ERIC Number: EJ1452919
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-1931-7913
Exploring Student Sensemaking When Engaging with Anomalous Data
Adrian Adams; Lauren Barth-Cohen
CBE - Life Sciences Education, v23 n4 Article 63 2024
In undergraduate research settings, students are likely to encounter anomalous data, that is, data that do not meet their expectations. Most of the research that directly or indirectly captures the role of anomalous data in research settings uses post-hoc reflective interviews or surveys. These data collection approaches focus on recall of past reasoning, rather than analyzing reasoning about anomalous data as it happens. We use the frameworks of sensemaking and epistemological resources to explore in-the-moment how students identify, generate ideas about the cause of, and determine what to do with anomalies. Students participated in think-aloud interviews where they interacted with anomalous data within larger datasets. Interviews were qualitatively analyzed to identify epistemological resources students used when interacting with anomalous data, and how students' reasoning influenced later choices with the data. Results found that students use a variety of resources as they sensemake about anomalous data and determine what to do with the anomalies. Furthermore, the explanation that students generate about the cause of an anomaly impacts whether the student chooses to keep, remove, recollect, or mitigate the anomalous data. Findings highlight the need to understand students' complex reasoning around anomalous data to support students in lab settings.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Physics, Science Instruction, Laboratory Experiments, Science Laboratories, Data Collection, Research Methodology, Research Problems, Student Research, Data Interpretation, Test Reliability, Error of Measurement, Testing Problems, Response Style (Tests), Student Development, Critical Thinking, Decision Making
American Society for Cell Biology. 8120 Woodmont Avenue Suite 750, Bethesda, MD 20814-2762. Tel: 301-347-9300; Fax: 301-347-9310; e-mail: ascbinfo@ascb.org; Website: https://www.lifescied.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1938721