PISA 2006 Sınavı Sonuçlarına Göre Türkiye’deki Öğrencilerin Fen Bilimleri Okuryazarlığını Etkileyen Duyuşsal Faktörler

Introduction Lifelong learning has not only been the individual’s but also society’s biggest need in the 21st century, in which rapid changes have been experienced in science, technology, and socio-economic structures. The society that consists of individuals who ‚learn to learn‛ is the society that can keep up with that era. In addition to national assessment studies they have performed in education, countries—in order to monitor at what level they have trained individuals who learn to learn—need educational indicators which present their situations among international levels. The PISA Project is one of the international studies which evaluates at what degree groups of 15-year-oldstudents have obtained knowledge and skills at the end of compulsory education so that they can be a complete member of society. The PISA assessment frame is comprised of the term ‚literacy,‛ which appertains to the capacity to have inferences from their learning in order to apply their knowledge to daily life, have logical inferences, interpret the problems in various situations and solve them (MONE, 2007). The purpose of this study is to examine science literacy and affective factors in Turkey in line with the data collected from the International Student Success Assessment Program. Among 206 student surveys, PISA has determined these variables: the general value of science, personal value of science, self-efficacy of science, self-concept of science and support for scientific enquiry. The impact of these determined variables on science literacy has been searched according to gender and school type. Method This study is a correlational search which serves the purposes of description and explanation of relations between affective factors, which can appertain to the science literacy examined in the PISA 2006 measurement application. The study’s sample in Turkey consists of 4942 students between the ages of 15 years, three months and 16 years, twelve months. The measured items by the PISA 2006 survey are: support for scientific enquiry, selfconfidence in science as science students, interest in science and responsibility for environment and sources. The contribution of the determined variables to the science literacy examination has been tested by the structural equation model (SEM). Findings Students’ self-efficacy in science as science students has a direct impact on science literacy. The more they have self-efficacy, the more their performance in science increases. Also, as long as they have self-efficacy, they give support for scientific enquiry, and as long as support for scientific enquiry increases, there will be an increase in their science literacy performance. The general value of science doesn’t have a direct impact on science literacy. However, an impact which supports scientific enquiry can be mentioned. As the general value the students give to science increases, the support for scientific enquiry increases as well. Because of the increase in support for science enquiry, an increase in science performance is observed. Also, it has been determined that this model doesn’t differentiate between girl or boy student groups, or in state or private school student groups. Conclusions, Discussions and Implications In the ıntervention test carried out for the sample Turkey, students’ self-efficacy of science as science students has an impact on science literacy. Miller (2008), in a study, has applied the self-efficacy of science survey to students and observed the relationship between academic achievements. He has reached the conclusion that there is a positive and meaningful relationship between self-efficacy and achievement. In the same way, Shruba (2008) has examined the relationship between students’ self-efficacy situations in biology courses and their attitude towards the course. He has found a positive and meaningful relationship between the two. It is observed that the relationship between students’ selfefficacy of science and attitudes towards the course have a significant impact on the levels of achievement in the course. However, an impact which supports scientific enquiry is discussed. In other words, the self-efficacy of science has a direct impact on science literacy. As long as they have self-efficacy as science students, the value given to scientific enquiry increases, and thus, the achievements in science increase as well. The views of students related to science for the benefit of society don’t have any direct impact on science literacy. However, as long as the students consider science positively for the benefit of society, the support for scientific enquiry increases, and this helps their achievements in science increase. Çalışkan (2008) has observed that the situations of the general value of science influence the achievements in science and points of view towards science. In groups consisting of girls and boys, there isn’t any difference between factor structures. This situation states that the variables influencing the science literacy of girl and boy students and similar structures among them have an impact on this situation. In groups consisting of state school and private school students, there isn’t any difference between the factor structures of the structural model. This situation states that similar structures have an impact on the science literacy of state and private school students.