Secondary Student Perceptions of Factors Effecting Failure in Science in Portugal
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1
University of the Algarve
2
Centre for Educational Research, Faculty of Science, University of Lisbon,
Portugal
3
Instituto Superior Dom Afonso III, Loulé, Portugal
4
Center for Education-Society Studies, Loulé, Portugal
Publication date: 2006-06-23
EURASIA J. Math., Sci Tech. Ed 2006;2(2):82-95
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ABSTRACT
High rates of failure in secondary level science classes are a problem worldwide. Effective teaching and
efficient management of schools requires information as to the causes of failure. One approach to acquiring this
information is to improve our understanding of what the students themselves perceive as the causes and antecedents
of school failure. In this article, we analyze the perceptions of the factors of academic failure among grade-ten,
science-tracked students. Students from eight schools in southern Portugal (N=346) participated in the study. The
major factors of failure in 10th grade science courses, according to students, are quality of teaching and previous
student preparation. One third of the students did not think that secondary science education prepared them for life in
a scientific-technological society. A culture of high expectancy on the part of teachers, parents and administrators may
be key to influencing rates of success.