Analysis of Images of Scientists and Science Learning Drawn by Third Grade Students

초등학교 3학년의 과학자와 과학 학습에 대한 이미지 분석

We analyzed $3^{rd}$ graders' images of scientists and science learning students. We chose $3^{rd}$ graders because this is the time when children first encounter formal science learning opportunities. Draw-A-Scientist-Test (DAST) and the revised Draw-A-Scientist-Test Checklist (DAST-C) were used to analyze students' images of scientists, whereas Drawing-A-Science-Learner- and a checklist were used to analyze students' images of science learning students. We found that $3^{rd}$ graders showed common features of scientists who wore laboratory coats but not wearing glasses, goggles or masks and smiling. While most boys drew a male scientist, about a half of girls drew female scientists. Old and weird looking images of scientists that were typically known in other literatures were not found in this study. Science learning students were not wearing lab coasts, glasses, goggles, nor masks. Most of those students were conducting chemistry related experiments, which seemed to be influenced by the $3^{rd}$ grade's science curriculum. We also found relationships among components of images of scientists and science learning students. Although $3^{rd}$ graders' images of scientists and science learning students showed common features, this typical image was not the same as the previous studies have reported. This implies that the images of scientists and science learning students have not yet fixed by $3^{rd}$ grade. Thus, this seems to be a critical time when children start developing images of scientists. Children's direct experiences in the science classroom along with environmental factors such as media exposures can influence their formation of images of scientists and science learning students.