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Analyzing Scientific Literature Using a Jigsaw Group Activity: Piecing Together Student Discussions on Environmental Research
Abstract
Presents a jigsaw activity that encourages students to critically analyze the collected literature on a certain topic from different viewpoints. (YDS)
... There are many reports describing assignments and strategies that use the scientific literature in the classroom (6,7,11,17,20,21,24,28,29). Almost all of these focus on teaching a set of fundamental skills: access, retrieve, analyze, and evaluate (23). ...
... A survey of the literature reveals that many strategies have been used to teach students to read the scientific literature and some studies have shown that this practice can enhance student learning (6,7,9,10,15,17,20,23,25,31). In this report we attempt to extend these practices by presenting a strategy that uses the literature to teach science literacy to novice students in a way that will serve as a foundation for developing higher-order literacy skills throughout the curriculum. ...
... Many of the learning objectives (LO1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) were based in Bloom's lower cognitive skill levels, remember, understand, apply, and analyze. However, several others (LO5, 7,8,9) were founded in the higher cognitive levels (2). ...
Undergraduate students struggle to read the scientific literature and educators have suggested that this may reflect deficiencies in their science literacy skills. In this two-year study we develop and test a strategy for using the scientific literature to teach science literacy skills to novice life science majors. The first year of the project served as a preliminary investigation in which we evaluated student science literacy skills, created a set of science literacy learning objectives aligned with Bloom's taxonomy, and developed a set of homework assignments that used peer-reviewed articles to teach science literacy. In the second year of the project the effectiveness of the assignments and the learning objectives were evaluated. Summative student learning was evaluated in the second year on a final exam. The mean score was 83.5% (±20.3%) and there were significant learning gains (p < 0.05) in seven of nine of science literacy skills. Project data indicated that even though students achieved course-targeted lower-order science literacy objectives, many were deficient in higher-order literacy skills. Results of this project suggest that building scientific literacy is a continuing process which begins in first-year science courses with a set of fundamental skills that can serve the progressive development of literacy skills throughout the undergraduate curriculum.
... Taking this into consideration, a growing body of scholars (e.g. Choe & Drennan, 2001;McKay, 2014;Myonghee, 2004;Naji, Subramaniam, & White, 2019;Scott & Huntington, 2007, to name but a few) have dwelled on the multifaceted advantages of literature in language studies since then. ...
... The aim herein is to monitor whether they could guess the main idea of the text by paying attention to the details (see Jones, 1980), such as the weather, atmosphere in the room, the author's actions throughout the story, the fireplace, chrysanthemums and the mark on the wall. Based on the notion of Choe & Drennan (2001), this while-reading activity will be accompanied by the exploitation of jigsaw reading through which all of the paragraphs in the story would be randomly assigned to groups in the class. Upon the distribution of the roles in class, the teacher firstly orientates learners to glance through the text, and then to scan it. ...
As the literature strikes interest and arouses the curiosity of learners, it is widely acknowledged that it has an undeniable impact on language education. In this sense, a lesson plan was developed focusing on the reading skill and vocabulary, and aimed at getting learners to discuss and make a critical analysis of a story. Accordingly, Virginia Woolf's one of the well-known short stories, ‘The Mark on the Wall’ was incorporated into the plan as an intensive reading resource. In light of constructivism theory and eclectic method, this plan was designed for the instructors teaching English to learners enrolled in the English philology department and taking one-year compulsory preparatory education at schools of foreign languages. As it is grounded upon synchronization, orchestration and symbiotic existence of the language teaching techniques, this short course plan would stimulate students’ self-discovery, creativity, learner-centeredness, and reading analyses via pair-work and group activities.
... The process of reading and analyzing scientific articles results in gains in critical thinking and the ability to evaluate data, as well as gains in the understanding of how science is done (Hoskins et al., 2007;Snow, 2010;Krontiris-Litowitz, 2013;Segura-Totten and Dalman, 2013). Another learning gain associated with reading primary literature is an increase in scientific literacy (Choe and Drennan, 2001;Hoskins et al., 2007Hoskins et al., , 2011Gottesman and Hoskins, 2013;Krontiris-Litowitz, 2013;Round and Campbell, 2013;Abdullah et al., 2015). Scientific literacy is defined as the understanding of the methods that produce scientific knowledge as well as those skills involved in analyzing and interpreting scientific data (Gormally et al., 2012). ...
