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Attitudes Towards Science, Teaching Practices, and Science Performance in PISA 2015: Multilevel Analysis of the Chinese and Western Top Performers

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Abstract

This study analyzes how students’ reported teaching practices of their teachers and their attitudes towards science are related to the science achievements of four high-performing countries/economies in PISA 2015: Hong Kong, China, Canada, and Finland. A study of these regions can shed light on the commonalities of and differences between the high-science-performing education systems that have quite different cultures. Enjoyment of science learning is found to be the strongest predictor of performance for all regions. Students in HK and China have lower self-efficacy than their western peers, which is also less positively associated with performance. Among the teaching practices, direct teaching and adapted instruction are positively associated with enjoyment of science learning and science performance. Though not related to performance, students engaged in more science activities tend to have higher enjoyment and self-efficacy in science. Compared with boys, girls in all regions have lower performance and less positive attitudes towards science. Girls in HK and China tend to have lower enjoyment of science but higher self-efficacy than their western peers.

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  1. Faculty of Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ho Tim Building, Shatin, Hong Kong

    Kwok-Chi Lau & Sui-Chu Esther Ho

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  1. Kwok-Chi Lau
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  2. Sui-Chu Esther Ho
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Lau, KC., Ho, SC. Attitudes Towards Science, Teaching Practices, and Science Performance in PISA 2015: Multilevel Analysis of the Chinese and Western Top Performers. Res Sci Educ 52, 415–426 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-020-09954-6

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