The Relationship between Students' Connections to Out‐of‐School Experiences and Factors Associated with Science Learning

This study examined the relationship between students' out‐of‐school experiences and various factors associated with science learning. Participants were 1,014 students from two urban high schools (secondary schools). They completed a survey questionnaire and science assessment describing their science learning experiences across contexts and science understanding. Using multilevel statistical modelling, accounting for the multilevel structure of the data with students (Level 1) assigned to teachers (Level 2), the results indicated that controlling for student and classroom factors, students' ability to make connections between in‐school and out‐of‐school science experiences was associated with positive learning outcomes such as achievement, interest in science, careers in science, self‐efficacy, perseverance, and effort in learning science. Teacher practice connecting to students' out‐of‐school experiences was negatively associated with student achievement but has no association with other outcome measures. The mixed results found in this study alert us to issues and opportunities concerning the integration of students' out‐of‐school experiences to classroom instruction, and ultimately improving our understanding of science learning across contexts.     

Integrating a Facebook Group and a Course Website: The Effect on Participation and Perceptions on Learning

This study examined the effects of an instructor's use of video casting as a nonverbal emotional cue in synchronous discussion sessions on students' social presence, satisfaction, and learning achievement. A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the effect of video casting in a synchronous virtual classroom. The research setting was a 100% online master's degree program within a university located in the midwestern United States. Thirty-three students participated in the experiment. The results showed a significant positive effect of the video casting on students' feeling of instructor copresence. No significant effect of video casting was found on either students' satisfaction or learning achievement.     

Multiple Predictors of Asian American Children's School Achievement

Research Findings: A structural equation model (SEM) and multiple indicators and multiple causes (MIMIC) model were used to test family factors, parent psychological well-being, parent–child home activity, and parent school involvement in relation to children's school achievement. Data for this study were drawn from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten (ECLS-K), conducted by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The sample for this study was 1,100 Asian American kindergartners and their parents. Practice or Policy: The results of this study are as follows: (a) Family factors, especially parental education levels and family income, were significantly associated with Asian American students' school achievement; (b) parent–child home activity was significantly related to students' school achievement but in a negative direction; (c) parental school involvement was not found to be significant in predicting students' school achievement; (d) parental psychological well-being was significantly associated with both parent–child home activity and students' school achievement; (e) family income was significantly associated with parental psychological well-being, parental school involvement, and children's school achievement; and (f) family structure was not significantly associated with school achievement.     

Learning environment,motivation, and achievement in high school science

In a study of the relationship between high school students' perceptions of their science learning environments and their motivation, learning strategies, and achievement, 377 students in 22 introductory science classrooms completed surveys in the fall and spring of their ninth‐grade year. Hierarchical linear regression was used to model the effects of variables at both the classroom and individual level simultaneously. High intraclass agreement (indicated by high parameter reliability) on all classroom environment measures indicated that students shared perceptions of the classroom learning environment. Controlling for other factors, shared perceptions that only the most able could succeed in science classrooms and that instruction was fast‐paced and focused on correct answers negatively predicted science achievement, as measured on a districtwide curriculum‐linked test. Shared perceptions that classrooms focused on understanding and independent thinking positively predicted students' self‐reported satisfaction with learning. Implications of these results for both teaching and research into classroom environments are discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 40: 347–368, 2003     

Social Values Associated with Cross-national Differences in Mathematics and Science Achievement: A cross-national analysis

This study explores several factors that account for cross-national differences in mathematics and science achievement for middle-school students from 39 countries based on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. The results suggest that economic development level, as measured by GNP per capita, has a positive but relatively weak association with mathematics and science achievement. In contrast, variables reflecting a society's value on education, specifically the education of mathematics and science, demonstrates strong effects on students' achievement. These variables include students' perceived rigour of mathematics and science - a proxy of academic standards of mathematics and science, students' school attendance, the length of a school year, students' educational aspiration, and the average number of parents living with the student. The evidence presented in this study supports the argument that education reform aiming at improving mathematics and science achievement can hardly be successful without the efforts of the whole society.     

