Decline in Interest in Biology among
Elementary School Pupils During a
Generation
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University of Education in Heidelberg, GERMANY
Publication date: 2012-01-12
EURASIA J. Math., Sci Tech. Ed 2012;8(3):201-205
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
A decline in biology interest has often been claimed but seldom with an empirically
substantiation. This study was based on a sample of 3rd and 4th grade pupils within the
same geographical area as Löwe’s (1987, 1992) previous results from southwest Germany
from the year 1983. We used a four-point Likert-type questionnaire to assess interest with
30 items (zoology, botany, human biology). Here we show for the first time, that
elementary school pupils have lower interest in biology than one generation before. This
decline between 1983 and 2011 was about 10%, with only 3% in zoology and 12% in
botany. As interest is an important variable, programs should be developed to foster
pupils’ interest already on the primary school level.