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Science identity, encompassing perceptions of competence, interest, and recognition in science, alongside learning self-efficacy reflecting confidence to master science skills, are key drivers of outcomes. However, developmental patterns likely vary across contexts. Participants were 512 Chinese students spanning grades 1-3 who completed the Science Identity Scale and Science Learning Self-Efficacy Scale, with physics, chemistry, and biology achievement scores gathered. A Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model assessed relationships. Results substantiated psychometrics for motivational measures. The model indirectly predicting achievement via first-order discipline-specific paths explained more variance than direct second-order effects. Effects significantly varied across groups stratified by grade and region. Interest and conceptual knowledge drove physics and chemistry success, while higher-order skills enhanced biology achievement overall. However, relationships differed within subgroups, suggesting personalized motivational support needs--self-belief/competence foundations for struggling learners, conceptual development for those with high prior achievement, and intrinsic enrichment for disinterested students. Results detail complex motivational profiles underlying science achievement requiring tailored identity safety and self-efficacy scaffolding alongside conceptual and skill-building for excellence across scientific disciplines. Motivational support systems may spur more equitable and optimal science outcomes among diverse adolescent learners.

Research evidence indicated that a specific type of augmented reality-assisted (AR-assisted) science learning design or support might not suit or be effective for all students because students' cognitive load might differ according to their experiences and individual characteristics. Thus, this study aimed to identify undergraduate students' profiles of cognitive load in AR-assisted science learning and to examine the role of their distinct profiles in self-efficacy together with associated behavior patterns in science learning. After ensuring the validity and reliability of each measure, a latent profile analysis confirmed that 365 Chinese undergraduates carried diverse dimensions of cognitive load simultaneously. The latent profile analysis findings revealed four fundamental profiles: Low Engagement, Immersive, Dabbling, and Organized, characterized as carrying various respective cognitive loads. The multivariate analysis of variance findings revealed different levels of the six AR science learning self-efficacy dimensions across profiles. Low Engagement students displayed the lowest self-efficacy among all dimensions. Organized students recorded better conceptual understanding and higher-order cognitive skills than Dabbling ones. Students with the Immersive profile had the highest science learning self-efficacy. The lag sequential analysis results showed significant differences in behavior patterns among profiles. Among them, profiles with social interaction, test, and reviewing feedback behavior had a significantly higher score for self-efficacy than those patterns mainly based on test learning and resource visits. This finding provides a unified consideration of students' diverse profiles and can inform interventions for effective design of AR-assisted science learning to match appropriate strategies to facilitate the science learning effect.

IntroductionThis study investigates the relationship between science learning self-efficacy and science identity, examining how gender and science success moderate this relationship.MethodsUsing a quantitative approach with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, data from high school students in Moscow, Almetyevsk, Khabarovsk cities from Russia were analyzed.ResultsThe research highlights the significant positive impact of integrative science competence, practical science application, and science communication efficacy on science identity. Interestingly, gender did not significantly influence the efficacy-identity relationship, suggesting its minimal role in this context. Conversely, science success, particularly in conjunction with science communication efficacy, played a notable role, indicating a complex interplay that could affect students’ science identity.DiscussionThese findings emphasize the need for educational strategies that bolster students’ self-efficacy in science, catering to the development of a strong science identity. Future research should explore the nuanced effects of success and communication efficacy on science identity, aiming to inform interventions that support diverse and equitable participation in science education and careers.

The aim of this study was investigated the relationship between preservice science teachers' 21st century learner and teacher skills and their science learning self-efficacy beliefs. The research method used was the correlational research method, one of the quantitative research methods. The sample of the study was consisting of 318 preservice science teachers studying in the third and fourth grades of the science education department of the education faculties at three public universities. Data collection tools of this study were the 21st Century Learner Skills Scale, the 21st Century Teacher Skills Scale and the Science Learning Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed by structural equation modeling (SEM). In the results obtained from the SEM1, SEM2 and SEM3, a correlation was determined between the preservice science teachers' 21st century teacher skills, 21st century learner skills and science learning self-efficacy beliefs. In addition, the preservice science teachers' science learning self-efficacy beliefs positively correlated with their 21st century learner skills and negatively correlated with their 21st century teacher skills while their 21st century learner skills positively correlated with their 21st century learner skills. The preservice science teachers' 21st century skills and science learning self-efficacy beliefs was found to be predicting each other. Studies to identify the relationship between different dimensions of science education and 21st century skills should be performed to contribute to the relevant literature.

This research explored the interrelationship among Taiwanese high school students' conceptions of learning science (COLS), self-regulated learning science (SRLS), and science learning self-efficacy (SLSE). A total of 309 students participated in the study, and the self-report survey data were collected to measure these three constructs. Four COLS factors ("Testing," "Calculating and practicing," "Application," and "Understanding and seeing in a new way"), two SRLS dimensions ("Preparatory SRLS" [task definition, goal setting, planning] and "Enactment SRLS" [controlling, monitoring, reflecting]), and two SLSE factors ("Conceptual understanding" and "Higher-order cognitive skills"), which adhere to the cognitive learning dimensions, were included for analysis. The results revealed a direct relationship between Testing and SLSE without going through any of the SRLS constructs. However, no direct relationship was built among other COLS components and the two SLSE dimensions. There are direct relationships among "Calculating and practicing," "Application," and the two SRLS constructs, but "Understanding and seeing in a new way" solely links to "Enactment SRLS" and not to "Preparatory SRLS." In the end, the two SRLS constructs are directly associated with the students' SLSE dimensions. These results have the important implication that learners' COLS have a significant impact on their SRL engagement, which eventually leads to their beliefs about their cognitive abilities in learning the abstract concepts and critical thinking tasks in science.

