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The aim of the study was to describe, categorise and analyse students’ (aged 14–16) processes of scientific inquiry in biology and chemistry education. Therefore, a theoretical structure for scientific inquiry for both biology and chemistry, the VerE model, was developed. This model consists of nine epistemological acts, which combine processes of scientific thinking and inquiry methods. Based on the theoretical structure, a paper-and-pencil test was developed to investigate the students’ abilities in the acts of scientific inquiry. Each of the nine acts was operationalised to generate multiple-choice items. For each act, ten items were constructed. In total, ninety items per subject were tested in a field study to evaluate their psychometric quality. The article focuses on the outcomes for testing in biology. In biology, 537 students were tested with a paper-and-pencil test, following a multi-matrix design in which each student solved twenty-seven items. Data from 260 students have been analysed so far. Seventy-five items showed satisfactory item characteristics. The distribution of the items’ difficulties fits the students’ abilities appropriately. We conclude that theory-driven epistemological acts can be operationalised in tasks that assess students’ abilities in scientific inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper draws upon in-depth interviews with 89 students from two UK universities to explore how students from Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) degrees describe the ideal as well as the typical student in their respective disciplines. We provide a comparative insight into the similarities and differences between disciplinary identities based on student perceptions. More specifically, we consider how undergraduates from biology, engineering, mathematics and physics construct the ideal and the typical student in their degree, highlighting the popular discourses and desirable traits that appear to characterise students in these disciplines. In addition to a masculinised construction of students in engineering, mathematics and physics, we found a social hierarchy within STEM degrees where biology was perceived as the easier STEM subject. We conclude with a discussion of the impact of such hierarchies on student identities in STEM, and potential implications for equality, diversity and inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how biodiversity is represented at the Life in Crisis Schad Gallery of Biodiversity (Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto). Using theoretical perspectives related to science, technology, society and environment (STSE), and biodiversity in science museums, we conducted a qualitative case study of the exhibit. Data collection included records of the exhibit through photos and videos; field notes; in-depth interviews with two museum professionals; and collection of documents and artifacts. The first analytical stage, based on inductive analysis, revealed that biodiversity is being represented as an 'unknown' topic, a loss and an unfinished narrative. The second analytical stage, deductively supported by the STSE framework, reflected a prominent logical reasoning angle, through which biological perspectives are routinary reflected in the exhibit. Our analyses also revealed hints of environmental ethics, stewardship, socio-ecojustice and value-centered views often associated in the exhibit with worldwide environmental issues and the idea of generic human beings. Our study suggests that the STSE lens can provide a framework to support the work of science museums around topics like biodiversity. It also highlights the importance of bringing local perspectives to the exhibit content, engaging with critical pedagogical strategies and amplifying the concept of sociobiodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses relationship between biology and education, biological rationalities and social theory.

This paper represents and contextualizes the use of advanced technologies in a high school biology classroom to enhance inquiry in traditional science curriculum by drawing upon two years' worth of data. This paper presents the research-practitioners' reflections and understanding of the application of Type II technology's impact when integrated in service to authentic science education at the secondary level. The goal of this paper is twofold: (a) to demonstrate the effectiveness of Type TI applications of technology in creating an environment that allows students to be scientists in their own classroom, and (b) to provide a medium for the students' voices to convey the importance they attach to this type of opportunity. Obviously, a critical point is the role science educators must play in creating computer-mediated curricular models that nurture a community of learners, both in the immediate classroom and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to present an appraisal of a lesson-study implementation with pre-service biology teachers concerning a health education issue, how blood pressure works and how it is affected. The participants were 11 pre-service teachers, a secondary school biology teacher and three teacher educators from a local University. A qualitative and interpretative approach was followed. Data were collected through participant observation, content analysis of the pre-service biology teachers' individual written reflections, and their proposal of a lesson plan. The results evidenced the value of this formative approach, concerning the learning opportunities it offers, not only related to the scientific content knowledge but also the didactic knowledge developed by pre-service teachers. They seemed to develop a holistic understanding of how to teach a theme as multidimensional as this one, health education, but they also developed didactic knowledge related to different central aspects of the teaching process, concerning lesson planning, task development, classroom management, and communication, and became aware of the importance of developing several crucial competencies as science teachers. The lesson-study approach revealed to be a strategy for learning about teaching planning that has the particularity of bringing theory and practice remarkably closer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objective was to investigate the impact of the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) on undergraduates’ ability to express logical conclusions and include appropriate evidence in formal writing assignments. Students in three laboratory sections were randomly allocated to the SWH treatment (n = 51 students) with another three sections serving as a control (n = 47 students). All sections received an identical formal writing assignment to report results of laboratory activities. Four blinded raters used a 6-point rating scheme to evaluate the quality of students’ writing performance. Raters’ independent scoring agreement was evaluated using Cronbach'sα. Paper scores were compared using at-test, then papers were combined into low-scoring (3.5 of 6 points) or high-scoring (>3.5 of 6 points) sets and SWH and control cohorts were compared using Pearson's chi-square test. Papers from the SWH cohort were significantly (P = 0.02) more likely to receive a high score than those from the control cohort. Overall scores of SWH cohort papers tended to be higher (P = 0.07) than those from the control cohort. Gains in student conceptual understanding elicited by the SWH approach improved student ability to express logical conclusions