Science Education Research Articles

The Situation of Senior Citizens in the UK and Poland

The aim of this article is to compare and analyse the life situation of older people in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Poland. The similarities and differences presented within this paper are based on the results of conducted research in both countries, statistical data analysis and scholar papers. The article addresses such areas influencing the quality of life of older people as: demography, medical care, the pension system, social care homes, social and cultural activities of seniors, medical support and long-term care systems. This article is also a reference to the quantitative and qualitative research project "The World Tailored to Seniors - the Situation of Older People in Poland" conducted by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education in Poland and Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Poland in 2024.

The Effectiveness of a Psychological Counseling Program on Developing Future Optimism among Students of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at Zakho University

The Effectiveness of a Psychological Counseling Program on Developing Future Optimism among Students of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at Zakho University

More than a cluster of sawflies: understanding young children’s application of science skills in nature-based learning

ABSTRACT Background Despite playing an important role in early childhood education, the science teaching and learning that occurs in nature-based contexts such as forest school and nature kindergartens remains under-theorised. Utilising recent research to understand how science skills form an important part of children’s learning, this research is situated in the context of bush kinders, an Australian response to the European forest approach to early childhood education and care. There exist several teaching models to support how science skills can be taught to young children. Purpose This paper considers how young children’s play exhibits science skills and educators have opportunities to make children’s play-based learning meaningful in ‘bush kinder’. It is influenced by Piaget’s developmental work and its relationship to young children’s meaning making of science concepts can be enhanced by time spent in bush kinders. Design and method This study draws upon ethnography as its methodological approach and qualitative data that was collected as part of a longitudinal study between 2015 and 2023. Sample Fifteen Educators and 220 children from five bush kinders participated in this study. Results Using three vignettes as data, the interrogation and analysis of children’s learning of science skills whilst participating in nature play occurs here through the application of five inter-connected science skills. The analysis leads us to propose that bush kinders allow children to connect with nature and develop science skills. Conclusions The analysis of these data and their consideration of the skills is valuable in generating a broader narrative that provides deeper insight into the learning experience of science education in early childhood education and care in nature-based contexts.

Embodied Bildung: a phenomenological inquiry into an embodied understanding of emancipation and autonomy in education

ABSTRACT This article takes a phenomenological approach to exploring two closely related aspects of Bildung, namely, autonomy and emancipation. The phenomenological approach is informed by the works of Edmund Husserl and Thomas Fuchs’ not-yet-conscious. By combining the not-yet-conscious, and Husserl’s perspectives on the passive levels of human embodiment, this article will shed light on how being Bilded alters pupils’ being in the world, using examples related to educational settings. The findings imply that there are multiple instances of intersect between Bildung and the not-yet-conscious that have not yet been explicitly researched in the educational sciences. By directing attention to these intersects, and explicitly making sense of them, this article demonstrates how Bildung can benefit from perspectives that explicitly account for the lived body.

A framework to guide the design of culturally relevant computer science learning experiences

ABSTRACT The Advancing Culturally-Relevant Computing Project is a collaboration between researchers and practitioners in Hawaiʻi focused on preparing elementary teachers to meaningfully incorporate culturally relevant Computer Science (CS) into their classrooms. This paper introduces a hybrid instructional design framework designed to facilitate the process of creating lessons that effectively integrate CS and cultural learning outcomes. Grounded in the first three phases of the ADDIE instructional design model—Analysis, Design, and Development—the framework incorporates diverse perspectives to ensure a balanced and intentional integration of culture. Using this framework, the project developed five culturally relevant computing modules, which were evaluated by in-service public school teachers (n = 96) during professional development workshops. Preliminary findings suggest that the modules were well-received, with teachers emphasizing their practicality and alignment with the multicultural needs of classrooms in Hawaiʻi.

