What is the evidence?

Students who carry out practical investigations are likely to be familiar with a few key principles that help them construct the argument that leads to the overall conclusion. Investigations involve the use of tried and tested experimental methods together with an appreciation of the relevant laws and theories.

Ros Roberts and Richard Gott have considered how students' understanding of investigative work can be used to help them question the evidence for a claim in a socio-scientific context. They took, as a sample, 65 undergraduate pre-service primary student teachers who had followed a substantive physical science module.