Comparative study of student science achievement between United States and China

Comparable Chinese and American databases were identified in this study through a review of existing international projects in the United States and China. The Chinese data were collected from a random sample of more than 12,000 ninth-grade students in the SISS Extended Study, a key project supported by the China State Commission of Education in the late 1980s. The U.S. data were collected at the same grade level using the same international instrument. The achievement comparison revealed a small difference between Chinese and American average scores. Variability of the score distribution was larger in the United States than in China. These findings were triangulated with other comparative research results to shed light on the condition of Chinese and American science education. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 35: 329–336, 1998.     

Engaging in science practices in classrooms predicts increases in undergraduates' STEM motivation,identity, and achievement: A short-term longitudinal study

Our short-term longitudinal study explored undergraduate students' experiences with performing authentic science practices in the classroom in relation to their science achievement and course grades. In addition, classroom experiences (felt recognition as a scientist and perceived classroom climate) and changes over a 10-week academic term in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) identity and motivation were tested as mediators. The sample comprised 1,079 undergraduate students from introductory biology classrooms (65.4% women, 37.6% Asian, 30.2% White, 25.1% Latinx). Using structural equation modeling (SEM), our hypothesized model was confirmed while controlling for class size and GPA. Performing science practices (e.g., hypothesizing or explaining results) positively predicted students' felt recognition as a scientist; and felt recognition positively predicted perceived classroom climate. In turn, felt recognition and classroom climate predicted increases over time in students' STEM motivation (expectancy-value beliefs), STEM identity, and STEM career aspirations. Finally, these factors predicted students' course grade. Both recognition as a scientist and positive classroom climate were more strongly related to outcomes among underrepresented minority (URM) students. Findings have implications for why large-format courses that emphasize opportunities for students to learn science practices are related to positive STEM outcomes, as well as why they may prove especially helpful for URM students. Practical implications include the importance of recognition as a scientist from professors, teaching assistants, and classmates in addition to curriculum that engages students in the authentic practices of science.     

Multilevel Effects of Student and Classroom Factors on Elementary Science Achievement in Five Countries

This study examined the effects of individual student factors and classroom factors on elementary science achievement within and across five countries. The student‐level factors included gender, self‐confidence in science and home resources. The classroom‐level factors included teacher characteristics, instructional variables and classroom composition. Results for the USA and four other countries, Singapore, Japan, Australia and Scotland, were reported. Multilevel effects were examined through Hierarchical Linear Modelling, using the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2003 fourth grade dataset. Overall, the results showed that selected student background characteristics were consistently related to elementary science achievement in countries investigated. At the student level, higher levels of home resources and self‐confidence and at the classroom level, higher levels of class mean home resources yielded higher science scores on the TIMSS 2003. In general, teacher and instructional variables were minimally related to science achievement. There was evidence of positive effects of teacher support in the USA and Singapore. The emphasis on science inquiry was positively related to science achievement in Singapore and negatively related in the USA and Australia. Recommendations for practice and policy were discussed.     

Variation among schools on classroom practices in science based on TIMSS‐1999 in Turkey

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences among schools using student responses in the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study–1999 (TIMSS‐99) data. Schools were classified into two groups based on eighth grade students' overall achievement in science. Two different discriminant function analyses were performed to distinguish high‐ and low‐performing schools, based both on classroom practices and factor structures (student‐centered activities, teacher‐centered activities, attitudes toward technology use, socioeconomic status [SES], and doing well in science). The results indicate that there were significant differences between the two classifications of schools on ten variables regarding classroom practices and activities, and 29 variables regarding classroom practices, attitudes toward science, use of the computer and overhead projector (OHP), parental background characteristics, and need to do well in science. Contrary to general expectations, technology use (computer, OHP, etc.) was found to be negatively related to science achievement. Teachers should be trained on how to use technology in their classrooms. Turkey recently revised its curriculum to a student‐centered approach and this might increase students' ability to transfer knowledge into real life. Teachers and schools should pay more attention to SES effects. Teachers should also work toward building students' confidence in science. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 1417–1435, 2007     

Effect of the Science Learning Environment on Science Achievement: A Comparison of 12 Countries from the IEA Second International Science Study

ABSTRACT

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Second International Science Study (SISS) was conducted in 1984, resulting in a vast amount of educational data collected from 23 countries and educational systems. This research study reports on the analyses of 12 of those countries using multilevel modeling, investigating the relationships between the students’ reported perceptions of the science learning environment and their science achievement when controlling for student background variables. The three science learning environment scales which were collected in the SISS and analysed here were Student Participation, Teacher Directed Learning and Practical Work. Additionally, this research reports on the effect of these science learning environment scales on gender and socioeconomic differences in science achievement.     

