Dissertations / Theses: 'Scientific literacy'

1

au, k. murcia@murdoch edu, and Karen Murcia. "Scientific literacy for sustainability." Murdoch University, 2006. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20070828.93112.

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Abstract:

We only need to consider public media reports to appreciate that there is growing concern amongst citizens for sustainability. This concern arises from increasing appreciation that the current direction and rate of exploitation of resources is not sustainable and humanitys actions today are arguably compromising future generations ability to meet their living needs. By drawing on the research of scientists, ranging from their evidence of the problems of sustainability to those promising solutions, the same press reports show strong links between sustainability and science. The appearance of such reports in the public media implies that citizens understand the interaction of science and sustainability and that they can engage critically with scientific research, including its applications and implications for sustainability. In this dissertation this understanding and capacity to engage critically is termed scientific literacy. The general question governing the research reported in this dissertation arose from this context and is: What does it mean for citizens to be scientifically literate within the context of sustainability? More specifically, because it is expected that university graduates are well educated in a socially relevant manner, with commensurate responsibilities and influence, the focus question studied in this dissertation is: What does it mean for university graduates to be scientifically literate? It became apparent from the review of the literature, that the concept of scientific literacy was multidimensional. The three key dimensions that emerged were (i) the fundamental and enduring ideas and concepts of science, (ii) the nature of science and (iii) the interaction of science with society. These dimensions provided the framework for the research reported in this dissertation. Within this framework and based on the literature, two relationships amongst these dimensions were proposed. The first relationship was that the dimensions were in a conceptual hierarchal order, with successive dimensions including the previous dimensions and expanding upon them. The second relationship was that students scientific literacy developed sequentially along the same hierarchy. It was proposed that development occurred sequentially, with development of concepts of science first, nature of science second and interaction with society last. It was proposed that a scientifically literate person would have reached the level of understanding that includes the interaction of science with society. Specific indicators of the successive dimensions were functional, conceptual/procedural and multidimensional, which at this highest level, includes the relationship between the first two dimensions and society. This framework and the associated indicators were used as a structure and lens for interrogating the development of scientific literacy of 244 first year university students enrolled in Australias Murdoch Universitys foundation unit, Life and the Universe. This is one of five units from which first year students are required to select one. The units are interdisciplinary in nature with Life and the Universe being a unit that covers generic issues in science. In part because of its content and in part because it allows students from all backgrounds to enrol, it was considered suitable for studying, illustratively, the development of scientific literacy of potential university graduates. The development of scientific literacy was studied in three ways. First, participants responded to open questions about a newspaper report of science, before and after their studying in Life and the Universe, second, they responded to a Likert style questionnaire regarding the nature of science, again before and after studying the unit, and third, a subset of participants were involved in a focus group run over two years. The participants responses to the open questions on the questionnaire were analysed for their critical engagement with the news brief, in terms of their ability to give reasons why the text should be accepted or rejected. The nature of requests for extra information about the news briefs content was also analysed. Analysis of the initial responses to the open questions showed that more than fifty percent of the participants in this study did not demonstrate the ability to critically engage with science reported in the news. The Likert style questionnaire assessed participants conception of the nature of science, with one end of the continuum reflecting a traditional view that science was a body of unchanging facts, derived from objective and value free observations, and the other reflecting a more contemporary view, that scientific knowledge was dynamic, open to change, had subjective components, and had scientists socially located so that their work was not free of values. Analysis of the initial responses to the Nature of Science questionnaire showed that more than fifty percent of the participants were located on the continuum towards the contemporary, socially located end. However, it also showed that the majority were still not sufficiently located towards the contemporary end of the continuum to view science as dynamic, with a changing body of knowledge. There was no statistically significant difference in these analyses in relation to participants gender, time out of school, course of enrolment or science background. Unexpectedly, the comparison in the analysis of the news brief pre and post Life and the Universe showed that the number of participants engaging critically did not increase. More expectedly, the comparison of the pre and post Life and the Universe responses to the Likert scale showed that there was overall a statistically significant increase in the groups contemporary, socially located, perspective of the nature of science during their participation in the foundation unit. Specifically, the participants demonstrated raised awareness of the tentative and subjective nature of science and that scientists study a world in which they are a part and, as such, their work is not objective or value free. Nevertheless, there was substantial possibility of higher locations on the scale which the majority of participants did not reach. This statistically significant increase, but possibility for further improvement, is compatible with the lack of increase in critical engagement with the news brief and suggests that the statistical increase was not educationally significant. The focus group data contributed greater depth of understanding to the researcher about the range in participants conceptions of the nature of science. The conceptions evident were consistent with the conclusions from the open questions and Likert style questionnaire and also highlighted limited understandings of scientific processes or scientific methods. It was evident that misconceptions and naïve understandings of the contemporary nature of science were present at the beginning and retained throughout the foundation unit learning experience. These limitations helped explain participants inability to engage meaningfully and to question critically the science news briefs contained in the questionnaires. Data from the focus group also suggested that a limited understanding of science terms prevented critical engagement with the content of the news briefs. Following closely the focus group participants development of scientific literacy over a two year period, allowed the researcher to gain a greater depth of understanding of the participants development of scientific literacy than that which could be gained alone from the large scale administrations of the questionnaire. This experience highlighted that the development of scientific literacy was far more complex than the originally proposed sequential development across the three dimensions. The analysis of converging sources of data challenged this proposition and resulted in a reconstruction of understanding about the development of scientific literacy. It was evident that the ability and disposition to critically question and act scientifically required parallel development of science content, socially located conceptions of the nature of science and understanding of its interaction with society. It was the blended and parallel development of these knowledge dimensions, at any level, that demonstrated scientific literacy. In order to characterise the more complex structure amongst the dimensions in which parallel development occurred, a rope metaphor was used. This metaphor effectively represented the observed development of scientific literacy, as it made concrete the interwoven threads of multidimensional knowledge. It represented more realistically the complex, intertwining and multidimensional aspects of participants development of scientific literacy. Re-thinking the development of scientific literacy and representing the construct with the rope metaphor offered possibilities for effective pedagogy in higher education. The interaction of multidimensional threads of knowledge seems an integral part of the development of scientific literacy and suggests the need for teaching and learning experiences that are holistic in nature and driven by socially relevant contexts.

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2

Dunlap, Daniel R. "Rethinking scientific literacy standards." Thesis, This resource online, 1995. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-06102009-063350/.

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3

Murcia, Karen. "Scientific literacy for sustainability." Thesis, Murcia, Karen (2006) Scientific literacy for sustainability. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2006. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/216/.

Full text

Abstract:

