A3 Refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book
Primary school students’ learning of complex science phenomena with multiple online sources
Authors: Erdmann Norbert, Mikkilä-Erdmann Mirjamaija, Lähteenmäki Marko, Anto Erkki
Editors: Sara Routarinne, Pilvi Heinonen, Tomi Kärki, Anssi Roiha, Marja-Leena Rönkkö, Arttu Korkeaniemi
Publisher: Turun yliopisto
Publication year: 2022
Journal: Ainedidaktisia Tutkimuksia
Book title : Ainedidaktiikka ajassa: Laajenevat oppimisympäristöt ja eri-ikäiset oppijat
Article number: 3
Series title: Suomen ainedidaktisen tutkimusseuran julkaisuja Ainedidaktisia tutkimuksia
Number in series: 22
First page : 55
Last page: 71
eISBN: 978-952-5993-35-6
ISSN: 1799-9596
Web address : https://helda.helsinki.fi/handle/10138/353562
The purpose of this explorative study is to investigate how primary school students benefit from intervention focusing on learning science phenomena with multiple online sources. Multiple online sources offer a good possibility to learn complex science phenomena (e.g., Brand-Gruwel & van Strien 2018). Even young children are expected to use the internet environment in school assignments to find multiple sources and to write their synthesis based on relevant sources. The participants (N=44) were 11–12 years old. The intervention study was conducted in an authentic primary school classroom and was a part of normal school work. The study followed pre- and post-test design and was designed as a project in science class. The topic was “decline of insect population” and lasted five lessons. The results indicate that the intervention had a positive effect on acquisition of multiple source skills and conceptual knowledge. It can be suggested that multiple text comprehension skills cannot be viewed separately from reading skills. In order to support online inquiry skills, we need explicit teaching of different aspects of multiple source writing also in science.