Positioning Scientists by High School Students in a Science Internship

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 2:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Contemporary Discussions in Learning Environments Research 1 (Table 3)

Abstract

Science internship has been suggested as an effective way of engaging high school students in science inquiry. Little research has studied how high school students position scientists in an internship. Drawing on dialogic self theory, this qualitative study investigated how students positioned their relationships with scientists in a science internship using students’ journals and interviews. Our analysis identified nine different positions of high school students towards scientists: busy faculty, expert, evaluator, feedback provider, effective instructor, patient listener, life-long learner, role model, and talent scout. These findings can help program designers to improve future science internship activities, can contribute to understanding the process of science identity development, and demonstrates an alternative approach to understanding students’ views of scientists.

Authors

• Pei-Ling Hsu, University of Texas - El Paso

• Sonia Hernandez Frausto, University of Texas - El Paso