Scientific Attitudes, Scientific Knowledge, And Academic Engagement: A Mediator Analysis

Abstract

This study implied particularly significant for educators and policymakers in the Visayas region of the Philippines, where 483 senior high school students participated. The findings revealed that scientific attitudes, including rationality, open-mindedness, inquisitiveness, and curiosity, significantly influence participants' scientific knowledge and academic engagement, demonstrating strong statistical significance and interrelatedness. While Common Scientific Knowledge and Academic Engagement consistently related within the model, the minimal indirect effect of Common Scientific Knowledge on Academic Engagement suggests other factors may have a more direct impact on student engagement. Through structural equation modeling (SEM) with mediation analysis conducted via Amos software, the study underscored the importance of fostering scientific attitudes within educational settings to enhance academic engagement and scientific literacy, addressing a critical gap in current literature.