The Effect of Teaching Methods on Students' Attitudes Towards Biology on Secondary Schools, Ilala District Tanzania

Abstract

An attitude may be defined as a predisposition to respond in a favorable or unfavorable manner with respect to a given attitude object (Oskamp, 2005). The focus of the study is on school student’s attitudes towards biology subjects taught in the secondary classrooms. The term subject refers to both theory and laboratory classes in secondary schools. Understanding of students’ attitudes is important in supporting their achievement and interest toward a particular discipline. Student’s attitudes toward science have been extensively studied, but research was initially focused greatly on science in general and less attention was addressed to particular disciplines like biology, chemistry or physics. This can partly camouflage student’s attitudes because science is not viewed as homogeneous subject. The study of attitude is important a social learning in that it helps the observer changes the behavior of style of learning hence increases their performance. The other importance of altitudes is the acquisition of knowledge by a student as a result of instruction, but achievement is the paramount objective of most instructional activities. However, it may also be important to recognize the need for planning activities designed to facilitate effective outcomes in learner’s consequences of an instructional situation (Simson, 1985) Also, students are more likely to remember information, seek new ideas and continue studying when they react favorably to an instructional situation or like a certain content area. Students, who like biology will tend to stay after class to work on experiments, read about biology outside the class and be more likely to elect to take biology course than will those who not like biology (Spall, 2005). Students tend to do what they like, not what they do not like. They gravitate toward their interests (Gray 1999). Many factors could contribute to student’s attitudes toward studying biology. Several studies (including