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…

Considering the number of students who participate in them each year, science fairs are an under-researched area of science education. As part of a broader research agenda examining and conceptualizing science fairs, in this study we interviewed parents who had children who had participated in science fairs and were now in university. Parents…

In this essay from a teacher in Argentina, Valeria Vincent describes how she employed Multiple Literacies in Project-based Learning (MLPBL) (Krajcik, Palincsar, and Miller 2015). ML-PBL, an open education free resource, has three design principles that support teacher and student learning and satisfaction. ML-PBL builds on teacher ingenuity and…

Incorporating authentic engineering practices into educative experiences in elementary school has the potential to positively impact student consideration of STEM careers and increase student self-efficacy in later engineering study. Additionally, as students move from primary to secondary grades, their interest in STEM topics tends to decline. To…

Using voluntary and anonymous surveys, we have collected answers from more than 700 high school students about the types and sources of help they received with their science and engineering fair projects, the obstacles they encountered, the strategies they used to overcome obstacles, and the impact of science fairs on their interest in science and…

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…

The aim of this study is to review the opinions of principals and teachers on TUBITAK-4006 (Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) science fairs which are organized in about 10.000 schools every year in Turkey. This study is a qualitative research and it is formed with phenomenological design. The study group is determined with…

Science competitions have continuing relevance for schools. The aim of the German youth science fair "Jugend forscht" is to encourage scientific thinking and inquiry methods such as experimentation. Three concrete examples of participating projects are given. We summarise the current state of research related to science competitions,…

Using social cultural career theory (SCCT) linked with tenets of equity, we examined the role of participation in science and engineering fairs (SEFs) on youth's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational and career choices. We analyzed data for evidence of the SCCT constructs of self-efficacy, interest, and learning…

Having written columns dealing with science fairs before, Bill Robertson notes that it's been a long time since he has tackled the subject of what passes for a "science fair" in schools these days. Because science fairs have changed over the years, Robertson revisits the topic and explains the scientific method. The main focus of the…

Globalization and technological advances have enabled emerging countries to compete with traditionally economically dominant countries. Emerging countries can advance their economy through the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) from multinational corporations. A key element in the attraction of FDI is the development of human capital.…

Learning celebrations are increasingly common in schools looking to put more emphasis on community and efficacy in place formulaic science fair projects. The celebration aspect is in the community's participation and interaction with the learners. Students are the main event, performing as they would in a school play or applying acquired knowledge…

Imagine middle and high school science classes without a science fair. Participation in science fairs is declining (Harmon 2011), a trend that some teachers, parents, and students find disturbing. The authors opine that the decline in science fairs calls for critically reviewing the potential disconnect between the aims and outcomes of science…

Rapid changes and developments in education have also changed the content and the scope of the activities carried out in schools. Learning and teaching through experiencing and practicing process carried out after the transition to the constructivist approach in recent years has started and expedited the performance of new activities in several…

Globalization and the influx of multinational corporations over the past 30 years have significantly impacted the educational system in Costa Rica. The need for knowledge-based workers has become essential in continuing to strengthen the economy and attracting foreign direct investment. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the…