Exploring the Relationship between Students’ Attitudes Towards Science and Academic Achievement: Evidence across Gender and Rural-Urban Contexts at the Secondary Level of Balasore District

Abstract

Students’ attitudes towards science represent an important affective aspect of science learning and may be associated with their academic achievement. The present study examined the relationship between students’ attitude towards science and academic achievement at the secondary level, with particular consideration of the rural–urban context. A descriptive survey method was employed with a sample of 80 secondary school students selected from four schools in Balasore district, Odisha. Data were collected using an Attitude towards Science Inventory and an academic achievement measure. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s product–moment correlation were used for data analysis. The findings indicated that students’ attitude towards science had a mean score of 130.51 (SD = 14.47), while academic achievement had a mean score of 238.75 (SD = 48.11). A positive and statistically significant relationship was found between attitude towards science and academic achievement (r = .2836, p < .05). The rural–urban analysis also revealed a positive and statistically significant association between the two variables (r = .2719, p < .05). The findings indicate that students with more favourable attitudes towards science tended to demonstrate higher academic achievement in the present sample. However, the modest magnitude of the correlations and the correlational nature of the study do not permit causal conclusions. The study highlights the relevance of fostering students’ interest, confidence, engagement, and positive perceptions of science through meaningful, activity-based, inquiry-oriented, experiential, and collaborative learning experiences. Further research using larger samples and detailed group-wise analyses is recommended to examine the factors associated with students’ attitudes towards science and academic achievement.