The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between academic hardiness in science, conceptions of learning science, and science learning self-efficacy among Malaysian middle school students. The respondents were 320 eighth-grade students from two selected Malaysian middle schools. Three questionnaires were used for this survey: Academic Hardiness in Science (AHS) regarding "commitment," Conceptions of Learning Science (COLS), including "memorizing," "calculating and practicing," and "understanding and seeing in a new way," and Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE), consisting of "cognition," "practical work," "everyday application," and "science communication." These three questionnaires were validated and found to be reliable for measuring students' AHS, COLS, and SLSE. Pearson's correlation findings indicated that AHS was significantly and positively correlated to all the factors in COLS and SLSE, and all the factors in COLS were significantly and positively correlated to all the factors in SLSE. The relationships among AHS, COLS, and SLSE were then identified by the structural equation model technique. Students with a high commitment to learning science, and who perceived learning science as understanding and seeing in a new way are prone to have confidence at all levels of science learning self-efficacy.

Promoting student engagement in learning activities and tasks has been a pivotal issue and goal of science education. Relevant literature has not yet addressed the underlying associations among students' self-efficacy and engagement in science learning from a multi-dimensional perspective. Thus, this study aimed to examine the structural relationships between the two constructs through the structural equation modelling technique to differentiate the predictive powers of multi-faceted self-efficacy on various forms of engagement. A total of 478 Taiwanese senior high school students were invited to answer two survey instruments concerning self-efficacy and engagement in science learning, respectively. The main findings indicate that, first, the 'Science Learning Engagement Instrument' was proven to be valid and reliable to assess the students' five distinct forms of engagement, including Cognitive, Behavioral, Emotional, Social, and Agentic engagement. It seems that the students had less agentic engagement experiences compared to the other forms of learning engagement. Moreover, this study further identified the multifaceted effects of self-efficacy on the manifold aspects of learning engagement in the literature. Overall, the path analysis results provide evidence that, in order to deeply engage learners in science learning, promoting their science learning self-efficacy from various aspects is of great importance.

Background: Despite the growing body of research on self-efficacy, previous studies have failed to clarify exactly how it is constructed. Meanwhile, the literature indicates that, in Taiwan, junior high school students tend to show lower self-efficacy in learning science compared with elementary and senior high school students. Purpose: This study aimed to develop a mediational model providing the factors accounting for Taiwanese junior high school adolescents' science learning self-efficacy (SLSE), especially from the perspectives of both interpersonal and intrapersonal factors. Design: We therefore proposed a mediational model to delineate the relationships among students' perceived responses to capitalization attempts -- science learning (PRCA-SL), science learning hardiness (SLH) and SLSE by conducting structural equation modeling (SEM). Sample: A total of 1,170 junior high school students in Taiwan were invited to take part in the study. Results: The results confirmed our hypothesis that students' PRCA-SL fostered their science learning hardiness, which in turn contributed to their science learning self-efficacy. Conclusions: The findings confirmed the mediational model wherein science learning hardiness completely mediated the relationship between PRCA-SL and science learning self-efficacy.

Science learning self-efficacy could be regarded as a multi-factor belief which comprises different aspects such as cognitive skills, practical work, and everyday application. However, few studies have investigated the relationships among these factors that compose science learning self-efficacy. Also, culture may play an important role in explaining the relationships among these factors. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate cultural differences in science learning self-efficacy and examine the relationships within factors constituting science learning self-efficacy by adopting a survey instrument for administration to students in the U.S. and Taiwan. A total of 218 university students (62.40% females) were surveyed in the U.S.A, and 224 university students (49.10% females) in Taiwan were also invited to take part in the study. The results of the structural equation modelling revealed cultural differences in the relationships among the factors of science learning self-efficacy. It was found that U.S. students' confidence in their ability to employ higher-order cognitive skills tended to promote their confidence in their ability to accomplish practical work, strengthening their academic self-efficacy. However, the aforementioned mediation was not found for the Taiwanese participants.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate Taiwanese high school students' multi-dimensional self-efficacy and its sources in the domain of science. Two instruments, Sources of Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SSLSE) and Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE), were used. By means of correlation and regression analyses, the relationships between students' science learning self-efficacy and the sources of their science learning self-efficacy were examined. The findings revealed that the four sources of the students' self-efficacy were found to play significant roles in their science learning self-efficacy. By and large, Mastery Experience and Vicarious Experience were found to be the two salient influencing sources. Several gender differences were also revealed. For example, the female students regarded Social Persuasion as the most influential source in the "Science Communication" dimension, while the male students considered Vicarious Experience as the main efficacy source. Physiological and Affective States, in particular, was a crucial antecedent of the female students' various SLSE dimensions, including "Conceptual Understanding," "Higher-Order Cognitive Skills," and "Science Communication." In addition, the variations between male and female students' responses to both instruments were also unraveled. The results suggest that, first, the male students perceived themselves as having more mastery experience, vicarious experience and social persuasion than their female counterparts. Meanwhile, the female students experienced more negative emotional arousal than the male students. Additionally, the male students were more self-efficacious than the females in the five SLSE dimensions of "Conceptual Understanding," "Higher-Order Cognitive Skills," "Practical Work," "Everyday Application," and "Science Communication."