... It is very possible that experts in our study acquired these skills through years of reading scientific articles. Previous studies show that the analysis of research articles increases dimensions of scientific literacy and knowledge of the science process in undergraduate and graduate students (Choe and Drennan, 2001;Hoskins et al., 2007Hoskins et al., , 2011Gottesman and Hoskins, 2013;Krontiris-Litowitz, 2013;Round and Campbell, 2013;Abdullah et al., 2015). In fact, thousands of hours of practice are required to attain expertise in a certain domain (Chase and Simon, 1973;reviewed in Posner, 2014;Ericsson, 2018). ...
Student engagement in the analysis of primary scientific literature increases critical thinking, scientific literacy, data evaluation, and science process skills. However, little is known about the process by which expertise in reading scientific articles develops. For this reason, we decided to compare how faculty experts and student novices engage with a research article. We performed think-aloud interviews of biology faculty and undergraduates as they read through a scientific article. We analyzed these interviews using qualitative methods. We grounded data interpretation in cognitive load theory and the ICAP (interactive, constructive, active, and passive) framework. Our results revealed that faculty have more complex schemas than students and that they reduce cognitive load through two main mechanisms: summarizing and note-taking. Faculty also engage with articles at a higher cognitive level, described as constructive by the ICAP framework, when compared with students. More complex schemas, effectively lowering cognitive load, and deeper engagement with the text may help explain why faculty encounter fewer comprehension difficulties than students in our study. Finally, faculty analyze and evaluate data more often than students when reading the text. Findings include a discussion of successful pedagogical approaches for instructors wishing to enhance undergraduates' comprehension and analysis of research articles.
... A growing body of literature shows that PSL is a valuable tool for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. Educational interventions using PSL include journal clubs, data and figure exploration, tutorials on how to read PSL, tailored assignments preparing students to discuss PSL, annotated PSL, and full courses being taught only with PSL (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). Therefore, PSL is an extremely versatile pedagogical tool for directly impacting students' science literacy (13). ...
Learning to read primary scientific literature (PSL) is an important part of developing scientific literacy skills. First-year students entering college often have little previous exposure to PSL and therefore face initial barriers in learning how to engage with PSL. Annotations have been shown to be a useful tool in undergraduate education and have potential for guiding students in developing higher-level reading strategies. In this study, we collected both qualitative and quantitative data to test the hypothesis of whether annotated PSL aids in the development of reading strategies for novice students learning to read PSL. Our qualitative results showed that annotations help students (i) break down PSL into manageable pieces, (ii) summarize the text, (iii) identify key information, and (iv) distinguish between different sections of PSL. Quantitatively, we saw no significant influence of annotations on the development of reading strategies for students learning to read PSL. Overall, our study provides a window into better understanding of specific strategies that students employ in reading PSL. Collectively, we suggest incorporating annotated PSL with some scaffolding social activities as an effective strategy to bring novice readers up the on-ramp of scientific literacy.
... In fact, the decoding and interpreting of scientific texts have been termed foundational literacy, because they are essential for the consumption of scientific information (8). Therefore, it is not surprising that the inclusion of the analysis of scientific research articles is a popular activity in STEM classrooms, with approaches freely available that lead to an increase in science process skills, the understanding of how science is done, and the ability to critically analyze information (9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18). However, previous studies have shown that biology students face challenges when analyzing scientific research articles, such as lack of content knowledge and science vocabulary, and that these issues may prevent them from fully comprehending the text (14,16,19). ...
As the amount and complexity of scientific knowledge continues to grow, it is essential to educate scientifically literate citizens who can comprehend the process of science and the implications of technological advances. This is especially important when educating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) college students, since they may play a central role in the future of scientific research and its communication. A central part of decoding and interpreting scientific information is the ability to analyze scientific research articles. For this reason, many different approaches for reading scientific research articles have been developed and published. Despite the availability of numerous ways of analyzing scientific research articles, biology students can face challenges that may prevent them from fully comprehending the text. We sought to address student challenges with science vocabulary and content knowledge by adding structural supports to in-classroom article discussions through the use of annotated articles from the Science in the Classroom initiative. We describe the pedagogical approach used for discussing scientific research articles within a required biology course. In this context, we found that students’ scientific literacy skills increased at the end of the semester. We also found that, for each article discussed, the majority of students could interpret graphical representations of article results and that they could identify and comprehend components of the experimental design of the study.
