The Study
In a guest editorial in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Gail Richmond, associate professor in the Department of Teacher Education, discusses the experiences that contribute to the development and preparation of a scientist, and whether there are elements of that process that educators can recreate to support the development of similar skills and habits of mind in all students, regardless of career path.

The Findings
Richmond says that people become scientists today in much the same way as in previous centuries: through an apprenticeship. Today, the apprenticeship is graduate study where a student works with a mentor in the form of a professor, who guides the student through the process of learning such things as designing experiments and collecting data. It is through this process that young scientists hone their skills and develop a wider understanding of science. For Richmond, the apprenticeship model has much potential for all students. She describes two approaches as examples of efforts to make transparent the social context in which science is practiced, while providing support for conceptual growth by inviting students to become practitioners. The first example is that of high school agriscience programs known as out-of-classroom supervised agricultural experiences. Students in these programs have opportunities to go on field trips, participate in county fairs, and work on local farms. Teachers, parents and even employers play a central role, and the experience allows students to see the interrelationship between classroom and laboratory. The other example is a course she helped develop for freshman. The full-year integrated science course presented students with problems from which they, acting as scientists, had to solve scientific questions. It allowed students to construct, coordinate, and revise questions, methods, and interpretations based on their own analyses and communication with others in class. For Richmond, the apprenticeship model in science, whether in the classroom or elsewhere, provides opportunities for students to develop technical and conceptual skills. More importantly, it allows students to become participants in the scientific enterprise.

What It Means to You
At a time when educators and policy makers are grappling with what it is to be scientifically literate, an apprenticeship model can be a good opportunity for all students to develop a richer understanding of and appreciation for the scientific enterprise.

More Information
To read the full article, consult: Richmond, G., "Scientific Apprenticeship and the Role of Public Schools: General Education of a Better Kind," Journal of Research in Science Teaching, (1998), 35 (6), pp.583-587.

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