PHYSICAL-SCIENCE KNOWLEDGE AND PATTERNS OF ACHIEVEMENT AT THE PRIMARY-SECONDARY INTERFACE PART 2. ABLE AND TOP-ACHIEVING STUDENTS

Abstract

Out of nine hundred and seventy-six seventh and eighth-grade students (the total sample), from nine urban and semiurban Greek middle secondary schools, who were tested on part of their basic physics and chemistry knowledge [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2001, 2, 241-252], only 128 students (13.1%) scored relatively well (‘able’ students) and only 58 students (5.9%) scored well (‘top’ students). Boy ‘able’ and ‘top’ students outnumbered and outscored ‘able’ and ‘top’ girls. The gender gap especially in numbers increased with ability in favour of boys. Importantly, almost all of the ‘able’ (96.1%) and the ‘top’ (98.3) came from urban schools. In contrast to the total sample, no difference in the mean scores of the ‘able’ and the ‘top’ students between the two grades was observed, although there was an increase in the number of such students from one grade to the next. Compared with the total sample, both the submicroscopic (molecular and subatomic) and the critical-thinking questions had an increased contribution to the scores. Finally, twenty-three of these students were interviewed for the elicitation of reasons for their positive attitude and achievement in primary science. Parental education and involvement (home background) plus the teachers played a key role. The implications of the findings for instruction and learning are discussed. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2001, 2, 253-263]