Recent attention has focused on the decreasing levels of scholastic achievement of youth in the United States, particularly in areas of mathematics and science. In particular, concern has been expressed about the involvement and achievement of girls in traditionally sex stereotyped curricula, such as mathematics and science. This paper reports on…

Problems of validity and reliability of concept mapping are addressed by using item-response theory (IRT) models for scoring. In this study, the overall structure of students' concept maps are defined by the number of links, the number of hierarchies, the number of cross-links, and the number of examples. The study was conducted with 92 students…

Eight hundred and ninety-nine (431 male, 467 female and one missing value) Grade 8 and 9 (n = 184 and 713, respectively, with two missing values) learners from secondary schools in Mpumalanga completed a science and mathematics questionnaire. Student's t tests showed that male and female, as well as language groups' scores, differed significantly.…

This document reports the state of science achievement of Japanese students based on the Second International Science study conducted in 1983-84. Results are compared to the first study conducted in 1970. The target populations, samples, and structure of the second study are described. Test results including score distribution and high and low…

Information is presented about the grade 12 diploma examinations for Mathematics 30, Biology 30, Chemistry 30, and Physics 30 that were administered in 1986. Topics explained include: (1) general format of the examinations (stating the content, emphasis, and time allotments); (2) examination schedules (listing the calendar dates and times for the…

Students' abstract reasoning abilities can differ from one society to another. Students' profiles play significant roles in these differences. The aim of the study is to determine the relationship between middle school students' cognitive development levels and their profiles (age, gender, and science achievement) using the Science Cognitive…

This applied dissertation was designed to increase the academic achievement of 4th-grade students in science. The problem to be solved was that 4th-grade students in a rural elementary school exhibited low academic achievement in science. The researcher utilized the multiple intelligences (MI) theory and brain-based learning to develop the IMPACT…

During the Western Australian School Effectiveness Study (WASES), 28 rural and urban high schools and 3,500 students were surveyed to investigate features of effective schools, and 21 schools and 1,024 students were studied longitudinally. Effective schools were identified in terms of higher than expected science and mathematics achievement, when…

In October 1996, the Hartford Public Schools (Connecticut) received a grant for a partnership in minority student achievement, but in 1998, the grant was not renewed. This is the final year-end report on the Hartford Comprehensive Partnerships for Mathematics and Science Achievement (CPMSA) covering the program's second year. Fourteen schools were…

Large numbers of African Americans learn early in life that they fail to perform adequately in mathematics and science, resulting in helplessness syndromes. Learned helplessness in science and mathematics can be ameliorated through desensitization of mathematics phobia, freeing educational environments of crowding and noise, and special career…

Institutions of higher education, states, and local K-12 districts have been challenged to improve math and science education for our nation's students. In the past few years, there has been renewed interest in inquiry-based, activity-oriented instruction in science for students with disabilities. Yet, there still exists the need for further…

Two sections of middle school science were taught by two longtime teachers where one used an STS approach and the other followed the more typical textbook approach closely. Pre- and post assessments were administered to one section of students for each teacher. The testing focused on student concept mastery, general science achievement, concept…

This study compares frequencies of instructional practices across differing scheduling plans (Traditional and Block plans), and explores the association between high school scheduling plans and college science preparation, using introductory college science grades as the outcome measure. More than 7000 students enrolled in introductory college…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study represents the most comprehensive international assessment of educational contexts and student achievement yet conducted. As part of the examination of the effects of contextual factors on student achievement, a model was constructed that considered the effects of variables such as…

This paper describes how a university outreach program promotes academic achievement and identity development among culturally diverse tenth-grade students. The primary goal of the outreach program is to advance students' engagement and competency in mathematics and science learning. A secondary goal of the program is to promote the development of…