Scientific jargon, entrenched teaching methods and student roles stifle science engagement

"How can you know if there is oxygen in a closed mine?" asks a science teacher while scanning their classroom of sixth graders for any takers. A shaky explanation referring to a computer game about mining and some inventive suggestions for testing that include everything from using a child to candles are promptly rejected, before the teacher provides the answer:

"You can do so with a canary," is the explanation, after which the teaching carries on as planned.

In class that day is Ene Ernst Hoppe, who, as part of her research at the Department of Science Education, has gone back to the 6th grade to observe science teaching. According to Hoppe, this initial example from her field studies is emblematic of her other research observations.

"I’ve experienced that the science subjects taken by sixth and seventh grade students suffer from a rigidity that unfortunately makes them only appeal to the few. Few students actively participate in lessons, and far too many  - especially girls and minority students - are left in silence. But this is clearly not due to a lack of interest in the subject matter, which becomes apparent when one follows students beyond the classroom," says Hoppe, a PhD student at the Department of Science Education. 

In a series of research articles, the young researcher examines the possibilities and challenges of science education in the formative sixth and seventh grade years, when Danish schoolchildren are about to learn about the laws of nature and everything about the fascinating natural world surrounding us.

Most recently, an observational study of two sixth grade science classes demonstrates that an entrenched instructional framework and an insistence on scientific jargon contribute to keeping many students from participating. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that students begin to assume roles that become as entrenched as the instructional framework itself. For many, this results in constant silence and disengagement from lessons.

A skewed silence

Even though Denmark, as a society, has long sought to improve diversity in STEM subjects, the problem is evident among sixth graders. Girls and minority students disproportionately assume the roles of the quiet and passive students, according to Hoppe's observations. Similarly, social background and the interaction between these factors are important.

"There are indications that more girls and minority students may feel pressured by the requirement to perform in this narrow format that science education permits. This is a shame if we want more women and minorities to engage in the sciences later on in life. So much of the identity around being scientifically oriented is rooted in these years," says Ene Ernst Hoppe.

She calls for more variation in teaching methods and an awareness that diverse students are best involved when approached in different ways, but does not want to point fingers at teachers or students. Indeed, she sees the problem as rooted in the structure and culture around the subject. Among other things, in the form of outdated teaching materials, which have given rise to deeply-entrenched teaching methods.

Conservative view of science terms and facts

"The natural sciences may be associated with hard facts, but it is inappropriate when worthy attempts at independent critical thinking are shot down before turning to a rigid set of correct answers. This is unfortunate and remarkable for an academic tradition where testing, making mistakes and learning from them are such fundamental features," she says.

The conservative attitude toward facts appears, among other things, as a rigid relationship to the language used in teaching, where only the correct scientific terms are accepted. This can include technical terms used in textbooks or the teacher’s use of certain words that students are consequently asked to explain.

While a heightened focus on correctness and entrenched teaching methods works well for a few students, many others become quiet and withdraw from engagement.

"There are some technical terms that students need to use. And of course, there’s no debate as to what photosynthesis is. But in sixth-seven grade, the word itself is perhaps less important than the basic understanding of what it describes. So, it’s a shame if a word becomes an entry ticket to participation," says the researcher.

The natural sciences have great potential

Ene Ernst Hoppe is optimistic about the opportunities offered by science education and believes that the potential is great if classic blackboard teaching – where teachers ask questions and students are expected to answer correctly – is alternated with other forms of instruction.

"The subjects can open the door to a wealth of fascinating stories about the world while offering plenty of opportunity for "learning by doing", where students gain a concrete view of subject matter through experimentation. So, my recommendation is clearly to go that route," she says.

She also thinks that many of the lost students can be won back if teaching becomes more accommodating to other ways of expression than the traditional interaction between a teacher and their classroom.

"I found that students were good at reflecting on topics in group work, but that they shut down entirely when the teacher followed up. This shows that some students thrive in contexts other than the larger classroom setting," says the researcher, who emphasizes that it is about creating safe learning environments where more people can participate.

"There is hardly a single solution that can motivate all students to participate in science subjects. Rather, the answer is an ongoing adaptation and reflection on the part of the teacher on how and who they teach. A bit less of the security that the teachers themselves have, in their usual teaching methods, can be exchanged for more security for the students, so that more people dare to participate actively," says Hoppe, who emphasizes, however, that it is not a task that individual teachers can do alone.

Department of Science Education professor Henriette Tolstrup Holmegaard, who contributed to the research, agrees.

"The good news is that concrete work can be done to create broader participation in the sciences. That being said, it can be difficult for individual teachers to detach themselves from deeply entrenched structures. So it is through interaction and feedback among ones colleagues and within professional teams that things can be advanced. However, we know that these types of initiatives can be tough to get off the ground in a stressful everyday life. But a greater focus in teacher education on different students' prerequisites for participation can help change things," says Professor Holmegaard.