Performance in science, epistemic conceptions, and STEM vocations in Spain's autonomous communities: evidence from PISA 2015, improvement policies, and practices

Knowledge plays a vital role as the key to long-term economic development, at both the national and regional levels. Furthermore, the new circumstances require the exercise of mature citizenship at an intellectual level and responsible citizenship in the political sphere. By its very nature, science education can make a decisive contribution towards achieving the two goals of economic development and civic progress. From this dual perspective, this work analyses the data from PISA 2015. Its aim is to provide an empirical analysis of the relative positions of the 17 Spanish autonomous communities in terms of science education. It focuses on three main variables and how they are related: students' performance in science, their epistemic conceptions, and their STEM vocations. A number of recommendations for improvement policies and practices relating to this evidence are made.