![]() Experimental design is the systematic approach to develop experiments that will gain interpretable understanding of the problem or question the experiment addresses ( Sirum and Humburg, 2011). The NOS is a description of science as a way of knowing, how science is conducted, and the everyday aspects of the influences of science ( University of California Museum of Paleontology, 2012 NGSS Lead States, 2013). The scientific process contains the ideas of the NOS, experimental design, and the scientific method. This diagram shows a holistic view of the scientific process. Venn diagram of the scientific process representing the overlapping ideas of the NOS, experimental design, and the scientific method. This instructional tool contains specific stories of scientific discovery, such as the article “Asteroids and Dinosaurs,” which shows how the scientific process was used to develop the theory of extinction. The Museum of Paleontology of the University of California at Berkeley created a website applying this approach-Understanding Science-that contains flowchart animations and still diagrams that present ideas about the NOS and its nonlinear flow ( University of California Museum of Paleontology, 2012). A current push in science education aims to instill more comprehensive ideas of the NOS and the scientific process in students, including an emphasis on next-generation science standards for K–12 students ( Duschi and Grandy, 2013 Next Generation Science Standards Lead States, 2013). The scientific method presented in a linear manner generally ignores publication, peer review, and the communication of results necessary for scientific advancement and neglects to address how science influences and is influenced by society ( Lederman et al., 2002 Schwartz et al., 2004). Science often relies on collaboration between many different disciplines and the communication of scientific results ( Duschi and Grandy, 2013). In practice, the scientific process is nonlinear, unpredictable, and ongoing ( Lederman et al., 2002 Schwartz et al., 2004). The scientific process contains ideas from the scientific method and from the nature of science (NOS) and experimental design ( Figure 1). This incomplete representation fails to illustrate the scientific process, as it is used mainly to gain generalizable knowledge. This linear flow typically contains the following terms arranged from top to bottom: question, hypothesis, experiment, and conclusion. Many representations of the scientific method show the linear arrangement of tasks presented as the path that all science will follow. We propose that SPFA can be used in a variety of circumstances, including in the determination of what curricula or interventions would be useful in a course or program, in the assessment of curriculum, or in the evaluation of students performing research projects. Comparison of the terms used and connections between terms on student flowcharts revealed an enhanced and more nuanced understanding of the scientific process, especially in the areas of application to society and communication within the scientific community. Pre to post flowcharts showed a statistically significant improvement in the number of items and ratings for the dimensions. Forty flowcharts representing a multidisciplinary group without intervention and 26 flowcharts representing pre- and postinstruction were evaluated over five dimensions: connections, experimental design, reasons for doing science, nature of science, and interconnectivity. This study evaluated conceptions about the scientific process using student-created visual representations that we term “flowcharts.” The methodology, Scientific Process Flowchart Assessment (SPFA), consisted of a prompt and rubric that was designed to assess students’ understanding of the scientific process. Assessing the nature of science is difficult with methods that rely on Likert-scale or multiple-choice questions. ![]() ![]() The scientific process is nonlinear, unpredictable, and ongoing.
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