Introduction: This study investigates the relationship between science learning self-efficacy and science identity, examining how gender and science success moderate this relationship. Methods: Using a quantitative approach with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, data from high school students in Moscow, Almetyevsk, Khabarovsk cities from Russia were analyzed. Results: The research highlights the significant positive impact of integrative science competence, practical science application, and science communication efficacy on science identity. Interestingly, gender did not significantly influence the efficacyidentity relationship, suggesting its minimal role in this context. Conversely, science success, particularly in conjunction with science communication efficacy, played a notable role, indicating a complex interplay that could affect students' science identity. Discussion: These findings emphasize the need for educational strategies that bolster students' self-efficacy in science, catering to the development of a strong science identity. Future research should explore the nuanced effects of success and communication efficacy on science identity, aiming to inform interventions that support diverse and equitable participation in science education and careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research evidence indicated that a specific type of augmented reality-assisted (AR-assisted) science learning design or support might not suit or be effective for all students because students' cognitive load might differ according to their experiences and individual characteristics. Thus, this study aimed to identify undergraduate students' profiles of cognitive load in AR-assisted science learning and to examine the role of their distinct profiles in self-efficacy together with associated behavior patterns in science learning. After ensuring the validity and reliability of each measure, a latent profile analysis confirmed that 365 Chinese undergraduates carried diverse dimensions of cognitive load simultaneously. The latent profile analysis findings revealed four fundamental profiles: Low Engagement, Immersive, Dabbling, and Organized, characterized as carrying various respective cognitive loads. The multivariate analysis of variance findings revealed different levels of the six AR science learning self-efficacy dimensions across profiles. Low Engagement students displayed the lowest self-efficacy among all dimensions. Organized students recorded better conceptual understanding and higher-order cognitive skills than Dabbling ones. Students with the Immersive profile had the highest science learning self-efficacy. The lag sequential analysis results showed significant differences in behavior patterns among profiles. Among them, profiles with social interaction, test, and reviewing feedback behavior had a significantly higher score for self-efficacy than those patterns mainly based on test learning and resource visits. This finding provides a unified consideration of students' diverse profiles and can inform interventions for effective design of AR-assisted science learning to match appropriate strategies to facilitate the science learning effect., Competing Interests: Competing InterestsThe authors declare no competing interests., (© National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan 2023, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Due to the scarcity of cross-cultural comparative studies in exploring students' self-efficacy in science learning, this study attempted to develop a multi-dimensional science learning self-efficacy (SLSE) instrument to measure 316 Singaporean and 303 Taiwanese eighth graders' SLSE and further to examine the differences between the two student groups. Moreover, within-culture comparisons were made in terms of gender. The results showed that, first, the SLSE instrument was valid and reliable for measuring the Singaporean and Taiwanese students' SLSE. Second, through a two-way multivariate analysis of variance analysis (nationality by gender), the main result indicated that the SLSE held by the Singaporean eighth graders was significantly higher than that of their Taiwanese counterparts in all dimensions, including "conceptual understanding and higher-order cognitive skills", "practical work (PW)", "everyday application", and "science communication". In addition, the within-culture gender comparisons indicated that the male Singaporean students tended to possess higher SLSE than the female students did in all SLSE dimensions except for the "PW" dimension. However, no gender differences were found in the Taiwanese sample. The findings unraveled in this study were interpreted from a socio-cultural perspective in terms of the curriculum differences, societal expectations of science education, and educational policies in Singapore and Taiwan. (Contains 7 tables.)

This paper examined the conceptual understanding, self-efficacy, and scientific creativity of the students in Physics. The study further investigated the significant difference observed in the study variables according to sex and grade level using multivariate analysis. Using descriptive model of research design, the 125 Senior High School (SHS) students were asked to fill out the Physics Conceptual Understanding (PCU) test, Science Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (SLSE), and Scientific Creativity (SC) test. After the score were tallied and organized, two-way MANOVA was administered to determine the difference in the outcome variables when grouped according to sex and grade level. Based on Pillai’s Trace as revealed, there was a statistically significant difference in independent variables based on grade level. The analysis further revealed that PCU (𝑝=0.675) and SLSE (𝑝=0.101) are unaffected, while SC (𝑝=0.010) is influenced by the grade level. This study uncovered that there is no sex difference observed, while statistical variation exists in terms of grade level specifically to SC. This concludes that PCU, SLES, and SC is not affected by their sex identity but are associated on their academic level. Implications for practice into classroom are discussed and further suggestions of future research are provided.

