Assessing understanding of the nature of science and science self-efficacy in undergraduates involved in research in an introductory geology course

摘要: We changed the curriculum of our introductory geology lab to include a six-week, student driven research project focused on local groundwater and surface water issues, seeking determine whether or not this experience was an effective means increase students’ understanding nature science self-efficacy towards science. In addition developing curriculum, we worked with other university faculty create hydrology station which included eight monitoring wells stream gage, allowing students collect their own water-level water-quality data as well retrieve automatically collected data. order measure understanding, used modified version Student Understanding Science Scientific Inquiry questionnaire (Liang et al., 2005; Clough, 2010). vocational survey (Riggs al. 1994) self-efficacy. Both instruments had average Cronbach’s alpha values >0.8, making them reliable for study. After three semesters collecting data, have found that authentic slightly improves, but does significantly overall Disaggregating into demographic sub-groups, increased relatively more in nonSTEM than STEM students, non-STEM students. 1 Department Geological Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University, elizabethlmoss@gmail.com 2 cinzia@iastate.edu 3 Physics Astronomy, University 4 Curriculum Instruction,