For learners from disadvantaged backgrounds with limited science fair-related skills, knowledge, and community support, investigating the advisability of various ways of arriving at a science fair project topic is needed. This mixed-methods case study with an ex post facto criterion-group design uses questionnaire data and science fair awards…

One of the tools middle school SBAE teachers can use to deliver the total program is research-based SAEs, for which students can receive recognition through the FFA Agriscience Fair. This study examined why middle school SBAE teachers implemented the FFA Agriscience Fair into their programs. This study built on previous literature in this area,…

Science fairs have been around for decades, yet their critics question the extent to which parent involvement shapes students' investigations and creates inequitable experiences. Parent involvement in the science fair has been viewed as objectionable by parents themselves. However, research has shown that parent support can play a vital role in…

Elementary science education calls on teachers to facilitate student learning of the content of science while they engage in the work of scientists. Additionally, recent national and state standards incorporate the practices of engineering into science education throughout grades K-12. However, many practicing teachers receive little to no…

The Flipped Science Fair (FSF) transforms the traditional science fair format by having middle-school students judge the research of early career scientists. At the FSF, students learn about cutting-edge research in a small group setting, with opportunities to ask questions and participate in hands-on demonstrations. By placing the students in the…

This study aimed to reveal the experiences of science teachers conducting a science fair project for the first time. The research used quantitative data based on an online assessment survey for science fair projects. There are twenty-one questions (one of them is open-ended, the others are Likert type) developed by the researcher. The…

Science education in the United States has endured substantial reform due to national needs for a bolstered, more diverse science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce. Recent reform efforts call for students to be engaged in scientific inquiry through the practices of scientists and engineers. Opportunity gaps exist in science…

Science fairs have a long history in the United States and internationally. Their implementation varies greatly (Kook et al, 2020), yet few empirical studies have examined the outcomes of these experiences for student learning. Research indicates that authentic scientific inquiry that focus on students' agency in investigations can contribute to…

The need for scientifically literate citizens is an urgent priority, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020. Despite the importance of scientific literacy, elementary schools across the nation have not made science instruction a priority in their school day. On average, elementary students spend 40% less instructional time in science…

Although science fairs have been an institution of science education for decades in schools across the United States, little is understood about how students' science fair experiences vary and how these variations relate to student learning. Research on this topic is particularly imperative as new science standards increase emphasis on the…

This study reports on the process and development of middle school science fair projects inspired by a summer science program of citizen science monitoring (Monarch Larvae Monitoring Project) with their classroom teacher. We gathered and analyzed qualitative data (interviews, focus groups, and project boards). Our analysis revealed three key…

We describe two established STEM camps that went virtual following the outbreak of COVID-19 during the summer of 2020. Our Summer Research Opportunity (SRO) camp engages middle school science fair winners in a forensic research opportunity, while The Immokalee Foundation (TIF) camp introduces middle school students from historically…

This study aims to determine the effect of using out-of-school learning environments in science teaching on motivation for learning science. It is a quasi-experimental study and it has been designed as pre- and posttest experimental study. The study was carried out with seventh grade students enrolled in a secondary school in the city centre of a…

As new science standards increase emphasis on the teaching of science and engineering practices, research is needed on the implementation and outcomes of students' experiences with authentic inquiry-based activities. Using a framework on teacher support for inquiry, we examined results from a national survey of middle school science fairs. Three…

In her science teaching, Jane Elson had always treated the boys and girls the same but, having become conscious of how important it is for girls to see and experience female role models in science, she decided that for one specific event she would give the girls the opportunity to see the range of careers that studying STEM (science technology,…