Science Education Research Articles

Score Reports for Teacher Educators: Informing Assessment Results for Content Knowledge for Teaching

ABSTRACT We explored how a group of elementary science teacher educators evaluated a classroom score report for assessment results on a class of preservice teachers’ (PSTs) content knowledge for teaching (CKT) about matter and its interactions. We interviewed a group of elementary teacher educators about their understanding of the PST performance described in the score report, the type of information included in the report, and how well the report communicated information to teacher educators that could be used to support PSTs’ learning of CKT. Results suggest teacher educators interpreted the score report information accurately and recognized the importance of resources to support PST learning. We identified three areas of difficulty described by teacher educators to guide future design: (1) understanding uncertainty of measurement in the information reported, (2) connecting information about PST performance with levels of difficulty, and (3) linking individual assessment results and actions to support learners in future performance.

Undergraduate students’ arising ideas during the implementation of a teaching-learning sequence on size-dependent properties in the nanoscale

ABSTRACT Background Nanotechnology is a field of science with increasing importance in the scientific community, hence there is an arising need for future scientists who will be able to compose a future ‘nano-workforce’. Therefore, the integration of this field in university curricula is of great importance. Even though the educational significance of nanotechnology is well-established, there is little precedent in the science education literature for teaching learning sequences for university education, based on a robust theoretical framework. Purpose This study aims at addressing this challenge by investigating undergraduate students’ ideas during a teaching learning sequence about the size-dependent optical properties of nanomaterials. Sample The study was conducted with eight undergraduate students from the Departments of Chemistry and Physics. Design and methods This investigation implemented a teaching experiment design. Results The analysis yielded a series of ideas, as well as the factors that potentially trigger them. While students appear to initially perceive optical properties as size-independent, through activities and inputs by the researcher this view changes to partially size-dependent, and finally to fully size-dependent. Conclusions The findings of this study could prove to be a valuable foundation for designing future teaching and learning sequences in tertiary education.

Peningkatan Pemahaman Pembelajaran IPA Materi Perkembangbiakan Bunga Sutra Bombay Melalui Metode Outdoor Learning Bagi Disabilitas Rungu

This research aims to improve the understanding of science learning on the propagation of bombay silk flowers through the outdoor learning method for students with hearing disabilities. This research method is Classroom Action Research (PTK). The data collection techniques used are tests, observations, and documentation. The data produced were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results show that the outdoor learning method improves students' understanding. Based on the test, AG obtained a score of 92.3% while MA and KL 84.6%, Based on the results of the research that has been carried out and presented in chapter IV, it can be concluded that the understanding of science of bombay silk flower breeding material for Class IX deaf people at SLB N 1 Lubuk Basung can be improved through the outdoor learning method.

Development of Innovative Technology Electronic Modules Based on Orchid Potential in Nglanggeran Forest through Project-Based Learning on Biotechnology Material to Enhance Science Literacy and Learning Interest of High School Students

This development research aims to determine the effectiveness of an electronic module on technological innovation based on the potential of orchids in the Nglanggeran forest using the Project-Based Learning (PjBL) model for biotechnology materials, to enhance high school students' scientific literacy and learning interest. This study employs the Research and Development (R&D) approach using the 4D model (define, design, develop, and disseminate). The data were analyzed using N-Gain tests and Manova. The feasibility test results indicate that the electronic module is highly suitable for use. This is evidenced by the feasibility test scores, namely 96.2% from material experts, 89.5% from teaching material experts, and 86.1% from practitioners. Additionally, the electronic module is considered practical based on student responses, with a score of 86.7%. The effectiveness test results show a significance value of 0.000 < 0.05, indicating a significant difference in scientific literacy and learning interest between the experimental and control classes. Furthermore, the Test of Between-Subjects Effects revealed a significance value of 0.000 < 0.005, suggesting differences in scientific literacy and learning interest between the experimental and control classes. Thus, the Project-Based Learning (PjBL)-based electronic module positively impacts students' scientific literacy and learning interest.

