Developing Layperson Scientific Literacy Skills in High School Science Classrooms

• In Event: Learning to Use Science to Build Just and Sustainable Futures

Abstract

This study examines how a performance assessment lesson can support shifts towards lay competency. Analysis of pre- and post-implementation responses of high school biology students revealed that students initially thought the best way to determine if energy drinks are good or bad for their mental health is to conduct scientific experiments or investigate ingredients that are active in the drink, however, after instruction, there was a major shift in their epistemic reasoning where they increasingly relied on the use of reliable, high-quality evidence and expert consensus. These results portray how a well-designed lesson can reorient science classrooms to developing competent laypeople equipped to navigate complex socioscientific issues.

Authors

• Huma Hussain-Abidi, Rutgers University

• Clark A. Chinn, Rutgers University

• Susan A. Yoon, University of Pennsylvania

• Noora Fatima Noushad, University of Pennsylvania

• Claire LeBovidge, University of Pennsylvania