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Instructional Activities And Interest In Science Learning For Adolescent Students

Posted on: Wednesday, 25 February 2004, 06:00 CST

ABSTRACT

An important facet of effective instructional design is the consideration of the effects of learning activities on student motivation. Several innovative instructional programs have been designed to foster student interest in science. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between several types of instructional strategies and interest in science for adolescent students from two countries (Japan and the United States). Students included in this study were from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Population 2 International Samples (13- year-olds). A number of instructional strategies were examined and variance estimation techniques for complex sampling designs were employed. Several teaching activities used when introducing new science topics and in typical science lessons were significantly associated with student enjoyment for learning science. Cooperative learning activities for both instructional conditions were significantly associated with student enjoyment for learning science. These results were consistent with previous findings on the motivational effects of specific instructional practices for science learning.

An important facet of effective instructional design is the consideration of the effects of learning activities on student motivation. For instance, student motivation has been included in a proposed cognitive model for instructional design (Tennyson, 1992) and its importance for effective instructional design has been emphasized (Main, 1993; Romiszowski, 1989). In order to improve the motivational quality of instructional materials, a motivational model of instructional design has been developed (Keller, 1983; Small, 1997). Further, that model has been tested in field settings (Visser & Keller, 1990) and has been expanded to provide a model of instructional design for application in higher education (Bohlin, Milheim, & Viechnicki, 1993-1994). A strategy has been proposed to incorporate motivational qualities into computer-based instruction (Relan, 1992); these strategies can help students to increase their achievement expectancies and self-efficacy beliefs. These motivational beliefs are significantly related to student achievement in science and mathematics. Students' achievement in first-year college mathematics was significantly correlated with their achievement expectancies (House, 1995). Similarly, achievement expectancies and academic self-concept were significant predictors of subsequent grade performance in college science courses (House, 1993, 1994). Consequently, it is important to examine the motivational qualities of instructional activities since student motivation is significantly related to achievement outcomes.

Several types of instructional programs and activities have been developed to foster student interest in science. Further, programs designed to improve students' knowledge and problem-solving skills may also result in improved confidence levels. For example, a software system designed to teach concepts of immunology to high school students appeared to result in improved student confidence in their ability to successfully solve multiple steps in a problem- based clinical case (Kanowith-Klein, Stave, Stevens, & Casillas, 2001). Several innovative instructional programs have been designed to provide opportunities for elementary and secondary school-aged students to learn science concepts and laboratory techniques. For instance, a program conducted by the University of California (San Francisco) provides sixth-grade students in San Francisco with instruction on topics related to health and biological sciences with the goal of enhancing student interest in science (Doyle, 1999). Similarly, a program coordinated by the University of California (Los Angeles) provides high school students in Los Angeles with integrated science learning and technology-based instructional experiences to facilitate a long-term goal of increased involvement in science careers (Palacio-Cayetano, Kanowith-Klcin, & Stevens, 1999). Several investigations have demonstrated that providing students with culturally sensitive learning materials and activities can facilitate student interest in science (Bouillion & Gomez, 2001). Cajete (1988) has outlined several characteristics of the learning styles of American Indian students and has identified a number of culturally relevant instructional strategies that can be used to enhance American Indian students' motivation for science learning. Finally, results from an assessment of science enrichment programs for gifted high school students indicated that enrollment in two consecutive programs was particularly related to positive attitudes toward science (Stake & Mares, 2001).

