A study of the effect of group reflective reviewing activities on the understanding of the nature of science and of scientific inquiry in the outreach lab Backstage Science

Abstract

To have an appropriate understanding of the nature of sciences and of their processes (Nature of Science (NOS), Nature of Scientific Inquiry (NOSI)) affords citizens the opportunity to cultivate well-funded views on science. This is fundamental to enable informed participation. The development of concepts of NOS/I (CON) proceeds implicitly. Explicating the underlying connotations via reflective actions facilitates the CON development. Visitors of the BaSci outreach lab investigate scientific issues in mediated groups. For the reflection, a Reflective Reviewing Cafe (RC) is conducted. At three tables the students can reflect and interrelate the reasons of their actions. To determine the efficacy of the RC, 16 secondary level classes visit the BaSci lab. The CONs are determined with Pre-Post surveys and the RC dialogues. The results of the surveys reveal a positive effect of the RCs on several CON aspects if the lab was visited more than once. Also the RC dialogues show an increase in appropriate CON expressions. The discursivity of the RC seems to be a cause for the positive effect observed. Future research can enable the identification of additional mechanisms