Report of the 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education

N

309

National Science Foundation

Science Education; Mathematics Education; National Surveys; Mathematics Teachers; Science Teachers; Best Practices; Teacher Attitudes; Influences; Factor Analysis; Pedagogical Content Knowledge; Teacher Background; Teacher Characteristics; Teaching Experience; Faculty Development; Textbooks; Instructional Materials; Educational Technology; Evidence; Educational Research; Science Instruction; Mathematics Instruction; Science Achievement; Mathematics Achievement; Questionnaires; Data Collection; Elementary Secondary Education

The 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education was designed to provide up-to-date information and to identify trends in the areas of teacher background and experience, curriculum and instruction, and the availability and use of instructional resources. A total of 7,752 science and mathematics teachers in schools across the United States participated in this survey. The research questions addressed by the survey are: (1) To what extent do science and mathematics instruction and ongoing assessment mirror current understanding of learning?; (2) What influences teachers' decisions about content and pedagogy?; (3) What are the characteristics of the science/mathematics teaching force in terms of race, gender, age, content background, beliefs about teaching and learning, and perceptions of preparedness?; (4) What are the most commonly used textbooks/programs, and how are they used?; (5) What formal and informal opportunities do science/mathematics teachers have for ongoing development of their knowledge and skills?; and (6) How are resources for science/mathematics education, including well-prepared teachers and course offerings, distributed among schools in different types of communities and different socioeconomic levels? The design and implementation of the 2012 National Survey involved developing a sampling strategy and selecting samples of schools and teachers, developing and piloting survey instruments, collecting data from sample members, and preparing data files and analyzing the data. These activities are described in this paper. This report of the 2012 National Survey is organized into major topical areas. In most cases, results are presented for groups of teachers categorized by grade level--elementary, middle, and high. In addition, factor analysis was used to create several composite variables related to key constructs measured on the questionnaires. Composite variables, which are more reliable than individual survey items, were computed to have a minimum possible value of 0 and a maximum possible value of 100. Appended are: (1) Sample Design; (2) Survey Questionnaires; (3) Pre-Data Collection Communication; (4) Description of Data Collection; (5) Description of Reporting Variables; and (6) Additional Equity Cross-tabulations. (Contains 55 figures, 236 tables, and 17 footnotes.)

ERIC

2013

ED541798