about their data and include appropriate evidence to support those conclusions in formal research reports. Extending the writing tasks of the SWH to formal writing assignments can improve the ability of undergraduates to argue effectively for their research findings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Uncertainty is an inherent aspect of the world we live in and is necessarily part of scientific knowledge and scientific inquiry. This paper presents a multi-case study about (1) how uncertainty occurs in the context of teaching and learning in a biology class about genetic engineering and (2) how K12 students deal with the occurring uncertainty. Designed as a Grounded Theory study, classroom observations (including videography) were combined with problem-centred interviews. Contrary to what was expected at the beginning of the study, the data did not contain considerable traces of uncertainty related to or caused by the actual genetic engineering content. Rather, it became apparent that the central phenomenon in the data related to uncertainty refers to the very norms of the biology classroom. Confronted with uncertainty the students tried to exclude the uncertain questions and situations from biology education, arguing that biology is about certain facts that should be reproduced by students. These findings are discussed relative to disciplinary cultures and the concept of habitus as well as in its relevance for the discourse about nature of science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of England, secondary biology education is dominated by sub-organismal systems, such as physiology, often to the detriment of evolution & ecology and impeding an integrated understanding of biology. This paper proposes a framework that teachers could use to help them consider how the learning of physiological and developmental systems can be combined with ecological and evolutionary thinking. Thus, keeping a balance between anthropomorphic contexts, and those of nature. The framework has two axes: physio-developmental – ecology, and contemporary – evolutionary, from which four quadrants emerge for consideration during topic design. It is proposed that topic design in general should be centred on the whole organism in its environment, which would ensure that physiological phenomena are contextualised in the organism's ecology. Furthermore, it is proposed that by pedagogical use of comparative biology, an evolutionary perspective can be integrated with organismal systems and ecology, whilst also offering more opportunities for students to discern the pattern being studied and be exposed to more non-human organisms. The framework is designed for practising teachers and would not require a radical change in pedagogy or teaching resources, but a new way of seeing the content and organisation of the course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microscopy is not specifically mentioned in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and consequently secondary education limits its use to learning parts, procedures, and observing fixed specimen slides. However, when alternative approaches (See Section IV in this paper) are encouraged, microscopy provides opportunities for hands-on learning, engagement, use of models, and gaining a sense of size, scale, and hierarchical organisation. This article reviews living organism- and ecosystem-based microscopy originally designed for gifted and talented education, and how it could support the NGSS Life Science Framework. The paper begins with a review of curriculum, then discusses (1) five ongoing microscope applications relevant to the NGSS, including mini-ponds modelling ecosystem-organism functions; (2) data from pre- and post-testing as a measure of comprehensive learning; and, (3) a culminating communication project/exhibit on pond life, environmental conditions, and pollution effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes a biology tutoring system with adaptive question selection. Questions were selected for presentation to the student based on their utilities, which were estimated from the chance that the student’s competence would increase if the questions were asked. Competence was represented by the probability of mastery of a set of biology knowledge components. Tasks were represented and selected based on which knowledge components they addressed. Unlike earlier work, where the knowledge components and their relationships to the questions were defined by domain experts, this project demonstrated that the knowledge components, questions and their relationships could all be generated from a semantic network. An experiment found that students using our adaptive question selection had reliably larger learning gains than students who received questions in a mal-adaptive order. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The study presented in this paper integrates data from four combined research studies, which are both qualitative and quantitative in nature. The studies describe freshman science student teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning. These freshmen intend to become teachers in Germany in one of four science teaching domains (secondary biology, chemistry, and physics, respectively, as well as primary school science). The qualitative data from the first study are based on student teachers' drawings of themselves in teaching situations. It was formulated using Grounded Theory to test three scales: Beliefs about Classroom Organisation, Beliefs about Teaching Objectives, and Epistemological Beliefs. Three further quantitative studies give insight into student teachers' curricular beliefs, their beliefs about the nature of science itself, and about the student- and/or teacher-centredness of science teaching. This paper describes a design to integrate all these data within a mixed methods framework. The aim of the current study is to describe a broad, triangulated picture of freshman science student teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning within their respective science teaching domain. The study reveals clear tendencies between the sub-groups. The results suggest that freshman chemistry and—even more pronouncedly—freshman physics student teachers profess quite traditional beliefs about science teaching and learning. Biology and primary school student teachers express beliefs about their subjects which are more in line with modern educational theory. The mixed methods approach towards the student teachers' beliefs is reflected upon and implications for science education and science teacher education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Previous research suggests that students use metaphors when asked to explain digestive processes and nutritional uptake. In this paper, we describe the results of a study designed to gain a deeper understanding of how metaphors and anthropomorphisms are used by students when describing such processes. We applied analyses based on the systemic-functional grammar framework to 123 student responses to a question about nutrition on a Swedish national test in biology in order to identify, describe and analyse how students use metaphors and to understand the linguistic structure of those metaphors. We also considered how the metaphors are linked to metaphor systems and anthropomorphisms, thereby gaining a deeper understanding of the role of metaphors in this area. The results of our analyses provide important insights into how students understand digestion and nutrition and could provide the basis for improved teaching materials and