Developing scientific literacy through reading and writing of scientific texts
Leading team
Prof. Anat Yarden
Postdocs and students
Galia Zer-Kavod, PhD Student
Moriah Ariely, PhD Student
Summary
The Life Sciences Group previously developed a concept for learning biology through scientific research articles that are adapted to the knowledge level of high-school biology students, which was termed adapted primary literature (APL). Group members were able to show that the use of APL for learning biology promotes high-school students’ scientific literacy better than the more commonly used texts. APL has now been incorporated into teaching and research programs in Israel as well as in other countries. Members of the group currently explore the hypothesis that APL can be used as a model for adequate scientific writing, and examine its use as a means for overcoming students’ identified difficulties in writing their inquiry project report. Members of the group also attempt to adapt primary scientific articles to the knowledge level of junior-high-school students and explore the possible outcomes of learning through those APL articles in junior high school.
Related articles
- Yarden, A., Brill, G., and Falk, H. (2001). Primary literature as a basis for a high-school biology curriculum. J. Biol. Educ. 35(4), 190-195.
- Brill, G., and Yarden, A. (2003). Learning biology through research papers: A stimulus for question-asking by high-school students. Cell Biol. Educ. 2(4), 266-274.
- Brill, G., Falk, H., and Yarden, A. (2004). The learning processes of two high-school biology students when reading primary literature. Int. J. Sci. Educ. 26(4), 497-512.
- Baram-Tsabari, A., and Yarden, A. (2005). Text genre as a factor in the formation of scientific literacy. J. Res. Sci. Teach. 42(4), 403-428.
- Falk, H., Brill, G., and Yarden, A. (2008). Teaching a biotechnology curriculum based on adapted primary literature. Int. J. Sci. Educ. 30(14), 1841-1866.
- Falk, H., and Yarden, A. (2009). “Here the scientists explain what I said.” Coordination practices elicited during the enactment of the Results and Discussion sections of adapted primary literature. Res. in Sci. Educ. 39(3), 349-383. (Featured in Science Editor’s Choice)
- Yarden, A. (2009). Guest Editorial – Reading Scientific Texts: Adapting Primary Literature for Promoting Scientific Literacy, Res. in Sci. Educ. 39(3), 307-311.
- Falk, H., and Yarden, A. (2011). Stepping into the unknown: Three models for the teaching and learning of the opening sections of scientific articles. J. Biol. Educ. 45(2), 77-82.
Links to materials (in English and in Hebrew)
- Zer-Kavod, G., & Yarden, A. (2013). Engineered bacteria produce biofuel from switchgrass (an adapted primary literature article). In: Gene Tamers – Studying Biotechnology Through Research (In Hebrew, 1st ed.). Rebovot: Department of Science Teaching, Weizmann Institute of Science.
- Zer-Kavod, G., & Yarden, A. (2013). Immunization – the next generation: Developing genetically engineered eatable plants that can confer immunity against cholera and malaria (an adapted primary literature article). In: Gene Tamers – Studying Biotechnology Through Research (In Hebrew, 1st ed.). Rehovot: Department of Science Teaching, Weizmann Institute of Science.