Engagement In Science Learning Research Articles

Facial Expression Recognition for Probing Students’ Emotional Engagement in Science Learning

AbstractStudent engagement in science classroom is an essential element for delivering effective instruction. However, the popular method for measuring students’ emotional learning engagement (ELE) relies on self-reporting, which has been criticized for possible bias and lacking fine-grained time solution needed to track the effects of short-term learning interactions. Recent research suggests that students’ facial expressions may serve as an external representation of their emotions in learning. Accordingly, this study proposes a machine learning method to efficiently measure students’ ELE in real classroom. Specifically, a facial expression recognition system based on a multiscale perception network (MP-FERS) was developed by combining the pleasure-displeasure, arousal-nonarousal, and dominance-submissiveness (PAD) emotion models. Data were collected from videos of six physics lessons with 108 students. Meanwhile, students’ academic records and self-reported learning engagement were also collected. The results show that students’ ELE measured by MP-FERS was a significant predictor of academic achievement and a better indicator of true learning status than self-reported ELE. Furthermore, MP-FERS can provide fine-grained time resolution on tracking the changes in students’ ELE in response to different teaching environments such as teacher-centered or student-centered classroom activities. The results of this study demonstrate the validity and utility of MP-FERS in studying students’ emotional learning engagement.

“I Should Only Use One Language”: A Case Study of Spanish-Speaking Emergent Bilingual Students’ Translanguaging Experiences in a Middle School Science Classroom

Despite the linguistic diversity in the United States, English-only norms persist in educational settings, placing culturally and linguistically diverse students at a disadvantage. Translanguaging, as a linguistic application of culturally relevant practice, utilizes students’ first and second languages to enhance understanding and communication. Guided by core questions and thorough qualitative analysis, this case study delves into middle school emergent bilingual students’ engagement and experiences with translanguaging in the science classroom within a monolingual school setting. Findings indicate that translanguaging positively impacts students’ comprehension and engagement in science learning, facilitating access to content and strengthening home–school connections. However, students’ attitudes toward translanguaging are influenced by the lack of institutional support and societal language ideologies, leading to mixed opinions about its effectiveness and preferences. The study emphasizes the importance of listening to students’ voices and advocating professional support to establish multilingual educational environments to maximize the advantages of translanguaging practices.

Contradictions and roadblocks: a cultural-historical study of educators’ beliefs and practices in the teaching of science concepts to infants and toddlers

ABSTRACT Whilst there is a body of emerging literature related to science education for children aged 3 years and above, less is known about educators’ beliefs when planning for the teaching of science concepts to infants and toddlers in group settings. This paper discusses how educators working with children under 18 months of age talk about and plan for the teaching of science concepts. We undertook an educational experiment with 6 educators and 11 infants aged 1.1–2.0 years (mean 1.6 years). An analysis of the digital data of 18.1 h (5.2 h of adult-researcher data; 12.9 h of observations) revealed both roadblocks and contradictions in educators’ beliefs and practices when planning for infant and toddler learning of science concepts. Initial contradictions for educators include focusing on activities not concepts, following interests and not introducing science content, and a belief associated with developmental restrictions regarding if science concepts and science resources are relevant/safe for this developmental period. These were genuine blocks in shifting educators’ beliefs towards planning for the learning of science concepts. We found under the conditions of an intervention, these roadblocks were resolved, giving more opportunities for infant-toddler engagement in science learning.