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) represents the largest and most comprehensive assessment of educational contexts and student achievement yet conducted (Martin, 1996). As part of the TIMSS assessment, a model was proposed to examine the unique effects of contextual factors on student achievement, such as classroom environment and instructional practices, family expectations and resources, and student self- beliefs (Schmidt & Cogan, 1996). Most of the initial findings from the TIMSS assessment have identified factors associated with student achievement in cross-cultural contexts. For instance, students' self- beliefs were significantly associated with mathematics test scores for students in South Africa (Howie, Marsh, Allummootil, Glencross, Deliwe, & Hughes, 2000) and with the science achievement of eighth- grade students in Ireland (House, 200Ob). More recent findings from TIMSS Population 3 (17-year-olds) samples indicated that students' attitudes toward mathematics were significantly related to achievement in cross-cultural settings (Howie & Pieterson, 2001; Koller, 2001). Other research has examined the effects of instructional practices on student achievement. Specific classroom strategies were significantly related to eighth-grade students' science achievement in Hong Kong (House, 200Oa) and adolescent students' mathematics achievement in Japan (House, 2001). Research findings from numerous countries that participated in the TIMSS assessment indicated that several factors were consistently associated with student achievement, including the amount of time spent on mathematics homework, educational aspirations of the student, and being in an orderly classroom environment (Martin, Mullis, Gregory, Hoyle, & Shen, 2000). However, a second goal of instructional programs is the development of student interest in science. Consequently, there is a need to examine the effects of specific instructional practices on students' motivation for learning science. The TIMSS assessment represents a unique opportunity to examine those relationships for students in cross- cultural contexts.

There have been several national initiatives in Japan designed to emphasize student interest and problem-solving abilities in science (Lewis & Tsuchida, 1997). A recent examination of science education in Japan indicated that specific classroom practices and the use of instructional materials were incorporated into science lessons in ways that were consistent with national goals related to enhancing student interest in science (Lewis & Tsuchida, 1998). The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between several types of instructional strategies and student interest in science using data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Further, this study was intended to assess cross-cultural similarities and differences in those relationships by examining large national samples of students from two countries (Japan and the United States) who were part of a comprehensive international assessment of instructional practices and student achievement.

METHODS

Students

A two-stage stratified cluster design was used for the TIMSS sample design, with the selection of schools during the first stage of sampling and then classrooms within schools during the second stage (Foy, 1997). As part of the student questionnaire, data were collected regarding instructional activities, ouT-of-school activities, family characteristics, learning resources, student characteristics, and science achievement. Students included in these analyses were from the TIMSS Population 2 International Samples (13- year-olds) from Japan and the United States. For the Japan sample, there were 10,052 students who completed all of the measures regarding typical classroom instructional activities and 10,086 students who completed all of the measures regarding activities used when learning new science topics. For the United States sample, there were 9,916 students who completed all of the measures regarding typical classroom instructional activities and 10,033 students who completed all of the measures regarding activities used when learning new science topics.

Measures

The effects of two types of instructional activities (teaching activities for new science topics and typical classroom instructional activities) were examined in this study. Considering teaching activities for new science topics, students indicated how frequently the following strategies were used: "When we begin a new topic in science, we begin by..." (1) Having the teacher explain the rules and definitions, (2) Discussing a practical or story problem related to everyday life, (3) Working together in small groups on a problem or project, (4) Having the teacher ask us what we know related to the new topic, (5) Looking at the textbook while the teacher talks about it, and (6) Trying to solve an example related to the new topic. With regard to typical classroom instructional activities, students reported: "How often does this happen in your science lessons?" (1) We use computers, (2) We use things from everyday life in solving science problems, (3) We work from worksheets or textbooks on our own, (4) The teacher shows us how to do science problems, (5) We work on science projects, (6) We work together in pairs or small groups, (7) The teacher gives a demonstration of an experiment, and (8) We ourselves do an experiment or practical investigation in class. For each of these instructional activities, students indicated the frequency of their use as: (1) almost always, (2) pretty often, (3) once in a while, or (4) never. Finally, the dependent measure used in this study to assess the motivational qualities of instructional practices was the degree to which students indicated that they enjoyed learning science: (1) strongly agree, (2) agree, (3) disagree, or (4) strongly disagree.

Procedure

Because of the complex sampling design used in the TIMSS assessment, statistical procedures used for simple random sampling involve assumptions that are inappropriate for data collected using two-stage stratified cluster sample designs (Gonzalez & Foy, 1997). Consequently, jackknife variance estimation procedures using replicate weights were used to compute appropriate standard errors for each variable included in this study (National Center for Education Statistics, 1998). These procedures are necessary for complex sample designs and provide unbiased variance estimates to enable appropriate statistical tests of significance to be made. For this study, multiple regression procedures were used to simultaneously assess the relative contribution of each instructional activity toward the explanation of student enjoyment for learning science. Separate analyses were conducted for instructional strategics used when introducing new science topics and for typical classroom activities used in science lessons.

