The Impact of Worksheets on Science Achievement: An International Perspective | Assignments Mathematics

International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology

Volume 2, Number 2, April 2014, Page 96-106

ISSN: 2147-611X

Worksheet Usage, Reading Achievement, Classes’ Lack of Readiness, and

Science Achievement: A Cross-Country Comparison

Che-Di Lee

National Taiwan Normal University

Abstract

Instructional written materials play important roles as teachers’ agents in effective teaching practices.

Worksheets are one of the most frequently used materials. In this exploratory study, the relationships between

worksheet usage and science achievement in 32 countries were examined through the use of TIMSS and PIRLS

data and multiple regression analysis. Based on two dimensions, five types of relationships among science

achievement, worksheet usage, and other related variables are identified. The first dimension is whether the

status of significance in the association of worksheets used as a basis and science achievement changes before

and after controlling four teacher and school variables: schools’ emphases on academic success, safety and

orderliness of school, teachers’ confidence in teaching science, and instructional engagement of students. The

second dimension is the interaction of worksheets as a basis and classes’ lack of readiness. The interaction

between worksheets as a basis and reading achievement in science achievement is found to be not significantly

different from zero in all participating countries. Four directions of further investigation are suggested based on

the results.

Key words: Science education, Worksheets, Elementary education, Secondary analysis

Introduction

Worksheets have been used in teaching practices for a long time. In modern time, worksheets have even become

a driving force of curriculum in some countries (Lesley & Labbo, 2003; Martin, Mullis, Foy, & Stanco, 2012;

Reid, 1984). Anderson et al. (1985) reported that in 1985, thousands of elementary students in the United States

completed approximately 1,000 worksheets per person to acquire literacy in a school year. Teachers use

worksheets for the purposes of supporting studying, promoting active learning, raising interest in learning

science, and assessment. Many studies suggest that well-designed worksheets have had positive impacts on

students’ learning achievement (Sasmaz-Oren & Ormanci, 2012). However, researchers observed that there

were many inappropriately designed and misused worksheets that hindered learning (Lesley & Labbo, 2003). In

this exploratory study, the relationships between worksheet usage and science achievement in 32 countries are

examined.

Worksheet and Achievement

Worksheets can be useful in many ways in terms of academic achievement. For example, as supplements to

textbooks, worksheets can be used to add information for particular classes. In addition, blanks in worksheets

are invitations for students to fill in gaps; they are opportunities for knowledge construction. Well-designed

questions in worksheets can draw students’ interest when paired with proper teaching methods. Furthermore,

worksheets play a variety of functions in different contexts. McDowell and Waddling (1985) suggested that

during laboratory investigations, properly designed worksheets can help teachers overcome the problems of time

demanding and enable teachers to enhance students’ acquisition of knowledge and skills. Kisiel (2003) pointed

that in activities while visiting museums, worksheets can function as advance organizers, helping students to

organize their observations and knowledge in a confusing learning environment. Krombab and Harms (2008)

concluded that worksheets are effective in helping students aged 11–15 to acquire knowledge such as

Corresponding Author: Che-Di Lee, [email protected]

The Impact of Worksheets on Science Achievement: An International Perspective, Assignments of Mathematics

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International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology

Volume 2, Number 2, April 2014, Page 96- 106 ISSN: 2147-611X

Worksheet Usage, Reading Achievement, Classes’ Lack of Readiness, and

Science Achievement: A Cross-Country Comparison

Che-Di Lee*

National Taiwan Normal University

Abstract

Instructional written materials play important roles as teachers’ agents in effective teaching practices.

Worksheets are one of the most frequently used materials. In this exploratory study, the relationships between

worksheet usage and science achievement in 32 countries were examined through the use of TIMSS and PIRLS

data and multiple regression analysis. Based on two dimensions, five types of relationships among science

achievement, worksheet usage, and other related variables are identified. The first dimension is whether the

status of significance in the association of worksheets used as a basis and science achievement changes before

and after controlling four teacher and school variables: schools’ emphases on academic success, safety and

orderliness of school, teachers’ confidence in teaching science, and instructional engagement of students. The

second dimension is the interaction of worksheets as a basis and classes’ lack of readiness. The interaction

between worksheets as a basis and reading achievement in science achievement is found to be not significantly

different from zero in all participating countries. Four directions of further investigation are suggested based on

the results.