Unifying dialogic learning and mathematics learning: A discursive lens for the study of dialogic mathematics peer learning

ABSTRACT Background Although it has been suggested that peer interactions that are meaningful both mathematically and dialogically are rare, not much is known about them. We draw on commognition to suggest a unified definition of dialogic mathematics peer learning as a peer interaction including two features: (a) a shift from familiar ways and rules of doing mathematics to newer, more developed ones; (b) openness to and critical engagement with each other’s suggestions that involves reliance on the more developed rules. Method We empirically demonstrate the affordances of the suggested lens by micro-analyzing five dyadic interactions of middle-school students working on a geometric task designed to encourage a shift from familiar visual/configural ways of doing geometry to more developed deductive ones. Findings Only one out of the five interactions included both features of dialogic mathematics peer learning; three interactions lacked both features; and one interaction included the openness and critical engagement feature but still not the mathematical shift feature. Contribution The paper provides discursive conceptual and methodological tools for examining the intersection between two important strands of the learning sciences—mathematics learning and dialogic learning—as well as empirical and practical conclusions that foreground the complexity and fragility of this intersection.

Why does the brain matter for education?

The present special issue on mind, brain and education (educational neuroscience) contains four papers that employ a neuroscience-informed approach to educational phenomena, including dyslexia, academic self-concepts, bullying and the effect of mindset on learning. This commentary positions the papers with respect to the goals and methods of educational neuroscience, placing them on a continuum of approaches from basic research to applied intervention. We argue that a focus on the brain matters for teachers because it increases understanding of how learning works and the factors that influence learning outcomes and student well-being without being reductionist. Constraints on learning that arise from biology sometimes seem arbitrary outside a neuroscience framework (several examples are provided). A neuroscience perspective encourages a more holistic and developmental view of learning than a narrow cognitive (memory) oriented approach. Because educational neuroscience is an inherently translational field that relies on dialogues between researchers and practitioners, we argue it is important to understand how teachers view the field and how insights from the science of learning might usefully feed into their practice. We then assess the insights, strengths and limitations of the four papers, as well as the potential that their respective lines of work offer.

The Role of Experiential Learning in Science Education through Arts

Experiential learning offers a dynamic, hands-on approach to science education, aligning well with constructivist theories and emphasizing active student engagement. This paper examines how integrating the arts into science education enhances experiential learning, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and long-term knowledge retention. By engaging students through diverse artistic mediums—such as visual arts, performance, and music—educators can enhance student motivation and facilitate deeper connections with scientific concepts. This study examines strategies and case studies demonstrating effective arts integration within science curricula, discusses barriers to experiential learning, and highlights best practices that enable a creative and interdisciplinary approach to science education. Ultimately, this research suggests that the arts play a pivotal role in making science accessible and engaging, encouraging students to apply scientific principles creatively and think critically in real-world scenarios. Keywords: Experiential learning, science education, arts integration, constructivism, creativity, interdisciplinary.

Making a case for English for specific purposes in China: listening to stakeholders’ voices

Internationalization in language education has inspired a new look at English for specific purposes (ESP) needs for English as a foreign language (EFL) learning in China. Undergraduate Chinese student-athletes (SAs) currently need to study college English and pass the CET 4 in order to graduate. ESP is postulated as a necessary but hardly exploited approach in China for SAs’ EFL learning. The study is guided by two main research concerns: (1) the SAs’ attitudes towards the current college English course and the inclusion of ESP into the curriculum and (2) stakeholders’ voices on SAs’ immediate needs, future needs, and wants of learning English. Eighteen semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with different groups of stakeholders: students, Sports Science graduates, teachers, and university administrators. They agreed that SAs should not be taught only college English but also Sports English to reach a higher level of English language proficiency to fulfil the students’ wants, necessities, and lacks. The authors argue for the inclusion of ESP elements into the current college English curriculum. This will enable SAs to undergo a more meaningful English language experience to meet their current and future EFL expectations. Specifically, the study contributes to a specific dimension of ESP needs for Sports English, which has been left unattended thus far for SAs in the learning of English at the tertiary level.

Mobile learning in the classroom – Should students bring mobile devices for learning, or should these be provided by schools?

