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This study compared two versions of the same elementary science professional development (PD) and curriculum program that were offered face-to-face and completely online, while keeping all content consistent between the two. Using quantitative analyses of pre- and posttests of content knowledge (CK), we evaluated the extent to which the online version of the PD compared to the face-to-face PD for increasing the earth science and art CK of upper elementary teachers required to teach an earth science and art integrated curriculum. Additionally, we explored how the impact of PD modality (online vs. face-to-face) on teachers' CK learning outcomes differed for novice and experienced teachers. Findings revealed significantly higher CK learning gains for teachers who participated in online PD compared with face-to-face PD, but with a small effect size. Subgroup analysis revealed that compared with experienced teachers, the novice teachers had significantly higher CK gains from participating in the online PD compared to the face-to-face version with a large effect size. We also discuss the implications for the design of large-scale online teacher PD.

The primary purpose of education is preparation for life. But what kind of life, and life for whom? Within the social studies, emphasis has long been placed on preparation for civic life in diverse and democratic societies within an interconnected world. This remains essential. There is an ongoing need for people who are willing and able to address the challenges of society, including structural problems such as racism, classism, and patriarchy. However, in addition to continuing threats to the quality of "human" life, growing concerns have also arisen regarding the quality, indeed the survival, of "all" life on the planet. One of the most urgent challenges of today is the decline of the environment upon which all life depends. This paper examines the implications of the environmental crisis for the social studies. First, I explore the deep interconnectivity that exists between humans and the nonhuman world and, by extension, between our social and environmental challenges. Next, I consider the implications of these connections for a socioenvironmental approach to social studies education. In addition to practical curricular and instructional factors, I argue that we must promote the development of a "critical ecological perspective" through which to interpret the fundamental relationships between humans and the world.

The intricacy of real-world challenges in project-based geoscience learning is complex to assess with a STEM approach; hence, research into an effective model is necessary to address current issues in education. Understanding the role of STEM in resolving challenging real-world issues requires integrating STEM literacy that is appropriate for geoscience education. This study examines the effectiveness of the Project-Based Geoscience Learning (PJBGL) model in enhancing STEM literacy. By integrating project-based learning with geoscience, the aim is to create an interactive and immersive learning environment. The study seeks to contribute to knowledge about the effectiveness of this model compared to the conventional model. The aim was to evaluate the PJBGL model's impact on students' literacy, particularly in the geosciences. The study utilized a pretest-posttest control group design with 33 students, 19 in the experimental group and 14 in the control group, collecting STEM literacy data using a test instrument and analyzing the data with the Mann-Whitney test. Effect Size calculation using Cohen's d and increased STEM literacy was tested with the N-Gain formula. The research results show that the PJBGL model is more effective in increasing STEM literacy in geoscience learning than the conventional learning model. This finding holds implications for educators and curriculum developers seeking innovative strategies to cultivate students' STEM literacy

Geology is a subject of low interest for many pupils and teachers. The present study aims at examining the organizational conditions for geology education using the model of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, drawing from the national curricula. The study discusses the possible reasons for the unpopularity of the field worldwide and proposes general recommendations that would contribute to increasing interest in geoscience. The main drawbacks of geology education seem to be the large volume of required knowledge, its thematic structure, and a lack of links to real life. The Czech curriculum is vaguely and theoretically defined, placing demand on pupils, especially in the area of memorizing given information and practically pays no attention to recommended teaching methods. In contrast, the Slovak curriculum better reflects current trends. In general, it is necessary to implement continuous educational support for geology teachers and restructure the geology syllabus so that individual sub-fields are interlinked. Moreover, the learning outcome definition should include action-based education, fieldwork, experimenting, and similar elements.

The purpose of this study is to determine the spatial thinking ability of high school students using indicators from Sharpe-Huynh model. These indicators include analysis, spatial interaction, scale, representation, comprehensiveness, and application. Furthermore, this study examined the effect of Earthcomm learning on student's spatial thinking ability. This study research employs a quantitative study, utilizing a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group. The study is conducted among school students in Padang City, West Sumatera Province, Indonesia. The research population consisted of 287 students, divided into eight research groups. Data on students' spatial thinking ability were collected through the Sharpe-Huynh model of spatial thinking ability test. Before further analysis, the data were assessed for normality and homogeneity. The experimental group utilized earth science in the community (Earthcomm) learning model, while the control group employed conventional learning. The research data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test. The findings revealed that the spatial thinking ability of high school students ranged from low to moderate. The Earthcomm learning model demonstrated a significant impact in improving spatial thinking skills. The impact of Earthcomm learning on enhancing spatial thinking abilities among high school students is elaborated in the following article.

Learning about the Earth through geoscience education is important in order to make informed decisions about the future of the Earth. The aim of this study is to examine students' conceptual development on geoscience subjects based on inquiry-based learning. 7th grade students participated in this study. The researcher prepared lesson plans and activities connected with the aforementioned subjects in accordance with the inquiry-based learning model. In this study, the "Geoscience Concept Achievement Test (GCAT)" was used in order to obtain quantitative data, and it was applied as a pre-post test and also a retention test. Qualitative data obtained from 8 students, selected from the working group using the maximum sampling method, Science Writing Heuristics (SWH), interviews with the students, worksheets and assessment tests were used as qualitative data collection tools. The geoscience education program was implemented for 8 weeks. The results from quantitative and qualitative data showed that geoscience education positively affected 7th grade students' conceptual understanding of geoscience subjects. The results of the students' GCAT pre-test, post-test, retention test, SWH data, weekly interviews with the students and final interviews, revealed that the learning and teaching process applied in geoscience education positively affected their conceptual development regarding the subject of geoscience.

