Predicting Variables of Academic Achievement and Science Self-Concept of Students in Third Year Guidance School Based on Parents' Education Level and Attitude towards Science

Abstract

This study was aimed at predicting variables of academic achievement and science self-concept of students in third year guidance based on parents' education level and attitude towards science. Findings of the Thamesin (2007) were used in this study. The sample of this study is 3981 students of third year guidance who answered to questionnaire of Thames 2007.  Collected data were analyzed through structural equation model and results showed that only two routes, namely the direct effect of attitude towards science on science self-concept and science improvement are not significant with possibility of 95%, but the rest of the routs namely the direct effect of parental education on science advancement and attitudes toward science are significant and positive and their influence on science self-concept is negative and significant. Also, the direct influence of science development on science self-concept is positive and significant and its impact on attitude toward science is significant and negative. Moreover, the direct effect of self-concept on attitudes toward science is significant and positive and its influence on science achievement variable is negative and significant. Indirect influence of parental education variables, attitudes towards science and science self-concept on science advancement was reported significant. But, only the overall effect of parental education on the development of science is significant and overall effect of variables of attitudes to science and self-concept on development of science was reported insignificant. In addition, the overall indirect effect of parents' education and development of science on self-concept is significant and also attitude towards science has indirect and significant influence on science self-concept and its overall effect on self-concept is not significant. The general and indirect effect of variables of self-concept and development of science on attitude towards science was significant, while the overall impact of variable of parental education on the attitude to science was non-significant and its indirect effect was reported to be significant. The results indicated that the variables of attitude towards science, science self-concept and achievement have moderating role.