AbstractIn recent years, the importance of mobile devices has increased for education in general and more specifically for science and mathematics education. In the classroom, approaches for teaching with mobile devices include using student-owned devices (“bring your own device”; BYOD approach) or using school-owned devices from central pools (POOL approach). While many studies point out features of mobile learning and BYOD that are conducive to learning, a research gap can be identified in the analysis of effects of mobile device access concepts on teaching–learning processes. Thus, this study aimed to empirically compare BYOD and POOL approaches in terms of learning performance and cognitive performance (subject knowledge development, cognitive load, concentration performance). Furthermore, the analyses included specific characteristics and preconditions (gender, socioeconomic status, fear of missing out, problematic smartphone use). A quasi-experimental study (two groups) was conducted in year 8 and 9 physics classes (N = 339 students) in which smartphones are used for different purposes. The present data show no group differences between the BYOD and the POOL approach in the group of learners with respect to subject knowledge development, cognitive load, and concentration performance. However, individual findings in subsamples indicate that the POOL approach may be beneficial for certain learners (e.g., learners with low fear of missing out or learners tending toward problematic smartphone use). For school practice, these results indicate that organizational, economic, and ecological aspects appear to be the main factors in deciding about the mobile device access concept.

A bibliometric analysis of computational thinking skills: definition, components and assessment tools

This paper provides an in-depth analysis of computational thinking (CT) skills and their assessment. It discusses the definition and components of CT. Various assessment tools, such as surveys, exams, self-assessment instruments, and performance tests, are explored. A bibliometric analysis reveals a growing trend in publications related to CT skills since 1993. The study employs citation analysis, co-citation analysis, and co-keyword analysis, identifying clusters of related work and emphasizing the core ideas of CT skills, their components, and their assessment. The findings highlight the intellectual synergy between publications, particularly the strong conceptual and thematic links between works that often cite each other. The discussion underscores the importance of CT components like abstraction, decomposition, and algorithms, as foundational elements across disciplines, particularly in education and computer science. Additionally, the integration of CT into educational curricula, such as robotics, programming, and STEM, demonstrates its growing significance. The conclusion identifies several gaps in the current understanding of CT, particularly the need for a standardized, widely accepted definition that encompasses all aspects of CT. It also emphasizes the limited focus on the assessment of CT skills and calls for the development of validated and reliable assessment tools. Furthermore, the paper highlights the need for more research on the impact of teacher training programs on CT development, to ensure effective integration at the school level.

Revealing essential notions: an algorithmic approach to distilling core concepts from student and teacher responses in computer science education

Revealing essential notions: an algorithmic approach to distilling core concepts from student and teacher responses in computer science education

Impact of Educational Predictors on Music Subject Selection at A-Level in Ugandan Schools: Science Education Policy and Instructional Resources

This paper investigates the key Educational Predictors particularly the impact of science education policy and the availability of instructional resources on A-level music subject selection in Ugandan secondary schools. Despite the potential of A-level music education to foster entrepreneurial skills and income-generating opportunities through avenues such as performance, teaching, and production, the Ugandan secondary education system’s emphasis on science subjects undermines the visibility and support for music subject. This prioritization not only reduces the appeal of music as a viable academic option but also limits students' access to diverse career pathways in the arts and entertainment industries. This study used a mixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative) approach, collecting quantitative data through a 5-point Likert scale survey and qualitative insights from interviews with students, teachers, administrators, and parents. Descriptive statistics provided an overview of respondents' perspectives, while correlation and logistic regression analyses assessed the influence of key variables. The findings revealed a significant negative relationship between the emphasis on science education policy and music subject selection, as shown by logistic regression (B = -0.651, p < 0.001). Conversely, access to instructional resources positively correlated with music selection (B = 0.527, p < 0.001). These results show the role of science education policy in discouraging music enrollment and shows the positive impact of resource availability on students’ choices. While this study focuses on schools in Uganda’s Central Region, broader research could further validate these findings. The study recommends policy adjustments to balance STEM focus with arts education, enhancing resource allocation to support diverse subject selection, including music, at the secondary level.

