Goal Of Science Education Research Articles

Theorizing science‐civic practices: Youth adaptation and remixing of scientific numeracies within digital civic media

AbstractInformed civic engagement has long been a goal of science education. Yet, how youth civically engage using science—what knowledge and practices they draw on, when, how, and for what purposes—remains largely unknown. By examining youth civic digital media production around climate change and COVID‐19, we shed light on this area. We view both scientific and civic engagement through the theoretical lens of social practice, which locates learning, knowledge, and cognition within culturally embedded social activities. With this theoretical disposition, we examined media produced by youth during the 2020 U.S. presidential election, asking: (1) What scientific numeracies did youth use in civic participation about climate change and COVID‐19? And (2) In what ways did youth adapt and/or remix canonical scientific numeracies within their digital civic media production? Through qualitative coding of 249 media pieces, we identified ways in which youth engaged and adapted scientific civic numeracies. We found that youth often adapted canonical forms of numeracy, integrated or “remixed” scientific numeracies with other knowledges such as those of place and politics, and interwove multiple numeracies. We begin to theorize science‐civic practices, or the locally‐meaningful ways of participating and meaning‐making that interweave multiple literacies used to advance one's civic aims. We use our findings to argue for the imperative of bringing the civic world into the science classroom.

Teaching Science to Students with Disabilities Using Socio-Scientific Issues

Students with disabilities experience inequitable learning opportunities in science classrooms. To create equitable learning environments, science teachers must embed supports within their curriculum units. Teachers rely on their beliefs about the capabilities of their students, their role as science teachers, and the goals of science education to adapt their curriculum units. Curricular changes occur through their pedagogical design capacity (PDC) during lesson planning and enactments, in which their beliefs inform their PDC choices. Yet there is little research regarding science teachers’ beliefs about teaching students with disabilities and how they enact their science curriculum materials in general education science classrooms. This qualitative case study focused on one secondary biology teacher who taught a socio-scientific issues (SSI) based unit in a remedial biology classroom. Teacher beliefs and PDC served as the theoretical and analytical frameworks. Data included classroom observations and stimulated recall interviews. Findings show the teacher’s beliefs about her students’ capabilities, role as their science teacher, and goals for science learning drove her PDC. She scaffolded, adapted, and improvised to support learners, while not changing the rigor of the curriculum unit. This study illustrates a vision of equitable science instruction with implications for bringing this vision to life for students with disabilities in science classrooms.

‘Sleep Blindness’ in Science Education: How Sleep Health Literacy Can Serve as a Link between Health Education and Education for Sustainable Development

Sleep disorders are risk factors for diseases such as dementia or diabetes, and cause enormous costs. Despite the crucial impacts of sleep on human health, there is little to no research on sleep and health in the field of science education. Although health education is an overarching goal of science education in school, the topic of sleep is rarely addressed. In the related field of medical education, empirical studies shed light on the impact of school projects concerning sleep health but are yet unrecognized by science education research. Systematic reviews demonstrate the effectiveness of school-based sleep education programs for increasing sleep knowledge but show contradicting findings regarding the impact on sleep behaviors. Lacking knowledge about healthy sleep is related to unhealthy sleep behavior. In this perspective article, we prepare the topic of sleep for the field of science education by presenting the state of research concerning sleep education. Using the connection between light pollution and sleep disruption, we present a concept of sleep health literacy in science education, argue for the implementation of sleep health literacy in science education curricula, and describe how the topics of sleep and light can serve as a link between health education and Education for Sustainable Development.

Designing learning environments to promote competent lay engagement with science

AbstractAn important goal of science education is promoting scientific literacy—the competence to interact with science as laypeople to solve problems and make decisions in their personal and community lives. This is made more challenging in an age of increasing science denialism. In this article, we discuss how to design learning environments for science education that can help students attain scientific literacy. We argue that science curricula should encompass lessons with two distinguishable foci. One focus engages students in understanding the reliability of science. The second focus engages students as laypeople interacting with science in the public sphere. We discuss these two curricular foci, presenting examples from our own work on designing and implementing instruction with the first focus.