Student perceptions on the conditions of learning the proportion concept in canadian upper secondary science (physics,chemistry, biology) classes; results from the second international science study (S.I.S.S.) in Canada

Correlates of Canadian upper secondary science students' achievement in the proportion concept were studied from data collected as part of Canada's participation in the Second IEA Science Study. Average class achievement on 14 items concerning the proportion concept was calculated and related to students' reports of teachers' instructional approaches. The study analysis revealed that classes where the proportion content was well covered by the teachers demonstrated higher achievements. Students whose teachers perceived as making science relevant and interesting did well on the test items, and the use of lab work and being task oriented were also related to students' higher achievement.     

Effects of Classroom Assessment Practices on Students' Achievement Goals

This study examined the effects of classroom assessment practices on students' achievement goals. The study included 1,636 ninth grade students and 83 science teachers from Muscat public schools in Oman. Results from hierarchical linear modeling techniques showed that class contextual features and teachers' teaching experiences and assessment practices interacted significantly with students' characteristics in influencing students' achievement goals. Recommendations, implications, and suggestions for practice and future research are discussed.     

Teachers' attributions for students' low achievement: A validation of cooper and good's attributional categories

Teachers' explanations for students' low achievement were reliably classified using the attributional coding system proposed by Cooper and Good (1983). Teachers most frequently attributed low achievement to a typical pattern of low effort. They viewed acquired student characteristics (e.g., low motivation, poor work habits) as more important than either teacher variables or classroom variables in explaining students' low achievement. Implications of these attribution patterns for improving student achievement and for developing student self-esteem are discussed.     

Can Computer Use Hurt Science Achievement? The USA Results from PISA

A surprising result of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is that computer use was negatively associated with high student achievement in some countries. More specifically, the students from all three countries who indicated that they use computers in the classroom most frequently were those with the lowest achievement on the TIMSS in 1995. For the purpose of this study, a similar comparison was made for 15-year-old U.S.A. students, based on the data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). The results of this study show that it is not computer use itself that has a positive or negative effect on the science achievement of students, but the way in which computers are used. For example, after controlling for the student's socioeconomic status in the United States of America, the results indicated that the students who used computers frequently at home, including for the purpose of writing papers, tended to have higher science achievement. However, the results of this study also show that science achievement was negatively related to the use of certain types of educational software. This indicates a result similar to that found in the TIMSS data, which might reflect the fact that teachers assign the use of the computer and of educational software to the lower achieving students more frequently, so that these students can obtain more personal and direct feedback through educational software.     

Perceived classroom disruption undermines the positive educational effects of perceived need-supportive teaching in science

Extensive research has demonstrated the benefits of need-supportive teaching, but minimal research has examined social factors that may constrain these benefits. One factor that students experience contemporaneously to need-supportive teaching is classroom disruption. Perceived classroom disruption is a barrier to quality teaching and learning, especially in science, and may be a negative moderator of perceived need-supportive teaching. Using structural equation modelling (N = 14,530 students), this investigation examines the extent to which perceived need-supportive teaching and perceived classroom disruption uniquely predicted students' science self-efficacy, participation, and achievement; as well as the extent to which perceived classroom disruption moderates the associations between perceived need-supportive teaching and these outcomes. Findings revealed that perceived need-supportive teaching was positively associated with all outcomes. Perceived classroom disruption was negatively associated with self-efficacy and achievement and attenuated the positive association between perceived need-support and achievement. These results provide insight about the boundary conditions of need-supportive teaching.     

The role of family orientation in predicting Korean boys' and girls' achievement motivation to learn mathematics

Informed by achievement goal orientation and self-determination theories, we explored the role of cultural/contextual factors on Korean students' achievement motivation. Specifically, we examined the role of the Korean middle school students' family orientation as a mediator between their perceptions of parent goals or motivating styles and their achievement motivations in learning math, when their perceptions of classroom goal structures were controlled. We also investigated gender differences in the role of the students' family orientation and of their perceptions of their parents and classroom variables in predicting their own achievement motivations. Multi-sample path analyses indicated that both Korean boys' and girls' family orientation mediated between their perceptions of parent variables and their own achievement motivations. Korean students' family orientation predicted mainly controlled forms of motivation and ego-focused goals. In addition, the relationships between students' perceptions of parent variables and their achievement motivations statistically varied across gender.     

