Using the Science Writing Heuristic as a Tool for Learning from Laboratory Investigations in Secondary Science

TLDR

The science writing heuristic is theorized to bridge traditional laboratory reports and writing that fosters personal meaning construction. The study introduces and preliminarily evaluates a new heuristic tool for learning from laboratory activities in secondary science. The heuristic was implemented by teachers in two eighth‑grade classes over an eight‑week study, with activities collaboratively designed by a teacher and researcher and applied to 19 students, whose report‑writing practices and understanding of the nature of science were examined through interpretive methods. Results show that using the heuristic helped students generate meaning from data, connect procedures, data, evidence, and claims, and engage in metacognition, leading to richer understandings of the nature of science. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc., J Res Sci Teach 36:1065–1084.

Abstract

This article presents and discusses preliminary research on a new heuristic tool for learning from laboratory activities in secondary science. The tool, called the science writing heuristic, can be used by teachers as a framework from which to design classroom activities. Theoretically, the science writing heuristic represents a bridge between traditional laboratory reports and types of writing that promote personal construction of meaning. Two eighth-grade classes participated in using the science writing heuristic during an 8-week stream study. The teacher and one of the researchers collaboratively developed activities based on the science writing heuristic that the teacher implemented. Nineteen target students were studied in depth. Characteristics of report writing and students' understanding of the nature of science were investigated, using interpretive techniques. There is evidence that use of the science writing heuristic facilitated students to generate meaning from data, make connections among procedures, data, evidence, and claims, and engage in metacognition. Students' vague understandings of the nature of science at the beginning of the study were modified to more complex, rich, and specific understandings. The implications of the study for writing in science classrooms is discussed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 36: 1065–1084, 1999