Learning In Science Education Research Articles

The effect of digital literacy towards the selection of social science teacher learning media

Selection of the proper media is one of the teacher’s duties in teaching. It must be followed by several aspects, one of which is teacher’s ability in digital literacy to keep up with the developments of today's all-digital era. This research proposes to examine the effects of digital literacy levels on the selection of learning media for social science teachers. The method used was correlational quantitative, with data collection applying questionnaires and document studies. The analysis technique was in the form of simple linear regression. The results point out that there is a significant effect between digital literacy on the selection of social science teacher learning media. The result of the regression equation is Y = 0.553 + 0.119X. Meanwhile, the result of hypothesis testing from the T-Test and F-Test shows that Ho is rejected and Ha is accepted.

Evaluating Whether Flipped Classrooms Improve Student Learning in Science Education: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT This study aims to determine the effectiveness of flipped classrooms in science education through the use of systematic review and meta-analysis. A total of 64 studies were analyzed by scanning the following databases: Web of Science, Eric, Taylor & Francis, and Education Full Text (EBSCO). Of the studies analyzed, 18 were selected for meta-analysis. Since the first study publication in 2013, the use of flipped classroom method in science education has since become prevalent. This study reveals that quantitative approaches were used as a principal research method, university students were preferred as primary participants, and that the studies reviewed mainly examined classrooms in the context of chemistry courses. As a result of meta-analysis, a meaningful effect size pertaining to student achievement was revealed, which showed favor towards the use of flipped classrooms (Hedges’ g = 0.625, 95% CI [0.342, 0.908], p < 0.001).

Making Space for Social and Emotional Learning in Science Education

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is known to improve student outcomes but is rarely combined with STEM. In this paper we present an action research study to examine the impact of a STEM + SEL curriculum intervention to address a real-world school conflict. One hundred sixth–eighth graders and four teachers participated in an in-person facilitation of a SEL Arthropod curriculum, DIFFERENT. After the intervention, students completed open-ended couplet statements about arthropod behavior, tarantulas, and humans designed to measure sentiment change. Answers were manually coded using inductive coding on a scale of negative (1) to positive (5). Statement sentiments significantly shifted from negative to neutral and negative to positive for all three questions. Neutral to positive shifts were only significant for the couplet statements about arthropod behavior. This study reports the first confirmed instance of successful use of arthropods for SEL within a curriculum that integrates students’ social-emotional skills within a science classroom.

Science education for blind and visually impaired children

Nowadays, science education is based predominantly on the principle of constructivism, according to which children should be active participants in the learning process and construct their knowledge based on experience. For blind or visually impaired children, science education methods and educational tools must be adapted according to their perceptual needs, in order for these children to be active participants in the learning process. The aim of the current paper is to describe the latest view on active and inquiry-based learning in science education for blind or visually impaired children while simultaneously minimizing misconceptions. Further, the paper compiles the recent research that enables prosperous and high-quality adaptive educational approaches and tools. Thus, the content of this paper will be useful for both science teachers and researchers of inclusive classrooms.

Interpreting inquiry learning in social studies: Singapore secondary school teachers’ understandings of “Issue Investigation”—a preliminary study

ABSTRACT Inquiry-based learning is becoming a widely recognized and used pedagogical approach. However, existing research has largely focused on inquiry learning in science education, neglecting fields such as social studies (SS). In Singapore, inquiry learning in SS received an impetus when a component called “Issue Investigation” (II) was introduced into the compulsory secondary school syllabus of 2016. Given the recency of this introduction, there has been a lacuna of empirical research. Addressing both these research gaps, this paper presents qualitative findings from a preliminary study of Singapore secondary school SS teachers’ perspectives and experiences relating to II. Building on a recognition of teacher agency and of the role teachers play in mediating curriculum and teaching/learning, this paper focuses on how teachers interpret the nature of inquiry learning in SS in the Singapore context. Findings suggest that teachers held broadly two conceptions of II: some saw it as aimed towards working out practical solutions to societal issues in the spirit of participative citizenship; others treated it akin to a social science inquiry process that fostered critical and analytical thinking. In addition, the challenges teachers encountered in implementing and enacting II, and their coping strategies are also briefly discussed.

