Using learner‐generated poetry to help students understand technical scientific literature

Abstract

AbstractUndergraduate students enrolled in ecology courses read peer‐reviewed, scientific literature to learn how hypotheses are tested and to understand conclusions from research. This technical material can be difficult to understand for many students, thus inhibiting learning processes and reducing interest in courses or associated content. Using creative methods to teach science‐based material can improve student‐learning outcomes, though students’ perceptions on learning have not been fully evaluated. We qualitatively compared changes in students’ perceived understanding of peer‐reviewed literature before and after poetry writing assignments. Students were asked to read a randomly assigned peer‐reviewed paper focused on waterfowl and/or wetland management and rate their understanding of the (1) results and conclusions and (2) management implications from research described in the paper. We then asked students to read another randomly assigned paper, complete two poems (one haiku and one villanelle) about the paper, and then again rate their understanding of both metrics. With our small sample, we found students rated their perceived understanding of peer‐reviewed literature higher after creating student‐generated poetry, and they generally appreciated the assignment. Our qualitative results underscore potential merits of incorporating poetry into science learning, and we provide testable hypotheses to further our understanding of how integrating poetry into science‐based courses may enhance student learning.