“Listening” to Science: Science Podcasters’ View and Practice in Strategic Science Communication

We have witnessed an increasing amount of science podcasts, and it has emerged as an important venue for science communication. From a strategic science communication perspective, this study investigated how science podcasters view science communication–related goals and objectives, as well as the tactics they use in producing science communication content based on the theory of planned behavior. A survey ( N = 147) with science podcasters showed that they see excitement and interest in science as their most prioritized objective and present the value of science over time. In addition, our results showed that podcasters frequently use communication tactics, but it may not have resulted from planned strategic communication action. The findings of this study provide initial insight into podcasters’ views and practice as part of the science communication effort.

JUNIOR STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN SCIENCE COURSES BASED ON HOTS LITERACY PROGRAM: MODELING OF SCIENTIFIC INTEREST AND ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER COMPONENTS

This study aims to describe the pattern of relationships between several factors supporting interest (interest) in science subjects. Students get an Exercise Program to improve scientific literacy. This training program aims to improve students' scientific literacy skills. The training program is carried out after the teachers receive the training program. The study of students' interest in science was revealed by conducting a survey related to several factors supporting interest in science. Several factors in the study of supporting scientific interests include the role of teachers, parental support, school roles, peer support, physics, chemistry and biology materials. Research participants were taken using random sampling technique, totaling 39 students. The developed scientific literacy assistance program seeks to improve the quality of learning outcomes. The success of the scientific literacy training program is related to students' scientific interest. The results showed that the multiple linear regression model provides a descriptive numerical description of the empirical relationship between the value of interest in science and its supporting components. Likewise, interest has a role in learning achievement.

Students’ Reactions to Virtual Geological Field Trip to Baengnyeong Island, South Korea

In this study, we evaluated affective components of the learning processes of students after being exposed to a virtual geology field trip of the Baengnyeong Island, South Korea. Changes in students’ cognition of and interest in science and scientific attitude were measured before and after exposure to the virtual field trip. We exposed 106 middle school students to the program and our results revealed that this program had a positive impact on their scientific attitude (p value = 0.014) but no significant changes were observed in the students’ cognition of and interest in science (p value = 0.166). The significant finding from this study was that the VFT program can bring positive scientific attitude as a component of affective learning process. The affective learning process influences the cognitive learning processes and eventually the academic achievement of the students can be improved. In the students’ satisfaction survey, the highest satisfaction level was in the convenience of the program. As access to Baengnyeong island is limited, though the island is an ideal location for studying geological phenomena, the VFT can be a useful tool for instilling a positive scientific attitude in students via indirect field experience. It can be a good alternative to bridge the education gap between students with special needs who are less mobile and other students.

Effect of Embedded Careers Education in Science Lessons on Students’ Interest, Awareness, and Aspirations

In the last decades, secondary school students have indicated a low interest in science and a lack of awareness of authentic science careers that may impede their aspiration to work in science-related fields in future. To raise students’ aspirations, several studies used context-based approaches, but few integrated career aspects into the school curricula. Accordingly, this study aimed to promote lower secondary school students’ interest in and awareness of science careers by introducing science career-related scenarios reflected in a real-world context as embedded careers education in science lessons. In this study, we explored the effect of the interventions on students’ interest, awareness, and aspirations towards science careers using Estonian, Finnish, and German datasets. According to the results, the students participating in the project indicated a higher interest in science, aspiration towards science careers, and awareness of future careers than those who did not experience the embedded science career interventions. Also, the results showed that when students got more information about science careers at school, their interest in science was more easily transferred to their aspirations in science studies and careers. Thus, this result emphasizes the importance of fostering awareness of science careers at lower secondary schools in order to inspire young learners to engage in science studies and works in future.

Opinion of television managers about their viewers and their interest in science: audience images and lack of scientific content on television

Science does not occupy a prominent place on Spanish television, possibly due to those in charge of the creation, production, organization, and programming of content. Previous research has shown that television executives have mental images of their audiences that they actively use in their professional practice. This study adopts a mixed, qualitative-quantitative method to determine the beliefs of Spanish television executives regarding the attitudes of their audiences toward scientific programs and content. The study began with two focus groups, each made up of five professionals, to identify a wide range of attitudes. A Likert-scale questionnaire was then applied to examine the level of agreement with those attitudes among 450 employees of different types of private and public networks from six different regions of Spain. The main findings are that Spanish television managers do not believe that their viewers enjoy scientific topics or have any interest in them. However, professionals with previous experience of the production of scientific content tend to have a slightly more positive attitude about the opinion of general audiences regarding televised science. Hence, familiarity with televised science positively impacts the appreciation of such content on television. This research highlights the fundamental role of network managers in explaining the lack of science on Spanish media. Its results are coherent with previous studies confirming that TV professionals have preconceived images about their audiences that are derived from their own preferences and that guide their decisions.

