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Peer-reviewed article

Investigating public science interest and understanding: evidence for the importance of free-choice learning

October 2, 2007 | Media and Technology, Public Programs, Professional Development, Conferences, and Networks, Exhibitions, Informal/Formal Connections
Historically, most of the focus of science education has been on pre-college and college level schooling. Although some of the public's interest and knowledge about science is unquestionably shaped by compulsory schooling, given that the average adult spends only a fraction of their life participating in some kind of formal schooling, we argue that the contribution of school-based science learning to the long-term public understanding of science is limited, particularly for the majority of Americans who do not go on to post-secondary schooling. This article shows that the majority of the public constructs much of its understanding of science over the course of their lives, gathering information from many places and contexts, and for a diversity of reasons. A random telephone survey of Los Angeles, California residents found that nearly half (43 percent) of the public's self-reported science understanding derives from leisure time, free-choice learning; science understanding was primarily acquired for reasons related to personal interest, need and/or curiosity. The conclusion drawn from this preliminary investigation is that future efforts to understand and support the public's understanding of science will require approaches that take into account individual differences and the unique personal and context-specific nature of knowledge; findings also support the value of asset-based approaches to education which build from strengths rather than dwelling upon deficits.

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    Institute for Learning Innovation
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    Oregon State University
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  • Citation

    DOI : 10.1177/0963662506064240
    Publication Name: Public Understanding of Science
    Volume: 16
    Number: 4
    Page Number: 455
    Resource Type: Research Products
    Discipline: Education and learning science | General STEM
    Audience: General Public | Museum/ISE Professionals | Scientists | Evaluators
    Environment Type: Media and Technology | Public Programs | Professional Development, Conferences, and Networks | Exhibitions | Informal/Formal Connections

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