Turkish elementary and secondary students’ views about science and scientist

To create a scientifically literate society, current science education reform in Turkey focusing on students who are expected to understand how scientific knowledge is generated, increase inquiry and problem solving skills and to understand the interaction among science, technology, and society and its effect on the work of scientist. Science for All Americans (American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 1990) makes cultural arguments for gaining scientific literacy and emphasizes how a scientific explanation is different in varying cultures or a different time can contribute to the present scientific understanding. Therefore, it is crucial for students to understand science and technology as human activities that have interacted through time, as part of our culture, and affected by the varying cultures.

Students come to classrooms with their prior knowledge about science and scientists. This existing knowledge is mostly stereotypical and influenced by media, their parents, and the public (Chambers, 1983). Their cultural values also influenced their lives. Studies have shown that girls and boys have different interests and attitudes about studying science and hold different perceptions of scientists and science careers (Jones et al, 2000).

Beginning as early as elementary school, boys have typically possessed more interest in studying science than girls. By middle school, girls’ attitudes toward science tend to decline and this situation continues through high school. Boys mostly prefer to read science articles, watch science television shows, and complete science projects. Males have more opportunities to conduct experiments, carry out demonstrations, and manipulate equipment (Jones et al, 2000; Losh, Wilke & Pop, 2008; Miller, Blessing, & Schwartz, 2006).

Draw-A-Scientist Test developed from Chambers (1983) as an alternative of written instruments to help children who like to draw more than they do writing. It aims to assess student conceptual images. In 1995, Finson, Beaver, and Cramond developed the Draw-A-Scientist Checklist (DAST-C) to assess drawings.

In the previous studies, the students’ perceptions of scientists were illustrated as male, elderly-aged, having glasses, some facial hair, wearing a lab coat, working indoors surrounded by equipment, and doing dangerous things. Indicator symbols of research are described as test tubes, various types of flasks, beakers, Petri dishes, burners (Symington and Spurling, 1990; Chambers, 1983; Mead and Metraux, 1957; Scherz and Oron, 2006). However, Turkmen (2008) argued that smiling scientists and indicators of technology increased in Turkish students’ images of science and scientists.

This study is based on an analysis of Draw-a-Scientist Test and essays written by elementary and secondary students in Turkey. The aim is to find out when students are asked to draw a scientist what comes to their minds and how these ideas are expressed in images and essays.