How learning about scientists' struggles influences students' interest and learning in physics.

Abstract

How does leaming about scientists' stmggles during their scientific knowledge building affect students' science leaming? Two hundred and seventy-one high school students were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: (a) the struggle-oriented background information (n = 90) condition, which presented students with stories about 3 scientists' stmggles in creating the content knowledge that the students were leaming through online physics instructional units; (b) the achievement-oriented background information (n = 88) condition, in which students leamed about these 3 scientists' lifetime achievements; and (c) a no background information (n = 93) condition, a control group in which students mainly leamed information about the physics contents they were studying. Our measures assessed perceptions of scientists, interest in physics lessons, recall of science concepts, and physics problem solving. We found that the achievement-oriented background information had negative effects on students' perceptions of scientists, producing no effects on students' interest in physics lessons, recall of science concepts, or their solving of both textbook-based and complex problems. In contrast, the struggle-oriented background information helped students create perceptions of scientists as hardworking individuals who struggled to make scientific progress. In addition, it also increased students' interest in science, increased their delayed recall of the key science concepts, and improved their abilities to solve complex problems. The important message that leaming about scientists' struggles sends is that even great scientists work hard. Providing an opportunity for students to relate scientists to their knowledge-building activities has important implications for science leaming and instruction.

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