Trends in and Factors Associated with Science Achievement Among Eighth Graders in Saudi Arabia: A Secondary Analysis of TIMSS Data

Abstract

This secondary analysis examined trends in and factors influencing science achievement among eighth-grade students in Saudi Arabia, using data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). However, Saudi Arabia\u27s performance on the TIMSS science assessments fell below the international average, from 2003 through 2019. In addition, gender differences in science achievement have been observed, with female students outperforming male students by 30 or more points. This study addresses two problems: factors associated with the lower performance of Saudi students on TIMSS science assessments compared to global standards, and the small number of studies which explored factors which may have influenced those results. This study used TIMSS data from 2011, 2015, and 2019. Descriptive and statistical methods, including correlation and regression analysis, were used to explore relationships between various student, teacher, and school-level factors and science achievement. The sample in each annual data set began with more than 6,000 students per year, although the sample size in each analysis varied due to iii missing data. In specific, data from the 2011 and 2015 TIMSS assessments were compared to 2019 data to explore trends and generalizability, while only 2019 data were used in further statistical analyses. Data preparation and analysis involved multiple steps. Once imported into SPSS, data were cleaned for missing and unusable values on 35 selected independent variables (IVs). Multiple science achievement scores were compared, and average scores were selected as the dependent variable (DV). Scale scores were calculated for sets of items in the Student (STQ, Teacher (TQ), and School (SCQ) Questionnaires. Outlier and multicollinearity analyses, and tests of regression assumptions were performed. For Research Question 1, bivariate correlations examined the relationships between IVs and science achievement; IVs with a weak relationship were dropped from further analyses. For Research Question 2, regression explored how IVs explained the variance in science achievement scores for the total sample. For Research Question 3, hierarchical regression analyses were conducted separately for male and female subsamples to identify factors that explained gender differences in science achievement. Results for Research Question 1 indicated significant correlations between selected independent variables (IVs) and science achievement: STQ: 9 of 13 IVs; TQ: 6 of 12 IVs; and SCQ: 4 of 10 IVs. Among IVs from the STQ, parental education emerged as the strongest predictor. Gender was negatively correlated, with female students outperforming males. Several TQ IVs showed weaker associations, but the percentage of students taught biology was the strongest iv positive correlate with science achievement. The SCQ IVs showed minimal correlations, with weak positive relationships to an emphasis on academic success and slight negative correlations with resource shortages. These results indicated that family background plays a crucial role in science achievement, while the availability of school resources, school culture, attention to subject matter, and effectiveness of science instruction also contributed. Results for Research Question 2 indicated that STQ IVs (Set A) were the most significant contributors to explaining the variance in eighth-grade science achievement on the TIMSS 2019 assessments (24.5%). Parental education, student gender, and parental country of birth were the strongest predictors. When TQ IVs (Set B) were added, the explained variance increased slightly to 24.9%, with the teacher’s need for professional development and the percentage of students taught biology having a modest effect. Adding SCQ IVs (Set C) increased the explained variance to 27.4%, but their contribution was minimal, with instructional hours and resource shortages having only slight negative impacts. Overall, student background characteristics, particularly parental education and gender, had the most substantial influence on science achievement, while teacher and school factors contributed to a lesser extent. The sample size for analyses varied as the regression models progressed, with the final regression model including data from a reduced subset of 10 significant predictors from the larger set of 19 significant correlates. Findings for Research Question 3 highlight the significant influence of STQ IVs, such as parental education and country of origin, on gender differences in v eighth-grade science achievement scores. For male students (n=792), these factors, particularly the country of birth, explained 19% of the variance in science achievement. For female students (n=935), family background, especially the country of birth of Parent A and the number of books at home, accounted for 23.5% of the variance. Gender-specific differences were observed, with male students\u27 performance being more influenced by the country of birth of both the student and Parent B, while female students were more affected by parental education and home resources. Gender was found to moderate the impact of several predictors, notably family background factors, underscoring the need for targeted interventions for male and for female students to improve science achievement. In conclusion, this study highlights the role and contribution of parental education, home resources, and teacher professional development in shaping academic achievement in Saudi Arabia. While the findings contribute valuable insights to current educational research, limitations such as missing data and the inability to fully explore causal mechanisms must be considered. Future research should address these gaps and explore the broader applicability of the results. The study’s recommendations for policy and practice emphasize the need for targeted support for students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and continuous professional development for teachers, ensuring that all students have equal opportunities to excel in science education