Scientist Images of Secondary School Students

Abstract

The importance of scientific knowledge is increasing day by day. In this sense, the role of the scientist who directs science and scientific activities is increasing day by day. In particular, stereotypical images play an important role in influencing the interests and attitudes of individuals. In this study, five different aspects of secondary school students' images of scientists were investigated. The research was designed in accordance with the qualitative research method and in this direction, the phenomenology model was taken as a basis. Maximum diversity sampling method was used to maximize the diversity of individuals who may be a party to the problem studied in the determination of the participants. In this direction, the study was conducted with a total of 72 secondary school students, 18 participants from each grade level. The research data were collected in written form in the spring term of the 2021-2022 academic year through a standardized open-ended interview form. Content analysis technique was used in the analysis of the data obtained in the research. At the end of the research, students' mental images of scientists, their physical images, the source of the image, the scientists around them and their favorite scientists were revealed.