methods for these important topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the end of the nineteenth century, biology as an academic discipline was as young as its corresponding school subject. Now nature itself was analysed as a complex (eco)system consisting of animals, plants, and man. The dramatic conceptual shift and subsequent development of school curricula called for teaching aids representing the new perspective on nature. The paper uses the different types of teaching aids as "index fossils" (Andreas Ludwig) of a specific material culture of education. Thereby we follow a central organising element of contemporary educational concepts around 1900: we will place the teaching aids on a continuum, reaching from "almost real" representations by taxidermists, to abstract schematics on wallcharts, or to wild life in moving pictures to describe and reflect powerful and lasting forms of vividness representing nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents a case of model-building in biology through microanalysis of one student's interaction with 'Science for Living: The Circulatory System' (SFL), an interactive multimedia resource prototype for research. When SFL was used in a technology-rich, tenth grade (15-16 years of age) biology classroom, extensive data ranging from preconceptions tests to videotapes, projects and computer logs of work sessions were collected. This paper describes the student's learning goals, gains and activities with particular attention to interactions with representations, then contrasts them with those of classmates. The representations accessed by the learner were analysed with respect to contributions to mental models, the challenges posed by the representations and the effectiveness of the interface in overcoming those challenges. This rich and systematic description of model-building with multimedia enabled the formation of an initial model of model-based learning in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of school curricula to public understanding and acceptance of evolution is still mostly unknown, due to the scarcity of studies that compare the learning goals present in different curricula. To overcome this lack of data we analysed 19 school curricula (18 European and one from Israel) to study the differences regarding the inclusion of learning goals targeting evolution understanding. We performed a quantitative content analysis using the Framework for the Assessment of school Curricula on the presence of Evolutionary concepts (FACE). For each country/region we analysed what this educational system considered the minimum evolution education a citizen should get. Our results reveal that: (i) the curricula include less than half of the learning goals considered important for scientific literacy in evolution; (ii) the most frequent learning goals address basic knowledge of evolution; (iii) learning goals related with the processes that drive evolution are often not included or rarely mentioned; (iv) evolution is most often not linked to its applications in everyday life. These results highlight the need to rethink evolution education across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the cognitive experiences of four religious students studying evolutionary biology in an inner city government secondary school in Melbourne, Australia. The participants in the study were identified using the Religious Background and Behaviours questionnaire (Connors, Tonigan, & Miller, 1996). Participants were interviewed and asked to respond to questions about their cognitive experiences of studying evolutionary biology. Students' responses were analysed using cultural analysis of discourse to construct a cultural model of religious students of science. This cultural model suggests that these students employ a human schema and a non-human schema, which assert that humans are fundamentally different from non-humans in terms of origins and that humans have a transcendental purpose in life. For these students, these maxims seem to be challenged by their belief that evolutionary biology is dictated by metaphysical naturalism. The model suggests that because the existential foundation of these students is challenged, they employ a believing schema to classify their religious explanations and a learning schema to classify evolutionary biology. These schemas are then hierarchically arranged with the learning schema being made subordinate to the believing schema. Importantly, these students are thus able to maintain their existential foundation while fulfilling the requirements of school science. However, the quality of this “learning” is questionable. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research supports an explicit-reflective approach to teaching about nature of science (NOS), but little is reported on teachers' journeys as they attempt to integrate NOS into everyday lessons. This participatory action research paper reports the challenges and successes encountered by an in-service teacher, Sarah, implementing NOS for the first time throughout four units of a community college biology course (genetics, molecular biology, evolution, and ecology). Through the action research cycles of planning, implementing, and reflecting, Sarah identified areas of challenge and success. This paper reports emergent themes that assisted her in successfully embedding NOS within the science content. Data include weekly lesson plans and pre/post reflective journaling before and after each lesson of this lecture/lab combination class that met twice a week. This course was taught back to back semesters, and this study is based on the results of a year-long process. Developing pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for NOS involves coming to understand the overlaps and connections between NOS, other science subject matter, pedagogical strategies, and student learning. Sarah found that through action research she was able to grow and assimilate her understanding of NOS within the biology content she was teaching. A shift in orientation toward teaching products of science to teaching science processes was a necessary shift for NOS pedagogical success. This process enabled Sarah's development of PCK for NOS. As a practical example of putting research-based instructional recommendations into practice, this study may be very useful for other teachers who are learning to teach NOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen science is a rapidly growing emerging field in science and it is gaining importance in education. Therefore, this study was conducted to document the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of biology teachers who participated in a citizen science project involving observation of wild bees and identification of butterflies. In this paper, knowledge about how these biological methods can be taught to students is presented. After two years in the project, four teachers were interviewed and their PCK was captured in the form of content representations (CoRes) and Pedagogical and Professional-Experience Repertoires (PaP-eRs). These results can help future citizen science projects to link their activities to the school curriculum. But not only success can be reported: although one of the project team’s aims was to make the Nature of Science accessible to the teachers and students in the course of the project, the teachers did not take this aspect into account. This paper discusses the possible reasons and proposes various strategies for improving citizen science in the context of school biology learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study