Teachers’ Awareness, Attitude and Practice of Teaching Primary School Science Curriculum Vis-A-Vis Constructivist Approach

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ awareness, attitude and practice of teaching primary school science curriculum towards constructivist approach. The study was to see how teachers teach the primary science curriculum at classroom level vis-a-vis constructivist approach, as well as, to identify teachers’ awareness and attitude toward constructivist view of teaching and learning in science education. The sources of the data were selected purposefully from science teachers, who teach from grade one to grade six, of one purposefully selected primary school. Qualitative research paradigm and case study research design were used as the methods of the study. The data was analyzed qualitatively. The result revealed that: 1) Teachers were using the traditional approach, lecture as pivotal tool in their classroom episodes; 2) Teachers did not have the understanding of constructivist approach in-depth. Teachers perceived as their direct teaching/purveying of scientific findings could develop the understanding of scientific concepts and skills; 3) Teachers’ attitude towards students’ motivation and capabilities in their learning with respect to constructivist view of learning reflected more of pessimistic views. This attitude is the result of the deep rooted thoughts of positivist/objectivist view and lack of awareness towards constructivist view of learning. Finally, the following solutions were recommended for the identified problems as:1) The Regional Education Bureau, the Zonal Education Office and the Town administration Education Office ought to provide workshops, short term trainings on constructivist approach as referent thinking in science education. 2) The Schools’ Administrators also need to arrange experience sharing among science teachers on content pedagogy in line to constructive view of learning. 3) Teachers educators ought to develop the understanding of the would-be teachers towards constructivist approach. Keywords: Constructivist approach, Awareness, Attitude and Practice DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-13-06 Publication date: May 31 st 2021

A model for continued professional development with focus on inquiry-based learning in science education

This is a qualitative study with a twofold aim. The first aim is to describe and analyse teachers' perceptions of advantages and challenges with a model for continued professional development (CPD) for primary school teachers. The CPD course was about inquiry-based learning (IBL) in science education. The second aim of the study is to analyse the teachers' thoughts after implementing inquiry-based methods in their own science teaching. The empirical data, in the form of video transcriptions, notes, interviews and results from electronic forms, were collected during and after four separate in-service courses for teachers (N=26). The analysis of the data is done through thematic analysis. As positive results, the teachers emphasised the implementation of IBL with their students and the individual mentoring, which were parts of the CPD model. Teachers highlighted the importance of students' possibilities to make investigations based on their own questions, which proved to have a positive impact on students' interest and motivation. Teachers also saw the importance of their own planning and goal setting. The results indicate that the teachers perceived a tension between having control and relinquishing control, which can become a challenge. Two other challenges were teachers' perceived lack of time for planning and implementing but also teachers' deficient subject knowledge.

Software preference for online learning of science and biology teachers under COVID-19 pandemic

As measure against the rapid spreading of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which now has reached global level, Indonesian government established Large-scale Social Distancing (LsSD). As consequence, learning method used in junior and senior high school is substituted from face-to-face learning in class to online distance learning, including for science and biology. This study was conducted to know software preference used by science and biology junior and senior high school teachers for online learning during LsSD measure. A total of 189 science and biology junior and senior high school teachers from various area had given their response via questionnaire. Data was analyzed using quantitative descriptive method. About 57% respondents had never manage online learning before COVID-19 pandemic while the remaining 43% had experience in managing one before, however almost all managed online learning. Non-paid software used the most (81%) among respondents to manage online science/biology learning. Software types used were social networking (64%) especially WhatsApp, learning management system (LMS) (51%) especially Google Classroom, teleconference applications (12%), and assessment software outside of LMSs (15%). Software chosen were mostly non-paid, easily accessed by all people, already familiar among Indonesian, and its interface were easily mastered.

