Predictors of science fair participation using The Theory of Planned Behavior

School Science and Mathematics, Nov 1996 by Czerniak, Charlene M, Lumpe, Andrew T

The purpose of this study was to use The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine factors that predict junior high and secondary students' attitude toward participating in a district science fair competition (attitude toward behavior), beliefs about who would approve or disapprove of participation in a science fair (subjective norm), and perceptions of control about participating in the science fair (perceived behavioral control). Factors used to predict these included gender, type of school (public or private), grade level, GPA, participation in a gifted class, participation in a research course, requirement to complete a science fair project, and level of anxiety about completing a science fair project. Three hundred three participants completed a standard TPB questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Indicator. Multiple regression models revealed that subjective norm and participation in a gifted class were predictors of attitude toward the behavior. Attitude toward the behavior, the science fair project counting toward a grade in science class, the parent's level of education, and the science fair entry being required predicted subjective norm. A discriminant function analysis found that type of school (public or private), parents' level of education, participation in a research program at school, grade level, and trait anxiety were the strongest predictors of perceived behavioral control. It was concluded that science fair entry appears to be involuntary, in conflict with NSTA's Position Statement on Science Fairs. Typically junior high students (whose parents have a higher level of education) attending private schools are required to enter science fairs, and the entry counts toward a grade in science class.

Introduction

Yearly, teachers and parents encourage hundreds of thousands of students to enter local, district, state, and international science fairs. Many science educators believe that participation in science fairs helps students develop basic skills, develop the attitudes and knowledge that will help them be comfortable and successful in an ever changing scientific/technological society, design an experiment that will attempt to solve or investigate a problem, discover a topic of their own interest, and provide the first step on the ladder to success (Grote, 1995; Mann, 1984). Students who enter the Westinghouse Talent Search frequently continue onto careers in scientific fields (Huler, 1991), and students who have participated in science fairs report that the experience influenced their career choices in science (Olson, 1985).

While it is generally believed that science fair participation can be a valuable leaming experience, little is known about factors that influence participation in them. A literature search revealed that scant research exists on science fairs. Slisz (1989) found that competition can be an effective motivation in science fairs, but this author also stressed that many science fair articles are based on opinions rather than research. While the National Science Teachers Association's Position Statement on Science Fair Entry states that entry into science fairs should be voluntary, Czerniak (1996) found that 85% of students who participated in a District Science Fair reported that they were required to complete a science fair project. Ninety-two percent reported that their science fair project counted toward their course grade in science, and forty-two percent reported that the judges ' rating on the project impacted their school course grade. However, no other scientific studies were found to identify variables that contribute to entry into a science fair.

While few studies exist that reveal students' reasons for entering science fairs, the Theory of Reasoned Action (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980) and the refined theory, The Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen and Madden, 1986) have been used to examine factors related to other human behaviors. The Theory of Planned Behavior postulates that belief based factors play a role in influencing people's intentions and behaviors. In this theory, three constructs: attitude toward the behavior (AB), subjective norm (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC) are directly related to behavioral intentions (BI). Behavioral intentions are correlated with actual behaviors (B). Belief-based measures of AB are measured by examining a person's behavioral belief (BB) and evaluation of the outcomes of participating in the behavior (outcome evaluation, OE).

Belief-based measures of SN are measured by examining a person's normative beliefs, perceptions of what others think (NB) and motivation to comply (MC) with others. Finally, belief-based measures of PBC are measured by examining a person's perception of factors that facilitate or inhibit participation in a behavior. According to The Theory of Planned Behavior, indirect attitudinal measures of beliefs examine cognitive factors related to attitude, and therefore, are more accurate in predicting behavioral intention and behavior than traditional attitudinal measures.