We only need to consider public media reports to appreciate that there is growing concern amongst citizens for sustainability. This concern arises from increasing appreciation that the current direction and rate of exploitation of resources is not sustainable and humanity's actions today are arguably compromising future generations' ability to meet their living needs. By drawing on the research of scientists, ranging from their evidence of the problems of sustainability to those promising solutions, the same press reports show strong links between sustainability and science. The appearance of such reports in the public media implies that citizens understand the interaction of science and sustainability and that they can engage critically with scientific research, including its applications and implications for sustainability. In this dissertation this understanding and capacity to engage critically is termed scientific literacy. The general question governing the research reported in this dissertation arose from this context and is: What does it mean for citizens to be scientifically literate within the context of sustainability? More specifically, because it is expected that university graduates are well educated in a socially relevant manner, with commensurate responsibilities and influence, the focus question studied in this dissertation is: What does it mean for university graduates to be scientifically literate? It became apparent from the review of the literature, that the concept of scientific literacy was multidimensional. The three key dimensions that emerged were (i) the fundamental and enduring ideas and concepts of science, (ii) the nature of science and (iii) the interaction of science with society. These dimensions provided the framework for the research reported in this dissertation. Within this framework and based on the literature, two relationships amongst these dimensions were proposed. The first relationship was that the dimensions were in a conceptual hierarchal order, with successive dimensions including the previous dimensions and expanding upon them. The second relationship was that students' scientific literacy developed sequentially along the same hierarchy. It was proposed that development occurred sequentially, with development of concepts of science first, nature of science second and interaction with society last. It was proposed that a scientifically literate person would have reached the level of understanding that includes the interaction of science with society. Specific indicators of the successive dimensions were functional, conceptual/procedural and multidimensional, which at this highest level, includes the relationship between the first two dimensions and society. This framework and the associated indicators were used as a structure and lens for interrogating the development of scientific literacy of 244 first year university students enrolled in Australia's Murdoch University's foundation unit, Life and the Universe. This is one of five units from which first year students are required to select one. The units are interdisciplinary in nature with Life and the Universe being a unit that covers generic issues in science. In part because of its content and in part because it allows students from all backgrounds to enrol, it was considered suitable for studying, illustratively, the development of scientific literacy of potential university graduates. The development of scientific literacy was studied in three ways. First, participants responded to open questions about a newspaper report of science, before and after their studying in Life and the Universe, second, they responded to a Likert style questionnaire regarding the nature of science, again before and after studying the unit, and third, a subset of participants were involved in a focus group run over two years. The participants' responses to the open questions on the questionnaire were analysed for their critical engagement with the news brief, in terms of their ability to give reasons why the text should be accepted or rejected. The nature of requests for extra information about the news brief's content was also analysed. Analysis of the initial responses to the open questions showed that more than fifty percent of the participants in this study did not demonstrate the ability to critically engage with science reported in the news. The Likert style questionnaire assessed participants' conception of the nature of science, with one end of the continuum reflecting a traditional view that science was a body of unchanging facts, derived from objective and value free observations, and the other reflecting a more contemporary view, that scientific knowledge was dynamic, open to change, had subjective components, and had scientists socially located so that their work was not free of values. Analysis of the initial responses to the Nature of Science questionnaire showed that more than fifty percent of the participants were located on the continuum towards the contemporary, socially located end. However, it also showed that the majority were still not sufficiently located towards the contemporary end of the continuum to view science as dynamic, with a changing body of knowledge. There was no statistically significant difference in these analyses in relation to participants' gender, time out of school, course of enrolment or science background. Unexpectedly, the comparison in the analysis of the news brief pre and post Life and the Universe showed that the number of participants engaging critically did not increase. More expectedly, the comparison of the pre and post Life and the Universe responses to the Likert scale showed that there was overall a statistically significant increase in the group's contemporary, socially located, perspective of the nature of science during their participation in the foundation unit. Specifically, the participants demonstrated raised awareness of the tentative and subjective nature of science and that scientists study a world in which they are a part and, as such, their work is not objective or value free. Nevertheless, there was substantial possibility of higher locations on the scale which the majority of participants did not reach. This statistically significant increase, but possibility for further improvement, is compatible with the lack of increase in critical engagement with the news brief and suggests that the statistical increase was not educationally significant. The focus group data contributed greater depth of understanding to the researcher about the range in participants' conceptions of the nature of science. The conceptions evident were consistent with the conclusions from the open questions and Likert style questionnaire and also highlighted limited understandings of scientific processes or scientific methods. It was evident that misconceptions and naive understandings of the contemporary nature of science were present at the beginning and retained throughout the foundation unit learning experience. These limitations helped explain participants' inability to engage meaningfully and to question critically the science news briefs contained in the questionnaires. Data from the focus group also suggested that a limited understanding of science terms prevented critical engagement with the content of the news briefs. Following closely the focus group participants' development of scientific literacy over a two year period, allowed the researcher to gain a greater depth of understanding of the participants' development of scientific literacy than that which could be gained alone from the large scale administrations of the questionnaire. This experience highlighted that the development of scientific literacy was far more complex than the originally proposed sequential development across the three dimensions. The analysis of converging sources of data challenged this proposition and resulted in a reconstruction of understanding about the development of scientific literacy. It was evident that the ability and disposition to critically question and act scientifically required parallel development of science content, socially located conceptions of the nature of science and understanding of its interaction with society. It was the blended and parallel development of these knowledge dimensions, at any level, that demonstrated scientific literacy. In order to characterise the more complex structure amongst the dimensions in which parallel development occurred, a rope metaphor was used. This metaphor effectively represented the observed development of scientific literacy, as it made concrete the interwoven threads of multidimensional knowledge. It represented more realistically the complex, intertwining and multidimensional aspects of participants' development of scientific literacy. Re-thinking the development of scientific literacy and representing the construct with the rope metaphor offered possibilities for effective pedagogy in higher education. The interaction of multidimensional threads of knowledge seems an integral part of the development of scientific literacy and suggests the need for teaching and learning experiences that are holistic in nature and driven by socially relevant contexts.

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4

Murcia, Karen. "Scientific literacy for sustainability." Murcia, Karen (2006) Scientific literacy for sustainability. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2006. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/216/.

Full text

Abstract:

We only need to consider public media reports to appreciate that there is growing concern amongst citizens for sustainability. This concern arises from increasing appreciation that the current direction and rate of exploitation of resources is not sustainable and humanity's actions today are arguably compromising future generations' ability to meet their living needs. By drawing on the research of scientists, ranging from their evidence of the problems of sustainability to those promising solutions, the same press reports show strong links between sustainability and science. The appearance of such reports in the public media implies that citizens understand the interaction of science and sustainability and that they can engage critically with scientific research, including its applications and implications for sustainability. In this dissertation this understanding and capacity to engage critically is termed scientific literacy. The general question governing the research reported in this dissertation arose from this context and is: What does it mean for citizens to be scientifically literate within the context of sustainability? More specifically, because it is expected that university graduates are well educated in a socially relevant manner, with commensurate responsibilities and influence, the focus question studied in this dissertation is: What does it mean for university graduates to be scientifically literate? It became apparent from the review of the literature, that the concept of scientific literacy was multidimensional. The three key dimensions that emerged were (i) the fundamental and enduring ideas and concepts of science, (ii) the nature of science and (iii) the interaction of science with society. These dimensions provided the framework for the research reported in this dissertation. Within this framework and based on the literature, two relationships amongst these dimensions were proposed. The first relationship was that the dimensions were in a conceptual hierarchal order, with successive dimensions including the previous dimensions and expanding upon them. The second relationship was that students' scientific literacy developed sequentially along the same hierarchy. It was proposed that development occurred sequentially, with development of concepts of science first, nature of science second and interaction with society last. It was proposed that a scientifically literate person would have reached the level of understanding that includes the interaction of science with society. Specific indicators of the successive dimensions were functional, conceptual/procedural and multidimensional, which at this highest level, includes the relationship between the first two dimensions and society. This framework and the associated indicators were used as a structure and lens for interrogating the development of scientific literacy of 244 first year university students enrolled in Australia's Murdoch University's foundation unit, Life and the Universe. This is one of five units from which first year students are required to select one. The units are interdisciplinary in nature with Life and the Universe being a unit that covers generic issues in science. In part because of its content and in part because it allows students from all backgrounds to enrol, it was considered suitable for studying, illustratively, the development of scientific literacy of potential university graduates. The development of scientific literacy was studied in three ways. First, participants responded to open questions about a newspaper report of science, before and after their studying in Life and the Universe, second, they responded to a Likert style questionnaire regarding the nature of science, again before and after studying the unit, and third, a subset of participants were involved in a focus group run over two years. The participants' responses to the open questions on the questionnaire were analysed for their critical engagement with the news brief, in terms of their ability to give reasons why the text should be accepted or rejected. The nature of requests for extra information about the news brief's content was also analysed. Analysis of the initial responses to the open questions showed that more than fifty percent of the participants in this study did not demonstrate the ability to critically engage with science reported in the news. The Likert style questionnaire assessed participants' conception of the nature of science, with one end of the continuum reflecting a traditional view that science was a body of unchanging facts, derived from objective and value free observations, and the other reflecting a more contemporary view, that scientific knowledge was dynamic, open to change, had subjective components, and had scientists socially located so that their work was not free of values. Analysis of the initial responses to the Nature of Science questionnaire showed that more than fifty percent of the participants were located on the continuum towards the contemporary, socially located end. However, it also showed that the majority were still not sufficiently located towards the contemporary end of the continuum to view science as dynamic, with a changing body of knowledge. There was no statistically significant difference in these analyses in relation to participants' gender, time out of school, course of enrolment or science background. Unexpectedly, the comparison in the analysis of the news brief pre and post Life and the Universe showed that the number of participants engaging critically did not increase. More expectedly, the comparison of the pre and post Life and the Universe responses to the Likert scale showed that there was overall a statistically significant increase in the group's contemporary, socially located, perspective of the nature of science during their participation in the foundation unit. Specifically, the participants demonstrated raised awareness of the tentative and subjective nature of science and that scientists study a world in which they are a part and, as such, their work is not objective or value free. Nevertheless, there was substantial possibility of higher locations on the scale which the majority of participants did not reach. This statistically significant increase, but possibility for further improvement, is compatible with the lack of increase in critical engagement with the news brief and suggests that the statistical increase was not educationally significant. The focus group data contributed greater depth of understanding to the researcher about the range in participants' conceptions of the nature of science. The conceptions evident were consistent with the conclusions from the open questions and Likert style questionnaire and also highlighted limited understandings of scientific processes or scientific methods. It was evident that misconceptions and naive understandings of the contemporary nature of science were present at the beginning and retained throughout the foundation unit learning experience. These limitations helped explain participants' inability to engage meaningfully and to question critically the science news briefs contained in the questionnaires. Data from the focus group also suggested that a limited understanding of science terms prevented critical engagement with the content of the news briefs. Following closely the focus group participants' development of scientific literacy over a two year period, allowed the researcher to gain a greater depth of understanding of the participants' development of scientific literacy than that which could be gained alone from the large scale administrations of the questionnaire. This experience highlighted that the development of scientific literacy was far more complex than the originally proposed sequential development across the three dimensions. The analysis of converging sources of data challenged this proposition and resulted in a reconstruction of understanding about the development of scientific literacy. It was evident that the ability and disposition to critically question and act scientifically required parallel development of science content, socially located conceptions of the nature of science and understanding of its interaction with society. It was the blended and parallel development of these knowledge dimensions, at any level, that demonstrated scientific literacy. In order to characterise the more complex structure amongst the dimensions in which parallel development occurred, a rope metaphor was used. This metaphor effectively represented the observed development of scientific literacy, as it made concrete the interwoven threads of multidimensional knowledge. It represented more realistically the complex, intertwining and multidimensional aspects of participants' development of scientific literacy. Re-thinking the development of scientific literacy and representing the construct with the rope metaphor offered possibilities for effective pedagogy in higher education. The interaction of multidimensional threads of knowledge seems an integral part of the development of scientific literacy and suggests the need for teaching and learning experiences that are holistic in nature and driven by socially relevant contexts.

