Academic Achievement In Science Research Articles

ENHANCING STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN BASIC SCIENCE: THE ROLE OF ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING, CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, AND TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS

This study explored how assessment for learning, classroom management strategies, and teacher-student relationships predict students' academic achievement in Basic Science among students in Enugu State. The correlational survey design was employed in the study. The population of the study comprised 21,989 JSS III Basic Science students for the 2022/2023 academic session in public secondary schools. A sample of 400 students determined using Taro Yamen's (1967) formula and drawn through a multi-stage sampling procedure was used for the study. Data was collected using the Assessment Quality Enhancement Scale (AQES) and the Basic Science Academic Achievement Proforma (BSAAP). The internal consistency of the AQES was determined using Cronbach's Alpha reliability method, yielding a reliability estimate of 0.84. The BSAAP, on the other hand, collected existing academic achievement scores of sampled students in Basic Science from their 1st and 2nd term results for the 2022/2023 academic session. Data was analyzed using regression analysis. Results revealed significant predictive relationships between teachers' use of assessment for learning, classroom management approaches, teacher-student relationships, and students' academic performance in Basic Science. Specifically, the correlation coefficients (R) of assessment for learning, classroom management, and teacher-student relationships were 0.53, 0.51, and 0.41, with predictive powers of 28%, 26%, and 16%, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of ongoing teacher professional development, curriculum reform initiatives, and supportive school environments in fostering academic success in Basic Science. The implications of these results underscore the critical role of effective teaching practices and positive teacher-student interactions in enhancing students' academic achievement.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0258/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Students’ Wellbeing and Level of Motivation towards Science Learning in Relation to Their Academic Achievement

Academic achievement requires a lot of motivation. Given that students' wellbeing substantially affects their overall performance, examining the many aspects and how they affect students is necessary. This study determined the students' wellbeing and motivation towards science learning concerning their academic achievement. The results were obtained from 134 respondents. The study employed a descriptive-correlational research approach and utilized three main tools: the Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire, the Students' Level of Motivation Questionnaire, and the academic records of the students. The research in question employed various statistical techniques, including the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, mean, standard deviation, stepwise multiple regression analysis, and mean. Results showed that the overall wellbeing of the students was good, their level of motivation was high, and their academic achievement in science was very satisfactory. It was found that there was a significant relationship between students' wellbeing and academic achievement in terms of academic efficacy. Furthermore, there is a significant relationship between students' levels of motivation and their academic achievement. The research results indicate that the extent of a student's motivation, specifically their self-belief and their goals for achievement, played a significant role in predicting their success in science education. The findings make instructors use different science teaching strategies that consider students' learning styles while planning classes and activities to help students develop desirable behaviors toward appreciation and interest in science.

THE INFLUENCE OF TEACHING COMPETENCIES ON TEACHERS’ PERFORMANCE AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN PRIMARY SCIENCE EDUCATION

The teaching competencies of science teachers significantly influence students' science academic achievement. It shapes the students' understanding of complex science concepts and their ability to excel in scientific exploration, ultimately nurturing their scientific literacy. This study assessed the teaching competencies influencing the teaching performance of 58 primary science teachers relative to the academic achievement of their students in science at the Tinoc District, Tinoc, Ifugao, Philippines. The significant differences by teacher demographics were also determined. This is relevant to the district's observed low scientific literacy and achievement of students in science education as assessed in recent years. Using a quantitative approach, the study employed a modified questionnaire that was validated and pilot-tested. Results disclosed that the science teachers strongly agreed that professionalism is the most common teaching competence influencing their performance, indicating their adherence to local and national standards and code of conduct. They also strongly agreed with teaching effectiveness, personal skills, educational planning, and management skills. Generally, there were no significant differences among the teaching competencies regardless of the teachers' gender, age, highest educational attainment, and years in service. Meanwhile, the students’ science academic achievement was determined to be lower average, suggesting low scientific literacy. Correspondingly, the teaching competencies and students' academic achievement were not correlated. Nonetheless, the teacher's capacity to impact the learners' scientific exploration and achievement remains intact. Further studies are recommended to be undertaken. Keywords: primary science education, primary science teachers, students’ science academic achievement, teaching competency, teacher performance

Reclassification and Multilingual Learners' Science Achievement

AbstractThis study contributes to a growing body of scholarship at the intersection of bilingual education and education policy and examines reclassification, or the transition out of formal English language services in schools, as one potential lever in accelerating or decelerating multilingual learners’ science learning. More specifically, it traces multilingual learners’ science academic achievement vis‐à‐vis science test scores over a six‐year period using the nationally‐representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study of 2010–11 (ECLS‐K:2011) data set. We use regression analyses with panel data to explore the relationship of reclassification with MLs’ science achievement at a national scale, and then, how variation in contextual factors (including family, school, and individual characteristics) shapes this relationship. Results show that, after controlling for covariates and prior test scores, reclassification is not significantly associated with differential science test scores when compared to students that retain their EL status. Results further show that reclassification is associated with higher science achievement for MLs who were previously in a dual‐language program but lower scores for those with higher prior achievement. We conclude with implications for the reclassification process, as well as directions for future research on reclassification, multilingual learners, and academic achievement.

