Collaborative argumentation has been recognized as a powerful means to facilitate conceptual change of scientific concepts for which students have robust misconceptions. However, eliciting and maintaining collaborative argumentation that yields such productive outcomes is known to be difficult. Specifically, social-motivational antecedents have…

This study used a cluster randomized controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness of two approaches to increasing middle school students' science learning when using an inquiry-based science curriculum. Eighty-nine schools, with 253 teachers and 20,591 students, were randomly assigned into one of three conditions: (a) a treatment condition in…

Research on translanguaging in science and engineering education has grown rapidly. Studies carried out across diverse contexts converge in their commitment to fostering equity in science and engineering learning for linguistically marginalized learners. However, the rapid growth of this research area has exposed different approaches to…

Design-based learning (DBL) offers opportunities to support students' content understanding. Previous DBL studies reported different effect sizes by using the data from one participant group. The goal of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis that would give a comprehensive picture of how DBL is connected to student achievement in different…

This quantitative, exploratory study examined whether a Project-Based Guided Inquiry (PBGI) chemistry laboratory course supported more incremental ability beliefs among students, examined achievement outcomes for students grouped based on changes in student-reported chemistry ability beliefs from pre- to post-course, and provided explanations for…

The first three years of science teachers' careers is an especially formative period, yet there remains only a limited literature base to support teacher educators who work with this population. Teachers in the induction phase benefit from professional development experiences that support them as they continue to learn about teaching by analyzing…

This study examined the effect of a quasi-experimental project on fifth grade English learners' achievement in state-mandated standards-based science and English reading assessment. A total of 166 treatment students and 80 comparison students from four randomized intermediate schools participated in the current project. The intervention consisted…

"Science for All" is a mantra that has guided science education reform and practice for the past 20 years or so. Unfortunately, after 20 years of "Science for All" guided policy, research, professional development, and curricula African Americans continue to participate in the scientific enterprise in numbers that are staggeringly low. What is…

We conducted a laboratory-based randomized control study to examine the effectiveness of inquiry-based instruction. We also disaggregated the data by student demographic variables to examine if inquiry can provide equitable opportunities to learn. Fifty-eight students aged 14-16 years old were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both groups of…

In order to compete in a global economy, students are going to need resources and curricula focusing on critical thinking and reasoning in science. Despite awareness for the need for complex reasoning, American students perform poorly relative to peers on international standardized tests measuring complex thinking in science. Research focusing on…

This study examined the effect of fidelity of implementation (FOI) on the science achievement gains of third grade students broadly and students with limited literacy in English specifically. The study was conducted in the context of a professional development intervention with elementary school teachers to promote science achievement of ELL…

This project consisted of a meta-analysis of U.S. research published from 1980 to 2004 on the effect of specific science teaching strategies on student achievement. The six phases of the project included study acquisition, study coding, determination of intercoder objectivity, establishing criteria for inclusion of studies, computation of effect…

Examines gender differences in fifth- and sixth-grade students' self-reports of confidence, motivation goals, and learning strategies in whole-class and small-group sessions. Overall, results reveal few gender differences and indicate that students report greater confidence and mastery motivation in small-group lessons. Contains 55 references.…

Reports on a study designed to determine whether academic achievement of students taught in the cooperative group mastery mode would be different from the achievement of students who learn in an individualized method and to determine whether gains or losses would be seen in nonacademic outcomes such as social relations, self-esteem, and classroom…

Thirty fifth-grade students participated in a study designed to describe the social interactions of ability-grouped dyads as they construct knowledge of balance concepts to elucidate the relationship between interactions and conceptual growth. Results revealed that high achieving students effectively used prior experiences and maintained focus on…