Science learning requires students to build new mental models of imperceptible mechanisms (photosynthesis, circadian rhythms, atmospheric pressure, etc.). Since mechanisms are structurally complex and dynamic, building such mental models requires mentally simulating novel structures, their state changes, and higher-order transformations…

The emerging field of genomic medicine offers an opportunity for biology and anatomy teachers to bring the topics of DNA, genetics, molecular processes, and evolution together into one experience. Through the genomic medicine paradigm, students see the unbroken connection between small biological topics such as mutations and their potential…

In this article, we tackle the phenomenon of what seems to be a misunderstanding between science education theory and philosophy of science--one which does not seem to have received any attention in the literature. While there seems to be a consensus within the realm of science education on limiting or altogether denying the explanatory role of…

Recently, several articles have reflected on the existence of microorganisms in supporting the life and health of living creatures as the beginning of the emergence of microbiology literacy. In the curriculum, understanding the activity of microorganisms has been studied from pre-school, elementary school, and middle school to college. The…

For many years, hegemonic approaches to teaching the nature of science (NOS) have focused mainly on understanding some epistemic (i.e., rational, or cognitive) aspects involved in the construction of science. So, aspects of a non-epistemic (i.e., non-rational, contextual, or extra-scientific) nature have been practically neglected in these…

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) learning is designed to contextualize the abstract concepts of science in chemistry learning. Integration STEAM in chemistry learning needs a learning model to help students understand real-world problems. For this reason, STEAM-PBL (Project Based Learning) was employed. This paper…

The aim of this study is to reveal the content analysis and trends of studies on misconceptions in biology education. Within the scope of the research, articles containing misconceptions about biology were accessed from the Scopus database. "Biology and misconception" was searched in the title, abstract and keywords in the Scopus…

In this exploratory qualitative case study, we sought to develop a better understanding of beginning teachers' (Scholars) ideas about justice-oriented science teaching. Data were collected from participants from the same secondary teacher education program with an overarching mission of social justice. The study spanned two academic years,…

A new teaching resource comprised of raw X-ray diffraction data sets from crystallography experiments has been compiled. The aim of this resource is to provide a tool with which to plug the teaching gap between crystals and chemical structures present at various levels of education, as well as providing examples for early stage researchers and…

Purpose: This study draws on Bruno Latour's work, "Down to Earth: Politics in the New Climatic Regime," to re-imagine issues of climate change in K-12 science teaching and learning. "Re-turning" to a dwelling place can become an investigation, while issues of gender, race, education, food, technology, and religion can be…

Orientation is a component of pedagogical content knowledge and represents a general view of teaching and learning science. Science instructors hold orientations to teaching science teachers and orientation can be illustrated by an instructor's purposes and goals for instruction. Due to the central role of the instructors in preparing qualified…

Cultivating in preservice science teachers (PSTs) the competence required to teach scientific models and modeling is a valued outcome of teacher preparation programs. However, science teacher educators face inherent tensions when designing and implementing teacher preparation experiences to achieve this outcome. In this systematic review, we first…

There is a growing need for more effective interdisciplinary science instruction across undergraduate degree programs. In addition to supporting students' connections between disciplinary concepts, interdisciplinary learning can develop students' critical thinking skills and allow them to evaluate scientific investigations and claims between…

In this paper I demonstrate how zines (pronounced 'zeen', a word that is a contraction of 'magazine') about space science can be theorised as a site of science education at the margins. Through exploring different zines and their potential to create counter-narratives I offer a series of objects that might reshape how we teach and learn about…

This study aims to explore the meanings communicated by young children with visual cultural semiotic resources available in the science classroom. It is a case study in an Early Childhood Education classroom of 23 children (3-4 years old) and their teacher, all engaged in a long-term science project about snails. We focus on the analysis of two…