Abstract
Educational opportunities in the home, at school, and within the community differ across countries and affect students’ achievement and future success in science fields. Bandura’s Social (Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory, 1986) and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological System Theory (Ecological models of human development. In International Encyclopedia of Education, 1994) both support the notion that students’ attitudes towards science and home resources can be associated with their academic achievement. In order to examine the possible home and student level factors in science achievement, we examined fourth graders’ home resources and attitudes towards science in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2015 in South Korea, Turkey, and the United States where students’ science achievement scores varied. Findings from multiple linear regression analyses indicated that having a positive attitude toward science and more home resources positively related to fourth grade students’ science scores. Among different home resources, the number of books owned at home appeared to better predict students’ science scores. Providing students with science books in early grades may increase their interest in science and contribute to their science achievement in the future. Longitudinal studies of science achievement in these three countries and other countries may be included in further research.
Highlights
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have received widespread attention from educators, researchers, and policy makers in the last decade (e.g., Bybee 2010a, 2010b; Kuenzi 2008)
We compared home resources and attitudes towards science related to science achievement of fourth grade students in South Korea, Turkey, and the United States
South Korean students have a higher number of books in their homes, and higher science achievement scores than students in Turkey and the United States have from Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2015
Summary
Technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have received widespread attention from educators, researchers, and policy makers in the last decade (e.g., Bybee 2010a, 2010b; Kuenzi 2008). It is believed that education related to science helps prepare citizens with 21st century skills (Bybee 2010a, 2010b; Cheung 2018), as well as support individual country’s success in economic growth and contest in the global market (Engler 2012). Results from large scale international studies focused on STEM-based subjects (e.g., Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study [TIMSS], Programme from International Student Assessment [PISA]) provide stakeholders, such as educators, researchers, parents/guardians, and policymakers, insights regarding their students’. TIMSS and science education in elementary school Science education helps students use critical thinking skills, understand issues, and find proper solutions for problems (Halim and Mokhtar 2015). When students find science subject matter interesting and engaging, their desire to continue studying and exploring science topics and activities may expand (Wellcome Trust 2011)
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