EXPLORING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ATTITUDES AND SKILLS IN THE MEXICAN BASIC EDUCATION LEVEL: A GENDER PERSPECTIVE. Victoria Erossa Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey Campus Estado de Mexico. Graduates and Research Division Apartado Postal 18, Modulo de Servicio Postal, Atizapan, Mex. 52926 FAX (525) 326-5789. email: verosa@itesmvf1.rzs.itesm.mx ABSTRACT The attention given to scientific and technological (S&T) education to women is relatively recent and could be considered to be in its infancy. Little research has been done to explore the pattern of development of S&T attitudes and skills in girls and boys. For such a purpose, a pilot investigation was realized in a 5th grade group in Mexico City Metropolitan area taking advantage of their participation in the GOALS Project of the University of Oxford. Using a reverse engineering approach, in order to use as diagnosis mean, two GOALS instruments, each containing four investigations or exercises, were fully disaggregated deriving seventeen variables to conform the construct development of ST attitudes and skills. The task required the definition of the variable rationale, operationalisation of variables, measurement scales definition, and the building of three educational dimensions: one related to the development of ST attitudes: a second related to the development of ST skills or abilities, and a third related to the desired profile achievement. With this analytical kit, data were collected from 43 students. To avoid biases, conditions of equality in educational and social context were considered. The results provides evidences that in this stage of the education process, the girls attitudes, skills and profile are more developed than boys' in the three dimensions and in 15 of the 17 variables, being equal (100%) in three of them. If differences could exist in the best performance of girls, then is natural to consider that other type influences (economic, cultural or social) prevents the entrance of women into the S&T highest level of education, and not the person´s capacities or abilities. Such findings correspond to a single case, therefore, in the paper a suggestion is raised to continue with this line of research with larger samples within countries and cross cultural research as well. Selected issues of the use of the GOALS instruments for this specific data collection are discussed and some recommendations for further refinement of measures and methodology of analysis are included. INTRODUCTION Mexico is one of the participating countries in the GOALS Project of the Department of Educational Studies of the University of Oxford. Since the presentation of the GOALS instrument to this paper´s author, the idea to use it as a source of information emerged. Several possibilities were considered: as a tool to obtain information from different levels of environmental care in regions or countries, or as a reflection of the type of rural or urban society, among others. A careful analysis of the investigations of GOALS instruments leaded to some actions known in the technological field as "reverse engineering", that is, to look into the process that is required to provide the answer required for each investigation. Using as analytical framework Bloom's (1954) taxonomy of educational objectives, seventeen variables were identified and grouped in three main dimensions consistent with the categories of attitudes, knowledge and skills. Due to the nature of investigations of the GOALS instruments, variables were easily related to the scientific and technological capabilities and was possible to derive measures that could be use to explore the extent to which S&T skills and attitudes are developed in a group of participants. Immediately a question arose: How do these skills and attitudes develop in girls and boys? A general belief in Mexican culture appeared: girls are not dedicated to S&T activities and professional careers because boys are more suited for them. This assertion was challenged exploring the differences with the invaluable support of the GOALS instruments. This paper reports the findings in a Mexican case, and has the humble aim to encourage researchers from other countries to replicate the study and cross validate that, indeed, there are gender differences in the development of S&T attitudes and skills, and that those differences are indicated by the girls best results at the elementary school level. The question that follows is ...are social and cultural influences inhibitors of the natural S&T skills and attitudes of girls? THE DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT Two versions of the GOALS instrument (1993) were used for two different groups of respondents. The members of each group developed the tasks during a three month period, according to the following distribution: Group A Group B (N=23; Girls=14; Boys=9) (N=20; Girls=11; Boys=10) Three experiments: Three experiments: 1.1 Measuring how much rain 2.1 Finding out what soil ismade from, falls, 2.2 How well does the soil drain 1.2 Measuring the wind speed, 2.3 What animals live in the soil 1.3 Measuring the climate. One Interview Series: One Interview series: 1.4 Asking weather changes. 