Teaching Scientific Communication Skills in Science Studies: Does It Make a Difference?

Autor/inn/en	Spektor-Levy, Ornit; Eylon, Bat-Sheva; Scherz, Zahava
Titel	Teaching Scientific Communication Skills in Science Studies: Does It Make a Difference?
Quelle	In: International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 7 (2009) 5, S.875-903 (29 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1571-0068
DOI	10.1007/s10763-009-9150-6
Schlagwörter	Program Effectiveness; Communication Skills; Models; Grade 7; Grade 8; Skill Development; Thinking Skills; Performance Based Assessment; Scientific Principles; Scientific Concepts; Science Instruction; Science Education; Science Curriculum; Science Process Skills; Teaching Methods; Learning Processes; Instructional Effectiveness; Questionnaires; Scientific Literacy; Science Tests + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Kommunikationsstil; Analogiemodell; School year 07; 7. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 07; School year 08; 8. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 08; Kompetenzentwicklung; Qualifikationsentwicklung; Denkfähigkeit; Leistungsermittlung; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Learning process; Lernprozess; Unterrichtserfolg; Fragebogen
Abstract	This study explores the impact of "Scientific Communication" (SC) skills instruction on students' performances in scientific literacy assessment tasks. We present a general model for skills instruction, characterized by explicit and spiral instruction, integration into content learning, practice in several scientific topics, and application of performance tasks. The model was applied through an instructional program that focuses on the following learning skills: information retrieval, scientific reading and writing, listening and observing, data representation, and knowledge presentation. Throughout the 7th-8th grades, 160 students learned the whole program or one of its components: "structured instruction (SI) of SC skills," or "performance tasks" (PT). A comparison group of 42 students did not receive instruction of SC skills. Students' performances were assessed through a questionnaire and a complex task that measured students' scientific content knowledge, SC skills, and the quality of the final products. Results indicated that students who learned the whole program or one of its components achieved higher scores in all categories than the comparison group students. High achievers can benefit from just one component of the program: either structured instruction (SI) or learning from practice (PT). However, they can hardly acquire SC skills spontaneously. Low and average achievers require both components of the SC program to improve their performances. Results show that without planned intervention, the spontaneous attainment of SC skills occurs only to a limited extent. Systematic teaching of skills can make a significant difference. The explicit instruction of skills integrated into scientific topics, the opportunities to implement the skills in different contexts, the role of performance tasks as "assessment for learning"--all these features are important and necessary for improving students' scientific literacy. Our general model of skills instruction can be applied to the instruction of other high-order skills. Its application can lead to the realization of the central goal of science education: literate students possessing scientific knowledg (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10