How did a science camp affect children’s conceptions of science?

In accordance with the aim of the present study, children’s ideas about science were investigated both at the beginning and at the end of the science camp. The coding scheme emerged during the qualitative analysis was presented in Table 1. The names in the quotes are pseudonyms. The number in parentheses corresponds to frequency of the related code.

At the Beginning of the Science Camp

They defined science mainly as doing inquiry, experiments, and observation. Next, its purpose and its benefits to the society were indicated in their definitions of science. They also indicated scope of science, its relationship with technology, and being endless in their definitions.

There were three basic conceptions of science among children. Four children stated only that science is knowledge. Scientific knowledge is the product of the scientific process. Thus, such ideas about science were categorized as “only product of science”. On the other hand, five children stated only the process of science in their definitions and were classified as “only process of science”. Fifteen children were close to ideal conception of science which includes both process and product of science. Such ideas were classified as “both process and product of science”. These three conceptions of science were elaborated in more detail in the following paragraphs.

Children who indicated only product of science defined science as knowledge, finding results, and developing knowledge. But these children did not describe how these knowledge or results were obtained as it is evident in the following quotes.

Science is knowledge. (Zeynep)

Science is the most improved and the most accurate knowledge about every subject. (Zehra)

The children who indicated only the process of science (5) used such concepts as inquiry, experiment, and observation in their definitions of science. Inquiry (5) was stated by all children in this group and then followed by experiment (3), observation (2), and investigation (2). These were grouped under experimental processes, because these are scientific processes applied in doing science. It was noticed that children were aware of that science is done by inquiry and experiment, but they could not further articulate what inquiry is or why experiments are done. The researchers inferred that they used these processes as general terms rather than functional processes in science. In addition, they used them in order as it can be seen from the following quote:

Science is done with inquiry and experiment. I don’t think that science is done without inquiry. (Begum)

In the quote, inquiry and experiment was used but there was not any further expression to show that the child really understood these processes. Similarly, another child defined science as follows:

In science, we do inquiry and observation in every subject and in any way.(Arda)

Arda indicated that science is done through inquiry and observation, but there was not again any further explanation of how inquiry is done. In addition, these two children used observation and experiment independent from inquiry such as they stated with such phrases ‘inquiry and experiment’ or ‘inquiry and observation’. They did not indicate experiment and observation as a part of the inquiry. Such results indicated that children had some basic understanding of the scientific process as doing inquiry, but their understanding was superficial. Some of them did not even consider inquiry as an experimental process. For example, the same child (Arda) articulated what s/he meant by inquiry as in the following quote from the interview:

Interviewer (I): (reads his answer on the questionnaire: you wrote that science does inquiry and investigation.) What does science investigate?
Child (C): It investigates space, structure of matter, underground resources.
I: How is inquiry done in science?
C: It breaks it into its parts. (indicating misunderstanding)
I: Think yourself as a scientist. You want to do inquiry. How do you do that?
C: First of all, I collect knowledge about that subject. I evaluate them and complete its missing parts.
S: How do you complete the missing parts?
C: By searching the Internet and encyclopaedias. (Arda)

Arda was again using two terms inquiry and investigation in sequence in defining science. But, probe questions about inquiry emerged that he meant searching knowledge from different sources rather than experimental inquiry.

In summary, definitions grouped under only process of science category included such terms inquiry, experiment, observation, and investigation. But, the meaning attached to them was mostly process of searching knowledge from written materials rather than process of searching unknowns and producing knowledge.

