A Study On The Development Characteristics Of Mongolian And Zhuang Students’ Understanding Of The Image Of Scientists

The image of scientists in the minds of children and adolescents influences their interest in learning science,their identification with the profession of scientists,and their attitude towards scientific knowledge.Exploring the development of image recognition of scientists of ethnic students will help raise their awareness of science,love science,and become scientific talents in the future,and then promote the development of science and technology and culture of ethnic minorities,and promote the common progress of all ethnic groups.Two studies were carried out.The purpose of study 1 was to assess Mongolian pupils’images of scientists and to determine if differences in these images exist between grade and gender levels.A modified Chambers’Draw-a-Scientist Test（DAST）and the related questionnaire were administered to a total of 333 Mongolian students in grade 3 and 4.Results indicated that there are significant differences in students’stereotypical images of scientists depending on grade level,that is,fourth grade students created images of scientists with more stereotypical elements compared to drawings created by students in grade 3,and Mongolian boys created them more than that’re by Mongolian girls.Mongolian students in grade 3 and 4 think that scientists are about 20-or 30-year-old Han or Mongolian males.The purpose of study 2 was to explore Zhuang students-held images of scientists according to gender and grade level.The DAST and the related questionnaire were administered to a total of 1634 Zhuang students（1013 primary pupils in grade1to 6,389 secondary school students and 232 high school students）.Results showed that upper-grade students drew more indicators（i.e.,eyeglasses,research and knowledge symbols）than did lower-grade students----the awareness of the scientist image of Zhuang students is on the rise,that is,the images of scientists with stereotypical elements creating by primary pupils in grade 1 and 2 was the lowest,that creating by students in grade 8,10 and 11 was the highest,but that creating by students in grade 3to 7 showed an irregular development trend;There were no significant differences in1st,2^nd,3^th,5^th,6^th,7^th,10^th and 11^th grade students’stereotypical images of scientists between boys and girls,but there were significant differences in 4^th grade students’stereotypical images of scientists between boys and girls----boys created them more than that’re by girls,and there were significant differences in 8^th grade students’stereotypical images of scientists between boys and girls----grade 8 boys created them less than that’re by grade 8 girls.Most of Zhuang students think that scientists are about20-or 30-year-old Han or Zhuang males.The study has shown that Mongolian and Zhuang students generally have stereotypes about the image of scientists.Therefore,educators first of all should grasp the period and promote the formation and improvement of ethnic students’perception of the image of scientists by reading scientists’stories,participating in scientific activities,and creating environmental layouts.And,educators should introduce different fields and gender scientists to secondary school students and encourage them to form a diversified image recognition of scientists.In the end,the local government and educators should focus on the construction of public places such as science and technology museums for ethnic students to visit and learn,helping them to obtain scientific information about a diverse and rich image of scientists.