Adult college students perceptions on science education : reclaiming lost ground in science education in preparation for health science programs / by Anita Graham.

Abstract

This study was based upon the issues surrounding science education and how they impact students’ further science education as well as their everyday lives. The research was a qualitative study that used an interview guide. Six adult college students who had graduated from the Pre-Health Sciences Program and continued with Health Science Programs were interviewed for this study. Their perceptions on how science education had influenced their further science education as well as everyday lives were analyzed and similar themes evolved from the data. Findings revealed that high school science education for these students generally did not generate interest or desire to learn science, except when they participated in lab activities. In contrast, these students found that the college science education interested them and inspired them to learn. This may be more due to intrinsic values for learning science since students articulated that they needed to learn the science because they wanted to enter Health Science Programs after the science prerequisites were fulfilled. The findings showed that students wanted labs and hands-on activities as part of their learning. Also, science literacy in the students was evident from the stories they shared about their everyday lives.