Local leaders are essential for helping Michigan achieve its 30-year water strategy goals. The Michigan Water School is an Extension nonformal educational program to address the knowledge gap of local leaders. We evaluated programs conducted from 2017 to 2019. Results revealed program outcomes in knowledge, attitudes, perceptions of criticalness to work, and stewardship and behavioral intentions aligned to water quality, water quantity, and field experience units. Growth areas for program improvement include water policy, economics, planning, and finance as well as expanding the focus of the program for transformational leadership and to broaden recruitment efforts.

One of the major obstacles to the continuation of life on Earth is the global climate change. The fact that our nation is experiencing a minor impact from the global climate change does not change the reality that there is no problem. It is well recognized that the polar areas are the most impacted by the global climate change, or that the triggering of the Polar Regions would have a significant influence on the whole planet. In this scenario, science teachers have a significant deal of responsibility for raising awareness of polar science subject among future generations. As a result, it is in our hands to mitigate the impacts of global climate change through increased student knowledge. The screening model was used in the study to show the knowledge and awareness levels of science teachers on polar sciences, who will supply this awareness. The "Polar Sciences Awareness Questionnaire-PSAQ" data collecting instrument, whose validity and reliability were calculated, was employed within the parameters of the study. PSAQ was created in Google Form style with web-based access. The data were collected voluntarily from 205 science teachers working in a province in the Southeastern Anatolia Region, which is the population of the study. The statistical package program SPSS 26 was used to analyze the data that had been collected. The research revealed that while science instructors were aware of the North Pole, South Pole and climate change, their awareness was not very high. It is because science instructors lack a specific education in polar sciences that they do receive explicitly. The report makes several recommendations, one of which is to include polar science learning outcomes and lessons in teacher and student education programs.

The question of precollege physics access and performance has been a persistent concern when considering the goal of diversifying participation in post-secondary STEM study and careers. This observational study examined school-level academic and demographic predictors of high school physics enrollment and performance in the USA. Due to the sequential and hierarchical nature of high school science and mathematics coursework, related predictors were included in multivariable regression and structural equation models to understand whether selectivity constrains the STEM pipeline. Descriptive and inferential analyses of state-level data were conducted (N = 663 high schools enrolling 559,044 students) to define the scope of physics enrollment and performance, and the predictive value of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and science and mathematics course enrollments and performance. Physics was taken by fewer students when compared to biology, earth science, and chemistry. Correlations, multiple regression, and structural equation modeling indicated that although socioeconomic status was the main predictor of student "enrollment" in physics, this was mediated by schoolwide enrollment in chemistry and algebra II as well as schoolwide performance in chemistry and geometry. School-level "performance" in physics was negatively predicted by the percentage of students traditionally underrepresented in STEM, yet the predictive value was mediated by chemistry and algebra II performance. Results suggest that the prevalent science and mathematics sequence correlates to diminished physics enrollment, particularly with regard to students traditionally marginalized in STEM. US school leaders and policy makers should implement more proactive interventions earlier in the STEM pipeline to promote diverse physics participation and more equitable performance outcomes.

With the growing popularity of Virtual Reality (VR), the integration of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework provides insights into its role in facilitating student learning in VR environments. VR offers immersive experiences and visualization of abstract concepts. However, the abundance of information in VR can be overwhelming without proper guidance, hindering students' knowledge acquisition and organization. To address this issue, a concept map-based community of inquiry (CM-CoI) framework VR system was developed for a ninth-grade Earth Science course. A quasi-experiment was conducted to investigate its impact on learning achievement, reflection tendencies, and perceptions. The experimental group used the CM-CoI-based VR system, while the control group used a conventional CoI-based VR system. The results showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in learning achievement and reflection tendencies. Interviews revealed that students in the experimental group found the method helpful for clarifying confusing knowledge. This study demonstrates the potential of CM-CoI-based VR systems to enhance learning achievement and reflection tendencies. It informs educators on integrating VR technology and concept mapping into Earth Science education, and on enhancing students' learning experiences and outcomes.

The loss of relational networks and life-sustaining capacities of the Earth resulting from the Anthropocene/Capitalocene provoke ambiguous pedagogical experimenting with the limits of the known. The Akokisa River of Texas is more than its extractive use-value based on humanist rationality. Water connector Ángel Faz approaches the River as more than a passive and endless resource to be extracted and manoeuvred for profit, but as an ecology of relations entangled with humans -- the River is us; we are the River. As a boundary agitator, Faz speculates into unresolvable and reciprocal voids located in the excluded middles between humans and more-than-humans ripe with potential percepts and affects across River multiplicities. Such gesturing generates transcorporeal, multi-linguistic, uncanny, trickster, and shimmering pedagogies bewildering the capacity to participate in the dynamic indeterminacy and interconnectedness of the River's ongoing becoming.

As computational methods are widely used in science disciplines, integrating computational thinking (CT) into classroom materials can create authentic science learning experiences for students. In this study, we classroom-tested a CT-integrated geoscience curriculum module designed for secondary students. The module consisted of three inquiry investigations that were age-appropriately translated from the computational practices of volcanologists who study tephra hazards and risks. We developed a domain-specific, block-code-based computational modeling environment where students carried out 1 of the 3 science practices in each inquiry investigation: experimentation, data visualization and interpretation, and modeling. We examined (1) student learning outcomes using pre- and post-tests and (2) student reflections on the computationally supported science practices surveyed at the end of each inquiry investigation during the module. Results indicate that students made statistically significant gains in science content as well as in computationally supported experimentation, data visualization and interpretation, and modeling practices. Over 80% of students identified different ways in which block coding supported their practices during inquiry investigations. Based on these findings, we discuss implications for the future development of computationally supported inquiry investigations in science.

