Numerous studies in the educational field show the importance of feedback in the teaching process and students' motivation for learning. Although researchers agree that feedback is essential for improved performance, learners often dismiss it, and its effectiveness is diminished because of specific characteristics of feedback itself, teacher, and…

Quantitative literacy---the use of mathematics to describe and understand the world---is an essential skill. Physics has an opportunity to contribute to how students develop quantitative literacy, as much of physics curriculum centers on making sense of quantitative models. One facet of quantitative literacy in physics is covariational reasoning:…

Plastination, a permanent preservation method for human tissues and organs, is increasingly being used in anatomy education. However, there is a paucity of systematic reviews and meta-analyses summarizing the educational efficacy of plastinated specimens. This meta-analysis compared the assessment scores of students exposed to plastinated…

Assessments that are open-ended and student-centered may be used to encourage formation of networks between prerequisite material and new course content thereby promoting meaningful learning. Creative Exercises (CEs) are assessments that allow multiple correct answers and do not penalize for incorrect statements thereby inspiring creativity. CEs…

In the context of scholarly and scientific discourse, students often have to deal with graphic-visual modes of communication, which requires their ability to comprehend and utilize inscriptions, that is, scientific visual representations, to convey information effectively--what we call graphical literacy. Despite its pivotal role for training…

Teaching practices used by teachers influence students' achievement of learning outcomes. These practices may be explored from students' perspectives. Because gender may influence students' perceptions of learning environments, this study explored gender differences in students' perceptions of teaching practices employed in their biology…

The development of equitable grading systems that provide students with effective feedback and provide instructors with an efficient means of assessment are of deep interest to chemical educators. A recent trend in chemical education, and STEM education more broadly, has been the use of specifications, or specs, grading that emphasizes mastery of…

This book showcases current science education research in Canada, from Grade 8 to university. It provides a rich portrait of science teaching and learning at the secondary and tertiary levels across content areas and research methodologies. Research contexts include chemistry, oceanography, physics, and STEM; research approaches include action…

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Instructional labs: Improving traditions and new directions.] In recent years, physics instructional labs have been under considerable research and development. However, there seems to be no shared understanding of how the assessment of instructional labs should be arranged to best serve students'…

In an increasingly data-driven society, making decisions with data is a requirement not only for research scientists but also for navigating life more generally (Kjelvik & Schultheis, 2019). An informed citizenry must be prepared to discover patterns, predict outcomes, make decisions with data, and evaluate data-based claims for legitimacy and…

The problem addressed by this study was to determine the influence of high school start times on students' academic achievement and precisely how this impacts the scores students received on the Biology I End of Course Exams. It also determined if there was a difference in influence between males and females. This was determined by comparing the…

This article presents a comprehensive exploration of ipsative and sociomaterial assessment methodologies, dissecting their theoretical frameworks, practical implementations, and the resultant effects on educational paradigms. The purpose of this article is to introduce a combined ipsative-sociomaterial assessment framework for science education at…

Lab activities in primary and secondary education are essential to promote students' scientific skills. In this article, we propose a lab activity where different antimicrobial agents are used to the microorganisms' susceptibility to them. Moreover, we produce a rubric, a scoring tool, to quantify students' replies and evaluate the whole activity.…

Testing is a highly important tool, used ubiquitously in academia, to assess student comprehension and understanding of material. Unfortunately, the emphasis placed on test grades has resulted in a modern epidemic of test-related anxiety, which can have adverse health effects on students. Over time, novel testing strategies have been developed to…

The Framework for K-12 Science Education set an ambitious goal of broadening participation in science learning for all students. Meeting this vision will involve supporting teachers in making meaningful connections with the cultural and linguistic resources their students bring to school; in essence, developing pedagogies that frame these…