Activities, Resources, and Learning Environment: A Case Study of Science Learning at Sekolah Alam

This study examines science education activities, resources, and the learning environment at Sekolah Alam Al Fath Jambi Junior High School. Using a case study approach, the research involves direct observations, interviews with teachers and students, and learning materials analysis to understand the impact of various learning methods on student outcomes. The findings highlight that science learning activities align with the Sekolah Alam concept, emphasizing project-based, experiential, nature-based, and collaborative approaches. Learning occurs inside and outside the classroom, utilizing the natural surroundings for exploration and field experiments. Resources include school gardens, outbound areas, natural materials, and collaborations with local experts. The learning environment, assessed through the WIHIC questionnaire, supports student success through dimensions like cohesiveness, teacher support, involvement, task orientation, cooperation, equity, enjoyment, and academic efficacy. This study underscores the effectiveness of nature-integrated and experiential approaches in enhancing science learning outcomes and offers recommendations for advancing educational practices in similar settings.

Research on the Obstacles and Paths of the Educational Role of Popular Science Books

In recent years, the dissemination of science and popular science books has received a lot of attention. However, people now face significant shortcomings, such as the development of social media overshadowing popular science books, oversimplification, and the prevalence of misleading information. Based on this, this paper analyzes the purpose, challenges, and strategies for improving popular science books. It identifies possible limitations in the current system, including repetitive content, and inaccuracies in information, which undermine the effectiveness of these books in science education. This paper proposes the following strategies. First of all, the update of popular science books should focus on integrating real-world applications and bridging the gap between science and daily life. In addition, the content of the book should focus on the implementation of cutting-edge themes to modernize the content. At the same time, based on the background characteristics of the current era of artificial intelligence, the update and development of books can use engaging tools such as animation and interactive online books to improve information dissemination and apply feedback tools to cultivate engagement and interest, to enhance the popularity and educational role of popular science books.

The Role of Joking for Learning Science: An Exploration of Spontaneous Humour in Two Physics Education Settings

Abstract Talking science is based on the premise of being serious and dignified. Still, both teachers and students use humour when they communicate. However, little is known about the mechanisms of how learning science is constituted when teachers and students are using spontaneous humour in science classroom activities. In this study, we acknowledge this gap. We have analysed video data using practical epistemology analysis (PEA) from two different contexts in physics education, a physics classroom in grade 9 and a group of undergraduate students learning basic mechanics together. The findings showed that spontaneous humour, such as absurdities, supported the learning process in two ways: (1) orienting talk and action towards the scientific purposes of the assignments and (2) sorting out what scientific content and norms were/were not of relevance in the situation. The results illustrate how the participants made jokes to clarify how reasoning and actions tallied with the task at hand. These humorous situations positively affected students’ ability to act intentionally towards the aim of the activity, and the results show that this way of joking can have positive consequences for student learning. Therefore, humour ought to be viewed as a significant resource for learning in the science classroom. Doing science can, like any other activity, be a humorous endeavour in itself, without cartoons or extravagant shows.

A Study of the Impact of Science and Technology in Education on Teaching and Learning Implementation

In the era of scientific and technological development, science and technology have also begun to enter the academic world, and more and more classrooms have begun to use science and technology to help teaching and learning. The impact of science and technology has received widespread attention, but the pros and cons of this still need to be discussed. This paper analyses the use of science and technology in classroom teaching. The analyses show that science and technology can break the limitations of traditional teaching and learning, which are reflected in the teacher's teaching methods, teaching techniques, and feedback. In addition, the use of technology can also enrich the classroom teaching form, expanding teaching resources. At the same time, there are many problems and challenges associated with the use of technology. Misuse of technology and low-quality technological environments pose significant challenges. Many teachers have low information awareness and poor IT skills. For this reason, this paper suggests that there is a need to examine the pros and cons of technology and to use it appropriately. On the part of teachers themselves, in-service teacher training and the promotion of information awareness or digital literacy are also needed.

The Role of Education Reform in the Great Economic Development of Vietnam

Vietnam established an effective education reform in order to improve the economic circumstance and help the country follow the globalization trend. This paper explains that education reform can boost the development of economy in a wide range which can be expressed by increasing labour quality and productivity, long-term economic prosperity, etc. Education also plays an important role in government spending which can lead to the increase in aggregate demand. This paper finds that the expenditure in education has a positive relationship to the economic growth of Vietnam. The paper draws on these findings to argue that the government of Vietnam are supposed to keep injecting funds into the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. Furthermore, the government has the duty to strengthen partnerships between educational institutions and industries and enhance access to education. These alternative policies can be beneficial to Vietnam in solving the economic problems, so this paper suggests Vietnam to keep investing in education, aiming to further stimulate economic development.