In this theoretical article, we argue that the imminent collapse of earth systems that sustain life forms calls for mathematics education as a field to reflect on and re-evaluate its priorities and thus practices. We consider both what ecological collapse means for mathematics education and whether mathematics education might offer meaningful gestures in response. We explore how the relationship between the social and the ecological is conceptualised in mathematics education (and other relevant) research and what this implies for mathematics education. We read, in this scholarship, a growing focus on the ecological and conceptualisations of socio-ecological relations between existing entities that are dialectical, or mutually dependent. More rarely, are they seen as entangled and monist, and it is in this thought that we locate our contribution of multi-layered gestures of mathematics education. We describe these, in terms of three broad practices: listening for socio-ecological entanglement; attending to the scales of socio-ecological entanglements; and living entanglement as mathematics educators. We exemplify these gestures through examples of curriculum innovation. This article, a socio-ecological gesture in itself, is written in the spirit of opening a conversation into which we invite others.

Over the past few years, we have worked together in a citizen science project called "Diamonds on the Soles of our Feet" (see also Goldin et al. 2021, Goldin et al., 2023). In this project we engaged with 420 young learners in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. We came to see participating schools as collaborative ecosystems where young citizens become entangled with water through experiential encounters that make science alive and relevant. Through our engagement with citizen science, we experienced the transformative power of affect and the relevance of emotions in education as a social and political project. In our pedagogy we depart from the idea that human beings are separate from the biosphere, thus recognising the interdependency of all life forms on earth. We believe that keeping science education in laboratories and libraries affirms what Bozalek and Zemblyas (2023) call "privileged irresponsibility". We propose that citizen science and its transformative potential can be one way to redress such irresponsibility. Through impactful encounters with human - nonhuman entanglement and the emotions which are evoked in this process, citizen science can create opportunities for response-ability (Bozalek & Zemblyas, 2023), through teaching and learning with the heart. Such entanglement also resonates with relationality as the currency of care theorists. In the context of our citizen science work, caring for unfamiliar others is a form of non-human-centred care with unfamiliar water bodies in which the binary of inside-outside learning becomes porous as the geographies of water penetrate the classroom walls. In "Diamonds on the Soles of our Feet," we noted how watery spaces and images move back and forth caring-with and through human bodies - waterbodies to school, school to waterbodies. The entanglement with the nonhuman resonates with Massumi's (2015) notion of becoming where there is an unrolling of an event that is a becoming of two together.

Sociocultural language learning theory and situated learning theory stress the importance of social interactions and context in both science and language learning. In addition, researchers have highlighted the important role that multimodal language plays in meaning-making and communication in science. The purpose of this study was to examine the multimodal discursive resources emergent multilingual learners (EMLs) used in their journals on the topic of erosion. Thus, we ask "in what ways do multimodal discursive resources differ as EMLs describe doing an investigation (practices) and learning (content) in response to a writing prompt (What I did-What I learned)?" This research, grounded in an interpretive/constructivist paradigm, examined the journals of 18 EMLs who participated in a summer program where they engaged in the social context of scientific practice. Students used the What I Did/What I Learned (WID/WIL) writing prompt to describe the practices used in the classroom investigations and the knowledge resulting from these investigations. The WID/WIL journal entries were examined using template analysis coding. The template consisted of four major categories: writing, mathematical expressions, manual-technical operations, and setting. Findings indicated that EMLs utilized writing and mathematical expressions to communicate their manual technical operations (practice) and knowledge (content) of erosion. EMLs did not use visual representations as part of their multimodal resources. Implications for science teaching and the use of the WID/WIL as a writing prompt are included.

The undergraduate geoscience program concludes with a field-based capstone course that equips the graduating geologist with basic field-mapping abilities. However, many of the field-based geoscience programs have been temporarily halted or converted to an online version because of the COVID-19 outbreak. The South Dakota Mines created an online course to fulfill the demand for graduating seniors in the vast discipline of geoscience. Considering that this is a new way of delivering this course, it is important to understand the effectiveness of this online course. Thus, the main goal of the present study is to determine students' online learning satisfaction and its relationship with online learning self-efficacy. A total of 33 students participated in the study. Two instruments were used for this study: one for assessing online learning self-efficacy and the other for evaluating online learning satisfaction. Descriptive statistics and Pearson product correlation analysis were conducted to analyze data. The results indicated that students had high levels of self-efficacy beliefs and their learning satisfaction score was high as well. It was also found that self-efficacy to complete an online course was significantly related to learning satisfaction. Discussion of the findings and suggestions for online teaching and learning are given.

Experimentation is a contributing factor to the interest and meaningful learning of Science. In Geology and Earth Science, the effects of soil textures, settlements, and water-holding capacity are parameters for landslides in Barotac Viejo and other flooded areas. Landslides are triggered during heavy rainstorms, causing severe property damage and casualties. This experimental study aims to determine how these parameters are factors for landslides and give accurate information to Science teachers. The study uses two methods to provide ease and continuity of measurements and settings using the Fourier Transform Infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy in analyzing the soil textures. The Imhoff cone instrument is for the settling and water-holding capacity of the soil. FTIR Soil analysis reveals that contents of clay and organic matter directly affect soil water-holding ability due to the larger surface area. A landslide-prone zone has a lesser settling time except for the sand that settles fastest due to larger masses. This study is crucial for science teachers teaching geology and earth sciences besides forecasting and preventing geohydrological processes and developing better landslide warning strategies to mitigate risks and reduce socioeconomic damage.

