Publication Date
2019
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
First Advisor
Pillow, Bradford H.
Degree Name
M.A. (Master of Arts)
Legacy Department
Department of Psychology
Abstract
This investigation examines scientific reasoning among elementary school students by assessing experiment and evidence evaluation. Previous studies have not fully distinguished these two abilities. The present study directly compared experiment and evidence evaluation within the same task and also examined the recognition of confounded variables.
Using a modified version of a science reasoning procedure, students in first-, third-, and fifth-grade (N = 54) were presented with two sets of problems: (a) 1-Variable problems examined recognition of the difference between conclusive and inconclusive tests, and (b) 2-Variable problems further assessed recognition that confounded variables make an experiment inconclusive. For the 1-Variable condition, a 3 x 3 x 2 (Age x Gender x Judgment) ANOVA did not reveal any significant effects. All age groups performed significantly better than chance for evidence evaluation, but not for experiment evaluation. In the 2-Variable condition there was an Age effect: third- and fifth-grade students performed better than the first-graders, and also performed above chance for both confounded and unconfounded problems.
The patterns of performance across all age groups suggest that: (a) basic scientific reasoning abilities emerge gradually during elementary school, (b) experiment and evidence evaluation may be distinct at least for some problems, and (c) reasoning about multiple variables and confounded experiments may require advanced skills.
Recommended Citation
Vilma, Taneisha, "The Development of Scientific Reasoning: Children’s Evaluation of Experiments and Evidence" (2019). Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations. 7754.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-thesesdissertations/7754
Extent
83 pages
Language
eng
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
Rights Statement 2
NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.
Media Type
Text
