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Welter VDE, Emmerichs-Knapp L, Krell M. Are We on the Way to Successfully Educating Future Citizens?-A Spotlight on Critical Thinking Skills and Beliefs about the Nature of Science among Pre-Service Biology Teachers in Germany. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:bs13030279. [PMID: 36975304 PMCID: PMC10045104 DOI: 10.3390/bs13030279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A rapidly changing world and constantly expanding knowledge requires education to no longer focus on teaching subject-matter knowledge but also to promote students' critical thinking (CT) and an accurate understanding of the nature of science (NOS). However, several studies have shown that these skills are still poorly acquired during formal education. Given the cause-effect sequence from teacher education to teacher action to student learning, it seems reasonable to consider individual factors on the part of (pre-service) teachers as possible contributors to such skill gaps. In our study, we therefore investigated how pre-service biology teachers perform on tasks assessing their CT skills and NOS beliefs. In addition, we addressed the questions of whether test performance and/or the relationships between CT skills and NOS beliefs differ as a function of the number of learning opportunities. Our results show that our participants' CT skills were only in the low-average range. Moreover, 86% of them did not have an informed understanding of NOS. Although participants in the master's program demonstrated clearly superior CT skills than those in the bachelor's program, no such difference was found in terms of NOS beliefs. However, there was a consistent advantage for pre-service teachers who were aspiring to a teaching qualification in two (as opposed to only one) scientific subjects. Our findings provide useful implications, particularly with respect to the influence of learning opportunities in university teacher education and the effectiveness of CT- and NOS-based instructional settings. On a more prospective note, our findings underscore that, given the grand global tasks of the 21st century, it seems more important than ever to ensure that pre-service science teachers have sufficient expertise in CT and NOS in order to increase the likelihood that these teachers will be able to successfully help their future students develop these skills.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Moritz Krell
- IPN-Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education, 24118 Kiel, Germany
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2
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Gormally C, Heil A. A Vision for University Biology Education for Non-science Majors. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2022; 21:es5. [PMID: 36112623 PMCID: PMC9727605 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.21-12-0338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
As college science educators, we must prepare all future college graduates to be engaged, science-literate citizens. Yet data suggest that most college biology classes as currently taught do little to make science truly useful for students' lives and provide few opportunities for students to practice skills needed to be key decision makers in their communities. This is especially important for our non-science majors, as they represent the vast majority (82%) of college students. In this essay, we identify three critical aspects of useful college science education to prepare science literate non-science majors: prioritize local socioscientific issues; highlight communal opportunities in science that impact students' communities; and provide students with opportunities to practice skills necessary to engage with science beyond the classroom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Gormally
- School of Science, Technology, Accessibility, Mathematics, and Public Health, Gallaudet University, 800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002
| | - Austin Heil
- Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, University of Georgia, Savannah, GA 31411
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Premo J, Wyatt BN, Horn M, Wilson-Ashworth H. Which Group Dynamics Matter: Social Predictors of Student Achievement in Team-Based Undergraduate Science Classrooms. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2022; 21:ar51. [PMID: 35900893 PMCID: PMC9582812 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.21-06-0164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
While group work in undergraduate science education tends to have overall benefit, less is known about the specific peer-peer dynamics that optimize learning during group interaction. The current study used peer ratings and self-reported data from 436 students enrolled in team-based undergraduate science courses (biology or chemistry) to determine group dynamics that predicted both willingness to work with peers in the future and individual achievement in the course. Results show that greater personal connection and contributions predicted willingness to work with a group member (R2biology = 0.75; R2chemistry = 0.59). While active contribution to a group predicted greater achievement, more noncontent interactions (e.g., encouragement, listening to feedback, being polite) predicted lower achievement, despite these being on-task and relevant. Additionally, having group members who were willing to continue working with a student was a positive predictor of that student's achievement regardless of course. Strikingly, students in chemistry were significantly less willing to work with women in their groups compared with men. Finally, not all forms of group conflict predict decreased achievement. These findings highlight group factors such as student behavior within the group, aspects of the group social environment, and peer support that can be targeted for optimizing undergraduate science learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Premo
- Department of Biology, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT 84058
- *Address correspondence to: Joshua Premo ()
| | | | - Matthew Horn
- Department of Chemistry, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT 84058
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4
