Learning Science in Communicating Science and Technology In-the-making: A Case Study of the 'Science and Technology Mania' Award Program

The 'Science and Technology Mania' award program is an annual nationwide award activity organized to provide teenagers with opportunities for engaging in a high-technology-based long-term project work. The task involves designing a model ship propelled by the Lorentz force (a Lorentz ship) that allows diverse approaches irreducible to one right answer, and thus adopts features of science and technology in-the-making, In this study, we attend to opportunities for learning science that the uncertain aspects of artifact-designing project provide with participants, particularly when students communicate with scientists about their design practices. We analyze oral presentation sessions of the program and articulate two findings. First, students articulate embodied knowing in the presence of scientists. Second, students enact discursive resources deployed in concrete action. We conclude that students' design practices constitute referent that communication is directed toward and therefore become resources for developing scientific discourse.