The impact of using Virtual laboratory applications inside the classroom on development academic achievement in science among eighth grade students

هدفت الدراسة إلى بحث أثر استخدام تطبيقات المختبرات الافتراضية في تنمية الأداء العملي والتحصيل لدى طلاب الصف الثامن في مادة العلوم بمدرسة الشيخ سعيد بن حمد الحارثي في ولاية السيب محافظة مسقط، مثل عينة الدراسة 60 طالبا من طلاب الصف الثامن الأساسي، تم تقسيم العينة إلى مجموعتين، مجموعة تجريبية وعددهم 30 طالبا قاموا بإجراء التجارب العلمية في تطبيقات المختبرات الافتراضية، والمجموعة الضابطة وعددهم 30 عملوا على التجارب في المختبر المدرسي. إعتمدت الدراسة على أداة واحدة وهي اختبار تحصيلي حول التجارب في الوحدات الثانية والثالثة والرابعة من كتاب العلوم للصف الثامن، استخدم اختبار T-test لإيجاد الفروق بين المجموعتين الضابطة والتجريبية، ووصلت نتائج الدراسة إلى وجود فرق دال إحصائيا عند مستوى دلالة (0.05) بين متوسط درجات المجموعة التجريبية التي اجرت التجارب في المختبرات الافتراضية والمجموعة الضابطة التي عملت على التجارب في المختبر بشكل اعتيادي لصالح المجموعة التجريبية، وذلك في نتائج التطبيق البعدي للاختبار التحصيلي في محتوى التجارب المحددة للدراسة، وأوصت الدراسة بتضمين مواد العلوم بتجارب وأنشطة تدعم بيئات التعلم الافتراضية، بالإضافة إلى الدمج بين التجارب في المختبر التي تقام بشكل واقعي والتجارب ذات الأساليب التكنولوجية ضمن المختبرات الافتراضية.

Multi-level structural equation modelling for factors affecting science achievement of Korean middle school students before and after COVID-19: based on 2018–2020 national assessment of educational achievement data

ABSTRACT Science academic achievement is a key construct for examining students’ science learning outcomes. While international comparative assessments like TIMSS and PISA have shown high science achievement of Korean middle school students, there is a lack of comprehensive investigation of factors influencing the achievement using domestic data. Additionally, the impact of COVID-19 on science achievement-related factors remains largely unexplored. This study utilises multi-level structural equation modelling to examine the factors affecting science achievement among Korean middle school students. By analysing data from the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA), we identify individual- and school-level variables that affect student science achievement. The model fitting results were compared before (2018–2019; N = 5771 and N = 5614) and after (2020; N = 4,623) the COVID-19 outbreak. The analysis results reveal that individual-level factors, such as self-efficacy, affective domain of science learning, and self-studying time had significant effects on science achievement consistently throughout years. School-level factors, including principal’s supervision, school climate, and science teacher’s efficacy, demonstrated significantly positive effects on science achievement only in 2020 following the COVID-19 outbreak. This study enhances our understanding of the characteristics of high-achieving Korean middle school students and highlights the role of school community in supporting student learning during uncertain circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Effect of Problem-Based Learning in Science Education on Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analytical Study

This meta-analysis study aimed to scrutinize the effect of the problem-based learning (PBL) approach on students’ academic achievement in science lessons compared to the traditional instructional approach. As research data, the researcher accessed 55 experimental studies as a result of steps of a systematic review with the keywords “problem-based learning,” “science,” and “academic achievement or success” from the Education Resources Information Center, Scopus, Web of Science, Proquest, Taylor and Francis, Center of Higher Education National Thesis Center, and Wiley Online databases. The results showed that the PBL method used in science education had a high effect size on academic achievement compared to the traditional instructional method. The results also explained significant differences between the effect sizes of publication types (conference papers, articles, master’s thesis, and doctoral thesis). On the other hand, they demonstrated that academic achievement was similar in the nationality of the studies, educational levels, instructional variations with PBL, and relevant science areas. It is expected that integrating innovative instructional approaches into PBL could guide researchers who establish a research problem about how it can affect science academic achievement.

