Many classroom units and lessons are now organized around engaging students in developing claims and evidence. An aspect of teachers' work that is understudied is how teachers manage the complexity inherent in navigating between claims and empirical data. In other words, what do teachers do when students do not see what they are "supposed…

This paper discusses R.S. Peters' notion of "cognitive perspective," which, through careful reading, can be interpreted as a wider perspective resulting from an awareness of the relationships of one's knowledge and understanding to one's own life. This interpretation makes cognitive perspective a holistic notion akin to that of…

The United States is one of only three countries in the world that remain uncommitted to the metric system. Perhaps to policymakers the decision to hang on to miles, pounds, and gallons is one of tradition. However, as a physics teacher I have seen firsthand how growing up with U.S. Customary Units (commonly called by the pseudonym "British…

This study investigated the understanding of science process skills (SPS) of 329 science teachers from 52 primary schools selected by random sampling. The understanding of SPS was measured in terms of conceptual and operational aspects of SPS using an instrument called the "Science Process Skills Questionnaire" (SPSQ) with a Cronbach's…

There have been increasing concerns about the significant decline in teenagers' intentions to pursue STEM subjects or careers. This study examined how students' perceptions of parental expectations, STEM cultural capital, mathematics/science self-efficacy, gender, and parents' jobs were associated with STEM career aspirations and tested whether…

This study explored the effect of conventional laboratory practical manuals on pre-service teachers' integrated science process skills (ISPS). A validated multiple-choice questionnaire with the ISPS components was used to collect data. No significant difference between pre-service subject-specific teachers' (biology, physics and chemistry) ISPS…

In this article, Robin James describes the Sand Yacht Challenge. The race took place on sand between small, wind-powered land yachts made by groups of children from four local schools. The project provided a term of collaborative opportunities at the designing and testing stage, followed by a competition when the students raced them. It was…

Giftedness in science today is largely measured by various kinds of standardized tests--IQ tests, SATs, ACTs, GREs, and so forth. For example, many STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) gifted programs rely at least in part on IQ tests or the SAT for identifying students as gifted. It might be useful to supplement such standard measures…

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the use of ePortfolio as context for discussion and reflection in improving students' scientific explanation after laboratory activities. Method: This action research study aimed to solve the limitation of the undergraduate laboratory course in fundamental biology course by using available free source of…

The case for socio-scientific inquiry-based learning (SSIBL) based on the EU PARRISE project in schools is presented through three pillars -- citizenship education, socio-scientific issues and inquiry-based science education (IBSE) -- within the overarching context of the EU Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) initiative. Integrating these…

Despite the widespread availability and frequency of use of technological tools in the classrooms, there is little empirical research on examining the teaching practices and how teachers use technology to support scientific inquiry. This multi-case study examined the teaching practices of two science teachers and how they used the technology to…

Laboratory courses have been the focus of much research and debate in the field of chemistry. One goal for the laboratory that is consistently cited by faculty is student learning of hands-on skills. Despite this, hands-on skills are rarely assessed in practice because to do so is resource intensive. Digital badges allow each individual student to…

Recent research in collaborative learning has indicated that peer assessment has a positive influence on students' learning performance and learning process. This study investigates how the different subgroups of two roles (assessors and assessees) in peer assessment contribute to students' perceptions of science learning in mobile…

This article describes a new competence-oriented teaching rationale for a science course, developed in Germany through close cooperation between teachers and researchers, that seeks to improve scientific literacy at upper-level secondary school (ages 15-17). Its aim is to help students become independent and competent experimenters by combining…

The study aimed to determine the effects of students teams achievement divisions (STAD) and reading-writing-application (RWA) methods on teacher candidates' academic achievements, laboratory attitudes, cooperative work, laboratory safety and scientific process skills in science teaching laboratory practice-I courses. In the research, a…