The difference between "learning science" and "figuring out:

•  What do you see as the difference between “learning about” a science idea and “figuring out how and/or why” something works (in science)?  The difference between the two ideas is how we approach the teaching and bringing the enthusiasm & importance of the concepts to the kids.  Reading about it from a book removes that natural curiosity.  By giving them a problem or phenomenon to explore, we are giving them a purpose and (hopefully) bringing out their innate desire to learn more about the world around them.

•  Which of these two ideas (learning about or figuring things out) best represents the most recent research on how students learn science today?  Figuring things out is the approach that is best.  When I teach science, I always try to present the issues as solving puzzles.  The kids no longer think of it as learning form a book, but instead, having a purpose and an end goal.

•  Why might the idea of "figuring things out" be included in a section on "How Students Learn Science"?  Support your answer/argument with examples and/or evidence.   To be scientific literate is much more than being able to state facts.  It is being able to understand the world around us using the information we have at our disposal.  A great example of this is COVID and how it impacts us.  By having scientific literacy, students are able to look at the data that is being presented by their peers, family, and news sources and make informed decisions.  This is also evidenced in problem solving issues that we encounter in our day-to-day lives.