Key words: Science education, Worksheets, Elementary education, Secondary analysis

Introduction

Worksheets have been used in teaching practices for a long time. In modern time, worksheets have even become

a driving force of curriculum in some countries (Lesley & Labbo, 2003; Martin, Mullis, Foy, & Stanco, 2012;

Reid, 1984). Anderson et al. (1985) reported that in 1985, thousands of elementary students in the United States

completed approximately 1,000 worksheets per person to acquire literacy in a school year. Teachers use

worksheets for the purposes of supporting studying, promoting active learning, raising interest in learning

science, and assessment. Many studies suggest that well-designed worksheets have had positive impacts on

students’ learning achievement (Sasmaz-Oren & Ormanci, 2012). However, researchers observed that there

were many inappropriately designed and misused worksheets that hindered learning (Lesley & Labbo, 2003). In

this exploratory study, the relationships between worksheet usage and science achievement in 32 countries are

examined.

Worksheet and Achievement

Worksheets can be useful in many ways in terms of academic achievement. For example, as supplements to

textbooks, worksheets can be used to add information for particular classes. In addition, blanks in worksheets

are invitations for students to fill in gaps; they are opportunities for knowledge construction. Well-designed

questions in worksheets can draw students’ interest when paired with proper teaching methods. Furthermore,

worksheets play a variety of functions in different contexts. McDowell and Waddling (1985) suggested that

during laboratory investigations, properly designed worksheets can help teachers overcome the problems of time

demanding and enable teachers to enhance students’ acquisition of knowledge and skills. Kisiel (2003) pointed

that in activities while visiting museums, worksheets can function as advance organizers, helping students to

organize their observations and knowledge in a confusing learning environment. Krombab and Harms (2008)

concluded that worksheets are effective in helping students aged 11–15 to acquire knowledge such as

Corresponding Author: Che-Di Lee, [email protected]

96 Lee

biodiversity in a natural history museum because they can structure the visit, keep students’ attention on certain

objects, and form a basis for follow-up coursework. As an assessment tool, worksheets can be used by teachers

to understand students’ previous knowledge, outcome of learning, and the process of learning; at the same time,

they can be used to enable students to monitor the progress of their own learning.

In order to ensure worksheet’s effectiveness, many studies focused on the design of worksheets (Campbell,

1999; Hoener, Salend, & Kay, 1997; Sasmaz-Oren & Ormanci, 2012). The basis for successfully transferring

message to students is layout. To enhance teachers’ abilities to design worksheets, Rotter (2006) proposed the

layout principle COLA (contrast, orientation, lettering, and artwork). In worksheets, characteristics of questions

are important factors. Calderhead et al. (2006) demonstrated that the arrangement of items with different levels

of cognitive difficulty can affect students’ learning results. Formats of information, or scaffolds, in worksheets

are also of concern to educators. For instance Wolf et al. (2010) devised three formats of critical thinking tools

to promote conceptual understanding in physical geography and Ueckert and Gess-Newsome (2008) advocated

for a “conceptual flow graphic” to make active learning possible.

In addition to the positive impacts of worksheets on academic achievement, there are negative impacts. Lesley

and Labbo (2003) argued that mass-produced worksheets are not helpful for achieving educational goals.

Although the worksheets they observed were focused on literacy learning, their findings can still shed some

light on worksheet usage for science learning. According to their remarks, the aspects of worksheet problems

included the format of texts (e.g., that the print and the spaces allotted for students to write in are too small);

reading demand (e.g., that the language of instruction was too complex and required teacher explanation);

openness of questions, some of which offered only one correct way to respond and could not reward students for

their natural curiosity; the challenge of tasks (e.g., that tasks were boring or designed for practicing skills

repeatedly instead of making students learn new strategies or techniques), and the relationship between students’

interests and tasks. In addition to the quality issues, as students completing worksheets, their cognitive processes

can also make worksheets invalid. Ueckert and Gess-Newsome (2008) noted that students use a word-matching

strategy match words in questions with the corresponding sentences in the textbook, and this keeps them in a

passive learning status.

Worksheet, Reading Achievement, and Science Achievement

Worksheets are a kind of written material, so reading demand may be a barrier to students with low reading

abilities. Researchers suggested that teachers should use easier language to support students (Rix, 2006). For

example, O’Leary (2011) designed a format of worksheets with low average reading difficulty. Questions in the

beginning are carefully matched with low reading ability students and subsequent questions require increasing

levels of literacy. The result showed that this kind of worksheets can improve student engagement and on-task