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Asia-Pacific Forum
on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 11, Issue 2, Article 4 (Dec., 2010) |
In the light of the results of the analysis, it can be deduced that learning strategy use may have positive effects on physics achievement for pre-service teachers. The study provides little support for the hypothesis that girls tend to engage in rote learning in science classes. As seen in this research, reliable and valid questionnaires will enable teachers to determine their students' strategy use and the gender differences concerning strategy use in physics courses. In addition, teachers and/or educators who do not include learning strategy applications in their programs but want to improve the effectiveness of their courses, may wish to review the potential benefits of learning strategies. This is a cross-sectional study because the measurements are taken from groups at a particular point in time (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2007). The situation may have provided different results had another time-frame been chosen. For this reason, it is believed that there has been enough research conducted on this topic. The following suggestions are made for those planning to conduct further studies in this area:
1. The effects of the actual use of learning strategies on achievement in physics could be analyzed in more depth through both qualitative and quantitative research.
2. The relationship between the learning strategies students reported using and those they actually use could be investigated.
3. The effects of gender on learning strategies used in physics education could be investigated using a greater number of studies, and by making comparisons between different cultures.
4. The effects of gender on achievement in physics could be investigated using different assessment instruments (conceptual tests instead of classical achievement tests).