endeavors to identify ways to promote a productive learning culture in higher education. Specifically, we sought to encourage development of internal values in students’ culture of learning and examine how this can promote their understanding of scientific content. Set in a high enrollment undergraduate biology course, we designed a technology-enhanced learning environment in which we gradually introduced features designed to promote this culture. These features included digital resources and socio-constructivist activities that reshaped students’ and instructors’ roles. In this paper we focus on the relation between this design and indications of internal values in students’ learning processes. Data from 76 student interviews were analyzed phenomenographically using the Culture of Learning Continuum conceptual framework developed in this study, which synthesizes perspectives from education, psychology and sociology. Findings indicate that the intervention succeeded in promoting an internal value-based culture of learning, which enabled students to develop deeper understanding of scientific content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field trips provide real-world learning opportunities in biology education as they promote knowledge about nature among other things. As biodiversity is declining knowledge of species is important for understanding and appreciating the natural world and its implications. Many field guides are digitally available, but differences from traditional book-based guides are understudied. This case study compares the effectiveness of a traditional book field guide with a mobile species identification app during a bird field trip on cognitive, motivational, and affective outcomes for college students (N = 133). Linear mixed models indicate no differences in bird species knowledge between the groups before and after the field trip. However, participants in the book group felt more competent and reported a higher interest after the field trip. This suggests that books could probably still add value to learning in the field. They should not be dismissed as they can be useful tools for students by enhancing confidence and contribute to the learning experience in a different way to mobile apps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies in biology have shown that students perceive variation and evolution to be difficult areas to learn. This has sparked rote learning of variation and evolution concepts and is evidenced in poor performance in tests involving these concepts. In light of the significant role of variation and evolution in a human's acquaintance with themselves and their environment, there is a need to ensure that students possess meaningful learning of variation and evolution rather than learning by rote. Hence, this study investigated if the use of CTCA as an intervention will enhance students' performance in variation and evolution concepts in biology. The potency of the culturo-techno-contextual approach was tried out in this study with 156 senior secondary two biology students, equivalent to (11th grade) with an average age of 14 years. The research design was a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test non-equivalent group design. Data on meaningful learning was collected using a 35 multiple-choice item test of Meaningful Learning in Variation and Evolution. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was, however, determined to be 0.77. Data collected were analysed using ANCOVA since the random assignment of subjects was not achieved. The 76 students in the experimental group who were taught variation and evolution using CTCA performed significantly better F(1, 134) = 15.40; p < 0.0001] than their control group counterparts (N = 80). The data from this study support the potency of the culturo-techno-contextual approach in bringing about the learning of variation and evolution in a meaningful manner. The implications of these results for teacher education in biology are addressed in the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how students invoked different conceptions of ‘nature’ in eight socio-scientific group discussions about human gene therapy. The paper illustrates and discusses how the students articulated nature and to what extent they elicited science factual content in the process. While the students in this study invoked nature at key places in a variety of dialectical contexts in the discussions, these invocations were often uncritical appeals and rarely involved science factual content. Even when an argument from nature was challenged, the author of that argument would often shift the sense of nature rather than elaborate upon the argumentation. It is argued that if students were properly introduced to the evaluative character of the term ‘nature’ it would not just be conducive to the quality of their argumentation, but also invite them to foreground science factual content at key places in their discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The object of this paper is to learn what little children know about the inside of their bodies before they have studied these particular aspects at school. The data for our project were collected by means of drawings made by 342 Spanish children aged four to seven. They were required to depict where the food, drink, and air which enter their bodies go. In addition to this, we intend to study how the ideas of children evolve during three consecutive years. For this purpose, a group of 32 subjects was monitored. Our findings show that the children recognise specific organs in their own bodies which they associate with the intake of food and air. Furthermore, they usually extrapolate those organs to other animals they are familiar with. Their ideas about the digestive system are more adequate than the ones about the respiratory system, though their ideas improve as they become older, above all those concerning the digestive system. Taking these findings as a basis, this paper suggests some points to be taken into consideration for teaching purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we report a large-scale study designed to evaluate the impact of masters courses on the professional development of science school teachers and, consequently, on the improvement of the quality of science education. The underlying assumption of this study is that masters teachers are widely recognized as assuming a relevant role to establish bridges between education research and practices, not only as knowledge producers but also as mediators and privileged users of the knowledge produced by research. The empirical study was conducted with science teachers who experienced advanced professional education programmes, leading to masters degrees, in some specific areas of science or science education. Data were collected through a written questionnaire answered by 81 masters teachers who concluded their masters courses between 2001 and 2005 in 12 Portuguese universities. The results indicate that the majority of respondents (80%) considered the existence of an impact on their professional practice, namely, (i) stronger critical attitudes about the teaching and learning process, (ii) the use of more diversified (or new) teaching strategies, (iii) a deeper professional knowledge, and (iv) a higher confidence in discussions with their peers. Looking deeply at concrete examples of impact, the results show that 63% of answers were examples of micro-impact, e.g. an impact in the classroom. However, some masters teachers (20%) mentioned little