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Australian students cool on science Australian 15-year-olds are less interested in science and less concerned about environmental issues than students from other OECD countries according to new research. The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006 was released on 4 December by the OECD with an Australian national report released simultaneously by ACER. PISA assesses the reading, mathematics and scientific literacy of 15-year-old students on a three year cycle. PISA 2006 was the third cycle of testing with science literacy being the main focus. Internationally more than 400,000 15-year-old students in 57 countries spanning the globe participated in PISA 2006. In Australia more than 14 000 students representing 356 schools across all states and territories and school sectors took part. In each PISA cycle students complete a questionnaire about their background, their attitudes and their beliefs, as well as questions on their engagement and motivation. In PISA 2006, the questionnaire focused on students’ attitudes to science, including the environment. Most Australian students (60%) agreed that advances in science and technology usually help to improve the economy and to improve people’s living conditions and that science is valuable to society. The majority of Australian students also agreed that science is important in helping them to understand the natural world. However, little more than half indicated that science is very relevant to them while fewer than half were happy doing science problems and reading about science. A large majority of Australian students (92%) considered water shortages a serious concern for themselves and/or others in the country. Over 80 per cent of students reported air pollution, the clearing of forests for other land use, extinction of plants and animals and energy shortages as serious concerns. Three-quarters of Australian students considered nuclear waste to be a serious concern. Despite their high levels of concern, Australian students were less concerned about these environmental issues than students from other countries and also felt lower levels of responsibility for sustainable development than the OECD average. “Australia is going to need highly skilled scientists in the future to tackle problems like global warming and water and energy shortages,” said ACER chief executive Professor Geoff Masters. “These results show that while Australian students recognise the importance of science and are concerned about environmental issues, they don’t seem very motivated to become the future scientists required to alleviate these problems.” Australia’s results from PISA 2006 are reported in Exploring Scientific Literacy: How Australia measures up by Sue Thomson and Lisa De Bortoli of the Australian Council for Educational Research. The report is available from the ACER PISA national website. « Back to eNews
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Australian 15-year-olds are less interested in science and less concerned about environmental issues than students from other OECD countries according to new research. The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006 was released on 4 December by the OECD with an Australian national report released simultaneously by ACER.

PISA assesses the reading, mathematics and scientific literacy of 15-year-old students on a three year cycle. PISA 2006 was the third cycle of testing with science literacy being the main focus. Internationally more than 400,000 15-year-old students in 57 countries spanning the globe participated in PISA 2006. In Australia more than 14 000 students representing 356 schools across all states and territories and school sectors took part.

In each PISA cycle students complete a questionnaire about their background, their attitudes and their beliefs, as well as questions on their engagement and motivation. In PISA 2006, the questionnaire focused on students’ attitudes to science, including the environment.

Most Australian students (60%) agreed that advances in science and technology usually help to improve the economy and to improve people’s living conditions and that science is valuable to society. The majority of Australian students also agreed that science is important in helping them to understand the natural world.

However, little more than half indicated that science is very relevant to them while fewer than half were happy doing science problems and reading about science.

A large majority of Australian students (92%) considered water shortages a serious concern for themselves and/or others in the country. Over 80 per cent of students reported air pollution, the clearing of forests for other land use, extinction of plants and animals and energy shortages as serious concerns. Three-quarters of Australian students considered nuclear waste to be a serious concern.

Despite their high levels of concern, Australian students were less concerned about these environmental issues than students from other countries and also felt lower levels of responsibility for sustainable development than the OECD average.

“Australia is going to need highly skilled scientists in the future to tackle problems like global warming and water and energy shortages,” said ACER chief executive Professor Geoff Masters. “These results show that while Australian students recognise the importance of science and are concerned about environmental issues, they don’t seem very motivated to become the future scientists required to alleviate these problems.”

Australia’s results from PISA 2006 are reported in Exploring Scientific Literacy: How Australia measures up by Sue Thomson and Lisa De Bortoli of the Australian Council for Educational Research. The report is available from the ACER PISA national website.

Australian students cool on science