What is meant by scientific literacy in the curriculum? A comparative analysis between Bolivia and Chile

Scientific literacy is still being identified and recognised as one of the main goals of science education. However, this concept has multiple interpretations and its definition changes continuously depending on its social, cultural, and political contexts. In this paper, scientific literacy is conceptualised through visions I, II and III. The first one is focused on the content and scientific processes for its subsequent application; the second, with a focus on understanding the usefulness of scientific knowledge in life and society; and the third one seeks to move towards a politicised scientific education to dialogic emancipation, attending social and eco-justice dimensions. The latter is also called critical scientific literacy. The research aimed at analysing how scientific literacy and these three visions are expressed in school curricula of Bolivia and Chile. Using a qualitative approach and thematic analysis, it is established that the Bolivian curriculum presents mainly a critical scientific literacy approach and the Chilean science curriculum presents mainly a vision II of scientific literacy. Findings of contrasting both school curricula show science education as non-neutral and profoundly political field, and therefore, we can see relevant opportunities for transformation and emancipation, understanding science curriculum as a social practice.

Exploring different visions of scientific literacy in Irish primary science education: core issues and future directions

ABSTRACT This discussion paper focuses on the purpose of, and vision for, Irish primary science education prior to the redevelopment and publication of the primary science curriculum in 2024. Scientific literacy is broadly accepted as the goal of science education. Despite this, curricular analysis focusing on scientific literacy in Europe is scarce. There is no universally accepted definition of scientific literacy and the divergent perspectives of scientific literacy and its conceptualisation in terms of purpose and competencies warrant discussion. This paper details and critiques both the historical and current position of Irish primary science education against prominent policy documents and research in the field. It presents research informed recommendations required to transform a holistic vision of scientific literacy from curriculum documents into classroom practice. It is hoped that this discussion paper raises important questions for policy makers and educators highlighting the central role of science literacy education to meet the needs of all students in the twenty-first century.

Scientific literacy: Its real origin story and functional role in American education

AbstractIt has been widely accepted in the science education research community that scientific literacy as a concept and phrase was introduced by Paul deHart Hurd in 1958. Recent research into the origins of the phrase, however, has shown this to be incorrect. Its first published use can be traced back, in fact, to 1945, and the phrase was frequently invoked in popular and research publications throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Exploring the historical circumstances of the phrase's introduction into popular discourse, it is argued, reveals that despite the rhetorical power and widespread adoption of the idea, scientific literacy (as others have pointed out) has proven to be little more than an empty slogan that offers no substantive guidance for thinking about the goals of science education. This essay argues that rather than continue to cling to the idea, the field of science education can more productively consider the most relevant and appropriate goals of science teaching by dispensing with the concept altogether.

Philosophical Goals of Science and Mathematics Education: Reflective Review

This paper is a collaborative effort among educators and researchers who reviewed issues on what is science and mathematics education for? what is mathematics striving for? Wherein, reviewed the contents of preferred articles: Aims of Mathematics Education (Rameley,2007); The Philosophy and Goals of Science Education (Hodson,1985) using a purposive approach thru design thinking methods, synthesized related literature to formulating views that generalized a concept of understanding based on the author’s logical understanding. And using grounded theory findings revealed that in this present era, science was distinctly used to calculate societal workloads, and in school, people were used to calculating mathematical problems. It was determined Both in and outside the school premises that science and mathematics were infused, and people shifted from teaching competencies that computers can do rather than focusing onward to competencies that complement computer capabilities.

Instructional practices in secondary science: How teachers achieve local and standards‐based success

AbstractThis article reports on analyses of the instructional practices of six middle‐ and high‐school science teachers in the United States who participated in a research‐practice partnership that aims to support reform science education goals at scale. All six teachers were well qualified, experienced, and locally successful—respected by students, parents, colleagues, and administrators—but they differed in their success in supporting students' three‐dimensional learning. Our goal is to understand how the teachers' instructional practices contributed to their similarities in achieving local success and to differences in enabling students' learning, and to consider the implications of these findings for research‐practice partnerships. Data sources included classroom videos supplemented by interviews with teachers and focus students and examples of student work. We also compared students' learning gains by teacher using pre–post assessments that elicited three‐dimensional performances. Analyses of classroom videos showed how all six teachers achieved local success—they led effectively managed classrooms, covered the curriculum by teaching almost all unit activities, and assessed students' work in fair and efficient ways. There were important differences, however, in how teachers engaged students in science practices. Teachers in classrooms where students achieved lower learning gains followed a pattern of practice we describe as activity‐based teaching, in which students completed investigations and hands‐on activities with few opportunities for sensemaking discussions or three‐dimensional science performances. Teachers whose students achieved higher learning gains combined the social stability characteristic of local classroom success with more demanding instructional practices associated with scientific sensemaking and cognitive apprenticeship. We conclude with a discussion of implications for research‐practice partnerships, highlighting how partnerships need to support all teachers in achieving both local and standards‐based success.

