Biochemistry and molecular biology students are asked to understand and analyze the structures of small molecules and complex three-dimensional (3D) macromolecules. However, most tools to help students learn molecular visualization skills are limited to two-dimensional (2D) images on screens and in textbooks. The virtual reality (VR) App Nanome,…

Climate change education is a key concept in pre-collegiate curricula across the world. However, teachers experience barriers to effectively teaching about climate change. One avenue for addressing some of the barriers is through scientist-teacher partnerships where a scientist offers real-world examples of how climate change is studied. This…

The competence-based approach has raised important questions in education regarding the content of learning, the way teachers teach and students learn, and the assessment of learning. General education in Latvia has been reformed, and the content of competence-based education was introduced in 2023. In STEM curricula, the content is developed in…

This autoethnographic study is part of a funded project involving a school science teacher and university science education researchers. In this project, we incorporated nature of science (NOS) into the fifth-grade curriculum and implemented it for a semester at a public school in Turkey. We adopted Reconceptualized Family Resemblance Approach to…

This study compares direct instruction to two constructivist approaches, namely experimentation and problem-based learning, in fifth-grade science learning in Hong Kong. Constructivist instructional approaches, contrary to direct instruction, stress on students' active role in constructing knowledge in learning. Experimentation and problem-based…

Challenge: As biomedical engineers revolutionize medicine, biomedical engineering programs must adapt to the diverse learning styles of the current student population. Students are learning in new ways and instructional strategies need to be adopted. Novel Initiative: Understanding generational attributes is crucial for developing effective…

In the educational context, the transmission of scientific evidence to the classroom is essential to improve the quality of education and to develop effective research-based practices. However, in the interplay between teachers, researchers, political and educational institutions, there are a number of barriers that hinder this transmission.…

We investigated the intersectional relationships between racism, sexism, and classism in inequities in student conceptual knowledge in introductory biology courses using a quantitative critical framework. Using Bayesian hierarchical linear models, we examined students' conceptual knowledge as measured by the Introductory Molecular and Cell Biology…

High school biology students are provided few classroom opportunities to learn natural history or to see themselves as scientists. This poses a risk to their gaining the basic knowledge needed to play a positive role in the biodiversity crisis. However, science-as-practice in the classroom introduces the opportunity to equip students with…

Anatomy and physiology courses are foundational in nursing education but are often perceived as challenging due to heavy content load. Innovative teaching methods, including social media platforms like Instagram Reels, may enhance student engagement and learning. In this quasi-experimental pre-post-test design with a control group, we examined the…

While recent research has examined students' and teachers' understanding of models and modeling, few studies have focused on how teacher educators can support preservice elementary science teachers in envisioning enriched learning processes and outcomes for their students while engaging in modeling practices. Informed by reflective practices…

This case study details the development, production, and performance of the theatrical play 'Gaia-Pachamama: An Environmentalist Parable', created during the first semester of 2022 as part of an integrated undergraduate and graduate course. The play was presented in the context of an outreach project, engaging professors and students of various…

Background/purpose: The current trend of training Chemistry teachers focuses on innovating pedagogical methods and developing students' holistic competencies, particularly their chemistry experimentation competencies (CEC). The CDIO (Conceive - Design - Implement - Operate) framework effectively combines theoretical knowledge with practice and…

Digital game-based learning is a student-centered learning environment that influences learning success and learning motivation. Whereas, a poorly designed instructional game will impair learning. Through extensive knowledge construction and high engagement, collaborative concept mapping strategies have the potential to address above problems.…

Metacognition, or the monitoring of one's own learning, is an underutilized tool in STEM education. Previous research suggests instructional strategies that attempt to improve student metacognitive skills could increase student resilience and retention in STEM classes. This pilot initiative aimed to improve student metacognitive skills and…