Developing knower legitimation among disadvantaged learners during a science fair project planning intervention

Angela Stott

doi:10.29333/ejmste/15669

Full Text (PDF)

Angela Stott ¹ ^*

More Detail

¹ University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, SOUTH AFRICA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Science fair projects require knowledge-building (knower legitimation), whereas school science focuses on knowledge reproduction (knowledge legitimation), particularly in disadvantaged contexts. This mixed-methods case study investigates the rate, success, and retarding factors relevant to knowledge-knower legitimation within a 6-hour science fair project planning intervention for grade 9 South African learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. The 756 questions written by 86 participants were categorized according to knowledge-knower legitimation, logic, and comprehensibility for four points across the intervention. Additionally, the teacher-researcher’s reflective notes were analyzed inductively. Some knower legitimation was adopted, but incomprehensibility, illogicality, superficial compliance to the scaffolding templates, and resilience of knowledge legitimation dominated. Limited knowledge of science content and practical procedures retarded outcome attainment. A qualifying pre-competition with a knowledge focus, followed by interventions to convert these according to a relatively elite focus, is argued for. The study explicates crucial but generally hidden aspects of inquiry.

Keywords

epistemology
Expo for Young Scientists
inquiry learning and teaching
legitimation code theory
science education
science fair project planning
science content knowledge

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 20, Issue 12, December 2024, Article No: em2547

