Do High-School Students' Perceptions of Science Change When Addressed Directly by Researchers?

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The Universitй des Lycйens (University of High-School Students) was set up in France in order to make scientific knowledge more relevant to students and to combat a growing lack of interest in science among students. The scheme involves a series of lectures to students by scientists, each followed by a debate. The organisers hope that putting students in direct contact with researchers will motivate them and enable them to envisage the nature of science and careers in science in a different way. Each of the three lectures covered by this study focused on a socioscientific issue. In spite of the socio-cultural differences observed, the students have a positive opinion of science, scientists and careers in science. But, in the meanwhile, they believe that scientific research may have negative effects.The lectures had little effect, either on their prior conceptions of science and scientists, nor on their acquisition of knowledge.KEYWORDS. Nature of Science, Socio-Scientific Issues, Careers in Science. FRAMEWORK AND PROBLEMThe Universitй des Lycйens (University of High-School Students) was set up in France by the Mission d'Animation des Agrobiosciences or MAA in order to make scientific knowledge more relevant to students and to combat a growing lack of interest in science among students. The scheme involves a series of lectures to students by scientists, each followed by a debate. The organisers hope that putting students in direct contact with researchers will motivate them and enable them to envisage the nature of science and careers in science in a different way.For each session, the main speaker is a researcher. The researcher covers a scientific field based on his own individual experience but also on the collective experience in his field (i.e. evolution, challenges, constraints, motivation, issues under debate, among others).The lecture is completed by another speaker from another field or professional sector, who reacts to the researcher's speech.

Promoting an Inclusive Image of Scientists Among Students: Towards Research Evidence-Based Practice

“…Newton & Newton (1998) claim that students' images of scientists begin to be formed in early childhood when they are about 6 or 7 years old and may remain persistent for many years, but strategies to change these stereotypical images are usually applied too late or too narrowly. The studies of Simonneaux, Albe, Ducamp & Simonneaux (2005) and Flick (1990) seem to support Newton and Newton's claim. Simonneaux et al designed a teaching intervention to make scientific knowledge more relevant to high school students in France and to take action against a growing lack of interest in science among students.…”

“…Recently, some researchers have expressed a demand for promoting appropriate and realistic images of science and scientists among students (Barman, 1997; Kaya et al, 2008;Newton & Newton, 1998;Turkmen, 2008). Although there is evidence to show that changes in the science education a student receives can stimulate a positive effect on students' images of scientists (Flick, 1990;Howitt & Rennie, 2008;Jane et al, 2007;Mason, Kahle & Gardner, 1991;Scherz & Oren, 2006;Simonneaux, Albe, Ducamp & Simonneaux, 2005), there is a low proportion of research that is of this type (Duit, 2008;Finson, 2002). Studies about students' perceptions of scientists are largely descriptive in nature (Finson, 2002).…”

Tübi̇tak 4004 Doğa Lab: Doğada Sorgulama Temelli̇ Bi̇li̇m Projesi̇ni̇n Öğrenci̇leri̇n Bi̇li̇m İnsani İmaj Ve Görüşleri̇ne Etki̇si̇

“…Literatürde öğrencilerin okul içi öğrenme ortamlarında bilim insanı imajlarını doğru şekilde yapılandırmasına yönelik gerçekleştirilen çalışmalar az da olsa mevcuttur. Bu çalışmaların özellikle farklı öğrenci merkezli uygulamaların doğru bilim insanı imajı oluşturmaya etkisini belirlemeye yönelik olduğu göze çarpmaktadır (Simonneaux, Ducamp & Simonneaux, 2005;Jane, Fleer & Gipps, 2007;Çakmakçı vd., 2011). Örneğin, Çınar (2016) yarı deneysel desenle yürüttüğü çalışmasında, bilimsel gelişimin tarihsel süreçlerini içeren öykülerle fen derslerinin desteklenmesinin bilim insanı imajına etkisini incelemiştir.…”