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Dramatizing the Authentic Research of a Local Scientist to Urban Elementary Students Through Professional Theater

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Abstract

This article focuses on the impact of a professional play that we developed in order to introduce elementary learners of an urban school to the research of a scientist working at a local university. The play was written in a way that might increase student understandings of the nature of science, scientific inquiry, the identity of scientists, and the work that scientists do. We collected pre-and post-play questionnaire responses and drawings of scientists from third and fourth grade students who attended the play. We also interviewed five of the ten teachers whose students attended the play. Findings indicated that most of these teachers felt strongly that their students had learned about scientific inquiry, the identity of scientists, and the work that scientists do as a result of attending the play. However, less than half of the student questionnaires and drawings of scientists indicated such growth as a result of the play. That being said, numerous students were able to tell us what they learned from the play and many questionnaire responses and drawings indicated such learning. Implications for partnerships between schools and university faculty from various disciplines in order to develop potentially impactful plays that portray authentic scientific research are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded in part by a grant from the Community Leadership Partners of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Curriculum and Instruction, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, USA

    Stephen R. Burgin

  2. Communication and Theatre Arts, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, USA

    Jenifer Alonzo

  3. Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, USA

    Victoria J. Hill

Authors
  1. Stephen R. Burgin
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  2. Jenifer Alonzo
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  3. Victoria J. Hill
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephen R. Burgin.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Appendix A

Appendix A

1.1 Science alliance live data collection procedures

1.1.1 Written questionnaire

VNOS-E questions for students (as employed by Walls 2012)

  1. 1.

    What is science?

  2. 2.

    What is a scientist?

  3. 3.

    What do they do?

Additional questions developed by researchers

  1. 4.

    Is the work that scientists do important to you? Why?

  2. 5.

    (For the second administration) Do you think that your answers, identification of a scientist, and drawing of a scientist were different from the first time you did this activity? Why?

  3. 6.

    (For the second administration) What were your thoughts about the play?

  4. 7.

    (For the second administration)What did you learn about science during the play?

Draw a scientist test (Chambers 1983).

Instructions: use the space below to draw a picture of a scientist at work.

Teacher semi-structured interview protocol

  1. 1.

    In your view, what were the barriers, if any, to your participation in the show as a field trip activity?

  2. 2.

    What do you perceive to be the benefits of the show for your students?

  3. 3.

    Do you think your students learned anything as a result of the show?

  4. 4.

    How do you see the content of the show relating to science SOLs?

  5. 5.

    Do you anticipate that your students’ participation in the show will make a lasting impact on your students? How so? Why do you say this?

  6. 6.

    Did the students talk about anything from the show after their participation? What did they talk about? When?

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Burgin, S.R., Alonzo, J. & Hill, V.J. Dramatizing the Authentic Research of a Local Scientist to Urban Elementary Students Through Professional Theater. Sci & Educ 25, 1073–1088 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-016-9863-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-016-9863-1

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