A Multilevel Analysis of Students' Science Achievements in Relation to their Self-Regulation, Epistemological Beliefs, Learning Environment Perceptions, and Teachers' Personal Characteristics

2017-12-01
This study adopted a cross-sectional and correlational research design in an attempt to add our understanding of student- and teacher-level factors that help explain variability in students' science achievement to the existing literature. More specifically, the present article examined students' science achievement in relation to their constructivist learning environment perceptions, epistemological beliefs, and self-regulation as well as their science teachers' characteristics. Data were gathered from both 137 science teachers and their 3281 seventh grade students via administering self-report questionnaires. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analysis was conducted to analyze the two-level data (student level and teacher level). Students' learning environment perceptions, epistemological beliefs, achievement goals, and self-regulation constituted student-level data while teachers' self-efficacy, achievement goals, and epistemological beliefs constituted teacher-level data. The findings indicated that students' constructivist learning environment perceptions were significant predictors of their science achievement. Additionally, students with sophisticated epistemological beliefs appeared to be more successful in science. Also, performance avoidance goals were negatively related to science achievement. Among teacher-level variables, teachers' self-efficacy and sophisticated epistemological beliefs were found to be positively linked to students' science achievement.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

Suggestions

A conceptual model of relationships among constructivist learning environment perceptions, epistemological beliefs, and learning approaches
Özkal, Kudret; Öztekin, Ceren; Çakıroğlu, Jale; Sungur, Semra (2009-01-01)
This study proposed a conceptual model of relationships among constructivist learning environment perception variables (Personal Relevance, Uncertainty, Critical Voice, Shared Control. and Student Negotiation), scientific epistemological belief variables (fixed and tentative), and learning approach. It was proposed that learning environment perceptions predict learning approach directly and indirectly through scientific epistemological beliefs. Constructivist Learning Environment Survey, Scientific Epistemo...
The effects of constructive learning method on students' academic achievement, retention of knowledge, gender and attitudes towards science course in "matter of structure and characteristics" unit
Boğar, Yurdagül; KALENDER, SUNA; SARIKAYA, MUSTAFA (2012-02-05)
The purpose of this research is to examine on students' academic achievement, retention of knowledge and attitudes towards science course in matter of structural and characteristic subject with constructivist education version. This study was conducted with students 7/A (N=34) and 7/B (N=34) located in Ankara, during the spring period of 2008-2009 academic year. The study used a quasi-experimental research design with pre-test and post-test control group was used in this study. According to this research mo...
The Impact of Experiences on Preservice Science Teachers' Self-Efficacy in Teaching Science Concepts in the Context of Socioscientific Issues
Bostancı, Burcu; Yılmaz Tüzün, Özgül (2022-9-01)
This study aims to explore the impact of experiences on preservice science teachers' self-efficacy in teaching science concepts in the context of socioscientific issues (SSI). The research employed a mixed-method design, where qualitative data were collected to supplement quantitative findings. The SSI-related self-efficacy beliefs scale and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 38 senior preservice science teachers pursuing their education in a public university in Turkey. The findings ...
A cross Age Study of Elementary Students Motivation towards Science Learning
Güvercin, Özge; Öztekin, Ceren; Sungur, Semra (2010-01-01)
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of grade level and gender on elementary school students motivation towards science learning A total of 2231 sixth and eight grade students participated in the study Data were collected through Students Motivation towards Science Learning Questionnairc Two way Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to examine the effects of grade level and gender on student motivation e self efficacy science learning value achievement goal and performa...
A Categorical Principal Component Regression on Computer-Assisted Instruction in Probability Domain
Kapucu, Tuğba; İlk Dağ, Özlem; Batmaz, İnci (2018-01-01)
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of computer-assisted instructional material (CAIM) prepared in R program on eighth grade students’ permutation–combination and probability achievement and their attitudes toward computer-assisted learning. In the study, we collect survey data from 74 conveniently selected students and their schools; data consists of 45 highly correlated explanatory variables with different measurement levels. To deal with the multicollinearity problem among mixed type of e...
Citation Formats
S. Pamuk, S. Sungur, and C. Öztekin, “A Multilevel Analysis of Students’ Science Achievements in Relation to their Self-Regulation, Epistemological Beliefs, Learning Environment Perceptions, and Teachers’ Personal Characteristics,” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION, pp. 1423–1440, 2017, Accessed: 00, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/11511/45842.