Worldwide predictors of science literacy in lower-secondary students: A TIMSS 2019 analysis

Maroco, J. P.; Katarina Harju-Luukkainen, Heidi; Rautopuro, Juhani

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/10046

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Authors

Maroco, J. P.

Katarina Harju-Luukkainen, Heidi

Rautopuro, Juhani

Abstract(s)

In today’s technologically advanced and environmentallychallenging landscape, enhancing global scientific literacy isincreasingly imperative. A solid grasp of scientific principles is vitalfor fostering innovation and achieving sustainable developmentworldwide. Utilizing data from the International Association forthe Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Trends inInternational Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), this studyinquiries into various factors impacting grade eight students’science literacy in the TIMSS 2019 assessment. Exploring studentsocioeconomic status, cultural background, attitudes towardsscience, school organisation, teacher experiences, and country-levelvariables, we aimed to identify predictive associations with scienceliteracy. Additionally, we correlated TIMSS 2019 results with theUnited Nations Development Program’s Human DevelopmentIndex (HDI). Employing three-level Hierarchical Linear Modeling, weassessed which student, teacher, and country-level variables werelinked to grade 8 science literacy. Results indicate that thestudents’ socioeconomic resources and motivation/confidence inscience positively influence science literacy. Conversely, a higherpercentage of science items covered in national curricula wasweakly associated with lower science literacy scores. Teachersreporting greater teaching limitations due to student needsshowed negative correlations with science scores. At the countrylevel, the HDI emerged as the strongest correlate with grade 8science literacy. These findings underscore the multifaceted natureof science literacy and its interplay with various socio-cultural andeducational factors on a global scale.

Keywords

Science literacy TIMSS 2019 Human development index

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/10046

Citation

Marôco, J., Harju-Lukkainnen, H., & Rautopuro, J. (2024). Worldwide predictors of science literacy in lower-secondary students: a TIMSS 2019 analysis. International Journal of Science Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2024.2394239