Fearness in science in higher secondary education: An assessment with reference to burdwan district in West Bengal Paul P.K.*, Mondal N. K.** *Research Scholar, Department of Environmental Science, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan, West Bengal, India. **Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Science, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan, West Bengal, India. Online published on 6 October, 2012. Abstract This paper attempts to analyze the nature and extent of science fearness of students in some selected higher secondary level schools of West Bengal. The study covers 160 students both in urban and rural areas encompassing 250 teachers, guardians and school authorities of Burdwan district in West Bengal. The results reveal that few factors have significant negative impact in reducing science fearness while one factor has positive impact for enhancing fearness in science of students. A binary logit regression model has been used to determine relationship between science fearness and several factors associated with it. Moreover, students’t-test, median test and multiple response analysis have also been used to examine the assumed hypothesis whether any variation among gender base (i.e., among boys and girls) or area base (i.e., among village and town) and economic condition exists or not. Finally, it is concluded that the extent of science fearness of students is significantly affected by several socio-economic and cultural factors along with school’s infrastructural facilities. Top Keywords Science fearness, Economic background, Students’t-test, Availability of competent teachers, School’s infrastructural facilities. Top |