...or paste your text hereamong the students. This theory relates to the study given the fact that as it has put forward the role of the environment in directing the person to choose a career and therefore highlighting the need to use the environment to instill the love science subjects to the students.
This study used this theory to explain how the quality of the school learning environment may influence students to do science.
Self Efficacy Theory
Self Efficacy Theory was developed by Hackett and Betz in 1981 and explains how beliefs about self influence the carrier development of an individual. The theory asserts that gender socialization influences the cognitive processes particularly
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According to Maltese & Tai (2011), students’ choices are influenced by students’ motivation and interests in science and mathematics. At the same time, students’ motivation and interest is affected by many factors ranging from internal classroom factors such as the teaching and learning environment, instructional methods and strategies and the nature of science curriculum to more external factors such as students’ social-economic status, gender and ethnic groups (Ryan & Deci, 2000, 2009; Lavigne, Vallerand &Miquelon, 2007; Maltese &Tai, 2011; Msegeya, 2009). It is well known that interest can be developed among students by manipulating these factors. Teachers’ intervention in the classroom is frequently cited as most important for sparking and maintaining students’ interests (Alfayo, 1993; Hulleman & Harackiwiez, 2009; Jones, 2009; Sandoval & Harven, 2011). There was a drop in Science subject choice for students in secondary schools especially for those going for Advanced Secondary Education in Tanzania. Studies reveal that the teaching and learning of Science is more theoretical than observational, experiential and experiment based, this situation affects the interest of students to take these subjects in their higher studies( the then minister for Education and Vocational Training Prof. Jummanne Magembe, 2008).
Mjege Kinyota (2013), Students perceptions
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Generally, a negative attitude towards a given subject leads to lack of interest and when subjects are to be selected, as in senior secondary schools, it leads to avoiding the subject or course. Furthermore, a positive attitude towards science according to Simpson and Oliver (1990) leads to a positive commitment to science that influences lifelong interest and learning of science. This is the reason why major science education reform efforts in Africa have emphasized the improvement of students’ attitudes towards science