Table 1. Categorization of the data about the children’s conceptions of science at the beginning and end of the science camp

Science	Only product of science (4) (1)	Knowledge (3), Invention (1) (1)
	Only process of science (5) (5)	Superficial (5) (4)	Experimental process	Inquiry (5) (3), Experiment (3) (2) Observation (2) (3), Investigation (2) Data collection (3), Interpretation (2)
	Only process of science (5) (5)	Detailed (1)	Experimental process	Inquiry (1), Experiment (1) Data collection (3), Prediction (1)
	Both product and process of science (15)(18)	Superficial (15) (8)	Product of Science (Scientific knowledge)	Finding result(6) (3) Producing knowledge from experiment (5) Developing knowledge (4) (3) The group of knowledge (2)
		Superficial (15) (8)	Process of Science (Scientific process)	Inquiry (15) (8), Experiment (10) (7) Observation (4) (5), Interpretation (1) (2) Measurement (1), Data collection (4)
		Detailed (10)	Product of Science (Scientific knowledge)	Finding result(3), Developing knowledge (3) The group of knowledge (1)
		Detailed (10)	Process of Science (Scientific process)	Data collection (10), Inquiry (9), Observation (7) Experiment (5), Investigation (4), Interpretation (3), Prediction (3), Measurement (2)
	Purpose of science	Finding unknown (7) (7) Making invention (6) (3) Developing ideas (1), Taking patent (1)
	Benefits to the society	Makes life easier (7), Enlightens society (1) Provides knowledge to people (3) Studies for welfare of people (3)
	Relationship with technology	Uses technology (3) (1) Confusion with technology (5) (1)
	As a school subject	Related to science course (4)
	Endlessness of science	Proceeds (4), Endless (1), Not limited (1)
	Scope of science	Particular areas	Nature (10) (4), Space (3) Living things (3) (1) Elements and molecules (2) Underground resources (1)
		All areas	Comprehends other areas (10) (18)
	Emotional aspect of science	Requires patience and respect (2) Includes things that are hard to think (1) Requires effort(1)

Note: Unbolded numbers in parentheses are frequency of the codes at the beginning of the science camp and the bolded ones are frequencies at the end of the science camp.

Majority of the children (15) described science by indicating both process and product of science. These children indicated that science includes inquiry, experiment, and observation by which scientists produce knowledge. But, as it can be seen below, these children’s descriptions of science were also superficial.

In my opinion, science is related to space, research, and so on. I think science produces knowledge by doing inquiry and investigation. We get results about any subject by doing inquiry and investigation in science. (Yonca)

Yonca indicated that ‘results about any object’ (product) were obtained by ‘doing inquiry and investigation’ (process). This definition of science was more accepted to be more comprehensive than the ones by stating only ‘science is done by doing inquiry and experiment’ (process), because it indicates a sense of understanding of the aim of doing inquiry. Another child with similar ideas defined science as follows:

Science requires inquiry. It would be necessary to do inquiry in a best way and find correct result. (Ali)

Ali stated that science requires inquiry (process) and finds correct results (product). But, further detail about inquiry was again missing. These two children were typical examples for the children who indicated both the process and product of science. They realized that inquiry, experiments, and observations are conducted in science and some results and knowledge are obtained from these inquiry, experiments, and observations. Their level of detail of the process of science in their definitions was similar to the children indicating only the process of science as being superficial and limited. They similarly used inquiry (15), experiment (10), observation (4), investigation (3), and interpretation (1) in order in their definitions of science. They indicated product of science in their definitions such as ‘finding results’ (6), ‘produces knowledge from experiments’ (5), and ‘developing knowledge’ (4).

Some of the children indicating both the process and product of science articulated what they mean by inquiry in their definition. They, similar to the ones indicated only the process of science, explained inquiry as searching knowledge from books, encyclopedia, and the Internet.

We should do inquiry in order to do science. We might do inquiry alone or as a group by visiting the surrounding or the Internet. (Dincer)

We do inquiry by ourselves. If we did not use encyclopedia, search knowledge from journals and just search the Internet, we would do little inquiry. But, if we search all of them, we would do more inquiry. (Buket)

As it was evident from the two quotes, children were more familiar with searching knowledge from books than searching an event through observations and experiments.

In some of the definitions, science was related to technology. But, it was seen that some of the children (8) confused science with technology and used them as synonyms.

