Exploring Students' Attitudes Toward Science and Course Engagement as Predictors of Science Literacy

Abstract

Studies that investigate the relationship of students' attitudes toward science and their engagement in the teaching-learning process to science literacy in a higher education setting and within the context of a pandemic are limited. This cross-sectional, correlational study sought to determine whether 1) students' attitudes toward science and student course engagement are significantly related to science literacy; and if 2) students' attitudes toward science and their course engagement are significant predictors of science literacy. The survey included 67 undergraduate students taking the mandated Science, Technology, and Society course during the second semester of the academic year 2020 to 2021 in an institution of Jesuit higher education in the Philippines. Results revealed 1) a positive moderate relationship between students' attitudes toward science and science literacy (p < 0.001); 2) a positive strong relationship between student course engagement and science literacy (p < 0.001); and 3) both students' attitudes toward science (p = 0.02) and their course engagement (p < 0.001) are significant predictors of science literacy. Such results can be helpful in (re)designing science education in a higher education setting and within the context of a pandemic.