An immense body of literature on astronomy studies has provided evidence that individuals perceive the lunar phases concept as difficult. Furthermore, many studies have shown erroneous explanations or alternative conceptions of lunar phases. However, there is also a need to understand how individuals construct an explanation of the Moon's phases. This paper aims to explore pre-service science teachers' construction process of their explanations regarding lunar phases through clinical interviews. The data were obtained from fourteen pre-service science teachers and analyzed, identifying their nodes and dynamic mental constructs. The results indicated that most pre-service science teachers did not organize their nodes in a manner consistent with normative scientific explanations. In addition, pre-service science teachers changed their dynamic mental constructs while explaining different lunar phases, utilizing different media such as drawing and three-dimensional models, and responding to prompted questions. It was suggested that different opportunities, including technology-enriched activities regarding phases of the Moon, should be provided for pre-service science teachers to reorganize their nodes.

The result of the Division Achievement Test in Science administered to Grade 6 learners, out of six competencies included in MELCS, four competencies were identified as the "Least Learned" as they got a mastery level indicated as "Low Proficient". Thus, this developmental research aimed to develop and test supplementary learning material in the form of interactive modules. The study was anchored on a Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning and the framework for designing instructional solutions to achieve desired learning outcomes. The ADDIE model was used to design and develop the supplementary learning material. The data pertinent to the study were tabulated, analyzed, and interpreted using computing the weighted mean, and each data were provided a descriptive interpretation. Results revealed that learners had developed a positive perception of E-learning. The developed supplementary learning material conforms to the requirements of the Department of Education in terms of Content Quality, Instructional Quality, Technical Quality, and other findings, including conceptual, factual, grammatical, and typographical errors. It was also found to be suitable to serve as an intervention learning material that will help learners achieve the desired learning outcome.

The international situation of history didactics as an academic discipline is characterized by the fact that many basic disciplinary concepts often differ considerably: The same or similar terms denote different concepts or vice versa comparable concepts not only have various names but also hold different positions in the respective disciplinary framework. The best example of this is history didactics, which is understood as the practical methodology of history teaching in the Anglophone community and an academic subdiscipline of historical science in Germany. This is a considerable obstacle to international research. Since the school subject of World History is taught in many countries, an international comparison of curricula and textbooks deserves great scholarly interest. Therefore, this article tries to deal with the terminological clarification of the concepts of World History, Global History and Big History for the discipline of history didactics. The four most important reasons behind the need for world history teaching are connected to transnational, anti-Eurocentric, decolonisation- and anthropogenic-focused history teaching. The paper discusses different approaches and relationships between world history and national historical viewpoints with the method of curricula comparison. The study programs assigned to national history are usually not explicitly referred to as "national history," but simply as "History." Tacitly equating the respective national history with "history" as such indirectly makes "world history" appear as the history of the "others" rather than as a comprehensive or integrative concept.

Climate change and global warming have huge impacts on the most fragile ecosystems on Earth. With temperatures rising, most of the tropical glaciers on Earth, found near the Equator, will be gone before the end of the century. These far-removed natural areas are obscure and difficult for students to visit or learn from directly. Educating students in non-traditional, more experience-based settings is crucial for them to better understand current issues the world is facing, like glacial shrinkage, loss of sea ice, and accelerated sea level rise. This study found that virtual reality 360-degree video technology (VR-360), by providing close to real-life experiences and engaging storytelling, has the ability to engage students and provide them with meaningful information and experiences about climate change. In Phase 1 of this study, 65 students reported that VR can be beneficial for educational purposes to learn about global climate change. In Phase 2, with 227 students from around the globe, path analysis supported the need for VR-360 video producers to consider the importance of spatial presence, in the form of possible action and self-location, as critical elements of their videos to encourage people to use VR technology to learn about extreme environments and climate change.

Graphic interpretation is as critical in physics education as problem-solving. However, we know that today's classes focus more on problem-solving. This study uses a survey to determine college students' graphic interpretation skills. The study consists of two phases. The first phase includes the development and statistical analysis of the survey. The second phase includes comparing and discussing the data resulting from the application of the developed survey. The research data were analyzed using both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis techniques. The survey on graphic interpretation skills, including the understanding and analysis processes, consisted of 17 items based on analysis results. The survey data were collected using purposive sampling from 113 college volunteers during the fall semester of 2022-2023 at Dokuz Eylul University in Turkey. The participants consisted of 57 geoscience students and 56 mining students. The survey results showed that the kinematic interpretation skills of mining engineering students were higher than those of geoscience students. These differences between geoscience and mining engineering students in cognitive, affective, and psychomotor behaviors were discussed.

The reliance on online learning systems has increased during the COVID-19 epidemic to maintain education. The effectiveness of online life and earth science instruction is assessed in this study which involves 150 first-year high school students. Methodologically, it juxtaposes elearning with traditional classroom teaching across various parameters. The study reveals that digital learning yielded better results across all considered variables (p < 0.05), irrespective of student gender (p = 0.216). Better performance was seen in subjects such as "man and the environment" and "greenhouse effect and climate change" when learning was carried out online (p < 0.001). However, no notable scoring differences were found in practical subjects such as " creation of ecological reserves to preserve biodiversity," "clean technologies to protect the environment" and " environmental education and sustainable development," (p = 0.627 and p = 0.147). Thus, e-learning proves to be a useful supplement to traditional instruction. It shouldn't be used in place of hands-on activities in all situations.