Assessing the Scientific Literacy of Prospective Biology Teachers

Scientific literacy is one of the goals of science education so that students can use scientific principles to address science-related problems. A person who possesses scientific literacy was able to recognize, analyze, and design scientific research as well as interpret data using scientific evidence. Students that are scientifically literate can approach challenges by using a scientific approach. Nevertheless, not all of these skills are possessed by students, particularly those who are freshmen in college. The purpose of this study was to determine the scientific literacy skills of prospective biology teachers using the scientific method in the learning process. This research is pre-experimental with the one group pretest – posttest design, respondents was 31 new student of biology education in first semester. Worksheets based on the scientific method are used in the research instrument. Data analysis using the SPSS 25.0 program, paired t test statistical analysis was used for data analysis. The research findings can be concluded that met a significance threshold of 0.000 (p value 0.05), indicating that there was a difference between the typical student scores before and after the scientific method was used

Citizen Science Project, Weather-it, in Science Education: The Scientific Attitudes of Junior High School Students

Formal education increasingly includes citizen science projects. There is clear evidence of the benefits of citizen science projects for science learning, where one of the goals of science education is to foster a logical mindset and add information to students. This study aimed to measure changes in scientific attitude and the addition of knowledge acquired by students. This project is named Weather-it, which consists of activities to investigate the weather and identify clouds. Thirty junior high school students were involved in this study. Research data were obtained from semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The experts have verified the 23 statement items on the questionnaire sheet. The results showed that 77% of students were in the good category for the indicator of curiosity, 67% in the sufficient category for the indicator of respect for data, 93% for the sufficient category for the indicator of critical thinking, and 77% for the sufficient category for the indicator of open-mindedness and cooperation. Furthermore, students explained the knowledge they gained through the citizen science project, Weather-it, including knowledge about clouds, technology, the use of Microsoft Excel in processing data, the use of weather in aviation, and the duties of a meteorologist.

Examining Student Testing and Debugging Within a Computational Systems Modeling Context

Interpreting and creating computational systems models is an important goal of science education. One aspect of computational systems modeling that is supported by modeling, systems thinking, and computational thinking literature is “testing, evaluating, and debugging models.” Through testing and debugging, students can identify aspects of their models that either do not match external data or conflict with their conceptual understandings of a phenomenon. This disconnect encourages students to make model revisions, which in turn deepens their conceptual understanding of a phenomenon. Given that many students find testing and debugging challenging, we set out to investigate the various testing and debugging behaviors and behavioral patterns that students use when building and revising computational system models in a supportive learning environment. We designed and implemented a 6-week unit where students constructed and revised a computational systems model of evaporative cooling using SageModeler software. Our results suggest that despite being in a common classroom, the three groups of students in this study all utilized different testing and debugging behavioral patterns. Group 1 focused on using external peer feedback to identify flaws in their model, group 2 used verbal and written discourse to critique their model’s structure and suggest structural changes, and group 3 relied on systemic analysis of model output to drive model revisions. These results suggest that multiple aspects of the learning environment are necessary to enable students to take these different approaches to testing and debugging.

Engaging Students in Scientific Practices in a Remote Setting

The goal of science education has shifted from teaching scientific concepts to facilitating students’ active role in making sense of phenomena through engaging in scientific practices (SPs). While engaging in scientific practices, students use and develop core ideas. The COVID-19 pandemic forced a shift towards online education, stressing the need to explore how SPs are used in a remote setting. This study aimed to investigate upper secondary students’ use of SPs during collaborative work in a remote setting. The study was conducted in two stages. In Stage 1, the researcher designed collaborative assignments according to the SP approach. In Stage 2, students (N = 16) worked on the designed assignments in small groups. Students’ actions on the computer were recorded with screen-recording software and investigated from three perspectives: use of digital resources, use of SPs, and collaboration. Interviews were conducted to understand students’ perceptions and engagement and were analysed by content analysis means. The results indicated that the collaboration actions were intertwined with SPs use and use of digital resources. The challenges faced by students varied by SPs, with developing models and constructing scientific explanations causing the most challenges. We discuss possible strategies to engage students in SPs in online settings.

