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Science is an essential part of human life, necessary for understanding the nature of phenomena, inventing new technologies, and optimizing decision-making to improve our lives. Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) capabilities and skills, which are fostered in science classes are also in high demand for the future global workforce. According to the Workforce in the Future report (PwC, 2017), resource scarcity and climate change will increase the demand for jobs in areas such as alternative energy, new engineering processes, and waste management. Dramatic changes toward machine-oriented techniques and artificial intelligence will also necessitate the creation of new professions. UNESCO (2017) reported that gender equality in science would promote new solutions, generate diverse innovation, reduce bias, and broaden new research in science. However, the gender gap ratio between science researchers from 2008 to 2014 was reported to be 70% males and only 30% females (UNESCO, 2017). Female interest in STEM is believed to originate in school and the report by UNESCO (2017) also indicated that the gender gap in STEM was apparent in secondary education. Therefore, studies of gender differences have been undertaken for more than 20 years to address this issue. Given the emergence of the importance of gender equity in science, it is essential to consider educational factors, particularly in the psychological influences on students’ attitudes toward science. Several studies have pointed out that one of the personal factors substantially influencing students’ choices regarding course and career aspirations was their attitude toward science (Khishfe & Boujaoude, 2016; Masnick, Valenti, Cox, & Osman, 2010; Osborne, Simon, & Collins, 2003; Prieto & Dugar, 2016; Uitto, 2014). UNESCO (2015) also reported that one of the crucial factors predicting STEM career interest itself was attitude toward science in school. Psychological studies have found a relationship between attitudes, intention, and belief. Theory Reasoned Action and Behavior (TRAPB) proposed by Ajzen and Fishbein (1991, 2005, and 2010) is one of the well-known findings. TRAPB suggests a framework for understanding the specific behavior of a human by considering the interest and perception controlling the behavior. According to this theory, it is possible to access Rahmi Qurota Aini Kangwon National University, Republic of Korea Arif Rachmatullah North Carolina State University, USA Minsu Ha Kangwon National University, Republic of Korea Abstract. Student attitudes toward science have been one of the longstanding topics in science education research. Even though Indonesia has a unique educational system in which cultural, religious, and cognitive aspects are incorporated in the science K-12 curriculum, a limited number of studies have explored Indonesian students’ attitudes towards science. This research aimed to examine students’ attitudes toward science and the interaction between academic grade level and gender in Indonesian primary and middle school. Thirty items from five components of the BRAINS instrument were administered to 1587 Indonesian students from fourth grade through ninth grade to measure their attitude toward science. Rasch analysis, two-way ANOVA, and structural equation modeling path analysis were used to answer the proposed research questions. The current research found that Indonesian students’ attitudes toward science were significantly affected by academic level, however, gender only affected three components of attitude (control belief, attitude toward the behavior, and intention). Female students showed a higher attitude toward science than male students in general. The trends in every component of the students’ attitudes decreased from primary school to middle school. The present research provides a deeper discussion by considering the socio-cultural and educational history of Indonesia.

INDONESIAN PRIMARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD SCIENCE: FOCUS ON GENDER AND ACADEMIC LEVEL