Natural history includes the period from the formation of the Earth to recent times and all the changes it has gone through throughout this vast period. The biggest challenge in understanding natural history is the age of the Earth. Even though natural history is quite difficult to understand, pre-service science teachers are expected to be knowledgeable about this matter to a fundamental degree. Therefore, this study aims to determine the knowledge levels of secondary school students and pre-service science teachers on some natural history topics and compare compare these two groups in this context. To conduct such research in which a qualitative-natured case study design was used, the data obtained through 15 open-ended questions were analyzed through content analysis. As a result, percentages of correct answers regarding the time perception component were quite low both for secondary students and pre-service science teachers. While both groups were close in the component of the transformation of the Earth, it was founded that students answered more questions correctly. As expected, pre-service teachers correctly answered more questions regarding the component of diversity of living things than the students.

This research is part of the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the Moroccan education system, our objective being to evaluate the use of computer-assisted experimentation (CAEx) in learning to encourage the authorities of the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training and Sports to adopt the CAEx program in the teaching and learning of physics so that it becomes compulsory for all high schools. To evaluate the impact of using CAEx in the study of free oscillations of an RLC circuit (a linear circuit containing an electrical resistor, an inductor, and a capacitor). A study was conducted with 40 Moroccan students in the second year of the scientific baccalaureate option life and earth sciences at the high school Abdellah Laroui in the city of Fez, as this work aims to highlight the effect of the use of CAEx on the learning of students. Using the methodology of pre-test and post-test with an experimental group (20 students) and a control group (20 students). The results of both groups are analyzed with IBM SPSS 21 statistical analysis software the results obtained from the post-test show that the average of the tests addressed to both control and experimental groups has a significant difference. In addition, non-directive and directive interviews were conducted with the students of the experimental group. Indeed, the content of the grid of open and closed questions was elaborated in agreement with the teachers of physical sciences of the high school Abdellah Laroui, concerning the use of CAEx in learning and to know the degree of satisfaction of the integration of CAEx in the study of free oscillations in an RLC circuit. In addition, the data were processed by Sphinx v5 software. This study showed that CAEx integration had a positive effect on student learning. It can be said that CAEx plays an important role in the grasp and assimilation of scientific concepts, and it represents a solution to make the student more attentive and serious. Computer Aided Instruction can develop a spirit of initiative in the learner.

Modeling is a fundamental tool in the teaching and learning processes of life and earth sciences. It serves as an investigative instrument that enables students to test hypotheses and solve scientific problems. This paper presents the findings of a survey conducted among 96 Moroccan life and earth sciences teachers teaching students at the primary, junior high and high school levels. The study aims to highlight the role of modelling in life sciences instruction and explore teachers' understanding, approaches and perceptions towards models and modeling practices. A questionnaire-based methodology was employed to collect data on teachers' awareness of the significance of models in life sciences and the instructional approaches that are adopted in these models. The findings reveal Moroccan teachers' clear grasp of models' significance in teaching life sciences. Moreover, they employ similar approaches to models and modeling practices. The research highlights instructors' awareness of models' potential to increase the effectiveness and appeal of scientific instruction. It establishes modeling's pivotal role in instructing life sciences, emphasizing the need to incorporate modeling activities into the curriculum to nurture students' scientific inquiry and problem-solving skills. The study's practical implications suggest the value of training programs and professional development initiatives for teachers to promote model use in life sciences instruction. Enhancing teachers' knowledge and pedagogical strategies related to modeling can enrich science education leading to increased student engagement and achievement in the life sciences.

This study aimed to describe the validity and effectiveness of the floating market-based BioPhy magazine to improve problem-solving skills and encourage students to conduct environmental awareness campaigns. This research was development research with Tessmer formative evaluation model. The field test subjects were 24 students who studied fluids in the Fundamental Physics Course in the 2021/2022 academic year. Data were obtained through validation sheets and problem-solving questions. Data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results showed that the developed magazine was valid and effective in improving students' problem-solving skills with an N-gain score in the field trial of 0.96 with a high category and an effect size of 12.61 with a strong influence category. In addition, based on the different tests, it was known that there is a significant difference between problem-solving abilities before and after learning. The magazine also succeeded in encouraging students to campaign on environmental awareness, as shown in the environmental-themed posters they made and shared on social media. Thus, the developed magazine was valid and effective to improve problem-solving skills and encourage environmental awareness campaigns on fluids in the Fundamental Physics Course.

The 1970s witnessed the deepening of marketization because of the introduction of reform and opening up in China. Profound changes were observed in the ties among Chinese industry-featured universities, government competent authorities and the market. Faced with ever-evolving environment, China University of Geosciences (CUG) managed to transform itself from a single-discipline-group geological college to a multidisciplinary university with geological disciplines as its major feature, with integrated development of multiple disciplines. Drawing on the Second Curve Theory, this research presents a case study on CUG, with the strategic change concepts, practices, accomplishment and effects in various stages of its transformative development comprehensively covered and analyzed, making an attempt at summarizing features and implications of its strategic change. Findings of this research reveal that being adept at grasping well the timing for university change, establishing clearly-defined shared vision, developing the system of school running concepts and strategic planning, stressing management on strategic process and clearly identifying roles among leaders at all level, prove to be pivotal to the strategic change of CUG. The strategic change analysis framework of university transformative development could further add insights to theoretic discoveries in this field, and experience could be provided to transformative development of Chinese universities, and even those in other countries in the world.

