Effects of self-evaluated value and cognition on leisure science engagement

This study uses the Taiwan Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006 Main Survey and Taiwan PISA 2015 Field Trial survey datasets to investigate how self-evaluated values (i.e. personal and general) and cognitive factors (i.e. self-efficacy and self-concept) of two groups of Taiwanese 15-year-old students separated by 8 years of classroom-presented science instruction experience impact leisure engagement in science learning activities. To compare differences between these two groups, we verified the statistical fitness of a newly created five-factor model called the self-evaluated values and cognition, and engagement, which revealed a good model fit to both PISA datasets. Results from critical ratio for differences analyses showed a significant increase in pathway parameter strength for students’ personal value of science, and a significant decrease in pathway parameter strength for students’ science self-efficacy between the two PISA survey cycles. Examination of results and their importance for science educators, investigators, and policy-makers is also offered.