Gender, ethnicity, and students' perceptions about science and science‐related careers in Fiji

Abstract

AbstractThis study examines the relationships between gender, ethnicity, and Fijian students' attitudes and perceptions about science, attributions of success and failure in science as school, science as a career, and the career‐related advice they received. Data were collected with a questionnaire administered to a stratified, random, one‐sixth sample of Form 5 (16‐year‐old) students in Fiji. Gender and ethnicity were found to have no consistent relationship with students' perceptions, attitudes, and attributions about science. However, students, particularly males, demonstrated strong sex‐stereotyping of science‐related careers, and different kinds of career advice were given to students on the basis of their gender and ethnicity. These, rather than students' attitudes and performance in science, are more likely to explain the patterns linking gender and ethnicity with the science‐related work force and higher education in Fiji.