Students as Researchers
This project is studying the impact of a short term (~one week) intensive science research experience for high school students. The ultimate goal is to design a model research experience that will result in a measurable improvement in understanding the nature of science, increased probability of following science related career paths, and enhanced scientific critical thinking and creative problem solving.
A similar study by Bell et al. (2003) has investigated the impact of research experiences for Grades 10-11 school age students. They found that a high school science apprenticeship experience of eight weeks in length on a group of high-ability secondary students has little change in terms of how students view the nature of science. Surprisingly little research has been done on the design of an optimum program which would make a positive difference. Our research will fill part of this gap in our knowledge by optimizing each year experience based on previous year results.
Our study is also developing an instrument to assess the degree to which students have novice or expert view of science, and how this view is affected by their research experience. One hypothesis being tested in our work is that the most profound change resulting from research experience will be in the area of the characteristics students perceive as being associated with scientists, and our instrument also probes that.
Thirteen high school students as well as eight faculty members in different science departments (Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Geography and Physics) and a number of undergraduate researchers took part in the first year of this study at Mount Allison University in summer 2007. The experience included direct research for high school students as well as interviews with well known scientists, seminars and tour of different research laboratories and instrumentations.
References:
1. Bell, R.L. et al. J. Research in Science Teaching, 2003, 40 (5), 487-509, "Just Do It? Impact of a science apprenticeship program on high school students' understandings of the nature of science and scientific inquiry"
Other projects
Examining and Extending Teachers' Understanding of Science Studies
Understanding the Impact of Technology and Online Learning Studies
What Happens When We Extend Learning Beyond the School Curriculum Studies
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