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Student and Societal Development Through Research

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Science Education and Teacher Professional Development

Abstract

This chapter presents the findings of the fifth of five themes namely, ‘Student and/or societal development through research’, as identified through the analysis of interviews with 53 research-active high school teachers and technicians. In their descriptions of, and reflections upon, experiences of research projects, teachers and technicians frequently attributed their motivation and initial impetus to participate to the students they teach. Teachers and technicians saw research projects as a way of developing their students’ inquiry and communication skills and that research projects provided experiences where students could make wider connections, establish professional networks and gain experience of science research and careers. Beyond individual student development, research projects provided a pathway for young people and their teachers and technicians to provide solutions to problems that impact the wider world, such as disease, biodiversity loss and climate change.

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Correspondence to Elizabeth A. C. Rushton .

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A. C. Rushton, E. (2021). Student and Societal Development Through Research. In: Science Education and Teacher Professional Development. Palgrave Studies in Alternative Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64107-8_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64107-8_8

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-64106-1

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