Evaluating the Impact of Team-Assisted Individualization and Team Games Tournament Approaches on Student Engagement in Science Learning

This study assesses the efficacy of the Teams Assisted Individualization (TAI) and Teams Games Tournament (TGT) learning models in enhancing academic performance and engagement among Mathematics students. Utilizing a classroom action research approach, the study was conducted over two cycles, each comprising four stages: observation, initial data collection, implementation planning of TAI and TGT, and report preparation. The participants included 72 students from classes VII A and VII B. The research revealed significant improvements in student performance. In class VII A, utilizing TAI, the percentage of students meeting the minimum competency level (KKM) increased from 45% in the pre-action phase to 85% by the end of Cycle II. Similarly, in class VII B, under the TGT model, the percentage of students achieving the KKM rose from 55% to 92%, with completion rates of assigned tasks also showing notable improvements. The findings suggest that both TAI and TGT models are effective in promoting higher academic achievement and greater student engagement in Mathematics. The substantial increase in students meeting the KKM and completing tasks indicates that these collaborative learning strategies significantly enhance learning outcomes. Implementing the TAI and TGT collaborative learning models has proven beneficial in boosting engagement, motivation, and academic performance among seventh-grade students at SMPN 243 Jakarta in their Mathematics coursework.

Edutainment on Display: Enhancing Learning Experiences Through Scientific Dramatizations of Gas Transport

Background: Edutainment describes the confluence of education and entertainment. Also termed dramatization, each participant imitates specific content elements, while the entire group embodies a fundamental concept. It harnesses the engaging nature of theater and enhances learning experiences with gamification. OBJECTIVE: This pilot study aims to use edutainment, in the form of dramatization, to teach cardiovascular topics to young learners and evaluate their engagement in science. HYPOTHESIS: We posit that applying this approach to education will better engage learners of all ages and enhance science learning. Methods: Kids’ Tech University (KTU) is an annual four-day program hosted by Virginia Tech in which children (ages 8-12) participate in interactive sessions about science and technology. During the 2023 event, six groups of four to eight students attended small group discussions to assess understanding of gas transport and learn about the circulatory system. Learners then took part in an activity where they represented red blood cells and traced blood flow through parts of the circulatory system marked by signs in the room (i.e., left atrium, brain). Everyday items—cotton balls and recycled paper—symbolized biological components—oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), respectively. Donning of red and blue party hats symbolized the oxygenation state of blood, enabling visual differentiation and providing more recognizable cues for learning diffcult concepts. The walking speed mirrored blood flow rates across various vessels, resembling arterial (fast) and venous (slow) velocities. Initially, students moved slowly towards the right side of the heart before swiftly transitioning to the lungs for CO2-O2 exchange. Afterward, they moved slowly to the left side of the heart and were propelled to different organs (brain, gallbladder, eyes, etc.) where they facilitated O2-CO2 exchange, and were returned as deoxygenated. The cycle repeated as the students continually discussed the science behind their dramatization. DATA/RESULTS: When studied at the 2023 event, enhanced learning was observed through qualitative assessments, as students were allowed to go through the simulation—first guided and then independently—to reinforce concepts, supplemented by additional discussions. Furthermore, students continued to remain engaged throughout the duration of the activity and expressed positive sentiments about their experience with dramatizations. Additional data will be gathered during another trial of this activity in January at the 2024 KTU to further add to our findings. CONCLUSION: The use of dramatization in teaching the intricacies of the circulatory system to a group of students is effective in cultivating interest and engagement in science learning. Reenacting core concepts using everyday items is an effective teaching tool that should continue to be explored in other settings and areas. This study will continue into 2024 to allow additional data collection. VTCSOM. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

USING VIDEO ANIMATION IN CONTEXTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING TO ENHANCE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN SCIENCE LEARNING

Science learning that only prioritizes conceptual learning and ignores relevance to the environmental context and society in which students live needs to be immediately abandoned and changed to contextual learning oriented towards student activity and engagement. The research aims to implement the contextual teaching and learning (CTL) model assisted by video animation to improve student learning processes and engagement in science learning about the Water Cycle. For this reason, a qualitative approach to this type of classroom action research is a research method that is considered relevant. Class actions were carried out in cycles (planning, implementation, observation and reflection) in class 5 of SDN 3 Watang Sidenreng, Sidrap Regency, South Sulawesi. Three instruments were used as data collection tools: teacher and student observation sheets and student learning engagement observation. Descriptive analysis was used for the analysis of data. The result is significant changes after implementing three class actions, especially in the student-centred orientation of learning science. With worksheets supported by animated video media, everything strengthens the contextualization of the Water Cycle material to be closer to students' daily phenomena. Various activities and learning experiences are realized when implementing the CTL model's seven learning steps (syntax). At the end of the cycle, student engagement could increase significantly. Thus, implementing CTL assisted by video animation could improve the learning process and engagement.

