The relationship between cognitive preferences,student background and achievement in science

Cognitive preferences of Israeli 12th grade students were studied as part of the Second IEA Science Study. It was found that during the last ten years Israeli students have become more oriented toward application. Higher sociocultural status, higher achievement in science, liking of science studies, more time devoted to science homework, and intentions to study science in college were all associated with a higher preference for principles and critical questioning as well as with a lower preference for recall. Science majors compared with non-science majors exhibited a higher level of intellectual curiosity. There were no differences between cognitive preferences of boys and girls.     

The relationship among teacher classroom management behavior,student engagement,and student achievement of middle and high school science students of varying aptitude

This study was designed to determine the relationship among teacher classroom management behavior, student engagement, and student achievement of middle and high school science students. These variables were investigated across varying levels of academic aptitude. Two week long units were taught by 30 experienced science teachers. During this period of time teacher classroom management behavior, student achievement (n = 570), student engagement (n = 269), and student academic aptitude (n = 649) were measured. Twelve selected management indicators from Georgia Teachers Performance Assessment Indicators (TPAI) were used to measure teacher classroom management behaviors. Regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the variables, and appropriate post hoc procedures were used. Analyses showed that there was a significant relationship among all variables. Post hoc analysis showed that these results were consistent across levels of aptitude. Other relationships found were between student engagement and achievement, student aptitude and achievement, and student aptitude and engagement. Correlation coefficients were obtained for each individual management indicators. Those particular management behaviors which were correlated with achievement and engagement are: identifies students who do not understand directions and helps them individually, maintains learner involvement in lessons, reinforces and encourages the efforts of learners to maintain involvement, attends to routine tasks, uses instructional time efficiently, provides feedback to learners about their behavior, manages disruptive behavior among learners.     

The relationship between attitudes toward science and science achievement

This study investigated the relationship between elementary pupils' attitudes toward science and their science achievement. Residualized gain scores were used to analyze the data. By using residualized gain scores, the effects of individual differences can be minimized. In addition to controlling for these differences, residualized gain scores do not possess the measurement errors that are normally associated with simple change scores. The subjects of this study were 583 intermediate elementary pupils. The average class size was 21. A pretest-posttest design was used. To insure consistency in the teaching of the lesson, each teacher was given an identical detailed science lesson that included all the instructions and materials needed for the activity. The pupils were pre- and posttested. The pupils' science achievement was assessed by a test, the “Hough Pupil Process Test.” It consisted of multiple choice and fill-in questions. The attitude instrument, the “Hough Attitude Inventory,” was given to the elementary pupils involved in this study. It was field tested and found to discern attitudes. The instrument consisted of six statements to which the subjects responded by circling either yes, I don't know, or no. The analysis revealed that there was a significant relationship between the pupils' residualized gain scores on the “Hough Pupil Process Test” and their residualized gain scores on the “Hough Attitude Inventory” (r = 0.45).     

A meta-analysis of the relationship between science achievement and science attitude: Kindergarten through college

A meta-analysis of research results for correlation between science achievement and attitude was conducted. Forty-three studies were utilized and 15 variables were coded for each correlation found in each study, yielding 280 coefficients. Overall relationship is moderate (0.16), with differences between elementary, junior high, senior high, and college subjects. Causal ordering results support achievement causing attitude in grades three to eight and mixed results thereafter. Sex differences exist through high school. Other effects are mixed across grade level.     

The relationship of student characteristics and student performance in science as viewed by meta-analysis research

Relationships of student characteristics to student performance and attitudes were explored by meta-analysis for studies conducted in kindergarten through twelfth grade since 1960. Six student characteristics (general ability, language ability, mathematics ability, socio-economic status, gender, and race) were selected for inclusion in this investigation based on their frequency of use in the literature. Studies in which these student characteristics were associated with student science performance or science attitudes were included in this investigation. Associations of ability and socio-economic status with science performance and attitudes were summarized by correlational analysis. An effect size measure was used to summarize associations of gender and race with science performance and attitudes.     

The relationship between affect and achievement in science

The relationship between affect and achievement in science was examined in two stages. First, a model was developed and tested for science-related affect, the complex of students' attitudes toward, interests in, and perceptions about science at school. The LISREL approach to path analysis was used to demonstrate the fit of the model to data collected from grade 8 students in two different schools on two different occasions. In the second stage of the research, multiple linear regression was used to examine the direction of the relationship between science related affect and achievement and to apportion variance common between previous and subsequent achievement and the components of science-related affect. It was found that affect is related more strongly to previous than subsequent achievement and that much of the common variance can be attributed to students' perceptions of their competence in science.     

Junior high school science teacher preparation,teaching behavior,and student achievement

The findings challenge both practices and prejudices in junior high school science teacher preparation.     

Relationships of organization,time, and student achievement in physical education

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the way time is used in physical education classes and student achievement. Teachers of 10 classes and their middle school/junior high school students were the subjects for the study. Students were pretested and posttested on the volleyball forearm pass and serve using previously validated tests. Between the two testing sessions students received 7 days of instruction in these skills. All classes were videotaped using a two-camera split screen system so that virtually all activity in the gym could be identified later. Digitally displayed running time was superimposed on the video image. Student achievement for each class was determined separately for each skill by regressing posttest on pretest and calculating a residual score for every student. The mean of the residual scores for each class was calculated and used in subsequent analysis. A multifaceted observation instrument was developed and validated for collecting data which reflected how time was spent in class. Mean residual achievement was correlated with time spent in the various categories of class organization. For both skills, total time spent in practice with teacher feedback had a significant positive correlation with student achievement. When subcategories of practice were considered, individual student practice and reciprocal practice by student pairs were positively correlated with achievement. The use of scrimmage had a negative correlation with achievement in situations where it was used for skill practice. This study provides powerful empirical validation of the relationships between class organization, time, and achievement in physical education.     

