Supporting student interest in science is critical for broadening participation in the field because interest, even more than achievement, is associated with pursuing future science education and careers. In this study, we explore the conjecture that equitable classroom cultures can support interest in science. Specifically, we examine the idea…

International and national studies have revealed a sharp decline in student science engagement during the middle years of schooling. In Aotearoa New Zealand, over 20 years of cross-sectional evidence has repeatedly shown high levels of student engagement with science in primary school and lower levels in high school, but very little evidence…

Background: Research suggests that head-mounted displays (HMD) can spark situational interest when they are used to provide science learning experiences that are not possible in traditional classroom settings. However, few studies have investigated the lasting effects of using HMDs in an authentic instructional intervention. Objectives: We…

Urban middle school students in the United States have shown a declining interest in science and poorer science learning outcomes compared to the past. Museum learning experiences can potentially improve these students' interest and learning in science through interactive, personalized exhibits. This qualitative action research study asked the…

Latest studies on situational interest (SI) point out that the expressed situational interest (ESI) and observed situational interest (OSI) of students that emerge during science courses differentiate from each other. However, the studies aiming to determine this difference are rare. Accordingly, the purpose of this qualitative case study is to…

There remains a clear deficiency in recruiting middle school students in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine fields, especially for those students entering physiology from underrepresented backgrounds. A large part of this may be arising from a disconnect between how science is typically practiced at a collegiate and K-12…

Hydrogel is an interesting topic in polymer chemistry, which is closely related to daily life and advanced technology. In this paper, we report an activity to deliver hydrogel chemistry into middle school classrooms by undergraduates as a bridge between professors and students. During the activity, undergraduates act as a bridge to receive…

Gender stereotypes about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are salient for children and adolescents and contribute to achievement-related disparities and inequalities in STEM participation. However, few studies have used a longitudinal design to examine changes in gender stereotypes across a range of STEM fields. In a large,…

The affective domain and its impact on science achievement has been studied with increasing attention over the past decade. However, there has been little empirical work on how individual interest, and facilitation of situational interest in the classroom, facilitates learning of concepts within fine-grained units of instruction. Drawing upon…

The modern Einsteinian conception of space, time, matter and radiation represents a radical paradigm shift compared with the traditional Newtonian physics that underpins most primary and secondary school science. It is increasingly recognised that school education should encompass this modern paradigm to allow a seamless progression of learning…

The primary goal of this study was to identify which of the RIASEC categories the students participating in the sample fell into. The other goal was to determine whether the students' scientific creativity and metacognitive awareness scores differed significantly depending on their RIASEC categories and gender. The study was a descriptive survey…

To facilitate identity exploration and career interest among underrepresented racial and gender minorities, a week-long Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) summer camp was designed in alignment with Projective Reflection's (PR) theory of identity exploration and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The camp included the…

Science-related competencies are demanded in many fields, but attracting more students to scientific educations remains a challenge. This paper uses two studies to investigate the value of using Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) laboratory simulations in science education. In Study 1, 99 (52 male, 47 female) seventh (49) and eighth (50) grade…

The purpose of the current study was to determine the effect of teaching astronomy through augmented reality (AR) on the achievement and interest level of gifted students and their opinions about AR applications. The current study was conducted in line with the explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. The study group of the current research…

This paper explores how geographies of place and familial relationships influence the formation of 'science capital' and a 'science identity', which are widely considered influential to sustained engagement in the sciences. Drawing on interviews with 45 Year 8 students from two diverse locales in Australia, we analyse science-related forms of…