The aim of this longitudinal research is to examine the development process of scientific and consistent knowledge structures of first, second, and third-grade students in middle school within the concepts of melting and dissolution according to conceptual change theories at the end of the education and training processes carried out in…

Engineering design is being increasingly included in elementary education, typically to provide students with opportunities to apply science and mathematics concepts while developing their engineering practices. An important question is how to prepare teachers who can help students develop more informed engineering practices during classroom…

Statistical mechanics has received limited attention in physics education research and remains a relatively underrepresented topic even in research on upper-division physics courses. The purpose of this study was to explore potential challenges that physics students encounter when they solve statistical mechanics problems in groups. Adopting a…

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) offers significant transformative potential for science education by supporting learning experiences that deeply engage students and improve their understanding of scientific concepts. Despite considerable interest, research on the use of IVR in science education is still in its formative stage. Currently, there is…

Critical thinking is essential in academia and the workforce. Although writing can be used as a pedagogical tool for fostering deeper subject matter understanding, increased retention, and critical thinking, relatively few science courses are writing based. This writing-based introductory science course provided an opportunity for students to…

The purpose of this study is to develop a lesson plan that will facilitate the instruction of socioscientific issues and the acquisition of twenty-first century skills. To this end, a lesson plan comprising four hours of instruction was devised and presented in comprehensive detail. Three distinct activities were devised and executed as part of…

Understanding negative numbers can be challenging for many students, as these concepts may seem less tangible than counting objects, which are commonly represented by positive numbers. In addition, the multiplication of two negative numbers resulting in a positive might appear inconsistent and puzzling to young learners who are used to seeing the…

Productive struggle is a process in which students expend effort to grapple with perplexing problems and make sense of something that is not immediately apparent and beyond their current level of understanding and capacity. The experience encourages students to reflect on and restructure their existing knowledge toward a new understanding of…

Incorporating an evidence-based approach in STEM education using data collection and analysis strategies when learning about science concepts enhances primary students' discipline knowledge and cognitive development. This paper reports on learning activities that use the nature of viscosity and the power of informal statistical inference to build…

Understanding ecological concepts is crucial in tackling environmental issues like climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction. These concepts also serve as a teaching framework, encouraging learners to effect positive change. This research was conducted with grade 9 learners from three schools in Bloemfontein, South Africa, randomly…

Although there has been extensive research on students' understanding of the particulate nature of matter (PNM), there is still a lack of research on contexts that can be used to teach this challenging topic. In a previous design-based research study, the authors developed a teaching-learning sequence (TLS) on the PNM in the context of crystal…

We applied a balance theory of wisdom to thinking in the domain of science. In two studies, we administered maximum-performance scales measuring Scientific Wisdom, Scientific Reasoning, Scientific Creativity, and fluid and crystallized intelligence, and a typical-performance scale of self-assessed wisdom. Our Scientific Wisdom scale, along with…

From a social constructivist perspective, learning happens by way of engagement with other people and with objects in the environment, often through a process of play and exploration. The notion of tinkering illustrates this mode of creative play, which is relevant not only to youth learning but also to educators' professional learning. In this…

This study applies an adapted Tripartite Integration Model of Social Influences (TIMSI) framework to investigate the socialization experiences of undergraduate students participating in the STEM Scholars Program (SSP), with a particular focus on the relationship between first-generation status and STEM socialization. A sample of N = 193 students…

The greenhouse effect is a complex scientific phenomenon that plays a crucial role in understanding climate change. Grasping students' understanding of this phenomenon on the content-specific level but also how students' conceptions are organized is vital for effective climate change education. This study addresses both levels and delves into the…