IntroductionEnvironmental education has long been closely related to sustainable development. In this study, in response to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an augmented reality (AR) digital picture book was created using the unique natural ecosystem of Taiwan’s Orchid Island as a source of self-efficacy for science learning.MethodsInteractive environmental education learning through AR drawing was used to determine whether students’ science learning self-efficacy and environmental attitudes significantly influenced the environmental behavioral skills of culturally diverse children. In this study, 26 elementary sixth-grade Taiwanese students and 26 elementary sixth-grade Japanese students were invited to participate in an extended reality drawing activity as an environmental education curriculum.ResultsBased on the sample size of 52, the survey results were accurate with a sampling error of 3.8% with a confidence level of 95%. A questionnaire survey was administered to the 52 students after the event. After the valid questionnaire samples were collected, a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis was conducted with Smart PLS 3.0 on the small sample. The results of the study showed that students who had a better self-efficacy in science learning were more likely to engage in conservation actions related to the natural environment in their daily lives.DiscussionIn this study, the constructs of environmental behavior were further discussed and the hypothesis model was validated using the quantitative empirical method. The results of the study revealed good reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the constructs in the hypothesis model, and the hypothesis model itself was validated. In the validated model, students’ science learning self-efficacy affects the sustainability of their environmental behaviors, but only through the role of environmental attitudes. However, the environmental attitudes construct plays a fully mediating role in the model.

This study investigated high school students' conceptions of technology-assisted science learning via drawing analysis, and explored how students with different degrees of computer experience and science learning self-efficacy may show different conceptions via their drawings. The participants included 335 senior high school students in Taiwan (179 male and 156 female). All of them were asked by guiding questions to make two drawings to represent their conceptions of technology-assisted science learning in actual and ideal contexts, respectively. Their background information including computer experience and science learning self-efficacy were obtained using self-reported questionnaires. Through drawing analysis, seven categories of conceptions of technology-assisted science learning were identified, including types of technology, location of learning, types of learning activities, content of learning, participants of learning activities, affordance of learning technology, and effects of learning technology. The results further revealed that the students' conceptions of actual and ideal technology-assisted science learning significantly differed in some sub-categories of all categories except the category of participants of learning activities. Moreover, students' computer experience and science learning self-efficacy may link to different conceptions of technology-assisted science learning. Future research and directions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of science education, laboratory learning environment has gained renewed interest in the recent decade. This study aimed to investigate the relationships among students' conceptions of science laboratory learning, perceptions of the science laboratory learning environment, and their academic self-efficacy in science learning by adopting the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. A total of 513 senior high school students (262 females) in Taiwan were invited to participate in this survey study. Three instruments were adapted and implemented to investigate the aim of the study (i.e. the conceptions of science laboratory learning questionnaire, the science laboratory environment inventory, and the academic self-efficacy in science learning questionnaire). The results indicated that the students' conceptions of science laboratory learning made a significant contribution to their perceptions of the science laboratory environment, which consequently fostered their science learning self-efficacy. More specifically, students with conceptions of science laboratory learning as reviewing their prior learning profiles tended to highlight the "student cohesiveness," "integration," and "material environment" aspects of the laboratory environment. Moreover, students who held personal ideas of science laboratory learning as acquiring manipulative skills tended to perceive actual science laboratory environments as much more open-ended and to attain advanced academic science learning self-efficacy. In addition, those students who viewed laboratory learning as achieving in-depth understanding, and who perceived that laboratory activities are guided by clear rules, were prone to express a stronger sense of academic self-efficacy. Based on the results, practical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop an instrument to measure upper-level Chinese elementary students' attitudes towards science by addressing problems with existing ones, as highlighted in the literature. The theoretical framework was drawn from the ABC model, which defines attitudes towards science as consisting of affective, behavioural, and cognitive domains in the study. Instrument development was performed through expert review, small-scale pilot tests and student interviews, large-scale field tests and validation. Factor analysis and Rasch analysis provided reliability and validity evidence. According to the results of the first round of the field test, changes were made to the items and the response category in the second round of the development procedure. The final instrument demonstrated good psychometric properties and consisted of four dimensions: enjoyment of science learning, self-efficacy in science learning, value of science learning and intention to learn and do science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers’ engagement in continuing professional development activities plays an essential role in the design, implementation, and effectiveness of in-service teacher training (INSET) programs. Understanding multidimensional orientations of teacher engagement in continuing professional development (CPD) activities, albeit fluctuations and deceptive images, may provide implications for the rate and pace of their professional development. To address this issue, the present study aims to understand teachers’ engagement orientations, namely cognitive, behavioral, and affective; as well as the levels, i.e. authenticity or fakeness of their engagement. In doing so, this study further aims to analyze how the participants with different engagement orientations revealed signs of fake and/or genuine engagement. The data collected from the observations of a six-week-long CPD course and semi-structured interviews conducted after the completion of the course indicated that teachers with different engagement orientations demonstrated various ways of genuine and/or fake participation in the CPD course. Pedagogical implications highlight an assortment of courses of action to maximize authentic teacher engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting science, math, engineering, and technology (STEM) skills for young children provides foundation for and interest in later STEM learning, making early childhood an important time to