Many technological applications (apps) purport to help children learn academic material. Building on research in developmental and educational psychology, we developed and tested an app to teach biological and physical science content to preschool children. There were 21 children in the control condition (M[subscript age] = 50.30 months, SD =…

When teaching undergraduate biology courses, developing engaging activities which allow students to learn using a hands-on pedagogy can provide impactful learning moments for students. This activity helps students make connections between lecture content on environmental issues, e.g., the use of microplastics (MPs) and their own day-to-day…

This research aims to investigate the use of an artificial intelligence-based mobile application with plants and plant identification techniques (AImPLANT) with prospective science teachers in outdoor activities. The goals of the study are: (i) to develop an AI-based mobile application from scratch based customized for education (ii) to enhance…

The iNaturalist application has been gaining traction in both biodiversity research and education. Increasingly more research is being carried out, looking into using the iNaturalist application in biology education, to promote biodiversity and educate students about this topic. We used the PRISMA systematic literature review method to examine…

Molecular symmetry and orbitals are two important chemical concepts which can be difficult for students to visualize in three dimensions; as such, instructors have traditionally adopted a variety of approaches to teach them including the use of physical models and digital renderings/resources. This paper describes a new mobile device application…

This article describes the development and deployment of Physics Toolbox Play, a gamified component of the "Android Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite" app, that can introduce young children through adults to fundamental physics principles. The app was used successfully in a variety of contexts, including STEM fairs with primary and secondary…

To drive effective change towards sustainable development, several courses of action have been devised, and education was pointed as a way to attain this goal. Recognizing the impact of learning in context, it is essential to develop innovative educational proposals that bring schools into other social contexts. This study aims to present, albeit…

Augmented Reality (AR) has become an emerging educational technology in classroom practice and science education. While most research and contemporary meta-analyses reveal benefits with regard to knowledge acquisition and motivation of Augmented Reality-based learning environments, most of the studies lack a clear and fair control condition. In…

Cognitive processes such as learning and thinking are theorized to be an interaction between the mind, body, and environment in four ways: embodied, embedded, enacted, and extended. Collectively, these four types represent the four "E"s of cognition. The "Next Generation Science Standards" has called for curricular reform that…

Background: Informal science activities are critical for supporting long-term learning in STEM fields. However, little is known about the kinds of activities children and their families engage in outside of formal settings and how such activities foster long-term STEM engagement. One gap in the literature is the lack of data that document…

This book brings together a collection of work from around the world in order to consider effective STEM, robotics, mobile apps education from a range of perspectives. It presents valuable perspectives--both practical and theoretical--that enrich the current STEM, robotics, mobile apps education agenda. As such, the book makes a substantial…

The authors describe the design and formative evaluation of a sensor toolkit for Android smartphones and tablets that supports inquiry-based science learning. The Sense-it app enables a user to access all the motion, environmental and position sensors available on a device, linking these to a website for shared crowd-sourced investigations. The…

Augmented Reality (AR) technology and games can enhance motivation for learning. When combined with mobile devices, AR technology can promote authentic learning in outdoor environments, such as urban parks. These spaces can be used for Science Education, particularly, for environmental education and nature conservation. The EduPARK project…

In this paper a brief review of the framework that addressed mobile learning implementation challenges (pedagogical, technological, policy and research) that was developed by Khaddage et al. (2015) is briefly discussed, followed by possible solutions that could be deployed to tackle those challenges. A unique approach is then applied to bridge the…

Mobile devices have become a popular form of education technology, but little attention has been paid to the use of their sensors for data collection and analysis. This article describes some of the benefits of using mobile devices this way and presents five challenges to help students overcome common misconceptions about force and motion. The…