Turkish university students' knowledge of biotechnology and attitudes toward biotechnological applications.
This study questions the presumed relation between formal schooling and scientific literacy about biotechnologies. Comparing science and nonscience majors' knowledge of and attitudes toward biotechnological applications, conclusions are drawn if their formal learnings improve pupils' understandings of and attitudes toward biotechnology applications. Sample of the study consists of 403 undergraduate and graduate students, 198 nonscience, and 205 science majors. The Biotechnology Knowledge Questionnaire and the Biotechnology Attitude Questionnaire were administered. Descriptive statistics (mean and percentages), t test, and correlations were used to examine the participants' knowledge of biotechnology and attitudes toward biotechnological applications and differences as regards their majors. Although the science majors had higher knowledge and attitude scores than the nonscience majors, it is not possible to say that they have sufficient knowledge of biotechnologies. Besides, the participants' attitudes toward biotechnological applications were not considerably related to their knowledge of biotechnology. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(2):115-125, 2017.
Department of Secondary School Science and Mathematics Education, Faculty of Education, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Gölköy, Turkey.
Ebru
E
Öztürk-Akar
D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D001290:Attitude; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000193:education* / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods*; D032882:Comprehension; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014421:Turkey; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
Biotechnology; biotechnological applications; nonscience majors; science majors