Aspects of Science Engagement, Student Background, and School Characteristics: Impact on Science Achievement of U.S. Students

Science achievement of U.S. students has lagged significantly behind other nations; educational reformers have suggested science engagement may enhance this critical measure. The 2006 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) was science-focused and measured science achievement along with nine aspects of science engagement: science self-efficacy, science self-concept, enjoyment of science, general interest in learning science, instrumental motivation for science, future-oriented science motivation, general value of science, personal value of science, and science-related activities. I used multilevel modeling techniques to address both aspects of science engagement and science achievement as outcome variables in the context of student background and school characteristics. Treating aspects of science engagement as outcome variables provided tests for approaches for their enhancement; meanwhile, treating science achievement as the outcome variable provided tests for the influence of the aspects of science engagement on science achievement under appropriate controls. When aspects of science engagement were treated as outcome variables, gender and father’s SES had frequent (significant) influences, as did science teaching strategies which focused on applications or models and hands-on activities over-and-above influences of student background and other school characteristics. When science achievement was treated as the outcome variable, each aspect of science engagement was significant, and eight had medium or large effect sizes (future-oriented science motivation was the exception). The science teaching strategy which involved hands-on activities frequently enhanced science achievement over-and-above influences of student background and other school characteristics. Policy recommendations for U.S. science educators included enhancing eight aspects of science engagement and implementing two specific science teaching strategies (focus on applications or models and hands-on activities). Focused implementation of these research findings could enhance both science engagement and science achievement of U.S. students. I identified five key limitations of my research project: the age of the dataset, the lack of racial/ethnic identifiers, the low proportion of student-level variance accounted for by multilevel models with aspects of science engagement as outcome variables, the lack of class-level measures, and the lack of inclusion of students’ epistemological and fixed/flexible beliefs. These limitations provide opportunities for further investigations into these critical issues in science education

Early Maturing Varieties and Soybean Cyst Nematodes: Will this Marriage Work?

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is widely distributed in Kentucky\u27s soybean growing areas. The use of SCN-resistant varieties has long been a recommended production practice for infested fields. However, continuous use of such varieties can result in a shift to a race of SCN which is able to vigorously attack previously resistant varieties. For his reason, many states have long recommended that producers periodically grow a crop of SCN-susceptible soybeans within a crop rotation when SCN populations are too low to cause yield reductions. In Kentucky, the UK Plant Pathology Department recommends a four year rotation in SCN-infested fields [PPA3; Wanted: Soybean Cyst Nematode (video)]. Year one should be a nonhost crop (like corn), followed by an SCN resistant soybean variety, then another nonhost crop (corn or milo). Producers would grow an SCN-susceptible soybean variety in the fourth year of this rotation. This is, of course, provided that the three previous years have brought SCN populations down to a safe level

Preliminary Maturity Group II Soybean Variety Trials

On-farm research with early maturing soybean varieties in Kentucky in both 1993 and 1994 has indicated that Maturity Group (MG) II varieties yield competitively with our traditional MG IV varieties. In those tests, four MG II varieties were compared with a single, high yielding MG IV variety (Asgrow A4715) over a range of planting dates on a total of 27 farms across both years. Asgrow A4715 averaged 43 bu/A, while the best MG II variety (Jack) averaged 39 bu/A. Such on-farm strip tests are valuable for comparing varieties under true production conditions. However, strip tests can effectively compare only a handful of the early maturing varieties available. In contrast, the soybean variety trials conducted by Iowa State University routinely include over 200 MG II varieties. In on-station tests at the UK Ag. Experiment Station during the same 2 years, where 12 MG II varieties were compared in four planting dates each year, the best variety averaged 10 bu/A more than the worst variety. However, since we were only able to compare 12 varieties in the on-station tests, both the on-farm and on-station tests could have easily missed some of the best MG II varieties. An alternative which would increase the number of varieties being compared, would be to simply pick the best early maturing varieties from yield tests conducted in the northern locations in which MG II varieties are routinely tested. That strategy assumes that varieties which perform well in the north will continue to perform well when they are moved well south of their normal zone of production. Several soybean breeders, both public and private, have indicated that they feel that some varieties might move south better than others. Traits which have been cited as potentially advantageous for such a southerly move include: 1) taller plant height, 2) higher lodging scores in northern locations (indicating good vegetative growth potential), 3) warmer temperature tolerance, and 4) greater tolerance to pests (such as nematodes, insects, diseases, or weeds). The objective of this research was to compare Kentucky yield performance to northern Illinois yield performance of the same group of commercial and public MG II varieties

Early Maturing Varieties and Soybean Cyst Nematodes: Will This Marriage Work?

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is widely distributed in Kentucky’s soybean growing areas. The use of SCN-resistant varieties has long been a recommended production practice for infested fields. However, continuous use of such varieties can result in a shift to a race of SCN which is able to vigorously attack previously resistant varieties. For this reason, many states recommend that producers periodically grow a crop of SCN-susceptible soybeans within a crop rotation when SCN populations are at minimal levels (causing less than a 5% loss in yield). The UK Plant Pathology Department recommends a four year rotation in SCN-infested fields [PPA3; “Wanted: Soybean Cyst Nematode” (video)]. Year one should be a nonhost crop (like corn), followed by an SCN-resistant soybean variety, then another nonhost crop (corn or milo). Producers would grow an SCN-susceptible soybean variety in the fourth year of this rotation. This is, of course, provided that the three previous years have brought SCN populations down to a safe level

