A large scale survey reveals that the performance of the Indian preuniversity students in internationally standardized physics tests is intermediate to the American and the Chinese but reveals a disturbing bimodality. Scientific reasoning skills, however, are similar to both. The bimodality in physics tests corresponds to two different educational…

This study investigates students' conceptions of the carbon cycle with regard to the components they believe to be relevant to the carbon cycle, how they interrelate these components, the ways in which they trace carbon atoms, and the different levels of biological organisation they consider when doing so. A total of 142 students aged 13-16 years…

Many students consume energy drinks without knowing or thinking about the adverse side effects. The purpose of this article is to share student procedures and results after testing the effects of a popular energy drink, Red Bull, on Dugesia Dorotocephala planarians (flatworms). Planarians are animals with neurotransmitters systems that are similar…

Nebraska is committed to pursuing a new vision for science education based on "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" (NRC, 2012), that advocates for rigorous, high-quality science education for all students. Following an ambitious four year timeline, Nebraska is working to develop new assessments aligned to and designed for these…

The purpose of this study was to investigate how school districts dealt with the challenges of implementing new science learning standards in their middle schools. Six Long Island school districts of varying size and levels of need, with different curricula models, and distinct building grade-level configurations were purposefully selected as case…

The implementation of innovative learning and lesson study (LS) are potential to improve student thinking skills and activeness differently and mostly implemented separately. This study aimed to explore and compare the student critical and creative thinking skills as well as student activeness in the inquiry and cooperative models combined with…

Secondary schools in Maine and New Hampshire have been involved in a citizen science program called "All About Arsenic" aimed at addressing arsenic contamination of well water, one of the most pressing public health issues in both states. Nearly half of the population of Maine and New Hampshire derive their drinking water from private…

Due to the conditions imposed worldwide by the pandemic, students' access to school laboratories is limited, if not impossible. To provide students with raw experimental data to assess, analyse and reason out, we have filmed experiments that can be used in a flipped classroom. This paper presents an experiment which makes use of an array of six…

This paper explores students' ability to analyse and interpret empirical data as inadequate data analysis skills and understandings may contribute to the renowned disappointing outcomes of practical work in secondary school physics. Selected competences, derived from a collection of leading curricula, are explored through interviews and practical…

This research aimed to design an instructional module to teach light diffraction by a grating to secondary students applying a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-integrated approach. Based on this approach, instructional management integrated the disciplines of physics and mathematics with engineering design process…

This paper explored the teaching experiences of physics teachers in integrating computer simulations in their pedagogy to promote a constructivist learning environment. Its objectives are to determine how physics teachers describe computer simulations based on how they are used, how these are embedded in the teaching-learning process, their impact…

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of urban secondary math and science teachers, administrators, and district personnel regarding the factors that influence secondary math and science teachers with more than five years of teaching experience to remain in urban Title I districts. The participants were interviewed to gain their…

Reform in science education has led to the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) by 20 states, the District of Columbia, and an additional 24 states have based their science standards on the framework that inspired NGSS. A specific component of NGSS, the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), are critical to prepare students…

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Curriculum Development: Theory into Design.] We discuss the theoretical underpinnings that informed the considerations and decisions that shaped the design of a curriculum unit entitled "Electromagnetic radiation--principles, applications, and decisions". This unit is part (45 h) of the…

Recent reforms have introduced integrated science, technology, engineering, and math education (STEM) that has highlighted an interdisciplinary approach to train students as better problem solvers. In addition to STEM disciplines, art, language, and other disciplines integration are also stressed (STEM+). In this paper, a STEM+ (STEM + art +…