The Complexity of Scientific Literacy: The development and use of a data analysis matrix

Abstract

Data were gathered from 95 Year 10 students in a New Zealand secondary school to explore how the indicators of scientific literacy are expressed in student responses. These students completed an activity based around the two contexts of lighting and health. A matrix, which incorporated descriptive indicators, was developed to analyse the student responses and revealed levels of expression of scientific literacy. Use of this matrix enabled a fine-grained analysis of both group and individual student expressions of scientific literacy. It was found that students' express scientific literacy in complex ways and that they can exhibit multiple levels simultaneously, both within and between contexts.

Keywords:

• Scientific literacy
• Secondary school
• Research Trend
• Analysis matrix

Notes

1. In New Zealand, schools are given a rating by the Ministry of Education, based on the socio-economic position of parents of all school children, and their predicted potential to access community support and resources. This decile rating ranges from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest.

2. The National Examinations in New Zealand Secondary Schools are called the National Certificate of Educational Acheivement (NCEA), and are based at three levels. In 2010, the selected school achieved pass rates of 98% at Level 1, 98% at Level 2 and 92% at Level 3, in these NCEA examinations.