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Astronomy Education Review / Volume 1 / Issue 2 / RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS

2002, AER, 1 (2), 5, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2002002

Students’ Pre-Instructional Beliefs and Reasoning Strategies About Astrobiology Concepts

Published 7 October 2002

Erika G. Offerdahl, Edward E. Prather, and Timothy F. Slater

University of Arizona

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The purpose of this study is to identify and document student beliefs and reasoning difficulties concerning topics related to astrobiology. This was accomplished by surveying over two thousand middle school, high school, and college (science and non-science majors) students. Students were surveyed utilizing student-supplied response questions focused on the definition of life and its limitations. Careful, inductive analysis of student responses revealed that the majority of students correctly identify that liquid water is necessary for life and that life forms can exist without sunlight. However, many students incorrectly state that life cannot survive without oxygen. Furthermore, when students are asked to reason about life in extreme environments, they most often cite complex organisms (such as plants, animals, and humans) rather than the more ubiquitous microorganisms. Results of this study were used to inform the development of astrobiology curriculum materials.

© 2002 Erika Offerdahl. Copyright assigned to the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc.

KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

10-12 (or high school), 7-9 (or middle schoo)), Astrobiology∕SETI, College non-majors, Interdisciplinary (astronomy and other fields), K-6 (or elementary), Research into teaching/learning, Teaching approaches

PACS

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

1539-1515 (online)

Publisher

$abstract.society.value is a Member of CrossRef Erika Offerdahl. Copyright assigned to the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc.

ARTICLE DATA

History
Published online 07 October 2002
Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2002002

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