2.4 Asking if are there any problems with the soil. Table 1. Investigations Developed by Each Group of Respondents. Using the first investigation as an example of the analysis realized, the instructions in GOALS requires: the event preparation, which demands full understanding of the instructions to follow in order to built the experimental kit to be used, and to respond the correspondent questions. Question 1 requires observation skills and comparison abilities; while question 2 asks for an explanation of the obtained results (GOALS, page 1). For its conditions, the experiment requires accuracy, consistency and the election of an answer given two comparison parameters that is requires a conclusion as an answer. Dimension I Dimension II Dimension III Scientific/Tech. ScientificTech. Scientific/Tech. Attitude Skills Consolidation *Observation *Comprehension *Interpretation *Comparison *Event Preparation *Conclusion *Accuracy *Conditions Control *Assessment *Discussion *Result Measuring *Consistency *Best Effort *Description *Explanation *Communication *Use (Result application) Table 2. Variables in the Three Educational Dimensions. From each of the investigations, a set of variables was extracted and then operationalised upon the basis of their presence in a certain number of questions. A total of seventeen variables were identified and grouped according to one of three educational dimensions (Erossa, 1992; Erossa & Arroyo, 1994). Each of the investigations was a variable source, and was operationalised using one question response or a composite of them. In the case of the Best Effort variable, a composite of requirements was defined for the full format, such as draws addition and spaces, colours in the drawings, spelling, clean handwriting, and written explanations or just compliance, among others. VARIABLE INSTRUMENT 1 INSTRUMENT 2 1. Comprehension Instructions Instructions 2. Event Preparation Instructions Instructions 3. Observation Instructions for Instructions for Investigation 1, 2, 3. Investigation 1, 2, 3. 4. Comparison Inv. 2 Response 4 Inv. 1. R1/R2 Inv. 3. Response 3 Inv. 2. R1/R2/R3 Inv. 3. R1/R2/R3 5. Explanation Inv. 1. R1 Inv. 3. R2 6. Accuracy Inv. 1. R3/R4/R5 Inv. 1. R1 Inv. 2. R1/R2/R3 Inv. 2. R2/R3 Inv. 3. R1 7. Description Inv. 1. R1/R2/R3 Inv. 2. R3 Inv. 4. R1 Inv. 3. R4 8. Consistency Inv. 1. R6 Inv. 3. R2 9. Interpretation Inv. 1. R6 Inv. 2. R4 Inv. 3. R4 Inv. 4. R1 Inv. 4. R1 10. Control Inv. 2. R1/R2 Inv. 3. R1/R3 11. Results Inv. 1. R3/R4/R5 Measurement Inv. 3. R1/R3 Inv. 2. R4 12. Conclusions Inv. 2. R5 13. Use (result Inv. 3. R3 Inv. 4. R1 application) Inv. 4. R1 14. Assessment Inv. 4. R1 Inv. 4. R1 Inv. 4. R1 Inv. 4. R1 15. Communication Total Format Total Format 16. Discussion 17. Best Effort Table 3. Variables Source from GOALS Instruments. It is clear that instrument 1 provides a more complete set of variables. It is suggested for future research the use of a combination of instruments or the single use of instrument 1. The single use of instrument 2 must be avoided for this purpose, due to its limited capability for variable extraction. Variables Rationale Comprehension - to what extent the respondents understood the instructions and followed them. Preparation for the Event - the participants built their own research kit tools. Observation - to what extent the participants followed (monitored) the changes of the conditions in a certain period of time. Comparison - to what extent the participants notice the differences in the results when the conditions were different. Explanation - to what extent the participants explain the causes of the obtained results. Accuracy - give an objective measure (quantitative) to the phenomena under observation. Was considered when the results presented at least two decimals. Description - draw the representation of the observations required. Consistency - their reported result is consistent with the previous objective measures. Interpretation - given two simple parameters, to what extent quantitative results correlate with the selected result or conclusion. Control - to what extent similar conclusions can be reached under different conditions (one more method or person). Result Measurement - to what extent the respondent can express the results obtained using quantitative measures. Conclusion - to what extent he/she can synthesise the information into new information or conclusion. Use - results application or utilization. Assessment - to what extent they provide arguments to support the best election between two different tool kits. Communication - subject interaction with other persons to collect information. Discussion - confronts different points of view. Best Effort - defined by a quality criteria. THE PILOT STUDY The Context Characteristics * Elementary School (Girls/Boys) * 5th Grade (Ages 11-12 years) * Bilingual School (English/Spanish) * Private School (US 200 monthly tuition, before peso devaluation) * Upper Middle Class * Metropolitan Area of Mexico City (North) * School Size: 800 students in Elementary School (1st to 