Demographic predictors of senior secondary participation in biology, physics, chemistry and earth/space sciences: students’ access to cultural, social and science capital
Adding to concerns about falling participation rates in science education, the profile of certain student groups who go on to study decreases, particularly as the year level increases. The aim of this paper is to examine if, and in what ways, demographic factors predict students’ post-16 participati...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis
2020
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/88710 |
| _version_ | 1848765069769310208 |
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| author | Cooper, Grant Berry, Amanda |
| author_facet | Cooper, Grant Berry, Amanda |
| author_sort | Cooper, Grant |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Adding to concerns about falling participation rates in science education, the profile of certain student groups who go on to study decreases, particularly as the year level increases. The aim of this paper is to examine if, and in what ways, demographic factors predict students’ post-16 participation in biology, physics, chemistry and earth/space sciences. The study was conducted in Australia, drawing on data from over 4,300 students. Characteristics of focus include students from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds, indigeneity and gender. Outcomes of this study indicate that SES predicts participation in post-16 science subjects in each science domain. Indigenous status was a negative predictor of student participation in biology, physics and chemistry, but not earth/space sciences, where there were no significant differences in participation. Gender is a significant predictor in biology and physics participation, but not chemistry or earth/space sciences. Drawing on Bourdieusian perspectives, the authors discuss associations between participation and access to cultural, social and science capitals. Implications for the ways in which students’ capital may impact their subject choices and how capital may be enhanced, are explored. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:29:24Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-88710 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:29:24Z |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-887102022-06-20T06:04:20Z Demographic predictors of senior secondary participation in biology, physics, chemistry and earth/space sciences: students’ access to cultural, social and science capital Cooper, Grant Berry, Amanda Social Sciences Education & Educational Research Post-16 science participation equity low SES gender and science participation Indigenous students and science underrepresentation EDUCATION IDENTITY Adding to concerns about falling participation rates in science education, the profile of certain student groups who go on to study decreases, particularly as the year level increases. The aim of this paper is to examine if, and in what ways, demographic factors predict students’ post-16 participation in biology, physics, chemistry and earth/space sciences. The study was conducted in Australia, drawing on data from over 4,300 students. Characteristics of focus include students from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds, indigeneity and gender. Outcomes of this study indicate that SES predicts participation in post-16 science subjects in each science domain. Indigenous status was a negative predictor of student participation in biology, physics and chemistry, but not earth/space sciences, where there were no significant differences in participation. Gender is a significant predictor in biology and physics participation, but not chemistry or earth/space sciences. Drawing on Bourdieusian perspectives, the authors discuss associations between participation and access to cultural, social and science capitals. Implications for the ways in which students’ capital may impact their subject choices and how capital may be enhanced, are explored. 2020 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/88710 10.1080/09500693.2019.1708510 English Taylor & Francis restricted |
| spellingShingle | Social Sciences Education & Educational Research Post-16 science participation equity low SES gender and science participation Indigenous students and science underrepresentation EDUCATION IDENTITY Cooper, Grant Berry, Amanda Demographic predictors of senior secondary participation in biology, physics, chemistry and earth/space sciences: students’ access to cultural, social and science capital |
| title | Demographic predictors of senior secondary participation in biology, physics, chemistry and earth/space sciences: students’ access to cultural, social and science capital |
| title_full | Demographic predictors of senior secondary participation in biology, physics, chemistry and earth/space sciences: students’ access to cultural, social and science capital |
| title_fullStr | Demographic predictors of senior secondary participation in biology, physics, chemistry and earth/space sciences: students’ access to cultural, social and science capital |
| title_full_unstemmed | Demographic predictors of senior secondary participation in biology, physics, chemistry and earth/space sciences: students’ access to cultural, social and science capital |
| title_short | Demographic predictors of senior secondary participation in biology, physics, chemistry and earth/space sciences: students’ access to cultural, social and science capital |
| title_sort | demographic predictors of senior secondary participation in biology, physics, chemistry and earth/space sciences: students’ access to cultural, social and science capital |
| topic | Social Sciences Education & Educational Research Post-16 science participation equity low SES gender and science participation Indigenous students and science underrepresentation EDUCATION IDENTITY |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/88710 |