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5

Leornard, Samantha Lee. "Scientific literacy and education for sustainable development: developing scientific literacy in its fundamental and derived senses." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1010069.

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The importance of developing learners’ scientific literacy in both the fundamental and derived senses has been highlighted by Norris & Phillips (2003). Development of the derived sense of science, which is dependent on the development of a sound fundamental sense of science, aims at promoting scientifically literate societies who are able to make informed decisions concerning the natural environment and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods. In turn, response to increasing recognition of environmental degradation, the United Nations’ Decade of Education for Sustainable Development advocated that the principles, values and practices of sustainable development should be integrated into all aspects of education and learning. However, despite these aspirations, the difficulties of insufficient teacher knowledge and a lack of in-service training, both abroad and within South Africa, remain a challenge. In response to this challenge this study investigated the potential of an Integrated Scientific Literacy Strategy (which aimed at increasing in-service teacher knowledge and skills) to contribute to ESD by developing more scientifically literate teachers and learners in primary education. The study was conducted in 2010 in the Port Elizabeth Metropolitan area in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study sample comprised seven schools, with a total of nine teachers and 243 learners participating. As the research is situated within the pragmatic paradigm, a mixed methods approach was followed using Creswell and Plano Clark’s (2007) embedded design’s correlational model whereby quantitative data are rooted within a qualitative design to help verify and explain the outcomes. Qualitative measures were generated through teacher interviews and an analysis of their written portfolios. These data were triangulated against quantitative test data gained from an ANCOVA statistical analysis of the learners’ pre- and post-tests, and both the qualitative and quantitative data gleaned from classroom observations and an analysis of the learners’ science notebooks. The data suggest that, when properly implemented, the Integrated Scientific Literacy Strategy can be used to help teachers develop their learners’ scientific literacy by exposing them to open-ended inquiry investigations. Statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.01; d=0.88) were noted when comparing improvements in learners’ abilities and understandings of scientific investigations (graphs, variables, inquiry and investigable questions) between those learners whose teachers successfully implemented the strategy in their classrooms, and those learners whose teachers were considered to be ‘non-implementers’ of the strategy. Data from this study also suggest that the successful use of the ISLS enables teachers to integrate issues relating to sustainable development into their natural science lessons. In addition, the learner-orientated approach of the strategy also enabled the learners to engage in autonomous learning environments, aspects of which have been identified as being important for meaningfully learning about and internalising important issues related to ESD.

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Costa, Waldinete ConceicÌ§aÌƒo do Socorro Oliveira da. "The role of scientific institutions in promoting scientific literacy and effective environmental education." Thesis, University of Strathclyde, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.410212.

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Dale, Gemma Joanne. "The current state of scientific literacy in Wales." Thesis, Bangor University, 2016. https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/the-current-state-of-scientific-literacy-in-wales(cf1ed798-0c12-4f5a-8e52-2365a30d7c4d).html.

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Education leaders and political leaders worldwide are increasingly placing greater emphasis on developing scientific literacy in response to OECD’s PISA testing. This is also the case in Wales where the results of the 2009 and 2012 scientific literacy tests were significantly lower than the rest of the United Kingdom. This thesis considers interpretations of the term scientific literacy in Wales, including confusion over what the term actually means and an exploration of the potential of renaming it ‘scientific competency’ in order to minimise issues regarding current definition. An alternative definition is considered, in addition to an exploration of the current methods of measuring and improving it within the country. A post-positivist approach was adopted in the research. Data were collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and a case study. The analysis of data revealed that Welsh science teachers often had inadequate skills and understanding regarding scientific literacy and this impacted directly upon their ability to measure and improve it within their lessons. This was due to teachers’ perception of a lack of guidance and training. Although there was substantial consensus about the importance of science and scientific literacy to pupils, this was not adequately translated into scientific literacy practices within schools. Large scale educational reform has led to an emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills, but there has been limited focus on science education. In addition, the Welsh education system and its lack of standardised testing may have produced a lack of rigor within science, leading to a decrease in attainment. The study has implications for the professional development of Welsh science teachers and the general teaching of Science within the country and beyond.

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Thompson, Marilyn Joy. "Literacy challenges faced by students using scientific texts." Thesis, Curtin University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/142.

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Student perceptions of science text impact on their ability to read and understand; highly developed literacy skills are needed to understand the complex language, and scientific descriptions.Textbooks play a big role in science education: these include complex text features, such as diagrams, charts, tables etc and offer many distractions for students in understanding the information presented here. The skills are also different from those required to read and understand fiction text.The study investigated students’ perceptions and attitudes of changing text types (fiction to non‐fiction) in their transition to secondary school. It also identified challenges they faced in making meaning of science text. There was also a focus on the impact on student achievement as a result of targeted action with identified student groups around the use of non‐fiction text in the classroom.The findings included higher achievement gains for the targeted groups of students, and improved achievement for students in the study. Students were reported to be engaged more fully in the classroom and enjoying learning science as their skills developed. Students, however, appeared to show more enjoyment in reading fiction compared to non‐fiction text.

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Malcolmson, Elaine. "Coming to terms : an investigation of free-choice learning, scientific literacy and health literacy." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2015. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/6397/.

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The term free-choice learning has received relatively recent support, having been favoured by John Falk from around 2001. Free-choice learning can be described most simply as “the type of learning that occurs most frequently outside of school” (Falk, 2001, p.6). Free-choice science learning has connections with the research areas of science communication, the public understanding of science, public engagement with science and, in particular, informal learning. Additionally, Falk introduced the idea of working knowledge of science as, “knowledge generated by the learner’s own interests and needs” (Falk, Storksdieck and Dierking, 2007, p.464). This thesis explored the terms free-choice learning and working knowledge of science in order to gain a better understanding of their meaning and their importance. The work was carried out to address the following research questions: 1. Can the BodyWorks exhibits be used as a tool to provide evidence of free-choice learning and working knowledge? 2. Can the BodyWorks exhibits be used as a tool to gain a better understanding of free-choice learning and working knowledge? 3. What can be gained from revisiting scientific and health literacy concepts from the perspective of free-choice learning and working knowledge? 4. Can best practice with regards to free-choice learning and working knowledge be shared between the fields of scientific and health literacy? Glasgow Science Centre’s BodyWorks exhibits were used as a tool to empirically investigate free-choice learning and working knowledge. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews and staff diaries. It was found that 93% of participants referred to some type of free-choice learning experience when discussing the BodyWorks exhibits. A better understanding of free-choice learning and working knowledge was achieved. Free-choice learning and working knowledge were used as a lens through which to revisit the concepts and definitions of scientific literacy and health literacy. This theoretical work provided an insight to key themes developing in this literature and directions for future research. The results of both the empirical and theoretical parts of this thesis combined to produce implications for free-choice learning providers, formal education, the health sector and society. Most importantly the results presented ideas on how these groups could utilise free-choice learning and working knowledge to their benefit.

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Oswald, Hailey A. "A Content Analysis of Scientific Practices in a Fourth-Grade Commercial Literacy Program." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2019. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/7410.

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Increasing science literacy among all students is a longstanding goal of science education. The most recent national attempt to improve science education, and thereby increase science literacy, came in the form of the Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards, which include 3 dimensions: scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas. The purpose of this content analysis was to examine the alignment between 4 of the scientific practices (Asking Questions; Constructing Explanations; Engaging in Argument from Evidence; and Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information) and a widely used commercial literacy program, Reading Wonders, with the goal of beginning an investigation into whether or not general literacy instruction might be useful in developing science literacy. The science texts and their accompanying recommended instruction in 4th grade Wonders were coded and analyzed using categories derived from the key features of each scientific practice. Findings showed partial, although most often minimal, alignment between Wonders and each of the four practices. Scientific questions were present in Wonders, but rarely asked by students. The analyzed texts included some explanations of how or why scientific phenomena occur, but they were rarely supported by evidence. Similarly, in terms of scientific argument, the texts included some opportunities for students to observe claims being made and supported and to make and support their own claims, but these claims were rarely linked to disciplinary core ideas. Finally, Wonders offered many opportunities for students to observe and/or engage in Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information. However, these opportunities mainly involved obtaining information from a single traditional print text and then summarizing it. Teachers who are hoping to use Wonders to help students understand scientific practices should be aware that such integration will require additional planning and instruction. Alignment between Wonders and these four practices was minimal and rarely authentic to the discipline of science. Future research should continue the investigation this study began, thereby increasing generalizability, by expanding the focus to include other elementary grade levels, as well as other commercial literacy programs.

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Daniels, Nicolette Deidré. "The promotion of scientific literacy within a museum context." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1343.

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Currently South African museums are faced with the challenge of evaluating and transforming their roles and functions as a response to changing national educational needs. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether aspects of the integrated strategies approach to promoting scientific literacy can be successfully employed in a museum context. The approach was used as part of the education programmes at the Port Elizabeth Museum School (Bayworld) and mixed methods were used to gather qualitative and quantitative data on the teachers’ ability to adopt the strategy. Data were also generated on the teachers’ perceptions of teaching and learning, possible activities which supported the approach, and aspects of the strategy which the learners adopted most readily. The findings suggest that active engagement in the process resulted in effective adoption of the strategy by the teachers, improved attitudes towards science learning by both the teachers and children who participated in the process, and improved scientific literacy in both.