Science is technology. (Begum)

Science is technology, invention, making life easier, and patent. (Ahmet)

There were also some additional expressions in children’s definitions of science. Most of them were related to the purpose of science. They mainly stated the purpose of science as finding unknowns (7) and inventing (6). Developing ideas was stated by only one child. Taking patent was mentioned by one child. Confusion with technology was also evident in this category, because children who confused science with technology stated its purpose as inventing new technologies and taking patent.

Science means doing new inventions. Science is invention of technology and patent. Science is done in order to make the life easier and accelerate people’s work. (Ahmet)

Another common aspect of science indicated in their definitions of science was its benefits to the society. They indicated this aspect by such phrases as makes life easier (7), provides knowledge for people (3), works for welfare of the society (3), and enlightens the society (1).

Lots of technological equipments are produced through science. So science makes our life easier. Science provides knowledge about diversity of animals and flowers which lived on earth at earlier times. (Funda)

We must consider science as important as developed countries. If we don’t do it, we will drop back and become illiterate society. As long as people consider science as important, they improved themselves. (Omer)

Children mostly indicated scope of science in their descriptions of science. Some children stated that science works on such areas as nature (10), living things (3), space (3), elements and molecules (2), and underground resources (1). On the other hand, some of them indicated that science is done in every area or comprehends other areas (10).

Science is diagnosis of people about the structure and living conditions of living things by observing and doing experiments with different equipments .(Arda)

Science can be related to every field; space, sky, trees, flowers, and insects and science does inquiry about all of these fields. (Zehra)

A few children stated the endless nature of science by stating that science always proceeds.

Science is a field which finds new findings. Science is instructive and always proceeds. (Funda)

Science is endless. As you search a subject more and more, there will always be more detail. Thus science will not end. (Mehmet)

In summary, it could be said that children’s opinions about science and its features were superficial and limited before the science camp. Children had basic insights about science since they used inquiry, experiment and observation in their descriptions of science. But, they did not talk much about the functions of these processes in science. Some of them confused science with technology. The children mostly indicated the purpose of science and its benefits to the society in their definitions of science. Positively, children recognized science as a comprehensive field which studies nature, space, and living things.

At the End of the Science Camp

The categories emerged from the data were generally similar to the ones at the beginning of the science camp. But, there were also differences. The children did not indicate that science is a school subject and benefits of science to the society in their definitions of science at the end of the science camp. On the other hand, they provided more detailed definitions of the process of science. In addition to this addition and disappearance of some categories, there were also qualitative differences in each category from beginning to end of the science camp.

At the end of the science camp, there was not any child left who stated that science is only a body of knowledge (product of science). Only five children indicated only the process of science. Most of these children (4) stated superficial definition of the process of science as it was evident in the following quotes.

Science is all of inquires and experiments done in every subject. It might be in a new subject or reinterpreting previous inquiries.(Akın)

Science is doing observation, experiment, inquiry, using creativity and imagination, and collecting data. (Ahmet)

These children still used inquiry (3), experiment (2), and observation (3) with next to each other without relating them to each other. New processes such as data collection (3) and interpretation (2) were just added to their list of processes without any attachment to inquiry or experiment. For example, Ahmet started his definition with observation, but used collecting data in the end of his definition. This indicated that they learned about new scientific processes at the science camp, but they did not understand their connectedness and function in a scientific inquiry.

There was only one child with detailed expression in only process of science category. S/he expressed that data are collected in inquiry and predictions are made based on data.

There is inquiry in science and data are collected in inquiry studies. In this camp, we did a lot of activities. Sometimes we collected our data ourselves; sometimes you gave us data. We tried to predict what we search depending on these data. (Murat)

The same child defined science at the beginning of the science camp as “scientists doing inquiry or invent an equipment”. The quote indicated that s/he knew the inquiry process a little bit more than the beginning of the science camp. S/he started to learn some processes of inquiry at the end of the science camp such as data collection and prediction. Moreover, s/he used these processes with their functions in research. For example, s/he stated that they “made prediction based on data” rather than saying just “made prediction”. But this child was still far behind full conception of science.

