TY - JOUR

T1 - Objects prompt authentic scientific activities among learners in a museum programme

AU - Achiam, Marianne

AU - Simony, Leonora

AU - Lindow, Bent Erik Kramer

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Although the scientific disciplines conduct practical work in different ways, all considerpractical work as the essential way of connecting objects and phenomena with ideas and the abstract. Accordingly, practical work is regarded as central to science education as well. We investigate a practical, object-based palaeontology programme at a natural history museum to identify how palaeontological objects prompt scientific activity among upper secondary school students. We first construct a theoretical framework based on an analysis of the programme’s palaeontological content. From this, we build our reference model, which considers the specimens used in the programme, possible palaeontological interpretations of these specimens, and the conditions inherent in the programme. We use the reference model to analyse the activities of programme participants, and illustrate how these activities arepalaeontologically authentic. Finally, we discuss our findings, examining the mechanism by which the specimens prompt scientific activities. We also discuss our discipline-based approach, and how it allows us to positively identify participants’ activities as authentic. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings.

AB - Although the scientific disciplines conduct practical work in different ways, all considerpractical work as the essential way of connecting objects and phenomena with ideas and the abstract. Accordingly, practical work is regarded as central to science education as well. We investigate a practical, object-based palaeontology programme at a natural history museum to identify how palaeontological objects prompt scientific activity among upper secondary school students. We first construct a theoretical framework based on an analysis of the programme’s palaeontological content. From this, we build our reference model, which considers the specimens used in the programme, possible palaeontological interpretations of these specimens, and the conditions inherent in the programme. We use the reference model to analyse the activities of programme participants, and illustrate how these activities arepalaeontologically authentic. Finally, we discuss our findings, examining the mechanism by which the specimens prompt scientific activities. We also discuss our discipline-based approach, and how it allows us to positively identify participants’ activities as authentic. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - museum

KW - learning in museums

KW - palaeontology

KW - secondary school

KW - fossil

KW - Archaeopteryx

KW - modern birds

U2 - 10.1080/09500693.2016.1178869

DO - 10.1080/09500693.2016.1178869

M3 - Journal article

VL - 38

SP - 1012

EP - 1035

JO - International Journal of Science Education

JF - International Journal of Science Education

SN - 0950-0693

IS - 6

ER -