There is a growing consensus that hydrology education should move towards student-led learning formats and simultaneously incorporate recent hydrologic technologies that reflect workforce expectations. Prior theory suggests improvements in learning outcomes from student-led learning; however, little empirical evidence has been collected to confirm this success. We measured the classroom impact of three teaching modalities: 1) instructor-led lectures, 2) student-led hydrologic modeling, and 3) student-led design evaluation studios. Educational outcomes were measured with student surveys, direct observation of class activity, and student grades. In aggregate, the student population did not express a significant preference for one modality over another, yet individual students showed dramatic preferences for each modality. This suggests best practice is to increase the variety of teaching modalities we employ as instructors to positively engage more students. The total frequency of interactions between students and the instructor was similar across all three modalities; however, the frequency of student-initiated engagements (both total and unique engagements) significantly increased in both student-led modalities. Variations in student enthusiasm did not correlate with written assessment scores. Alternating modalities improved interest in hydrologic science and perceptions of positive experiences, however, did not change the retention of hydrologic concepts. Multiple teaching modalities should be employed to engage the greatest number of students and generate enthusiasm, and multiple methods of assessing student learning should be employed.

Flipped classrooms have been shown to be useful in both introductory and advanced computational Earth Science courses. However, to date they have not been implemented in advanced level non-computational courses. Here we assess a three-year study into the use of flipped classroom techniques in a fourth year undergraduate Mineral Deposits class. One to two flipped classrooms were used to teach porphyry deposits, iron oxide copper gold and/or volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits. The effectiveness of the technique was assessed using a combination of student feedback forms, comparison of students' ability to answer exam questions from topics taught by flipped classroom versus other topics taught by traditional methods, and interviews with students 6 to 36 months after completion of the course. The students' ability to answer lecture exam questions was slightly higher in topics taught as flipped classrooms compared to traditional techniques. Whereas the students' ability to answer laboratory exam questions was slightly lower between topics taught as flipped classrooms. However, most students did think that the flipped classrooms were useful and aided in their learning of the material. The use of video lectures was particularly appreciated by some who found that it increased their flexibility and ability to absorb the material at their own pace. As such we determined that flipped classrooms are an effective technique for teaching upper-level non-computational Earth Science courses and they increased behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created numerous disruptions for educators and researchers, especially in 2020 and 2021. Critical in-person activities, including research, have been postponed or canceled throughout the academic and professional communities of the world. The Project SEED (Summer Experiences for the Economically Disadvantaged) program for high school students in the Ecohydrology Lab at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis was no exception. The 2020 and 2021 programs, originally scheduled for in person (2 months in the summer) was moved online with a similar time frame. The goals of Project SEED are to provide high school students with the opportunity to explore a career in the sciences and be involved in research at industries and universities. The goals remained the same during the virtual years and we had a total of two students who participated in the program in 2020 and 2021. In this commentary, we outline the experiences of moving the program to a virtual environment, and reflect on the experiences that motivated students' participation and success in the program with adjusted project designs. According to student reflections and our discussions with the students, changing the research experiences to include data gathering and analysis (data mining) from published literature rather than the usual hands-on experiments, regular online interactions, enhancing student independence, and making mentors easily accessible were effective in fostering students' participation and success in the program. With these new practices, the educational outcome of the virtual version of the Project SEED program is similar to the pre-pandemic program based on the quality of the final products (i.e., presentations) and students' reflections. Informed by these experiences, this commentary makes recommendations for developing virtual research environments to assist students in realizing their potential and research goals. The suggested practices have implications for other educational settings (e.g., international programs through virtual environments).

During remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed and implemented a place-based, 5E mini-unit for New York City high school and community college Earth science students, most of whom identify as belonging to non-dominant groups. As well as supporting standard science skills such as graphing and interpreting data, we leveraged active learning and culturally responsive pedagogies such as reasoning by analogy, storytelling, virtual field trips, and sketching. These strategies were aimed at developing science content and skills, science identities, and science interest. The mini-unit was taught over 6 to 7.5 hours. Pre- and post-surveys for 107 students from three schools showed significant gains in learning (38% increase; p= <0.0001). Science identity measurements increased slightly although they stayed relatively low. Science interest measurements were higher with small increases. Teacher influence and science classroom experiences ranked as the most important influencers of science interest. For 33 community college students, no correlation was found between content learning, science identity, and science interest. In this group, females and White students had higher scores for all three measures. Between pre- and post-survey, science identity increased, particularly for Black students, while science interest decreased for all but White students. For all students, overall increases between pre- and post-survey suggest the pedagogical approaches used during remote synchronous learning were successful at helping students grow as scientists.

Outdoor field experiences have long been part of the traditional curriculum in geoscience-related disciplines and are considered a key aspect of professional development in these areas. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancelation of many field excursions around the world, geoscience departments were forced to make abrupt changes to the ways students would be introduced to field study. Virtual field experiences, which were often utilized prior to COVID-19 in a variety of ways, including preparation for in-person fieldwork, increasing student interest, and increasing student accessibility, were developed and employed as alternative options to in-person field experiences. This embedded mixed-methods study used open, hierarchical coding schemes with referential category structure to code open-ended survey responses from 89 department heads and 27 instructors in geoscience-related departments across the U.S. The study was aimed at better understanding acceptance and familiarity with VFEs, motivations for use, and the benefits and barriers encountered during development and implementation. Binary quantitative data was collected to identify institution type, familiarity with, and motivation for the use of VFEs. Opportunities for student diversity, inclusion, and access for students from historically underrepresented groups (BIPOC, disabled students, women, and LGBTQ + students) were the most immediate benefits recognized. The most often cited barriers were time, skills, and resources needed to create VFEs and put them to use. As VFEs have been utilized in a variety of ways before and during COVID-19, it has become increasingly necessary to discuss the roles they will play going forward in academic and professional geoscience-related spaces.