Factors affecting the formation of views of nature of science: A mixed-methods study

ABSTRACT Background The views of the nature of science (VNOS) is one of the important goals of science education. According to information processing constructivism, learners’ psychological factors that may influence VNOS include scientific argumentation (SA), metacognition (MC) and epistemic beliefs (EB). Purpose This mixed-methods study aims to analyse the effects of SA, MC and EB on the formation of VNOS. Sample Three hundred and twenty-seven undergraduates majoring in chemistry education participated in this study. They came from three normal universities in China, each with 78, 119 and 110 participants, respectively. Design and Methods MC, EB and VNOS scales and SA test were used to collect data. Structural equation model (SEM, N = 327) was used to reveal linear relationships. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA, N = 78) was used to reveal set relationships. Results SEM shows that SA and EB directly affect VNOS, with SA also having a mediating effect, and MC plays an indirect role through EB. FsQCA shows that a high-level SA is a sufficient and necessary condition for a high VNOS, and a low-level SA or ‘a low-level MC combined with a low-level EB’ are possible configurations for a low VNOS. Conclusion In the formation of VONS, SA plays a key role, and the combination of MC and EB plays a supporting role. Therefore, two simple ways to cultivate VNOS and suggestions are discussed.

PENGEMBANGAN PENGINTEGRASIAN PENDIDIKAN LALU LINTAS DALAM MATA PELAJARAN PKN MELALUI MEDIA PEMBELAJARAN BERBASIS WEB UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KESADARAN HUKUM PESERTA DIDIK DI SMPN 5 BANDUNG

Teenage drivers are famous for unsafe and disorderly driving behavior, and a minimal level of awareness in traffic. In thiscase the researcher wants; 1) knowing the learning conditions of traffic education integration materials in Civic Educationsubjects at SMP Negeri 5 Bandung, 2) knowing how to develop web-based learning media for conceptual education of traffic education materials in Civics subjects, 3) knowing how to implement learning-based media web in conceptual integration of traffic education material in Civics subjects, 4) knowing the increase of students' legal awareness after theapplication of web-based learning model in the material of integrating traffic education in Civics subjects. Somantri (Wuryan and Syaifullah, 2009.76) interpreted Civics as a selection, adaptation from cross-disciplines of social sciences, citizenship, humanities, technology, religion, basic human activities organized and presented psychologically andscientifically. to participate in achieving one of the objectives of social science education and national education goals. The approach used by researchers is the Research and Development (R & D) approach. By using data collectiontechniques, including observation, interviews, questionnaires, literature studies, documentation studies. The population used is the population of SMPN 5 Bandung. The research samples were: class VII-A, class VII-B, class VII-C, class VII-D, and class VII-E. Analysis of his research uses qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis. The results showed that; 1) the condition of learning the integration of traffic education in Civics subjects is still conservative, especially in theuse and use of learning media, resulting in students being less interested in learning material for integrating traffic education in Civics subjects, 2) producing web-based learning media that in accordance with the purpose of its manufacture, the stages that must be carried out by the media developer are starting from the preproduction, productionand post-production stages. To be able to run this web-based learning media does not require special skills in learning, only basic computer skills are needed for teachers and students because this web-based learning media usescomputer media and internet connection, 3)web-based learning media contributes significantly to increasing legal awareness student traffic in learning material integrates traffic education in Civics subjects and 4)contributes significantly to improving student learning outcomes.

An analysis of the nature of science represented in Chinese middle school chemistry textbooks

ABSTRACT Understanding the nature of science (NOS) is an important goal of science education, and textbooks are a key factor in shaping students’ conceptions of NOS. In this study, we analysed NOS represented in middle school chemistry textbooks in the Chinese mainland. The selected materials were three most commonly adopted textbook series, which were published in 2001, 2001, and 2012. The analysis was conducted from 11 aspects – empirical, inferential, creative, theory-driven, tentative, myth of ‘the scientific method’, scientific theories, scientific laws, social dimensions of science, social and cultural embeddedness of science, limitations of science – to determine the distribution of different representation types (explicit-informed, implicit-informed, implicit-naïve, and explicit-naïve) in each NOS aspect in each textbook series. Textbook analysis results indicated that each textbook series had mixed conceptions of NOS and most NOS representations were informed and implicit. The frequencies of NOS representations in the selected textbook series were roughly identical; however, the last two textbook series had relatively higher error rates than the first one. Moreover, there was an overall imbalance in the representations of NOS aspects. Our findings, combined with previous studies, were also discussed.

