Making Science Make Sense

Bayer Facts of Science Education Survey

The Bayer Facts of Science Education IV - By Gender

• A large majority of female scientists (77 percent) believe it is harder for women to succeed in science, compared to 35 percent of males.
• At the high school level, 45 percent of female scientists believe girls were encouraged less than boys in science, compared to 28 percent of the males. 39 percent of female scientists believe girls were encouraged less than boys in science in elementary school, compared to 25 percent of the males.
• At the high school level, 70 percent of female scientists believe girls participated less than boys in science, compared with 54 percent of the males. Just under half of the female scientists (47 percent) believe girls participated less than boys in elementary school science, compared to 37 percent of the males.
• More than half the male scientists (55 percent) say their first area of interest was the physical sciences, compared to only 28 percent of the females.
• More than half the females (55 percent) say their first area of interest was in the biological sciences, compared to only 34 percent of the males.
• Nearly half of the female scientists (47 percent) said their parents assisted them a great deal or a moderate amount with science homework and school science projects, compared to only 35 percent of the males; 46 percent of the female scientists also said their parents taught them a great deal or a moderate amount about science at home, compared to only 33 percent of the males.
• 74 percent of the female scientists believe it is very important for today's parents to emphasize science as an important subject to learn, compared with 64 percent of the males.
• Just more than half the female scientists (51 percent) believe it is very important for today's parents to assist their children with science homework and school science projects compared to 38 percent of the males.

• 61 percent of scientists say they first became interested in science before the age of eleven.
• Nearly all the scientists (91 percent female and 95 percent male) say, if they could begin their career all over again, they would be very likely or fairly likely to choose a career in science.
• Some 90 percent of female scientists and 96 percent of male scientists are as likely or more likely to recommend science careers for young women than young men.
• On average, scientists rated their elementary school science programs a "C" and their elementary school science teachers "C+"; they assigned their high school science programs and teachers a "B."
• On average, scientists give today's elementary school science programs a "C-" and high school a "C."
• 74 percent of scientists believe science should be given the same priority as reading, writing and math in elementary school.
• More than half of scientists believe there is too little emphasis placed on science compared with other subjects in both elementary (54 percent) and high school (58 percent).
• 74 percent of scientists believe we have done very poorly or fairly poorly in meeting the goals of making America's students first in the world in math and science by the year 2000.
• 80 percent of scientists agree with the goal that America's students should be first in the world in math and science.
• Some 95 percent of scientists believe elementary schools should focus their resources to ensure all students receive an education that allows them to develop their potential in science whether or not they are likely to go on to science careers; 77 percent believe the same for high schools.
• A large majority of scientists (77 percent) believe it is very important for adults today to be science literate; ten years from now, even more scientists (86 percent) believe the same will be true.
• 91 percent of scientists say the current level of understanding of science, its methods, and its impacts among the adult general public is very or fairly inadequate.
• Some 80 percent of scientists think it is very or fairly likely that most entry-level jobs in the future will require science literacy.
• 73 percent of scientists feel the pace of scientific discovery in the 21st century will be faster than in the 20th.
• A full 75 percent of scientists believe the impact of science on society - of new scientific discoveries, new understandings, new applications of science to health, medicine and technology - will be greater in the 21st century than in the 20th.
• When asked to identify one scientific research problem scientists should focus on solving in the 21st century, applied research problems outweigh basic research problems three-to-one.

The Bayer Facts of Science Education IV

Developing A Childhood Interest in Science

• 61 percent of scientists say they first became interested in science before the age of eleven.
• 72 percent of scientists say there was a significant positive factor - most often a parent (25 percent) or teacher (17 percent) - influencing their development of a childhood interest in science.
• Other very important factors stimulating scientists' interest in science include school science classes (47 percent), science toys and equipment (46 percent), science in media (40 percent) and science experiments at home and visits to science museums, centers, and zoos (both 35 percent).
• During elementary school years, 71 percent of scientists say their science teachers played a very or somewhat important role in stimulating their interest in science; 68 percent also indicate their father and 60 percent indicate their mother as having played a very or somewhat important role.
• During high school years, 91 percent of scientists say their teachers played a very or somewhat important role in stimulating their interest in science; 65 percent also indicate their father and 58 percent their mother has having played a very or somewhat important role.

• Nearly all scientists (95 percent) report their parents encouraged them a great deal or a moderate amount to do well in school; 65 percent said their parents emphasized science as an important subject for them to be learning either a great deal or a moderate amount; 37 percent thought their parents assisted them with science homework or school science projects; and, 35 percent say their parents taught them informally about science at home.
• 85 percent of scientists believe it is very important for today's parents to encourage their children to do well in school; 68 percent think it is very important for them to encourage their children to learn about science on their own through books and other materials; 66 percent say it is very important for parents to emphasize science as an important subject to learn; and, 65 percent say to encourage their children to learn about science on their own through hands-on science experiences.

• On average, scientists rated their elementary school science programs a "C" and their elementary school science teachers "C+"; they assigned their high school science programs and teachers a "B."

• On average, scientists give today's elementary school science programs a "C-" and high school a "C."
• 74 percent of scientists believe science should be given the same priority as reading, writing and math in elementary school.
• More than half of scientists believe there is too little emphasis placed on science compared with other subjects in both elementary (54 percent) and high school (58 percent).
• 74 percent of scientists believe we have done very poorly or fairly poorly in meeting the goals of making America's students first in the world in math and science by the year 2000.
• 80 percent of scientists agree with the goal that America's students should be first in the world in math and science.
• Some 95 percent of scientists believe elementary schools should focus their resources to ensure all students receive an education that allows them to develop their potential in science whether or not they are likely to go on to science careers; 77 percent believe the same for high schools.

• If designing an elementary school science program, scientists say they would include the following approaches "a lot": encouraging students to think critically, test assumptions, and question common opinion (81 percent), having the teacher act as a guide or mentor to students (73 percent), and having students carry out science experiments and formulate their own results (70 percent).

• A large majority of scientists (77 percent) believe it is very important for adults today to be science literate; ten years from now, even more scientists (86 percent) believe the same will be true.
• 91 percent of scientists say the current level of understanding of science, its methods, and its impacts among the adult general public is very or fairly inadequate.
• Some 80 percent of scientists think it is very or fairly likely that most entry-level jobs in the future will require science literacy.

• Some 85 percent of scientists say, if asked, it is likely they would participate in a program that brings scientists into schools to help develop curricula, teach science to teachers and/or work directly with students on science topics and projects.

• 73 percent of scientists feel the pace of scientific discovery in the 21st century will be faster than in the 20th.
• A full 75 percent of scientists believe the impact of science on society - of new scientific discoveries, new understandings, new applications of science to health, medicine and technology - will be greater in the 21st century than in the 20th.
• When asked to identify one scientific research problem scientists should focus on solving in the 21st century, applied research problems outweigh basic research problems three-to-one.