Examination of the Relationship Between Students’ Science Achievements and Their Scientific Self-Concept by Using the Bootstrap Method
Abstract
This paper presents a specific research approach that should be used more frequently in the social sciences. The research problem concerned the relationship between two variables when a third one was included in the analysis and its influence on the initial variables removed. The subject of this research dealt with the relationship between students’ science achievements and their scientific self-concept when controlling the influence of the teachers’ assessment of the level of the research approach applied in their teaching. In order to examine this relationship, the research used country level data from a recently realized international study TIMSS in the fourth grade, and with the aim of obtaining the most reliable results, the bootstrap method was applied to generate confidence intervals for the correlations in question. It was found that the initial negative relationship was annulled by the inclusion of the third variable. The concluding remarks contain recommendations for improving domestic research practice.
References
Banjanovic, E., & Osborne, J. (2016). Confidence intervals for effect sizes: Applying bootstrap resampling. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 21 (5).
Chang, C.Y., & Cheng, W.Y. (2008) Science achievement and students’ self-confidence and interest in science: a Taiwanese representative sample study. International Journal of Science Education, 30 (9), 1183–1200.
Efron, B., & Tibshirani, R. (1998). An introduction to the bootstrap. Boca Raton, FL: Chapman & Hall/CRC.
Giofrè, D., Cumming, G., Fresc, L., Boedker, I., & Tressoldi, P. (2017). The influence of journal submission guidelines on authors’ reporting of statistics and use of open research practices. PLoS ONE, 12 (4), e0175583.
Grabau, L.J., & Ma, X. (2017). Science engagement and science achievement in the context of science instruction: a multilevel analysis of U.S. students and schools. International Journal of Science Education, 39 (8), 1045–1068.
Hoekstra, R., Morey, R., Rouder, J., & Wagenmakers, E. J. (2014). Robust misinterpretation of confidence intervals. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 21 (5), 1157–1164.
Jansen, M., Ulrich, S., & Lüdtke, O. (2014). Academic self-concept in science: Multidimensionality, relations to achievement measures, and gender differences. Learning and Individual Differences, 30, 11–21.
Liou, P.Y. (2014). Investigation of the big-fish-little-pond effect on students’ self-concept of learning mathematics and science in Taiwan: results from TIMSS 2011. The AsiaPacific Education Researcher, 23 (3), 769–778.
Marušić Jablanović, M., Gutvajn, N., & Jakšić, I. /ur./ (2017). TIMSS 2015 in Serbia: the results of the international survey of student achievement in 4th grade in mathematics and science. Beograd: Institut za pedagoška istraživanja [In Serbian]
Moeed, A. (2008). Science investigation that best supports student learning: teachers’ understanding of science. International Journal of Environmental & ScienceEducation, 3 (3), 537–559.
Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M., & Loveless, T. (2016). 20 years of TIMSS: international trendsin mathematics and science achievement, curriculum, and instruction. Chestnut Hill, MA:TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College
Nikolić, I. A., Mandić, D. P., & Кostadinović, I. S. (2017). The oppinion of teachers towards the educational concept of efficent school. Sociološki pregled, LI (4), 547–577. doi:10.5937/socpreg51-16200
Ristić, M. R., & Mandić, D. P. (2018). Readiness of the education system for mobile learning. Sociološki pregled, LII (3), 1044–1071. doi:10.5937/socpreg52-18707
Stankov, L. (2010). Unforgiving Confucian culture: a breeding ground for high academic achievement, test anxiety and self-doubt? Learning and Individual Differences, 20 (6), 555–563.
Stigler, J., & Hiebert, J. (2004). Improving mathematics teaching. Educational Leadership, 61 (5), 12–17.
Wilkins, J. (2004). Mathematics and science self-concept: an international investigation. The Journal of Experimental Education, 72 (4), 331–346.