Do Serbian high school students possess knowledge of basic chemical facts related to real life as a prerequisite for chemical literacy?

For a long time, literacy has had a deeper meaning than just the ability of reading and writing. Chemical literacy, as a part of science literacy, represents the use of chemical knowledge and skills in solving real life problems. With the increasing influence that chemistry has on society, chemical literacy becomes one of the main goals of science education. In order to examine the knowledge of chemical facts related to real life (as a prerequisite for chemical literacy) of high school students (N = 379), we designed a knowledge test and constructed a scoring scale for evaluating achievements. The obtained results are contrary to expectations, i.e., a large number of students did not achieve a satisfactory level of knowing selected chemical facts chosen by the authors. The small number of correct answers per question indicates that the examined sample of students does not show a desirable level of chemical knowledge, implying that there is a need for new, improved strategies in chemistry teaching.

CHEMISTRY EDUCATION IN THE BALKAN REGION: TRENDS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

According to the European Commission, education, science, technology, research and innovation are a prerequisite for achieving a sustainable EU economy. EU leaders have agreed to work towards a European Education Area by 2025 to take full advantage of education, training, and culture (EU, 2019). Scientific literacy takes center stage in major reforms in education and is often presented as a key goal of science education. This is due to the idea that scientific literacy could be a prerequisite for the economic survival and technological development of the society, at least if judged by the research based on correlations between large-scale international testing results and country’s economic prosperity level (Hanushek & Woessmann, 2010). Chemical literacy presents a significant constituent part of scientific literacy, given that the use of various chemicals plays a vital role in our daily lives whether we are talking about food, medicine, clothing or climate change.

Dual Coding Cognition in Devising Infographics for an Enhanced Students’ Scientific Knowledge

The goal of science education is to increase students’ scientific literacy, which includes the acquisition of scientific knowledge, to become informed and active citizens who can make decisions that influence their health, environment, or society. In line with this, the study sought to determine the efficacy of using infographics in enhancing the scientific knowledge of 160 grade 8 students in Alaminos Laguna. Furthermore, it investigates the students’ dual coding cognition as inputs to developing the infographic materials. It also evaluates students’ preferences for static and animated infographics, and evaluators’ ratings of the created infographics. This study is descriptive developmental in nature, as it employs survey questionnaires to assess students’ dual coding cognition, students’ preference for static versus animated infographics, and experts’ ratings on the designed infographic materials. It also creates, designs, and assesses infographic learning materials in accordance with the criteria established to be effective. The results showed that students’ dual coding cognition in terms of verbal and imagery is both “practiced” and that both infographics were “preferred” by the students. The static infographics received an “excellent” score from the expert raters, while animated infographics received a “very good” rating. The result generated showed infographics enhanced learners’ performance and demonstrated a substantial difference between their pre-and post-test scores in terms of scientific knowledge. The findings indicate that using infographics to increase students’ scientific knowledge and academic performance was indeed beneficial.

Cultivating Science Literacy Through the General Education Curriculum

The goal of science education is to cultivate science literacy. Science literacy is the ability to find rational solutions to personal or social problems based on scientific evidence. This article emphasizes that cultivating science literacy is consistent with the goal pursued in general education.It is essential to understand the process of scientific research in science classes in general education to cultivate science literacy. Understanding the process of scientific research includes raising problems, designing experiments, data collection, interpretation of results, publishing a paper, and so forth. The latest innovations in science and technology immediately affect the decision-making process of the public. This makes the ability to find and evaluate relevant scientific information even more crucial. Furthermore, teaching the scientific approach to problem-solving based on appropriate information, along with scientific thinking, is the unique and core role of the science class in general education.Science literacy can be effectively achieved through convergent education that encompasses diverse academic fields in the framework of the overall general education curriculum. This type of convergence allows students to reflect on and sometimes re-establish images of oneself and society being changed by cutting-edge science and technology. This is the basic philosophy pursued by liberal arts education. By broadening our horizons through interdisciplinary convergence, students will be able to find clues leading to a deeper understanding and to a creative resolution of social issues related to science and technology that sometimes lead to social conflicts. One of the greatest strengths of general education in universities is that it can open an integrative perspective to students who have been learning within the boundaries of individual subjects until middle school. Collectively, cultivating science literacy requires deliberation and collaboration across diverse disciplines to create an effective general education curriculum for future students-ones who have to cope with the rapid social changes from scientific and technological innovation.