Citizen science, a growing domain that allows public participation in scientific research, plays an increasingly significant role in formal education. Its potential to foster scientific literacy, address environmental issues, and promote sustainability is widely acknowledged. Drawing on the concept mapping approach, this study aims to investigate…

Efforts to attract and retain women in science are increasing, yet girls and women are persistently underrepresented in science education worldwide, limiting their preparation for, access to, and opportunities in science-related careers as adults. Based on qualitative research conducted in six secondary schools in Tanzania and informed by UNESCO's…

This study aimed at investigating the issue of domain specificity of motivation across specific science disciplines (chemistry and physics) in combination with influencing factors related with students' academic major and gender. A clustered sampling was used to select 281 participants who were undergraduate students (105 males and 176 females)…

Fieldwork is an important part of higher education programmes in geography, geology, environmental sciences and biosciences because it offers opportunities to enhance graduate employability alongside pedagogical and social benefits. However, not all students choose to participate in fieldwork and the reasons that some opt out are unknown. We used…

Formative assessment has been long emphasised as a powerful means for enhancing science learning. However, there is still a lack of research to investigate the impacts of formative assessment on both students' motivational beliefs and behaviours in science learning. This study examined such impacts using data from six Western and six East Asian…

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…

We explored the use of field trips for educational and teaching purposes by French kindergarten, primary-school teachers and natural science teachers in secondary schools. More specifically, we studied field trips in a "natural" environment by undertaking a French curriculum analysis and surveying teachers. We examined the responses of…

The ability to understand science is important for productive participation in societies that rely on scientific knowledge to guide decision-making. A challenge is how to motivate and engage all learners in science, and not just those destined for science-related careers. This challenge becomes more acute in senior secondary high-stakes assessment…

Astronomy is seen as a "gateway" science, inspiring students to pursue Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics (STEM) related careers. However, there is little evidence that students' attitudes towards astronomy remain stable over time. By integrating Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), we identified…

It has been found that participation in informal, year-long STEM programmes for "primary school children" encourages further STEM learning and motivates STEM career aspirations. To date, no previous research has investigated such programmes. The study's goals were to collect and analyse demographic data about the 3rd-6th grade…

Retrieval-based learning, using tests for content review, frequently proves more effective for knowledge retention compared to alternative methods. Extensive research has explored this with older students, often in contrast to more passive techniques like rereading or note rewriting, typically focusing on vocabulary content, in non-classroom…

In this study, we focused on students' intrinsic motivation towards practical work, more specifically the strength of predictors for intrinsic motivation. As a research tool, we used a modified Intrinsic Motivation Inventory supplemented by additional questions on attitudes towards physics. The respondents were more than 2000 Czech upper secondary…

It has repeatedly been documented that there are cross-sectional gender differences in adolescents' science interest, and these differences are often considered the main factor behind the gap in enrolment rates in higher education STEM programmes. Based on expectancy-value theory and interest theory, this study models interest and tests how…

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects offered as a discipline in schools demand that learners engage in critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity and innovation. The subjects develop logical thinking, information literacy and exploration, all essential skills to survive work-life demands in the 21st century. The…

Previous research has reported the importance of students' perceptions of learning environment in their affective outcomes, motivational regulations, and performance. In this study, we investigated the predictive effects of students' perceptions of biology classroom learning environment on their mastery goals orientation, motivational regulations,…