Effects of Science Inquiry, Science Attitude, Self-esteem, and Self-competence on Children in Low-income Family through Science Experience Class

과학 체험 교실이 저소득층 아동의 과학 탐구, 과학 태도 및 자아 존중감과 자기 유능감에 미치는 효과

This study was performed to reveal the effects of a science experience class, in which children of low-income family(LIF) were involved. The children's science inquiry skills, science-related attitude, self-esteem and self-competence were investigated before and after the science experience class. Not only 61 children in LIF but also 75 ordinary ones participated in the class and the tests to collect the data, and interviews in which 9 children of each group participated were conducted as well. The results are as follows. First, through the science experience class, the children in LIF's average point of science inquiry skills increased meaningfully, but ordinary children's did not. Second, the science attitude's points of both increased meaningfully. Third, the children in LIF's average self-esteem point increased meaningfully, but the ordinary group's did not. Fourth, the children in LIF' self-competence increased meaningfully, but the other's did not. The children from both groups were influenced positively by the science experience class. Especially, compared with ordinary children, the children in LIF who have fewer chances of science experience than other children were more positively influenced m every aspect of this study.