THE EXTENT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF BLENDED LEARNING IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE EDUCATION VIS-A-VIS STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

This study investigates the extent of implementation of blended learning in senior high school (SHS) science education as to the content, communication, technology, pedagogy, and assessment vis-à-vis students’ academic achievement. In this analytical research design, data were gathered from 182 students and 12 science teachers using stratified random sampling. Gathered data were systematically treated and analyzed utilizing descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequency, percentage count, mean, standard deviation, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. Findings revealed the extent of implementation of blended learning in SHS science education as moderately implemented as perceived by the students and teachers. As to the students’ profiles, there was a significant relationship between technology and the parent’s monthly income. There was no significant difference in the extent of implementation of blended learning across all variables as perceived by the teachers. After implementing blended learning, the student’s academic achievement in science was outstanding, and this put forward a significant relationship between content and assessment in their academic achievement. The study concluded that several things should be considered in implementing blended learning in the new normal education. Students’ and teachers’ involvement in the implementation is essential for improving the modality and the school administrators may consider undertaking specific plans and activities such as the need for teachers to attend training, seminars, and workshops related to blended learning implementation.

A Meta-Analysis on the Effect of Context-Based Learning on Students' Science Academic Achievement in the Turkish Education System

In this study, the effect of context-based learning (CBL) on Turkish students' science academic achievement was calculated using the meta-analysis method. The Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) 2.0 program was used to calculate the effect size. The effect size of the CBL on the achievement of the students was determined to be 0.928 and this result is interpreted as “large level” in the relevant literature (Cohen 1988; Thalheimer & Cook, 2002). It was determined that the effect of context-based learning on students' science academic achievement was p<0.05. According to all the results obtained within the scope of the research, it can be said that CBL has a significant effect on Turkish students' science academic achievement. As a result of the statistical calculations made within the scope of the research, it was concluded that context-based learning did not make a significant difference on the academic achievement of students in terms of teaching level and science field.

Effects of Early Childhood Education on Students' Academic Achievement in Science at Elementary School Level

This study aimed to find the effects of Early Childhood Education (ECE)on students’ academic achievement in science at elementary school levelin district Haripur. The study's objectives were: 1) to investigate theimpacts of ECE on students’ academic achievements, 2) to compare theacademic achievement of students who have attended ECE with those whohave not attended ECE over the categories of male and female schools. Allstudents at the elementary school level were considered as the populationof the study. The study was delimited to grade 7th of the elementary schoollevel. Ten (10) schools (five male and female schools each) were randomlyselected as sample of the study. Four hundred (400) students (200 for ECEand Non ECE each) were randomly selected. Data were collected throughacademic achievement test having reliability coefficient 0.87. Data wereanalyzed by using SPSS software. ECE (Male) group was found superiorto Non ECE (male and female groups); ECE (Female) group was foundbetter than Non ECE (male and female groups). However, both the maleand female of Non ECE groups were equal; and both the male and femaleof ECE groups were equal in their science academic achievement.Government may encourage ECE by providing pre-primary educationalfacilities (classrooms, instructional materials, and equipment) and byorganizing in-service teachers’ trainings to enhance teaching skills and tomake it more successful

Senior High School Students' Multiple Intelligences and their Relationship with Academic Achievement in Science

Purpose of the study: This study aims to investigate senior high school students’ multiple intelligences and their academic achievement in science.
 Methodology: This study employs a descriptive correlational research design. The respondents of this study were 300 in the 11th Grade of senior high school students. The Multiple Intelligences Inventory is used to assess students' intelligence, while their final grade in science measures academic achievement.
 Main Findings: The results of this study showed that senior high school students possess all intelligence to a great extent. Existential intelligence obtained the highest mean score of 3.96, as possessed by the respondents. On the other hand, musical intelligence got the lowest mean score of 3.60. It also showed that all multiple intelligences correlate with academic performance achievement. The correlation analysis showed that all multiple intelligences were statistically significant and could positively predict academic achievement in science.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: This present study may give insights to teachers about integrating multiple intelligences in the classroom.