Development of pain science education for chronic low back pain in India

ABSTRACT Background Pain Science Education (PSE) has been shown to reduce pain and disability in chronic low back pain (CLBP), a prevalent and disabling condition. PSE helps reconceptualize pain using aids like pictures, metaphors, and stories, and supports pain self-management. Due to variations in pain beliefs across different cultures, the PSE resources need to be customized to accommodate respective literacy levels, cultures and languages. Objective This study aimed to develop PSE booklets in three Indian languages: Bengali, Hindi and Kannada. Method Thirty chronic pain experts (i.e. physiotherapists, pain physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, public health professionals, nurses) independently examined the PSE booklet’s content and rated it under: (1) Content adequacy, (2) Simplicity and clarity, (3) Topical flow, (4) Metaphors’ appropriateness (5) Illustration suitability (6) Color scheme and (7) Culture-specific content. Five people with lived CLBP experience contributed. The content validity ratio (CVR) was used to rate the content of the PSE booklet in seven domains (e.g. cultural relevance). A priori criterion for acceptance of the content was set at 70%. Results Five booklet chapters were developed and were deemed acceptable. Cultural relevance domain received the highest score. Conclusion This is the first study to develop culturally relevant PSE booklets in Bengali, Hindi, and Kannada, which are likely to be useful in educating patients with CLBP. The new intervention needs to be tested for effectiveness in respective language-speaking samples.

The Impact of Constructivist Approach on Achievement in Science Education: A Comprehensive Review

The Impact of Constructivist Approach on Achievement in Science Education: A Comprehensive Review

The visual diagram: an information design tool for science communication

Visual diagrams are ubiquitous elements in science communication and science teaching. We can find them in texts from any area of knowledge. However, more studies are required to understand the mechanisms that make them useful tools for sharing information. This research, from an information design perspective, analyzes visual diagrams by identifying the morphological features that define them and proposing an original classification. This is a qualitative exploratory and descriptive study, based on non-probabilistic sample techniques, and through a dialectic process some proposals have been integrated from specialised literature, historical records research, practical contemporary applications analysis, information design theory, science communication and the practical experience of the authors. As a result, a diagram classification is proposed which comprises four morphological structures. Visual diagrams have been identified as useful tools to explain scientific topics, because their structure is practical for adding new characteristics in order to be adapted to the requirements of communicating knowledge visually. The insertion of information design leverages and promotes visual and information literacy capabilities both in the construction of visual diagrams.

Unpacking the science kits

PurposeIn this article, the authors explore one way that teacher preparation programs and elementary schools can collaborate to enhance science instruction for elementary school learners. This paper provides an overview of a project where a teacher candidate worked with six classroom teachers to organize science materials and prepare for science lessons.Design/methodology/approachThis project included targeted assistance from a teacher candidate in “unpacking” a kit of science materials and a feedback survey given to classroom teachers after the project.FindingsAfter the teacher candidate helped “unpack” the science kits, teachers reported that they were more confident in teaching lessons from the curriculum. The teacher candidate reported that she learned more about how materials can be used in science teaching and learning.Originality/valueThis project showed how PDS can involve teacher candidates in spanning boundaries to elementary science teaching to enhance outcomes for all stakeholders.

The Current State of STEM Education in the United States: Strengths and Shortcomings

STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) has been revered for many decades for its potential to foster innovation, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills essential for the modern workforce. However, while the benefits of STEM are widely acknowledged, significant challenges remain in its implementation, particularly in addressing the needs of a diverse and evolving society. This paper explores both the advantages and the disadvantages of current STEM educational practices. Through a thorough review of existing research and empirical data, we identify key areas where STEM succeeds in providing baseline skills for a prolific STEM career, and also key areas where STEM education falls short, such as inclusivity, accessibility, and the integration of interdisciplinary approaches. We argue that for STEM to truly fulfill its purpose, it must undergo substantial improvements to better accommodate diverse populations and contemporary societal demands. Our findings suggest that a more holistic and equitable approach to STEM education is necessary, one that not only preserves disciplinary integrity but also promotes cultural relevance and broadens participation across all demographics. This research highlights and attempts to specify the urgent need for systemic changes to ensure that STEM education can effectively contribute to a more inclusive and fruitful society in the future.

Comparing Scientific Machine Learning With Population Pharmacokinetic and Classical Machine Learning Approaches for Prediction of Drug Concentrations.

