Outcomes from a teaching module for how science works aimed at college students

• In Event: Science Education Oral Session 1

Abstract

Improving students’ understanding of how science works requires instruction that goes beyond the standard "scientific method" recipe. We developed a teaching module built around the How Science Works Flowchart from Understanding Science. We combined two previously published activities (the Cube Puzzle and the case study Asteroids and Dinosaurs) that teach how science works to college science majors and use the flowchart to reflect on these activities. The data we used to test the model effectiveness was pre and post-module student drawings of the process of science. We found that student's diagrams were significantly less linear and more complex in the post-module drawing. Students also improved in how much they included social activities of science such as presenting results at a meeting or discussion with colleagues. However, even after the module, students failed to mention the benefits of science to society. We present an intervention that is easy to implement and improves important components of scientific literacy in college students.

Authors

• Rebecca M Price, University of Washington Bothell

• Kathryn Elizabeth Perez, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley