Introducing Scientific Uncertainty into Undergraduate Science Education to Improve Scientific Literacy

将科学不确定性引入本科科学教育以提高科学素养

• 批准号: 2314566
• 负责人: Brandon Boesch
• 金额: $ 39.6万
• 依托单位: MORNINGSIDE UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-02-15 至 2027-01-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2314566&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Introducing; Scientific; Uncertainty; into; Undergraduate

This project aims to serve the national interest through enhancing students’ scientific literacy by helping them develop a more complex understanding of scientific uncertainty. Science inherently involves a level of uncertainty – new information and data can change theories, predictions often come up short, and measurements can be imprecise. Introducing students to scientific uncertainty in science classes is expected to enhance students’ scientific literacy and ability to understand the uncertainties associated with scientific research and knowledge. The project will be an important opportunity to develop insights about how to teach scientific uncertainty at the undergraduate level–for which there is not yet any established research. The project will culminate in a guide designed to help faculty members at institutions across the country implement similar concepts in their own courses. Not only will enhanced understanding of scientific uncertainty help students to better understand the nature of science, but it will also help them communicate scientific findings more effectively with the broader public. The project thereby supports the NSF’s mission to promote the progress of science.There are two research goals of the project: exploring how the integration of scientific uncertainty within the context of existing STEM courses impacts (1) understanding of scientific uncertainty and (2) students’ ability to communicate about scientific uncertainty. It is expected that the integration of scientific uncertainty in STEM courses will positively impact both measures. The project will begin with a workshop offered to current faculty members at Morningside University which trains them in methods in teaching scientific uncertainty. Participating faculty members will design an uncertainty module to integrate into their courses which highlights scientific uncertainty in the context of the course material. The project team will conduct pre- and post-module implementation surveys and interviews (based on established measures of scientific literacy and uncertainty) to assess the changes in student perception and understanding of uncertainty as well as their ability to communicate what they have learned. The effectiveness of the modules will be evaluated by comparing the experimental group to control classes, where there is no added module about scientific uncertainty. Both within-group and between-group effects will be considered while controlling for outside factors, including instructor, major, rurality, and student gender. The NSF IUSE:EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目旨在通过帮助学生对科学不确定性产生更复杂的理解来提高学生的科学素养，从而服务于国家利益科学本质上涉及一定程度的不确定性——新的信息和数据可以改变理论，预测往往会失败，测量结果也可能会改变。在科学课程中向学生介绍科学不确定性有望提高学生的科学素养和理解与科学研究和知识相关的不确定性的能力。该项目将是深入了解如何教授科学不确定性的重要机会。本科水平——目前还没有该项目最终将形成一份指南，旨在帮助全国各地机构的教师在自己的课程中实施类似的概念，这不仅有助于学生更好地理解科学的本质。还帮助他们更有效地与更广泛的公众交流科学发现，从而支持 NSF 促进科学进步的使命。该项目有两个研究目标：探索如何将科学不确定性整合到现有的 STEM 课程中。影响 (1) 对科学不确定性的理解和(2) 学生交流科学不确定性的能力预计，科学不确定性融入 STEM 课程将对这两项指标产生积极影响。该项目将从为晨兴大学现有教员举办的研讨会开始，对他们进行方法培训。在教授科学不确定性时，参与的教师将设计一个不确定性模块，将其融入到课程中，以突出课程材料中的科学不确定性。项目团队将在模块实施前和实施后进行调查和访谈（根据既定措施）。科学素养和不确定性）来评估学生的变化对不确定性的感知和理解以及他们交流所学知识的能力将通过将实验组与对照组进行比较来评估，其中组内和组间都没有添加有关科学不确定性的模块。 - 在控制外部因素（包括教师、专业、农村地区和学生性别）的同时，将考虑群体效应。 NSF IUSE:EDU 计划支持研究和开发项目，通过学生的参与来提高 STEM 教育的有效性。轨道，该计划支持创建、探索和实施该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。