Black males' self‐perceptions of academic ability and gifted potential in advanced science classes

The purpose of this research effort was to examine Black male students' self‐perceptions of academic ability and gifted potential in science. The purposeful sample consisted of nine Black males between the ages of 14 and 18 years. Four categories of self‐perceptions of academic ability and gifted potential emerged from the data. These included: (a) gifted high achievers; (b) gifted “could do better” high achievers; (c) gifted “could do better” situational nonachievers; and (d) gifted “could do better” underachievers. Science teachers' influences that referenced participants' academic achievement pointed to validation. Participants' perceptions regarding how science teachers' influenced their academic performance focused on science teachers' content knowledge. Power dynamics germane to Black male participants' value or worth that directed their efforts in science learning environments are discussed. Implications are posited for science teaching, science education programs, and future research. This research endeavor was based on two premises. The first premise is that Black males' self‐perceptions of academic ability affect their science academic achievement. The second premise is that, given parental, peer, and community influences, science teachers have considerable influence on students' self‐perceptions of academic ability. However, the focus of this research was not on parental influences, peer influences, or any potential influences that participants' communities may have on their academic achievement. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 42: 888–911, 2005     

Connections Between Instructor Messages and Undergraduate Students' Changing Personal Theories About Education

Students' personal theories about education change as students gather new evidence about intelligence, learning, and knowledge. The present study investigated whether college instructors' play a role in changing students' personal theories with the messages professors send in the classroom. Students (N = 162) and instructors (N = 15) of undergraduate-level math and science summer courses completed surveys assessing personal theories about education and the frequency of messages related to educational beliefs. Multilevel models found that both between-class and within-class differences in reported messages corresponded with students' personal beliefs at the end of the course. Instructors' personal theories were generally not predictive of students' personal theories, and students' initial personal theories predicted the messages they remembered hearing.     

Teacher support and its influence on students' intrinsic value and effort: Dimensional comparison effects across subjects

While positive influences of teacher support on students' motivational development have been widely shown, existing research has not yet considered that students' school experiences are interrelated across classrooms and subjects. The aims of this study were, thus, twofold: (a) To investigate the effects of teacher support on the development of students' intrinsic value and effort; and (b) based on dimensional comparison theory, to examine potential cross-subject contrast effects of teacher support in one subject on students' intrinsic value and effort in another subject. Using a sample of 1155 German students assessed in Grade 5 and 6, multilevel latent change models revealed positive within-subject associations between teacher support and intrinsic value and effort. Furthermore, support for contrast effects was found. Higher levels of teacher support in one subject were related negatively to intrinsic value and effort in another subject, calling for the examination of students' classroom experiences as interrelated across subjects.     

Socioeconomic status and students' science self-efficacy

The present study ascertains the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and students' science self-efficacy using data involving 509,182 15-year-old students and 17,678 school principals in 69 countries/regions who participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015. Hierarchical linear modelling results show that, after controlling for science teachers' instructional practices (science class disciplinary climate, inquiry-based instruction, teachers' support, direct instruction, provision of feedback, instructional adaptation), school science resources and various student variables (gender, grade levels, type of school programme), SES was related to students' science self-efficacy in the majority of countries/regions (62–68 countries/regions, depending on the SES indicators used). Specifically, SES was related to students' science self-efficacy in a larger number of countries/regions when it was measured using home cultural resources, home educational resources or a composite indicator (economic, social and cultural status) than when it was measured using parental education levels or occupational status. In contrast, students' science self-efficacy was unrelated to the science teachers' instructional practices examined (except inquiry-based instruction) in most of the countries/regions. These results expand our understanding of students' science self-efficacy, as a type of learning motivation, from being a largely psychological attribute to one that is also influenced by social origins such as family SES. They imply that SES may have a larger influence on student achievement than we may have assumed if we include the indirect influence of SES on student achievement via students' self-efficacy.