High school students' situational engagement associated with scientific practices in designed science learning situations

Janna Inkinen,Barbara Schneider,Kalle Juuti,Katariina Salmela‐Aro,Joseph Krajcik,Christopher Klager,Jari Lavonen

doi:10.1002/sce.21570

Abstract

AbstractThis study seeks to understand how different scientific practices in high school science classrooms are associated with student situational engagement. In this study, situational engagement is conceptualized as the balance between skills, interest, and challenge when the reported experiences are all high. In this study, data on situational engagement were collected using the experience sampling method (ESM) from 142 students in southern Michigan (the United States), resulting 993 ESM responses, and 133 students in southern Finland, resulting 1,351 responses. In both countries, scientific practices related to developing models and constructing explanations were associated with higher student situational engagement than other practices. In southern Finland, using a model was also associated with a high level of student situational engagement. The results indicate that students may experience situational engagement more often in science classrooms that use models than those that do not employ such practices. Thus, scientific practices related to models should be used frequently in science classrooms to situationally engage students while learning science.

Highlights

We need situationally engaged students in science classes for several reasons
In southern Michigan, the students were involved in four main scientific practices in their science lessons developing models, conducting an investigation, analyzing data, and using a model
The research supports previous findings that students can benefit from the use of the scientific practices in science lessons

Summary

Introduction

We need situationally engaged students in science classes for several reasons. Students who are situationally engaged are more likely to achieve better learning outcomes at school, benefit from their learning process Students who are situationally engaged are more likely to experience learning as rewarding and seek similar activities in the future (Marks, 2000). Focusing on student situational engagement instead of general engagement is beneficial and justifiable because situational variables can be enhanced and triggered by new and innovative classroom activities (Singh, Granville, & Dika, *). Identifying the association between situational variables such as interest, which is a precondition for situational engagement, and specific classroom activities can inform teachers and teacher educators about how to encourage students to study science

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Conclusion