Latinx Science Students’ Sense of Belonging in Rural Wisconsin

This study explores the sense of belonging of rural middle and high school Latinx science students in Wisconsin. Between 2000 and 2015, the Latinx population was the fastest growing ethnic group in Wisconsin and increased by 95%. Yet, little is known about the experiences of these students in rural schools or their engagement in science learning. Our research contributes to addressing this knowledge gap and provides insights into Latinx student experiences relative to the science classroom and community. Our findings indicate that a primary determinant of Latinx science students’ positive sense of belonging is a positive relationship with their teachers.

Measuring high school student engagement in science learning: an adaptation and validation study

ABSTRACT This study validated an instrument for measuring student engagement in the context of Chinese science curriculum reforms. We adapted existing items from well-designed instruments with the context of science learning and formed the initial instrument of the Student Engagement in Science Learning (SESL) consisting of 20 items in four subscales, including cognitive, emotional, behavioural, and agentic engagement. We recruited an expert panel to provide content and face validity during the adaptation process. The final sample of 578 was collected and analysed to provide the construct validity of the SESL instrument. The results from item analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis conformed the instrument's convergent and discriminant validity. Independent t-tests of gender and district groups confirmed the concurrent validity of the instrument. The Cronbach's coefficient alpha of the four subscales and the total scale are higher than 0.70, indicating the SESL instrument has the internal consistency reliability for measuring student engagement in science learning. Researchers and practitioners would benefit from the valid and reliable SESL instrument with the four constructs to measure and improve student engagement in science learning.

Predictors of Student Engagement in Science Learning: The Role of Science Laboratory Learning Environment and Science Learning Motivation

Student engagement is one of the indicators of a successful teaching and learning process. Many studies claim that student engagement is associated with the performance and achievement of students. In this study, the researchers aimed to determine the effects of science laboratory environments and science learning motivation towards student engagement in learning science among non-science students. 468 upper secondary non-science students in Sarawak were involved in this survey with the administration of three sets of questionnaires on science laboratory environment, science learning motivation and student engagement in science learning. Multiple regression was used to analyse the research questions. Both science laboratory learning environment (r = 0.523) and science learning motivation (r = 0.670) are found positively correlated to student engagement. The results also revealed that the science laboratory learning environment and science learning motivation are significant predictors of student engagement in learning science with R2 = 0.463. Specifically, student cohesiveness, open-endedness, integration and material environment in the science laboratory learning environment and all the dimensions of motivation predict student engagement in science learning. The findings suggest that educators, especially science teachers, should utilise the laboratory effectively and keep students motivated to ensure their active engagement in science learning.

Motivation for science learning as an antecedent of emotions and engagement in preservice elementary teachers

AbstractSeveral variables associated with motivation toward science learning in preservice elementary teachers, such as relevance to personal goals and self‐efficacy, are important factors in preservice preparation. The main objective is to analyze the relationships of these motivational variables with the emotions of boredom and enjoyment, and with engagement in science learning. Data were obtained with a self‐report questionnaire completed by 871 preservice elementary teachers and analyzed using the structural equation model (SEM) methodology. The first step determined the adequacy of the measurement model and, in the second step, SEM showed that the variables associated with motivation for science learning significantly predicted the variance of boredom and enjoyment as 27% and 52%, respectively. The variables associated with motivation for science learning and emotions explained 67% of the variance in science learning engagement. Relevance to personal goals and self‐efficacy in science learning predicted the emotional variables. Emotional variables mediated the impact of motivational variables in science‐learning engagement. The fundamental role of emotions in motivation and science‐learning engagement in preservice elementary teachers is observed.