The need for data literacy is an increasingly pressing priority in society, but most of the work in data-centred education has focused on developing skills at the middle school, secondary, and post-secondary levels, with little attention on the potential for engaging elementary-aged students in reasoning with and about data. This paper reports findings from a foundational study to explore the natural strengths, skills, and strategies that upper elementary students bring to reasoning about data-centred problems. It was the first phase of a project that aimed to design and test activities to promote data literacy among upper elementary students. Clinical interviews with students in grades 3, 4, and 5 centred on a series of non-mathematical data 'scenarios' designed to elicit students' reasoning about data without requiring them to manipulate or interpret tabular or graphical representations. The findings indicate that young students were able to reason about multivariate problems and were particularly adept at thinking critically about the data sources and evidence in the data. The findings indicate that students bring foundational strengths that can inform the development of curricular interventions, as well as stimulate further research into the early stages of students' development of data literacy.

'A lack of prior knowledge in the other discipline' is often given by geoscience instructors to explain why students struggle to apply knowledge from other disciplines to the Earth. We examine this assumption by considering the disciplinary crossing of buoyancy (physics) to isostasy (geoscience). We investigate the teachers' perspective through workshops, and use the theoretical framework of Interdisciplinary Reasoning and Communication to explore what geoscience textbooks ask of students. Most introductory textbooks rely on students applying pre-existing knowledge of hydrostatics in a geoscience context ("forwards transfer"), while intermediate and advanced textbooks develop the necessary physics explicitly in a geoscientific context ("backwards transfer"). Moreover, introductory textbooks frequently use analogies for "concrete translation" between physics and geoscience ideas, but the analogical relations and where they break down ("relational translations"), receive little attention. This places high demands on students' prior understanding of hydrostatics to successfully integrate and transfer knowledge from physics to geoscience. If students lack the relevant physics background, introductory textbooks may force them to rely on intuitive ideas of physics, potentially reinforcing old, and giving rise to new misconceptions. Our results move the focus from perceived shortcomings of students to the demands made on them in interdisciplinary learning.

An opportunity exists to attract students from historically underrepresented communities into the geosciences, the least diverse of the STEM fields. Home to a diverse population, Riverside County in Southern California supports several community colleges with thriving geoscience programs where students can take a range of geology courses in preparation for a geology major at 4-year universities. The Geoscientist Development (GEODE) Program is designed to recruit and retain students from underrepresented groups into geoscience majors and careers and increase students' interest in transferring from a 2-year college to a 4-year college. In this study, we examined how participation in a 10-week paid research internship affected students' interest in studying and pursuing a degree or career in geoscience. Combining quantitative analysis of Likert-style survey questions and thematic content analysis of open-ended questions, we determined that paid research internships positively impacted students' interest in geoscience and increased their interest in transferring from their 2-year college to a 4-year university. The students reported benefits of new research skills, career preparation, and networking; they struggled with a lack of background knowledge and a lack of research time. These results demonstrate a promising way to strengthen geoscience educational pathways and increase diversity in the geosciences. This program can be implemented at other institutions by forming cross-campus relationships and with relatively small financial commitments.

Integrated river science provides decision-making life-skills for individuals and communities facing environmental change; it is a variant of critical physical geography through its socio-political dimensions. As an example, the frequency and magnitude of river flooding are amplified by climate change: society needs to understand how to cope through learning, adaptative behaviour and planning. Choices should be informed by trusted science that can only be delivered by education, to avoid "knee jerk" post-hazard reactions. We examine curricula and resources in physical geography for England to judge if they make river science more pervasive and persuasive. "Scales" of causation and impact remain a central geographical focus. The concept of "place" is revitalized: environmental processes harnessed to improve resilience. Literacy and numeracy skills to communicate and predict need improving, to ensure that students understand problems sufficiently well to identify the best long-term, rigorously assessed options. Higher education has a hub role for empowering lay individuals, communities and professionals but the core learning principles need to be set at school. We conclude the current physical geography river science content is not fit for future needs, notably at A-Level. Weaknesses include naivety about river processes (water and sediment movement), arcane jargon, absence of a catchment-wide approach to river management, and inadequate links between disciplined fieldwork and databases. Contemporary community dimensions of social learning, argument and countering myths are also weakly developed.

Equitable sensemaking allows for meaningful understanding of the big ideas of science and deeper engagement in science practices. Many nonscience majors, including elementary preservice teachers (PSTs), do not have opportunities to engage in equitable sensemaking within their secondary or college-level courses. An innovative cycle to support engagement in equitable sensemaking, the Local Ecosystem Observation Cycle (LEOCycle), was used in online and in-person sections of an integrated Earth and life science undergraduate course for PSTs. In the LEOCycle, students observe, wonder, investigate, and make sense of phenomena within their local ecosystem through an online platform. The PSTs' surveys and work within the course suggested that the LEOCycle facilitated students' connections between the ideas within the course and their personal experiences and supported the development of a community of practice. The LEOCycle provides an example of how to facilitate students' equitable sensemaking of science ideas in local ecosystems within science content courses.

