Four in five not ready for science

Four in five students are entering high school unprepared to study science.

Ninety-four per cent of year 4 students achieved the level expected in science last year compared to 20 per cent of year 8 students – the lowest achievement of any part of the curriculum – the National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement (NMSSA) found.

Sandy Jackson, national co-ordinator for the New Zealand Association of Primary Science Educators, said it was not surprising so many students struggled with science because more emphasis was placed on literacy and numeracy skills during the National Standards era.

‘‘Even before that there was a push for improvement in those areas . . . As a result there has been less focus on science,’’ she said.

‘‘The comment you get from secondary school teachers is ‘so long as you keep them interested in science [we] don’t mind’.

‘‘I’m not sure I agree with that. We should be educating them in science and what is good science.’’

The last NMSSA in science was conducted in 2012. Pasifika children and children from low decile schools had improved by a factor equivalent to a year’s learning in science, the 2017 study said.

However, improvements in the average achievement of about 2300 children assessed last year were statistically insignificant.

A Ministry of Education paper on the NMSSA findings said ‘‘progress is too slow’’ between year 4 and year 8.

Most year 8 students had an ‘‘emerging’’ understanding of content in the science curriculum as opposed to ‘‘developed’’ knowledge, the ministry’s report said.

Students learn about similar phenomena at both year levels – the solar system, natural life cycles, chemical reactions, electricity and magnetic forces, among other subjects – but they are expected to have a deeper comprehension as they progress through the curriculum.

By the time they reach high school, students should understand the science behind concepts like evolution, evaporation and energy.

Jackson said the content of science classes was not as important as students’ ability to use science ‘‘to understand what’s happening in our world’’.

‘‘The idea is at year 8 students should be able to make the decision whether science that is in their world is real or not,’’ Jackson said, referencing climate change, vaccinations, fluoride and conservation issues.

‘‘I don’t believe that year 6, 7 and 8 [students] in a lot of schools are being exposed to enough of those ideas.’’

The NMSSA report said most teachers surveyed indicated they enjoyed science and were confident teaching it.

Jackson disagreed: ‘‘I know there are a lot of people [teachers] who don’t do a full science class because they are not confident in it.’’

Few primary school teachers specialised in science and schools without someone to push the subject could easily be left behind, she said.

Up to half of principals surveyed for the NMSSA indicated teachers in their school had ‘‘little or no access’’ to professional learning and development in science.