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Zuckerman AL, Lo SM. Examining the Variations in Undergraduate Students' Conceptions of Successful Researchers: A Phenomenographic Study. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2022; 21:ar55. [PMID: 35925918 PMCID: PMC9582811 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.21-10-0295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Undergraduate education represents an important transitional stage in which students make career decisions, and undergraduate research experiences (UREs) play a critical role in training the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics researchers. Extensive studies have identified the different ways in which researchers and graduate students understand their profession, but little work has focused on undergraduate students. To contribute to this gap in literature, this study examines how undergraduate students conceptualize successful researchers. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with transfer students at a research-intensive university, in which participants articulated how they perceive a successful researcher and how their conception had changed based on their undergraduate experiences. Using phenomenography as the research approach, three conceptions of successful researchers were identified based on variations within the following aspects: process of research, interactions with other researchers, and scope of contribution. Retrospective conceptions were more simplistic, with little appreciation for the complex methodological processes and collaborations needed to meaningfully contribute to the research community. After UREs, participants reported conceptions with more nuanced understanding that successful researchers demonstrate proactive engagement, collaboration, and contribution. These findings can be applied to facilitate meaningful research experiences and target undergraduates' professional development as they are enculturated into the research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin L. Zuckerman
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, and Program in Mathematics and Science Education, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Program in Mathematics and Science Education, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120
| | - Stanley M. Lo
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, and Program in Mathematics and Science Education, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
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Mueller S, Reiners CS. Pre-service Chemistry Teachers' Views about the Tentative and Durable Nature of Scientific Knowledge. SCIENCE & EDUCATION 2022; 32:1-33. [PMID: 36060862 PMCID: PMC9419127 DOI: 10.1007/s11191-022-00374-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
With regard to current controversial public discussions about the credibility of scientific knowledge, it seems particularly important that students possess adequate ideas about the tentativeness of scientific knowledge, which is a key aspect of nature of science. However, international studies show that many pre-service science teachers tend to have naïve conceptions about the tentativeness and these conceptions turn out to be resistant to change. So far, no research was done, on the conceptions of German pre-service chemistry teachers about tentativeness. Therefore, two empirical, qualitative research studies were conducted. The first study with 50 participants was to investigate, which conceptions about tentativeness German pre-service chemistry teachers possess, what the origins of these conceptions are and if they are resistant to change. In a second study with 56 participants, it was examined how a more adequate and functional understanding could be promoted. Data were collected by using different methods, such as open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The participants' views about tentativeness were assigned to different categories. Results show that most participants held inconsistent or only partially informed views on tentativeness. The views turn out to be resistant to change, and many participants are not able to explain their ideas. And if so, their explanations are mostly restricted to scientific theories. Additionally, dealing with tentativeness unsettles some participants. To promote an adequate understanding, new approaches were developed, like the BlackTube activity. Additionally, instructions should focus on the durability of scientific knowledge. Furthermore, a differentiated reflection on different types of scientific knowledge seems necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Mueller
- Institute of Chemistry Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christiane S. Reiners
- Institute of Chemistry Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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6
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Webster A, Metcalf A, Kelly L, Bisesi A, Marnik-Said M, Colbeck C, Marine R, Vinces M, Campbell A, Allen T. Undergraduates' lived experience of project-/problem-based learning in introductory biology. ADVANCES IN PHYSIOLOGY EDUCATION 2022; 46:162-178. [PMID: 34990300 DOI: 10.1152/advan.00042.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Recommendations for enhancing scientific literacy, inclusivity, and the ecosystem for innovation call for transitioning from teacher-centered to learner-centered science classrooms, particularly at the introductory undergraduate level. Yet little is documented about the challenges that undergraduates perceive in such classrooms and the students' ways of navigating them. Via mixed methods, we studied undergraduates' lived experience in one form of learner-centered teaching, hybrid project-/problem-based learning (PBL), in introductory organismal biology at a baccalaureate institution. Prominent in qualitative analyses of student interviews and written reflections were undergraduates' initial expectation of and longing for an emphasis on facts and transmission of them. The prominence diminished from semester's middle to end, as students came to value developing ideas, solving problems collaboratively, and engaging in deep ways of learning. Collaboration and personal resources such as belief in self emerged as supports for these shifts. Quantitative analyses corroborated that PBL students transformed as learners, moving toward informed views on the nature of science, advancing in multivariable causal reasoning, and more frequently adopting deep approaches for learning than students in lecture-based sections. The qualitative and quantitative findings portray the PBL classroom as an intercultural experience in which culture shock yields over time to acceptance in a way supported by students' internal resources and peer collaboration. The findings have value to those seeking to implement PBL and other complex-learning approaches in a manner responsive to the lived experience of the learner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lauren Kelly