develop these competencies. Young children also spend increasing amounts of time with media, and thus it is important to understand if children are accessing STEM content and what factors may determine this access. The current survey study of parents of three- to seven-year olds assesses how parents' science self-efficacy and parents' scientific literacy relate to children's STEM media use. Results demonstrate positive relations between parent self-efficacy and child STEM media use (aligned with self-efficacy theory), but results also demonstrate no significant relation between parent scientific literacy and child STEM media use. We conclude that parent self-efficacy is an important social susceptibility for young children's STEM media use and that future research should continue exploring potential interventions for promoting parents' self-efficacy related to teaching their children science. Impact Summary: Prior State of Knowledge: Little research has examined the relations between parents' perceived beliefs that they can teach their children science and children's engagement with STEM media. Children spend increasing time with media; thus, we should understand how to leverage this time for learning. Novel Contributions: The current study demonstrates that parents' beliefs that they can teach their children science are positively associated with children's STEM media use. However, parents' scientific literacy was not associated with children's STEM media use. Practical Implications: To get children to use more STEM media, interventions should focus on parents' beliefs that they can teach their children STEM concepts, such as science. Parents influence children's media use, and intervening with parents can help shape children's media diets in positive ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the impact of two teaching strategies, conventional and drawing principle, associated with the use of Augmented Reality (AR), on the school performance of pupils in the 7th-year of primary school and the 10th-year of secondary school on volcanism learning. Compared to previous research, the novelty of this study lies in the comparative analysis of these two teaching strategies and their association with AR applications. Four classes from the 7th-year and two from the 10th-year were studied, following a quasi-experimental design, with two control classes and two experimental classes in the 7th-year, and one control class and one experimental class in the 10th-year. The Classical Theory of Tests was applied to analyse the evidence of knowledge evaluation on volcanism, used in all groups in post-test and follow-up. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including Student's t-test, were conducted for paired and unpaired groups after determining the normality and homogeneity of variance of the samples. In the 7th-year, students who used the drawing principle as a learning strategy performed better compared to those who used conventional teaching. When the drawing principle was associated with the use of AR, students achieved better results in the follow-up test. In 10th-year students, the results consistently showed better performance when the conventional teaching strategy was associated with the use of AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As technology-enhanced children’s learning has gained wide attention, programmable robots have been gradually introduced in early childhood education. Hence, it would be valuable to understand how young children perceive robot programming learning. Draw-a-picture technique is an ideal method to elicit ideas, thoughts, and feelings for children with limited literacy, and epistemic network analysis (ENA) is a novel analytical method to analyze children’s conceptions through the visualized network model. Therefore, this study employed a draw-a-picture technique and ENA to explore 189 5-6-year-old young children’s conceptions of robot programming learning and probe whether their conceptions differ by gender and learning achievements. Results revealed that most children believed that with robot programming kits, they could engage in programming activities with peers in any location and held positive emotions and attitudes. In addition, young children’s conceptions of robot programming learning differ notably by gender and learning achievements. Based on the current findings, several suggestions were proposed, which could set a reference for future robot programming teaching in early childhood education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education institutions are increasingly implementing hybrid flexible (HyFlex) learning mode due to its accessibility and flexibility. However, little is known about students' engagement and potential predictors in this learning approach. This study's objective was to look into strategies for enhancing learner engagement in HyFlex learning environments. In this study, the relationships between specific predictors (learner control, self-efficacy, and learning motivation), learners' perceived community of inquiry (CoI) presences, and learner engagement in HyFlex learning environments were investigated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). In order to collect data on the study's variables, an online survey was completed by 367 students who were enrolled in the HyFlex learning environments at a Chinese college. The results indicated a direct and positive relationship between learner engagement and factors such as self-efficacy, learner motivation, and learners' perceived CoI presences. However, learner control did not have a direct and positive impact on learner engagement. Instead, it indirectly influenced learner engagement by affecting learners' perceived CoI presences. In addition, the relationships between learner motivation and engagement, as well as self-efficacy and learner engagement, were significantly mediated by the learners' perceived CoI presences. The findings offer fresh perspectives on the roles of learner control, self-efficacy, learner motivation, and learners' perceived CoI presences in HyFlex learning, with implications for learning processes and learner engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop and evaluate an instrument for measuring 21st-century workplace skills in on-the-job training (OJT) trainees. A literature review identified 20 key skills, which became the foundation of the instrument. Its validity and reliability were tested through a pilot study involving 20 OJT supervisors, employing methods like the item-level content validity index (I-CVI) and Cronbach's alpha. The results confirmed the instrument's effectiveness, indicating the need for further research with larger and more diverse samples to enhance its applicability. This tool is crucial in improving OJT programs by enabling supervisors to assess and support trainees more effectively. Additionally, it serves as a resource for employers and educators in appraising potential hires and graduates, and assists institutions in refining their curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Epistemic Competence of the Researcher is a critical success factor for ethical, rigorous, and creative research performance, but it requires a deep epistemological and methodological mastery, however, the current scientific literature has not yet achieved a conceptual arrangement, that allows researchers and educators to have a comprehensive theoretical framework for a holistic understanding of this competence. The objective of this study was to build a comprehensive theory on the epistemic competence of the researcher. A qualitative approach was used, deploying an open interview and the grounded theory method. Ten experts in social science didactics from 7 Latin American universities and 3 Spanish universities participated. The interviews were processed manually and with the support of ATLAS.TI software, finding 23 emerging categories that were contrasted with the results of a term co-occurrence network of 6081 studies imported from Scopus. From the cross-check of empirical and theoretical results, the following concepts were selected to coincide. Finally, the theoretical framework established was made up of the following concepts: 1.