Multi-dimensional explorations into the relationships between high school students’ science learning self-efficacy and engagement

ABSTRACT Promoting student engagement in learning activities and tasks has been a pivotal issue and goal of science education. Relevant literature has not yet addressed the underlying associations among students’ self-efficacy and engagement in science learning from a multi-dimensional perspective. Thus, this study aimed to examine the structural relationships between the two constructs through the structural equation modelling technique to differentiate the predictive powers of multi-faceted self-efficacy on various forms of engagement. A total of 478 Taiwanese senior high school students were invited to answer two survey instruments concerning self-efficacy and engagement in science learning, respectively. The main findings indicate that, first, the ‘Science Learning Engagement Instrument’ was proven to be valid and reliable to assess the students’ five distinct forms of engagement, including Cognitive, Behavioral, Emotional, Social, and Agentic engagement. It seems that the students had less agentic engagement experiences compared to the other forms of learning engagement. Moreover, this study further identified the multifaceted effects of self-efficacy on the manifold aspects of learning engagement in the literature. Overall, the path analysis results provide evidence that, in order to deeply engage learners in science learning, promoting their science learning self-efficacy from various aspects is of great importance.

Opportunities to participate in science learning and student engagement: A mixed methods approach to examining person and context factors.

As student engagement in science learning continues to garner significant attention from educational researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, the importance of understanding person and context-related factors that impact student engagement is increasingly recognized. In this mixed methods study, middle school students’ (N = 1,848) engagement was examined in relation to opportunities to participate in science learning (OtP in science) from 29 schools in the United States. Drawing on the ecological systems and opportunity-propensity frameworks, multilevel structural equation modeling was applied to test the relationship between OtP in science and student engagement, accounting for student (gender, grade, ethnicity) and school (socioeconomic status) factors. Results showed that at the student level, OtP in science was a statistically significant predictor of engagement, and this relationship varied by school. In addition, school SES predicted school-average OtP in science, and there was a statistically significant cross-level interaction for school SES, in that the relationship between OtP in science and engagement was stronger for schools with higher SES. In the qualitative phase, 6 student focus group interviews were analyzed to develop explanatory accounts for the quantitative results. Collaborative hands-on activities, peer-to-peer discourse, and positive teacher and student relationships were identified as social processes that facilitated students’ propensity to engage in the science learning opportunities. Factors related to school SES that explain the link between OtP in science and student engagement are also described. Taken together, our findings provide a more complete picture of how students’ engagement in science relates to person and context-related factors and hold theoretical and practical implications for the study of engagement in diverse classrooms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

How Parents Engaged and Inspired Their Young Children to Learn Science in the Later Years: A Story of 11 Immigrant Parents in Australia

Parents’ beliefs, values and associated everyday practices can play an influential role in their children’s educational environment. This paper reports on a subsection of data from a larger qualitative study on how immigrant parents’ cultural beliefs, values and everyday practices contributed to shaping their young children’s early engagement in science learning. Parents in the study were asked to reflect upon their past familial experiences before migrating to Australia. Drawing on Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory, the parental role is considered as being the ‘more knowledgeable other’ in the child’s everyday home environment, whereby interactions with children are rooted in parents’ beliefs, sociocultural values and future aspirations for their children’s science career pursuits. By conducting semi-structured interviews with 11 immigrant parents, this study maps the conditions and science engagement opportunities that inspire children to study science in the future. The results focus on how everyday interactions and activities that parents indulge in with their children at an early age through to primary schooling are foregrounded in parents’ own cultural beliefs and values. Parental aspirations for their children to study science at school consciously or unconsciously develop children’s science aptitude. This study contributes to the theoretical knowledge and calls for parent–school collaboration practices in early childhood science education to understand the familial sociocultural practices of immigrant children.

