Science Program Research Articles

Effectiveness of an Inquiry-Based Science Program on Enhancing Science Process Skills and Knowledge Among Moroccan Preschool Children

<p style="text-align:justify">This study evaluates the effectiveness of a twelve-week Inquiry-Based Science (IBS) program on enhancing science process skills and scientific knowledge among preschool children in Morocco. Conducted in a quasi-experimental setting, it involved 105 children (M = 60.46 months, SD = 4.32), with 37 in the IBS group and 68 in the control group. The program utilized the 5Es instructional model and the Engineering Design Process (EDP) to engage children in active, hands-on learning experiences. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the IBS group achieved substantial improvements in both science process skills and scientific knowledge relative to the control group, with between-group effect sizes (Cohen’s d) ranging from 1.02 and 2.31. These findings highlight the significant impact of structured inquiry-based approaches in early childhood education. The study underscores the need for integrating such methods into the preschool curriculum to foster scientific understanding and skills from a young age, thereby better preparing Moroccan children for future academic and professional challenges. The results advocate for educational stakeholders to consider adopting inquiry-based learning frameworks to enhance the overall quality of early childhood education in Morocco.</p>

Teacher experiences and understanding of citizen science in Australian classrooms

Citizen science represents an important opportunity for school students to make real-world connections with science through context-based learning with the potential to increase their engagement, enjoyment and understanding of science. However, to date, citizen science has not experienced wide uptake in school settings and there is a paucity of information about its implementation in the classroom. Here we present a mixed-method approach investigating teachers’ knowledge and use of citizen science in Australian classrooms. We explored teachers’ experience and perceptions of citizen science, and opportunities and barriers to incorporate citizen science as an educational approach through an online questionnaire. Among the teachers surveyed, 45% (n = 295) had personally participated in citizen science outside of school and 41% (n = 283) had incorporated citizen science projects in classroom lessons. Teachers (45%, n = 295) reported participating in citizen science initiatives multiple times. Also, most projects that teachers were involved in (77%, n = 292) were related to ecological studies, such as species monitoring. Citizen science was reported to be a relatively new approach; used by teachers for less than a year on average. The main challenges included a lack of knowledge, time, confidence, and clarity regarding citizen science project alignment with the Australian curriculum. Additionally, 92% of respondents said they would be more encouraged to use citizen science in classrooms if projects were aligned to the curriculum. Identifying ways to increase teachers’ openness to incorporate citizen science in their classrooms is crucial to its successful widespread, long-term, and meaningful implementation. Encouraging broader participation of teachers in citizen science based on their previous experiences could address their expectations and increase their confidence and feeling of ownership. These research findings suggest that meaningful and applicable citizen science programs could be co-created by addressing resource limitations and curriculum alignment challenges. Implementing solutions to these barriers is likely to contribute to the development of sustainable school-inclusive citizen science projects, with potential to positively impact science education in the long-term.

Students’ gender differences and scientific inquiry competencies in technical education and training institutions

ABSTRACT This study examined whether students’ gender differences have an impact on students’ levels of scientific inquiry competencies in technical education and training institutions in Tanzania by adopting a quantitative research approach and a survey design. A proportionate stratified sampling technique was employed to obtain 337 students (160 males and 177 females) enrolled in the laboratory science and technology programme. Data were collected through the use of a scientific inquiry competencies test and analysed using the one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) technique. The results reveal that male students significantly outperformed their female counterparts in total scientific inquiry competencies and in generating hypotheses, conducting data analysis and interpretation, and drawing scientific conclusions. Contrary, both male and female students demonstrated equal competence in formulating scientific questions and in planning and designing scientific experiments. Notably, both male and female students demonstrated lower competencies in planning and designing scientific experiments compared to other competencies. Conclusively, male students performed better in the overall scientific inquiry competencies and in generating hypotheses, data analysis and interpretation and drawing scientific conclusions compared to female students. Thus, instructors are recommended to employ gender-responsive pedagogy during laboratory activities to create and offer optimal learning environments for both male and female students.