Mobile App for Science Education: Designing the Learning Approach

This paper reports research work related to a wider study, aimed at developing a mobile app for Science Education in primary-school. Several studies reveal that Science Education can be improved by using technology, namely educational software. However, to promote a structured use of technology, innovative learning approaches must be designed for educational software. This paper aims to answer how the interaction between students and a mobile app for Science Education can promote students’ scientific competences development and self-regulated learning. To achieve this, a learning approach was designed, combining the Universal Design for Learning principles, Inquiry-Based Science Education and the BSCS 5E – teaching model for Science Education designed by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, which results in the acronym of the model. The 5E is related to each phase of the model: Engagement; Exploration; Explanation; Elaboration; Evaluation. The proposed was based on a grounded, participatory, and user-centred approach, crossing literature contributions with data collected among primary-school teachers through the application of a questionnaire (n = 118). Data collected allowed deductions about the expected adequacy of the learning approach, according to Nieveen’s criteria for high quality educational interventions. This adequacy was revealed through the teachers’ conceptions about the potential impact of the conceptualized mobile app (i) to provide a comprehensive and practical Science Education learning; and (ii) to enhance students’ scientific competences development and self-regulated learning. The paper aims to contribute to the design of an innovative learning approach in Science Education and to share it with other researchers since it can be expanded to other educational software.

Primary science teaching in Bangladesh: A critical analysis of the role of the DPEd program to improve the quality of learning in science teaching

This study investigated the current practice of learning, teaching and assessment in science, particularly in classrooms at primary level in a division of Bangladesh. In addition, this study also focused on the role of DPEd program in the development of the professional preparation of teachers' for improving their quality of science teaching. For the purpose of this study, a mixed method research design which used both quantitative and qualitative method to gather and analyse data. A random stratified sampling process was used to select 150 primary science teachers and 60 students in grade 5 (10 + years) students for collecting quantitative data while a purposeful sampling process was used for qualitative inquiry. Qualitative data was obtained through analysis of the national documents and the interviews of Head teachers of primary schools, Assistant Upazila (Sub-district) Education Officers and Instructors of Primary Training Institutes (PTI) and Upazila Resource Centers. Quantitative data was analysed by using descriptive statistics and qualitative data was transcribed and labelled into emerging themes. A triangulation technique was used to establish the findings of this study. The findings of this study revealed that the present practice of learning and teaching science is mostly teacher centred with little active pupil participation, limited opportunity for hands on activity and discussion. The major barriers for teachers' to teach science effectively were large class sizes, insufficient materials, lack of teacher's knowledge and skills, absence of assessment for learning strategies, inadequate opportunities for professional development and poor quality of support from the stakeholders. The current DPEd program has consist of limited focus on hands of activities, insufficient learning assessment capacity of the PTI instructors, and a lack of teacher monitoring in placement schools during training. The basic recommendation suggested by this research is to enhance the use of an inquiry oriented science learning and teaching approach with associated assessment for learning strategies for ensuring the quality of science learning and teaching. For preparing a better quality teacher, ensuring subject based training and to review the current teacher training program is further suggested. The result of this study can be used for future development of science learning and teaching practice at elementary level in Bangladesh and similar other developing countries.

Mini review: Improving teachers’ quality in STEM-based science teaching-learning in secondary school

The latest Approach in the teaching-learning process called “Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics” (STEM) has become the most recent trend in this decade. STEM aims not only to process and produce talents with expertise in education but also to function as a catalyst for economic growth and national development. However, there are still impending issues associated with the usage of STEM in secondary school, one of which is related to the quality of teachers. Previous research was used as a reference to discuss each of the problems analysed using NVIVO 12.0 software. The result showed that (i) an effective curriculum and (ii) increased motivation and teacher assistance in implementing STEM were the basis for improving teacher quality in STEM-based learning. STEM is useful in science learning, used in applying knowledge and skills for problem solving in everyday life. To improve teacher quality in the STEM-based teaching and learning process, teachers must master the conceptual model, design, implementation and evaluation of an integrated curriculum. Ongoing assistance to teachers to increase motivation in the STEM-based teaching and learning process also needs attention.