impact on their professional practice, as the content of the course was not articulated with the reality of school practices. There is an overlap of the results found here with other studies which suggests that there is still a need to increase the links between higher education universities, responsible for teacher education programmes, and secondary schools. The main obstacles to transferring research knowledge, developed during the masters course, to professional activities are found and some suggestions for overcoming them are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article traces the historical foundations of the Yerkes-Dodson Law from its experimental foundations in the first decade of the 20th century, to its recognition as a generalizable phenomenon in multiple species including humans and to more current attempts to understand its molecular basis within the framework of stress-related biological processes. Within this context, the biological and dose-response characteristics of the Yerkes-Dodson Law are evaluated and compared to the hormesis dose-response model. Based on this evaluation, which includes study design analysis, statistical models of multiple factor/chemical interaction, and a comparative assessment of the quantitative features of these respective dose-response relationships and their molecular foundations, the Yerkes-Dodson Law is shown to represent a special case of the general concept of hormesis illustrating the interaction of two independent study variables, which has typically been observed to be an additive response, although not theoretically restricted to one. The conceptual integration of the Yerkes-Dodson Law within the hormetic dose response framework adds further support for the generalization of the hormesis concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several reports published within the issue, including one on the teaching of mathematics to biology students in a variety of settings and another on the complementary problem of teaching biology to mathematics students.

Research in learning progressions (LPs) has been essential towards building understanding of how students’ ideas change over time. There has been little work, however, into how ideas between separate but related constructs within a multi-faceted LP relate. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on the idea ofprogression websto model connections within and between related constructs simultaneously, and to explain and demonstrate the efficacy of path analysis towards validating a hypothesised progression web for understanding of modern genetics. Specifically, we evaluate strength of evidence for a progression web based upon multiple related constructs within a multi-faceted LP describing undergraduate biology students’ understanding of genetics. We then utilise the progression web to generalise theory around how undergraduate students understand relationships between related genetics concepts, and how they use simpler concepts to scaffold those which are more complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report on the DNA stamp kit, an innovative tool for molecular biology education that has, in recent years, become widely used in upper secondary schools in the Netherlands. This stamp kit is a versatile teaching and learning tool that can be used for embodied simulations (i.e. simulations using tangible materials and/or bodily movements) of DNA-replication and protein synthesis. Teachers have also started using the DNA stamp kit and accompanying DNA font to develop embodied simulations of other genetic and epigenetic processes, such as DNA-methylation and genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9. During these simulations, students typically play the role of enzymes, and are responsible for the manipulation of physical representations of biological structures in their own interpersonal space. A questionnaire completed by 56 teachers suggests that simulations with the DNA stamp kit (a) increase students' motivation, (b) increase students' understanding, (c) reveal misconceptions and facilitate formative assessment, and (d) help students to remember the simulated processes. Video recordings and student evaluations of eight lessons with the stamp kit provide preliminary evidence supporting these claims. Educational implications and directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study examines how material resistance (limitations posed by the physical world) and graph interpretation intersected during a high school biology investigation using digital sensors. We use an extended episode from a small group to illustrate how, in an inquiry-based unit, measuring near the resolution limit of a sensor caused scaling issues in graphs. Qualitative videotape analysis focuses on both the students' attempts to make sense of a perceived lack of variation in the collected data and the teacher's and classroom researchers' misinterpretation of the students' difficulties with graph interpretation. We suggest that these educators, though experienced, could have benefited from additional strategies to help them recognise and respond to graph interpretation issues introduced by digital representations of real-world data, and that the students could have benefited from explicit prompts to discuss the limitations of their equipment. We describe several implications for researchers, teachers, and curriculum developers interested in implementing inquiry-based biology investigations using sensor data. We argue that students should be supported to recognise that encountering unexpected results from their investigations and working to understand what these results have to say about the real world is an important and valid part of the practice of real science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the relationship between written and oral reasoning in an undergraduate chemistry laboratory course as part of an argument-based inquiry approach, which is also a generative learning environment, known as the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH). The study employed the data-transformation variant of convergent design of mixed-method research. Data sources included 180 laboratory reports from nine Pre-service Science Teachers (PSTs) and 20 video recordings across two semesters. Using Walton's argument schemes, PSTs' development, utilisation and correlation of written and oral reasoning and an argument cycle of premise-justification-conclusion were examined. A Friedman test and a Spearman-Brown correlation were conducted for statistical analysis. The results revealed that there is a positive correlation between written and oral reasoning. While the quality of PSTs' written reasoning significantly increased from the first time phase to the following time phases, this pattern was not observed in oral reasoning. An argument cycle of premise-justification-conclusion occurred in each phase of oral arguments. However, this cycle did not occur in every facet of the SWH process across all time phases in written arguments. The study suggests that pre-service science teachers should be provided with learning environments that will allow them to make external evaluations and engage in talking, reading and writing activities for learning purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-Determination Theory and Flow Theory propose that perceived autonomy fosters the positive qualities of motivation and flow-experience. Autonomy-support can help to maintain students' motivation in very interesting learning activities and may lead to an increase in the