Trends of Science Ability in the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) of Korean Ninth Graders

The results of the National Assessment of Educational Achievement from 2010 to 2013 have shown a downward trend in ninth graders' science average achievement scores from 2011 to 2013. The percentage of students in the Advanced level decreased dramatically from 19.95% in 2010 to 11.48% in 2013, while the percentage of students in the Basic level showed an increase. By analyzing several statistics such as the percentage of correct answers, item discrimination, and average response rate by achievement level, we were able to identify possible discrepancies between students' academic abilities and their respective curriculums. In addition, the characteristics of each level of student achievement were defined so that we could help students, teachers, and schools by providing them with basic information. We also included discussions on how to fine tune the achievement standards of the science curriculum as well as how to implement improved and customized teaching and learning methods.