Teacher subjectivities and multiplicities of enactment: Agential realism and the case of science teacher learning and practice with multilingual Latinx students

ABSTRACT The case of two middle school science teachers engaged in a long-term professional learning project is used to complicate the story of teacher change and agency and the presumed relationships between teacher knowledge and practice. Becky and Kelly were highly participatory in all aspects of a multi-year professional learning project, yet, when observed in their classrooms, they did not seem to enact project practices in robust ways during their instruction. Framed through the dominant professional development literature, our project would seem to be a ‘failure’ at promoting teacher change. However, using a post-qualitative framing of our ethnographic fieldwork, an alternative storyline emerges, involving the intricate negotiations of power dynamics, competing discourses, assemblages of multiple entities and relations that Becky and Kelly navigated. These complex assemblages shaped the teachers’ understandings of their multilingual Latinx students as science learners in ways that often ran contrary to what they learned during the project professional development. In this retelling, drawing on the notion of agential realism, we show how teachers’ knowledge and subjectivities were dynamically reconfigured in relation to local sociopolitical, material, and discursive assemblages shaping their practices in what we have framed elsewhere as multiplicities of enactment.

Flipped Learning in Science Education: Implications and Challenges Yousef Alrashed,

The popularity of learning approach such flipped learning have been growing widely over the world. In science education, flipped learning has been described as a useful tool in enhancing students' skills such learning, personal, social and cognitive. This study, therefore, investigate the contributions of flipped learning in science education and related fields as well as identify the implications and challenges facing flipped learning in science education. The results generally reported that flipped learning positively impacted science education environment. Additionally, recommendations were also highlighted.

유아교사의 유아과학교육 운영 어려움과 유아과학교육 학습동아리 활동을 통한 유아과학교육 인식 변화에 대한 질적 연구

본 연구는 교육현장에서 과학교육을 실제적으로 수행하는 유아교사들의 목소리를 통해 유아과학교육의 인식과 이를 위해 고민하고 노력하는 교사들의 모습을 알아보는데 목적을 두었다. 이를 위해 I도에 소재한 병설유치원 교사 9명과 학습동아리활동을 통해 면담 자료, 참여자 반성적저널, 수업분석, 수업계획서 등의 자료를 분석하였다. 연구 결과 첫째, 두려움으로 다가오는 과학교육 둘째, 일상생활 속에서의 가르치고 싶은 과학 셋째, 배움의 기쁨으로 느껴지기 시작한 과학으로 나타났다. 교사들은 동아리 초기 자신이 가지고 있던 과학이라는 것에 대한 막연한 두려움을 이야기 하나 함께 모이는 횟수가 늘어날수록 과학과 일상을 연결하기 시작하고 이는 과학에 대한 배움의 기쁨이라는 인식으로 변화하는 모습이다. 동아리라는 모임이 서로에게 자연스러운 과학교육에 대한 인식을 변화시켰다.

Computer Assisted Learning For Enhancing Mastery Of Concepts In Science

This study examined the effects of Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) on the mastery of Science concepts by learners in universities. Teaching and learning of Science concepts present learners with numerous challenges. Of critical concern is the negative perception by learners that Science based subjects are difficult, thus contributing to widespread poor performance by the learners in the national examinations and subsequently poor choice of the subject in the universities. Solomon Four Group experimental design was employed for the study. The target population comprised all first-year students taking science subjects in 8 universities in western Kenya. A sample size of 335 students was determined using Krejcie &amp; Morgan table (1970). The universities were divided into two forming experimental and control groups. The study was carried out in 4 months spanning 16 weeks where pretest was administered after the first 8 weeks of conventional teaching and post-test administered after the next 8 weeks of treatment. Pretest and post-test Science Achievements Test (SAT) on two topics, digestive system and light and optics, were designed and administered by the respective lecturers, and scores recorded. Piloting was carried before the use of the instruments, and a reliability coefficient of 0.85 on SAT was recorded. Data were analyzed using t-test one-way ANOVA. The study found that 171 students taught using CAL achieved significantly higher scores in SAT compared to164 students taught through conventional methods with a mean gain of 2.851. The study demonstrated that CAL enhanced active manipulation of content and promoted interaction with content, and gave reality to abstraction. The study may be significant to educationists, lecturers, researchers, and policy makers as it provides insight on the benefits of applying Computer Assisted Learning in Science Education.

