We describe a structured inquiry laboratory exercise that examines transcriptional regulation of the "NOS2" gene under conditions that simulate the inflammatory response in macrophages. Using quantitative PCR and the comparative C[subscript T] method, students are able determine whether transcriptional activation of "NOS2"…

When the sun rose over America on July 4, 2012, the world of science had radically changed. The Higgs boson had been discovered. Mind you, the press releases were more cautious than that, with "a new particle consistent with being the Higgs boson" being the carefully constructed phrase of the day. But, make no mistake, champagne corks…

Research shows that when evaluating competing explanations people usually discount an explanation in favor of an alternative explanation and, at the same time, prefer the explanation that is provided before an alternative explanation. In this article, we examine how inconsistencies in one but not the other explanation influence the evaluation and…

This article examines science teaching and learning by drawing on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of learning and development as well as a social semiotic perspective. The latter perspective includes in semiosis the science equipment, science phenomena, teacher and student actions, talk and writing that are involved in science teaching and…

How can we begin to imagine a post-modern rendering of science education when the disciples of science continue to cling so firmly to a creation myth in which Science, like Botticelli's Venus stepping forth from a clam shell, breaks away from the pre-modern metaphysical commitments of religion, magic and the superstition in a singular event called…

Guided by the Boundary Activity based Learning (BABL) principle, mobile technology-supported inquiry learning activities were implemented in a primary four science class in Hong Kong. An exploratory study was conducted to examine the effects of the BABL guided inquiry activities on students' learning performance and to explore how the key element,…

Technology-enhanced learning has attracted increasing attention of educational community focused on improvement of traditional classroom learning. Augmented immersive reality (AIR) technologies enhance users' perception of reality by augmenting it with computer-generated components such as audio, video, 2/3-D graphics, GPS data, etc. The AIR…

This article draws from an exploratory study of science teachers' experiences when utilising learners' home languages in teaching grade 9 learners in three South African high schools. This research investigated teacher use of learners' home languages in science instruction, with a particular focus on the affordances and challenges of using…

This research aims at comparing the changes in factual, conceptual, and procedural knowledge of heat transfer in learning science using YouTube videos accompanied by discovery learning among fifth graders. A pre-and post-test experimental design was conducted by two different groups. One of the groups was randomly assigned to conduct discovery…

In an effort to improve student conceptual understanding and help students better connect pre-existing knowledge to new ideas, a concept map assignment was implemented in a first-year college level general chemistry course. This implementation included a quasi-experiment that was carried out in discussion group recitation sections within a…

Comprehensive understanding of complex biological systems necessitates the use of computational models because they facilitate visualisation and interrogation of system dynamics and data-driven analysis. Computational model-based (CMB) activities have demonstrated effectiveness in improving students' understanding and their ability to use and…

If an organic chemistry student explains that she represents a mechanistic step because ''it's a productive part of the mechanism,'' what meaning could the professor teaching the class attribute to this statement, what is actually communicated, and what does it mean for the student? The professor might think that the explanation is based on…

In this article, a low-cost, simple, and rapid fabrication of paper-based analytical devices (PADs) using a wax screen-printing method is reported here. The acid-base reaction is implemented in the simple PADs to demonstrate to students the chemistry concept of a limiting reagent. When a fixed concentration of base reacts with a gradually…

In many situations, the change in the conceptual understanding of students is measured using a single question. This is, for instance, the case in peer instruction where students answer twice to the same questions, before and after the discussion phase. Using item response theory and assuming that students proficiencies are normally distributed,…

Washback has been defined as an effect of assessment on teaching and learning which may be negative or positive. This study investigated the washback effect of multiple choice question (MCQ) format of assessment on learning of concepts in physical sciences (chemistry) as compared to constructed response tests (CRTs). This study collected…