The rapid advancements in science and technology have necessitated the adaptation of biology education to enhance students' understanding and critical thinking skills, aligning with the demands of the 21st century. The development of digital modules based on the Science, Environment, Technology, and Society (SETS) framework represents an…

Grand challenges such as energy, water, and food scarcity limit our growing population's ability to live sustainably on Earth. Such complex societal challenges, which interconnect many human and natural systems, will require today's students to apply approaches that go beyond simple cause and effect. To help instructors teach students how to…

The two-year study aimed to explore how students' development of different inquiry abilities actually benefited from the design of technology-infused learning modules. Three learning modules on the topics of seasons, environmental issues and air pollution were developed to facilitate students' inquiry abilities: questioning, planning, analyzing,…

The purpose of the paper is to present the framework and design of modules aiming to teach socio-scientific issues and the related pedagogy to pre-service teachers. Specifically, the work presented in this paper is part of the PreSEES project, a Comenius/LLP project with the main aim of engaging elementary and secondary pre-service teachers in…

Climate change is not local; it is global. This means that many environmental issues related to climate change are not geographically limited and hence concern humans in more than one location. There is a growing body of research indicating that today's increased climate change is caused by human activities and our modern lifestyle. Consequently,…

A module that can be incorporated into chemistry or environmental science classes at the high school or undergraduate level is described. The module is divided into a series of segments, each of which incorporates several concepts and results in students making significant predictions about the behavior of organic xenobiotics.

Today's high school students and biology teachers alike face challenges arising from constantly-changing environments. From global warming to species reduction to energy policy, the issues the students will face will have immediate and long-lasting implications. At the same time, biology teachers are charged with achieving legislated standards,…

Discusses instructional innovations in science education, including interdisciplinary environmental studies programs, autotutorial open laboratory techniques, and programed research projects provided in investigative laboratory settings. Describes applications of these innovations at community colleges, as well as the increased use of modular,…

Designed to address conceptual problems associated with ecology, this module can be used with high school students or college nonscience majors including those in elementary education. The materials offer guidance to teachers in diagnosing student deficiencies, in creating dissatisfaction with misconceptions, and in providing opportunities for…

Describes a study to determine (1) if introductory biology students (N=417) could master ecological concepts and improve their attitudes toward their immediate surroundings using a new unit, and (2) the best instructional format, with lecture materials brought inside or individualized instruction in the field via an audio-tutorial format.…

This is one of a series of 14 instructional components of a semester-long, environmental earth science course developed for undergraduate students. The course includes lectures, discussion sessions, and individualized learning carrel lessons. Presented are the study guide and script for a learning carrel lesson on land use. The slides,…

Based upon the notion that the study of the environment should include attempts to articulate concepts related to the natural, social and cultural dimensions of the human environment, this learning module was developed for Unesco's International Environmental Education Programme. It is intended for use at the secondary school level and contains…

This is one of a series of 14 instructional components of a semester-long, environmental earth science course developed for undergraduate students. The course includes lectures, discussion sessions, and individualized learning carrel lessons. Presented are the study guides and script for a learning carrel lesson on energy, energy policies, and…

This is one of a series of 14 instructional components of a semester-long, environmental earth science course developed for undergraduate students. The course includes lectures, discussion sessions, and individual learning carrel lessons. Presented are the study guide and script for a learning carrel lesson on water, specifically water quality and…

The International Environmental Education Programme (IEEP) of UNESCO has determined that the enhancement of the quality of the built environment is a basic priority for future environmental action, particularly in Europe and North America. This experimental teaching module applies specifically to those two continents, and is intended for use by…