When discussing post-pandemic academic recovery, the focus tends to be on math and reading, but science learning losses have been particularly persistent and certain groups have been disproportionately affected.
According to a recent report by NWEA, an organization specializing in K-12 assessment and research, there have been notable trends in science achievement since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzing MAP Growth assessment results for grades three through eight, researchers found a mixed story of academic recovery as compared to earlier research into math and reading. While science achievement dropped early in the pandemic like math and reading achievements did, it has shown improvement; however, middle school grades continue to struggle with recovery.
Sue Kowalski, Lead Research Scientist at NWEA says that “the trends tell a slightly different story than what we’ve seen in math and reading. On one hand our elementary students are nearly back to pre-pandemic academic growth for science, but our older students are still very much struggling”.
The new report is part of an ongoing series of research from NWEA examining how the pandemic has impacted academic gains and achievement in the U.S. The report analyzed data from 621 U.S. public schools that consistently administered the MAP Growth Science assessment from spring 2017 through spring 2024 across consistent testing grades within those schools.
The findings showed that while losses in science learning were smaller than those observed in reading and math (up to 3.2 months lost), Hispanic eighth-grade students were significantly behind as much as five months by 2021 before falling even further behind reaching over 11 months by 2024. Black middle school students had recovered somewhat by this point but remained significantly behind their peers from before COVID-19 affecting them with gaps between being below -13 to -15 months.
What are the financial barriers that individuals from low-income backgrounds face in pursuing a career in science, and how has the pandemic exacerbated these challenges?
Title: Disproportionate Impact: How the Pandemic is Amplifying Scientific Inequality for Underrepresented Communities
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light many inequalities that exist in our society, including those within the scientific community. Underrepresented communities, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those from low-income backgrounds, have long faced barriers in accessing resources and opportunities within the field of science. These disparities have only been amplified by the pandemic, leading to a disproportionate impact on these communities.
Challenges Faced by Underrepresented Communities in Science
Underrepresented communities have historically faced numerous challenges in pursuing careers in science and academia. These challenges include:
- Lack of Access to Resources: Many individuals from underrepresented communities lack access to quality educational opportunities, mentorship, and funding for research, making it difficult for them to pursue careers in scientific fields.
- Discrimination and Bias: Discrimination and bias continue to be pervasive in the scientific community, often limiting the opportunities available to individuals from underrepresented communities.
- Limited Representation: Underrepresented communities are often underrepresented in scientific research, leading to a lack of diverse perspectives and experiences in the field.
- Financial Barriers: The financial burden associated with pursuing a career in science can be particularly challenging for individuals from low-income backgrounds, who may struggle to afford the cost of education and research.
Impact of the Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these existing challenges, further widening the inequality gap within the scientific community. Some of the ways in which the pandemic has impacted underrepresented communities in science include:
- Disruption of Education: The shift to remote learning has disproportionately affected students from underprivileged backgrounds, who may lack access to necessary technology and resources for online education.
- Increased Workload and Burnout: Many individuals from underrepresented communities are facing increased workloads and burnout as they juggle caregiving responsibilities, financial pressures, and the demands of their scientific careers during the pandemic.
- Limited Research Opportunities: The pandemic has resulted in the suspension or reduction of research activities in many institutions, leading to a decrease in available opportunities for individuals from underrepresented communities to gain research experience.
- Mental Health Challenges: The pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of many individuals, particularly those from underrepresented communities who may already face additional stressors and discrimination within the scientific community.
Addressing Inequality in Science
It is crucial to take proactive measures to address the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on underrepresented communities in science. Some potential strategies
Key findings show that COVID-19 school closures led to unfinished learning varying between one month up till over two months by spring 2021 alone showing uneven recovery across elementary and middle grades leading up till spring 2024 where a normalization was observed for grades three through five unlike for middle school levels which continued on decreasing following large declines being evident among eighth graders reaching approximately around three more than two-months lagging behind their peers’ performance levels from pre-COVID times regardless of race or ethnicity adding to concerns especially regarding how closely related recent impacts may end up relating with increased complexity expected content at high schooling level sciences classes.
Several recommendations were offered following these observations including integrating more science into other subjects, as well as continued utilization of summer programming targeted towards helping struggling students recover.
This article was originally posted on eSchool Media Contributors:
https://www.eschoolnews.com/2024/12/10/science-learning-losses-lurk-behind-math-and-reading/?all=y