The Puzzle of Falling Enrolments in Physics and Chemistry Courses: Putting Some Pieces Together

Lyons, Terry

doi:10.1007/s11165-005-9008-z

Cited by 111 publications

(87 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The impact on students' interest in science and subsequent choice of science in the senior years (Lyons, 2006;Tytler, 2007) is another important focus of classroom research.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotionally Intense Science Activities

King

Ritchie

Sandhu

et al. 2015

International Journal of Science Education

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Science activities that evoke positive emotional responses make a difference to students' emotional experience of science. In this study, we explored 8 th Grade students' discrete emotions expressed during science activities in a unit on Energy. Multiple data sources including classroom videos, interviews and emotion diaries completed at the end of each lesson were analyzed to identify individual student's emotions. Results from two representative students are presented as case studies. Using a theoretical perspective drawn from theories of emotions founded in sociology, two assertions emerged. Firstly, during the demonstration activity students experienced the emotions of wonder and surprise; secondly, during a laboratory activity students experienced the intense positive emotions of happiness/joy. Characteristics of these activities that contributed to students' positive experiences are highlighted. The study found that choosing activities that evoked strong positive emotional experiences, focused students' attention on the phenomenon they were learning, and the activities were recalled positively. Furthermore, such positive experiences may contribute to students' interest and engagement in science and longerterm memorability. Finally, implications for science teachers and pre-service teacher education are suggested.

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“…The impact on students' interest in science and subsequent choice of science in the senior years (Lyons, 2006;Tytler, 2007) is another important focus of classroom research.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotionally Intense Science Activities

King

Ritchie

Sandhu

et al. 2015

International Journal of Science Education

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…declining enrolments in science classes beyond compulsory schooling (Lyons, 2006). This is a concerning trend because it threatens the development of a scientifically literate future citizenship that uses natural, scientific and technological resources responsibly for a sustainable future (Linder, Östman, Roberts, Wickman, Ericksen, & MacKinnon, 2010;Tytler, 2007).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Positive Emotional Responses to Hybridised Writing about a Socio-Scientific Issue

Tomas

Ritchie

2011

Res Sci Educ

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In order to understand better the role of affect in learning about socio-scientific issues (SSI), this study investigated Year 12 students' emotional arousal as they participated in an online writing-to-learn science project about the socio-scientific issue of biosecurity. Students wrote a series of hybridised scientific narratives, or BioStories, that integrate scientific information 2 about biosecurity with narrative storylines, and uploaded these to a dedicated website.Throughout their participation in the project, students recorded their emotional responses to the various activities (N=50). Four case students were also video recorded during selected science lessons as they researched, composed and uploaded their BioStories for peer review.Analysis of these data, as well as interview data obtained from the case students, revealed that pride, strength, determination, interest and alertness were among the positive emotions most strongly elicited by the project. These emotions reflected students' interest in learning about a new socio-scientific issue, and their enhanced feelings of self-efficacy in successfully writing hybridised scientific narratives in science. The results of this study suggest that the elicitation of positive emotional responses as students engage in hybridised writing about SSI with strong links to environmental education, such as biosecurity, can be valuable in engaging students in education for sustainability.

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“…Utgangspunktet for den første undersøkelsen var den generelle bekymringen over at ungdom i vestlige land nå synes å velge bort realfagene i sine studie-og karrierevalg (se for eksempel Lyons, 2006). En rekke forskningsprosjekter har tatt for seg å rsakene til dette.…”

Section: Innledningunclassified