Similar to beginning of the science camp, majority of the children (18) indicated both process and product of science. Only three children were added to this category at the end of the science camp. But, the real development in their definitions was the emergence of more detailed explanations of the process of science. Some of the children’s definitions of the process of science were detailed (10) whereas some of them were still superficial (8).

Superficial definitions indicating both process and product of science included such experimental processes as inquiry (8), experiment (7), observation (5), collecting data (4), interpretation (2), and measurement (1). Collecting data and measurement were emerged only at the end of the science camp. These children, similar to the beginning of the science camp, listed scientific processes next to each other without relating them to each other. Their use of scientific processes was sometimes wrong or meaningless.

I: What is science?
C: Science is a semi-real subject which is done by collecting data, using imagination, and interpretation.
I: What do you mean by semi-real subject?
C: If we did not have all of the data, we cannot know if it (scientific knowledge) is certain. ….
I: Did you do science at this camp?
C: Yes
I: How did you do science at this camp?
C: I did science by doing inquiry. For example, we did inquiry on insects and there were science in each activity at the science camp. We added interpretation and imagination if we did not know it. We used all of the things, data. For this reason, I thought I did science at this camp. (Funda)

Funda stated that she did science by doing inquiry, but she did not detail what she did in the inquiry; she just repeated she did inquiry on insects. She presented misunderstanding of interpretation and the use of imagination as processes done if we do not know something. She called data as things first and then remembered and used data. In summary, this child’s definition was not a meaningful and concise definition, it just a collection of scientific processes and did not indicate a coherent conception of science. Another exemplary quote was the following:

I: (reads her definition of science on the questionnaire) science is the results that scientists reach by doing inquiry, experiments, and by using imagination and creativity. What else do you think when I say science?
C: Black-box activity came to my mind when I think about science. It was fun. We did scientific model as a scientist.
I: How did you do science in this activity?
C: First, we collected our data. Then, we planned what we could do based on these data. We planned what was its inside. We reached a result after our plan and we presented it to you and our friends.
I: What else do you think about how science is done?
C: By collecting knowledge from different resources, collecting data, doing inquiry, doing experiments. In the end, we added our interpretation by using imagination and creativity. (Buket)

Buket listed inquiry, experiments, using imagination and creativity in defining the process without any connectedness to each other, and indicated the product of scientific process as reaching results. She remembered black-box (water machine) activity as an example of science and stated that they developed scientific model. But, when the interviewer asked how she did science in this activity, she stated that they collected data at first. Then, she did not use scientific model, but called it as ‘plan’ or ‘result reached after their plan’. When the interviewer asked with general terms how science is done, she listed the scientific processes similar to her first definition at the beginning of the interview. This indicated that she did not connect these processes, for example she did not say ‘collecting data in their experiment or inquiry’, and instead she said ‘science is done by collecting data, doing inquiry, doing experiments’ as separate processes. Other children’s definitions in this category had similar properties. The researchers thought that although their list of processes in their definitions of science enriched and they realized the importance of data, their definitions were still superficial and lacks clear indication of the scientific process. They stated the product of science as getting knowledge (3), finding results (3), and being a group of knowledge (2).

There were some other children (10) who provided detailed explanations of the scientific process and its product. All of these children used collection of data in their definitions of science and sometimes indicated the importance of the amount of data in the scientific process. They also used inquiry (9), observation (7), experiment (5), investigation (4), interpretation (3), prediction (3), and measurement (2) in their definitions of science. Their use of these processes was mostly correct and they also indicated the function of these processes in doing science. The quotation below provides a good example of such children.

