GENDER AND SCIENCE LEARNING EARLY IN HIGH-SCHOOL - SUBJECT-MATTER ANDLABORATORY EXPERIENCES

This study used a large and nationally representative, longitudinal da tabase, NELS:88, to identify important factors related to gender diffe rences in 10th-grade science performance. It built on an earlier study focusing on 8th-grade science performance, wherein gender differences were found to be related to (a) subject matter (life versus physical science), (b) student ability level, and (c) frequency of hands-on lab opportunities. The moderate unadjusted advantage for 8th-grade boys o n the physical science test widened by the 10th grade. The gender diff erences were smaller on the life science test and favored males among students of average and above-average ability and females among the le ss able students. Hands-on lab activities-relatively infrequent in hig h school science classes-continued to be related to all students' perf ormance, but especially to girls', These findings suggest the importan ce of the active involvement of students in the science classroom as a means to promote gender equity. Implications for the underrepresentat ion of women in physical science careers are discussed.