Almasri, Firas, Hewapathirana, Gertrude I, Ghaddar, Fatme, Lee, Nick and Ibrahim, Bashar (2021) Measuring attitudes towards biology major and non-major : effect of students’ gender, group composition, and learning environment. PLoS One, 16 (5). e0251453. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0251453

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Abstract

This study examined the effect of collaborative learning (CL) versus traditional lecture-based learning (TL) pedagogies and gender group composition in effecting positive or negative attitudes of biology major and nonmajor men and women students. The experimental research method was administered in experimental and control groups to test the hypotheses. Students’ attitudes refer to their positive or negative feelings and inclinations to learn biology. A nine-factor attitude scale was administered in (1) single-gender nonmajor biology, (2) mixed-gender nonmajor biology, (3) single-gender major biology, and (4) mixed-gender biology major groups. Men (221) and women (219) were randomly assigned into single and mixed-gender classes without groups and single-gender groups (4M) or (4W) and mix-gender (2M+2W) groups. In CL nonmajor and major single-gender groups, women demonstrated significantly higher positive attitudes than men. In contrast, men’s attitudes were significantly improved in mixed-gender CL groups for major and nonmajor sections, and the effect size was larger in mix-gender classes. Women feel less anxious in single-gender groups but more anxious in mixed-gender groups. In mixed-gender groups, men’s self-efficacy, general interest, and motivation enhanced significantly; overall, men experienced greater satisfaction and triggered their desire to collaborate better, affecting all nine attitudinal factors. There was an interaction effect demonstrating the teaching pedagogy’s impact on improving students’ attitudes toward biology; students’ gender and gender-specific group composition have been the most influential factor for nonmajor students. These findings suggest that there is a need for developing gender-specific and context-specific learning pedagogies, and instructors carefully select gender grouping in teaching undergraduate science subjects.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education L Education > LC Special aspects of education Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Centre for Education Studies (2013- )
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Team learning approach in education , Group work in education , Biology -- Study and teaching (Higher), Sex differences in education
Journal or Publication Title:	PLoS One
Publisher:	Public Library of Science
ISSN:	1932-6203
Official Date:	14 May 2021
Dates:	Date Event 14 May 2021 Published 1 May 2021 Accepted
Volume:	16
Number:	5
Article Number:	e0251453
DOI:	10.1371/journal.pone.0251453
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access (Creative Commons)
Date of first compliant deposit:	6 July 2021
Date of first compliant Open Access:	26 August 2021
Related URLs:	Publisher

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