- knowledge building and conceptual change, 2.- epistemological beliefs, 3.- concept mapping and knowledge creation, 4.- conceptual understanding, 5.- conceptual framework, 6.- concept formation, 7.- epistemic beliefs, 8.- science education (learning science and science teaching) 9.- cognitive complexity, 10.- personal epistemology, 11.- virtue epistemology, 12.- formal logic, 13.- epistemic cognition, 14.- nature of science, 15.- epistemic emotions. A proposal for teaching and learning science from this epistemic perspective is established. Future studies should continue to explore the concepts and categories that this work leaves open. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The effect of technology on primary students' self-regulated vocabulary learning (SRVL) over time and its dynamic relationship with vocabulary outcomes have been scarcely studied. This quasi-experimental study reports a longitudinal inquiry into the effect of a mobile-assisted self-regulation scheme on primary students' SRVL and the relationship between the changes in the perceived SRVL skills and vocabulary learning outcome. The study lasted seven months. Participants were 174 Grade 4 students (89 girls) from four classes at a primary school in Mainland China. Two classes were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Students in both groups used the app named Vocab+, the former with and the latter without a mobile-assisted self-regulation scheme. Data collection included questionnaires on students' perceived SRVL skills and vocabulary tests. Latent Growth Modelling (LGM) was used to analyse data. The results showed that perceived SRVL skills and vocabulary learning outcomes increased over time. The findings further revealed that students in the experimental group exhibited a steeper increasing trend in perceived SRVL skills and vocabulary learning outcomes. Besides, the association between the growth rates of students' perception of SRVL skills and vocabulary learning outcomes was stronger with the experimental group than with the control group. Our results provided theoretical implications for understanding the relationship between SRVL skills and vocabulary learning outcomes from a developmental perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the relationship between preservice science teachers' epistemological beliefs about the nature of science (NOS) and their science learning self-efficacy perceptions by adapting a science learning self-efficacy scale for use in Turkey. This study is model as "Relational Survey". A total of 125 preservice teachers (65 sophomores and 60 seniors) from a science education department of educational faculty in a state university participated in the study. Science Learning Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (SLSEQ) and The Scientific Epistemological Beliefs Scale (SEBS) was used data collection. This study, considering the scale adapted into Turkish by Alpaslan and Isik (2016), readapted the self-efficacy scale developed by Lin and Tsai (2013) for use in the field of science education. The scale has 5 factors and 28 items. The preservice science education teachers are thought to have high perception levels based on their scores on the SLSEQ and its factors. The results of SEBS show that the preservice science teachers had a positivist understanding of science. The results on the SEBS and the SLSEQ show that there is a positive linear relationship between the scores on the two scales, and the scores on the SLSEQ predict and explain 23% of the SEBS scores.

Science education is particularly important for both developed and developing countries to promote technological development, global economic competition and economic growth. This study explored the relationship between family experiences, the motivation for science learning, and the science achievement of a group of Grade Nine learners in South Africa. A purposeful sample of 380 learners from three racial groups in public and independent schools completed the Student Motivation for Science Learning questionnaire combined with items investigating family experiences. The findings indicate that family experiences correlated significantly with three motivational aspects of science learning (self-efficacy, active learning and achievement goals); boys perceived family experiences significantly more positively than girls; and parental educational level as well as school values seemed to be related to science learning. Recommendations were made as to how schools can support families in enhancing family experiences that promote learners' motivation for science learning and science achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present wave of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technology and trends is drastically affecting nearly every economic sector and preparing for profound changes in people's lives. The benefits of the technology include higher safety, better decisionmaking, increased productivity, efficiency, and quality in processes, as well as increased competitiveness. Thus, every effort towards raising awareness of the 4IR should begin early in primary education. This study critically evaluated the literature on the issues and challenges of implementing Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) preliminary courses in primary education in Malaysia towards raising awareness of the future 4IR. Using two databases, namely Scopus and Web of Science, the review was conducted in accordance with the ROSES (Reporting Standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses) publishing standard. The findings showed that the role of primary education in facilitating skills development for socioeconomic and technological development for the students was significant. Based on the thematic analysis, two primary themes emerged: a lack of 21st-century skills and support, supplemented by six sub-themes. In addition, the issues and challenges of other countries' primary education in meeting the 4IR demand are also discussed. The paper offered solutions for the issues that arose to fulfil the objective of TVET preparatory courses: to increase pupil awareness of the present 4IR in elementary education in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning engagement is malleable to environmental change. An important learning environment created by teacher-student interactions is perceived teacher autonomy support, which may trigger learning engagement directly and/or indirectly by enhancing academic self-efficacy. In this study, we apply a network approach to explore the relationships between the specific facets of perceived teacher autonomy support, academic self-efficacy and learning engagement, and a sample consisting of 215 students in the fifth and sixth grades from a primary school in Changchun of China is used. Node centrality indicators and the accuracy and stability of the network are also calculated. The results reveal that there are no edges between the three facets of perceived teacher autonomy support and the three facets of learning engagement, and the shortest path connecting the two constructs is through academic ability self-efficacy. Furthermore, learning support, academic ability self-efficacy, and dedication have the top three strengths in the network, which indicates that the three facets are more closely related to other facets of the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital technology has been proposed as a pedagogical tool capable of transforming traditional inquiry-based learning methods into innovative inquiry-based learning environments for school science. Researchers have reported that technology-enhanced learning environments have significant potential to shape students' conceptions of learning and their learning approaches. This study, therefore, introduces a technology-infused active inquiry learning approach aimed at transforming primary school students' conceptions of learning science. 