Expanding Teacher's technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge with funds of knowledge: An exploratory STEM professional development model using video creation workshops

AbstractRecent initiatives in the Philippines have underscored the significance of 21st‐century approaches to preparing K‐12 STEM public teachers to embrace technology‐enhanced pedagogies. This case study, part of a larger investigation, employed portraiture methodology to examine one science teacher's growth in technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) while integrating students' funds of knowledge (FoK) in a 4‐week science video creation workshop. The workshop trained the teacher as a learning doctor to diagnose teaching and learning impediments during pre‐ to post‐video production. Data included the teacher's pre‐ to post‐production video creation experience, reflections, and individual interviews. Findings indicated: (a) a gradual growth from a self‐assessed detached TPACK to an expanded TPACK, (b) concrete FoK integration, which served as a bridge to widen the teacher's TPACK, and (c) effective science video creation workshop, viewed through the lens of a science teacher as a learning doctor, offered explicit scaffolding to address teaching and learning impediments during video creation. The findings suggest that science video creation workshops represent an exploratory and innovative model for deliberate professional development (PD) in STEM education, particularly for teachers in rural areas. This model highlights the relevance of research integrating FoK and TPACK and offers a new approach to enhancing teachers' TPACK. The findings have potential implications for advancing PD for rural science teachers in the Philippines and STEM educators in rural areas globally, emphasizing the value of rural schools as centers for relevant pedagogical innovation in STEM education.

Editorial

This final issue of Journal on Teaching Engineering contains selected papers presented at the 2nd International Conference on Science and Technology Education STE 2022, held at Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), Portugal, during 6-7 October 2022. This conference is held every two years. The conference is co-chaired by António Ferreira (University of Porto, Portugal) and Lucas F. M. da Silva (University of Porto, Portugal). The goal of the conference is to provide an international forum for the sharing, dissemination and discussion of research, experience and perspectives across a wide range of teaching and learning issues. About 50 papers were presented by researchers from nearly 20 countries. In order to disseminate the work presented at STE 2022, selected papers were prepared which resulted in the present special issue. Various topics are covered resulting in five papers dealing with learning mechanisms, diversity and inclusiveness. The papers presented here are good examples of the latest trends related to science and technology education. The editors wish to thank all the authors for their participation and cooperation, which made this volume possible. Finally, they would like to thank the team of FEUP library, especially Luís Miguel Costa and Rui Moreira, for the excellent cooperation during the preparation of this issue.

Evaluating Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Among Pre-Service Teachers in University Teacher Education Programs

Adopting artificial intelligence (AI) in education for various purposes has become prominent and has raised many user concerns. The concerns, apprehension, or fear that comes with the use of AI are referred to as Artificial Intelligence Anxiety (AI anxiety). Undergraduates are the most frequent users of AI in higher education. This study assessed AI anxiety among pre-service teachers. A survey conducted online was used for data collection. A sample of 1067 pre-service teachers in mathematics, science, and technology teacher education programs were purposefully selected for the study. A questionnaire was used to collect data regarding the pre-service teachers' AI-Anxiety in six dimensions: technology intimidation, societal impact, job displacement, technological dependence, technological dread, and ethical concerns. The instrument was hosted online through Google Forms, and the data gathered was analyzed descriptively (percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferentially (ANOVA and regression analysis). This study reveals a moderate level of AI anxiety among pre-service teachers. Levels of AI anxiety vary across the six dimensions, with five found to be high while only one was found to be at moderate level. It also found significant variations in the level of AI anxiety among pre-service teachers based on their area of speciality. Also, the study identified no significant influences of demographic characteristics on the level of AI anxiety among pre-service teachers, emphasizing gender. Thus, educators and institutions should urgently embark on AI literacy to improve the ethical use of AI technologies among pre-service teachers and ameliorate AI anxiety.

