Inquiry for Whom? What PISA 2015 Can Tell Us About Equity in U.S. Science Education

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 4
  In Poster Session: Division C Section 1d: Science Poster Session 1 (San Diego)

Abstract

Do all students in the United States experience inquiry-based science instruction, for example using laboratory experiments and scientific argumentation, with similar frequencies and what impact might this have on learning? Reports from the influential Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) show that that students from higher socioeconomic strata (SES) experience inquiry less frequently than students from lower SES. This study untangles the relationship between SES, inquiry-based instruction, and science achievement in the United States. PISA reports assume a linear relationship between student-reported frequencies of inquiry-based instruction and achievement. However, this study shows that a curvilinear model better fits the data and that students from higher SES benefit more from these instructional practices. Implications for practitioners and policymakers are discussed.

Author

• Sara Dozier, California State University - Long Beach