RESULTS

Correlations between teaching strategies used when introducing new science topics and student enjoyment for learning science are summarized in Table 1. Considering students in Japan, five significant correlations were obtained. Students who expressed higher levels of enjoyment for learning science indicated that their teachers more frequently explained the rules and definitions and more often asked students what they knew related to the new topic. Further, students who reported that they more frequently discussed a practical or story problem related to everyday life and more often tried to solve an example related to the new topic also tended to show higher levels of enjoyment for learning science. In addition, students who indicated more frequent use of cooperative learning activities (they worked together in small groups on a problem or project) also were more likely to report that they enjoyed learning science. For students in the United States, all six teaching activities used when introducing new science topics were significantly correlated with student enjoyment for learning science. In each instance, more frequent use of the specific teaching strategy was associated with increased student enjoyment for learning science.

Correlations between instructional activities used in typical science lessons and student enjoyment for learning science are also presented in Table 1. Considering students in Japan, seven significant correlations were obtained. Students who indicated more frequent use of cooperative learning activities (we work together in pairs or small groups) also showed higher levels of enjoyment for learning science. Further, students who were more likely to enjoy learning science had teachers who more frequently showed them how to do science problems and who more often gave demonstrations of experiments. Similarly, students who expressed greater enjoyment for learning science more frequently worked on science projects, worked from worksheets or textbooks on their own, and used things from everyday life when solving science problems. Finally, students in Japan who reported higher levels of enjoyment for learning science also more often did an experiment or practical investigation in their science class. Considering students in the United States, all eight instructional activities used in typical science lessons were significantly correlated with student enjoyment for learning science. In each instance, more frequent use of the specific instructional activity was associated with increased student enjoyment for learning science.

Findings from the multiple regression analyses of the motivational effects of instructional strategies for learning new science topics are summarized in Table 2. Considering students in Japan, all six teaching activities used for new science topics significantly entered the multiple regression equation. First, students who indicated that they used cooperative learning activities (working together in small groups on a problem or project) more frequently also reported higher levels of enjoyment for learning science. Further, students who reported that they more frequently discussed a practical or story problem related to everyday life when learning new science topics also tended to show higher levels of enjoyment for learning science. More frequent use of three additional teaching strategies (trying to solve an example related to the new topic, having the teacher ask students what they know related to the new topic, and having the teacher explain the rules and definitions) were significantly associated with increased student enjoyment for learning science. Finally, there was a significant negative association between having students look at the textbook while the teacher talked about it and student enjoyment for learning science; students who indicated that they more frequently looked at the textbook while the teacher talked about it tended to show lower levels of enjoyment for learning science. In addition, the overall multiple.regression equation that assessed the joint significance of the complete set of teaching activities for explaining student enjoyment for learning science was significant (F(6,70) = 49.33, p < .001). Considering students in the United States, three teaching activities used when introducing new science topics significantly entered the multiple regression equation. Students who reported that they more frequently tried to solve an example related to the new topic also were more likely to indicate that they enjoyed learning science. Similarly, students who reported that their teachers more frequently used two instructional activities (the teacher explained the rules and definitions and asked students what they knew related to the new topic) also showed higher levels of enjoyment for learning science. Further, the overall multiple regression equation that assessed the joint significance of the complete set of teaching activities for new science topics for explaining student enjoyment for learning science was significant (F(6,50) = 65.22,p < .001).