A research brief investigating educational television and U.S. children’s interest in science and world culture

ABSTRACT Research on educational television has overwhelmingly investigated the impact of viewing on children’s knowledge acquisition. However, this content might influence other important outcomes, such as children’s interest in learning about new topics. To investigate this possibility, we invited parents of 3- to 8-year-old children (N = 83) to answer three surveys over 1 month. The first survey included a video encouraging families to view a popular science program (Hero Elementary) or cultural program (Let’s Go Luna). The remaining surveys asked about children’s exposure to science and cultural programs, as well as their engagement with science and cultural topics in everyday conversation. Although our encouragement intervention had no impact on children’s exposure to science or cultural programs, viewing that content was associated with increased science and cultural talk over time. These findings suggest that educational television might motivate children to explore new topics of interest in non-mediated contexts.

Harmonizing data across the accelerating colorectal cancer screening and follow-up through implementation science (ACCSIS) program to enhance data quality and promote data sharing

BackgroundThe purpose of the Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening and Follow-up through Implementation Science (ACCSIS) Program, a Cancer Moonshot℠ Initiative, is to support research to build the evidence base on multilevel interventions that increase rates of colorectal cancer screening, follow-up, and referral to care to address disparities in colorectal cancer screening. The National Cancer Institute funded eight Research Projects to implement multilevel interventions to improve colorectal cancer screening among communities who traditionally have been medically underserved. To analyze the impact of ACCSIS across Research Projects, the consortium developed a set of common data elements. The purpose of this paper is to describe the process of developing the common data elements to facilitate analysis of ACCSIS data as well as support and inform implementation science research studies.MethodsThe ACCSIS Data, Design, and Analysis Work Group was tasked with designing common data elements through a review of existing data collection instruments, examination of data elements proposed by the ACCSIS Research Projects, and deliberations on the data required to compare across the Research Projects. ACCSIS Consortium members drafted, revised, and finalized a common data elements document consisting of variables to collect and surveys to administer to evaluate ACCSIS implementation activities and outcomes in a standardized manner across the Research Projects.ResultsThe ACCSIS Consortium decided to collect the following categories of common data elements: characteristics across multiple levels of the multicomponent interventions, implementation climate, and determinants; interventions and strategies; implementation outcome constructs and definitions; colorectal cancer screening episodes (screening, diagnostic testing follow-up, cancer detection, and cancer treatment); and cost measures. To assess implementation climate, the consortium prioritized constructs from five domains of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.ConclusionsThe ACCSIS common data elements offer a set of harmonization data for future implementation efforts. The consortium is conducting a systematic assessment using both quantitative and qualitative approaches to assess data quality and approaches to improve and sustain data collection. Lessons learned from these ongoing activities will offer additional insights to tailor the ACCSIS common data elements and support efforts to increase colorectal cancer screening for populations experiencing disparities.

No One Left Behind: The Design of Young Biomedical Science Programme (YBMS) on Medical Education for Postdoctoral Fellows

No One Left Behind: The Design of Young Biomedical Science Programme (YBMS) on Medical Education for Postdoctoral Fellows

Admissions in the age of AI: detecting AI-generated application materials in higher education

Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as the development of large language models like ChatGPT, have blurred the boundaries between human and AI-generated text. This has led to a pressing need for tools that can determine whether text has been created or revised using AI. A general and universally effective detection model would be extremely useful, but appears to be beyond the reach of current technology and detection methods. The research described in this study adopts a domain and task specific approach and shows that specialized detection models can attain high accuracy. The study focuses on the higher education graduate admissions process, with the specific goal of identifying AI-generated and AI-revised Letters of Recommendation (LORs) and Statements of Intent (SOIs). Detecting such application materials is essential to ensure that applicants are evaluated on their true merits and abilities, and to foster an equitable and trustworthy admissions process. Our research is based on 3755 LORs and 1973 SOIs extracted from the application records of Fordham University’s Master’s programs in Computer Science and Data Science. To facilitate the construction and evaluation of detection models, we generated AI counterparts for each LOR and SOI using the GPT-3.5 Turbo API. The prompts for AI-generation text were derived from the admission data of the respective applicants, and the AI-revised LORs and SOIs were generated directly from the human-authored versions. We also utilize an open-access GPT-wiki-intro dataset to further validate our hypothesis regarding the feasibility of constructing domain-specific AI content detectors. Our experiments yield promising results in developing classifiers tailored to a specific domain when provided with sufficient training samples. Additionally, we present a comparative analysis of the word frequency and statistical characteristics of the text, which provides convincing evidence that ChatGPT employs distinctive vocabulary and paragraph structure compared to human-authored text. The code for this study is available on GitHub, and the models can be executed on user-provided data via an interactive web interface.