Authentic STEM research, practices of science, and interest development in an informal science education program

Background Two critical challenges in science education are how to engage students in the practices of science and how to develop and sustain interest. The goal of this study was to examine the extent to which high school youth, the majority of whom are members of racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in STEM, learn the skills and practices of science and in turn develop interest in conducting scientific research as part of their career pursuits. To accomplish this goal, we applied Hidi and Renninger’s well-tested theoretical framework for studying interest development in the context of a museum-based, informal science education (ISE) program. We used a mixed methods approach, incorporating both survey and interview data, to address three research questions: (1) As youth engage in authentic science research, do they develop perceived competence in mastering the skills and practices of science? (2) Do participants increase, maintain, or decrease interest in science research as a result of this experience? (3) How does participation in scientific practices manifest in non-program contexts? Results Our study yielded three main results. First, we found that participants developed competence in mastering several of the skills and practices of science. Strikingly, there was significant improvement in self-reported level of competency for 15 specific research skills. Second, we found that participants maintained their interest in scientific research over time. Our post-survey results revealed that one hundred percent of students were either excited about or expressed deep interest in scientific research. Based on a Phases of Interest Development Rubric developed for this study, most participants exhibited emerging individual interest. Finally, participants exhibited significant increases in the frequency in which they engaged in scientific practices outside of the program. Conclusions Our findings suggest that participation in authentic research in an ISE context affords youth critical opportunities for gaining mastery of several of the skills and practices of science, which in turn reinforces, and in some cases increases participants’ interest in scientific research beyond the span of the program.

Attitudes towards physics. A study with high school students from the Colombian context

Science education should promote the development of competent students in science and develop their interest in science; however, although the role and relevance of science within society is evident; the interest towards it is not conscious, being the negative attitudes of the students the main problem in the teaching of physics, which translates into a deficient knowledge and lack of scientific vocation. This report aims to diagnose the attitudes of students in high school physics courses. The study was developed through a non-experimental, descriptive research design, obtained from the application of a Likert scale that evaluates attitudes towards physics, adapted and validated to the context of students in an educational institution in Colombia. The results indicate that the attitudes of the students are slightly favorable, which is an empirical precedent to continue with the studies on attitudes towards physic. This should be considered to enhance the learning processes in these students, especially for those who have their first approach to physical concepts and give importance to attitudes when teaching.

STEM IN MOVIES: FEMALE PRESERVICE TEACHERS' PERSPECTIVES ON MOVIE "HIDDEN FIGURES"

Movies are informal teaching tools to make teaching relevant to a diverse group of students. The use of movies may enhance students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). They can be effective tools to build students’ interest in STEM fields and raise their awareness of STEM and STEM careers. This study purpose was to identify STEM-related topics in the movie “Hidden Figures” and determine preservice female teachers’ views of it. The study sample included 19 female students. A qualitative phenomenological design research method was used. Data were collected using “the Movie Hidden Figures” and a “Semi-Structured Interview” forms. Qualitative data were analyzed using semiotics and content analysis. Analysis showed that Hidden Figures focus mostly on the theme of “gender perception in science” as well as “design process” and “advances in technology.” Participants believed that the movie had messages mostly of negative gender perception in science. Despite that, movies emphasized that women can be mathematicians, engineers, and scientists as men. They also stated that gender equality is crucial in education. They also advocated that mathematics and engineering are essential for technological progress and female scientists can play a more active role for achievement. Keywords: gender perception in science, hidden figures, women in movie, preservice teachers, STEM education

Period Poverty: A Risk Factor for People Who Menstruate in STEM

In the United States, lack of access to menstrual hygiene products (MHPs) is contributing to a serious problem, period poverty. Period poverty has negative impacts on physical and mental health, as well as long term decreased productivity in educational and professional outcomes. Therefore, it is critical that action be taken to reduce period poverty and improve menstrual equity particularly for young menstruators, as inaction can result in lasting negative effects on both health and prosperity. The inability to afford and access MHPs results in recurring absences from school, which is a critical time for nurturing interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). To ensure the development of a diverse STEM workforce, significant action needs to be taken to reduce period poverty and improve menstrual equity. We recommend instituting a requirement that all public K-12 schools provide free MHPs to students, an expansion of Section 2 of the Menstrual Equity for All Act of 2019 (ME4ALL Act, H.R. 1882).