During the Jurassic period (201 million to 145 million years ago), termites up to 15 mm long consumed and recycled vegetation and feces. Since then, termites have evolved into some 3,000 identified species, have colonized every continent except Antarctica, and are major contributors to nutrient cycling and vertebrate food webs (Shaw 2014).…

While it is clear that the use of computer simulations has a beneficial effect on learning when compared to instruction without computer simulations, there is still room for improvement to fully realize their benefits for learning. Haptic technologies can fulfill the educational potential of computer simulations by adding the sense of touch.…

The elementary reaction sequence A ? I ? Products is the simplest mechanism for which the steady-state and quasi-equilibrium kinetic approximations can be applied. The exact integrated solutions for this chemical system allow inferring the conditions that must fulfill the rate constants for the different approximations to hold. A graphical…

The classical "brachistochrone" problem asks for the path on which a mobile point M just driven by its own gravity will travel in the shortest possible time between two given points "A" and "B." The resulting curve, the cycloid, will also be the "tautochrone" curve, i.e. the travelling time of the mobile…

We describe a simple experiment about sliding friction of an object moving with non-constant speed along an inclined plane. This experiment can be used to study the entire dynamical process of force and motion in various ways, depending on the mathematical level of the students. We discuss how video measurement and analysis, and mathematical…

In a kindergarten classroom, exclamations like "Oh no!" may be causes for concern. However, when the students in Mrs. Grabia's classroom shouted "Oh no!" and "Uh oh!" during an engineering-infused 5E lesson, it meant that a persistent little robot had pushed its way out of the fences they had created. It also meant…

Australian company Antarctica Flights runs summer sightseeing trips out of Australian capital cities to tour the Antarctic coast. The Laby Foundation of the University of Melbourne, through its "Classroom Antarctica" program, sponsored Kent Street High School science teacher, Ms Suzy Urbaniak and 18 of her students to take the trip, to…

The iPhone 6 introduced a new feature of recording video in Slo-Mo mode at 240 fps (4.17 ms interval). This great capability when integrated with video analysis freeware such as Tracker offers in-depth exploration for physical phenomena such as collisions that occur in a very short duration of time. This article discusses one such usage in…

Although the "Next Generation Science Standards" and "Common Core State Standards" do not extend to prekindergarten, early learning experiences are vital to preparing young children entering kindergarten with the background knowledge, technical vocabulary, resourcefulness, and dispositions for inquiry that are the foundations…

The evaluation of promisingness is central to knowledge building and knowledge creation but remains largely unexplored. As part of a design-based research program to support promisingness judgments, the present study implemented an intervention in a sixth grade science class, with the goal of exploring the potential of promisingness judgments to…

This study describes the impact of embedding dynamic computer visualization (DCV) in an online instrument that was designed to assess students' understanding of osmosis. The randomized posttest-only control group research was designed to compare the effect and the perceived helpfulness of the integration of DCV before and after the administration…

Students have difficulties understanding the crossing-over field concept in genetic courses because within the concept of crossing-over there are facts and problems that are difficult to solve as well as the absence of valid, practical, and effective student worksheets. So that the learning process is complete, activities and student learning…

An interactive classroom demonstration that enhances students' knowledge of steady-state and Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics is described. The instructor uses a free version of professional-quality KinTek Explorer simulation software and student input to construct dynamic versions of three static hallmark images commonly used to introduce enzyme…

The purpose of research is to examine the changes in attitudes towards astronomy following alternative astronomy education among pre-service teachers with different cognitive styles. Accordingly, it was thought to be appropriate to use pre-and post-test control group design among the experimental designs. The sample of the study included 4th year…

Seagrass ecosystems are widespread, valuable, and threatened. We have used this system as a model to teach 3rd-7th grade students about food webs, the interconnectedness of ecosystems, ecosystem services, and the effects of human activity on coastal systems. Our objective was to increase student understanding of seagrass ecosystems and other key…