Using International Study Series and Meta-Analytic Research Syntheses to Scope Pedagogical Development Aimed at Improving Student Attitude and Achievement in School Mathematics and Science

Abstract

Taking lower-secondary schooling within the English educational system as an example, this paper illustrates the contribution of two bodies of international scholarship to the scoping of research-based pedagogical development aimed at improving student attitude and achievement in science and mathematics. After sketching the English context of systemic reform, the paper uses findings from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) series to illuminate changes in performance, analysed within a framework of cross-system and between-subject comparison. Contrary to the optimistic picture from national assessment, the TIMSS findings suggest that systemic reform has produced fundamental gains only in student achievement in mathematics, and serious declines in student attitude towards both mathematics and science. Prompted by more favourable patterns elsewhere, the paper then triangulates the findings of recent meta-analytic research syntheses to identify promising lines of pedagogical development. Despite important differences in the conceptual frameworks and analytic methods of these syntheses, reasonably robust conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness of four teaching components: domain-specific inquiry for student achievement in both subjects, student attitude in science, and learning processes in mathematics; cooperative group work for learning and attitude in science; contextual orientation for achievement in science; and active teaching for achievement in mathematics. Equally, discrepancies between findings or insufficiencies of evidence highlight a number of impacts particularly deserving deeper analysis or further investigation: cooperative group work on achievement outcomes, differing forms of learning assessment on both attitude and achievement outcomes, contextual orientation on outcomes in mathematics, and active teaching on outcomes in science.

Interest, motivation and attitude towards science and technology at K-12 levels: a systematic review of 12 years of educational research

“…Nevertheless, even if considerable efforts to synthesise research results have been made in the past 12 years (Awan et al, 2011;Blalock et al, 2008;Christidou, 2011;Foster, 2008;Krapp & Prenzel, 2011;Osborne et al, 2003;Rohaan, Taconis, & Jochems, 2010;Ruthven, 2011), none has given, to our knowledge, enough methodological details (criteria used for the selection of articles, tools and procedures to support analysis, synthesis methods, etc.) to secure objectivity.…”

“…Indeed, in its 2006 report, the OECD expressed regrets that available data-sets did not allow a 'full analysis of the situation' and argued that 'ongoing, long-term studies of student motivation, using specific indicators, should be promoted' (p. 1). Based on such 'discrepancies in findings or insufficiencies of evidence' (Ruthven, 2011, p. Ruthven, 2011), none has given, to our knowledge, enough methodological details (criteria used for the selection of articles, tools and procedures to support analysis, synthesis methods, etc.) to secure objectivity.…”

“…Indeed, in its 2006 report, the OECD expressed regrets that available data-sets did not allow a 'full analysis of the situation' and argued that 'ongoing, long-term studies of student motivation, using specific indicators, should be promoted' (p. 1). Based on such 'discrepancies in findings or insufficiencies of evidence' (Ruthven, 2011, p. 419), other calls for 'research-informed and evidencebased improvement of education' (p. 419) have been made by researchers from the S&T education field.Nevertheless, even if considerable efforts to synthesise research results have been made in the past 12 years (Awan et al, 2011;Blalock et al, 2008;Christidou, 2011;Foster, 2008;Krapp & Prenzel, 2011;Osborne et al, 2003;Rohaan, Taconis, & Jochems, 2010;Ruthven, 2011), none has given, to our knowledge, enough methodological details (criteria used for the selection of articles, tools and procedures to support analysis, synthesis methods, etc.) to secure objectivity.…”

“…We also excluded articles that exclusively dealt with teacher training (where teachers' I/M/A in S&T was the main 88 P. Potvin and A. Hasni focus instead of students') and articles exclusively about 'technology' when this label was used to designate information and communication technology (ICT) and when there were no signs of S&T. Nine articles were also excluded because they analysed or synthesised previous research and did not offer new insight, even thought they were sometimes extremely pertinent. We will, however, refer often to these texts (Awan et al, 2011;Blalock et al, 2008;Christidou, 2011;Foster, 2008;Krapp & Prenzel, 2011;Osborne et al, 2003;Rohaan et al, 2010;Ruthven, 2011;Toplis, 2011) to frame our research and to compare our results to their conclusions. At the end, this second stage of the selection process, 252 articles were identified for thorough analysis.…”

The Status of Science and Technology Relative to Other School Subjects. Results of a Study Conducted on Primary and Secondary School Students in Quebec

“…), or specific issues explored and teaching methods used in the classroom (e.g., Baram-Tsabari, Sethi, & Yarden, 2010;Bates et al, 2011;Christidou, 2011;Haussler & Hauffman, 1987Jocz, Zhai, & Tan, 2014;Jones, Howe, & Rua, 2000;Murphy, Ambusaidi, & Beggs, 2006;Murphy & Beggs, 2003;Swarat, Ortony, & Revelle, 2012). These studies and resulting literature reviews (Christidou, 2011;Krapp & Prenzel, 2011;Potvin & Hasni, 2014;Renninger & Hidi, 2011;Ruthven, 2011;Schraw & Lehman, 2001) have led many researchers and organizations (Commission européenne, 2008;OECD, 2008;Ourisson, 2002;Porchet, 2002) to speak of student ‗disinterest' (or decrease in I/M/A) in S&T and in related careers: 1) Most studies show that student interest (I/M/A) in S&T decreases as students advance to higher grade levels. This has been found to be the case, for instance, in studies performed in the U.K. (Barmby, Kind, & Jones, 2008;Bennett & Hogarth, 2009;Owen, Dickson, Stanisstreet, & Boyes, 2008;Pell & Jarvis, 2001), the U.S.A. (Alexander, Johnson, & Kelley, 2012;Sorge, 2007;George, 2006), Turkey (Cavas, 2011; State of the literature  In recent decades, numerous studies have examined students' relationship to science and technology (S&T) at school through the constructs of interest, motivation and attitude.…”