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Version 1.3 – Updated November 2024

Science programs

Overview

  • Influence: Science programs
  • Domain: Curricula
  • Sub-Domain: Math and sciences
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Potential to accelerate
  • Influence Definition: There are many innovative science curricula and programs that have been investigated for improving students' science achievement.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 24
  • Number of studies: 1,304
  • Number of students: 410,016
  • Number of effects: 2,962
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.53
  • Robustness index: 5

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author First Author's Country Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Dissertation El-Nemr USA Meta-analysis of the outcomes of teaching biology as inquiry 1980 Traditional vs. inquiry method for biology 59 0 250 0.17
Evaluation in Education Bredderman USA Process curricula in elementary school service 1980 Textbooks vs. process curricula 50 0 17 0.12
Journal of Research in Science Teaching Weinstein, Boulanger, & Walberg USA Science curriculum effects in high school: A quantitative synthesis 1982 Science curriculum effects 33 19,149 33 0.31
Review of Educational Research Bredderman USA Effects of Activity-based Elementary Science on Student Outcomes: A Quantitative Synthesis 1983 Activity based methods 57 13,000 400 0.35
Journal of Research in Science Teaching Shymansky, Kyle, & Alport USA The effects of new science curricula on student performance 1983 New science curricula 105 45,626 341 0.43
Journal of Research in Science Teaching Wise & Okey USA A meta-analysis of the effects of various science teaching strategies on achievement 1983 Science teaching strategies 160 0 400 0.34
The American Biology Teacher Shymansky USA BSCS programs: Just how effective were they? 1984 Biology science curricula 47 6,035 43 0.64
Conference paper Horak USA A Meta-Analysis of Learning Science Concepts from Textual Materials 1985 Learning science from textual materials 40 0 472 0.57
Reading Research Quarterly Guzzetti, Snyder, Glass, & Gamas USA Meta-analysis of instructional interventions from reading education and science education to promote conceptual change in science 1995 Conceptual change in science 23 0 35 0.29
Clearing House Wise USA Strategies for teaching science: What works? 1996 Strategies for science teaching 140 0 375 0.32
Journal of Research in Science Teaching Schroeder, Scott, Tolson, Huang & Lee USA A Meta-Analysis of National Research: Effects of Teaching strategies on Student Achievement in Science in the United States 2007 Teaching strategies in science 61 159,695 61 0.67
Report Scott, Tolson, Schroeder, Lee, Huang, & Hu USA Meta-analysis of national research regarding science teaching 2005 Science teaching strategies 61 159,695 61 0.67
Learning Disability Quarterly Kaldenberg, Watt, & Therrien USA Reading Instruction in Science for Students With Learning Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis 2015 Reading instruction in science 20 76 20 0.98
Learning Disability Quarterly Kaldenberg, Watt, & Therrien Turkey Reading instruction in science for students with learning disabilities: A meta-analysis 2015 Projects 41 0 42 1.00
Dissertation Schmidt USA Trends in k-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (stem) education and student achievement: a meta-analysis 2016 Science and Math instructional programs 14 0 14 0.57
Review of Educational Research Ross Canada Controlling Variables: A Meta-Analysis of Training Studies 1988 Controlling experiment variables while teaching science 65 0 65 0.73
Developmental Review Schwichow, Crocker, Zimmerman, Hoffler, & Hartig Germany Teaching the control-of-variables strategy: A meta-analysis. 2016 Controlling experiment variables while teaching science 72 0 72 0.61
Journal of Science Education Technology Hummel & Randler Germany Living animals in the classroom: A meta-analysis on learning outcome and a treatment-control study focusing on knowledge and motivation. 2012 Animal in classes 28 0 28 1.40
Review of Educational Research Donnelly & Linn USA Impacts and characteristics of computer-based science inquiry learning environments for precollege students. 2014 Inquiry delivery systems 44 0 44 0.87
Conference paper Pellegrini & Heroux USA Secondary Science Classrooms Gained From Technological Design: A Meta-Analysis 2011 Technological design curricula 118 2,297 118 0.51
Learning Disabilities Research and Practice Therrien, Taylor, Hosp Kaldenberg & Gorsh USA Science instruction for students with learning disabilities: A meta-analysis 2011 Science programs for LD students 12 0 17 0.77
Journal of Technology and Science Education Badeo & Duque Phillipines The effect of Socio-Scientific Issues (SSI) in teaching science: A meta-analysis study.  2022 Teaching socio-scientific issues 12 0 12 1.08
Conference paper Sahin & Bae USA A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between the Science Writing Heuristic and Academic Achievement. 2020 Science argumentative inquiry 12 0 12 1.08
Educational Research and Evaluation Engelmann, Neuhaus & Fischer Germany Fostering scientific reasoning in education – meta-analytic evidence from intervention studies 2016 Scientific reasoning 30 4,443 30 0.71
TOTAL/AVERAGE 1,304 410,016 2,962 0.63
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