positive qualities of motivation in less interesting learning activities. This paper investigates whether autonomy-supportive or controlling teaching behaviour influence students' motivation and flow-experience in biology class. In study 1, 158 students of grade six worked on the adaptations of Harvest Mice (Micromys minutus) with living animals. The 153 sixth graders of study 2 dealt with the same content but instead worked with short films on laptops. Previous studies have shown that students perceive film sequences as less interesting than working with living animals. Students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience were measured at the end of the first and the third lesson. In study 1, autonomy-supportive teaching behaviour led to significant differences in students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience when compared to controlling teaching behaviour. In study 2, motivation and flow-experience were not always in line with theory. The positive effects of autonomy-supportive and the non-beneficial effects of the controlling teaching behaviour seem to be dependent on the interestingness of the teaching material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a critical global public health issue. It leads to numerous health conditions that limit the quality and length of life, placing a huge burden on healthcare systems around the world. Scholars believe that the fight against obesity can be won only through multidisciplinary efforts. However, the literature on people’s understanding of obesity is limited, perhaps because this topic does not attract the attention of educators at the appropriate level. Although existing studies show that people lack understanding about the mechanisms of obesity, most of the arguments in these papers suffer from a lack of theoretical background and methodological problems. Therefore, we conceived the present study based on a sound theory (conceptual change) in order to understand school students’ conceptual patterns regarding weight gain, which is an important component of obesity knowledge. A written questionnaire probing the mechanism of weight gain was distributed to 151 secondary school students in the Turkish part of Cyprus. Content analysis was applied to students’ compositions. The results showed that students have six major conceptual patterns about weight gain. They also hold a range of misconceptions and misunderstandings, and sometimes have no conceptions. At the end of the paper, we discuss possible curricular and teaching implications based on the patterns and incorrect knowledge structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a mixed-model case study of designing and implementing a constructivist teaching intervention about reproduction and physical family resemblance for young children. The objective of the study was to explore whether the ways that preschoolers reason about the resemblance between offspring and parents can be improved with a teaching intervention that introduces a rudimentary idea of genes through reproduction. The participants were 60 preschoolers (age 5–5.5 years) from public kindergartens of Patras. The qualitative analysis of their pre- and post semi-structured interviews showed a remarkable improvement in their reasoning, which was found to be statistically significant as well. After the three-part teaching intervention, children appeared to recognize the biological contribution of both parents to a child's creation. Moreover, most of them appeared able to attribute a child's species and body traits to the parental genes passed to the child through reproduction and not to the parents’ or child's intention. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Though argumentation is a key component of scientific knowledge construction practices, it rarely occurs in classrooms worldwide. Moreover, related literature in the context of genetics and evolution learning primarily addresses them separately. In contrast, this paper is part of broader research on genetics and evolution instruction taught together through scientific practices. We focused on students' arguments and data use while working on a task that required developing explanatory links between sickle cell disease and malaria. Two research questions were framed: What is the nature of students' arguments while explaining these links? What data do they mobilise and how do they use them to support their arguments? Our qualitative approach followed discourse analysis methods. To assess the quality of arguments, theoretical and empirical criteria were used, including the justifications and causal language in the arguments as well as theoretical considerations of genetics and evolution knowledge. The analysis of the second question focused on data use and their sources. The results pointed to students' difficulties in building quality arguments using clear causal language, and to use of genetics and evolution notions in their conclusions. We suggest implications regarding how to address processes occurring on different time scales in combined genetics and evolution instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell biology is widely considered to be the most important subject for promoting current modern biology. This paper sheds new light on the subject with the development of a diagnostic test to investigate misconceptions among pre-service biology teachers in cell biology. In this study, we developed and validated a diagnostic test – known as the three-tier test – to investigate misconceptions. In developing the test, we modified the initial version of the Cell Biology Diagnosis Test (CBD-Test), comprising a two-tier construct, and then we added a certainty response index for each item. The initial CBD-test was a construct based on proportional knowledge, references, and concepts that have been identified as frequently misunderstood in cell biology. The three-tier test was then adjusted to distinguish a lack of knowledge from a misconception. Participants in this test were 204 pre-service student teachers in an undergraduate biology education program. The test highlighted the fact that most of the students shared misconceptions regarding the structure and function of cells, fundamental components of cells, material transport across the membrane, and cell division. Furthermore, the findings validate the advantages of the CBD-Test as a reliable and valid instrument to diagnose misconception on a broad range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study investigated whether problem-oriented designed ecology lessons with phases of direct instruction and of open experimentation foster the development of cross-domain and domain-specific components ofexperimental problem-solving abilitybetter than conventional lessons in science. We used a paper-and-pencil test to assess students’ abilities in a quasi-experimental intervention study utilizing a pretest/posttest control-group design (N = 340; average performing sixth-grade students). The treatment group received lessons onforest ecosystemsconsistent with the principle of education for sustainable development. This learning environment was expected to help students enhance their ecological knowledge and their theoretical and methodological experimental competencies. Two control groups received either the teachers’ usual lessons on forest ecosystems or non-specific lessons on other science topics. We found that the treatment promoted specific components of experimental problem-solving ability (generating epistemic questions, planning two-factorial experiments, and