Students from non‐dominant linguistic backgrounds making sense of cosmology visualizations

Abstract

AbstractThis article presents the results of exploratory research with community college students from non‐dominant linguistic backgrounds (NDLB) in an introductory astronomy class as they collaborated to reconstruct dynamic cosmology visualizations through drawing. Data included student discourse during the drawing activity, post‐activity interviews, and the drawings themselves. This work comes from the theoretical perspective that revealing student competence should be an essential part of science education research, and is guided by sociocultural theory. Results indicate that dynamic cosmology visualizations can support the development of cosmological literacy by facilitating heterogeneous sense‐making strategies. The activity of drawing the visualizations in groups created fluid, hybrid spaces where students could grapple directly with cosmology content while trying on the language of science. In light of these findings, the author argues that carefully incorporating collaborative activity around the interpretation of visualizations into learning environments can improve access to cosmology content for learners, particularly those who come from non‐dominant linguistic backgrounds. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 54: 29–57, 2017