6th grade) 300 students in Secondary School (1st to 3rd grade) * Daily time spent in school 6 hours. * No extra curricular activities * Children did the experiments under their English Teacher supervision, in English language (in Mexico the official language is Spanish) Two versions of the GOALS instrument were used, each for one of two respondents groups. All respondents have at least five years in the same school, and the same English teacher and Spanish teacher in the educational year. Investigations were conducted at home, under the English teacher's supervision. Respondents used the English language. THE RESULTS Data collected were processed, coding the responses as correct if they met fully the requirements stated in the variable rationale. A total of 1361 data were processed, from them 803 correspond to girls´ responses and 559 to boys´, as such, they represent the total development score (100%) possible to achieve by the sample used. The correct scores obtained were 1046, which represented the 76.9% of the possible development, as a result of girls' contribution to the score of the 83.2%, and boys' contribution of 74.4%. This percentage could be interpreted as a high quality S&T development, but represents an area of opportunity to the school that could be improved. Obtaining this percentage in a first measuring could be used as a parameter to improve S&T development in the following educational periods. If a similar measurement is made in other competitive schools, the quality of their S&T education could be compare. S&T skills and attitudes development at disaggregate level reflects a highest development in the attitude dimension (80.4%) followed by skills (75.6%), being the less developed consolidation (71.2%). In all cases the girls' scores were higher than the boys'. These results can be interpreted as the reflection of an ongoing process in which attention must be paid to S&T skills development, and to activities that encourage the consolidation of S&T abilities. Educational Dimensions Total Girls Boys Total Total Total Correct Correct Correct N % N % N % N % N % N % Dimension I Attitudes 580 100.0 337 100 245 100 182 466 80.4 284 75.4 74.3 Dimension II Skills 534 100.0 318 100 220 100 172 404 75.6 270 85.0 78.2 Dimension III Consolidation 247 100.0 148 100 94 100 176 71.2 114 77.0 62 66.0 Total Development 1361 100.0 1046 803 100 559 100 416 Scores 76.9 668 83.2 74.4 Table 4. Total Development Scores. Girls and Boys Results. Graphic 1. Total Development Scores. Total, Girls and Boys Results. 1. Dimension I. Attitudes 2. Dimension II. Skills 3. Dimension III. Consolidation. These general results provide evidences of the best achievement of the girls, although their performance can be improved if S&T education is properly oriented, recall that the GOALS application was made surprisingly, without a specific preparation or previous incorporation into the curricular activities. If this group could be incorporate into a defined S&T Educational Program, abilities could be properly enhanced and oriented to S&T intensive activities. It is considered that without the proper orientation, the current attitudes and skills will soon be inhibited by social or cultural factors. Graphic 2. Dimension I. Variables Set. Total, Girls and Boys Scores. 1. Observation 3. Accuracy 5. Best Effort 2. Comparison 4. Discussion 6. Explanation As was mentioned previously, each of the educational dimensions is configured by a set of variables. Results indicate that in Dimension I, S&T Attitudes, girls seems to have their opportunity area developing attitudes for discussion (72%) and explanation (71.4%), although comparing these results with the boys' (33.4% for each case), the girls' achievement is about double. Gaps are identified in comparison, accuracy, discussion, best effort and explanation, providing evidences of a possible advantage in girls' S&T development. Girls' attitudes to S&T activities seems to be favourable to follow more intensive studies of the kind, at this moment of the education process, the attitudes could be enhanced to build a platform to continue with an education oriented to S&T areas. Graphic 3. Dimension II. Variables Set. Total, Girls and Boys Scores. 1. Comprehension 4. Results Measurement 6. Communication 2. Event Preparation 5. Description 7. Use 3. Conditions Control In Dimension II, both groups of respondents obtained the highest scores in comprehension, event preparation and use or results application, reflecting the high quality standards of the School. Girls were more accurate in the results measurement, but boys controlled the experiment conditions in a better way. The two groups of respondents presents low levels of communication, emphasized in boys, a possible explanation could be find in the teaching methods based on the pupil´s passive role, represents an extraordinary area of opportunity to develop a more integral ST and personal profile as well. As an overall result, the students obtained lower scores than in Dimension I, building upon these results, it could be considered that skills can be improved, due to the students positive attitudes to S&T. More exercises related to description, communications and conditions control could be designed by the teachers to reinforce this dimension in the long run. Graphic 4. Dimension III. Variables Set. Total, Girls and Boys Scores. 