Nowadays, citizens collaborate increasingly with scientists in citizen science (CS) projects on environmental issues. CS projects often have educational goals and aim to increase citizens' knowledge with the ultimate goal of fostering positive attitudes toward science. To date, little is known about the extent to which CS projects strengthen the…

National governments are concerned about the disconnection of young people from science, which hampers the development of a scientifically literate society promoting sustainable development, wellbeing, equity, and a green economy. Introduced in 2015 alongside Agenda 2030, the "open schooling" approach aims at enhancing students' science…

This article provides a description of a novel, attitude-focused, professional development intervention, and presents the results of an experimental pretest-posttest control group study investigating the effects of this intervention on primary teachers' personal attitudes toward science, attitudes toward teaching science, and their science…

This study investigated exam achievement and affective characteristics of students in general chemistry in a fully-randomized experimental design, contrasting Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) participation with a control group balanced for time-on-task and study activity. This study population included two independent first-semester courses with…

The use of external representations has a potential to facilitate inquiry learning, especially in hypothesis generation and scientific reasoning, which are typical difficulties encountered by students. This study proposes and investigates the effects of a three-dimensional thinking graph (3DTG) that allows learners to combine in a single image,…

Determined whether completing an environmental studies course affected the defensibility of environmental studies. The observed trend toward a more defensible attitude supports a hypothetical connection between cognitive/affective domains and suggests that student attitudes be examined for stronger attitudinal supports rather than attitude…

This study explored the development of a community of learners through a professional development program to improve teachers' views of nature of science (NOS) and teaching practice. The "Views of Nature of Science" questionnaire and interviews were used to assess teachers' conceptions of NOS three times over the course of the study. Notes and…

Finnish students' opinions about the frequency of learning activities and communication in the Finnish science classroom, their interest in science and science studies and careers, their sense of self-efficacy, and their beliefs about their own competence as well as their performance in science are analyzed based on PISA 2006 Scientific Literacy…

Compared effectiveness of two inservice programs differing in length (long: N=296; short: N=140) and energy-related content on teacher attitudes. Although programs had differing effects on attitudes toward curriculum change and beliefs about science and science education, effects on teachers' opinions on energy issues were the same. (JN)

Twenty-seven elementary teachers participated in a National Science Foundation-sponsored energy education in-service program and 27 elementary teachers served as a control group. Results from the "Energy Inventory," developed by BSCS, indicated significant changes in knowledge possessed and opinions held about energy were achieved by…

Investigated various factors related to a project designed to increase scientific literacy of two age groups by simultaneously exposing middle school children and their parents to short science courses. Findings, among others, show that parents and children made significant gains in learning and that they found the experience enjoyable and…

Compared the effect of a traditional "Star Show" program and a "Participatory Oriented Program" in a small, educational planetarium on elementary school students' (N=556) achievement and attitudes. Results indicate that the latter, activity-oriented program is superior to the "Star Show" program. (JN)

The impact of summer science-enrichment programs on high-school students' science motivation and confidence was evaluated in a 7-month period following program completion. The programs took place on a college campus. The splashdown effect was defined as program-related changes the program graduates recognized in themselves that became apparent to…

Understanding the interaction between internally constructed and externally imposed aspects of the teaching context may be the missing link between calls for school reform and teachers' interpretation and implementation of that reform. Although the context of the local school culture has a profound impact on teachers, there are other external…

"Hands-on" activities play an important, but controversial, role in early science education. In this study we attempt to clarify some of the issues surrounding the controversy by calling attention to distinctions between: (a) type of instruction (direct or discovery); (b) type of knowledge to be acquired (domain-general or domain-specific); and…