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  • A comparative description of Singapore students’ perceptions of school science as an examination subject and as a practice in everyday life experiences

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  • As science and technology continue to advance, it is imperative to make students more interested in school science so as to increase their likelihood of pursuing a science-related career. Identifying the non-academic domains of the students’ perception of science allows teachers to cater activities that integrate the students’ learning needs with authentic experiences to spark their interest in science. This study compares the perceptions of science of Secondary 2 and 3 students from a science specialised school and a mainstream secondary school in Singapore to surface overlaps and differences in the domains that may contribute to the disparity in students choosing to further their studies in science. These perceptions of science were studied in with four areas, namely: Science (1) as an examination subject, (2) as a situational area of interest, (3) as a personal area of interest, and (4) as a prospective career-related field, through a questionnaire and a follow up focused group discussion. Despite the differences in academic abilities, the students’ perception of science as a practice in everyday life experiences are largely similar, only differing in their perception of science as an examinable subject. While the students’ experience in learning science is comparable, their past academic achievements did colour their future perception of science. The mainstream school students’ concerns over examinations contribute to their overarching learning need. As such, these students are likely to benefit from teacher-crafted activities that use ideas from examination resources to engage them in authentic learning experiences, and at the same time also develop their interest in science. Although this is a descriptive study, it shows a good potential to understanding students’ perception of science and making school science more meaningful and productive for them.
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