New publication in JCST

We recently published a paper in the Journal of College Science Teaching which describes research about the factors undergraduate students in an introductory science course utilize to make decisions about scientific issues that affect them. The focus here was on issues regarding water usage. For a pdf of this paper, click here.

Sabel, J.L., Vo, T., Alred, A., Dauer, J.M., & Forbes, C.T. (2017). Undergraduate students’ scientifically-informed decision-making about socio-hydrological issues. Journal of College Science Teaching. 46(6), 64-72.

Abstract: Although knowledge of disciplinary concepts and epistemic understanding of science are foundations of scientific literacy, students must learn to apply their knowledge to real-world situations. To engage effectively with contemporary water-related challenges with scientific and social dimensions, students need to understand the properties of water
and the nature of scientific processes and practices. However, students have difficulty in understanding core hydrologic concepts, and more work is needed to determine how they structure their decision making about socio-hydrological issues. In this study, we investigated undergraduate students’ decision making with a focus on the resources they leveraged to make and support their decisions about socio-hydrological issues. We show that students (a) more effectively articulated a decision than provided support for their decision, (b) typically either included both statements of scientific information and rationale for their opinions within their decision or included neither, and (c) have difficulty transferring the decision-making framework to a voting scenario. Findings provide insight into the development of scientific literacy and engagement with decision making about socio-hydrological issues among undergraduate students.

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One Response to New publication in JCST

  1. Pingback: Published research on undergrad students’ reasoning about water SSIs | Cory T Forbes

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