Teaching blackbody radiation within the framework of astrophysics can motivate students to learn and obtain a more profound and qualitative understanding of the subject. In this paper we present a teaching module that intertwines teaching blackbody radiation via the continuous spectrum of hot objects, especially the stars. The module's approach…

Competent use of the Internet to locate information is an important skill for today's youth. Yet, many lack the knowledge and dispositions to engage in the processes necessary to effectively and efficiently find information on the Internet. As a result, various countries have incorporated references to the processes of online inquiry within their…

Although the existence of and access to clean water are essential for sustaining life on Earth, multiple studies have demonstrated students' nascent understanding of basic water principles. Students have misconceptions related to the water cycle (Ben-zvi-Assarf and Orion 2005), groundwater (Dickerson and Dawkins 2004; Covitt et al. 2009), and the…

The study aims to compare the effectiveness of Guided Inquiry Learning (GIL) and Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model. A number of prior studies have implemented the GIL model for a limited area such as science. Similar to the PBL learning design, the previous studies that highlighted the application of GIL model was commonly targeted to find out…

We examined student performance in a computer-supported learning environment after students undertook, among others, a graphing task within an inquiry context. Students were assigned in two conditions: (a) Students were given one variable, and they had to select the second one to construct their graph; (b) students were given four variables, and…

We studied the initial conceptions of 73 pre-service primary teachers regarding the concept of ecosystem and examined how their understanding evolved as a result of participation in an inquiry-based learning exercise. The inquiry process involved identifying students' initial conceptions, making them aware of these, comparison of their ideas with…

Teaching as a process of inquiry is the underpinning philosophy stated in the New Zealand Curriculum. Teachers are tasked with inquiring into the needs of their students and the efficacy of their own practice in the light of those needs. The results of ongoing inquiry inform how practice might be honed or changed. The authors consider how the…

This chapter describes how faculty from the "teach"HOUSTON program and physics department collaborated to increase the number of highly qualified physics teachers. Prior to this collaboration, the University had not produced even one physics teacher graduate in the previous decade. A physics teacher education pathway has been established…

Large numbers of U.S. students lack proficiency in science, and students from different ethnic and socioeconomic groups show disparities in science achievement.2 Science knowledge and skills are important for both academic and workplace success, and a variety of interventions have been developed to improve student science achievement.…

Background: In response to reform recommendations calling for students' engagement in scientific practices and the lack of the enactment of such practices in science classrooms, we explored the implementation of scientific practices with special emphasis on model-based inquiry in a secondary science teacher preparation program. Sample: The…

This mixed-methods study was designed to compare the learning gains of seventh-grade students (N = 417) taught a 4-week conceptual change unit on density using either a student-centered, guided inquiry-based approach or a more direct, teacher-centered instructional strategy. Application of a multilevel model to data obtained from the…

Background/Context: Continuous improvement methods are becoming increasingly popular in education. Existing research has emphasized the technical aspects of improvement practice and has rarely focused on important social phenomena that underlie improvement work, such as the mindsets and identities of successful practitioners. To address this gap,…

This paper reports on an intervention as part of which direction fields were introduced to students learning ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The intervention was designed and implemented to address issues with students' conceptions of the solutions of ODEs. These were identified by a diagnostic survey and through a review of the…

In the context of the current teacher education program in Thailand, Technology Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework is formally recognized as essential qualities of knowledge for a highly qualified preservice teacher in today's education. TPACK has been attracted to educational researchers for preparing preservice science teachers…

The development of good learning resources on inquiry learning model with science literacy as a strategy to facilitate active learning has become a trend in education. Critical thinking ability is needed as a strategy to build students competencies in problem solving and discovery as required in science learning. This study aims to develop a set…