Chapter 4: Service Learning Experience Effects on High School Students’ Learning of Science Practices

Inequities in U.S. schools have resulted in a disproportionate number of girls, students of color, and those who live in poverty being marginalized in science. Several factors may lead to marginalization, including gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, speaking English as a second language, and the need for special education services. These factors have been attributed to the science achievement gap existing between girls and boys, as well as students of color and white students. This gap has led to the underrepresentation of these students in careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent marginalized students were affected by participation in an intervention combining authentic science and school-based service learning at an urban high school. Marginalized students engaged in authentic science by performing original scientific research in collaboration with faculty from a research-intensive university. Using a mixed-method research design, we offer an intervention strategy that combines authentic science experiences and service learning as part of regular science classroom instruction as a means of engaging marginalized students in the learning of science.