identifying correct experimental controls). However, the observed effects were small, and awareness for aspects of higher ecological experimental validity was not promoted by the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a study of children's ideas of the body's internal structure. Children between four and 13 years (N = 170) individually produced drawings. During each drawing session the children explained their drawings to a facilitator and added written labels either by themselves or, if they were too young to write, with the facilitator's help. The results provide an updated comprehensive picture of children in different age groups and their views on the internal structure of the body. The type and numbers of organs drawn are similar to those documented in previous studies. However, in comparison to recent studies, the children drew more organs, the brain was indicated almost as often as the heart, and the Valentine heart was frequently used as a symbol. In contrast with previous research, children drew connections between organs. This result calls for caution regarding conclusions made from decontextualized questions. The importance of providing children with the opportunity to clarify their drawings is emphasised since it otherwise becomes a question of the researcher's interpretation. The connections they draw, and explanations they give to their drawings, have interesting implications for understanding children's ideas, and hence both for teaching and learning and for science education research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on teachers' use of concept mapping as an alternative assessment strategy in advanced level biology classes and its effects on students' cognitive skills on selected biology concepts. Using a mixed methods approach, the study employed a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design involving 156 students and 8 teachers from intact classes. A researcher-constructed Biology Cognitive Skills Test was used to collect the quantitative data. Qualitative data were collected through interviews and students' personal documents. The data showed that the participants utilized concept mapping in various ways and they described positive experiences while being engaged in its use. The main challenge cited by teachers was the limited time available for more consistent use. The results showed that the use of concept mapping in advanced level biology can lead to learning gains that exceed those achieved in classes where mainly traditional methods are used. The students in the concept mapping experimental groups performed significantly better than their peers in the control group on both the lower-order (F(1) = 21.508;p < .001) and higher-order (F(1) = 42.842,p < .001) cognitive items of the biology test. A mean effect size of .56 was calculated representing the contribution of treatment to the students' performance on the test items. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There are a wide range of student emotions in academic settings, but apart from emotions such as interest and well-being, disgust is a negative emotion which might be relevant in biology education, for instance, during dissection or when encountering living animals. This paper addresses the issue of situational disgust during a course at the university using living animals and prepared mounts. The course covers a wide range of organisms from protists (e.g.Paramecium) through invertebrates to vertebrates and uses many methods (e.g. microscopy, dissection, and behavioral observations) and specific content (anatomy, structure, and behavior). The dissection of the trout was rated as most disgusting, followed by working with living woodlice, living earthworms, and living snails. The least disgusting lessons were those dealing with microscopy, mammalian skulls, honeybee dance, and bird flight. Based on animals, macro-invertebrates were rated as most disgusting and mammals as least disgusting. Concerning methods, observing through a microscope was perceived as being least disgusting, followed by experiments without animals, then followed by experiments with living animals and, most disgusting, dissection. Disgust was correlated negatively with interest, well-being, and competence but positively with pressure and boredom. Thus, low disgust is related to high interest, well-being, and competence, while higher disgust is related to higher pressure and boredom. The results show a need for measuring situational disgust in addition to survey studies. They also suggest that perceived disgust negatively affects intrinsic motivation. This has implications for biology teaching, because carrying out dissections or experiencing living animals in the classroom may have a detrimental effect on motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper comprises a presentation of the findings of a case study that investigated how situational factors triggered 12th grade students’ interest during a field trip to a zoo. The purpose was to identify sources of interest and to investigate the attributes that make them interesting. Students’ interest was investigated by a descriptive interpretive approach, based on data from classroom and field trip observations, video recording, and interviews. The findings provided evidence that substantial situational interest can be generated during a fieldtrip to a zoo. Students’ interest was triggered by variables such as active involvement (hands-on activities), novelty, surprise, and knowledge acquisition (activities and provided information), and social involvement (opportunities for socialisation). The results show that strong interest is stimulated when several variables are in play simultaneously. The study implies that zoo visits can provide students with affective experiences, which can be a powerful way to stimulate students’ learning motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

It is widely held among biology teachers that fieldwork is valuable, but little is heard about students' perception of fieldwork or about the reasons for their liking or disliking fieldwork. This paper uses data from students to explore the hypotheses (1) that biology students with a positive perception of fieldwork have a less positive perception of laboratory work and vice versa and (2) that perception of fieldwork is related to demographic/personal factors and/or to pre-university perceptions and experience of fieldwork. Numeric indices of appreciation of biology field and laboratory work (IfieldandIlab) were determined using questionnaire information from 54 students.IfieldandIlabwere positively correlated and there was no evidence of polarization of views; the problem that some students have a poor perception of both needs to be addressed. Mature students had a more positive view of fieldwork than 18–20-year-olds. However, regression analysis ofIfieldagainst principal components suggested that demographic/personal factors had relatively little overall influence (< 20%) on appreciation of fieldwork. Perception of fieldwork at university was related to the rank given to fieldwork when choosing a university course. However, students who had participated in pre-university fieldwork did not have a more positive perception of university fieldwork; although students who recalled a worst memory of pre-university fieldwork had a less positive perception of fieldwork at university. The seeming mixed relevance of pre-university fieldwork suggests that the relationship between perception of fieldwork undertaken at university and quality of pre-university fieldwork is an area