About Science Research in the High School
Scientists Mentors
How Students Benefit
The SRHS Program and MST Standards
Implementing Science Research in the High School
Who should Enroll
What Teachers, Counselors and Administrators say about SRHS
How SRHS Prepares Students for College and beyond
About Science Research in the High School
The Science Research in the High School (SRHS) program provides students in their sophomore through senior years with the opportunity to conduct original science research. The Three Year course is an outreach program of the State University of New York at Albany, aimed to benefit high school students in the New York region and throughout the country. The program is well suited to inner city, rural, and suburban schools. Teachers of this student-centered course ask: "What are you Interested in? Let me help you explore that interest." Students read scientific journal articles, contact scientists and engage them as mentors, develop hypotheses, collect and analyze data and eventually present their findings.
Students from diverse backgrounds and ability levels complete research that goes beyond what most of us would imagine a high school student might accomplish. Recent topics, for example, include:
- Role of Glutamate Signaling in Cell Proliferation
- The Invasion of an Ecological Niche by the Foreign Mosquito Ochlerotatus japonicus
- Is There Bias in News Media Coverage? An Analysis of the Media's Impact on Public Opinion using the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
- Linguistic and Auditory Milestones of Spanish-speaking Infants and Toddlers
Students present their research to their class, their school district and in student science competitions including regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. They use the same professional methods employed by scientists, developing poster and oral presentations accompanied by slides or Power Point graphics.
Scientists as Mentors
A key component of the program is the use of scientists as mentors. Once students identify an area of interest, they begin reading commonly available literature and quickly move to articles in scientific journals. As they refine their topic, students are encouraged to contact the author of a journal article that explores a similar hypothesis. These scientists are asked to be mentors, providing guidance for students and answering questions, usually via E-mail or by telephone.
How Students Benefit
According to a study by The Evaluation Consortium at Albany, students reported that the main benefits of participating in the program were centered around:
- Taking pride in doing original and scientific work
- Developing the ability to circumvent barriers to conducting research
- Gaining self-confidence in presenting their ideas and findings in a public forum
The SRHS Program and MST Standards
National Science Education standards place less emphasis on "student acquisition of knowledge" and "rigidly following curriculum," and more emphasis on "guiding students in active and extended scientific inquiry" and "understanding and responding to individual student's interests, strengths, experiences, and needs." The Science Research in the High School program responds to these standards. The goals of the program are:
- To give teachers a way to create an environment in which to guide and facilitate learning that reflects the intellectual rigor of scientific inquiry.
- To help students to become active learners engaged in an inquiry-based program into authentic questions generated from their interests and experiences.
Implementing Science Research in the High School
The program costs relatively little for an individual school to implement. We estimate approximately $1500 plus the cost of one fifth of a teacher's salary. Teachers who are scheduled to teach the course in the fall are trained in an intensive three-week summer course. This training models the experience students have and provides skills and techniques for teachers to successfully guide their students through their research.
Who should Enroll
The Science Research in the High School program is not only for top achievers interested in physical and life sciences. While the program is well suited to these students, it is by no means limited to them. The program is designed for students who are willing to work hard and are interested in exploring a topic that is relevant to them. Students who enjoy bicycling to horseback riding, for example, have developed research topics based on their interests. In addition to Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences, students can study Behavioral Sciences, Computer Science, Earth and Space Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering. Often times, students who fail to engage in traditional coursework find they get very involved in the "real-world" research they are conducting in the SRHS course. In a recent evaluation of the program, teachers said that "self-motivation" "curiosity" and "academic independence" were qualities that would make students successful candidates for the program.
What Teachers, Counselors and Administrators say about SRHS
Major findings by The Evaluation Consortium, in looking at outcomes of the Science Research in the High School course, were that:
- Stakeholders perceived the (SRHS course) to have helped their knowledge about conducting science research, strengthened problem solving and communication skills, and has assisted students in establishing themselves as independent learners, therefore heightening their self-esteem.
- Both teachers and students perceived improved reading for meaning and strengthening oral communication skills to be areas where students benefit the most from their participation in the program.
- Counselors consistently perceived participation in the (SRHS course) to be a beneficial component of students entry into the college admissions and selection process.
- Administrators indicated that the (SHRS course) allows students to pursue their personal interests, will be beneficial in college placements, and served as a useful component in aiding students in establishing contact for their post secondary educational career.
How SRHS Prepares Students for College and Beyond
In their study of the SRHS program, Hezel Associates, a private consulting firm specializing in research and evaluation, found that "the Science Research in the High School Program offers high school students opportunities to conduct original research and develop skills that benefit them in their subsequent activities." They cited a recent report by the National Science Board (NSB) that stated that one of the most important factors in preparing high school students for later success is "academic intensity"
Hezel Associates concluded that a high schools student's continued commitment to the Science Research in the High School Program could provide them with the impetus they need to succeed in higher education and beyond. In an evaluation of the SRHS 2001-2002 program implementation, parents said the program helped in the process of applying to college and promoted success once enrolled. Specifically, parents saw the program "as means of developing lifelong learning skills and preparing students for self-direction within a rigorous college environment:"
The program gives students exposure to careers in science research. We know that if young people are not excited about science in high school, chances are they will not study science in college. At a time when 50-70% of students who enter the field come from abroad, the need for American born Science researchers has never been greater.