An action research on the scientist image of 4th grade students

The scientist images of the students, who studied at school from primary to university for more than twenty years, were investigated. In the very heart of these investigations, it was observed that the scientist image, which already existed in the minds of the students, was influential in the career planning, interests, and attitudes of the students towards science (Boylan, Hill, Wallace and Wheeler, 1992). Many factors may be involved in making students acquire the scientist image. Among these factors, the attitudes of the science teachers and science education given at schools have the greatest share (Yontar-Toğrol, 2013). According to Miele (2014), the basic aim of the science teaching is to ensure that students learn science willingly, and follow the development in the field of science teaching. The interest and needs of students on science may affect their images about science. Based on this point, the images of students on science and scientist have always been a matter of curiosity.

In studies conducted on the scientist images of students, it was observed that the scientists wear glasses, generally male and work in laboratories, alone, hair is messy, tired, have messy working places that are full of experimental tools, use microscopes, and conduct research on animals (Korkmaz and Kavak, 2010; Mead and Metraux, 1957; Özel and Doğan, 2013; Thomas, Henry and Snell, 2006; Türkmen, 2008). These studies were conducted on several age groups, and it was determined that the images on scientists are similar to each other. These results and similar other results are called as stereotypical images in the literature (Buldu, 2006; Finson, 2003; Fung, 2002; Song and Kim, 1999).

Several measurement methods were used to classify scientists, which are structured interview and open-ended questions (Narayan, Park and Peker, 2009), questionnaires (Sjøberg, 2002), drawings (She, 1995) and rubrics (Huber and Burton, 1995) . However, researchers generally used the Draw-A-Scientist-Test (DAST), which was developed by Chambers (1983). DAST is a drawing test and does not require any writing. Chambers (1983) examined scientists in seven categories in his study, which are; laboratory coat, glasses, hair, research symbols (scientific tools and laboratory equipment), knowledge symbols (file drawer, basic books), technology (technological devices), suitable headlines and writings (e.g., science topics and formulas). In studies that were conducted by using DAST, it was observed that different components were influential on scientist like course books (Hsiao-Ching, 1995), social and cultural values transferred from the family (Scott and Mallinckrodt, 2005), the effects of teachers and peers (Lee, 2002), scientific centers and museums (Sharkawy, 2012), media sources and popular culture (Steinke et al., 2007).

Flick (1990) reported that visits that would be made by scientists in classrooms might be influential in changing the stereotypical images of students. Çakmakçı, Tosun, Turgut, Örenler, Şengül and Top (2011) recommended the use of cartoons or drawings in which the lives of scientists are depicted, organizing visits by scientists, and organizing visits to scientists. Mason, Kahle and Gardner (1991) emphasized the importance of teacher education programs, and Kaya, Doğan and Öcal (2008) mentioned about the change that was expected in the attitudes of teachers. When the relevant literature was reviewed, it was observed that the direct approaches could be used about the image on science and telling scientific stories were effective (Kruse, 2010; Milne, 1998).

Scientific Stories and Their Effects on Scientist Image

The scientific stories or short texts used by teachers might make science become more attractive for students ( Sharkawy, 2012). However, the most important thing that must be considered during the use of stories or texts was telling students that stories are an indispensable part of science, and sometimes it reflected fictions. In addition, teachers must be able to control the social and cultural messages through the stories they tell (Milne, 1998), because young children who are at primary school age have not developed their scientific literacy skills yet, and have mystical understandings (Egan, 1988). For this reason, efficient teaching must be performed in young age groups by emphasizing the story schemes (humans or animals that have natural powers) in scientific stories. As the age proceeds, natural characters might be intensified, and certain concepts like amount might be added (Corni, Giliberti and Fuchs, 2013).In scientific stories that will be used at schools, it is important that information that will motivate students is used like the life of scientists, what s/he studies, and the reasons that motivate him/her must be emphasized. In addition, it is also important to choose people that will represent science from among the people around children (Felt and Fochler, 2012).

Scientific stories are used to develop the critical thinking ability, problem solving skill and inquiry abilities in children, because students see themselves as the main characters of the story and start solving problems in this way, which is more entertaining for them (Klassen, 2007).When telling scientific stories, it is possible to narrate the characters in a direct or implicit approach. Implicit approach, the understanding of nature of science; is a learning outcome that can be achieved by developing process skills, teaching science subjects and doing science (Lederman and Stefanich, 2004). According to this approach, scientific process skills teaching or informed inquiry activities should be used to improve students 'and teachers' natural views of science (Khisfe and Abd-El-Khalick, 2002). Khishfe and Abd-El-Khalick (2002) aimed to examine and compare the influence of implicit approach and the influence of direct reflective approach on the nature of science of sixth grade students. In the study, the nature of science is changeable, emphasizing constructs based on empirical evidence, including inferences, imagination and creativity. The same inquiry activities were applied to the experiment group and the control group. While a direct reflective approach was followed in the experimental group, an implicit approach was applied in the control group. Through a questionnaire consisting of open-ended questions and interviews, pre- and post- opinions participants' were determined. In the opinion of the participants in the control group there was no change after the application. In the opinion of the students in the experiment group, a more informed opinion has been passed.

Also, according to Akerson and Hanuscin (2007), direct approaches have positive effects on the student and teacher about the viewpoint on science.

Direct Reflective Approach and Its Effects

Direct approaches represent the activities in which science may be observed in classrooms and are not activities in which science is directly involved. During these activities, students discuss topics, and ask questions. In this way, a basic and structured science concept is formed in the minds of students (Lederman, 2006). In studies in which direct reflective approach was used, it was observed that the understandings on science were plenty in number, and these meanings could be transferred into other fields (Akerson, Khalick and Lederman, 2000; Rudge and Howe, 2009; Scharmann, Smith, James and Jensen, 2005).

Direct reflective approach has several positive effects like conducting the discussion within the classroom, working under the supervision of the teacher, having writing and evaluation activities as a conclusion (Kaya, 2011). According to Abd-El-Khalick and Lederman (2000), direct reflective approach produced more positive results when compared with implicit approaches. Schwardz, Lederman and Crawford (2004) prepared direct approach-based activities on the nature of science with teacher candidates, and Lin, Lieu and Chen (2012) prepared books based on course books that were enriched with the nature of the science. With this approach, changes were observed in the beliefs and perceptions about scientific image both in the eye of teachers and students.

The basic aim of the present study is to show how well the methods are successful in converting the scientist image that already exists in the literature. The specific aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of activities that were based on direct reflective approach and telling scientific stories method to change the images in the minds of the students who had stereotypical images about scientists.