- Biology Department, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio
| | - Ave Bisesi
- Center for Learning, Education, and Research in the Sciences, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio
| | | | - Carol Colbeck
- Organizational Change Consultants, Sequim, Washington
| | - Robert Marine
- Organizational Change Consultants, Sequim, Washington
| | - Marcelo Vinces
- Center for Learning, Education, and Research in the Sciences, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio
- Weinberg College Adviser, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Amy Campbell
- Biology Department, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio
| | - Taylor Allen
- Biology Department, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio
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Aune JE, Evans LL, Boury N. Using Nonfiction Narratives in an English Course to Teach the Nature of Science and Its Importance to Communicating About Science. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOLOGY EDUCATION 2018; 19:jmbe-19-44. [PMID: 29904539 PMCID: PMC5969425 DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.v19i1.1435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The nature of science (NOS) is a foundational framework for understanding scientific ideas and concepts. This framework includes scientific methodology, the process of revising and interpreting data, and the ways in which science is a social endeavor. Nature of science literature treats science as a way of knowing that is based on observable phenomenon. While discipline-specific coursework teaches the factual information of science, it may fall short on teaching scientific literacy, a key component of which is understanding NOS. We have designed an English course that features nonfiction narratives describing the early days of epidemiology, hygiene awareness, and the current controversy surrounding vaccination. Using a validated assessment of student understanding of NOS, the Student Understanding of Science and Scientific Inquiry (SUSSI), we have determined that this science-themed English composition course was effective in teaching NOS. Student understanding of NOS increased between the beginning and the end of the course in eight of the nine parameters of NOS measured, with the greatest gains in understanding the role of revision and of creativity in science. Our data imply that the course helped students develop a slightly less naïve understanding of the nature of science and its importance in the development and dissemination of scientific ideas and concepts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lynn Lundy Evans
- Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and Supply Chain Management and Information Systems (SCIS), Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
| | - Nancy Boury
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
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O'Reilly CM, Gougis RD, Klug JL, Carey CC, Richardson DC, Bader NE, Soule DC, Castendyk D, Meixner T, Stomberg J, Weathers KC, Hunter W. Using Large Data Sets for Open-Ended Inquiry in Undergraduate Science Classrooms. Bioscience 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/bix118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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9
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Öztürk-Akar E. Turkish university students' knowledge of biotechnology and attitudes toward biotechnological applications. BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION : A BIMONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 45:115-125. [PMID: 27613202 DOI: 10.1002/bmb.20996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Revised: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study questions the presumed relation between formal schooling and scientific literacy about biotechnologies. Comparing science and nonscience majors' knowledge of and attitudes toward biotechnological applications, conclusions are drawn if their formal learnings improve pupils' understandings of and attitudes toward biotechnology applications. Sample of the study consists of 403 undergraduate and graduate students, 198 nonscience, and 205 science majors. The Biotechnology Knowledge Questionnaire and the Biotechnology Attitude Questionnaire were administered. Descriptive statistics (mean and percentages), t test, and correlations were used to examine the participants' knowledge of biotechnology and attitudes toward biotechnological applications and differences as regards their majors. Although the science majors had higher knowledge and attitude scores than the nonscience majors, it is not possible to say that they have sufficient knowledge of biotechnologies. Besides, the participants' attitudes toward biotechnological applications were not considerably related to their knowledge of biotechnology. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(2):115-125, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebru Öztürk-Akar
- Department of Secondary School Science and Mathematics Education, Faculty of Education, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Gölköy, Turkey
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10
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Jeffery E, Nomme K, Deane T, Pollock C, Birol G. Investigating the Role of an Inquiry-Based Biology Lab Course on Student Attitudes and Views toward Science. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2016; 15:15/4/ar61. [PMID: 27856549 PMCID: PMC5132358 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.14-11-0203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2014] [Revised: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Students' academic experiences can influence their conceptualization of science. In contrast experts hold particular beliefs, perceptions, opinions, and attitudes about science that are often absent in first-year undergraduate students. Shifts toward more expert-like attitudes and views have been linked to improved student engagement, critical-thinking ability, conceptual understanding, and academic performance. In this study, we investigate shifts in attitudes and views toward science by students in four biology classes with differences in student enrollment, academic support, and instruction. We observe significant, positive effects of enrollment in a guided-inquiry lab course and academic performance on the percentage of expert-like student attitudes and views at the end of term. We also identify variation in two aspects of student attitudes and views: 1) confidence and interest and 2) understanding and acceptance. In particular, enrollment in the lab course boosts student confidence and interest in scientific inquiry in the short term, even for students with low academic performance or little English-language experience. Our results suggest that low-performing students in particular may require additional opportunities for experiential learning or greater academic support to develop expert-like perceptions of biology as a science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Jeffery
