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Animations scientifiques en classe de primaire: des effets motivationnels pour qui et pour quelle intensité de participation?

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Abstract

Primary teachers use informal science workshops to supplement science teaching. These activities are meant to foster student’s motivation in science, but few studies with control groups and randomization have attempted to determine their effects. Our experimental study aims to (1) measure the impact of one of these programs (Les Débrouillards) on students’ motivational processes, and (2) explore the moderating role of certain characteristics of the students (age, gender, socio-familial adversity, and scientific capital) on these effects. We randomly assigned twenty-eight 5th and 6th grade classes (n = 526) with one of four conditions: 0, 1, 2 or 3 in-class science workshops of one hour. Students completed a pre-test and post-test questionnaire to assess their self-efficacy as well as their values towards science. The results of the hierarchical regressions indicate that exposure to the program did not have an effect on the motivation of all students. However, participating in the workshops (vs. no workshops) produced a number of interaction effects. The moderators’ examination revealed that the program was more beneficial for boys, for older students (potentially countering the decline in interest as students age), and for students with little science capital, especially. These results suggest that students’ characteristics are important to consider when evaluating the effects of informal science presentations, and that such programs can be an advantage in environments where activities promoting scientific literacy are not easily accessed.

Résumé

Les programmes informels d’animation scientifique (AS) sont utilisés par les enseignant(e)s du primaire afin d’enrichir l’enseignement des sciences. Ces activités cherchent à susciter la motivation des élèves envers les sciences, mais peu de recherches avec groupe contrôle et randomisation ont tenté de déterminer leur contribution. Notre recherche à devis expérimental avait pour but (1) de mesurer l’effet d’un de ces programmes (Les Débrouillards) sur les processus motivationnels des élèves et (2) d’explorer le rôle modérateur de certaines caractéristiques des élèves (âge, genre, adversité sociofamiliale et capital scientifique) sur ces effets. Vingt-huit classes de 3e cycle du primaire (5e et 6e année; n = 526) ont été assignées aléatoirement à l’une des quatre conditions suivantes: 0, 1, 2 ou 3 AS d’une heure, en classe. Les élèves ont rempli un questionnaire pré et posttest afin d’évaluer leur autoefficacité ainsi que leurs valeurs envers les sciences. Les résultats des régressions hiérarchiques indiquent que l’exposition au programme n’a pas eu d’effet sur la motivation de l’ensemble des élèves. Cependant, la participation aux animations (vs aucune animation) a généré plusieurs effets d’interaction. L’examen des modérateurs indique que le programme est plus bénéfique à la motivation des élèves plus âgé(e)s (contrant possiblement le déclin associé au développement), aux garçons, mais surtout aux élèves qui ont peu de capital scientifique. Ces résultats suggèrent que les caractéristiques des élèves sont importantes à considérer lors de l’évaluation des effets des programmes informels d’AS et que leur utilisation serait avantageuse dans des milieux où les activités de culture scientifique sont peu accessibles.

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Acknowledgements

Les personnes autrices souhaitent remercier les partenaires du projet de recherche: les organismes membres du Réseau Technoscience ayant participé à la collecte de données, ainsi que les enseignant(e)s et les élèves des classes participantes. Cette étude a fait partie du mémoire de maitrise de la première autrice et a été présentée en partie dans une affiche lors du congrès annuel de l’Association for psychological science en 2016, à Chicago.

Funding

Cette recherche a été financée par une bourse du Conseil de recherche en sciences humaines et une bourse Mitacs Accélération accordées à la première autrice.

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  1. Département d’études sur l’enseignement et l’apprentissage, Faculté des sciences de l’éducation, Université Laval, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Viviane Desbiens & Simon Larose

  2. Département des fondements et pratiques en éducation, Faculté des sciences de l’éducation, Université Laval, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Geneviève Boisclair Châteauvert

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  1. Viviane Desbiens
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Desbiens, V., Larose, S. & Boisclair Châteauvert, G. Animations scientifiques en classe de primaire: des effets motivationnels pour qui et pour quelle intensité de participation?. Can. J. Sci. Math. Techn. Educ. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42330-024-00310-8

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