A variety of classical machine learning (ML) approaches has been developed over the past decade aiming to individualize drug dosages based on measured plasma concentrations. However, the interpretability of these models is challenging as they do not incorporate information on pharmacokinetic (PK) drug disposition. In this work we compare drug plasma concentraton predictions of well-known population PK (PopPK) modeling with classical machine learning models and a newly proposed scientific machine learning (MMPK-SciML) framework. MMPK-SciML allows to estimate PopPK parameters and their inter-individual variability (IIV) using multimodal covariate data of each patient and does not require assumptions about the underlying covariate relationships. A dataset of 541 fluorouracil (5FU) plasma concentrations as example for an intravenously administered drug and a dataset of 302 sunitinib and its active metabolite concentrations each as example for an orally administered drug were used for analysis. Whereas classical ML models were not able to describe the data sufficiently, MMPK-SciML allowed us to obtain accurate drug plasma concentration predictions for test patients. In case of 5FU, goodness-of-fit shows that the MMPK-SciML approach predicts drug plasma concentrations more accurately than PopPK models. For sunitinib, we observed slightly less accurate drug concentration predictions compared to PopPK. Overall, MMPK-SciML has shown promising results and should therefore be further investigated as a valuable alternative to classical PopPK modeling, provided there is sufficient training data.

Exploring the Attending and Interpretation of Three Science and Engineering Practices Among Secondary Science Teachers

Exploring the Attending and Interpretation of Three Science and Engineering Practices Among Secondary Science Teachers

Reflections of Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Understanding of the Nature of Science on a Socioscientific Issue

Reflections of Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Understanding of the Nature of Science on a Socioscientific Issue

Hands-on learning for probiotic quality assessment: enhancing microbiology education through applied microbial counting techniques.

The microbial plate count continues to be an essential technique in food microbiology research and quality control. In food science education, this technique is often taught through traditional fact-based methods, requiring students to follow pre-established protocols. This approach may not fully engage students or enhance their problem-solving skills. Eighty-two final-year Food Science and Technology bachelor's students at the University of Milan were asked to combine their knowledge on general microbiology and microbial physiology for quality assessment of different probiotic products, including freeze-dried cells, fermented milk, and bacterial spore suspension. They were required to select the appropriate culture media, incubation conditions, and treatments based on flow cytometry cell quantification to optimize microbial plate counts and selectively count the different microbial species present in the probiotic formulations. The project aimed to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical applications, emphasizing the most appropriate procedure for viable and cultivable cell quantification, particularly relevant in probiotic formulation. Survey feedback indicated high satisfaction and relevance to future careers, with the majority finding the activity challenging yet engaging. The project demonstrated the effectiveness of combining different microbiological techniques in education, fostering a deeper understanding of the cultivability of probiotics and the role of selective agents.

The views and course practices of science teachers on the psychological resilience of students with learning disabilities

AbstractIt is crucial for students with learning disabilities (SLDs) to possess psychological resilience in order to pursue their careers as entrepreneurial individuals. One of the areas where entrepreneurship skills are taught in middle school is in science courses. This shows the importance of teaching psychological resilience in science courses. On the basis of this idea, the present study aims to determine the views and suggestions of science teachers on the psychological resilience of SLDs as well as the course processes they carry out in order to foster this trait. Individual and focus group interviews were conducted with 15 science teachers and observations were recorded with two science teachers. Interview and observation forms were developed, taking into account the indicators of the four dimensions of resilience: coping with stress, communication, assertiveness and problem‐solving skills. The study revealed that science teachers did not implement teaching processes to develop the psychological resilience of SLDs and that they considered themselves professionally inadequate in this regard. The science teachers suggested that activities based on learning by practice and experience, collaboration with different businesses and project‐based teaching could be effective in improving the psychological resilience of SLDs.

A new era of learning: exploring science teachers’ perceptions of virtual lab in rural schools

Abstract Virtual learning technologies have become integral in education globally, with developed countries leading in implementation. In contrast, Global South countries like South Africa are only beginning to conceptualise Virtual Laboratory (VL) integration, with limited practical implementation. This study underscores the importance of understanding teachers’ perceptions of VL before deployment to minimise the risk of underuse or abandonment. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model Davis (MIS Quarterly 13(3):319–340, 1989), this research employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach. In Phase 1, 186 Life Sciences teachers from South Africa’s Eastern Cape province participated in a survey and semi-structured interviews with four teachers in Phase 2. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Findings reveal that teachers perceive VL positively and see potential benefits for rural education. The study also signals that intent alone may not lead to full adoption. This study contributes unique insights from rural teachers often absent in the broader technology adoption dialogue.