An Evaluation of Twelve Maturity Group II Soybean Varieties at Lexington, Kentucky

In both 1993 and 1994, the Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board funded an on-farm test of a small set of Maturity Group (MG) II varieties. Those studies showed that several MG II varieties were competitive with a high-yielding MG IV variety. However, other MG II varieties did not perform as well in those tests, indicating that variety selection is an important management consideration if this early maturing cropping system is to be successful in Kentucky soybean producers\u27 fields. MG II varieties used in past University of Kentucky tests have been chosen based on their performance in university variety trials where such varieties are normally grown. For example, we have used data from Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio to make our choices. Such tests often include large numbers of MG II varieties; for example, the Iowa State University trials routinely include over 200 MG II varieties

Stubble Losses of Kentucky Soybeans

Double crop soybeans in Kentucky tend to be shorter than plants from full season plantings. Since lowest pod height is related to plant height, double crop soybeans may be subject to greater harvest losses due to pods remaining below the level at which the combine header is operated. While it would be possible to lower the header closer to the soil to pick up some of those pods, that would slow down harvest and increase the risk of picking up stones and other trash. Although the actual cutting heights used in Kentucky are not known, some producers use combines with flexible ground-hugging headers, and others use nonflexible headers. Regardless of header type, some producers cut higher to avoid stones or to complete harvest more quickly

An Evaluation of Twelve Maturity Group II Soybean Varieties at Lexington, Kentucky

In 1993, an on-farm study funded. by the Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board showed that the best Maturity Group (MG) II variety tested was quite competitive with the best available MG IV variety. However, other MG II varieties did not fare as well, indicating that careful variety selection will be essential for on-farm success with this MG II cropping system. MG II varieties used in past University of Kentucky tests have been chosen based on their performance in university variety trials where they are normally grown, for example, in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Such tests include relatively large numbers of MG II varieties. For example, Iowa routinely tests up to 200 such varieties at multiple locations. Thus, it would seem that Kentucky growers ought to be able to simply use the Iowa results to choose MG II varieties to plant in Kentucky. However, some growers have expressed interest in obtaining yield performance data for MG II varieties grown under Kentucky conditions. Some suspect that our warmer temperatures, heavier insect and disease pressures, and more prevalent soybean cyst nematodes might alter the relative yield ranking of varieties moved well south of their intended growing area. However, recent cooperative work between the University of Kentucky and the University of Minnesota showed no evidence that some early maturing varieties are better suited to move south than other varieties. Thus, northern data ought to be suitable for use in MG II variety selection in Kentucky

Finland, A Package Deal: Disciplinary Climate in Science Classes, Science Dispositions and Science Literacy

Finland’s educational prowess, though tempered by recent international assessments, has remained intact. This report focused on lessons that could be learned regarding secondary-level science education from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015, science-focused assessment. That PISA iteration included not only science literacy but also students’ science dispositions (epistemology, enjoyment, interest, and self-efficacy) and the schools’ science climate measures (disciplinary climate and teaching support). Due to the hierarchical nature of the PISA data, multilevel models were employed in this Finnish study, involving 5582 students from 167 schools. Science dispositions (as outcome measures) were differently associated with teaching support and disciplinary climate (epistemology with neither; enjoyment and interest, with both). Science literacy (as an outcome measure) was associated with all four science dispositions, whether modeled with each science disposition separately or all four simultaneously. Science literacy was also associated with the disciplinary climate in science classes for all tested models. We concluded that, in the Finnish context, science dispositions and the disciplinary climate were predictive of science literacy. Furthermore, we presented evidence from the literature indicating that these conclusions may well extend to other international contexts

Finland, A Package Deal: Disciplinary Climate in Science Classes, Science Dispositions and Science Literacy

Finland’s educational prowess, though tempered by recent international assessments, has remained intact. This report focused on lessons that could be learned regarding secondary-level science education from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015, science-focused assessment. That PISA iteration included not only science literacy but also students’ science dispositions (epistemology, enjoyment, interest, and self-efficacy) and the schools’ science climate measures (disciplinary climate and teaching support). Due to the hierarchical nature of the PISA data, multilevel models were employed in this Finnish study, involving 5582 students from 167 schools. Science dispositions (as outcome measures) were differently associated with teaching support and disciplinary climate (epistemology with neither; enjoyment and interest, with both). Science literacy (as an outcome measure) was associated with all four science dispositions, whether modeled with each science disposition separately or all four simultaneously. Science literacy was also associated with the disciplinary climate in science classes for all tested models. We concluded that, in the Finnish context, science dispositions and the disciplinary climate were predictive of science literacy. Furthermore, we presented evidence from the literature indicating that these conclusions may well extend to other international contexts

On-Farm Testing of Early Maturing Soybeans

Maturity Group (MG) II soybean varieties have performed well in University of Kentucky tests over the past several years. Six tests from 1986 to 1989 showed MG II varieities to outyield MG I, III, or IV varieties. During those relatively dry years, MG II may have been able to better utilize limited soil moisture than did later maturing varieties. Across the years 1990 to 1993, four planting date tests showed continued strong performance by MG II\u27 varieties, although MG III and IV varieties had slightly higher yield averages during those wetter years. In summary, over the last eight years of UK testing, MG II varieties have produced average yields virtually identical to those of MG III or MG IV varieties. Thus, growers could plant a portion of their soybean acreage to MG II varieties and gain the advantages of earlier harvest, more fall planting options, and perhaps profit from higher early fall cash market prices