The effects of student and scientist partnerships on students' understanding of the nature of science

Abstract

Student Scientist Partnerships (SSPs) were implemented with the purpose of improving students' understanding of the nature of science (NOS). Students participated in three research projects with three different scientists over the course of one semester. Performance on NOS surveys did not show significant improvement as a result of the treatment, but students demonstrated some improvement in research skills. Additionally, teachers and scientists demonstrated an improved understanding of best practices for SSPs and alignment of expected outcomes for SSPs.