Student engagement in science learning through the integration of ethnopedagogy in wastewater treatment project

This paper describes a study to engage science students in learning about environmental pollution through the integration of ethnopedology in a wastewater treatment project. The study involved 40 year 7 junior high school students in Jakarta. In developing indigenous knowledge was explored, and cultural practices in dealing with environmental pollution in five region of Jakarta, Bandung, East Java, Central Java, and Banten, were integrated into the study. A qualitative research method used reflective journals, interviews, and a science concept test to gather data. The results show that ethnopedagogy integration in science learning engaged students in understanding their culture and learning identity, and developed their problem solving, critical and creative thinking skills. Conceptual understanding of the science was developed throughout the learning experiences. In addition, students have developed their skills in communication and collaboration through completing the project. Students faced the challenge of shifting their identity from passive to active learners using meaningful and enjoyable learning experiences.

The Implementation of the Japanese Conceptual Lessons for Promoting the Egyptian Primary Students’ Engagement in Science Learning

The Implementation of the Japanese Conceptual Lessons for Promoting the Egyptian Primary Students’ Engagement in Science Learning

Science Creative Teaching Design for Science Teachers

STEM education is an approach for teaching and learning that integrates the content, processes, and skills of mainly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in facing the 21st-century challenges. Teachers should guide students to problem solving process, plan and design teaching activities that lead to the development of creativity and STEM proficiency. STEM students should be able to answer complex questions, investigate global issues and develop solutions for challenges and real-world problems while applying the rigor of science, technology, engineering and mathematics content in a seamless fashion. Therefore, creativity in teaching science subject is very important to encourage the students interests and engagement in science learning. A primary concern of this Science Creative Teaching Design (SCTD) is that it enables science teacher to plan and produce flexible, practical and feasible lesson plan and conduct teaching and learning. Furthermore, it encourages the teacher become creative as well as the students. Therefore, SCTD was developed from the integration of design thinking and creative thinking tools to facilitate science teachers in teaching activities. It comprises namely as Creo 1 for empathy, Creo 2 for build analogy, Creo 3 for ideation, Creo 4 for synthesis and justification and finally Creo 5 for application of knowledge. Several creative strategies were suggested in these Creo tools based on the literature reviews including role play, showing short videos, forward thinking, problem solving and designed games. It is hope that by using this Creo’s suggested will help the science teacher to plan attractive creative teaching for science teaching.

The Influence of Inquiry-Based Teaching on Male and Female Students’ Motivation and Engagement

This study aims to examine the influence of inquiry-based instruction on eighth-grade male and female students’ motivation and engagement in science learning in two public junior high schools in central Taiwan. Mixed-methods methodology was adopted with 60 students (32 males and 28 females) in the experimental group and 56 students (28 males and 28 females) in the control group. The study lasted for one semester and six units using inquiry-based teaching (90–180 min each) were implemented in the experimental group. Questionnaires used for measuring students’ motivation and engagement in science learning were administered as pre- and post-tests. In addition, eight to ten male and female students from both experimental and control groups, as well as two instructors were interviewed four times throughout the semester. Quantitative data were analyzed with t test and the interview data were fully transcribed and coded. Results show that male and female students under intervention expected to do more experiments because it improved their understanding. Male and female students under intervention also used more learning strategies. However, males benefited more than females from the intervention in regard to their motivation and engagement in learning science. Males improved more in motivational constructs, recognized the value of learning science, and increased their cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement because what they learned applied to real life. In contrast, females had higher exam anxiety and lower cognitive engagement due to mathematics fear, stronger sense of pride in class, and caring too much about the right answers.

