Participation of High School Students in Authentic Science and Engineering Experiences with a University-Based Water Research Team

Alsultan, Jawaher; Henderson, Michelle; Feldman, Allan; Rice, Madison; Yang, Xia; Kahler, Jordin; Ergas, Sarina J.; Ghebremichael, Kebreab

doi:10.3390/w13131745

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Participation of High School Students in Authentic Science and Engineering Experiences with a University-Based Water Research Team

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Kebreab Ghebremichael

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Department of Teaching & Learning, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA

Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc., Raleigh, NC 27601, USA

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Patel College of Global Sustainability, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Academic Editor: Athanasios Loukas

Water 2021, 13(13), 1745; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13131745

Received: 11 August 2020 / Revised: 5 June 2021 / Accepted: 21 June 2021 / Published: 24 June 2021

(This article belongs to the Section Water Resources Management, Policy and Governance)

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Abstract

The lack of readily available sources of potable water is major problem in many parts of the world. This project engaged high school (HS) students in authentic and meaningful science and engineering activities to teach them about the lack and poor quality of potable water in many regions and how they can be addressed through the use of point of use (POU) treatments, such as biosand filters (BSFs). The HS students’ activities paralleled those of USF students, including research question development and BSF design, construction, operation, and monitoring. An ethnographic approach was utilized by incorporating participant observation, collection and review of artifacts, and interviews. It was found that the project’s focus on the need to provide potable water in the developing world provided authenticity and meaningfulness to the HS students, which encouraged their participation in activities and the learning of science and engineering practices. The HS students reported an awareness of the differences between this project and their regular science classes. The project had a positive impact on their perceptions of themselves as scientists and their interest in STEM careers. The HS students’ results were useful to the university-based research. In addition, the USF students gained teaching experience while investigating research questions in a low-stakes environment. View Full-Text

Keywords: science research; engineering research; science education; science and engineering practices; biosand filters

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MDPI and ACS Style

Alsultan, J.; Henderson, M.; Feldman, A.; Rice, M.; Yang, X.; Kahler, J.; Ergas, S.J.; Ghebremichael, K. Participation of High School Students in Authentic Science and Engineering Experiences with a University-Based Water Research Team. Water 2021, 13, 1745. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13131745

AMA Style

Alsultan J, Henderson M, Feldman A, Rice M, Yang X, Kahler J, Ergas SJ, Ghebremichael K. Participation of High School Students in Authentic Science and Engineering Experiences with a University-Based Water Research Team. Water. 2021; 13(13):1745. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13131745

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alsultan, Jawaher, Michelle Henderson, Allan Feldman, Madison Rice, Xia Yang, Jordin Kahler, Sarina J. Ergas, and Kebreab Ghebremichael. 2021. "Participation of High School Students in Authentic Science and Engineering Experiences with a University-Based Water Research Team" Water 13, no. 13: 1745. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13131745

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