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Oliver, Carol Ann Biotechnology &amp Biomolecular Sciences Faculty of Science UNSW. "Communicating astrobiology in public: A study of scientific literacy." Publisher:University of New South Wales. Biotechnology & Biomolecular Sciences, 2008. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/42878.

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The majority of adults in the US and in Europe appear to be scientifically illiterate. This has not changed in more than half a century. It is unknown whether the Australian public is also scientifically illiterate because no similar testing is done here. Public scientific illiteracy remains in spite of improvements in science education, innovative approaches to public outreach, the encouraging of science communication via the mass media, and the advent of the Internet. Why is it that there has been so little change? Is school science education inadequate? Does something happen between leaving high school education and becoming an adult? Does Australia suffer from the same apparent malady? The pilot study at the heart of this thesis tests a total of 692 Year Ten (16-year-old) Australian students across ten high schools and a first year university class in 2005 and 2006, using measures applied to adults. Twenty-six percent of those tested participated in a related scientific literacy project utilising in-person visits to Macquarie University in both years. A small group of the students (64) tested in 2005 were considered the best science students in seven of the ten high schools. Results indicate that no more than 20% of even the best high school science students - on the point of being able to end their formal science education - are scientifically literate if measured by adult standards. Another pilot test among 150 first year university students supports that indication. This compares to a scientific literacy rate of 28% for the US public. This thesis finds that the scientific literacy enterprise ?? in all its forms ?? fails scrutiny. Either we believe our best science students are leaving high school scientifically illiterate or there is something fundamentally wrong in our perceptions of public scientific illiteracy. This pilot study ?? probably the first of its kind ?? indicates we cannot rely on our current perceptions of a scientifically illiterate public. It demonstrates that a paradigm shift in our thinking is required about what scientific literacy is and in our expectations of a scientifically literate adult public. In the worst case scenario, governments are pouring millions of dollars into science education and public outreach with little or no basis for understanding whether either is effective. That is illogical, even irresponsible. It also impacts on the way astrobiology ?? or any science ?? is communicated in public.

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Cooper, Susan. "ADDRESSING SCIENTIFIC LITERACY THROUGH CONTENT AREA READING AND PROCES." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2004. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/2460.

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The purpose of this study was to interpret the experiences of secondary science teachers in Florida as they address the scientific literacy of their students through teaching content reading strategies and student inquiry skills. Knowledge of the successful integration of content reading and inquiry skills by experienced classroom teachers would be useful to many educators as they plan instruction to achieve challenging state and national standards for reading as well as science. The problem was investigated using grounded theory methodology. Open-ended questions were asked in three focus groups and six individual interviews that included teachers from various Florida school districts. The constant comparative approach was used to analyze the data. Initial codes were collapsed into categories to determine the conceptual relationships among the data. From this, the five core categories were determined to be Influencers, Issues, Perceptions, Class Routines, and Future Needs. These relate to the central phenomenon, Instructional Modifications, because teachers often described pragmatic and philosophical changes in their teaching as they deliberated to meet state standards in both reading and science. Although Florida's secondary science teachers have been asked to incorporate content reading strategies into their science instruction for the past several years, there was limited evidence of using these strategies to further student understanding of scientific processes. Most teachers saw little connection between reading and inquiry, other than the fact that students must know how to read to follow directions in the lab. Scientific literacy, when it was addressed by teachers, was approached mainly through class discussions, not reading. Teachers realized that students cannot learn secondary science content unless they read science text with comprehension; therefore the focus of reading instruction was on learning science content, not scientific literacy or student inquiry. Most of the teachers were actively looking for reading materials and strategies to facilitate student understanding of science concepts, but they did not want to give up limited class time attempting methods that have not been proven to be successful in science classrooms.
Ed.D.
Other
Education
Curriculum and Instruction

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MURI, ANDRIELE FERREIRA. "SCIENTIFIC LITERACY IN BRASIL AND JAPAN THROUGH PISA S RESULTS." PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO, 2017. http://www.maxwell.vrac.puc-rio.br/Busca_etds.php?strSecao=resultado&nrSeq=30703@1.

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PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO
COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DO PESSOAL DE ENSINO SUPERIOR
PROGRAMA DE EXCELENCIA ACADEMICA
PROGRAMA DE DOUTORADO SANDUÍCHE NO EXTERIOR
Este estudo compara o Letramento Científico dos estudantes brasileiros e japoneses, com base nos resultados do PISA e procura responder às seguintes as questões de pesquisa: a) Há diferenças de competência cognitiva em Ciências entre os alunos brasileiros e dos outros países, sobretudo os do Japão no PISA?; b) Existem itens do PISA 2006 que apresentam comportamento diferencial, tendo o Brasil como referência?; e c) É possível, a partir dos dados do PISA e da adoção complementar de uma abordagem qualitativa, identificar diferentes ênfases curriculares e/ou práticas pedagógicas no Ensino de Ciências de Brasil e Japão que contribuam para a compreensão das diferenças de desempenho entre seus estudantes? Para responder a primeira questão, comparamos os resultados do Brasil e do Japão nas edições 2006 e 2015 do PISA, em que o foco foi Ciências. O Brasil se mostra em situação de desvantagem em relação a quase todos os países que participaram do Programa, o que é em parte explicado pela repetência. Na escala de desempenho, o Brasil permanece no nível 1 e o Japão, no nível 3 em2006, passou para o nível 4 em 2015. Para responder à segunda questão, utilizamos a análise de Differential Item Functioning (DIF) nos itens da prova de Ciências de 2006 e concluímos que há grande presença de DIF nesses itens comparativamente entre o Brasil e o Japão. Apesar de não serem capazes de comprometer o processo avaliativo privilegiando um grupo em detrimento do outro, esses itens sugerem diferentes ênfases curriculares em Ciências. Levando em conta essa hipótese e para responder à terceira questão adotamos uma abordagem qualitativa, com observação do uso do tempo das aulas; registro das ênfases curriculares e da ocorrência de atividades relacionadas à interação, investigação, experimentação e aplicação na perspectiva dos alunos, professores e da observação; e entrevistas com especialistas e gestores. Os resultados mostraram que mais de 20 por cento do tempo oficial de aula observados no Brasil são desperdiçados com questões outras que não o ensino efetivo de Ciências; 10 vezes mais que no Japão. No Brasil, há ênfase curricular mais acentuada nas Ciências Naturais e Biológicas. O currículo é distribuído mais homogeneamente no Japão e é seccionado no Brasil. Segundo os estudantes japoneses, não são freqüentes as atividades de interação, investigação, experimentação e aplicação. As atividades mais recorrentes observadas e percebidas pelos professores japoneses são as de experimentação e interação; no Brasil, as de interação e aplicação. Entrevistas realizadas com especialistas em Ensino de Ciências e gestoras do PISA, no Brasil e no Japão, mostraram que o sucesso do Japão nessa avaliação é associado à existência de um currículo nacional comum e à formação continuada de professores em serviço, bem como às reformas do sistema educacional japonês suscitadas pelos resultados do PISA. O baixo desempenho dos estudantes brasileiros no PISA estaria, por sua vez, relacionado com o despreparo dos estudantes, com a falta de familiaridade destes com o teste, com a deficiente formação dos professores e com o limitado uso das evidências produzidas pelas avaliações em larga escala.
This study compares the Scientific Literacy of Brazilian and Japanese students, based on the results of PISA and seeks to answer the following research questions: a) Are there differences of cognitive competence in Science among Brazilian students and those from other countries, especially Japan, in the PISA ?; B) Are there items of PISA 2006 that present differential functioning, with Brazil as a reference ?; and c) Is it possible, based on the PISA data and the complementary adoption of a qualitative approach, to identify different curricular emphases and / or pedagogical practices in Science Education in Brazil and Japan that contribute to the understanding of differences in performance among their students? To answer the first question, we compared the results of Brazil and Japan in the 2006 and 2015 editions of PISA, where the focus was Science. Brazil is disadvantaged compared to almost all the countries that participated in the Program, which is partly explained by the repetition. In the performance scale, Brazil remains at level 1 and Japan at level 3 in 2006 has moved to level 4 in 2015. In order to answer the second question, we used the Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis in the 2006 test s Science items and we conclude that there is a large presence of DIF in these items comparatively between Brazil and Japan. Although they are not able to compromise the evaluation process by favoring one group over the other, these items suggest different curricular emphases in Science. Taking into account this hypothesis and to answer the third question we adopted a qualitative approach, with observation of the use of class time; record of curricular emphases and the occurrence of activities related to interaction, investigation, experimentation and application from the perspective of students, teachers and observation; and interviews with experts and PISA managers. The results showed that more than 20 percent of official classroom time observed in Brazil is wasted with questions other than effective teaching of science; 10 times more than in Japan. In Brazil, there is a more pronounced curricular emphasis in Natural and Biological Sciences. The curriculum is distributed more homogeneously in Japan and is sectioned in Brazil. According to Japanese students, activities of interaction, investigation, experimentation and application are not frequent. The most recurrent activities observed and perceived by Japanese teachers are those of experimentation and interaction; In Brazil, those of interaction and application. Interviews with experts in Science Education and PISA managers in Brazil and Japan have shown that Japan s success in this assessment is associated with the existence of a common national curriculum and the teachers ongoing in-service training as well as the educational system reforms raised by the PISA results. The low performance of Brazilian students in PISA would, in turn, be related to the lack of preparation of the students, their lack of familiarity with the test, poor teacher training and the limited use of the evidence produced by the large scale evaluations.

