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Gender Differences in Factors Affecting Science Performance of Eighth Grade Taiwan Students

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Abstract

This study was to analyze the effects of parental educational level (P.EDU), science attitude (ATT), and valuing science (VAL) on science performance after establishing gender invariance in a representative sample of the Taiwanese eighth grade population drawn from the 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The official TIMSS five plausible values in scoring science performance were used as outcome variables, while independent variables were collected from student questionnaires. The effects of P.EDU, ATT, and VAL on science performance were estimated by a multi-group structural equation model. Results from multi-group analysis supported gender invariance. After establishing gender invariance, a considerable effect was detected between P.EDU and Taiwanese eighth grade science performance that was indirectly related through ATT and VAL with the direct effects being stronger than the indirect effects, and the indirect effects of ATT being stronger than VAL in both genders. Prospective impediments to multi-group invariance are suggested to be utilized when comparing different groups.

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Notes

  1. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to test for significant differences between gender means. Factor scores of the latent variable P.EDU from the latent variable model analysis is defined as covariate. Dependents variables are included in the factors scores of ATT, VAL, and science performance. Gender is the independent variable. The results indicated that male students had significantly higher ATT and VAL than female students (p < .001). Science achievement was not significantly different between male and female students (p = .188).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cognitive NeuroMetrics Laboratory, Graduate Institute of Educational Measurement & Statistics, National Taichung University of Education, Taichung, Taiwan

    Liang-Ting Tsai & Chih-Chien Yang

  2. Graduate Institute of Learning and Instruction, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Yu-Jen Chang

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  1. Liang-Ting Tsai
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  2. Chih-Chien Yang
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Correspondence to Chih-Chien Yang.

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Tsai, LT., Yang, CC. & Chang, YJ. Gender Differences in Factors Affecting Science Performance of Eighth Grade Taiwan Students. Asia-Pacific Edu Res 24, 445–456 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-014-0196-z

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