In this article, I showcase an informational text reading comprehension unit that centers on text features commonly found in science textbooks. I taught this unit to a sixth-grade class and highlighted the work samples of three focal students here. The overarching question that guided this work was as follows: How can I focus my instruction on…

Activities that engage high school students in visualizing chemical phenomena can help them develop representational competence to think about and communicate their understanding of these phenomena. This paper presents a collaborative learning activity that can engage precollege students in designing a poster that describes four different types of…

Understanding ongoing chemical processes in the laboratory requires constant shifting between different representational levels--the macroscopic, submicroscopic, and symbolic levels--and analysis of the various mechanistic features of each of these levels. Thus, the ability to explain observations of chemical phenomena with regard to their…

Game-based learning environments are designed to provide effective and engaging learning experiences for students. Predictive student models use trace data extracted from students' in-game learning behaviors to unobtrusively generate early assessments of student knowledge and skills, equipping game-based learning environments with the capacity to…

Assessing students' participation in science practices presents several challenges, especially when aiming to differentiate meaningful (vs. rote) forms of participation. In this study, we sought to use machine learning (ML) for a novel purpose in science assessment: developing a construct map for students' "consideration of generality,"…

Learning to create, use, and evaluate models is a central element of becoming a scientist. In physics, we often begin an analysis of a complicated system with highly simplified or toy models. In introductory physics classes, we tend to use them without comment or motivation. Some students infer that physics is irrelevant to their understanding of…

In this study, it is aimed to calibrate an LDR-Lux meter with a calibration setup which includes a light bulb whose brightness can be changed by using a dimmer circuit, a data acquisition card, a smartphone and a lux meter application. In order to make the measurements more accurate and to prevent errors in the measurements, a smartphone and a…

We developed new teaching materials, electrical resistors and capacitors, using carbon nanotube (CNT) paper and carbon fibre (CF) paper to foster students' creative thinking, thereby deepening and extending learning. Using a CNT-paper electrical resistor, it is possible to elucidate the dependence of the resistance value on the length and width.…

Peer learning programs have been developed to support many introductory science courses by providing additional instruction and engagement. These programs are beneficial to both learners and instructors, providing content learning and confidence and attitudinal gains. There is evidence that the benefits of peer learning are higher when students…

In science learning, the experiment is an essential activity to facilitate students to discover and develop knowledge as well as to enhance scientific process skills and self-confidence. This study aims to create a simple experimental apparatus related to the principle of fluid continuity that can be made and conducted by the teacher and student…

The importance of using dialogue as a pedagogical tool to enhance student learning in science has been widely recognised in research literature. Effective classroom dialogue is dependent upon teaching which successfully engages students in critical thinking and deep learning, requiring many teachers to think and work differently in science…

On 12 Mar. 2020 Dickinson State University moved all classes to distance delivery (DD) in response to COVID-19. Faculty had only a brief opportunity to plan, as the turn-around to DD was very rapid. Meaningful laboratory exercises were needed for SOIL 210--Introduction to Soil Science. The senior author learned about the Science of Agriculture…

This study investigated the introduction of the second law of thermodynamics using the Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) (semantic waves) among first year chemistry students. The aim of the study was to investigate the extent LTC (semantic waves) reduce the entropy concept's complexity and abstractness when introducing the second law of…

Technology-enhanced collaborative inquiry learning has gained a firm position in curricula across disciplines and educational settings and has become particularly pervasive in science classrooms. However, understanding of the teacher's role in this context is limited. This study addresses the real-time shifts in focus and distribution of teachers'…

Most of the research on student understanding of evolution by natural selection has focused on undergraduate biology courses for science majors. However, the majority of undergraduates in the United States will not enroll in a biology course for majors. In this study, we identify the extent of natural selection understanding that students acquire…