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Strohl, Carrie A. "Scientific Literacy in Food Education| Gardening and Cooking in School." Thesis, University of California, Davis, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10036005.

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Recent attention to socio-scientific issues such as sustainable agriculture, environmental responsibility and nutritional health has spurred a resurgence of public interest in gardening and cooking. Seen as contexts for fostering scientific literacy?the knowledge domains, methodological approaches, habits of mind and discourse practices that reflect one?s understanding of the role of science in society, gardening and cooking are under-examined fields in science education, in part, because they are under-utilized pedagogies in school settings. Although learning gardens were used historically to foster many aspects of scientific literacy (e.g., cognitive knowledge, norms and methods of science, attitudes toward science and discourse of science), analysis of contemporary studies suggests that science learning in gardens focuses mainly on science knowledge alone. Using multiple conceptions of scientific literacy, I analyzed qualitative data to demonstrate how exploration, talk and text fostered scientific literacy in a school garden. Exploration prompted students to engage in scientific practices such as making observations and constructing explanations from evidence. Talk and text provided background knowledge and accurate information about agricultural, environmental and nutritional topics under study. Using a similar qualitative approach, I present a case study of a third grade teacher who explicitly taught food literacy through culinary arts instruction. Drawing on numerous contextual resources, this teacher created a classroom community of food practice through hands-on cooking lessons, guest chef demonstrations, and school-wide tasting events. As a result, she promoted six different types of knowledge (conceptual, procedural, dispositional, sensory, social, and communal) through leveraging contextual resources.This case study highlights how food literacy is largely contingent on often-overlooked mediators of food literacy: the relationships between participants, the activity, and the type of knowledge invoked. Scientific literacy in food education continues to be a topic of interest in the fields of public health and of sustainable agriculture, as well as to proponents of the local food movement. This dissertation begins to map a more cohesive and comprehensive approach to gardening and cooking implementation and research in school settings.

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Copping, Warren. "Middle schooling and scientific literacy : bringing the students to science." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2012. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/63597/1/Warren_Copping_Thesis.pdf.

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This study is about young adolescents' engagement in learning science. The middle years of schooling are critical in the development of students' interest and engagement with learning. Successful school experiences enhance dispositions towards a career related to those experiences. Poor experiences lead to negative attitudes and rejection of certain career pathways. At a time when students are becoming more aware, more independent and focused on peer relationships and social status, the high school environment in some circumstances offers more a content-centred curriculum that is less personally relevant to their lives than the social melee surrounding them. Science education can further exacerbate the situation by presenting abstract concepts that have limited contextual relevance and a seemingly difficult vocabulary that further alienates adolescents from the curriculum. In an attempt to reverse a perceived growing disinterest by students to science (Goodrum, Druhan & Abbs, 2011), a study was initiated based on a student-centred unit designed to enhance and sustain adolescent engagement in science. The premise of the study was that adolescent students are more responsive toward learning if they are given an appropriate learning environment that helps connect their learning with life beyond the school. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of young adolescents with the aim of transforming school learning in science into meaningful experiences that connected with their lives. Two areas were specifically canvassed and subsumed within the study to strengthen the design base. One area that of the middle schooling ideology, offered specific pedagogical approaches and a philosophical framework that could provide opportunities for reform. The other area, the construct of scientific literacy (OECD, 2007) as defined by Holbrook and Rannikmae, (2009) appeared to provide a sense of purpose for students to aim toward and value for becoming active citizens. The study reported here is a self-reflection of a teacher/researcher exploring practice and challenging existing approaches to the teaching of science in the middle years of schooling. The case study approach (Yin, 2003) was adopted to guide the design of the study. Over a 6-month period, the researcher, an experienced secondary-science teacher, designed, implemented and documented a range of student-centred pedagogical practices with a Year-7 secondary science class. Data for this case study included video recordings, journals, interviews and surveys of students. Both quantitative and qualitative data sources were employed in a partially mixed methods research approach (Leech & Onwuegbuzie, 2009) dominated by qualitative data with the concurrent collection of quantitative data to corroborate interpretations as a means of analysing and developing a model of the dynamic learning environment. The findings from the case study identified five propositions that became the basis for a model of a student-centred learning environment that was able to sustain student participation and thus engagement in science. The study suggested that adolescent student engagement can be promoted and sustained by providing a classroom climate that encourages and strengthens social interaction. Engagement in science can be enhanced by presenting developmentally appropriate challenges that require rigorous exploration of contextually relevant learning environments; supporting students to develop connections with a curriculum that aligns with their own experiences. By setting an environment empathetic to adolescent needs and understandings, students were able to actively explore phenomena collaboratively through developmentally appropriate experiences. A significant outcome of this study was the transformative experiences of an insider, the teacher as researcher, whose reflections provide an authentic model for reforming pedagogy. The model and theory presented became an adjunct to my repertoire for science teaching in the middle years of schooling. The study was rewarding in that it helped address a void in my understanding of middle years of schooling by prompting me to re-think the notion of adolescence in the context of the science classroom. This study is timely given the report "The Status and Quality of Year 11 and 12 Science in Australian Schools" (Goodrum, Druhan & Abbs, 2011) and national curricular changes that are being proposed for science (ACARA, 2009).

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Mayaba, Nokhanyo Nomakhwezi. "The effect of a scientific literacy strategy on grade 6 and 7 learner's general literacy skills." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1012.

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In this study I investigated the effect of a science literacy strategy on the development of grade six and seven second-language learners’ general literacy skills in both their home language (isiXhosa) and language of instruction (English). The scientific literacy strategy used focuses on reading to learn science, writing to learn science, classroom discussion and argumentation. A mixed method design was used. Quantitative data were collected from baseline and post-testing of language skills of learners. Qualitative measures were generated through interviews of learners and teachers and classroom observations. The sample comprised of seven grades six and seven (multigrade classrooms) classes in seven primary schools situated in the rural areas near Hogsback in the Eastern Cape (five experimental schools and two control schools). Mean differences between the experimental and control groups for the reading, listening, writing and speaking aspects of the literacy tests were computed and the data generated were treated statistically using Analysis of Variance. The qualitative data were used to gain deeper insights into the quantitative results. The data suggest that the science literacy strategy statistically significantly improved the learners reading skills in English, their listening skills in both English and isiXhosa, and their writing skills in isiXhosa over a six-month period. Possible explanations for these results are that the reading material was in English only, extensive use of code-switching from English to Xhosa was made by the teachers while teaching, and that learner classroom discussion and writing in isiXhosa was encouraged.

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Sharp, L. Kathryn, and Rosemary Geiken. "Integrating Science and Literacy in Early Childhood: Hands-on Scientific Investigations and Literacy Strategies for Teachers." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2014. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4262.

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Naganuma, Shotaro. "An Assessment of Civic Scientific Literacy and Its Long-term Formation." Kyoto University, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/2433/232430.

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Wilder, Melinda Scholl. "Teachers' beliefs about scientific literacy and their implementation through curriculum change /." The Ohio State University, 1997. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1487943610784404.

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Ingram, Kenneth Phil. "The development of scientific concepts through literacy as a mediational tool." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2001. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1906.

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Cronin, Patrick Joseph. "A computer-assisted scientific literacy development plan for senior secondary students." Thesis, Curtin University, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/900.

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This study provides a definition of scientific literacy applicable to secondary school science students. The definition was developed from theories about cognitive processes, the discourse of science, the language register of science and cognitive writing processes. A computer-assisted Scientific Literacy Development Plan was formulated and classroom research undertaken to test its effectiveness. A model of cognitive writing was used as an application of the Scientific Literacy Development Plan in classroom research. The model is called a HyperCard Pathways writing model.The research methodology was a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods and took place in three phases over three academic school years. The HyperCard Pathways model of writing was developed in modules for the topics of the Year 11 Physics Extended Subject Framework of the Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia. Students used the modules for the completion of required pieces of writing in science as part of the requirements for the South Australian Certificate of Education. Results indicated that the Scientific Literacy Development Plan was an effective tool for the enhancement of scientific literacy of Year 11 physics students and there was potential for the use of the plan in other science subjects. A number of teachers incorporated the techniques of the Scientific Literacy Development Plan into their regular course schedules.In conjunction with the classroom research, a method to assess explanation genre essays was developed called the Scientific Explanation Genre Assessment Scheme. This was trialled independently of the trials of the Scientific Literacy Development Plan and was found to be used reliably by teachers of Year 11 physics. The effectiveness of the computer-assisted Scientific Literacy Development Plan was demonstrated by evidence of improvement in scientific writing beyond that of normal practice. The products of this research: lesson plans, computer discs, and supporting materials were developed to be of assistance to other teachers. The materials can be adapted to other modules in the science curricula, and, following this project some teachers have chosen to do this.