The Emergence of New Disciplines and the Transformation of the Library and Information Science Profession

Abstract: Advances in information and communication technologies, digitalization, and the internet have changed the way people process, use, and share information. The transformation of the library profession and the emergence of new disciplines such as information science, knowledge management, and data science have continued to raise questions about professional identity, workplace, interdisciplinarity, and the types of skills and competencies needed for information professionals to compete in a highly technical and knowledge intensive environment. In this paper, we reflect on the historical development in the field and examine emerging trends and their impact on the transformation of the information and knowledge professions. Data analysis of course offerings from top-ranked information science schools (iSchools) has shown strong emphasis on the use of terms such as “information” and “information science.” The use of the term “data” has significantly increased in the past few years due to the addition of new specialization and degree programs in data curation and data science. The decrease in the use of the term “library,” even though the library is still the largest employer of information science students at all levels, could be attributed to the continued trend and desire by academics and practitioners to separate the profession from the place of work.

Improving the quality of postgraduate training in educational science and teacher training in Viet Nam

Introduction. Higher education plays a pivotal role in addressing the demands of socio-economic development and aligning with the needs of the labor market. To achieve this strategic objective, higher education institutions in Vietnam are redefining their pedagogical approaches, curriculum frameworks, and professional development initiatives. In response, some universities in the Mekong Delta region have introduced more postgraduate training programs in educational science and teacher training. However, these initiatives face challenges that impede their effectiveness. A significant gap exists between actual needs and the prevailing conditions necessary to ensure the quality of these training programs. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of quality assurance measures in these programs and highlight key areas for improvement to better align with contemporary educational standards. Materials and Methods. This research employs a convenience sample consisting of 235 participants, comprising managers such as presidents, vice presidents, principals, vice principals, deans, vice deans, and department heads, as well as lecturers from 8 universities offering educational science and teacher training programs in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. Notably, approximately 45% of the participants are female. Furthermore, nearly all participants, both managers and lecturers, hold doctoral degrees. Participants completed a comprehensive survey assessing various aspects of postgraduate training. The assessment used a Likert scale with 38 observed variables to quantify perceptions of quality across different facets of the educational experience. Results. Our result showed that there are 8 universities offer programs in educational sciences and teacher training. Postgraduate programs: 19 master's majors across 4 universities and only 4 doctoral majors across 3 universities; Teaching staff: the region has 2 professors, 39 associate professors, and 217 PhDs involved in training. Despite these efforts, challenges remain due to the limited number of postgraduate programs available. Evaluation of postgraduate training quality in the Mekong Delta region highlights areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Key findings from 136 lecturers and 99 managers include: a) quality of teaching staff: average rating around 2.8 to 2.9, indicating room for improvement; b) research capacity: average rating around 2.7 to 2.8, highlighting the need for enhanced research initiatives; c) facilities and resources: rated positively with averages around 3.5 to 3.6; e) areas of concern: collaboration on scientific research and document compilation received lower ratings (2.2 to 2.4), indicating immediate need for improvement. Conclusion. The study underscores the necessity for continuous development in postgraduate training programs within the Mekong Delta's educational institutions, Vietnam. It recommends the adoption of integrated strategies that encompass upgrading faculty skills, revising curricula to include contemporary educational needs, and bolstering infrastructural and administrative support to foster a conducive learning environment. These enhancements are vital for preparing educators who are capable of navigating the complexities of modern educational demands and contributing effectively to the region's educational advancements.

