Education Research Grant: A Study of the Scientific Epistemological Views of Undergraduate Students

学生对科学本质的理解，科学的认识论，学生的文化和一般世界观的结合已被证明会影响学生在科学方面的成功。学生潜在的科学认识论观点（SEV）可能是学生对科学的看法以及学生在科学上的成功水平的一个重要因素。拟议的研究将调查HBCU和其他大学STEM专业的科学认识论观点（SEV），以确定学生SEV在多大程度上是本科生经历的一个因素，并随后保留在STEM专业毕业。本研究将探讨学生对科学专业的看法与学生的SEV之间的潜在相关性。此外，本研究将探讨学生族群分类和SEV之间的差异，以提供有关科学教室中认知思维多样性的信息。该项目的研究方法包括定量和定性的队列研究，使用被称为SEV-S的调查工具，提供有关学生的科学认识论观点的数据。 在田纳西州立大学使用这种工具和设计方法完成了一项试点研究，发现STEM专业/非STEM专业，男性/女性学生和不同种族的学生之间在科学认识论方面存在统计学显著差异。

A combination of student understanding of the nature of science, an epistemology of science, the student's culture and general worldview has been shown to influence a student's success in science. The underlying scientific epistemological view (SEV) of the student may be a significant factor in student views about science as well as student's level of success in science. The proposed research will investigate the scientific epistemological views (SEVs) of STEM majors at HBCUs and other universities to determine to what extent student SEV is a factor in undergraduate students' experiences and subsequently retention in a STEM major to graduation. The research will look for potential correlation between student's view of science as a desired major and student's SEV. In addition the study will investigate differences between student ethnic group classification and SEV in order to provide information about the diversity of epistemic thought in science classrooms. The research methodology for this project consists of a quantitative and qualitative cohort study using a survey instrument referred to as the SEV-S to provide data regarding student's scientific epistemological views. A pilot study has been completed using this instrument and design methodology at Tennessee State University and statistically significant differences in epistemologies of science were found between STEM majors/non-STEM majors, male/female students, and students of different ethnicities.