Student Views on Science and the Scientific Process: Studying Changes Made in a Redesigned Introductory Astronomy Course

Details Student Views on Science and the Scientific Process: Studying Changes Made in a Redesigned Introductory Astronomy Course Student Views on Science and the Scientific Process: Studying Changes Made in a Redesigned Introductory Astronomy Course

Dec 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009aas...21361303p&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #213, #613.03

Mathematics

Logic

Scientific paper

The purpose of this study was to understand how non-science majors view science and the scientific process before and after an introductory non-major astronomy course at Oregon State University. Two top level questions were asked during the study of the redesigned astronomy course:

1. Do student views on the nature and process of science change after instruction using the redesigned lecture/lab instruction in the large enrollment non-major introductory astronomy course?
2. Is there any change in content gain when students are instructed using the redesigned large enrollment non-major introductory astronomy course?

Students were given the epistemological beliefs assessment for physical sciences survey (EBAPS) pre-instruction and post-instruction in order to track changes in their views on science. The astronomy diagnostic test (ADT) was given as a pre-instruction general content knowledge diagnostic, and examination scores were used to assess student content gain.
Studies about student episetomoliges have concentrated on major courses in most content areas. These courses are usually populated by students enrolled in a science discipline. Rarely do we study student epistemologies in the non-major course. When we do, we report how students view the content, but rarely do we report their overall view of science. Many more students receive their formal science instruction in non-major terminal courses, more so in astronomy than other disciplines.
During the 2006-2007 academic year we implemented an introductory astronomy course at Oregon State University using research-based lecture/lab instruction. Prior instruction methods for large enrollment lecture without lab courses have been developed by Zeilik et al. (1998) and Prather et al. (2004).
An initial study of student epistemologies in 2004 indicated a significant decrease in sophistication after instruction. After our instruction student epistemologies showed an increase in sophistication.
We also found no as instruction became more epistemologically focused there was an increase in exam averages.

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