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Cronin, Patrick Joseph. "A computer-assisted scientific literacy development plan for senior secondary students." Curtin University of Technology, Science and Mathematics Education Centre, 1994. http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=14843.

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This study provides a definition of scientific literacy applicable to secondary school science students. The definition was developed from theories about cognitive processes, the discourse of science, the language register of science and cognitive writing processes. A computer-assisted Scientific Literacy Development Plan was formulated and classroom research undertaken to test its effectiveness. A model of cognitive writing was used as an application of the Scientific Literacy Development Plan in classroom research. The model is called a HyperCard Pathways writing model.The research methodology was a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods and took place in three phases over three academic school years. The HyperCard Pathways model of writing was developed in modules for the topics of the Year 11 Physics Extended Subject Framework of the Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia. Students used the modules for the completion of required pieces of writing in science as part of the requirements for the South Australian Certificate of Education. Results indicated that the Scientific Literacy Development Plan was an effective tool for the enhancement of scientific literacy of Year 11 physics students and there was potential for the use of the plan in other science subjects. A number of teachers incorporated the techniques of the Scientific Literacy Development Plan into their regular course schedules.In conjunction with the classroom research, a method to assess explanation genre essays was developed called the Scientific Explanation Genre Assessment Scheme. This was trialled independently of the trials of the Scientific Literacy Development Plan and was found to be used reliably by teachers of Year 11 physics. The effectiveness of the computer-assisted Scientific Literacy Development Plan was demonstrated by evidence of improvement in scientific ++
writing beyond that of normal practice. The products of this research: lesson plans, computer discs, and supporting materials were developed to be of assistance to other teachers. The materials can be adapted to other modules in the science curricula, and, following this project some teachers have chosen to do this.

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Laugksch, Rüdiger Christian. "Development of a test for scientific literacy and its application in assessing the scientific literacy of matriculants entering universities and technikons in the Western Cape, South Africa." Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17497.

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Bibliography: p. [331]-349.
This exploratory study was conducted against the background of immediate post-apartheid South Africa in which the social upliftment and improvement of living conditions of all South Africans is regarded as of the highest priority. In a science- and technology-orientated world, science and technology is inextricably linked to this process. The purposes of this study were (a) to determine the level of scientific literacy of matriculants entering tertiary education in the Western Cape for the first time; (b) to describe patterns of scientific literacy levels with respect to selected demographic and other student background variables; and (c) to ascertain which student background variables appear to have the most influence in determining whether matriculants are scientifically literate or not. A survey was deemed to be appropriate for answering the above research questions. Underpinning the study was the development of a pool of scientific literacy test-items, from which a criterion-referenced, reliable, valid, and composite scientific literacy test instrument - the Test of Basic Scientific Literacy - could be constructed.

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Willison, John W. "Classroom factors affecting student scientific literacy: tales and their interpretation using a metaphoric framework." Thesis, Curtin University, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/268.

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The scientific literacy of four students in Year 8 was the main focus of one year of participant observer research. An interpretive research methodology was employed to generate tales about each student, in order to provide rich descriptions of the participation of these students in Science classes and in non-Science classes.A major theme was the complementarity of epistemological referents for scientific literacy. Objectivism, personal constructivism and social constructivism were identified as major referents for scientific literacy, and therefore as underpinning factors for the diversity of definitions of scientific literacy. Some authors have called for these referents to complement one another. In this study, I used the conceptual tool of metaphor to facilitate the holding together, in dialectical tension, of these often competing ideas.No a-priori notion of scientific literacy was adopted for the research, but an emergent theoretical framework for scientific literacy evolved. This metaphorical framework was shown to be a viable way of organising a diversity of literature-based definitions of scientific literacy. It was subsequently utilised to interpret the tales about the four students, and helped reveal significant themes.Foremost amongst the emerging research themes was equity of access into scientific literacy. Ten major assertions from the research provide different considerations of the ways that students access, or are denied access to, scientific literacy. Finally, implications of the three-metaphor framework for research, and speculations about its place in informing classroom practice are presented.

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Villanueva, Mary Grace Flores. "Integrated teaching strategies model for improved scientific literacy in second-language learners." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1107.

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The importance of a scientifically literate society is currently acknowledged both internationally and South Africa. The notion of scientific literacy in South Africa has emerged largely due to the government’s recognition of the role that science and technology plays in economic growth, employment creation, social redress and social development. However, in light of South Africa’s learner performance on international and national assessments such as TIMMS (2003) and PIRLS (2006), as well as the problems of teaching and learning in a second language, there appears to be a primary and pressing need to develop learners’ fundamental sense of scientific literacy (Norris & Phillips, 2003). Expanding learners’ ability to read, write and communicate in science may provide the necessary framework for engaging learners in the critical principles and foundations of the scientific endeavour (Hand, Prain, & Yore, 2001). As such, this study focuses on equipping and training grade six and seven science teachers to develop scientifically literate learners via professional development workshops with a strategy that supports reading, writing, talking and conducting (‘doing’) science through scientific investigations. The typology of triangulation and the mixed method research approach was supported by a fully mixed, concurrent, and equal status design (Leech & Onwuegbuzi, 2007). Quantitative data were collected from the baseline and post-intervention testing of learners’ problem solving skills, as well as their literacy skills in English and isiXhosa. Qualitative measures were generated through classroom observations, teacher interviews and learners’ science notebooks. The study was conducted in two different milieus in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The first setting, in the rural area of Tyumie Valley near the Hogsback Mountains, was comprised of a sample of grade six and seven (multi-grade classrooms) teachers (n=7) and learners (n=168) from five experimental schools and two comparison schools. The second setting, in the urban townships area east of Port Elizabeth, was comprised of a sample of grade six teachers (n=8) and learners (n=675) from six experimental schools and two comparison schools. Mean differences between the experimental and the comparison groups were computed for the Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM) and the literacy tests, and the data generated were treated with an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The data suggest that the scientific literacy strategy improved the experimental learners’ problem solving skills. Both experimental groups demonstrated greater gains than that of the comparison schools. However, statistically significant improvements were only detected in Port Elizabeth. Improvements in learners’ literacy skills in isiXhosa and English varied according to each milieu. While the teachers initially identified challenges to learners’ reading and writing abilities, the analysis of learners’ science notebooks suggested that they used writings to support their investigations. Some teachers cited difficulties with certain aspects of the model, such as problems with developing an investigable question and argumentation, yet overall, teachers found the strategy useful for developing learners’ language skills, as well for strengthening their pedagogical practices in science. Teachers’ gradual improvements in the use of the model suggest that they were able to use the scientific literacy strategy to support the cognitive and linguistic development of second-language learners.

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Lalonde, Lucie. "An examination of science fiction with a view towards improving scientific literacy." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape3/PQDD_0020/MQ47753.pdf.

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Almeida, Sara Raquel Vaz Correia de. "Avaliação da literacia científica da população residente nas freguesias urbanas da cidade Évora sobre a flora autóctone: uma abordagem com vista ao Museu Virtual da Biodiversidade (MVBIO)." Master's thesis, Universidade de Évora, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10174/21238.

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Este estudo tem como objectivo avaliar os conhecimentos da população residente na cidade de Évora sobre a biodiversidade urbana, nomeadamente, a flora autóctone. Recolheram-se os dados através de um inquérito por questionário, hetero-administrado, dirigido a uma amostra da população residente nas freguesias urbanas: identificação visual das espécies; designação comummente atribuída; habitat e estado de conservação; identificação das principais fontes de conhecimento sobre as espécies e identificação de usos, benefícios, riscos e/ou malefícios que lhes estão associados. Os resultados obtidos permitem concluir que a população conhece mais frequentemente espécies arbóreas, que o conhecimento é influenciado de forma mais expressiva pela faixa etária e pela área de residência e que a população associa mais benefícios do que malefícios às espécies identificadas. No contexto do Museu Virtual da Biodiversidade, os resultados obtidos possibilitam a criação de métodos de divulgação mais eficazes no que diz respeito à flora, o que, em última instância poderá ter um impacto positivo ao nível da literacia científica; ABSTRACT: Assessment of the scientific literacy of the dwellers in the urban parishes of Évora city about the autochthonous flora. An approach to the Virtual Museum of Biodiversity. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge of the resident population in the city of Évora about urban biodiversity, namely, native flora. The data were collected through a questionnaire survey, hetero-administered, directed to a sample of the population residing in urban parishes: visual identification of species; Commonly assigned designation; Habitat and conservation status; Identification of the main sources of knowledge about the species and identification of uses, benefits, risks and / or harm associated with them. The results obtained allow us to conclude that the population is more familiar with tree species, that knowledge is more significantly influenced by the age group and the area of residence, and that the population associates more benefits than harm to the species identified. In the context of the Virtual Museum of Biodiversity, the results obtained allow the creation of more effective methods of dissemination about flora, which, ultimately can have a positive impact on scientific literacy.

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Hill, John Orford. "Scientific literacy and the reform of science education in Australia a chemistry perspective /." Connect to this title online, 2006. http://eprints.unimelb.edu.au/archive/00001298/.

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Hagerman, Charlotte L. "Effects of the 5E learning cycle on student content comprehension and scientific literacy." Montana State University, 2012. http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2012/hagerman/HagermanC0812.pdf.