COMONOTONICITY AND PARETO OPTIMALITY, WITH APPLICATION TO COLLABORATIVE INSURANCE

Two by-now folkloric results in the theory of risk sharing are that (i) any feasible allocation is convex-order-dominated by a comonotonic allocation; and (ii) an allocation is Pareto optimal for the convex order if and only if it is comonotonic. Here, comonotonicity corresponds to the so-called no-sabotage condition, which aligns the interests of all parties involved. Several proofs of these two results have been provided in the literature, all based on a version of the comonotonic improvement algorithm of Landsberger and Meilijson (1994) and a limit argument based on the Martingale Convergence Theorem. However, no proof of (i) is explicit enough to allow for an easy algorithmic implementation in practice; and no proof of (ii) provides a closed-form characterization of Pareto optima. In addition, while all of the existing proofs of (i) are provided only for the case of a two-agent economy with the observation that they can be easily extended beyond two agents, such an extension is far from being trivial in the context of the algorithm of Landsberger and Meilijson (1994) and it has never been explicitly implemented. In this paper, we provide novel proofs of these foundational results. Our proof of (i) is based on the theory of majorization and an extension of a result of Lorentz and Shimogaki (1968), which allows us to provide an explicit algorithmic construction that can be easily implemented beyond the case of two agents. In addition, our proof of (ii) leads to a crisp closed-form characterization of Pareto-optimal allocations in terms of α-quantiles (mixed quantiles). An application to peer-to-peer insurance, or collaborative insurance, illustrates the relevance of these results.Acknowledgements: The authors thank the Editor and two anonymous Referees for numerous suggestions which helped to improve the text compared to its previous versions. We are grateful to K.C. Cheung for comments on an earlier version of this paper, and to Christopher Blier-Wong for his excellent research assistance in the numerical example. We thank the Associate Editor and two anonymous reviewers for comments and suggestions. Michel Denuit and Jan Dhaene gratefully acknowledge funding from the FWO and F.R.S.-FNRS under the Excellence of Science (EOS) programme, project ASTeRISK (40007517). Jan Dhaene acknowledges the financial support of BOF KU Leuven (project C14/21/089). Mario Ghossoub acknowledges financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada NSERC Grant No. 2018-03961 and 2024-03744).

Are Knowledge Management Courses in South Asia Designed Well? A Content Analysis of Syllabi and a Case Study

Abstract: Knowledge management (KM) is a set of processes to improve organizational functioning by harnessing organizational knowledge. KM has been taught in different global universities—either as standalone courses or as programs of study. While KM is also taught in a number of library and information science (LIS) programs in South Asian (SA) universities, it is not clear which schools offer KM courses, what topics are covered, which readings are assigned, and how student learning is assessed in these courses. How does KM education in a developing SA country compare with KM education in a developed country? What are the enablers and barriers to KM course design and delivery in South Asia? We explored the answers to these questions through a content analysis of syllabi of KM courses in SA LIS programs as well as a case study comparing the way KM is taught in an SA country and in the United States. Through applying theories of expectancy, information poverty, Bloom’s taxonomy, and context, the study recommends a model KM syllabus template and a research framework for KM education in South Asia. The study concludes that for SA KM education to reach global standards, systemic barriers would need to be addressed.

Effect of heatwaves on mortality of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias among elderly aged 60 years and above in China, 2013–2020: a population-based study

BackgroundChina has the largest number of dementia patients in the world, posing a significant health and economic burden. Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementia patients face a higher risk of mortality during heatwaves, but relevant studies on this topic have been limited so far. MethodsThe study extracted data from the China Cause of Death Reporting System (CDRS) on deaths of AD and other dementia patients aged 60 years and above between 2013-2020. Using an individual-level, time-stratified, and case-crossover study design, the effects of heatwaves across nine scenarios on dementia mortality were quantified by conditional logistic regression combined with distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM). Additionally, the attributable fractions (AFs) of deaths due to heatwaves were calculated. FindingsA total of 399,036 death cases were reported caused by AD and other dementias during the study period. It was found that heatwaves significantly increased the risk of death among people with AD and other dementias. As the intensities and durations of the heatwaves increased, the lag0-7 cumulative odds ratios (CORs) of mortality increased progressively from 1·140 (95% CI: 1·118, 1·163) under the mildest heatwave to 1·459 (95% CI: 1·403, 1·518) under the most severe one, across nine heatwave scenarios examined. Additionally, under specific heatwave scenarios, sex and regions modified the mortality risk, but no significant age differences were observed. The AFs of AD and other dementia mortality due to milder heatwaves were lower compared to more severe heatwaves, ranging from 12·281% (95% CI: 10·555%, 14·015%) to 31·460% (95% CI: 28·724%, 34·124%). InterpretationThe study provided critical insights into the substantial increase in heatwave-related mortality among AD and other dementia patients during and after heatwave events. The results from our quantitative analyses will provide needed scientific evidence for policymakers and practitioners to develop relevant policies and guidelines to protect the health and well-beings of vulnerable populations in future in the context of both seasonal changes and long-term climate change. FundingThis work was supported by the Project of Prevention and Intervention on Major Diseases for Elderly in China, NCNCD [00240201307], the National Key Research and Development Program of China [2022YFC2602301, 2023YFC2308703] and the Science and Technology Fundamental Resources Investigation Program of China [2017FY101201].