... In addition to increased science literacy, studies have shown increases in student effective and cognitive gains, increases in student interest in the course material, and increases in students' confidence in science communication (2)(3)(4). Moreover, educational interventions using PSL at the undergraduate level are well documented and include journal clubs (5,6), variations of consider, read, elucidate the hypotheses, analyze and interpret the data, and think of the next experiment (C.R.E.A.T.E.) (2,(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12), circular response (13), process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) activities (14), Jigsaw activities (15), Figure Facts (16), annotated articles (17), and comprehension exercises (18). ...
Primary Scientific Literature (PSL) has been used in undergraduate classrooms as a way to engage students with the research process and to increase science literacy. Most curricula lack any formal training for undergraduates to critically read PSL even though most undergraduate science courses require students to engage with PSL at some level. In addition, there are limited studies exploring the process by which expertise in reading PSL develops in undergraduates. In this study, we adapted behaviors that expert and novice PSL readers exhibit into a quantitative assessment tool, the PSL Reading Strategies Assessment, to evaluate undergraduates’ development of reading strategies when learning to read PSL. Factor analysis and reliability measures were implemented to determine the structure of our assessment tool. Our results show the PSL Reading Strategies Assessment is sensitive enough to measure differences among student populations, suggesting that it can be used as a diagnostic tool to guide instructors and researchers as they change curricula, implement new teaching strategies, and strive to develop students’ science literacy. Moreover, our data show that developing expert-like reading strategies in students learning to read PSL is not easy. Simply reading a PDF does little to promote the development of reading strategies in students learning to read PSL.
... Educational interventions using PSL include journal clubs, data and figure exploration, tutorials on how to read PSL, tailored assignments preparing students to discuss PSL, annotated PSL, and full courses being taught only with PSL (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13). Collectively, these interventions engage students in science process skills that are a critical part of a holistic science education. ...
A growing body of literature shows that primary scientific literature (PSL) is a valuable and useful tool for science, technology, engineering, and math education. We currently have a relatively limited understanding of how skills relating to reading PSL progress through academic careers, i.e., the process by which expertise in reading PSL develops. In this study, we built on previous work showing clear differences in strategies that experts use to read PSL that are not often available to or documented with novice PSL readers. Using the five core concepts (5CCs) of biology, outlined in Vision and Change in undergraduate Biology, as a framework for student engagement with PSL, we investigated whether the 5CCs can be used to (i) increase student engagement with PSL, (ii) provide a context for PSL, and (iii) integrate student prior knowledge when reading PSL. Second, we investigated whether a 5CCs-based, semester-long intervention could shift student reading habits to be more expert-like. As no direct assessment for this exists, we instead measured student motivation for reading PSL, their Biology identity, and their perceived learning gains in science. We found that, through the use of the 5CCs as a framework for reading PSL, students were able to integrate previous knowledge and engaged with PSL constructively. Additionally, we saw positive shifts in student motivation for reading PSL, student Biology identity, and student self-reported learning gains in Biology. Taken together, the 5CCs, as a disciplinary framework, have great potential as a pedagogical tool for increasing student engagement with PSL in Biology classrooms.
... While many active-learning activities have been developed to improve college science instruction, the limited analy-sis of the data makes it difficult to assess the effectiveness of some approaches (2,3,6,7,18). We used three criteria to assess the effectiveness of the team-based learning approach to microbial physiology. ...
We used team-based learning to improve comprehension and critical thinking of students in an undergraduate microbial metabolism-physiology course. The course used well-known bacterial pathways to highlight themes of energy conservation and biodegradation. Prior to the introduction of team-based learning, student recall of this information was poor and students had difficulty extrapolating information to new organisms. Initially, individual and group quizzes were added to promote problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. This significantly improved student attitudes about the amount of information they learned and whether the instructor promoted critical thinking. However, retention of the material as judged by final examination scores was still poor. In the next year, two challenging projects were added to the course to complement the above themes: (i) postulating a pathway for the metabolism of a substrate by a bacterium, and (ii) modifying the current model for anaerobic sulfate reduction by incorporating recent genetic information. The inclusion of the team projects significantly improved final examination scores compared to the previous year without team projects. Overall, team-based learning with challenging projects improved the students’ comprehension and retention of information, critical thinking, and attitudes about the course and focused student-instructor interactions on learning rather than grades.
