Writing differently about a socioscientific issue: developing students' scientific literacy through the writing of hybridized scientific narratives

The development of scientifically literate citizens remains an important priority of science education; however, growing evidence of students' disenchantment with school science continues to challenge the realisation of this aim. This triangulation mixed methods study investigated the development of 152 9th grade students' scientific literacy through their participation in an online science-writing project on the socioscientific issue of biosecurity. Children from eight intact science classes wrote a series of short stories that integrate scientific information with narrative storylines. We call these hybridized scientific narratives, BioStories. The students' BioStories were quantitatively analysed using a series of specifically-designed scoring matrices that produce numerical scores that reflect students' developing fundamental and derived senses of scientific literacy. In addition, the students also completed an on-line Likert-style questionnaire, the BioQuiz, which examined selected aspects of their affect toward science and science learning. The results suggest that the students' participation in the project enhanced their awareness and conceptual understanding of issues relating to biosecurity, while writing differently about a socioscientific issue developed a more positive affect toward science and science learning, particularly in terms of the students' interest and enjoyment. Implications for research and teaching are also discussed