Persistent concerns exist regarding the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and science achievement, prompting ongoing research into the factors enabling some low-SES students to excel in science despite the odds. This study seeks to identify multiple combinations of individual, family, and school conditions that contribute to…

The use of simulations to better convey abstract scientific concepts or difficult-to-observe scientific occurrences through the manipulation of variables or virtual objects has the potential to improve student science learning. However, misconceptions or extraneous load may emerge if simulation support is insufficient. In this study, we used a…

Intellectual demands of learning outcomes in the intended curriculum have always been a concern across the field of science education. In particular, the representation of those learning outcomes stipulated by the intended curriculum in science textbooks has become a big issue for both science curriculum studies and science teaching practice. To…

The MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) forum carries rich discussion data that contains multi-level cognition-related behavior patterns, which brings the potential for an in-depth investigation into the development trend of the group and individual cognitive presence in discourse interaction. This paper describes a study conducted in the context…

The creative achievements of eminent genius in Chinese history are of enormous interest. There is, however, uncertainty about the accurate measurement of eminence and creativity. The most tenable measurement approach is historiometric. Nearly all historiometric research on eminence and creative achievement has involved Western samples. The present…

Chemistry academic engagement has received considerable attention for its role in enhancing students' learning and overall development. As a significant factor influencing students' chemistry improvement, research on chemistry academic engagement has emerged as a focal point. However, the methods to improve students' chemistry academic engagement…

Integrating virtual laboratories (VLs) with science education promotes inquiry-based learning by providing an interactive, dynamic environment in which students actively engage with scientific concepts. While previous research highlights the effectiveness of VLs as tools in the IBL process, few studies have embedded the entire inquiry process…

Past studies have shown that students' conceptions of learning science (CLS) are related to their approaches to learning science (ALS) and to their self-efficacy for learning science (SELS), but it has not yet been studied whether parents' CLS play a role in children's ALS and SELS. This research investigated 472 pairs of Chinese high school…

A solid grasp of basic concepts and their relationships can stimulate learning motivation, improve teaching quality, and help students to build a body of knowledge in a discipline. Most of the previous studies have considered one chemistry topic amongst many others. To date, no studies have been conducted to explore the conceptual structures of…

With an educational issue that has caught the attention of many countries in the world (study load), a population of 8th graders from a typical Chinese metropolitan city (40,536 from 118 schools), and an advanced statistical strategy (multilevel piecewise regression), we examined whether there was a turning point in terms of the effects of study…

This study examined the impact of integrating virtual science inquiry activities with Predict-Observe-Explain (POE) teaching strategies on 5th graders' understanding of science concepts and epistemic beliefs in science. A cohort of 80 5th graders (mean age of 12 years old, 40 boys and 40 girls) from a public primary school in North China took part…

Students' perceived social support from important others may be an important protective factor in science self-handicapping. This study examined the extent to which science self-handicapping mediates the relationship between perceived social support and science academic outcomes (engagement and achievement). The study used a cross-sectional survey…

Science identity, encompassing perceptions of competence, interest, and recognition in science, alongside learning self-efficacy reflecting confidence to master science skills, are key drivers of outcomes. However, developmental patterns likely vary across contexts. Participants were 512 Chinese students spanning grades 1-3 who completed the…

Game-based learning refers to establishing learning environments that involve digital or non-digital games to enhance students' knowledge and skill acquisition. Previous studies indicated that game-based learning is superior to the conventional instructional method, but few compared the differences between different game types. This study examined…

In this paper, we analyze recently collected data that conducts a unique assessment of high school student performance for over two thousand students from five Chinese provinces. Across three domains of scientific intelligence tested, we document heterogeneous gender gaps in academic performance. These differences generally arise due to…