Inquiry‐based mobile learning in secondary school science education: A systematic review

AbstractRecent years have seen a growing call for inquiry‐based learning in science education, and mobile technologies are perceived as increasingly valuable tools to support this approach. However, there is a lack of understanding of mobile technology‐supported inquiry‐based learning (mIBL) in secondary science education. More evidence‐based, nuanced insights are needed into how using mobile technologies might facilitate students' engagement with various levels of inquiry and enhance their science learning. We, therefore, conducted a robust systematic literature review (SLR) of the research articles on mIBL in secondary school science education that have been published from 2000 to 2019. We reviewed and analysed 31 empirical studies (34 articles) to explore the types of mIBL, and the benefits and constraints of mIBL in secondary school science education. The findings of this SLR suggest new research areas for further exploration and provide implications for science teachers' selection, use and design of mIBL approaches in their teaching.

The problem of science's masculinization in school: causes and consequences

Women's education has been linked to the breeding of future generations for many centuries but, thanks to the social, legislative and educational changes that society has undergone, women’s education offer has been equated to that of men. This paper analyzes whether stereotypes and gender bias persist in the teaching-learning of science and what factors influence the choice of post-compulsory studies, emotions towards the T-L of the sciences and the scientific self-qualification in a sample of 186 Compulsory Secondary Education students from a religious center in Sabadell. The results show a clear internalization of gender differences and a significant presence of gender stereotypes in terms of emotions, scientific self-qualification and choice of post-compulsory studies that demonstrate the absence of inclusion of the gender perspective in education.

The Suggestions of Science Teaching-Learning Activities utilizing Google Big Data: Focusing on the Analysis of New Materials Unit in the Scientific Research Experiment Textbook

The Suggestions of Science Teaching-Learning Activities utilizing Google Big Data: Focusing on the Analysis of New Materials Unit in the Scientific Research Experiment Textbook

Professional Learning Engagement of Secondary School Science Teachers Direction Toward Enhancement of Teaching Competencies

Professional learning is now recognized as a vital component of policies and most influential factor of teaching quality. Science teachers sustained professional learning experience to develop their professional knowledge and practice in order to progress the quality of teaching and their standards. To identify the influence of effective professional learning of secondary school science teachers, this study explored the connection between teachers’ exposure to different kinds of professional learning engagement and teaching competencies that have recognized that the quality of teaching was greatly influenced by the quality of training. Descriptive-correlational method of research was utilized and multiple regression analysis was employed to determine the influence of professional learning engagement related variables on the teaching competencies. For the purpose of data collection, a survey questionnaire was administered to the 89 Secondary School Science teachers from the Cluster III of the Division of Quezon, Philippines which comprises of four (4) municipal districts namely: Lucban District, Mauban District, Pagbilao District and Sampaloc District. Furthermore, the results revealed that the singly or in combination of professional learning engagement related variables including the types of professional learning and their level of acquisition have significantly predicted on teaching competencies.

Enacting Co-Designed Socio-Scientific Issues-Based Curriculum Units: A Case of Secondary Science Teacher Learning

ABSTRACT Secondary science teachers participated in a socio-scientific issues (SSI) professional development (PD) during which they co-designed SSI curriculum units. In this qualitative multiple case study, we followed a sub-set of eight teachers who enacted their SSI units in their classrooms and agreed to participate in the study. Clarke and Hollingsworth’s Interconnected Model of Professional Growth served as a theoretical framework. Primary data sources include one interview at the end of the PD, and a post-enactment interview. Field notes of the PD and the SSI curriculum units were secondary data sources. Data analysis resulted in the identification of three teacher profiles: Embracers, Dismissers, and Explorers. In teaching their SSI units, the Embracers foregrounded the SSI, maintained a focus on their SSI throughout the unit, made modifications to increase relevancy during the unit, and included an SSI culminating activity. The Dismissers equated the SSI approach to using a current topic to introduce a unit and gave little or no attention to the social dimensions. The Explorers used the SSI to introduce their units, valued and included limited social dimensions of the issue, but did not enact a SSI culminating activity. For each of the profiles, we elaborate their teaching beliefs, learning in the PD, and perceived salient outcomes of their SSI curriculum enactment. PD implications include explicit attention to teacher beliefs, working with groups of teachers from the same school, and the need to develop an array of instructional and assessment tools to support SSI teaching.