The ‘Homework Gap’ and Academic Achievement in High School Science: An Ecological Perspective for Policymakers and Practitioners

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are increasingly required within K-12 educational settings, yet the impact of youth’s access to and use of digital resources outside of the classroom on academic achievement is only beginning to be explored in the literature. This study used data from the Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Study to assess the relationship between grades in high school science and digital equity across the learner’s ecological environment. Digital inequities experienced by school-aged youth are referred to as the homework gap. The COVID-19 pandemic placed new urgency on resolving the homework gap as millions of students shifted to full-time online or learning at home during the pandemic. Study findings show that ICT access and use across ecological domains is a significant predictor of urban youths’ academic achievement in science.

Effect of Collaborative Learning on Elementary School Students’ Academic Achievement in Science

Effect of Collaborative Learning on Elementary School Students’ Academic Achievement in Science

Prediction of primary education HSEE (LGS) science achievement through artificial neural networks

This study aimed to investigate the prediction level of science success in high school entrance exams (HSEE /LGS) using artificial neural networks (ANNs) by associating students’ success in science classes from the 4th-grade elementary level. The Pearson Moment Product Correlation analysis results were analyzed using the SPSS program to examine the connection between students' performance on the LGS science subtest and their academic achievement in science. In the MATLAB program, artificial neural network modeling performance was examined to understand the level of prediction. The data sets were obtained from the electronic school system of the Ministry of National Education for the 4th to 8th- grades of 1027 students graduating from 24 schools in 17 districts of Bursa in the 2017-2018 academic year and entered the 2018 LGS and LGS result documents without personal information. When the correlations between the LGS science sub-test and science test success were examined (p <.001), the highest and lowest correlations were found in the 8th-grade science exams (r = .70) and the 4th-grade ones (r=.57), respectively. The highest performance values were learning R=.80, verification R=.74, and test R=.75, RMSE=2.35 at the network architecture, generated in the second sub-problem and the trained network with 845 student data. A high-level relationship with r=.75 (p<.001) using the data of 182 students was obtained, while the correct numbers of simulated real LGS science sub-tests compared with the correct numbers predicted by the computer after the training process of the network. In addition, it was obtained that 124 students out of 182 were correctly estimated in the [+ 2, -2] error value range.

Do Students' STEM Skill Levels Affect Their Math and Science Achievement?

The aim of this study is to determine the academic achievements of 8th graders in mathematics and science courses and STEM skill levels. The research has been carried out with the survey model. The sample of the study consists of 251 8th grade students in the 2020-2021 academic year. Math and Science academic achievement tests and STEM skill levels scale was used for data gathering. The scores obtained within this framework have been analyzed using arithmetic mean, standard deviation, t and Pearson r correlation and regression analyses. As a result of the research, we have reached that the means of the students in science and mathematics courses are similar and low. STEM skill levels of male and female students have been found to be similar in terms of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology factors, but male students are more successful than female students in both math and science courses. It has also been found that STEM skill levels influence students' math and science academic achievements, and STEM skill level perceptions influenced students' math and science achievements.

Invisible multilingual Black and Brown girls: Raciolinguistic narratives of identity in science education

AbstractBlack and Brown girls are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Although studies have examined the reasons for this by exploring Black and Brown girls' experiences based on culture, gender, and race, there is a need for specifically understanding how language contributes to racialized experiences in science education. This study fills this critical gap by presenting narratives of three academically talented multilingual girls from Black and Brown communities. Utilizing semi‐structured interviews, self‐identifying questionnaires, and identity‐as‐narrative analysis, this study demonstrates how the racialized experiences of these multilingual Black and Brown girls influenced their relations to science, ideas about the attributes of a science person, and developing science identities. The findings suggest that although the girls had a strong affiliation with science and academic achievement in science, the girls' experiences were racialized through raciolinguistic ideologies and dominant cultural practices of science, which left them invisibilized and unsure about pursuing a future career in STEM. The implications of this study underline the importance of looking at the problem of underrepresentation as an issue of identification, belonging, and representation rather than an of academic skill or interest.

Investigation of the Effect of the Simulation Method on Academic Achievement in Science with 7th graders in Science Course

This study aimed to investigate the effect of the simulation method on the academic achievement of the 7th-graders in secondary school in the science course. The 'Light' unit was selected as a subject. The research was carried out with the participation of 98 students (Experiment, n = 52 and Control, n = 46) at a secondary school in the city center of Çanakkale in the spring term of 2013-2014 academic year. It was an experimental study with the pretest-posttest control group. This study collected data with the Science Academic Achievement Test (SAAT) developed by Benli, Sarıkaya and Kayabaşı (2012). Since the validity and reliability studies of the SAAT were conducted in Çanakkale, it was recalculated and found suitable in terms of validity and reliability. In the control group, the constructivist approach was employed while in the experimental group, the simulation method was implemented. The pretest results showed no significant differences between the experimental and control groups in terms of academic achievement. When the SAAT posttest scores of the students in both groups, that is, in the control and experimental groups, were examined, the average score in favor of the experimental group was found to be higher. At the end of the study, when the SAAT posttest scores of the students in both groups were examined, the average score in favor of the experimental group was found to be higher.