11 fifth-grade students from a university-based primary school in the northeastern region of Thailand were selected to participate in a two-week intervention based on this approach. The results indicate a noticeable shift in the students' conceptions of technology-infused active inquiry learning following the intervention. However, it was observed that many students still exhibited a tendency towards passive learning due to the overall interaction with technology during science lessons. This highlights the ongoing challenge of effectively incorporating technology in the classroom to foster more advanced conceptions of learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical education in colleges plays an increasingly important role in cultivating high-quality innovative talent. The main factors that affect college students' approaches to learning physics remain unknown. This study examined the relationships among college engineering students' epistemic views of physics, conceptions of learning physics, and approaches to learning physics. Three previously validated questionnaires were administered to 278 undergraduate engineering students in China to examine these relationships. Structural equation modeling analysis revealed that students' epistemic views of physics led to constructivist conceptions of learning physics, i.e., learning physics as increasing knowledge, applying, understanding, and seeing in a new way. The students' constructivist conceptions of learning physics were also found to be positively associated with deep motive and deep strategy in their approaches to learning physics, while their reproductive conceptions of learning physics, i.e., learning physics by memorizing, testing, calculating, and practicing, were negatively associated with deep motive and deep strategy and positively associated with surface motive and surface strategy. These findings suggest the importance of fostering students' understanding of physics knowledge and constructivist conceptions of learning physics and de-emphasizing their reproductive conceptions of learning physics, such as memorization, testing, calculation, and practice, to ultimately promote their deep learning approaches. As physics educators understand the relationships among the above three aspects, they emphasize fertilizing students' constructive conceptions of learning physics and thus benefit the cultivation of innovative talent and promote the rapid development of science and technology in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In higher education, it is challenging to cultivate non-computer science majors' programming concepts. This study used the GAME model (gamification, assessment, modeling, and enquiry) in a programming education course to enhance undergraduates' self-efficacy and performance of basic programming concepts. There were 83 undergraduates taking part in this study, which adopted a quasi-experimental research design. Students in the experimental group (n = 43) experienced a course in which the GAME model was used to design the block-based programming course. The control group (n = 40) was given a general information education course covering similar learning concepts without the game-based learning strategy. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was adopted to investigate the effect of the GAME model on students' learning outcomes for the quantitative data. In the qualitative analysis, students' responses to the course perception questionnaire were coded and analyzed. The results showed that students in the experimental group outperformed their counterparts regarding self-efficacy and basic programming concepts. The experimental treatment resulted in a small to medium effect size difference between the two groups. The results showed that incorporating the GAME model into block-based programming teaching helped improve undergraduates' self-efficacy and performance of basic programming concepts. In addition, these experimental group undergraduates also perceived the pedagogic GAME model positively. Several research suggestions are proposed based on the findings of the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated how the VR experience (immersion and presence) and design features (narrative, guidance, and feedback) were related to participants' engagement and perceptions of learning with a desktop Virtual Reality field trip (dVFT) in public outreach settings as used by environmental education centers. Data was collected from 139 participants at three different types of public outreach settings. The results found that immersion, presence, engagement, learning about local environment, VR design features, and affective learning were perceived favorably by the majority of the study's participants. Design features, engagement, learning about the local environment, and affective learning were significantly lower for young participants (≤ 18 years old) compared to adults. Environmental education center festival participants had higher favorable mean responses for each subscale followed by Web location participants, followed by Homework Club participants. Results from the path analysis highlighted the importance of presence and the design features for engagement and perceived learning. Our findings support that learning about one's local environment with a dVFT can have a positive impact on engagement and learning, particularly in public outreach learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to understand listening is an essential skill for non-native speakers of English as a foreign language (EFL). Research has shown that several factors can influence EFL students' English listening comprehension, including the listening strategy they use during listening activities. This study, therefore, used the meta-cognitive listening strategy to explore the mediation role of learning style and self-efficacy in the relationship with listening performance. In this study, 632 Chinese university students participated in a survey and completed electronic questionnaires on MALQ (Meta-cognitive Awareness of Listening Questionnaire), PLSPQ (Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire), and GSE (General Self-Efficacy Scale). The data were analyzed using AMOS software and a structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. The results showed that students' listening strategy directly and positively predicted their English listening performance. Moreover, students' listening performance was fully mediated by learning style and self-efficacy. After discussing these findings, suggestions as well as limitations for future studies will be given. