中美大学生科学推理能力的性别差异探讨

Study on Gender Differences in Scientific Reasoning Ability of College Students between China and the U.S.A

利用LCTSR测试卷对中美大学生的科学推理能力进行测试分析表明,两国学生的总体表现都存在性别差异,而美国学生性别差异尤其显著,几乎表现在所有推理维度和大部分的测试项目中,而中国学生的性别差异相对较小。与国际上关于性别差异的研究结论进行对比分析也显示,中国学生在科学教育中的性别差异不大,但在科学职业领域中的女性严重缺失的现象却和国际情况高度一致。这种现象应该引起教育研究者的关注,从而对影响女性进入科学领域的因素进行详细研究,并进行有效干预。

The Lawson Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning （LCTSR） is used to test scientific reasoning ability of college students in China and the USA. The comparison shows gender differences in the USA are much more significant than those in China in the total av- erage score. Their gender differences exist in all of six dimensions and most test items. Though Chinese female students and male students have achieved considerable results in sci- entific reasoning and scientific knowledge compared with international researches, the low proportion of women in scientific careers in China are completely consistent with internation- al phenomena, which should arouse the concern of educational researchers. The factors that discourage women from entering science careers should be researched and some effective in- terventions should be implemented.