Samhällsfrågor bortom punkterna - elevers resonerande utifrån punktdiagram i samhällskunskap

Societal issues are characterized by relationships that are often difficult for students to grasp. Visual models, such as graphs, are commonly used in social studies teaching to assist students with this. However, interpreting graphs is a skill that students need to develop. The purpose of this article is to develop an understanding of what needs to be highlighted in Social Science education to create conditions for students to engage in qualified reasoning about the relationship between different factors related to a social issue, specifically through graphs (more specifically plot diagrams). The relationship between visual literacy and teaching and learning in Social Science is also discussed. The empirical data comprise 72 recorded and transcribed group discussions where students aged 12-17 discuss the relationship between GDP per capita and carbon dioxide emission levels per capita in different countries, and the fertility rate per woman and girls' education levels in different countries, using two plot diagrams. The data were analyzed phenomenographically to identify qualitatively different ways of experiencing Social Science plot diagrams and critical aspects needed to be to discerned for more qualified conceptions. Five conceptions were identified along with four critical aspects: identifying the overall pattern, the deviations, underlying factors of the pattern, and the dynamic nature of the graph and thus the social issue illustrated. The importance of providing students with opportunities to discuss "beyond" the graph and thus develop the ability to engage in qualified reasoning about the relationship between different factors related to a societal issue is discussed.

Spectral operator representations

Machine learning in atomistic materials science has grown to become a powerful tool, with most approaches focusing on atomic geometry, typically decomposed into local atomic environments. This approach, while well-suited for machine-learned interatomic potentials, is conceptually at odds with learning complex intrinsic properties of materials, often driven by spectral properties commonly represented in reciprocal space (e.g., band gaps or mobilities) which cannot be readily partitioned in real space. For such applications, methods that represent the electronic rather than the atomic structure could be more promising. In this work, we present a general framework focused on electronic-structure descriptors that take advantage of the natural symmetries and inherent interpretability of physical models. We apply this framework first to material similarity and then to accelerated screening, where a model trained on 217 materials correctly labels 75% of entries in the Materials Cloud 3D database, which meet common screening criteria for promising transparent-conducting materials.

HOTS-Based Digital Worksheets as Interactive Assessment in Sciences Learning for Elementary School Teacher Education

This study was conducted because lecturers must be able to be more creative by carefully preparing Digital Worksheets for students, because they meet the criteria for basic competencies that must be mastered by students. The purpose of the article is to describe the implementation of HOTS-based Digital Worksheets as an interactive assessment in basic science learning for elementary school teacher education, identify supporting and inhibiting factors, and describe efforts to optimize supporting factors and efforts to overcome inhibiting factors. This study uses a descriptive qualitative research method, by describing a phenomenon as it is without manipulation. The research design chosen is a case study, meaning that the research is focused on one selected event or phenomenon in depth. The subjects of this study were 34 elementary school teacher education study program students who were in semester I. The sampling technique was purposive sampling. Data collection techniques are observation, interviews and document studies. Data validity techniques are technical triangulation and source triangulation. The results of this study is 71% of students felt that teaching materials with new innovations or in other forms. Form can increase students' interest in studying learning material.

Comparison of Education in New Zealand and Indonesia in Science Subjects in Primary School

In New Zealand, science education is also tailored to the local context and Maori culture, which provides an additional dimension to science learning in primary school. On the other hand, Indonesia has a different approach to science education in elementary schools. The purpose of this study is to understand the differences in science education approaches in New Zealand and Indonesia and their implications for student learning outcomes in elementary schools. This study uses a comparative descriptive approach to evaluate the differences in the approach to science education in primary schools between New Zealand and Indonesia. The results of this study show that there are significant differences in the approach of science education in primary schools between New Zealand and Indonesia, which has an impact on students' learning outcomes and scientific understanding. New Zealand implements an inquiry-based learning approach supported by adequate laboratory facilities and a more ideal teacher-student ratio. This allows students to engage directly in experiments and observations, which helps them develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of science. In Indonesia, the science learning approach tends to focus on memorization and theory, with limited laboratory facilities and a large number of students per class, which limits the implementation of practice-based learning. As a result, Indonesian students have lower scientific comprehension scores, as seen in the PISA results. Differences in the quality of educational facilities, teaching methods, and time allocation for science learning in both countries are the main factors that affect student learning outcomes.