AFTER years of handwringing, some good news about science education in the US: between 2009 and 2011, there was a rise in the average scores attained by 13 to 14-year-olds in the leading national survey.
In the latest round of the National Assessment of Educational Progress - known as the Nation's Report Card - eighth-graders from across the US were quizzed on physical, life, Earth and space sciences.
The average score, on a 300-point scale, rose from 150 in 2009 to 152 in 2011. That might sound modest, but in a large sample of 122,000 children from 7290 schools it was significant.
Placing credit for the shift is difficult, although the survey did identify some factors that correlate with success, including frequent hands-on projects and external science-related activities. There's no room for complacency, however, says Shirley Malcom of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington DC. Although gains were seen almost across the board, she says that gaps between races and sexes still remain.
- New Scientist
- Not just a website!
- Subscribe to New Scientist and get:
- New Scientist magazine delivered every week
- Unlimited online access to articles from over 500 back issues
- Subscribe Now and Save
If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.