Let’s Escape! The Impact of a Digital-Physical Combined Escape Room on Students’ Creative Thinking, Learning Motivation, and Science Academic Achievement

Digital and physical escape rooms have been suggested as practical and effective approaches to game-based learning and have recently gained momentum. The deficit of scholarly works that simultaneously implement both types of escape rooms legitimizes this study’s significance and appropriateness. The researchers systematically combined digital and physical escape rooms and integrated them into fifth-grade science lessons (experimental group N = 22; control group N = 21). Considering that creative thinking is one of the essential competencies in the competitive world, learning motivation is a crucial factor contributing to students’ learning, and academic achievement is a criterion for learning outcomes. The Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration), the Learning Motivation Scale (value, expectation, affect, and executive volition), and the science achievement exam were used to quantitatively investigate students’ learning effectiveness. The results indicated that the experimental group’s creative thinking and learning motivation outperformed the control group significantly. Nonetheless, both groups showed no significant difference in science academic achievement. The present study verifies that a digital–physical combined escape room is an effective and practical approach that has the potential to be widely used in schools to benefit students’ learning. Some discussions, educational implications, and suggestions for future studies and practices are offered.

Applying functional near-infrared spectroscopy and eye-tracking in a naturalistic educational environment to investigate physiological aspects that underlie the cognitive effort of children during mental rotation tests.

Spatial cognition is related to academic achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) domains. Neuroimaging studies suggest that brain regions’ activation might be related to the general cognitive effort while solving mental rotation tasks (MRT). In this study, we evaluate the mental effort of children performing MRT tasks by measuring brain activation and pupil dilation. We use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) concurrently to collect brain hemodynamic responses from children’s prefrontal cortex (PFC) and an Eye-tracking system to measure pupil dilation during MRT. Thirty-two healthy students aged 9–11 participated in this experiment. Behavioral measurements such as task performance on geometry problem-solving tests and MRT scores were also collected. The results were significant positive correlations between the children’s MRT and geometry problem-solving test scores. There are also significant positive correlations between dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) hemodynamic signals and visuospatial task performances (MRT and geometry problem-solving scores). Moreover, we found significant activation in the amplitude of deoxy-Hb variation on the dlPFC and that pupil diameter increased during the MRT, suggesting that both physiological responses are related to mental effort processes during the visuospatial task. Our findings indicate that children with more mental effort under the task performed better. The multimodal approach to monitoring students’ mental effort can be of great interest in providing objective feedback on cognitive resource conditions and advancing our comprehension of the neural mechanisms that underlie cognitive effort. Hence, the ability to detect two distinct mental states of rest or activation of children during the MRT could eventually lead to an application for investigating the visuospatial skills of young students using naturalistic educational paradigms.

Teachers’ Use 0f Higher-Order Cognitive Skills, Instructional Skills in Online Science Teaching and Students’ Achievement in Elementary Science

This descriptive-correlational study investigated the relationship between the teachers’ use of higher-order cognitive skills, instructional skills in online science teaching and academic achievement of students in elementary science. The respondents of the study were 91 elementary science teachers who were randomly sampled from the 117 Grade 3-6 elementary science teachers of DepEd Division of the City of Sta. Rosa. The research instrument was validated by experts in the field and its internal consistency reliability was ascertained using Cronbach Alpha. The findings revealed that the teachers always used higher order cognitive skills in online science teaching (WM=3.28). They had very high level of instructional skills in online science teaching (WM=3.42.). Sixty-five (65) or 71.43 percent of the elementary science teachers reported an aggregated GPA of 85 to 89 for their classes; 18 or 19.78 percent had 80 to 84; and 8 or 8.79 percent got 90 to 94. There were no significant relationships between the respondents’ frequency of use of higher-order cognitive skills in online science teaching and the students’ academic achievement in elementary science (p&gt;0.05); and between the respondents’ level of instructional skills in online science teaching and the students’ academic achievement in elementary science(p&gt;0.05). It was concluded in the study that the teachers’ use of higher order teaching skills in online science teaching and their instructional skills have no bearing on the academic achievement of the students. A study on the correlation between higher-order skills of students and their academic achievement in elementary science may be conducted to verify this study’s findings and confirm the other studies’ findings.