Holistic assessment is an evaluative approach in which assessors work backwards from an overall appraisal of work to determine the criteria relevant to individual student responses. One of the strongest proponents of this approach in higher education is Royce Sadler, whose theoretical contributions over recent decades provide a strong conceptual…

In Lebanon, science is taught in an international language (French or English) based on a language-in-education policy rooted in Lebanon's colonial history. Given the intersection among social/socioeconomic class, educational equity, and science performance, learning science in a language other than one's own raises concerns around…

The main purpose of this study is to reveal the opinions of science teacher candidates regarding the implementation of Discovery Learning-Based STEM Education in distance education with Applied Activities. The study was designed as a case study. Participants were first given basic chemistry education and introduced to the concepts of STEM,…

The increasing prevalence of online courses has highlighted the importance of digital literacy for students. This study investigates the relationship between digital literacy and academic achievement among students who participate in an online course on anatomy and physiology. The study also evaluates how different aspects of digital literacy,…

Engaging students in talking science in the classroom is key to their successful learning and the basis for more advanced practices such as developing critical thinking skills. Talking science, however, is challenging to many students who do not get to speak their mother tongue in the classroom. Although studies conducted in multilingual contexts…

Inequities in student access to trigonometry and calculus are often associated with racial and socioeconomic privilege, and often influence introductory physics course performance. To mitigate these disparities in student preparedness, we developed a two-pronged intervention consisting of (1) incentivized supplemental math assignments and (2)…

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection in Artificial Intelligence Tools in Physics Teaching and Physics Education Research.] Artificial intelligence-based chatbots are increasingly influencing physics education because of their ability to interpret and respond to textual and visual inputs. This study evaluates the performance of two large…

Background: Primary science education is critical for developing scientific literacy and fostering long-term interest in STEM. However, implementation faces challenges such as limited teacher preparation, rigid curricula, and unequal digital access. Purpose: This study aims to map the intellectual structure and emerging trends in primary science…

Improving academic performance and achievement requires educational systems to adopt inclusive learning practices that recognize and accommodate the diverse needs of all students. Inclusive education emphasizes equitable access to learning opportunities, tailored instructional methods, and supportive environments that value each learner's…

It has been noted we are in a post-truth era and unfortunately misinformation exists even in science. Furthermore, polarization of society is negatively impacting debate. Critical thinking, systems thinking, and thoughtful creative innovation can help combat such negative pressures on science. A phytobiome approach involves studying a plant as its…

The science laboratory report, a staple of science instruction across all educational levels, can be syntactically and lexically challenging for both native and nonnative speakers of English. Because mastery of the science report genre in Western societies relies on internalized knowledge of the structure of the science report as well as on the…

The Tesla coil is one of the most famous and popularly recognizable high voltage devices. Utilizing the fame of recognizability of the Tesla coil in a "Build Your Own" laboratory exercise is a great way to create a successful and highly interesting learning activity. Classical Tesla coils utilize a spark gap as the primary switch,…

Recently available local positioning systems (LPS) have the potential to be used for interactive physics laboratory activities and classroom demonstrations. The Pozyx LPS combines multiple sensors with position data for any object that one of the devices is attached to. Devices referred to as "tags" (Fig. 1[a]) are mobile devices that…

Several educational trials on handling viruses and or virology have been reported. However, given their small size, direct visualization of these viruses under a microscope has been rarely performed. The so-called "giant viruses" are larger than other viruses with a particle size greater than 200-300 nm. This enables their direct…

Calculus, as commonly taught, describes certain operations on explicit functions, but science relies on experimental data, which is inherently discrete. In the face of this disparity, how can we help students transition from lower-division mathematics courses to upper-division coursework in other STEM disciplines? We discuss here our efforts to…