... By using this studentcentered approach, each student studies the topic materials. Then, students work in groups to share ideas, debate different viewpoints, and teach each other (Chang, 2009;Choe & Drennan, 2001). ...
... Incorporating active learning techniques into the lab class is a great way of engaging students in their own learning. For instance, to cover the vast number of approaches in genomics, cell biology, and bioimaging, we utilize jigsaw journal clubs [9] that have students identify review materials that cover a particular topic or approach, teach others about this topic in small groups, and then work together to answer research questions that draw on this new mutually-taught knowledge. ...
... Johnson, Johnson ve Smith (1998)'e göre iş birliğine dayalı öğrenme, ortak öğrenme amaçlarını maksimum düzeyde gerçekleştirmek üzere öğrencilerin küçük gruplar hâlinde iş birliği içerisinde birlikte çalışması esasına dayalı interaktif bir öğrenme-öğretme metodu olarak tanımlanmaktadır. İşbirliğine dayalı öğrenme yöntemi, her sınıf düzeyinde, her ders ve konu alanının öğretiminde başarı ile uygulanabilecek bir öğrenme metodudur (Choe veDrennan, 2001;Stainer, 1999). Araştırmacılar öğrenciler küçük gruplar halinde birlikte çalıştıklarında öğretilenleri daha iyi öğrendiklerini ve öğretilenlerin daha fazlasını öğrencilerin belleğinde tuttuklarını, öğrencilerin sınıf arkadaşlarıyla çalıştıkları çevre ile daha uyumlu olduklarını diğer geleneksel yöntemlerle karşılaştırarak tespit etmişlerdir (Bilgin ve Geban; 2004). ...
... Johnson, Johnson ve Smith (1998)'e göre iş birliğine dayalı öğrenme, ortak öğrenme amaçlarını maksimum düzeyde gerçekleştirmek üzere öğrencilerin küçük gruplar hâlinde iş birliği içerisinde birlikte çalışması esasına dayalı interaktif bir öğrenme-öğretme metodu olarak tanımlanmaktadır. İşbirliğine dayalı öğrenme yöntemi, her sınıf düzeyinde, her ders ve konu alanının öğretiminde başarı ile uygulanabilecek bir öğrenme metodudur (Choe ve Drennan, 2001; Stainer, 1999). Araştırmacılar öğrenciler küçük gruplar halinde birlikte çalıştıklarında öğretilenleri daha iyi öğrendiklerini ve öğretilenlerin daha fazlasını öğrencilerin belleğinde tuttuklarını, öğrencilerin sınıf arkadaşlarıyla çalıştıkları çevre ile daha uyumlu olduklarını diğer geleneksel yöntemlerle karşılaştırarak tespit etmişlerdir (Bilgin ve Geban; 2004). ...
... İş birliğine dayalı öğrenmenin ilköğretim 6. sınıf Sosyal Bilgiler dersinde, öğrencilerin akademik başarıları üzerindeki etkisini araştıran bu çalışmada, Aronson (1978) tarafından geliştirilen "Birleştirme I (Jigsaw I)" kullanılmıştır. Birleştirme tekniği ilköğretimden üniversiteye değin birçok alanda etkin bir şekilde kullanılabilir (Choe & Drennan, 2001). Bu teknikte konunun tümünün öğrenilebilmesi için her öğrenci, hem öğreten hem de öğrenen durumundadır. ...
... Another likely reason for its prominence is that techniques such as team games-Tournament, Jigsaw, Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition, Learning Together, Student Teams Achievement Division, Team Assisted Individualisation-can be easily adopted to suit different levels of teaching (for further information on these techniques, see Kagan, 1992). Research on the effects of Jigsaw indicates that this technique yields superior student outcomes compared to those achieved by peers in classes conducted with the traditional whole-class method (Aronson, 2000;Choe & Drennan, 2001;Johnson, Johnson, & Stanne, 2000;Kagan, 1992;Slavin, 1991). Wedman's (1996) study examined the differences in achievement between prospective teachers who learned recognition content and pedegogy in expert-Jigsaw groups and those who learned in a traditionally-taught reading methods courses. ...