Results from the multiple regression analyses of the motivational effects of teaching activities used in typical science lessons are provided in Table 3. Considering students in Japan, six instructional activities used in typical science lessons significantly entered the multiple regression equation. First, students who indicated that they more frequently used things from everyday life when solving science problems also showed higher levels of enjoyment for learning science. Similarly, students who reported more frequently working on science projects or themselves doing an experiment or practical investigation in class also showed significantly higher enjoyment for learning science. Further, more frequent use of three teaching strategies in typical science lessons (allowing students to work together in pairs or small groups, having the teacher give a demonstration of an experiment, and having students work from worksheets or textbooks on their own) were significantly associated with higher levels of student enjoyment for learning science. In addition, the overall multiple regression equation used to test the joint significance of the complete set of instructional activities for explaining Japanese students' enjoyment for learning science was significant (F(8,68) = 44.94, p < .001). Considering students in the United States, four instructional activities used in typical science lessons significantly entered the multiple regression equation. First, students who reported that they used cooperative learning activities (working together in pairs or small groups) more frequently also showed significantly higher enjoyment for learning science. In addition, more frequent use of two active learning strategies (students use things from everyday life in solving science problems and students themselves do an experiment or practical investigation in class) were significantly associated with increased student enjoyment for learning science. Finally, students who reported that their teachers more frequently showed them how to do science problems also showed higher levels of enjoyment for learning science. Further, the overall multiple regression equation that assessed the joint significance of the complete set of instructional activities for explaining student enjoyment for learning science was significant (F(8,48) = 63.06, p < .001).

DISCUSSION

The results of this study identify several instructional practices that were significantly related to interest in learning science for adolescent students in the Unites States and Japan. When introducing new science topics, students from both countries indicated that more frequent opportunities for trying to solve an example related to the new topic was associated with higher levels of enjoyment for learning science. Similarly, students from both countries reported that more frequent use of two strategies by their teachers (having their teachers explain the rules and definitions and asking students what they know related to the new topic) were significantly associated with greater enjoyment for learning science. In addition, students in Japan felt that more frequent opportunities for working together in small groups on a problem or project resulted in greater enjoyment for learning science. Further, students in Japan indicated that more frequent discussions of practical or story problems related to everyday life made science learning more enjoyable. Considering teaching strategies used in typical science lessons, students from both countries indicated that more frequent opportunities for using things from everyday life in solving science problems and cooperative learning (working together in pairs or small groups) made science learning more enjoyable. In addition, students from both countries felt that more opportunities for doing an experiment or practical investigation in class made science learning more enjoyable. Finally, students in Japan also reported that more frequent opportunities to work on science projects and more frequent demonstrations of experiments by their teachers resulted in higher levels of enjoyment for learning science.

These results were consistent with previous research findings on the effects of instructional practices on student interest in science. In addition, these findings provide a number of directions for further research. For instance, the finding that students in both countries found cooperative learning related to more enjoyment for learning science is similar to several previous research results. A cooperative learning program for elementary school-aged students results in increased student motivation and improved achievement outcomes (Janes, Koutsopanagos, Mason, & Villaranda, 2000). Pearson (1989) reported that a cooperative learning experience for high school students in an urban setting produced increased motivation to achieve higher grades in science. Other research has shown that specific classroom activities, such as experiments and problem-based learning, are positively related to student interest in learning science. Classroom experiments designed to teach quantitative chemistry concepts to high school students resulted in greater interest in chemistry (Ben-Zvi & Silberstein, 1980) and a program for Native American students that focused on learning science through local field experience resulted in increased motivation to learn science (Enos, 1999). Finally, these results provide several directions for further study. Additional research is needed to assess the effects of instructional practices on other measures of student motivation such as enrollment in advanced science courses in high school or an indication of an interest in a career in science. Further study is also needed to determine if similar findings would be observed for students from other countries that participated in TIMSS or for students from other international assessments (such as the TIMSS 1999 assessment). However, the results of this study extend previous research findings by simultaneously assessing the effects of several teaching and learning activities on student enjoyment for learning science and by examining students in cross-cultural settings as part of a comprehensive international assessment.

TABLE 1. CORRELATIONS BETWEEN TEACHING STRATEGIES AND STUDENT ENJOYMENT FOR LEARNING SCIENCE

TABLE 2. RESULTS OF MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSES OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TEACHING ACTIVITIES FOR NEW SCIENCE TOPICS AND STUDENT ENJOYMENT FOR LEARNING SCIENCE

TABLE 3. RESULTS OF MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSES OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TYPICAL CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES AND STUDENT ENJOYMENT FOR LEARNING SCIENCE

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J. DANIEL HOUSE

Northern Illinois University

Direct Reprint Requests to:

J. Daniel House

Office of Institutional Research

Northern Illinois University

DeKalb, IL 60115

Copyright Dr. Phillip J. Sleeman 2003

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