Message from the ISMAR 2024 Science and Technology Program Chairs and TVCG Guest Editors

Message from the ISMAR 2024 Science and Technology Program Chairs and TVCG Guest Editors

Understanding Knowledge Management Education within the North American Higher Education System

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the higher educational systems in the United States and Canada in general and knowledge management (KM) education specifically. The terminal degree for KM is primarily considered to be a master’s degree, and programs vary across disciplines. There are very few master’s degrees in KM; these are found in academic departments or schools of information, business administration, professional studies, and policy and government. Details on these degree programs as well as certificates are presented. Previous degree programs that have been discontinued are discussed. KM courses are also listed that are offered in other library and information science programs throughout the United States and Canada but not part of a KM degree program otherwise. It appears that KM programs and courses are in decline, although this may suggest an evolution rather than a decay of the field.

TEMPLATES: Direct Abundance Constraints for Two Lensed Lyman-break Galaxies

Using integrated spectra for two gravitationally lensed galaxies from the JWST TEMPLATES Early Release Science program, we analyze faint auroral lines, which provide direct measurements of the gas-phase chemical abundance. For the brighter galaxy, SGAS1723+34 (z = 1.3293), we detect the [O iii] λ4363, [S iii] λ6312, and [O ii] λ λ7320, 7330 auroral emission lines, and set an upper limit for the [N ii] λ5755 line. For the second galaxy, SGAS1226+21 (z = 2.925), we do not detect any auroral lines, and report upper limits. With these measurements and upper limits, we constrain the electron temperatures in different ionization zones within both of these galaxies. For SGAS1723+34, where auroral lines are detected, we calculate direct oxygen and nitrogen abundances, finding an N/O ratio consistent with observations of nearby (z ∼ 0) galaxies. These observations highlight the potent combination of JWST and gravitational lensing to measure faint emission lines in individual distant galaxies and to directly study the chemical abundance patterns in those galaxies.

Transforming learning outcomes: Impact of project-based learning on digestive system mastery

One of the learning models that is currently strongly advised to be used in the learning process is Project Based Learning (PJBL). The purpose of this study is to ascertain how PJBL affects students' learning outcomes in the digestive system. Students (n=61) from Muara Enim, Indonesia's class XI Science public senior high school served as the research subjects. A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group is the study methodology employed. Project assignments, surveys, and observation sheets served as the tools. The independent sample t-test in the statistical program for social science 28 (SPSS version 28) was used to assess learning outcomes data. With a gain of 33.6 and n-gain of 0.63, the study's findings show that using the PjBL learning paradigm enhances students' learning outcomes. PjBl can increase motivation, and as it uses real-world challenges, strong curiosity will impact learning outcomes.

A libraries reproducibility hackathon: connecting students to University research and testing the longevity of published code

Reproducibility is a basis of scientific integrity, yet it remains a significant challenge across disciplines in computational science. This reproducibility crisis is now being met with an Open Science movement, which has risen to prominence within the scientific community and academic libraries especially. To address the need for reproducible computational research and promote Open Science within the community, members of the Open Science and Data Collaborations Program at Carnegie Mellon University Libraries organized a single-day hackathon centered around reproducibility. Partnering with a faculty researcher in English and Digital Humanities, this event allowed several students an opportunity to interact with real research outputs, test the reproducibility of data analyses with code, and offer feedback for improvements. With Python code and data shared by the researcher in an open repository, we revealed that students could successfully reproduce most of the data visualizations, but they required completing some manual setup and modifications to address depreciated libraries to successfully rerun the code. During the event, we also investigated the option of using ChatGPT to debug and troubleshoot rerunning this code. By interacting with a ChatGPT API in the code, we found and addressed the same roadblocks and successfully reproduced the same figures as the participating students. Assessing a second option, we also collaborated with the researcher to publish a compute capsule in Code Ocean. This option presented an alternative to manual setup and modifications, an accessible option for more limited devices like tablets, and a simple solution for outside researchers to modify or build on existing research code.