Jigsaw is a well‐known and frequently used technique in cooperative learning. As part of ongoing studies to develop the technique, this research concentrates on exploring its use with prospective elementary school teachers (PTs). In order to establish PTs' views regarding Jigsaw and its effective on their academic success a proficiency test and questionnaire were administered and observations were made. Eighty‐one PTs from the Elementary Education Department at Cukurova University attending a math teaching course (MTC) participated. Forty‐five of these participants were in the experimental group and 36 in the control group. Findings show that Jigsaw II had a positive effect (effect size = 1.06) on PTs' academic success as well as on their views regarding the technique itself.
... In fact, teachers had exposed their students already to a fairly broad range of scientific writing, especially media reports, and were beginning to foster these outcomes. Although some teachers in this study had begun to expose students to professional journal articles, previously all of the documented examples of this type of instruction in the literature were written by science teachers at the postsecondary level (Camill, 2000;Choe & Drennan, 2001;Cornely, 1999;Flores & Tobin, 2003;Glazer, 2000;Houde, 2000;Levine, 2001;Muench, 2000;Palevitz et al., 2002). ...
Skill in reading diverse genres of scientific texts, including media reports, is an important aspect of scientific literacy that some experts argue should be included in the science curriculum. To understand current and potential uses of media reports in classrooms, we conducted research in three areas. First, we examined major science education policy documents and found few statements making direct reference to use of media reports. Second, we analyzed provincial assessment materials and found exam items using media reports. Third, we interviewed secondary teachers to determine their practice and views on using media reports and other science genres in instruction. Teachers used media reports and strongly endorsed policy-type statements advocating the use of diverse science genres including these reports. Clearly, policy lags behind practice in some classrooms. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed90:496–521, 2006
... Integrity is achieved by having all the group members make their presentations, so as to bring all pieces together. Integration technique may be used in numerous subject matters from elementary school to university (Choe and Drennan, 2001 ...
One of the basic purposes of language and literary education is to maintain a target population and the use of proper attitude, method and technique in proper learning environments. Therefore, proper attitudes and methods are to be resorted for students to become active elements of the environment throughout the learning-teaching process. One of the methods to attain this aim is the cooperative learning and jigsaw technique. Having this method and technique utilized interlockingly, they maintain a significant parallelism in terms of structural aspects and functionality, and thereby operate decisively in the development of language skills. In this study, having focused on the use of cooperative method and jigsaw technique in teaching literary genres, an attempt was made to assess their effectivity. Making use of both quantitative and qualitative research, this study was preceded over a work group, which comprised 60 students. In accordance with the qualitative and quantitative findings attained, therefore, cooperative learning and jigsaw technique were found to be more effective than conventional teaching methods.
A brief narrative description of the journal article, document, or resource. Focuses on the Jigsaw elementary secondary classroom model developed for desegregated classrooms experiencing hostility and competition. Describes the use of two small group sets to facilitate learning for promoting cooperation, summarized in four steps. Explains the Reverse Jigsaw method developed for higher education courses and outlined in three steps.
We used team-based learning to improve comprehension and critical thinking of students in an undergraduate microbial metabolism-physiology course. The course used well-known bacterial pathways to highlight themes of energy conservation and biodegradation. Prior to the introduction of team-based learning, student recall of this information was poor and students had difficulty extrapolating information to new organisms. Initially, individual and group quizzes were added to promote problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. This significantly improved student attitudes about the amount of information they learned and whether the instructor promoted critical thinking. However, retention of the material as judged by final examination scores was still poor. In the next year, two challenging projects were added to the course to complement the above themes: (i) postulating a pathway for the metabolism of a substrate by a bacterium, and (ii) modifying the current model for anaerobic sulfate reduction by incorporating recent genetic information. The inclusion of the team projects significantly improved final examination scores compared to the previous year without team projects. Overall, team-based learning with challenging projects improved the students' comprehension and retention of information, critical thinking, and attitudes about the course and focused student-instructor interactions on learning rather than grades.
The use of scientific articles by professors of chemistry, physics and biology in undergraduate courses is increasing. Recent studies show the potential of these texts in the development of important skills for the professional qualifications and achievements in these areas. In this work we identify, through a review of the literature, the objectives and activities employed by these authors while using the primary research articles in the teaching of higher scientific education, especially in the area of chemistry.
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