A Study of the Opinions of High School and College Students of Western Kansas Regarding Science Teachers and Science Courses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate, on the basis of student opinion: 1. The outstanding characteristics of the effective science teacher. 2. Student preference as to instructional procedures. 3. The attitudes of students toward science courses. 4. The areas of science that students consider especially interesting and important. II. Procedure: This study was undertaken with the assumption that student opinions and reactions are valid to use as criteria in judging the suitability of science courses and the characteristics of the effective science teacher. After surveying the related studies, four questionnaires were prepared and submitted to 2098 junior high, high school and college students. III. Conclusions: The data secured through the techniques used in this investigation seems to indicate that: 1. The outstanding characteristics of the effective science teacher are the ability to explain clearly and expert knowledge of subject matter. 2. Demonstrations, laboratory and field trips received the highest ratings as instructional procedures. 3. The data concerning the responses of students regarding science courses shows a wide difference of opinion. However, a very high percentage of the students believed that the study of science is valuable, interesting and important for all students. 4. The four groups of respondents were in general most interested in two areas; first, that area concerning information about themselves and their personal welfare-topics such as reproduction, heredity, the human body and the nature and control of disease. The other area of particular interest deals with those things of current importance in everyday life. Such an area includes the nature and control of matter and energy and the basic principles of physics and chemistry