JWST Ice Band Profiles Reveal Mixed Ice Compositions in the HH 48 NE Disk

Planet formation is strongly influenced by the composition and distribution of volatiles within protoplanetary disks. With JWST, it is now possible to obtain direct observational constraints on disk ices, as recently demonstrated by the detection of ice absorption features toward the edge-on HH 48 NE disk as part of the Ice Age Early Release Science program. Here, we introduce a new radiative transfer modeling framework designed to retrieve the composition and mixing status of disk ices using their band profiles, and apply it to interpret the H2O, CO2, and CO ice bands observed toward the HH 48 NE disk. We show that the ices are largely present as mixtures, with strong evidence for CO trapping in both H2O and CO2 ice. The HH 48 NE disk ice composition (pure versus polar versus apolar fractions) is markedly different from earlier protostellar stages, implying thermal and/or chemical reprocessing during the formation or evolution of the disk. We infer low ice-phase C/O ratios around 0.1 throughout the disk, and also demonstrate that the mixing and entrapment of disk ices can dramatically affect the radial dependence of the C/O ratio. It is therefore imperative that realistic disk ice compositions are considered when comparing planetary compositions with potential formation scenarios, which will fortunately be possible for an increasing number of disks with JWST.

Citizen science observations shed light on how anthropogenic food sources influence wildlife disease.

Research Highlight: Knutie, S., Bahouth, R., Bertone, M., Webb, C., Mehta, M., Nahom, M., Barta, R., Ghai, S., Love, A., Horan, S., Soldo, A., Cochrane, E., Bartholomew, J., Cowan, E., Bjerke, H., Balenger, S., Butler, M., Cornell, A., Kennedy, A., Rolland, V., Schultz, E., Stanback, M., Taff, C., Albery, G. (2024). Understanding spatiotemporal effects of food supplementation on host-parasite interactions using community-based science. Journal of Animal Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.14155. Wildlife have become increasingly dependent on anthropogenic food supplementation, resulting in altered nutritional intake and inter- and intraspecific interactions. Subsequently, supplemental feeding can affect both the immunological function of individuals and transmission dynamics among individuals and species. The magnitude of the effect supplemental feeding has on disease is likely to vary across time and space with the nutritional demands of hosts. However, the broad temporal or spatial scale effects of supplementation are poorly understood. Recently, Knutie etal. (2024) introduced their citizen science program, the Nest Parasite Community Project, a broadscale coordinated effort by scientists and the public to monitor box nesting wild birds and their ectoparasites across the eastern United States. The authors amassed an impressive 4-year data set with hundreds of nests spanning the entire US breeding range of Eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis). In the first study to come from the project, the authors demonstrate that the effects of food supplementation on host-parasite interactions vary across time and space and do not consistently influence host-parasite outcomes, highlighting that host-parasite interactions are often context dependent and influenced by many environmental factors (e.g. weather and habitat quality). The authors also found that supplemental feeding increases host fitness, regardless of parasitism. The study provides strong evidence that citizen science projects can help broaden our understanding of how human food sources influence wildlife disease in various environmental contexts.

Integrating Real-World Data into Actuarial Science Teaching: Examples and Challenges

With the increasing availability of data and advancements in statistical tools, the insurance industry is eagerly seeking students capable of performing data analysis and developing business solutions. To meet this growing demand, many universities and institutions are innovating their actuarial science programs. This trend has led us to develop two types of experiential learning courses that integrate real-world data: a case study with actuarial professionals and an actuarial science senior capstone. In this paper, we provide two specific examples and methodologies. Then we discuss the challenges faced along with recommendations derived from these project experiences.