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15669

Publication date: 03 Dec 2024

Article Views: 163

Article Downloads: 66

Open Access References How to cite this article

References

Alant, B. P. (2010). “We cross night”: Some reflections on the role of the ESKOM Expo for Young Scientists as a means of accommodating disadvantaged learners into the field of science and technology. Perspectives in Education, 28(4), 1-10. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/pie/article/view/76938
Bayat, A., Louw, W., & Rena, R. (2014). The impact of socio-economic factors on the performance of selected high school learners in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Journal of Human Ecology, 45(3), 183-196. https://doi.org/10.1080/09709274.2014.11906692
Bowen, G. M., & Stelmach, B. (2020). Parental helping with science fair projects: A case study. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 20, 342-354. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42330-020-00087-6
Bray, T. M. (2021). Shadow education in Africa: Private supplementary tutoring and its policy implications. Comparative Education Research Center, The University of Hong Kong. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003317593-6
Delisi, J., Kook, J. F., Fields, E., Winfield, L., & Levy, A. J. (2020). An examination of the features of science fairs that support students‘ understandings of science and engineering practices. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 58(4), 491-519. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21669
Emden, M. (2021). Reintroducing “the” scientific method to introduce scientific inquiry in schools? A cautioning plea not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Science & Education, 30(5), 1037-1073. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-021-00235-w
Gaigher, E., Hattingh, A., Lederman, J., & Lederman, N. (2022). Understandings about scientific inquiry in a South African school prioritizing STEM. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 26(1), 13-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/18117295.2022.2056373
Guthrie, G. (2021). Foundations of classroom change in developing countries. In Classroom change in developing countries (Vol. 2, Issue February). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351130479
Ioannidou, O., & Erduran, S. (2021). Beyond hypothesis testing: Investigating the diversity of scientific methods in science teachers’ understanding. Science and Education, 30(2), 345-364. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-020-00185-9
Kibirige, I., Teffo, W. L., & Singh, S. (2022). Investigating teachers’ perceptions of facilitating scientific investigations. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 18(2), Article em2074. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11511
Kind, P., & Osborne, J. (2017). Styles of scientific reasoning: A cultural rationale for science education? Science Education, 101(1), 8-31. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21251
Klahr, D., & Dunbar, K. (1988). Dual space search during scientific reasoning. Cognitive Science, 12(1), 1-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/0364-0213(88)90007-9
Lesiak, J., & Bradley-Johnson, S. (1983). Reading assessment for placement and programming. Charles C Thomas.
MacRitchie, F. (2018). The need for critical thinking and the scientific method. CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781351255875
Maton, K. (2013). Knowledge and knowers: Towards a realist sociology of education. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203885734
Maton, K., & Chen, R. T.-H. (2019). Specialization codes: Knowledge, knowers and student success. In J. R. Martin, K. Maton, & Y. J. Doran (Eds.), Accessing academic discourse (pp. 35-58). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429280726-2
Mupezeni, S., & Kriek, J. (2018). Out-of-school activity: A comparison of the experiences of rural and urban participants in science fairs in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(8), Article em1577. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/92041
Mupira, P., & Ramnarain, U. D. (2018). The effect of inquiry-based learning on the achievement goal-orientation of grade 10 physical sciences learners at township schools in South Africa. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 55(6), 810-825. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21440
Naidoo, K. (2021). Understanding self-regulated learning and self-efficacy in project-based activities: Case studies of selected Eskom Expo for Young Scientists alumni. In J. Butler-Adam (Ed.), STEMI Olympiads and Competitions Community of Practice Conference (pp. 65-87). South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement. http://www.saasta.ac.za/saasta_wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/2021-STEMI-Community-of-Practice-Conference-Proceedings.pdf
Ngcoza, K. M., Sewry, J., Chikunda, C., & Kahenge, W. (2016). Stakeholders’ perceptions of participation in science expos: A South African case study. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 20(2), 189-199. https://doi.org/10.1080/18117295.2016.1192238
Okitowamba, O., Julie, C., & Mbekwa, M. (2018). The effects of examination-driven teaching on mathematics achievement in grade 10 school-based high-stakes examinations. Pythagoras, 39(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/pythagoras.v39i1.377
Osborne, J. (2014). Teaching scientific practices: Meeting the challenge of change. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 25(2), 177-196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-014-9384-1
Pedaste, M., Mäeots, M., Siiman, L. A., De Jong, T., Van Riesen, S. A. N., Kamp, E. T., Manoli, C. C., Zacharia, Z. C., & Tsourlidaki, E. (2015). Phases of inquiry-based learning: Definitions and the inquiry cycle. Educational Research Review, 14, 47-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2015.02.003
Penn, M., & Ramnarain, U. D. (2022). South African grade 12 science students’ understandings of scientific inquiry. Science & Education, 31(3), 635-656. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-021-00259-2
Ramnarain, U. D. (2020). Exploring the autonomy of South African school science students when doing investigative inquiries for a science fair. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 16(12), Article em1911. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/9128
Ramnarain, U. D., & Hlatswayo, M. (2018). Teacher beliefs and attitudes about inquiry-based learning in a rural school district in South Africa. South African Journal of Education, 38(1), 51-61. https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v38n1a1431
Ramnarain, U. D., & Hobden, P. (2015). Shifting South African learners towards greater autonomy in scientific investigations. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 47(1), 94-121. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2014.966153
Ramnarain, U. D., & Schuster, D. (2014). The pedagogical orientations of South African physical sciences teachers towards inquiry or direct instructional approaches. Research in Science Education, 44(4), 627-650. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-013-9395-5
Reddy, V., Visser, M., Winnaar, L., Arends, F., Juan, A. L., Prinsloo, C., & Isdale, K. (2016). TIMSS 2015: Highlights of mathematics and science achievement of grade 9 South African learners. Human Sciences Research Council. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/10673
Schmidt, K. M., & Kelter, P. (2017). Science fairs: A qualitative study of their impact on student science inquiry learning and attitudes toward STEM. Science Educator, 25(2), 126-132. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1132100
Smith, R., Snow, P., Serry, T., & Hammond, L. (2021). The role of background knowledge in reading comprehension: A critical review. Reading Psychology, 42(3), 214-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2021.1888348
Spaull, N. (2013). Poverty & privilege: Primary school inequality in South Africa. International Journal of Educational Development, 33(5), 436-447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2012.09.009
Spaull, N., & Jansen, J. D. (2019). South African schooling: The enigma of inequality. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18811-5
Spaull, N., & Pretorius, E. (2019). Still falling at the first hurdle: Examining early grade reading in South Africa. In N. Spaull, & J. Jansen (Eds.), South African schooling: The enigma of inequality (pp. 147-168). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18811-5_8
Spaull, N., Pretorius, E., & Nompumelelo, M. (2020). Investigating the comprehension iceberg: Developing empirical benchmarks for early-grade reading in agglutinating African languages. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v10i1.773
Stott, A. E. (2017). The effectiveness of a conceptually focused out-of-class intervention on promoting learning of electricity by township learners. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 21(3), 304-315. https://doi.org/10.1080/18117295.2017.1371981
Stott, A. E. (2018). Are instructivist pedagogies more appropriate for learning the sciences in South African low-quintile schools than western literature suggests? Journal of Education, 71, 39-57.
Stott, A. E. (2019). The efficacy of an extracurricular inquiry programme on grade 8 and 9 South African low quintile learners’ science learning. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 23(2), 157-168. https://doi.org/10.1080/18117295.2019.1630112
Stott, A. E., & Beelders, T. (2019). The influence of science reading comprehension on South African township learners’ learning of science. South African Journal of Science, 115(1-2), 72-80. https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2019/5146
Stott, A. E., Dreyer, H., & Venter, P. (2015). Consequences of the progression law in the FET phase: a case study. Journal of Education, 63, 89-109. http://joe.ukzn.ac.za/Libraries/No_63_2015/Consequences_of_the_progression_law_in_the_FET_phase_A_case_study.sflb.ashx
Stott, A. E., & Duvenhage, M. (2023). The response of higher-achieving South African learners from poverty to an extracurricular mathematics-guided problem-based learning programme. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/18117295.2023.2275857
Taylor, D. (2011). ‘They are using laptops, we are using boxes’: Township learners’ conceptions of Expo. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 15(1), 67-79. https://doi.org/10.1080/10288457.2011.10740702
Willingham, D. T. (2008). Critical thinking: Why is it so hard to teach? Arts Education Policy Review, 109(4), 21-32. https://doi.org/10.3200/AEPR.109.4.21-32
Young, M. (2013). Overcoming the crisis in curriculum theory: A knowledge-based approach. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 45(2), 101-118. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2013.764505
Zacharia, Z. C., Manoli, C., Xenofontos, N., de Jong, T., Pedaste, M., van Riesen, S. A. N., Kamp, E. T., Mäeots, M., Siiman, L., & Tsourlidaki, E. (2015). Identifying potential types of guidance for supporting student inquiry when using virtual and remote labs in science: A literature review. Educational Technology Research and Development, 63(2), 257-302. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-015-9370-0

How to cite this article

APA

Stott, A. (2024). Developing knower legitimation among disadvantaged learners during a science fair project planning intervention. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 20(12), em2547. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15669

Vancouver

Stott A. Developing knower legitimation among disadvantaged learners during a science fair project planning intervention. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2024;20(12):em2547. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15669

AMA

Stott A. Developing knower legitimation among disadvantaged learners during a science fair project planning intervention. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2024;20(12), em2547. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15669

Chicago

Stott, Angela. "Developing knower legitimation among disadvantaged learners during a science fair project planning intervention". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2024 20 no. 12 (2024): em2547. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15669

Harvard

Stott, A. (2024). Developing knower legitimation among disadvantaged learners during a science fair project planning intervention. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 20(12), em2547. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15669

MLA

Stott, Angela "Developing knower legitimation among disadvantaged learners during a science fair project planning intervention". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 20, no. 12, 2024, em2547. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15669