Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 547-575 |
| Number of pages | 29 |
| Journal | International Journal of Science Education |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 2020 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
This study investigated factors influencing teachers’ intention and willingness to teach about cancer in the context of the theory of planned behaviour. Because teaching about cancer is mandatory in Germany, we compared n=355 teachers’ intention to teach about cancer under mandatory conditions and their willingness to teach about cancer if they had free choice. Teachers signalled strong intention and a strong willingness to teach about cancer. Teachers did not perceive teaching about cancer to be a burden and strongly considered it to be necessary. Structural equation modelling showed that perceived autonomy was the only significant predictor of teachers’ intention, whereas attitude towards the perceived necessity to teach about cancer, attitude towards the perceived burden of teaching about cancer and social norm were significant predictors of willingness. We attributed these differences to the observation of a ceiling effect for intention but not for willingness. There were systematic differences among the variables predicting teachers’ intention and willingness depending on whether the teachers had personal experience with cancer. Indirect measures yielded insights into which teacher beliefs affected the direct measures. We discuss implications for professional development, such as reducing the burden of teaching about cancer by adequately addressing emotionally-charged classroom situations.
Keywords
- attitudes, cancer education, construal-level theory, Intention, structural equation modelling, theory of planned behaviour, willingness
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences(all)
- Education
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: International Journal of Science Education, Vol. 42, No. 4, 2020, p. 547-575.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Identifying predictors of teachers’ intention and willingness to teach about cancer by using direct and belief-based measures in the context of the theory of planned behaviour
AU - Heuckmann, Benedikt
AU - Hammann, Marcus
AU - Asshoff, Roman
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020, © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - This study investigated factors influencing teachers’ intention and willingness to teach about cancer in the context of the theory of planned behaviour. Because teaching about cancer is mandatory in Germany, we compared n=355 teachers’ intention to teach about cancer under mandatory conditions and their willingness to teach about cancer if they had free choice. Teachers signalled strong intention and a strong willingness to teach about cancer. Teachers did not perceive teaching about cancer to be a burden and strongly considered it to be necessary. Structural equation modelling showed that perceived autonomy was the only significant predictor of teachers’ intention, whereas attitude towards the perceived necessity to teach about cancer, attitude towards the perceived burden of teaching about cancer and social norm were significant predictors of willingness. We attributed these differences to the observation of a ceiling effect for intention but not for willingness. There were systematic differences among the variables predicting teachers’ intention and willingness depending on whether the teachers had personal experience with cancer. Indirect measures yielded insights into which teacher beliefs affected the direct measures. We discuss implications for professional development, such as reducing the burden of teaching about cancer by adequately addressing emotionally-charged classroom situations.
AB - This study investigated factors influencing teachers’ intention and willingness to teach about cancer in the context of the theory of planned behaviour. Because teaching about cancer is mandatory in Germany, we compared n=355 teachers’ intention to teach about cancer under mandatory conditions and their willingness to teach about cancer if they had free choice. Teachers signalled strong intention and a strong willingness to teach about cancer. Teachers did not perceive teaching about cancer to be a burden and strongly considered it to be necessary. Structural equation modelling showed that perceived autonomy was the only significant predictor of teachers’ intention, whereas attitude towards the perceived necessity to teach about cancer, attitude towards the perceived burden of teaching about cancer and social norm were significant predictors of willingness. We attributed these differences to the observation of a ceiling effect for intention but not for willingness. There were systematic differences among the variables predicting teachers’ intention and willingness depending on whether the teachers had personal experience with cancer. Indirect measures yielded insights into which teacher beliefs affected the direct measures. We discuss implications for professional development, such as reducing the burden of teaching about cancer by adequately addressing emotionally-charged classroom situations.
KW - attitudes
KW - cancer education
KW - construal-level theory
KW - Intention
KW - structural equation modelling
KW - theory of planned behaviour
KW - willingness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85079217747&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09500693.2020.1717671
DO - 10.1080/09500693.2020.1717671
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85079217747
VL - 42
SP - 547
EP - 575
JO - International Journal of Science Education
JF - International Journal of Science Education
SN - 0950-0693
IS - 4
ER -