Gender-Specific Cognitive Skills and Moderating Role of Reading Comprehension in Shaping Science Literacy

IF 2.3 3区教育学 Q1 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH Research in Science Education Pub Date : 2025-04-14 DOI:10.1007/s11165-025-10251-3

Skylar Yuan-Ke Sun, Man-Ho Chan, Di Wang, Louie Lei Wang

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Abstract

Children with advanced domain-general skills are associated with a better understanding of scientific concepts and articulation of scientific reasoning. However, research has found that not all individuals utilize these skills to respond to science literacy (SL) tasks, indicating the need for further identifying potential resources in early formal science education. Language-reading skills may help to enhance the informative analytic processes triggered by SL tasks, in which gender might be an important factor involved. Therefore, the present study explores the gendered relationships between domain-general skills (working memory, response inhibition) and language-reading skills (vocabulary, word reading (WR), and reading comprehension (RC)) in relation to SL in children. It aims to identify unique indicators of SL for both boys and girls and examines the moderating role of RC. Data from one hundred and ninety-three grade 2 learners (51% boys) show that both domain-general and language-reading skills are associated with boys’ SL, while only language-reading skills were associated with girls’ SL. Furthermore, in boys, response inhibition, WR, and interaction effect of response inhibition and RC can uniquely predict SL after considering vocabulary and RC as the control factors, implying that response inhibition becomes more favoured when coupled with a strong RC of the task-relevant materials. The findings of boys have not been disclosed in previous studies. Conversely, in girls, vocabulary is the only significant predictor. These findings provide insightful implications for tailored SL interventions, especially for enhancing girls’ engagement.

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性别认知技能与阅读理解在塑造科学素养中的调节作用

具有高级领域通用技能的儿童与更好地理解科学概念和科学推理的表达有关。然而，研究发现，并非所有个体都利用这些技能来应对科学素养（SL）任务，这表明需要进一步确定早期正规科学教育的潜在资源。语言阅读技能可能有助于增强由语言任务触发的信息分析过程，其中性别可能是一个重要因素。因此，本研究探讨了领域一般技能（工作记忆、反应抑制）与语言阅读技能（词汇、单词阅读和阅读理解）之间的性别关系。它旨在确定男孩和女孩的独特的语言学习指标，并检查RC的调节作用。来自193名二年级学生（男生占51%）的数据表明，领域通用技能和语言阅读技能都与男生的第二语言水平相关，而女生的第二语言水平仅与语言阅读技能相关。此外，在男生中，在考虑词汇量和第二语言水平作为控制因素后，反应抑制、WR以及反应抑制和第二语言水平的相互作用效应能够唯一地预测第二语言水平。这意味着当与任务相关材料的强RC相结合时，反应抑制变得更有利。以前的研究没有披露对男孩的研究结果。相反，在女孩中，词汇量是唯一重要的预测因素。这些发现为量身定制的SL干预措施，特别是提高女孩的参与度提供了深刻的启示。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Research in Science Education EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-

CiteScore

6.40

自引率

8.70%

发文量

期刊介绍： 2020 Five-Year Impact Factor: 4.021 2020 Impact Factor: 5.439 Ranking: 107/1319 (Education) – Scopus 2020 CiteScore 34.7 – Scopus Research in Science Education (RISE ) is highly regarded and widely recognised as a leading international journal for the promotion of scholarly science education research that is of interest to a wide readership. RISE publishes scholarly work that promotes science education research in all contexts and at all levels of education. This intention is aligned with the goals of Australasian Science Education Research Association (ASERA), the association connected with the journal. You should consider submitting your manscript to RISE if your research: Examines contexts such as early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary, workplace, and informal learning as they relate to science education; and Advances our knowledge in science education research rather than reproducing what we already know. RISE will consider scholarly works that explore areas such as STEM, health, environment, cognitive science, neuroscience, psychology and higher education where science education is forefronted. The scholarly works of interest published within RISE reflect and speak to a diversity of opinions, approaches and contexts. Additionally, the journal’s editorial team welcomes a diversity of form in relation to science education-focused submissions. With this in mind, RISE seeks to publish empirical research papers. Empircal contributions are: Theoretically or conceptually grounded; Relevant to science education theory and practice; Highlight limitations of the study; and Identify possible future research opportunities. From time to time, we commission independent reviewers to undertake book reviews of recent monographs, edited collections and/or textbooks. Before you submit your manuscript to RISE, please consider the following checklist. Your paper is: No longer than 6000 words, including references. Sufficiently proof read to ensure strong grammar, syntax, coherence and good readability; Explicitly stating the significant and/or innovative contribution to the body of knowledge in your field in science education; Internationalised in the sense that your work has relevance beyond your context to a broader audience; and Making a contribution to the ongoing conversation by engaging substantively with prior research published in RISE. While we encourage authors to submit papers to a maximum length of 6000 words, in rare cases where the authors make a persuasive case that a work makes a highly significant original contribution to knowledge in science education, the editors may choose to publish longer works.