Boosting Student Interest in Science

Aschbacher, Pamela R.; Ing, Marsha; Tsai, Sherry M.

doi:10.1177/003172171309500211

Cited by 28 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…These findings are consistent with the literature regarding developing student interest in STEM by creating hands-on, relevant activities for students to pursue (Aschbacher et al 2013). However, it is also clear from this study that not all activities are equal across ages or grade levels of students.…”

Section: Conclusion and Future Studysupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Many previous studies have addressed ways to improve STEM interest in students. In general, researchers have concluded that more students might be interested in learning science if opportunities were more personally relevant and provided more space to explore and develop who the students might want to be (Aschbacher et al 2013). Student-centered active learning has been shown to improve long-term knowledge retention and deep understanding (Bonwell and Eison 1991;Gallagher 1997;Akinoglu and Tandogan 2007).…”

Section: Review Of the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

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Alignment of Hands-on STEM Engagement Activities with Positive STEM Dispositions in Secondary School Students

2015

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This study examines positive dispositions reported by middle school and high school students participating in programs that feature STEM-related activities. Middle school students participating in school-to-home hands-on energy monitoring activities are compared to middle school and high school students in a different project taking part in activities such as an after-school robotics program. Both groups are compared and contrasted with a third group of high school students admitted at the eleventh grade to an academy of mathematics and science. All students were assessed using the same science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) dispositions instrument. Findings indicate that the after-school group whose participants self-selected STEM engagement activities, and the self-selected academy of mathematics and science group, each had highly positive STEM dispositions comparable to those of STEM professionals, while a subset of the middle school whole-classroom energy monitoring group that reported high interest in STEM as a career, also possessed highly positive STEM dispositions comparable to the STEM Professionals group. The authors conclude that several different kinds of hands-on STEM engagement activities are likely to foster or maintain positive STEM dispositions at the middle school and high school levels, and that these highly positive levels of dispositions can be viewed as a target toward which projects seeking to interest mainstream secondary students in STEM majors in college and STEM careers, can hope to aspire. Gender findings regarding STEM dispositions are also reported for these groups.

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Section: Conclusion and Future Studysupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Review Of the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Alignment of Hands-on STEM Engagement Activities with Positive STEM Dispositions in Secondary School Students

2015

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“…Is there a direct relationship between students’ understanding of the scientific process and their interest in a scientific career? Studies have already shown a connection between student self-concept, defined as a student’s perceived ability to do well in a subject, and its crucial role in student success (Lewis, Shaw, Heitz, & Webster, 2009; Aschbacher, Ing, & Tsai, 2013). One study found that “the strongest predictor of students’ [Science/Engineering/Math] career interests in grades 7 to 9 and their aspiration trajectory over time were the questions about confidence as a science learner” (Aschbacher et al, 2013, p. 48).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Air Toxics Under the Big Sky: examining the effectiveness of authentic scientific research on high school students’ science skills and interest

Ward

Delaloye

Adams

et al. 2016

International Journal of Science Education

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Air Toxics Under the Big Sky is an environmental science outreach/education program that incorporates the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) 8 Practices with the goal of promoting knowledge and understanding of authentic scientific research in high school classrooms through air quality research. A quasi-experimental design was used in order to understand: 1) how the program affects student understanding of scientific inquiry and research and 2) how the open inquiry learning opportunities provided by the program increase student interest in science as a career path. Treatment students received instruction related to air pollution (airborne particulate matter), associated health concerns, and training on how to operate air quality testing equipment. They then participated in a yearlong scientific research project in which they developed and tested hypotheses through research of their own design regarding the sources and concentrations of air pollution in their homes and communities. Results from an external evaluation revealed that treatment students developed a deeper understanding of scientific research than did comparison students, as measured by their ability to generate good hypotheses and research designs, and equally expressed an increased interest in pursuing a career in science. These results emphasize the value of and need for authentic science learning opportunities in the modern science classroom.

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“…Along with the challenge of introducing complex academic language, educators face the daunting task of sparking interest in a discipline that may not appeal to many students; they fail to find relevance in the discipline of science (Aschbacher et al, 2013). This study indicated that the use of visuals contributed to a positive attitude concerning the content and the methods of intervention.…”

Section: Relation Of the Results To The Literaturementioning

confidence: 91%

“…Recent research points to various explanations of this reluctance, including, but not limited to, difficulty of subject matter, demands of student time in learning science, less practicality, broadness of science content, lack of sponsorship for science students, and the methods of knowledge transmission from the teacher/text to the student (Adu- Gyamfi, 2013). Many students believe that science is uninteresting, difficult to understand, and irrelevant to everyday life (Aschbacher, Ing, and Tsai, 2013). Willsher and Penman (2011) conducted a study in rural Australia for the purpose of bringing science instruction opportunities to students who lived in an isolated, impoverished region and had not received effective science instruction.…”

Section: Students' Interest and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Study of the Correlation of the Use of Visuals and Learning Elementary Science Vocabulary

Lynch¹

2014

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This mixed methods study examines the correlation of effective visuals and science vocabulary acquisition and asks the question, "Does the use of effective visuals enhance science vocabulary acquisition and the resulting expression of that vocabulary?" Thirty-one students from two elementary schools in Clyde, North Carolina participated in this study and were randomly assigned to four different instruction interventions: a Word Only method, in which an oral presentation of the word was given; a Picture Presentation method, in which a word was paired with a picture; an Image Creation-No Picture method, in which the participants were required to create an image of the vocabulary word presented and draw it on paper; and an Image Creation-Picture method in which participants were presented a picture and required to draw it on paper. The results demonstrated that the intervention groups of Picture Presentation and Image Creation-No Picture consistently scored a greater cumulative mean on both an immediate recall assessment, conducted 24 hours following the intervention, and the delayed recall assessment, which was conducted two weeks following the intervention. Studentperceptions gathered from open-ended interview questions further supported the interpretation that the use of visuals positively impacts student knowledge and effort.

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Boosting Student Interest in Science

Abstract: Adults could do much more to excite students about science as a subject and encourage their interest in science careers.

Cited by 28 publications

References 1 publication

Alignment of Hands-on STEM Engagement Activities with Positive STEM Dispositions in Secondary School Students

Alignment of Hands-on STEM Engagement Activities with Positive STEM Dispositions in Secondary School Students

Air Toxics Under the Big Sky: examining the effectiveness of authentic scientific research on high school students’ science skills and interest

A Study of the Correlation of the Use of Visuals and Learning Elementary Science Vocabulary

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