Faculty Research Seminar 2013
Towards the assessment of components of scientific
literacy held by upper secondary school students
Regina Soobard (University of Tartu, Estonia)
This seminar is about my PhD
project related to the assessment of
components of scientific literacy
held by upper secondary school
students. Scientific literacy has
multiple defintitions. In current
study, scientific literacy is taken to
mean utilising science knowledge
and skills, particularly with
relevance to creative problem
solving and making reasoned
decision in real life situations and
having an awareness of one
competence in scientific literacy.
The instrument to collect data in current study among grade 10
(N=2217) and 11 (N=1821) students was compiled in two parts
based on a review of relevant international literature plus
competencies emphasised in the Estonian curriculum. The test
instrument used two contextualised interdisciplinary situations
and in the questionnaire, students` self-perceptions related to
cognitive components of scientific literacy, science subjects and
future career preferences were investigated. Preliminary findings
suggest that there is no sufficient shift from one grade to another
in components of scientific literacy identified in this study.
Nevertheless, the expectation is that students do enhance their
levels of scientific literacy and it is suggested there is a need to
re-thinking science teaching and learning approaches and the
manner in which science is introduced to students. More results
will be discussed in the seminar.
Regina Soobard is a PhD student
in science education from the
University of Tartu, Estonia. Her
research interests include mainly
scientific literacy and assessment.
She has supervised Master level
thesis related to the development of
context-based tasks for geography
lessons. She has also been
involved in international projects
(teacher training) and developed
teaching materials (modules) for
optional course (“Science,
Technology, Society”) in Estonia for
gymnasium students. In 2010, she
was a member of organising
committee of ICASE 2010, 3rd
Conference of Science and
Technology Education "Innovation
in Science and Technology
Education: Research, Policy,
Practice".
Regina Soobard is proudly hosted
by Professor Debbie Corrigan and
the Science Education Faculty
Research Group. For more
information, visit:
http://edu.monash.edu/research/gro
ups/science/
Date: Wednesday 9 October, 2pm –3pm
Clayton TLS110/6, Gippsland 2S.120,
Peninsula A2.34
**All Welcome**
Email: [email protected]
Inquiries
Faculty of Education Research Office
Tel: 9905 2814