Correletion between time spent and competency in scientific literacy

<p>At least in Latin America there is a correlation between the total amount of time students spend on scientific subjects and their output in standardized tests[<a class="litnote tooltip" href="/literature/@furman2020">@furman2020<span class="tooltiptext">Aprender ciencias en las escuelas primarias de América Latina</span></a>]. This means that to improve the <a class="wikilink" href="/basic_competences_that_define_scientific_literacy/">basic competences that define scientific literacy</a> schools should increase the time students actually focus on specific subjects. </p> <p><img alt="Percentage of time dedicated to different activities in schools of Latin America" src="/images/Screenshot 2021-04-16 at 08.50.05.png" /></p> <p>Moreover, a problem is that within the <em>Natural Sciences</em> the amount of time spent on different topics varies according to the teacher. There is evidence that physics and chemistry are overlooked by teachers[<a class="litnote tooltip" href="/literature/@furman2020">@furman2020<span class="tooltiptext">Aprender ciencias en las escuelas primarias de América Latina</span></a>] in favor of biology, the body, etc. It may be due to <a class="wikilink" href="/teachers_lack_tools_to_design_a_science_curriculum/">teachers lack tools to design a science curriculum</a>. </p> <p>The correlation between time spent is not the only factor that determines the output, though. It must be remembered that <a class="wikilink" href="/standardized_educational_tests/">standardized educational tests</a> may be very different from the tests teachers take, and therefore lack to <a class="wikilink" href="/tools_to_foster_scientific_curiosity_at_an_early_age/">tools to foster scientific curiosity at an early age</a>, poor pedagogical planing, overall lack of infrastructure also play a role. Without neglecting that <a class="wikilink" href="/science_education_outputs_correlate_with_socioeconomic_level/">science education outputs correlate with socioeconomic level</a>.</p>