Discusses six strategies for improving student attitudes toward science. It is suggested that teachers: project a credible image; take advantage of social/environmental influences; identify unique student needs; be aware of present student attitudes and skills; use discrepant events to teach science; and involve students in the process of…

Determined if listing thoughts evoked after exposure to arguments presented in a two-sided persuasive communication serves to enhance attitude change and if the number of favorable thoughts listed by preservice elementary teachers following exposure to persuasive communication are related to their changed attitudes toward energy conservation. (JN)

This investigation attempted to determine if subjects' cognitive responses to a persuasive communication are more highly correlated with attitude change than the recall of arguments presented in the communication. Subjects (79 students enrolled in several sections of an elementary science methods course) were exposed to a systematically designed…

Discusses: (1) the nature of an attitude toward science; (2) why people have attitudes toward science; and (3) how attitudes toward science can be improved. Also differentiates attitudes from beliefs and behaviors. (DH)

Determined if subjects' (N=79) cognitive responses to a persuasive communication are more highly correlated with attitude change than the recall of arguments presented in the communication. Subjects were exposed to a systematically designed persuasive communication and then tested for their retention of arguments presented in the communication and…

Tested the effect of two systematically designed persuasive communications on attitudes toward energy conservation of 85 preservice elementary teachers differing in energy-related developmental advancement. One finding is that two-sided communication was more effective than one-sided communication regardless of level of developmental advancement…

Tested effect of two persuasive messages presented by a credible communicator on energy conservation attitudes of 180 preservice elementary teachers. Focused on changes resulting from brief, belief-laden communication; dissipation of attitude gains after treatment; and whether integrated/nonintegrated communications affected energy attitudes of…

This study assessed the effect of group size and presentation mode on acquisition of the process skill of forming and testing hypotheses and selected attitudes. Preservice elementary teachers (N=87) in five intact classes received two 1-hour sessions presented by microcomputer, 1 week apart. Half of the subjects were assigned to three-member…

Inquired 69 students' beliefs about registering for high school chemistry. The information was used to develop a questionnaire and persuasive messages. Among 598 target students, chemistry enrollment was higher than expected for those receiving in-class student-only materials and lower than expected for those receiving student/parent take-home…