Impacts émancipateurs d’une coopération scientifique-enseignant à l’école primaire sur les représentations des enfants et leur mobilisation dans les apprentissages en sciences

Un enseignement des sciences dans lequel un étudiant scientifique coopère avec un professeur des écoles contribue-t-il à une forme d’émancipation des élèves ? Les impacts de cette pratique ont été étudiés sur les apprentissages des enfants à travers les interactions langagières lors de séances de science à l’école primaire. Les représentations que les filles et les garçons se construisent des scientifiques ont été appréhendées par l’analyse de 1500 dessins légendés d’élèves de cycle 3. Des facteurs d’émancipation sont apparus : émancipation d’un assujettissement à une forme de savoir ; échappée de l’assignation à une « place » dans la classe et du « contrôle » permanent du professeur ; affranchissement de représentations sociales enfermantes. La dynamique interactive multiforme entre professeur- étudiant-élèves s’accompagne d’une sorte de circularité libératrice entre les actes de savoir/ enseigner/apprendre. Une offre de savoir témoignée par le binôme enseignant, plutôt qu’injonctive, rend l’élève plus libre pour répondre. De nouvelles postures pour apprendre sont investies. Une mobilisation inédite est suscitée par une possible identification au jeune scientifique. Elle conduit à une libération d’autocensures dues à des stéréotypes qui pèsent particulièrement sur les filles et les enfants de milieux défavorisés, ces derniers étant parfois exclus des sciences sous prétexte de retour aux soi-disant fondamentaux « lire, écrire, compter ».

Adolescents as agents of healthful change through scientific literacy development: A school-university partnership program in New Zealand

BackgroundScientific literacy development is widely emphasized as the overarching goal of science education. It encompasses development of understanding of the nature of science as well as knowledge, attitudes, and values that contribute to empowering adolescents to engage with and make evidence-based decisions about socioscientific issues. Scientific literacy development is enhanced when learning is contextualized in exploration of socioscientific issues.Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) associated with a combination of obesity and adverse environmental exposures are examples of pressing health-related SSIs facing the world today. Evidence emerging from the field of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) has identified adolescence as a key life-phase where population-wide education-based interventions that empower teens to engage in science-based health-promoting behaviors could significantly change the course of this epidemic. To achieve this, learning resources that support scientific and health literacy development contextualized in issues linking NCD risk and DOHaD are required.The Healthy Start to Life Education for Adolescents Project is a school-university partnership program designed to support scientific and health literacy development, knowledge translation, and participant-led actions relating to NCD risk prevention. This study assesses the impact of program participation in a cohort of 11–14-year-olds in New Zealand. Evaluation comprised analysis of individually matched questionnaires, pre-, 3 months, and 12 months post-intervention (n = 201) and 6 months post-intervention interviews (n = 40).ResultsPositive engagement in science learning occurred. Positive changes in health-related awareness and attitudes 3 months post-intervention were sustained to 12 months. Adolescents reporting pre-intervention dietary behaviors associated with increased obesity risk reported sustained positive behavior changes (p < .001). Qualitative evidence revealed that these changes resulted from application of scientific and health literacy. This has the potential to improve long-term health outcomes for adolescents and their future offspring. Furthermore, feedback from parents demonstrated that adolescents became science communicators within their families.ConclusionsWe demonstrated that contextualized learning promoting scientific and health literacy development facilitated knowledge translation. This allowed adolescents to decide if, and how, to use scientific evidence in relation to their current and future wellbeing. Exploration of the transferability of scientific and health literacy capabilities, and impacts on future health would enhance understanding of the value of the intervention.

Connecting Soccer to Middle School Science: Latino Students’ Passion in Learning

ABSTRACTBuilding on a pedagogical model designed to support the teaching and learning of the language of science investigation practices with middle school emergent bilingual learners, we developed a series of soccer and science investigations to promote interest and engagement in science learning. We used assemblage theory to study how students engaged in and acted within this bilingual curriculum situated in an afterschool soccer practice context. We found that soccer, a passion for several Latino students, can be used as a cultural tool for science teachers to support the emerging bilingual students’ learning process. Implications for educators and researchers considering ways of integrating diverse students’ cultural practices and passions with culturally sustaining pedagogies for science teaching and learning are discussed.