1. Interpretation 3. Assessment 2. Conclusion 4. Consistency Previous two dimensions could been reached per-se, nevertheless, the full incorporation of them to the individual´s behaviour and way of acting (synthesis), is expressed through the capability to interpret the phenomena, to derive a conclusion from the observations, assess the obtained results, as well as by the consistency achieved between the reported observations and the results and conclusions presented. These variables conform Dimension III, termed S&T Characteristics Achievement, and reflects the maturity or absorption of the characteristics of people devoted to S&T activities, not only the skills, includes the comprehension of the reasons to do each experiment, what is expected to know, what information can be derived and the explanatory power of the results. In Dimension III gaps are identified between girls' and boys' responses in the four variables. The gap widens in conclusion (71.4% / 44.5%) and in assessment (64.1% / 44.5%). In the overall results, Dimension III reports the lowest scores in the sample, once more, the girls' scores (77.o%) were higher than boys´ (66%), who seemed to be weak in conclusion and assessment. Anyhow, identifying the weak zones is the first step for the correction, his type of analysis could be helpful if to the diagnosis follows actions for the improvement of education quality. From the analysis of the three dimensions, the girls' strengths (100%) are in observation, comprehension, event preparation, and result application. Efforts must be oriented to sustain these level. Areas of opportunity (84% to less than 100%) are in comparison, accuracy, results measurement, interpretation and consistency and best effort. Here the efforts must be oriented to improve the abilities and skills; while the areas to reinforce fully (less than 84%) are discussion, explanation, conditions control, communication, conclusion and assessment. If girls obtained satisfactory results without previous specific preparation in S&T, it is expected that high quality could be achieved following systematic S&T programs. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH The results strongly suggests that under equal circumstances of socio-economic level and educational environment, girls of 11 to 12 years old have developed higher S&T attitudes, skills and capabilities than boys of the same age. The highest scores were achieved by the girls ranging from 64% to 100%, with an overall result of 85%, meanwhile the boys' range was from 33% to 100% with an average of 74% in their performance. Therefore, it's is suspected that later on in the growing and/or educational process, social or cultural inhibitors such as traditional female roles or cliches such as men´s natural abilities for S&T, influence the girls´ S&T capabilities development, and not the person´s capacities and abilities. This is one possible explanation for girls' election of non-university studies, or if they do, for the preference of the so-called soft-studies, or the avoidance of S&T areas. Investigations of this kind provide evidence of existing prejudices related to women's capabilities to develop in S&T areas that had been (at least in Mexico), considered men's territories. Equal social opportunities for women requires the recognition from childhood of their intellectual capabilities, and the valoration of their potentialities, particularly in the scientific and technological arenas. Although the study is limited to a single case, results are encouraging to continue with a larger sample within the country or replication in other countries under a cross-cultural perspective as well, to explore the differences in the levels of S&T attitudes and abilities under a gender perspective. The use of GOALS instrument as data collection tool provides an invaluable opportunity for analysis, the design allows a general application in a large number of countries. Giving an analytical use to GOALS instrument could be helpful in several levels: in classroom level monitoring individual performance; school level, monitoring quality standards; and at normative level, for general diagnosis purposes. The information derived could provide the basis for educational practices or polices oriented to encourage women´s development in S&T careers. The quality of the information could be improved using methodologies such as regression analysis. REFERENCES Bloom, B. S. (1954). The Taxonomy of Objectives. (Comp). Longmans, Green. Erossa, V. (1992). Un Taller de Dise_o y Evaluacion Curricular. IV Comite de la UNESCO en Mexico, Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico. A Curriculum Development and Assessment Workshop. IV UNESCO Committee in Mexico. Erossa, V. and Arroyo, P. (1994). Dimensions of Entrepreneurship Education. Working Paper. University of Texas at Austin. GOALS Project. (1993). University of Oxford. Department of Educational Studies.