An Artistic Approach to Secondary School Students’ Process of Discovering Scientists: Theatre and Science

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of science theatre plays on secondary school students’ attitudes towards the subject of science and their views on scientists. The study was conducted with 38 seventh grade secondary school students over a six-month period. The “Scale of Attitudes Towards the Subject of Science” and “Opinion Survey About Scientists” were used to collect the quantitative data, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for the analysis of the obtained data. For the collection of the qualitative data, the compositions written by the students and the researcher’s observation notes were used, and the obtained data were subjected to inductive content analysis. In the study, it was concluded that the science theatre plays were highly effective in increasing secondary school students’ attitudes towards the subject of science. On the other hand, it was determined that the activities had no effect on the students’ views about scientists. The results obtained from the qualitative data reveal the advantages of science theatre plays for students, as well as their contribution to students’ personal development. The findings were discussed in the light of the literature and recommendations were made for future research in line with the results.

Keywords

• Science
• Scientists
• Theatre
• Interdisciplinary approach

Supporting Institution

TÜBİTAK

Project Number

118B249

Thanks

This study was carried out with the “Science on the Stage” project numbered 118B249, which was supported within the framework of the TÜBİTAK 4004 Nature Education and Science Schools programme. I would like to thank my colleagues, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayça KARTAL, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bekir YILDIRIM and Research Asst. Furkan ATMACA, who contributed to the study with their valuable ideas at every stage of the research and whose moral support I have always felt.

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