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to a better understanding of the factors that may affect EFL students' English listening comprehension and inform instructional practices in the EFL classroom. Specifically, the results of this study may suggest the use of teaching strategies tailored to individual learning styles and the adoption of measures to improve self-efficacy of EFL students. Ultimately, the goal of this research is to improve EFL students' English listening comprehension skills and enhance their overall language proficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) attitudes and self-efficacy of secondary students identifying as Black South African, multi-racial or Afrikaans South African, or Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe nationals who participated in a non-formal STEM education camp programme. Using Bandura's social cognitive theory for self-efficacy and attitude, this study sought to document participants' STEM self-efficacy and attitudinal factors related to the camp experience. Survey data were collected before and after participants' participation in the camp and a delayed post-measurement after 18 months of exposure. Results indicated a significant increase in the self-efficacy concept of conceptual understanding over time between the pre-test and delayed post-test; however, there were no indicated differences over time for the other self-efficacy constructs of Higher Order Cognitive Skills, Practical Work, Everyday Application and Science Communication. Analyses of the STEM attitude constructs showed differences between the Twenty-first Century Skills (increase over time from pre-test to delayed post-test) and Your Future (decrease over time from pre-test to delayed post-test) constructs with no differences for Mathematics, Science and Engineering and Technology. Furthermore, there were no detected differences of self-efficacy and attitudes from pre-test to post-test. These findings suggest that participating in a singular, non-formal STEM learning event may not be sufficient to document changes in self-efficacy and attitudes from the pre- to post-learning experience; however, the experience could have been one of many learning events that may have provided an opportunity for supporting South African students' self-efficacy and attitude growth, especially in Conceptual Understanding and Twenty-first Century Skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study aimed to assess the strength of primary school students' (aged 11–12 years old) Science Self-Efficacy (SSE) beliefs, identify emanating sources, and investigate any gender-related differences. School SSE is defined here as perceived capacity to complete learning outcomes from the upper Irish primary science curriculum. The strengths and sources of participants' school SSE beliefs were assessed quantitatively (N = 260) using the Irish Science Self-Efficacy Children's Questionnaire (IS-SEC-Q). Twenty-five students were interviewed to further explore the origins of their SSE, and their perception of science in the classroom. Results indicated that students' self-efficacy to perform scientific skills was lower than their self-efficacy to answer questions. Mastery experience was found to be the strongest predictor of self-efficacy in science skills, corroborating findings from other educational contexts. However, students report that they seldom engage in hands-on science during school, suggesting that Irish classrooms still lack student-led investigations. Gender-related results are also highlighted. This work serves as the first report of students' school SSE beliefs in Ireland, expands upon existing literature surrounding the SSE beliefs of pre-adolescent students, and discusses implications for classroom practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research shows that motivation is a critical precursor to students' science achievement. However, research on the topic yields ambiguous results in different cultural contexts. While the positive association between motivation and science achievement has been evidenced universally, the relatively predictive effect and strength of different motivational factors in different cultures need additional examination. To tease the potential discrepancy apart and explore different student motivational factors including self-concept, intrinsic value, utility value, and sense of relatedness, this study examines grade 8 students from the U.S. (N = 14,290) and Singapore (N = 6113) by using the International Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data. The results suggest that the U.S. student self-concept in science learning is the strongest and most significant predictor of their science achievement. In Singapore, students perceived utility value in science learning has the strongest and most significant association with their science achievement. Explanations of the differences as well as the implications for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Resilience Evaluation Scale (RES) is a newly developed measure of resilience written in both English and Dutch languages. To date, there have not been comprehensive psychometric evaluations of the RES' performance, including validity for use in non-Western cultural populations and languages. In our attempt to address this void, we conducted a psychometric evaluation of the RES utilizing a Western, sample of U.S. college students and non-Western sample of Chinese college students. Our psychometric evaluation of the RES in a Western, English-speaking sample of U.S. college students indicated mixed results on the construct validity of the RES for measuring resilience. We also found that the factor structure of the RES lacked configural invariance across U.S. college student and Chinese college student samples. Results suggested that additional research is needed to assess whether the RES appropriately measures internal factors of resilience or requires modification. We also highlight the need for continued development of cross-culturally valid measures, and possibly different conceptualizations, of resilience across cultural and linguistic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the performance, conceptual understanding, and self-efficacy of students via contextualized self-learning modules in Junior High School of Cambangon Integrated School, Lilingayon, Valencia City. Specifically, it aimed to: 1) assess the level of student's performance via contextualized selflearning module (CSLM) and non-contextualized self-learning module (non-CSLM), 2) identify the level of students' conceptual understanding in science via CSLM and non-CSLM in the pre-test and post-test, 3) determine the level of students' self-efficacy via CSLM and non-CSLM in terms of: a) conceptual understanding, b) higher-order thinking skill, c) practical work, d) everyday application, and e) science communication, 4) compare if there is a significant difference in students' performance via CSLM and to non-CSLM, 5) ascertain if there is a significant difference in the students' conceptual understanding in science via CSLM and to non-CSLM in the pre-test and post-test, and 6) find out if there is a significant difference in the students' self-efficacy via CSLM and to non-CSLM in terms of: a) conceptual understanding, b) higher-order thinking skill, c) practical work, d) everyday application, and e) science communication. The study used a quasiexperimental research design utilizing two (2) intact sections of Grade-9 students. The results of the study revealed that the level of students' performance, conceptual understanding, and self-efficacy under CSLM had a higher increase in mean scores compared to the mean scores of students under non-CSLM. Furthermore, the study also found out that there is a significant difference in student's performance, conceptual understanding, and self-efficacy of students who utilized CSLM and students who utilized non-CSLM. This study suggests to consider contextualizing and localizing self-learning modules since these respond effectively to learners' changing needs and conditions in this new normal, which can further contribute to their holistic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]