Science High School Students’ Shift in Scientific Practice and Perception Through the R&E Participation: on the Perspective of Legitimate Peripheral Participation in the Community of Practice

Abstract

Learning at the elbow of scientist is a well-known educational approach to improve students` understanding of science and scientific practice. This study, in the perspective of legitimate peripheral participation in a community of practice, explores how students` scientific practice and perception could be shifted through R&E program with the development of participation. Data from participant observation for 18 months and in-depth interviews were analyzed based on constant comparative method to extract common characteristics of students` participation and major shifts in their scientific practices and perceptions. Students` development of participation was categorized into three stages: legitimate, peripheral, and full participation. In the stage of peripheral participation, students perceived themselves as mere students and showed passive engagement. They just followed the directions of researchers and didn`t know what they should be doing. But through continuous participation, students showed enhanced engagement like voluntary article reading, role assignments, and establishing norms in a community of practice with the reference of scientists`. In this stage of transitional participation, students also showed a deepened perception on everyday life of scientist and the community of scientist. And finally in the stage of full participation, students showed responsibility and ownership on research and continuous efforts to refine their research. They recognized themselves as beginning scientists. With these findings, this paper highlighted the dynamic processes of students` development of scientific practices and identity through R&E participation. It also suggests implications for research programs for education, especially for students who have already articulated a science-related career but still have only foggy notions about science.