During the spring of 1996, a random sample of more than 19,500 thirteen-year-old Canadian students and nearly 18,000 sixteen-year-olds from all provinces and territories were tested on their general knowledge of science concepts, their science skills, and their ability to apply these concepts and skills to the world around them. Some students completed a written component consisting of 78 multiple-choice and short-answer questions about science. A smaller group of students completed a component consisting of seven practical, hands-on tasks that measured their science inquiry and problem-solving skills.

Levels of Achievement

Achievement was described over five levels, representing a continuum of science literacy acquired by students over the entire elementary and secondary school experience. Level 1 describes the very early stages of literacy and awareness of the world around. Level 5 describes the functional literacy acquired by a student who has completed a full range of specialized science courses at or near the end of secondary school. A summary of the criteria for each level is found in the report (see pages 11-20).

The assessment designers appeared to expect 13-year-old students to achieve at least level 2, with some achieving level 3. Most students in the 16-year-old group were expected to achieve at least level 3. Most 13-year-olds in the sample were grade 8 students/secondary 2, and most 16-year-olds were grade 11 students/secondary 5.

Overall Results

One of the most noteworthy results showed that there was little statistical difference in achievement between boys and girls for either type of test (see pages 29 and 37). In both age groups, girls performed as well as boys in the practical tasks. In the written assessment, 13-year-old girls performed as well as boys at all levels; however, there is a slight but significant difference in performance at levels 3 to 5 in favour of 16-year-old boys. This data provides evidence of the positive impact of the many initiatives taken across Canada to create classroom environments that encourage young women to pursue science interests.

While results do vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and in some cases are significantly different, for the most part, results from the provinces were closely grouped, showing that achievement is similar in many provinces (see pages 24-28).

Knowledge of Science Concepts

In the written component of the assessment, 69 per cent of 16-year-olds demonstrated achievement at level 3 or higher, and 72 per cent of 13-year-olds achieved level 2 or higher. Level 3 achievement requires understanding such concepts as the classification of substances using their chemical properties; understanding the cellular nature of life; judging the validity of experiments; and identifying areas where science and technology can address social issues. Examples of level 2 achievement include those that required students to classify substances by their properties, to compare various plant and animal adaptations, and to know that the movement and tilt of the earth affects cycles of years, days, and seasons.

About 12 per cent of 16-year-olds demonstrated understanding of only very elementary science concepts at below level 2. About 28 per cent of 13-year-olds achieved at below level 2 (see page 23).

Science Inquiry and Problem-Solving Skills

About 65 per cent of 16-year-olds who participated in the practical task component of the assessment achieved level 3 or better, and 93 per cent of 13-year-olds who participated achieved level 2 or better. Typically at level 3 a student can, with respect to the experiment at hand, identify sources of error, identify patterns and trends, and extrapolate or interpolate using data collected. At level 2, a student can typically identify appropriate procedures and important variables, and organize and record observations and measurements accurately.

Only 3 per cent of 16-year-olds and 7 per cent of 13-year-olds achieved at below level 2 (see page 31).

National Expectations

An 84-member, broadly-based, national panel of educators and non-educators reviewed the assessment and actual student results to determine the percentage of students of each age who should achieve at each of the five levels for each component of the assessment. The panel found that the numbers of students achieving at levels 1 to 3 were generally acceptable, but that insufficient numbers of Canadian students were achieving at higher levels (see pages 39-41).

Student Background

Students completed an extensive questionnaire that asked them about their school science experience and their own attitudes and practices. About 90 per cent of all students felt that 'lots of hard work' was the key requirement for success in science. Nearly half reported that memorizing textbooks and notes was important. The most important contributor to interest in science was science experiments, followed by team work in the class. About half the students reported that they never consulted a teacher for help outside the classroom. The most common science activity reported outside the classroom is watching science programs on television, with about 60 per cent of students reporting regular watching (see pages 87-97).

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