When individuals' attention shifts away from the primary tasks they are involved in, their minds start to wander. This mental phenomenon, also known as mind-wandering, can interact with other variables and affect the performance of academic tasks. The current study focuses particularly on the mind-wandering (MW) of Omani students while they were…

The aim of this study is to develop a valid and reliable achievement test on the subject of 'Basic Compounds in the Structure of Living Things'. During the preparation of the draft form of the test, a 32 item-question pool was created by the researchers in the light of the relevant literature. Then, these questions were presented to expert opinion…

In this research, we have explored the possible differences in students' performance in grade nine chemistry exams that could have been influenced by a different instructional approach in grade eight. We compared two groups of students: one group had received a transmissive propaedeutic approach in grade eight (especially related to the memorising…

The purpose of this research is to determine the scientific literacy levels of students in 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades of high school by using the scientific literacy research test. In the study, it was investigated whether there is a significant difference in scientific literacy among students studying at different levels in secondary…

Deep science understanding is reflected in students' ability to use content and skills when making sense of the world. Assessing deep understanding requires measuring complex constructs that combine elements of content and skills. To develop valid measures of complex constructs, we need to understand how their theoretical dimensionality, reflected…

This study examined integrated science questions of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in Ghana at the end of grade 9. Results from BECE determine which senior high school a student can attend. Science questions (n = 751) over the span of eight years were analyzed in this study and viewed under the lens of the revised Bloom's…

Much of the focus of international comparative studies of students' achievement has been on New Zealand students' falling standards. Using the most recent findings from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), and, in particular, Year 9 New Zealand students' performance in specific items, this article suggests that there…

While completing a science test and science survey, 155 high school students wore a biometric wristband (measuring electrodermal activity; EDA) and self-reported their science self-efficacy and science anxiety. Adopting a challenge-threat appraisal perspective and latent profile analysis, we explored how students were psychologically…

Teachers lack effective curriculum-based instruments to assess their students' scientific competence that would provide information for modifying their inquiry instruction. The main purpose of this study was to develop and validate a Curriculum-Based Scientific Competence (CBSC) test to assess students' scientific competence in a 1-semester Grade…

Guided inquiry-based learning has been shown to be a promising method for science education; however, despite its advantages it is rarely used in chemistry teaching in Hungary. One of the reasons for this is the lack of tried-and-tested inquiry-based teaching materials with detailed guides that teachers can readily use in their classrooms. As part…

The study aims to analyze student responses to chemistry constructed response items to obtain detailed information on science NAEA (National Assessment of Educational Achievement) in South Korea and to draw suggestions for enhancing curriculum, teaching, and learning. For this purpose, we analyzed 7444 answers that could be generalized as 1.29% of…

In this quasi-experimental research, the effect of the inquiry-based 5E instruction on students' learning of the topic of the main subatomic particles forming the atom as well as on their level of motivation was examined. The sample for the study comprised 45 ninth grade students enrolled in two randomly selected classes at a public high school…

Inquiry-Based Teaching Practice (IBTP) is an essential component of science education, and promoting its implementation is at the heart of various reform efforts. Even though science teachers regard IBTP as an essential pedagogical method, they rarely use it for various reasons. This study utilizes Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework to examine…

Creativity has been of research interest to psychologists dating back many decades, and is currently recognized as one of the essential skills needed to succeed in our complex, interconnected world. One medium that has affordances to assess and support creativity in young people is video games. In this paper, we briefly discuss the literature on…

The aim of this study was to examine ninth-grade students' perception of a Swedish national test in science (high-stakes for the students) and a field trial (low-stakes for the students), in terms of test-taking motivation. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with 12 students. Overall, the students had a positive perception of the…