Texts presenting novel statistics can shift learners attitudes and conceptions about controversial science topics. However, not a lot is known about the mechanisms underlying this conceptual change. The purpose of this study was to investigate two potential mechanisms that underlie learning from novel statistics: numerical estimation skills and…

Feature engineering, the construction of contextual and relevant features from system log data, is a crucial component of developing robust and interpretable models in educational data mining contexts. The practice of feature engineering depends on domain experts and system developers working in tandem in order to creatively identify actions and…

Teachers across the United States and worldwide found themselves in unprecedented educational situations during the early response period to the COVID-19 pandemic in spring of 2020. Efforts to quarantine and provide social distancing to prevent the spread of the disease brought mandated school closures throughout the United States, and teachers…

Effectively mastering organic chemistry means having the ability to recognize structural patterns, identify properties or behaviors as a result of patterns, manipulate and transform representations, and predict future outcomes. Often students rely on rote memorization of seemingly disconnected information instead of developing a sound…

The dissertation is composed of two sections. The first section is composed of chapters one, two, and three and describes the study of macrocyclic [beta]-hairpin peptides derived from [beta]-sheet peptides. The second section is composed of chapters four and five and discusses the curricular innovations made to support the remote instruction of an…

When conducting biological investigations, experts constantly integrate their conceptual and quantitative understanding of variation with the design and analysis of the investigation. This process is difficult for students, because curricula often treat these concepts as separate components. This study describes the effect of a curricular…

This article presents a case study of the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) in high-school biology project-based learning. The study's main goal was to conduct an in-depth, qualitative examination of the students' experiences and the development of their skills over the course of this project. The following research questions were…

Comprehensive monitoring in virtual laboratory learning needs a task model. This model was design based on inquiry skills, social and scientific communication of prospective physics teachers. The development of these three skills is still a problem in recent research on virtual laboratory learning. This research was research and development (RD)…

Gender and prior knowledge may affect students' performance and motivation when simulations and games are used for learning. Accommodations should be made for students of different genders and with different levels of prior knowledge. A simulation digital game about the food chain concept geared for elementary school students was developed for…

In this study that aims to motivate struggling students and helping them to improve their learning achievement, we designed and tested an E7-based approach in a virtual laboratory environment. We rely on cognitive load theory and self-determination theory to enable our approach to meet the cognitive and noncognitive needs of struggling students.…

Teachers are eager for professional development on teaching evolution, especially if it includes direct ties to relevant curricula and detailed lesson plans. Howard Hughes Medical Institute's BioInteractive Online Professional Learning: Evolution course was developed to provide educators with free, in-depth, multimedia resources that highlight…

Understanding social interactions among students comprises a rich area of physics education research. Here we focus on the social interactions in introductory physics laboratories (labs). Most existing research in such contexts focuses on within-group social dynamics, however, we argue that interactions between different lab groups are just as…

The proliferation of remote laboratory instruction increased substantially during the recent global pandemic. Many physics departments implemented this rapid transition without the previous experience, time, and deliberation to optimize learning experiences for students. The present quasi-experimental, nonequivalent group design study examined…

In this qualitative study, the researchers explored the ways in which 21st-century skills (specifically communication and critical thinking) are enhanced by Grade 10 beginner Physical Sciences teachers while teaching Particulate Nature of Matter (PNM) through the implementation of problem-based learning (PBL). The study was conducted in one of the…

The study assessed the science teaching confidence of preservice teachers in teaching elementary science by addressing two research questions: (1) Did preservice teachers understand the science concepts well enough to be effective in teaching elementary science content? (2) Did preservice teachers have the necessary science concepts and skills to…