Discipline-based education research (DBER) conducted by faculty within geoscience departments can address identified needs in undergraduate geoscience education. This study explores the evolution of undergraduate geoscience education research (GER) from 1985 to 2016, primarily in terms of the types of published research and secondarily in terms of…

The purpose of this study was to construct an interpretation of lower track science students' notions of expertise in science teaching. Data were collected and transcribed from focus groups, teacher journals, classrooms events, and student artifacts. Students responded to focus group prompts over the course of a years regarding how and why they…

In recent years, science education has placed increasing importance on learners' mastery of scientific reasoning. This growing emphasis presents a challenge for both developers and users of assessments. We report on our effort around the conceptualization, development, and testing the validity of an assessment of students' ability to reason around…

This study deals with the development of system thinking skills at the elementary school level. It addresses the question of whether elementary school students can deal with complex systems. The sample included 40 4th grade students from one school in a small town in Israel. The students studied an inquiry-based earth systems curriculum that…

A lack of qualified teachers and low enrollment in the geosciences exist at both secondary and tertiary levels in the United States. Consequently, it is unlikely that students will be able to achieve scientific literacy without an increase in both of these populations. To address these problems, we pose research questions, highlight sociocultural…

Studies (n=51) inservice school teachers with regard to their orientations toward geoscience phenomena in general and deep time in particular. Aims to identify the nature of idiosyncratic conceptions of deep time and propose a curricular Deep Time Framework for teacher education. (Contains 29 references.) (Author/YDS)

This descriptive study was conducted to (1) measure anxiety levels of geology students (N=49) and earth science students (N=68) about taking these required departmental courses; (2) measure their general anxiety level; and (3) examine factors associated with student anxiety. Results (including those related to sex differences) are reported and…

Investigates several variables within the psychomotor domain, their dependence on science enrollment, and their relationship to mental ability and performance in the previous year's science course. Concludes that no differences exist in science students (N=147) and nonscience students (N=52) in psychomotor ability, but significant differences…

Examines vertical transfer in a sequence of three tasks for a conceptual network from geology, attempting to determine whether instruction on earlier tasks in a sequence for a conceptual network enhances learning and transfer for subsequent tasks and whether explicit instruction on task-specific strategies further enhances learning and transfer.…

Investigated the learning by eighth-grade students of the concept of crustal evolution, asking questions that deal with how time-efficient procedures can be devised that measure concept learning effectively and whether these procedures yield valid information on the learning of a science concept. (CS)

Reports the teaching behaviors of instructors who (1) willfully and (2) under mandate adopted a new earth science syllabus. After a four year time span had elapsed, both groups exhibited similar behaviors. (CP)

The meanings of eight science terms (volume, organism, motion, energy, molecule, cell, enzyme, fossil) were studied by 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds. Results indicate that the schools were ineffective in increasing numbers of students who mastered these terms between seventh and eleventh grade. Reasons for this finding are discussed. (Author/JN)

Conducted a study similar to Fryback and Daugs' experiments among 15 sixth grade classes, using Cloze procedure to measure gains and a teacher rating to evaluate teachers. Indicated the absence of significant differences in pupil gains through the use of either one- or five-level materials. (CC)

Perceptual orientation (field dependence/independence) was related to 47 biology/earth science students' attitudes toward science. In addition, students who were field dependent and possessed a positive attitude scored significantly higher on a science achievement test than students who were field dependent and possessed a negative attitude. (JN)