Undergraduate summer field programs are valuable experiences that can foster or reduce students' self-efficacy, an important factor in students' success and retention in geoscience. Growing research findings show that science field experiences can be hostile and unwelcoming to students with marginalized identities, which may negatively impact their self-efficacy in geoscience, a discipline with a dearth of students from underrepresented, marginalized identities. We conducted an interpretive qualitative study examining how summer geoscience field programs affected two undergraduate, marginalized students' self-efficacy. Adding to existing theoretical explanations of self-efficacy, we identified three types of self-efficacy impacted positively and negatively by geoscience field experiences: academic, physical, and social self-efficacy. We developed a nuanced understanding of the specific field experiences that influenced the 'ups and downs' of students' self-efficacy and, ultimately, their intent in continuing to pursue a geoscience education or career. Despite negative experiences, including gender discrimination, crude sexual jokes, and a lack of belonging, the students described their intent to persist in geoscience. Our findings can assist geoscience educators (and others in field-based sciences) to consider experiences that support and hinder marginalized students' self-efficacy. Also, our findings can guide efforts to improve geoscience field programs to create more inclusive environments.

The purpose of this study was to investigate undergraduate students' conceptions of Earth scientists, using drawing as a tool, during introductory Earth science courses. We explored two research questions: 1) What student conceptions are evident in undergraduate students' drawings of Earth scientists? and 2) How do undergraduate students' conceptions of Earth scientists--as evidenced in their drawings--change as a result of completing an introductory Earth science course? We collected pre- and post-drawings of Earth scientists from 94 students in six introductory Earth science courses at two universities and coded the 188 drawings across 39 indicators. We used Chi Square Goodness of Fit Tests to identify significant shifts between pre- and post-drawings and effect sizes with Cohen's W. Twelve indicators demonstrated higher frequencies and eleven indicators showed significant change (with small, medium, and large effects) between the pre- to post-drawings collected at the beginning and end of each course. The results suggest that unsophisticated conceptions exist, especially at the beginning of an introductory Earth science course. Yet overall, findings indicate that in the courses from which we drew our data, most students had an informed view of Earth science as a field and the work of Earth scientists. Additionally, student ideas about Earth scientists primarily investigating rocks, minerals, and soil, expanded to include other areas of investigation such as the atmosphere and bodies of water. We propose that drawings can serve as an additional valuable tool in an instructor's toolbox for understanding students' conceptions of Earth scientists, which has important implications for instruction and curriculum design.

This paper pilots a method of testing the learning effects of a role-playing simulation of negotiations over the Nile basin. Players negotiate how to apply general principles from international law, such as sharing water equitably and avoiding significant harm, to specific circumstances of the river basin. Students are presented with a set of factual statements about the basin and surveyed before and after play as to which facts will be (were) most important in negotiations. Surveys of 75 participating graduate students show interesting patterns: (1) a shift from emphasis on managing risks to exploiting cooperative opportunities; (2) change in the value orientation of the statements students consider most important, with development-oriented values increasing and environment-oriented values decreasing; and (3) change in the dimensions of power students consider most salient, including an increased appreciation for the institutional and knowledge-related elements of power and a de-emphasis on the structural aspects of power. Before-and-after surveying offers an alternative to the more common methods of learning assessment, based on knowledge acquisition or student satisfaction, while discussion of the survey results with students allows for a richer, more reflective learning experience.

Visual representations of data are widely used for communication and understanding, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, despite their importance, many people have difficulty understanding data-based visualizations. This work presents a series of three studies that examine how understanding time-based Earth-science data visualizations are influenced by scale and the different directions time can be represented (e.g., the Geologic Time Scale represents time moving from bottom-to-top, whereas many calendars represent time moving left-to-right). In Study 1, 316 visualizations from two top scholarly geoscience journals were analyzed for how time was represented. These expert-made graphs represented time in a range of ways, with smaller timescales more likely to be represented as moving left-to-right and larger scales more likely to be represented in other directions. In Study 2, 47 STEM novices were recruited from an undergraduate psychology experiment pool and asked to construct four separate graphs representing change over two scales of time (Earth's history or a single day) and two phenomena (temperature or sea level). Novices overwhelmingly represented time moving from left-to-right, regardless of scale. In Study 3, 40 STEM novices were shown expert-made graphs where the direction of time varied. Novices had difficulty interpreting the expert-made graphs when time was represented moving in directions other than left-to-right. The study highlights the importance of considering representations of time and scale in STEM education and offers insights into how experts and novices approach visualizations. The findings inform the development of educational resources and strategies to improve students' understanding of scientific concepts where time and space are intrinsically related.

Inspired by a theoretical view of knowledge as a resource, this study explored in detail how a student used knowledge as a resource when she engaged in problem-solving about rocks and what she learned as a result of the practice of solving scientific problems. The context of the study was an inquiry project conducted in an earth science course for preservice elementary teachers offered in a university in Korea. In the project, students were given three different rocks and asked to figure out how each rock had been formed. Data included a student's written report about her inquiry and interviews with her, which were analyzed qualitatively. It was revealed that to solve the rock problems, the student used different types of knowledge as resources--everyday knowledge, personally internalized disciplinary knowledge, and externally retrieved scientific knowledge. The ways the student utilized the knowledge involved three distinctive processes--activation, adaptation, and evaluation of the resources, each of which had subordinate processes of using knowledge--elicitation, search, refinement, combination, selection, and deactivation of the resources. As a result of the scientific problem-solving, the student learned the usefulness and value of knowledge, enhanced previous knowledge, and realized both the limitations of her knowledge and the need for learning new knowledge. Based on these findings, the study proposed a new framework that conceptualized science learning as rediscovery (SLR) and discussed science pedagogies suitable to the SLR framework.