attitudes towards biology study and science of the STSE and traditional classes
	Posttest mean scores (adjusted for pretest scores)
	STSE class	Traditional class
Attitude about biology study (6 items, total score =24)	19.29	18.78
Attitude about usefulness of biology (4 items, total score=16)	12.53	12.43
Self-concept in biology learning (4 items, total score=16)	10.16	10.03
Attitude about science careers (4 items, total score=16)	11.74	11.40
Total (scores=72)	53.71	52.63

*All attitude scores have no significant difference between the STSE and traditional classes

The overall attitudes and all the four component attitudes of the students after the instruction did not show significant differences in both the STSE and traditional classes. The short duration of STSE instruction may not be able to effect significant changes in attitudes.

Posttest mean scores (adjusted for pretest scores)