International Journal of Teacher Educational Research (IJTER) Vol.3 No.3 March, 2014 ISSN: 2319-4642
www.ijter.com
STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE STUDY OF BIOLOGY IN RELATION TO THEIR STUDY
HABITS
Dr. R. BABU
Mr.G. GOVINDHARAJAN
Professor
Research Scholar
Department of Education
Department of Education
Annamalai University
Annamalai University
ABSTRACT
The study has been conducted to investigate the level of students‟ attitude towards Biology and
their study habits. It also examines the relationship between the study habits and attitude towards Biology
of the higher secondary students. The study was made on a random sample of 735 higher secondary
students in Thiruvannamalai, Trichy and Dhindukal Districts. The tools used in the study were the study
habits scale standardized by Gopal Rao.D (1985) and the students‟ attitude of biology scale constructed by
the investigator. The study reveals the fact that the level of study habits and attitude towards biology at high
and favorable. Further, it is noted that there is negligible correlation between study habits and attitude
towards Biology among higher secondary students.
Keywords: students, attitude, biology, study habits, correlation.
INTRODUCTION
“Attitude is determined by the individual‟s beliefs about the outcomes or the attributes of performing
the behavior (behavioral beliefs), determined by the evaluations of those outcomes or attributes. Thus, a
person who holds strong beliefs with positively valued outcomes will result in performing the behavior which
will have a positive attitude toward the behavior. Conversely, a person who holds strong beliefs with
negatively valued outcomes will give a negative attitude.” Study habits are the ways or methods that one
follow while studying - the habits that one have formed during their school years. Study habits can be good
ones, or bad ones. Good study habits include working every day with good notes, reading text book,
listening carefully in the classes and organization of all these. Bad study habits include skipping class, not
doing work, watching TV or playing video games instead of studying. In order to make the study as
pleasant and successful as possible, the teacher should help the learner to find conducive learning
situation. Some pupils may need continued guidance, where as other can develop their own methods.
Good study procedures will achieve the desired results. The students opted biology subject at higher
Students‟ Attitude towards the study of Biology in relation to their Study Habit
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International Journal of Teacher Educational Research (IJTER) Vol.3 No.3 March, 2014 ISSN: 2319-4642
www.ijter.com
secondary level are the sample, their attitude towards the study of biology and its relationship with study
habits is very essentials for every researchers which is an all time issue.
NEED FOR THE STUDY
The present study deals with attitude which has an attitude has three important elements. They
include the belief or opinion about something, feelings about that thing and a tendency to act towards that
thing in certain ways. The attitudes come from the culture in which an individual grows. The people and the
peer group shape an individual's attitude. Higher secondary students‟ opinion must be collected and time to
time it is to be analyzed in order to derive right objectives and goals to be set and targeted. The
investigators under took an elaborate study on biology education to give appropriate suggestions to the
authorities concerned. Hence the study emerged.
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
1.
To study the attitude towards Biology of the higher secondary students
2.
To study the study habits of the higher secondary students
3.
To study the significance of the difference with respect to the attitude towards Biology, if
any between
a. Male and Female students
b. Urban and Rural school students
c. Tamil and English medium students
4.
To study the significance of the difference with respect to the study habits, if any between
a. Male and Female students
b. Urban and Rural school students
c. Tamil and English medium students
5.
To find if there is any significant relationship between the attitude towards Biology and the
study habits of the higher secondary students.
METHODOLOGY
In order to realize the above said objectives „Normative Survey‟ method was adopted. The
normative Survey method study describes and interprets what exists at present. These are concerned with
the existing conditions or relations, prevailing practices, beliefs and attitudes etc. Such investigations are
termed in research literature as Descriptive Survey or Normative survey. A total of 735 students in
Students‟ Attitude towards the study of Biology in relation to their Study Habit
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International Journal of Teacher Educational Research (IJTER) Vol.3 No.3 March, 2014 ISSN: 2319-4642
www.ijter.com
Thiruvannamalai, Trichy and Dhindukal were selected by using Random Sampling Technique. The study
habits scale standardized by Gopal Rao, D (1985) and attitude of biology scale constructed by the
investigator have been employed for the collection of data. The statistical techniques such as mean,
standard deviation, „t‟ test „F‟ ratio have been used for the analysis of the data
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
For the analysis and interpretation of data the study are given in different tables.
Table – 1
Mean and standard deviation for Attitude towards Biology score of whole group
Variables
Mean
Standard Deviation
Attitude
towards 57.72
8.70
Biology
It is seen from the above table 1 that the mean score of attitude of the higher secondary students
towards biology is 57.72, which shows the attitude is high and it is favorable..