The role of perceived classroom goal structures,self-efficacy,and engagement in student science achievement

Background: Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the factors related to science achievement. In these studies, the classroom goal structure perceptions, engagement, and self-efficacy of the students have emerged as important factors to be examined in relation to students’ science achievement.

Purpose: This study examines the relationships between classroom goal structure perception variables (motivating tasks, autonomy support, and mastery evaluation), engagement (behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and agentic engagement), self-efficacy, and science achievement.

Sample: The study participants included 744 seventh-grade students from 9 public schools in two districts of Gaziantep in Turkey.

Design and methods: Data were collected through the administration of four instruments: Survey of Classroom Goals Structures, Engagement Questionnaire, Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and Science Achievement Test. The obtained data were subjected to path analysis to test the proposed model.

Results: Students’ perceptions of classroom goal structures (i.e. motivating tasks, autonomy support, and mastery evaluation) were found to be significant predictors of their self-efficacy. Autonomy support was observed to be positively linked to all aspects of engagement, while motivating tasks were found to be related only to cognitive engagement. In addition, mastery evaluation was shown to be positively linked to engagement variables, except for cognitive engagement, and self-efficacy and engagement (i.e. behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement) were observed to be significant predictors of science achievement. Finally, results revealed reciprocal relations among engagement variables, except for agentic engagement.

Conclusions: Students who perceive mastery goal structures tend to show higher levels of engagement and self-efficacy in science classes. The study found that students who have high self-efficacy and who are behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively engaged are more successful in science classes. Accordingly, it is recommended that science teachers utilize inquiry-based and hands-on science activities in science classes and focus on the personal improvement of the students. Furthermore, it is also recommended that they provide students with opportunities to make their own choices and decisions and to control their own actions in science classes.     

Type of high school biology program and its effect on student attitude and achievement in college life science

A specially designed questionnaire and a modification of the “Science Classroom Activity Checklist” by L. H. Krockendorfer were used to categorize 299 life science students at the University of Iowa into two groups; those with high school biology backgrounds founded in the BSCS philosophy and those with traditionally oriented backgrounds. These groups were compared with respect to grade achievement in a college life science course, ratings of their background for the college course, and their attitude toward biology as established by their high school experience. With respect to inquiry and student-centered methods, texts were revealed as poor indicators of types of programs offered.     

Joint determination of college student achievement and effort: Implications for college teaching

In this paper, a four-equation simultaneous equations model is developed with college student effort and achievement being jointly determined. The model is then tested using a sample of students from one comprehensive university. The empirical results provide evidence that student efforts with respect to faculty interaction, but not with respect to library usage or course effort, significantly affect achievement.You know, teachers sometimes think they are all that happen in class. But I have to take what a teacher is trying to teach me and translate it into something I learn, and that has little to do with the teacher. The learning is what I do.—A student named Susan, fromOn College Teaching, by Ohmer Milton and AssociatesAn earlier version of this paper was presented at the Lilly Conference on College Teaching at Miami University in November 1989.     

Relationship among laboratory instruction,attitude toward science,and achievement in science knowledge

This study investigated the use of a hands-on laboratory program as a means of improving student attitude toward science and increasing student achievement levels in science knowledge. Using a posttest-only control group design, curriculum referenced objective examinations were used to measure student achievement in science knowledge, and a posttest Q-sort survey was used to measure student attitude toward science. A one-way analysis of variance compared the groups' differences in achievement and attitude toward science. Analysis of covariance was used to determine the effect of the laboratory treatment on the dependent achievement variable with attitude toward science as the covariable. The findings showed that students who had regular laboratory instruction (a) scored significantly higher (p < .01) on the objective examination of achievement in science knowledge than those who had no laboratory experiences; (b) exhibited a moderate, positive correlation (r = .406) between their attitude toward science and their achievement; and (c) scored significantly higher (p < .01) on achievement in science knowledge after these scores were adjusted on the attitude toward science covariable. There were no significant differences in achievement or attitude toward science for the limited English proficiency groups. It was concluded that laboratory instruction influenced, in a positive direction, the students' attitude toward science, and influenced their achievement in science knowledge. It was recommended that science instruction include a regular laboratory experience as a demonstrated viable and effective instructional method for science teachers. This model of science instruction has been shown to be effective with students of diverse backgrounds who live within large urban centers. J Res Sci Teach 34: 343–357, 1997.     

The effects of matching instructional strategy with selected student characteristics on ninth grade physical science students' attitudes and achievement

The study investigated the benefits of a matching model of instruction for students enrolled in ninth grade physical science classes in one high school in a small, urban school district. Based on social learning theory, three independent variables were identified for purposes of matching: need level, cognitive style, and locus of control; attitude and achievement outcomes served as the dependent variables. Results of separate analyses of covariance revealed that attitude toward science in general improved with matching, but achievement, attitude toward physical science, attitude toward instruction, and attitude toward the teacher did not improve. Recommendations for subsequent “matching” experiments are discussed in light of the findings in this investigation.