THE INFLUENCE OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ON THE INTEREST OF CZECH AND FINNISH STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY

TitleTHE INFLUENCE OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ON THE INTEREST OF CZECH AND FINNISH STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2024
AuthorsRajsiglová, I, Poneszová, V, Teplá, M
JournalJournal of Baltic Science Education
Volume23
Issue3
Start Page536-549
PaginationContinuous
Date PublishedJune/2024
Type of ArticleOriginal article
ISSN1648-3898
Other NumbersE-ISSN 2538-7138
Keywordsextracurricular activities, interest in biology, lower secondary school students, Questionnaire
Abstract

Extracurricular learning plays a key role in shaping students' interest in (not only) biology. The research examined which extracurricular areas related to biology can make biology more attractive for the participating Finnish and Czech students. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was administered to 178 Finnish and 195 Czech 9th-grade lower-secondary school students. Cronbach's alpha, Varimax rotation and Mann–Whitney U-test were performed. Factor analysis identified 7 areas: Family trips, My career, Biology lessons, Healthy lifestyle, Institutions, Nature-related hobbies, and Information sources. For Czech, hobbies related to nature and family trips are significant contributors to fostering interest in biology, and an informal educational environment is crucial for cultivating a lasting relationship with biology. For Finns, biology classes and career orientation have a more significant influence on students, demonstrating the effectiveness of formal educational strategies in increasing students' interest in biology. Increasing interest in biology among the students observed in both sociocultural environments is significantly influenced by family involvement and the use of information sources. Further research should explore how specific ECA can support the connection between family and school environments and their impact on students' interest and engagement in biology lessons.

URLhttps://oaji.net/articles/2023/987-1719377841.pdf
DOI10.33225/jbse/24.23.536
Refereed DesignationRefereed
Full Text