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In this investigation the 5E learning cycle was implemented as the primary teaching method, with the purpose of improving student's content comprehension and scientific literacy skills. The steps of the 5E learning cycle were continuously carried out using a wide variety of assessments. Though content comprehension did not increase dramatically, students did show marked improvement in their scientific literacy and ability to think critically.

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Orford, Hill John. "Scientific literacy and the reform of science education in Australia : a chemistry perspective /." Connect to thesis, 2005. http://eprints.unimelb.edu.au/archive/00001298.

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Cook, Julie M. "Discovering how scientific literacy has been positioned in the new Australian curriculum : science." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2013. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/61957/1/Julie_Cook_Thesis.pdf.

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Through the use of critical discourse analysis, this thesis investigated the perceived importance of scientific literacy in the new Australian Curriculum: Science. It was found that scientific literacy was ambiguous, and that the document did not provide detailed scope for intentional teaching for scientific literacy. To overcome this, recommendations on how to intentionally teach for scientific literacy were provided, so that Australian Science teachers can focus on improving scientific literacy outcomes for all students within this new curriculum.

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Willison, John William. "Classroom factors affecting student scientific literacy : tales and their interpretation using a metaphoric framework /." Full text available, 2000. http://adt.curtin.edu.au/theses/available/adt-WCU20030702.104943.

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Kreft, Michaela Stephanie. "Wissenschaftsorientierter Biologieunterricht in Museum und Schule : empirische Studie zur effektiven Vermittlung von scientific literacy." kostenfrei, 2007. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:5N-13072.

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Cross, Sarah M. "Exploring the Use of Socioscientific Issues-Based Curriculum to Promote Scientific and Agricultural Literacy." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1562691245953197.

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Struthers, Amber Lee. "The Relationship between Science Curriculum Aligned to Common Core State Standards and Scientific Literacy." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1628.

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Supporting the development of scientifically literate students is a priority in public school education, and understanding how that development is influenced by the Common Core State Standards is vital to quality science education. However, little quantitative research has been conducted about how the Common Core State Standards impact science education. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine how the alignment of science curriculum and instruction to the Common Core English Language Arts State Standards impacts the development of students' scientific literacy skills. Bybee's framework for scientific literacy provided the theoretical framework. Participants included 7 middle school students in Grades 5-8 in a rural community located in the western region of the United States. The summer school science intervention teacher integrated Common Core English Language Arts Standards into a biological science curriculum developed by Marsh. Scientific literacy was determined by student results on released items from the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. Results from assessments in this study indicated an improvement of 5.5% when comparing pre to posttest scores in scientific literacy, though not statistically significant when analyzed using ANOVA. Recommendations include a need to increase research in rural education about scientific literacy for K-12 students, and about the impact of Common Core State Standards on science instruction. This study contributes to positive social change by providing educators and researchers with a deeper understanding of how to improve science literacy for all students.

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Willison, John W. "Classroom factors affecting student scientific literacy: tales and their interpretation using a metaphoric framework." Curtin University of Technology, Science and Mathematics Education Centre, 2000. http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=12881.

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The scientific literacy of four students in Year 8 was the main focus of one year of participant observer research. An interpretive research methodology was employed to generate tales about each student, in order to provide rich descriptions of the participation of these students in Science classes and in non-Science classes.A major theme was the complementarity of epistemological referents for scientific literacy. Objectivism, personal constructivism and social constructivism were identified as major referents for scientific literacy, and therefore as underpinning factors for the diversity of definitions of scientific literacy. Some authors have called for these referents to complement one another. In this study, I used the conceptual tool of metaphor to facilitate the holding together, in dialectical tension, of these often competing ideas.No a-priori notion of scientific literacy was adopted for the research, but an emergent theoretical framework for scientific literacy evolved. This metaphorical framework was shown to be a viable way of organising a diversity of literature-based definitions of scientific literacy. It was subsequently utilised to interpret the tales about the four students, and helped reveal significant themes.Foremost amongst the emerging research themes was equity of access into scientific literacy. Ten major assertions from the research provide different considerations of the ways that students access, or are denied access to, scientific literacy. Finally, implications of the three-metaphor framework for research, and speculations about its place in informing classroom practice are presented.

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Tramullas, Jesús, and Ana I. Sánchez-Casabón. "Scientific information retrieval behavior: A case study in students of Philosophy." Madrid: Univ. Autónoma de Madrid, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/252852.

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The behavior and patterns of recovery and processing of digital information by users is a recurring theme in the literature. The study of these behaviors are carried out through observation techniques and analysis of processes, actions and decisions undertaken by users in different situations. This paper presents the data resulting from the study of patterns of recovery and management of reference information of three consecutive courses of a specialized subject. The findings obtained showed a clear difference between patterns of information retrieval and obtained prior to the end of the training process, but there has been a significant change in the ultimate goal of users or appreciable changes in their prospects for application in other environments.

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Parrott, Deborah, and Reneé C. Lyons. "Adventure Driven Non-Fiction Spawns Reading and Scientific Learning." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2016. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/2374.

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Modern day children's and young adult non-fiction is replete with books which highlight scientific efforts (treks, safaris, journeys, expeditions) to confront environmental challenges , such texts prevalent in Siebert and Orbis Pictus listings. This presentation will build school librarian awareness of such adventurous selections, provide text-based activities conducive to collaborative efforts with science teachers (multiple grade levels will be addressed), and introduce reading promotion plans and activities based in these award-winning works of literature. First, as an icebreaker, attendees will be asked to imagine a world without...(one planted attendee will stand up with a picture of a species depicted in the books highlighted in the session. This will occur each time a new book is introduced as "breathers" and "attention-grabbers."). The program will open with awareness-based talks (book trailers, audio clips, and author interviews will also be shared) relaying the poignant documented rescue and preservation efforts found in such books, (for example, Parrots Over Puerto Rico). School librarians will discover the engaging nature of these selections based in science, yet perfect for pleasure reading. Next, participants will be provided real-world Common Core (ELA Standards) unit and lesson plan ideas which also contemplate science based standards (i.e. interpret information in charts, graphs, and diagrams). Essentially, participants will come away with the means of developing librarian/science teacher collaborative partnerships. Additionally, a reading promotion plan for each book featured will also be introduced. Participants will be encouraged to elaborate upon and/or provide comments in association with 1) associated texts; 2) collaborative lesson planning with science instructors; and/or 3) reading promotion based in STEM non-fiction materials.

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Mahboubi, Henni. "Visioner och emfaser i naturvetenskaplig undervisning : En kvalitativ studie om hur en lärare uttrycker ambitioner kring naturvetenskaplig undervisnig och hur dessa tar sig uttryck i praktiken." Thesis, Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för matematikämnets och naturvetenskapsämnenas didaktik, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-78281.

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This study examines a primary school teacher’s ambitions within science education and how those ambitions manifest in the classroom. This is being examined by interview with the mentioned teacher and by observations as a participant within four of the teacher’s science classes. The results of this study is categorized and analyzed with assistance of scientific literacy, vision I and vision II, fundamental scientific literacy and Roberts’ curriculum emphases. The results of the study points at both similarities and indifferences between what the teacher expresses as ambitions, and how science classes are being constituted and organized. In the light of this result, a discussion takes place around what these similarities and indifferences can be products of.

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Oliveira, Nuno Filipe Santos. "Laboratório de Paisagem: metodologia aplicada ao ensino da Arquitectura Paisagista. Caso de estudo: Terra da Mata de Baixo, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa, Portugal." Master's thesis, ISA/UTL, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/5659.

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Mestrado em Arquitectura Paisagista - Instituto Superior de Agronomia
The experience of seven years of work as landscape architect is the starting point to dedicate this thesis to the graduation university and their formation syllabus. The constant review and reflection on knowledge and the need and interest for new experimentation themes within the landscape were other facts that contributed to the formation of this thesis which combines aspects of teaching and research strand. The research for Landscape Laboratory was done under the criterion of the existence of installed projects or spaces that use a same name. The intervention aims to be applicable to any physical space, which presupposes a prior component of spatial characterization of the site and an intervention plan in part of the formation syllabus, a methodology applied to the teaching of landscape architecture, which includes the action on 13 (thirteen) of that degree disciplines. The objective of this theme is also to submit a proposal for action which promotes the effective development of other types of relations, like in other institutions or universities, between the Institute of Agronomics (ISA) and the students outside their curriculum and the community in general, to improve his own visibility and interest in the management level of his outdoor spaces.

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Erbas, Kadir Can. "Factors Affecting Scientific Literacy Of Students In Turkey In Programme For International Student Assessment (pisa)." Master's thesis, METU, 2005. http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/2/12606105/index.pdf.

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The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that are related to scientific literacy of 15-year old students in Turkey in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data. Two groups of variables were considered for the analyses. In the first group
number of books at home and attendance to preschool, attitudes towards school, student-teacher relation, feeling of loneliness, remedial study and homework and attending out-of-school courses were taken as variables that are related to scientific literacy. In the second group, basically, variables that are related to computer literacy and usage were considered. These variables are: frequency of using internet, frequency of using computer, basic computer skills, advanced computer skills and attitudes towards computer. The results indicated that quality of student-teacher relation, the number of books at home and attendance to preschool education, use of internet and basic computer skills are positively related to scientific literacy measures of the students. As expected, student feeling of loneliness has negative impact on literacy skills. Remedial classes conducted by schools and homework assignments have positive effect on school related attitude, but they cannot contribute scientific literacy skills of the students. Outside school private courses has positive relation with the scientific literacy, but this effect rather seems coming from family background characteristics. Use of internet and basic computer skills might have positive relation with both attitudes towards computer and scientific literacy, but use of software programs and advanced computer skills indicated negative relationship with the scientific literacy measures of the students.

