Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) and inquiry-based curricula both expose students to the scientific process. CUREs additionally engage students in novel and scientifically relevant research, with the intention of providing an "authentic" research experience. However, we have little understanding of which course…

In this qualitative study, we interviewed 20 environmental educators from six countries about their perceptions of gender in their work with children in nature. While many agreed that the physical environment seemed to bring fewer gendered cues to learning and allowed for more independent exploration, their responses also reflected limited…

The current study examined the impact of experiencing either a guided play or direct instruction learning environment on causal learning, curiosity, and divergent thinking. Forty-three children (age 4- to 6-years) participated in an online experiment in which they completed a causal learning task in either guided play or direct instruction…

Mastery of core chemistry content is a degree requirement for several STEM majors. Gatekeeper courses, like general and physical chemistry, have a history of weeding out struggling students, and often underrepresented groups underperform. While gatekeeper courses ensure students are prepared for STEM degrees, it is essential they do not create…

That wonder is educationally important will strike many people as obvious. And in a way it is obvious, because being capable of experiencing wonder implies an openness to (novel) experience and seems naturally allied to intrinsic educational motivation, an eagerness to inquire, a desire to understand, and also to a willingness to suspend judgement…

The purpose of this article is to discuss the use of explicit instruction in the curriculum area of science where non-explicit approaches (e.g., discovery learning) are often used. While there has been a relative paucity of research on explicit instruction in science classrooms, we argue that explicit instruction, particularly when it is embedded…

This article presents a research project on the development of critical thinking of 6th graders in Caras-Severin county using an educational program based on learning by discovery and problematisation. The first stage of the research consisting in diagnosing the of critical thinking level of development of 5th graders in Caras-Severin county using…

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop a theory that explains the process of self-authorship development of college students in China. Little research exists that explicitly explores the integrated development of college students in China and influences on that development from the educational environment. Despite the extensive…

The Children's Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf (CCCBSD) follows a theme-based learning model, providing a quarterly theme around which teachers base cross-curricular instruction. The themes are intentionally broad to encourage teachers to create instructional units that integrate academic and functional learning in response to…

Drawing on a relational ontology and scholarship of new literacies, we investigate the materiality and performativity of children's augmented storying in nature. Our study is situated in a Finnish primary school in which a novel, augmented reality application (MyAR Julle) was utilized as a digital storytelling tool for children (n = 62, aged 7-9),…

The Periodic Table of Elements is a valuable resource for chemists and all kinds of STEM professionals. However, it can be initially overwhelming and intimidating to some students. This hands-on lesson introduces abstract concepts in the periodic table through a tangible experience with simple toys and household objects. Students collaborate and…

Developing science process skills in novice learners is not an easy task for teachers although these skills are essentially needed to solve problems and make decisions in real-life situation. This research is pre-test post-test control group design. Pre-test and post-test were administered to the students in the beginning and the end of the…

Interaction between teachers and students carries immense significance inside classrooms as it contributes to students' learning. The present study aims to explore perceived teaching style (autonomous-supportive and/or controlling) and its correlation with students' engagement, curiosity and exploration in cross-sectional sample of school and…

The 5E instructional model is known for increasing student engagement and participation in the learning process. While viewing the video recorded lessons of middle school mathematics teachers, the researchers noticed teachers had a difficult time implementing the 5E model with fidelity. This case study explored the extent to which mathematics…

Mitchell (2008) asks faculty to adopt "a 'critical' approach to community service learning" (p. 50), one that focuses on social change, redistribution of power, and the development of authentic relationships. However, the path of transformation from "traditional" to "critical" service-learning practices remains…