Incorporating scientific fundamentals via engineering through a design-based methodology has proven to be highly effective for STEM education. Engineering design can be instantiated for learning as they involve mental and physical stimulation and develop practical skills especially in solving problems. Lego bricks, as a set of toys based on design…

This paper takes a multimodal approach to analysing embodied interaction and discourses of scientific investigation using an interactive tangible tabletop. It argues that embodied forms of interaction are central to science inquiry. More specifically, the paper examines the role of hand actions in the development of descriptions and explanations…

Preservice teachers articulate the need for more teaching experiences for developing their practices, however, extending beyond existing school arrangements may present difficulties. Thus, it is important to understand preservice teachers' development of pedagogical knowledge practices when in the university setting. This mixed-method study…

Much has been written about developing outdoor classrooms or how to generate effective and integrated learning using the outdoors. However, with the release of the "Next Generation Science Standards," teachers need to consider how they are going to design their science curriculum to include opportunities for students to learn about core…

An integrated approach to assessment afforded pre-service teachers the opportunity to learn about a local sustainability issue through three learning areas: science and technology, the arts and studies of society and environment (SOSE). Three sustainability issues chosen by the pre-service teachers are presented in this paper highlighting the…

The current study examines if the occurrence of dynamic variables namely, authentic questions, uptake, high-level evaluation and student questions in primary science classrooms vary by teachers' instructional beliefs. Twelve 4th grade teachers from two different schools volunteered to participate in the study. Data was collected through…

Lisa Nyberg believes the education of science core ideas and practices must begin as soon as possible with children. She imagines never teaching letters, words, sentences, or reading skills to young children, and then handing a book to a fifth grader who is expected to read, understand, and perform immediately. With the current language arts and…

The science curriculum to age 16 should be judged on how well it meets the needs of students who progress to A-level science courses and those (a larger number) who do not. To address the diversity of students' interests and aspirations, we need a clear view of the purposes of science education rooted in a view of the purposes of education itself.…

This article presents a systematic review of research on the achievement outcomes of all types of approaches to teaching science in elementary schools. Study inclusion criteria included use of randomized or matched control groups, a study duration of at least 4 weeks, and use of achievement measures independent of the experimental treatment. A…

The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of project-based learning on students' academic achievement, attitude, and retention of knowledge in relation to the subject of "Electricity in Our Lives" in a fourth-grade science course. The study was conducted in a quasi-experimental design as a "pre-test, post-test with…

This article describes a series of inquiry-based lessons that provide English language learners (ELLs) with opportunities to experience science and engineering practices with conceptual understanding as well as to develop their language proficiency in elementary classrooms. The four-lesson sequence models how various types of instructional…

The benefits of effective parental involvement in education have been well documented and can be far reaching. When educators make an effort to involve families, parental involvement can be even more meaningful. Homework is a commonly practiced and accepted connection between school and home and affords parents many opportunities to interact with…

This research investigates the professional life histories of upper elementary science teachers who were identified as effective both within the classroom and in the outdoor learning environment (OLE). The narratives of five teachers collected through semi-structured and open-ended interviews provided the data for the study. Professional life…

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the roles that perceived teacher affective support (PTAS), perceived teacher mastery goal orientation (PTMGO), academic emotions, self-efficacy and behavioural engagement play on students' science achievement in elementary school science classrooms. The potential relations of different levels of…

There are many transition points in the school life of a child, but the move from primary to secondary school is a particularly significant one. How can both the social and academic threads remain intact? In this article, Kristen Mould discusses the main issues relating to transition from primary to secondary science. She cites the primary factors…