I don’t know the definition of science. I mean it seems complex to me. It might be something like that. Science is collecting data, using imagination and interpretation when the data is limited…For example, there was a black box activity and there were something in this black box. We could not see inside of this box. Scientists also could not see. We could not see, but we imagined its inside. There was only a funnel and a short hose on the box. Using the materials, we added water and measured. We measured how much water we got from the box. By measuring, we obtained our data. It could be better if we got more data. But we completed our research by interpreting the available data. (Zeynep)

Although her mind was not clear about science at the beginning of the interview, this child described science on the black-box activity that had been done at the science camp by indicating that s/he had a good grasp of the process of science. S/he indicated that science works on subjects although it could not be seen. She also indicated that measurement is a way of creating data, more data is better and inquiry is completed by interpreting the available data. This definition of science was more comprehensive and scientific processes were connected to each other. S/he only incorrectly stated that interpretation and imagination were used when data is limited. S/he explained scientific process better while s/he was explaining science on the black-box activity rather than general terms. Another exemplary quote is the following:

I: You defined science as producing something from data, experiments by using our interpretations and imagination. Do you want to add something?
C: Science is collecting data and examines the data in detail to find out the reality.
I: Did you do science at this camp?
C: Yes, we observed swallows and we collected data. We did not know their features to a great detail. But, we learned about them using data which based on the amount of our observations. (Asli)

Aslı was pointing out making observations and collecting data in the process of science. She also indicated the importance of the amount of observations and the data in the resulted knowledge (stated as learning about something). The children in this category (detailed description of both product and process of science) stated the product of science as getting knowledge (3), finding results (3), and being a group of knowledge (1).

The science camp also extended the children’s understanding of the inquiry. Some of the children defined inquiry as searching knowledge at the beginning of the science camp. Fortunately, they realized experimental inquiry after the science camp as it was evident in the following quote.

I was thinking about searching knowledge in books or from the Internet rather than doing inquiry at first hand. When my science teacher assigns inquiry homework, I will do inquiry at the nature. I was searching trees from the Internet, but it won’t be like that anymore. Because, we can get more knowledge if we look at it at the first hand. (Buket)

When the children’s opinions related to purpose of science were examined, it was seen that same number of children indicated that science is done in order to find unknowns (7). But, fewer children indicated that the purpose of science is doing inventions (3) and none of them stated taking patent as a purpose of science. This indicated the decrease in the number of children who confused science with technology. Only one child defined science as technology. Another child mentioned relationship between science and technology. This child indicated that science uses technology to do more detailed research.

Everything is done by technology any longer. Once upon a time, people could not observe moon closely. But now we have technological devices and we observe everything elaborately. Science needs some technological devices to do experiment. For example, scientists will search dinosaurs. Dinosaurs’ bones are examined by technological devices and thus, scientists find the color of dinosaurs’ skin, the shape of dinosaurs and like these. (Berk)

More children thought that science is fundamental for other areas at the end of the science camp. They did not use only specific areas such as space, and underground resource to indicate the scope of science.

Before the science camp, I thought that science was only the science course we take in school. But, I learned at this science camp that science is not only related to the science course, but also all areas. Scientists came to our camp. One of them was psychologist and there were also biologist and chemist. We only talk about science in science course in the schools. I did not know that there is science in other areas. There is science is in health and education. In other words there is science in all areas. (Yonca)

Some children mentioned emotional aspects of science only at the end of the science camp. They thought that science requires patience, respect, and effort.

Science is different from other areas since it requires more effort than music, math or language. It also requires patience. (Cagla)

Because of the experiences during the science camp, the children realized the emotional aspects of science. They conducted their research and thus they experienced the research process. They sometimes had difficulties and worked hard. Such experiences would have developed some emotions about science.

As it was evident in the quotes, the children seemed to learn and understand science including its process at the end of the science camp. It was an improvement that they expressed both process and product of science with exhaustive statements when defining science. They also talked about new scientific processes such as collecting data, predicting, and measurement. More children realized that science is very comprehensive. They also realized emotional aspects of science after the science camp. Although there were less quantitative increases in the children’s definitions of science, there were positive qualitative developments. After the science camp, they described science by using more detailed and explanatory statements.