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Chabalengula, Vivien Mweene Lorsbach Anthony W. "The nature and extent of scientific literacy themes coverage in Zambian high school biology curriculum." Normal, Ill. : Illinois State University, 2006. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=1251867051&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1178198735&clientId=43838.

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Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006.
Title from title page screen, viewed on May 3, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Anthony W. Lorsbach (chair), Karen K. Lind, Cynthia J. Moore, Thomas P. Crumpler. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 164-176) and abstract. Also available in print.

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Cook, Melissa R. "Examining students' attitudes towards science and scientific literacy in a non-science major, interdisciplinary course." Virtual Press, 2005. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1317928.

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Tomas, Louisa. "Merging fact with fiction : a study of year 9 students' developing scientific literacy through the writing of hybridised scientific narratives on a socioscientific issue." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2010. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/34404/1/Louisa_Tomas_Thesis.pdf.

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International assessments of student science achievement, and growing evidence of students' waning interest in school science, have ensured that the development of scientific literacy continues to remain an important educational priority. Furthermore, researchers have called for teaching and learning strategies to engage students in the learning of science, particularly in the middle years of schooling. This study extends previous national and international research that has established a link between writing and learning science. Specifically, it investigates the learning experiences of eight intact Year 9 science classes as they engage in the writing of short stories that merge scientific and narrative genres (i.e., hybridised scientific narratives) about the socioscientific issue of biosecurity. This study employed a triangulation mixed methods research design, generating both quantitative and qualitative data, in order to investigate three research questions that examined the extent to which the students' participation in the study enhanced their scientific literacy; the extent to which the students demonstrated conceptual understanding of related scientific concepts through their written artefacts and in interviews about the artefacts; and the extent to which the students' participation in the project influenced their attitudes toward science and science learning. Three aspects of scientific literacy were investigated in this study: conceptual science understandings (a derived sense of scientific literacy), the students' transformation of scientific information in written stories about biosecurity (simple and expanded fundamental senses of scientific literacy), and attitudes toward science and science learning. The stories written by students in a selected case study class (N=26) were analysed quantitatively using a series of specifically-designed matrices that produce numerical scores that reflect students' developing fundamental and derived senses of scientific literacy. All students (N=152) also completed a Likert-style instrument (i.e., BioQuiz), pretest and posttest, that examined their interest in learning science, science self-efficacy, their perceived personal and general value of science, their familiarity with biosecurity issues, and their attitudes toward biosecurity. Socioscientific issues (SSI) education served as a theoretical framework for this study. It sought to investigate an alternative discourse with which students can engage in the context of SSI education, and the role of positive attitudes in engaging students in the negotiation of socioscientific issues. Results of the study have revealed that writing BioStories enhanced selected aspects of the participants' attitudes toward science and science learning, and their awareness and conceptual understanding of issues relating to biosecurity. Furthermore, the students' written artefacts alone did not provide an accurate representation of the level of their conceptual science understandings. An examination of these artefacts in combination with interviews about the students' written work provided a more comprehensive assessment of their developing scientific literacy. These findings support extensive calls for the utilisation of diversified writing-to-learn strategies in the science classroom, and therefore make a significant contribution to the writing-to-learn science literature, particularly in relation to the use of hybridised scientific genres. At the same time, this study presents the argument that the writing of hybridised scientific narratives such as BioStories can be used to complement the types of written discourse with which students engage in the negotiation of socioscientific issues, namely, argumentation, as the development of positive attitudes toward science and science learning can encourage students' participation in the discourse of science. The implications of this study for curricular design and implementation, and for further research, are also discussed.

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Wickman, Chad. "Displays of Knowledge: Text Production and Media Reproduction in Scientific Practice." [Kent, Ohio] : Kent State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=kent1247068612.

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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Kent State University, 2009.
Title from OhioLINK ETD abstract webpage (viewed March 12, 2010). Advisor: Christina Haas. Keywords: Scientific writing; rhetoric of science; writing in the disciplines; multimodality; semiotics; visual rhetoric; technical writing; ethnography; workplace literacy. Includes bibliographical references.

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Lehr, Jane L. "Social Justice Pedagogies and Scientific Knowledge: Remaking Citizenship in the Non-Science Classroom." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/28335.

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This dissertation contributes to efforts to rethink the meanings of democracy, scientific literacy, and non-scientist citizenship in the United States. Beginning with questions that emerged from action research and exploring the socio-political forces that shape education practices, it shows why non-science educators who teach for social justice must first recognize formal science education as a primary site of training for (future) non-scientist citizens and then prepare to intervene in the dominant model of scientifically literate citizenship offered by formal science education. This model of citizenship defines (and limits) appropriate behavior for non-scientist citizens as acquiescing to the authority of science and the state by actively demarcating science from non-science, experts from non-experts, and the rational from the irrational. To question scientific authority is to be scientifically illiterate. This vision of 'acquiescent democracy' seeks to end challenges to the authority of science and the state by ensuring that scientific knowledge is privileged in all personal and public decision-making practices, producing a situation in which it becomes natural for non-scientist citizens to enroll scientific knowledge to naturalize oppression within our schools and society. It suggests that feminist and equity-oriented science educators, by themselves, are unable or unwilling to challenge certain assumptions in the dominant model of scientifically literate citizenship. Therefore, it is the responsibility of non-science educators who teach for social justice to articulate oppositional models of non-scientist citizenship and democracy in their classrooms and to challenge the naturalized authority of scientific knowledge in all aspects of our lives. It demonstrates how research in the field of Science & Technology Studies can serve as one resource in our efforts to intervene in the dominant model of scientifically literate citizenship and to support a model of democracy that encourages the critical engagement of and opposition to scientific knowledge and the state.
Ph. D.

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Airey, John. "Science, Language, and Literacy : Case Studies of Learning in Swedish University Physics." Doctoral thesis, Uppsala : Uppsala universitet, 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-9547.

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Goodman, Susan. "An investigation into improving scientific literacy in Israeli university students within an academic English reading programme." Thesis, University of Sussex, 2016. http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/65084/.

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The commitment to improving scientific literacy is voiced by governments throughout the world. One of the main objectives is the development of an informed and active citizenry able to participate in decision-making processes concerning socio-scientific issues (SSIs). There is a growing literature which suggests that engaging with the complexity of SSIs demands a high level of critical-thinking skills. These skills include: open-mindedness, independence, and scepticism. This three-year long study attempted to develop an intervention which will, in particular, provide subjects with an ability to be more open-minded, evaluate counter opinions, and respect those holding such opinions. The importance of developing an ability to value the ‘other' emerged from years of teaching academic English within an Israeli university, where initiating fruitful classroom discussion was problematic. The lack of dialogue resulted from individuals voicing strongly held opinions and seeming to be unable to acknowledge, and evaluate opposing views. This project was designed as an action research study. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected, and analysed within an interpretive framework. As both the researcher and researched, many of my teaching methods were modified during the course of this study, including the introduction of pair-work in class. The study was conducted in three cycles over three consecutive years, primarily with two classes (one humanities and one science) in the pre-academic, mechina, program of an Israeli university. The mechina is a year-long programme and the students I taught had a single semester of English. This meant that three different cohorts of students were studied, (there were always 25-30 students in each class, so about 50 students were studied each year). The classes I taught were proficient in English, and were required to do a research project as part of the course. This project became my intervention. I developed a project based on devil's advocate which required them to choose an SSI that interested them, write a statement of their opinion, and then, much to their astonishment, find evidence to support the counter opinion. I gave a lesson on how to evaluate sources available on the internet. Although the project was set up as a standard research exercise, which is what they expected, the majority of students identified that this project made them more aware of the value of counter opinions – more ‘open-minded'. The primary method for collecting feedback on the project, and on other aspects of my course, utilized a projective technique – students wrote their views anonymously on a piece of paper; these are then analysed by coding the responses. This study also employed questionnaires, which were given to all students. These showed that the majority had little or no science education in high school, and yet registered high levels of interest in science and technology on a three-level Likert item. These findings add support to research that shows the more science studied in high school the lower the interest in the subject. Furthermore, by including a standard VOSTS (Views On Science-Technology-Society) I was able to show that my students believed the general public should participate in governmental decisions relating to SSIs. Responses to open-ended questions showed that most students, including those in the humanities, believed everyone should take science courses at university, and should have science classes in school (though not the current curriculum). In conclusion, this research indicated that interest in science was not related to studying the current school science curriculum. And feedback from the intervention demonstrated that students could be aware of a change in their cognitive skills, and independently acknowledge the importance of being open-minded – an important step towards promoting an active, informed, scientifically literate society.

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Yilmaz, Haci Bayram. "Turkish Students’ Scientific Literacy Scores: A Multilevel Analysis of Data from Program for International Student Assessment." The Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1259620839.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Scientific literacy'

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