Inquiry-based instruction has played an important role in science education, and been recognized as a critical approach to improve students' scientific learning effectiveness. However, current research revealed that it is a challenge for teacher education programs to improve pre-service science teachers' inquiry-based instructional activity design…

Background: Emotional design of multimedia lessons involves adding features that are intended to increase learner enjoyment and promote learning--such as adding narrative, anthropomorphizing non-human elements, and using warm colours. Objective: The present study extends this work to examine the potential of Japanese animation (anime) for…

When learning about the particulate nature of matter (PNM), students tend to attribute the same properties to both particles and to the substances they compose. It has been argued that this might be explained by them categorizing the wrong ontological category. To explain the relationships between submicroscopic and macroscopic levels of matter,…

Within physics education research (PER), resource theory has proven to be a useful framework for investigating knowledge and learning and informing instructional design. To analyze learning over longer timescales and across cases, PER scholars must first identify and describe the resources activated within and across physics contexts and domains.…

This paper provides an experience report on a co-design approach with teachers to co-create learning analytics-based technology to support problem-based learning in middle school science classrooms. We have mapped out a workflow for such applications and developed design narratives to investigate the implementation, modifications and temporal…

Modern society is complex and ever-changing. To adapt to this situation, the level of education must be continuously enhanced, and college students who are about to enter society are the group that needs the most attention. As a creative and effective teaching organizational form and teaching strategy, the cooperative learning method plays an…

Metabolism is always a challenging topic in biochemistry. In our project, a courseware called "Metabolism Metro" was developed. "Metabolism Metro" is a self-learning tool which aims to facilitate students learning of metabolic pathways in an interactive and easy-to-understand manner. The courseware includes both pre-class and…

This paper details an integrated inquiry-based mathematics and science method course for preservice teachers designed around STEM problem-based learning. It documents how problem-based learning (PBL) activities supported PSTs' envisioning of equitable approaches for diverse children. The overarching research question was: "How did preservice…

Theorizing and exploring teacher learning contexts is critical to understanding reform-based instructional changes. Research on professional learning, organizational contexts, and science reform has grown over the years, particularly since the unveiling of the Framework for K-12 Science Education in the United States. In this article, the authors…

Multicultural science education advocates that science education should pay attention to the uniqueness of students from different backgrounds. In developing instructional strategies, educators should respect students' differences according to their culture. However, In Taiwan, while Darwin's theory of evolution is taught in high school biology,…

The inquiry-based strategy in science education is widely recommended and incorporated in practical work. However, contextual and intrinsic teaching challenges associated with practical investigations (inquiry-based practical work), occur in resource-constrained physical sciences classrooms in South Africa. The intrinsic challenges have previously…

Based on recent education reform guidelines to prepare professionals who are able to handle new technological, economic, social, and environmental challenges, pedagogical modifications are deemed necessary by the educators. Specifically, in biology, the rapid changes in the content and biological products demand changes in the curriculum. We aim…

The aim of this study is to design various instructional materials to teach biological systems in a 'Systems in Our Body' unit to 6th grade students with visual impairment (SVI) and to evaluate the effectiveness of these materials. In the study, a design-based research model was used. In the first stage, individual learning needs of SVI and their…

In this paper, we examine how researchers and teachers in a multi-year professional development program shifted their conceptualizations of equity. Following (Grapin et al (2023) Sci Educ 107:999-1032), we ground our analysis in two conceptualizations of equity that exist across fields: equity-as-access (learners should have access to disciplinary…

Teaching chemistry and biology students about biologics design remains challenging despite its increasing importance in pharmaceutical development. Monoclonal antibodies, commonly called mAbs, are the most popular biologics. They have been developed into drugs to treat various diseases in the past decades. Multiple challenges exist for designing…