RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ATTITUDE, MOTIVATION, AND ACHIEVEMENT OF ABILITY GROUPED, SEVENTH-GRADE, LIFE SCIENCE STUDENTS

The purpose of this study was to determine if seventh-grade life science students assigned to three ability groups demonstrated differences in attitude toward science, motivation in science, and levels of science achievement. The sample consisted of 821 ability grouped students in 38 life science classes taught by 11 different science teachers in four junior high schools in a large school system in central North Carolina.; Student attitude toward science and motivation in science were measured by two subscales on the Simpson-Troost attitude questionnaire. Science achievement was measured by a criterion-referenced life science achievement test. These instruments were administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year.; Conclusions from this study were that science attitude at the beginning of the school year was more positive than at the end of the year regardless of ability group and gender. The advanced ability group had the most positive attitude throughout the year and the basic ability group had the least. The general ability group demonstrated the earliest and sharpest decline in science attitude. Males had a more positive attitude than females throughout the year. Science attitude was identified to be a statistically significant predictor of achievement particularly after mid-year.; Achievement motivation at the beginning of the school year was higher than at the end regardless of ability group with females being more highly motivated than males. Initially, the higher the ability group the higher the achievement motivation level. At the end of the year the general ability group had the lowest level of achievement motivation and the advanced ability group had the highest.; Life science achievement increased significantly from the beginning to the middle of the year. However, after mid-year achievement leveled off except for the basic ability grouped females. They made significant gains throughout the year. Results indicated that the higher the ability group the higher the achievement level.