This study was originally designed to investigate the effectiveness of using specially adapted, existing programs from the NOVA Television series for helping older citizens to understand the scientific issues that underlie public policy; in particular, to promote understanding of the interdependence of technology development and basic science knowledge and the dependence of critical social decisions on what may appear to be abstract science knowledge. However, in the context of doing the original study, considerable insight into the problems of conducting original research with older citizens was gained. Consequently, this report summarizes this experience as well as presenting results of the television study. Procedures (including selecting NOVA programs, defining scientific literacy objectives, developing revised NOVA scripts/programs, formative evaluation/revision, and conducting the study) are discussed in an introduction. Results are reported as three separate studies: (1) The Port Charlotte Study: Science Understanding from TV Programs by Mature Results (Ernest Burkman and Robert M. Gagne); (2) The Elder Hostel Study: Adult Reactions to TV Science Programs (Ernest Burkman and Robert M. Gagne); and (3) The Tallahassee Study: Adult Retention of Ideas from a TV Science Program (Robert M. Gagne, Ernest Burkman, and Brent A. Hewlett). (JN)
Authors
- Authorizing Institution
- Florida State Univ., Tallahassee.
- Peer Reviewed
- F
- Publication Type
- Reports - Research
- Published in
- United States of America
- Sponsor
- National Science Foundation, Washington, DC.
Table of Contents
- ED 229 234 1
- SE 041 434 1
- AUTHOR Television. Final Report. Florida State Univ. Tallahassee.- NSF-SED-79-20221 1
- TITLE SPONS AGENCY REPORT NO SED-82024 PUB DATE GRANT NOTE 1
- INSTITUTION PUB TYPE 1
- Dec 82 1
- EDRS PRICE 1
- MF01PC03 Plus Postage. 1
- DESCRIPTORS 1
- ABSTRACT 1
- Robert M. Gagne Ernest Burkman and Brent A. Hewlett. JN 1
- NSFSED-82024 2
- ABSTRACT 10
- Elaboration con- 10
- Generally speaking 12
- 1 highly factual in content and to 12
- Much can be 13
- In general however 14
- Anderson 1980 Bower Hilgard 1981. 14
- While older learners are generally believed to- be less 15
- Learning may 15
- On the whole however 15
- The Insect Alternative. 16
- Method 16
- Their ages 16
- It recounts the 17
- In addition 17
- Returning to Lake Michigan. 18
- Elm Bark Beetle 18
- However a number of 18
- Shaw and Wright 1967. 20
- State- 20
- No matter what happens this program would always 20
- Procedure 20
- Results 21
- Attitudes 21
- Since the 21
- If allowance 24
- For the raw means t was found to 24
- 2.86 df92. 24
- It contains many details 26
- Conant 171I7 might have called the tactics of science. 26
- TV documentary. 27
- Version. 27
- REFERENCES 28
- Anderson J.R. 28
- San Francisco Freeman 1980. 28
- Learning and aging. 28
- Handbook of the 28
- Psychology of aging. 28
- Van Nostrand Reinhold 28
- Bower G.H. Hilgard E.R. The psychology of learning 28
- Englewood Cliffs N.J. 28
- Prenttee-Hall 1981. 28
- Brown A.L. 28
- Hillsdale N.J. 28
- Erlbaum 1978. 28
- Comstock G. 28
- ERIC Document Reproduction 28
- Service 28
- No. ED168-605 1978. 28
- Conant J.B. 28
- On understanding science. 28
- New Haven 28
- University Press 1947. 28
- Academic Press 1968. 29
- Craik F.I.M. 29
- New York 29
- Flavell J.H. 29
- American 29
- Gallagher M. 29
- Some ten- 29
- Broadcasting 29
- Hulicka I.M. as a function 29
- Hultsch D.P. Journal of 29