- Biology Program, Departments of Botany and Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Kathy Nomme
- Biology Program, Departments of Botany and Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Thomas Deane
- Biology Program, Departments of Botany and Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Carol Pollock
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Gülnur Birol
- Science Centre for Learning and Teaching, Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
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Schussler EE, Bautista NU, Link-Pérez MA, Solomon NG, Steinly BA. Instruction Matters for Nature of Science Understanding in College Biology Laboratories. Bioscience 2013. [DOI: 10.1525/bio.2013.63.5.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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12
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Griffard PB, Mosleh T, Kubba S. Developing the inner scientist: book club participation and the nature of science. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2013; 12:80-91. [PMID: 23463231 PMCID: PMC3587859 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.12-02-0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2012] [Revised: 11/19/2012] [Accepted: 12/16/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The leap from science student to scientist involves recognizing that science is a tentative, evolving body of knowledge that is socially constructed and culturally influenced; this is known as The Nature of Science (NOS). The aim of this study was to document NOS growth in first-year premedical students who participated in a science book club as a curricular option. The club read three acclaimed nonfiction works that connect biology to medicine via the history of scientific ideas. Students' NOS status was assessed as informed, transitional, or naïve at the beginning and end of the academic year using the Views of Nature of Science Questionnaire-Form C (VNOS-C). Focus group interviews and document analysis of assignments and exams provided qualitative evidence. VNOS-C scores improved over the academic year regardless of book club participation. Students who participated in book club had marginally better NOS status at the end of the year but also at the beginning, suggesting that book club may have attracted rather than produced students with higher NOS status. It is notable that an improvement in NOS understanding could be detected at all, as there have been few reports of NOS growth in the literature in which NOS was not an explicit topic of instruction.
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13
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Fergusson J, Oliver C, Walter MR. Astrobiology outreach and the nature of science: the role of creativity. ASTROBIOLOGY 2012; 12:1143-53. [PMID: 23134090 PMCID: PMC3698628 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2012.0873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2012] [Accepted: 09/02/2012] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
There is concern in many developed countries that school students are turning away from science. However, students may be choosing not to study science and dismissing the possibility of a scientific career because, in the junior secondary years, they gain a false view of science and the work of scientists. There is a disparity between science as it is portrayed at school and science as it is practiced. This paper describes a study to explore whether engaging in science through astrobiology outreach activities may improve students' understanding of the nature and processes of science, and how this may influence their interest in a career in science. The results suggest that the students attending these Mars research-related outreach activities are more interested in science than the average student but are lacking in understanding of aspects of the nature of science. A significant difference was detected between pre- and posttest understandings of some concepts of the nature of science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Fergusson
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
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Duncan DB, Lubman A, Hoskins SG. Introductory biology textbooks under-represent scientific process. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOLOGY EDUCATION 2011; 12:143-51. [PMID: 23653758 PMCID: PMC3577256 DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.v12i2.307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Attrition of undergraduates from Biology majors is a long-standing problem. Introductory courses that fail to engage students or spark their curiosity by emphasizing the open-ended and creative nature of biological investigation and discovery could contribute to student detachment from the field. Our hypothesis was that introductory biology books devote relatively few figures to illustration of the design and interpretation of experiments or field studies, thereby de-emphasizing the scientific process. To investigate this possibility, we examined figures in six Introductory Biology textbooks published in 2008. On average, multistep scientific investigations were presented in fewer than 5% of the hundreds of figures in each book. Devoting such a small percentage of figures to the processes by which discoveries are made discourages an emphasis on scientific thinking. We suggest that by increasing significantly the illustration of scientific investigations, textbooks could support undergraduates' early interest in biology, stimulate the development of design and analytical skills, and inspire some students to participate in investigations of their own.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexandra Lubman
- Bard High School Early College Manhattan, 525 E Houston St., New York NY 10002
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