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In higher education, academic success and failure can be affected by students' affective states, such as their attitudes towards courses and learning. Many studies highlight the role of attitudes in the educational process resulting in a high demand for attitude assessments to plan comprehensive instructional strategies. The present study assessed and compared attitudes towards science in higher education. A total of 296 Indonesian undergraduate students from science teacher training and engineering majors participated in this study by completing the online Attitudes Towards Science Questionnaire (ATSQ). The validation analysis with confirmatory factor analysis and the Rasch model was performed to measure the instrument's properties resulting in a good fit model for the questionnaire's theoretical construct with acceptable individual fit items. Comparing the attitudes of science teacher candidates and engineering students, no significant differences were found in attitude towards science. Both groups revealed moderate attitudes, with higher responses to the science value variable, followed by enjoyment and confidence, anxiety and difficulty, and participation in science learning and activities. However, there were differences in the pattern of correlations between the variables, especially for anxiety and difficulty. The ATSQ has good psychometric properties and therefore can be used in research to assess attitudes towards science. It can stimulate further research in different contexts to confirm empirical evidence and promote attitude development in higher education.

This research focuses on "BioScientist," a digital game-based, inquiry-based learning program embedded in the biology curriculum that develops inquiry skills in 8th-grade students. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate a combination of elements of digital game-based learning (DGBL) with inquiry-based learning (IBL) through "BioScientist" and to report on its implementation. We examined whether inquiry skills and biology learning motivation change due to "BioScientist." A total of 257 eighth graders participated in the research (N[subscript exp.] = 132, N[subscript control] = 125). Students in the experimental group used "BioScientist" at home and in the classroom. The teachers in the control group did not change their teaching practices. Students' inquiry skills were measured using the Inquiry Skills Test, and their biology learning motivation was measured using the Biology Motivation Questionnaire II. The experimental group and teachers were asked to evaluate "BioScientist." The results indicated "BioScientist" digital game is suitable for developing inquiry skills, with the effect size being close to medium (Cohen's d = 0.46). However, biology learning motivation was not developed. Student feedback on the "BioScientist" game and its use for learning is favourable. Based on the teachers' responses, "BioScientist" can be used well in teaching biology. This research provides evidence that combining elements of digital game-based and inquiry-based learning is effective in developing inquiry skills. The game can be effectively integrated into the teaching practice, in line with the content of the biology curriculum. [Correct pagination for this article is 462-478, not 1-17.]

Nowadays, the assessment of student performance has become increasingly technology-based, a trend that can also be observed in the evaluation of scientific reasoning, with more and more of the formerly paper-based assessment tools moving into the digital space. The study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the paper-based and computer-based forms of the Science-K Inventory, which assesses children's scientific reasoning in three aspects: experimentation, data interpretation, and understanding of the nature of science. The pilot study involved 84 fourth-grade Hungarian students, with 39 students taking the paper-based test and 45 students taking the computer-based test. Rasch measurements and reliability tests have indicated that both the paper-based and computer-based test versions are equally valid for assessing the scientific reasoning skills of fourth graders. Students achieved high test scores in both mediums, and there were no significant differences between boys' and girls' scientific reasoning in either test type. The novelty of this research was that the Science-K Inventory had not yet been tested in a computer-based format. The results demonstrate that the Science-K Inventory can be effectively utilized in digital testing to provide teachers with rapid and valuable information for fostering the development of their students' scientific reasoning.