Poster – High school students’ science learning in a university internship: A cultural-historical activity theory perspective

This poster was presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, AERA, San Antonio, TX.

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013) emphasize that K–12 science education should reflect real-world interconnections in science and focus on deeper understanding and application of content. One effective way to help students learn to apply science is to invite them to work with scientists on authentic scientific projects. Internship programs designed for students to work with scientists have been suggested as one of the most productive activities for helping students to engage in open-inquiry activities (National Research Council, 1996) and to experience diverse aspects of science practice in problem-solving contexts with a high degree of complexity (Lee & Songer, 2003). The purpose of this study is to provide empirical data regarding science learning in authentic contexts and to illustrate the unique features of dynamic interactions and activities involved in an internship program for high school students.