Table 2
Showing Mean, SD and t-test for students’ Attitude towards Biology scores of sub samples
Variables
Level of
N
Mean
SD
Significance
t- value
Gender
Location
Medium
instruction
Boys
330
69.52
18.14
Girls
405
79.34
10.13
Urban
277
75.90
16.13
Rural
458
74.35
14.42
of Tamil
492
72.75
16.46
243
79.34
10.58
English
3.01
Significant
(0.05)
0.45
Not Significant
1.33
Not Significant
From the above table 2, it is found that the calculated „t‟ value is 3.01. The calculated „t‟ value
(3.01) is significant at 0.05 level, which confirms that there is significant difference between higher
secondary students‟ attitude in their biology involvement and their gender. Hence the stated hypothesis is
rejected. To sum up, the male and female differ, significantly, in their biology involvement of attitude. From
Students‟ Attitude towards the study of Biology in relation to their Study Habit
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International Journal of Teacher Educational Research (IJTER) Vol.3 No.3 March, 2014 ISSN: 2319-4642
www.ijter.com
the above table, it is also inferred that the calculated „t‟ value is 0.45. The calculated „t‟ value (0.45) is not
significant at 0.05 level, which confirms that there is no significant difference between higher secondary
students biology involvement of attitude on the basis of Students Residing Place. Hence the stated
hypothesis is accepted. To sum up the urban and rural do not significantly differ in their biology involvement
of attitude. It is observed from the above table that the calculated „t‟ value is 1.33. The calculated „t‟ value
(1.33) is not significant at 0.05 level, which confirms that there is no significant difference between higher
secondary students biology involvement of attitude on the basis of Medium of Instruction. Hence the stated
hypothesis is accepted. To sum up, the Tamil medium and English medium students do not significantly
differ in their biology involvement of attitude.
Table 3
Mean and standard deviation for study habits score of entire sample
Variables
Mean
Standard Deviation
Study Habits
103.11
47.31
From the table 3, the mean score of study habits is found 103.11, which shows the higher
secondary students have moderate level among the entire sample.
Table 4
Showing Mean, SD and t-test for students’ Attitude towards Biology scores of sub samples
Variables
Level of
N
Mean
SD
t-test
Significance
Gender
Location
Medium
instruction
Boys
330
69.52
18.14
Girls
405
79.34
10.13
Urban
277
75.90
16.13
Rural
458
74.35
14.42
of Tamil
492
72.75
16.46
243
79.34
10.58
English
1.27
Not Significant
1.80
Not Significant
2.09
Significant
(0.05)
From table 4, it is inferred that the calculated „t‟ value is 1.27. The calculated „t‟ value (1.27) is not
significant at 0.05 level, which confirms that there is significant difference between the higher secondary
Students‟ Attitude towards the study of Biology in relation to their Study Habit
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International Journal of Teacher Educational Research (IJTER) Vol.3 No.3 March, 2014 ISSN: 2319-4642
www.ijter.com
students‟ study habits on the basis of gender. Hence, the stated hypothesis is rejected. To sum up, the
male and female do not significantly differ in their study habits. It is also inferred that the calculated „t‟ value
is 1.80. The calculated „t‟ value (1.80) is not significant at 0.05 level, which confirms that there is no
significant difference between higher secondary students study habits on the basis of Students Residing
Place. Hence the stated hypothesis is accepted. To sum up the urban and rural differ significantly in their
study habits. It is concluded that the calculated „t‟ value is 2.09. The calculated „t‟ value (2.09) is significant
at 0.05 level, which confirms that there is significant difference between higher secondary students study
habits and the Medium of Instruction. Hence, the stated hypothesis is rejected. To sum up, the Tamil
medium and English medium students differ significantly in their study habits.
Table – 5
Relationship between attitude towards Biology and Study Habits of Higher Secondary Students
Variables
Biology Attitude
Study Habits
‘r’ value
.039
Level of Significance
Not Significant
A cursory look at table 5, the computed „r‟ value 0.039 is not significant. It suggests that there is no,
statistically, significant relationship between the level of attitude towards biology and study habits of the
higher secondary students.
CONCLUSION
Attitude towards Biology of higher secondary students is found to be at high level according to the
data analysis and interpretations. There is significant difference between the higher secondary students‟
attitude towards biology and their gender. The male and female students differ significantly in their biology
of attitude. Also there is no significant difference between the higher secondary students‟ biology attitude at
the students residing place and medium of instruction together. The male and female and the urban and
rural students do not significantly differ in their study habits. The tamil medium and english medium
students have significant difference in study habits. And there is no, statistically, significant relationship
between the level of attitude towards biology and study habits of the higher secondary students
Students‟ Attitude towards the study of Biology in relation to their Study Habit
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International Journal of Teacher Educational Research (IJTER) Vol.3 No.3 March, 2014 ISSN: 2319-4642
www.ijter.com
REFERENCES
Sampath (1993). “Comparison of Academic Achievement and study habits of School Boys and Girls”.
Journal of Education Research 9,5,13-15.
Salinkumar, C. (1998). "The impact of select factors on achievements". Journal of Educational Research.
Pannerselvam (2000) “Study of higher secondary students‟ achievement in science and study habits”.
Indian Educational Abstract, Issue 4, Jan-NCERT, New Delhi.
Pajares, (2002). “Can the Teacher be a Professional”, Journal of Higher Education, Vol.18 (4), pp.15-18.
Ambedkar. V. (2004). Effectiveness of CAELL at High School Level, Unpublished Ph. D thesis. Annamalai
University.
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