Influence and behavioral pattern of university students’ participation in decision-making on socio-scientific issues

Background and purpose Most studies have agreed on the benefits of students’ participation in discussing socio-scientific issues (SSIs), but few have focused on the serial behaviors through which students declare their positions.Design and method This study analyzed the serial behaviors of university students when participating in the discussion of SSIs, with an aim to understand their performance in scientific ability and attitude toward science and technology through quasi-experimental designs with pre-and post-test. Additionally, a lag sequential analysis (LSA) of students’ decision-making mode was conducted. The measurement tools included ‘Assessment of scientific competency’ and ‘Questionnaire of attitude toward emerging technologies’. The participants were two classes of university students enrolled in a general education course and an introductory course in natural science. One class was the experimental group, which discussed four socio-scientific issues, and the other class was the control group, which studied general scientific matters. A total of 82 students were involved.Results The one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that undergraduate students significantly improved their competency in designing and evaluating scientific inquiry, but not in explaining phenomena scientifically and interpreting data and evidence scientifically. The LSA results demonstrated students spent much time collecting and sorting research data when arguing over and discussing the issues. Still, there was no significant serial behavior from position to know (research) to making a claim (sign). On the contrary, while students discuss similar to the discussion topic (analogy) or repeat to sustain a commitment to particular ideas (commitment), they have a significant transition to make a claim.Conclusion These results strengthen our understanding that undergraduate students regard similar cases or commitments are crucial aspects of socio-scientific decision-making and the serial behavior of students in decision-making on SSIs.