for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The ubiquity, availability and exponential growth of digital information and communication technology (ICT) creates unique opportunities for learning and teaching in the senior secondary school biology curriculum. Digital technologies make it possible for emerging disciplinary knowledge and understanding of biological processes previously too small, large, slow or fast to be taught. Indeed, much of bioscience can now be effectively taught via digital technology, since its representational and symbolic forms are in digital formats. Purpose: This paper is part of a larger Australian study dealing with the technologies and modalities of learning biology in secondary schools. Sample: The classroom practices of three experienced biology teachers, working in a range of NSW secondary schools, are compared and contrasted to illustrate how the challenges of limited technologies are confronted to seamlessly integrate what is available into a number of molecular genetics lessons to enhance student learning. Design and method: The data are qualitative and the analysis is based on video classroom observations and semi-structured teacher interviews. Results: Findings indicate that if professional development opportunities are provided where the pedagogy of learning and teaching of both the relevant biology and its digital representations are available, then teachers see the immediate pedagogic benefit to student learning. In particular, teachers use ICT for challenging genetic concepts despite limited computer hardware and software availability. Conclusion: Experienced teachers incorporate ICT, however limited, in order to improve the quality of student learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I explore how seamless embedding of four mathematical concepts: counting, ratio, distribution, and statistical significance, into a unit on inheritance enables students to gain a deeper insight into biological phenomena than a qualitative only approach achieves. The topic of Mendelian inheritance is used to illustrate this proposal. An introductory activity is presented that separates the specialized genetics vocabulary from the inheritance process, allowing the initial mathematical relationship to be developed and subsequently followed by the language requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our interpretative study that was carried out in a science and engineering oriented university examined the ways students in an introductory biology course perceived their learning in the course that was substantially changed to allow student-centered learning. The instructional change was framed by the view of learning as a sociocultural activity as well as a cognitive process that can take place face-to-face or through online interaction. Most of the lectures were substituted with individual learning and project-based, small-group learning that lasted one month. Data were collected through interviews with students and instructors, and through observations. In the paper, we show evidence for deep learning that was associated by the students and the instructors with short-term, meaningful activities in a setting that included collaborative peer learning; and replacing most lectures by small group learning that ended in a mini-conference. Deep learning was evidenced by the ways students reflected on how they organised and applied knowledge using deep learning strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study's goal was to analyze various teaching approaches within the context of natural science lessons, especially in biology. The main focus of the paper lies on the effectiveness of different teaching methods in promoting systems thinking in the field of Education for Sustainable Development. The following methods were incorporated into the study: special lessons designed to promote systems thinking, a computer-simulated scenario on the topic “ecosystem forest,” and a combination of both special lessons and the computer simulation. These groups were then compared to a control group. A questionnaire was used to assess systems thinking skills of 424 sixth-grade students of secondary schools in Germany. The assessment differentiated between a conceptual understanding (measured as achievement score) and a reflexive justification (measured as justification score) of systems thinking. The following control variables were used: logical thinking, grades in school, memory span, and motivational goal orientation. Based on the pretest-posttest control group design, only those students who received both special instruction and worked with the computer simulation showed a significant increase in their achievement scores. The justification score increased in the computer simulation condition as well as in the combination of computer simulation and lesson condition. The possibilities and limits of promoting various forms of systems thinking by using realistic computer simulations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concept mapping is a technique used to provide a visual representation of an individual's ideas about a concept or set of related concepts. This paper describes a concept mapping tool using a photograph association technique (CoMPAT) that is considered to be a novel way of eliciting children's ideas. What children at 11 years of age know about particular concepts related to microbial activity is presented and discussed in relation to the effectiveness of CoMPAT as a tool to draw out their ideas. It is proposed that this tool could be used to explore ideas about this and other science concepts from children in other age groups, and where language may be a barrier to participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the role of diagrams and text in middle school students' understanding and visualisation of human body systems. We develop a common framework based on structure and function to assess students' responses across diagram and verbal modes. Visualisation is defined in terms of understanding transformations on structure and relating these with function. We found in Indian students a high dependence on the verbal mode. Students expressed structure as well as function concepts significantly better through text rather than diagrams. Prior knowledge strongly influenced visualisation (as assessed through transformations) and comprehension of text and diagrams including the ability to move flexibly between text and diagrams. We suggest better use of line drawings for integrating structure and function: practices that should equip the learner to “dual-code” text with diagrams, thereby leading to enhanced understanding and expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A biology professor and a science librarian collaborated to develop and embed research-based library instruction in a new first-year biology laboratory course. This paper describes the rationale, collaborative process, and the various aspects of the program. Assessment was done through library exercises as well as preinstruction and end-of-semester student surveys asking attitudinal and objective-skills questions. Course professors were also surveyed regarding the value of the program to their students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a case study of a teaching intervention designed to enrich Year 2 students' theory of biology through the introduction of causal mechanisms of inheritance such as the gene and DNA. The researchers worked collaboratively with the classroom teacher to design the intervention based on the students' prior knowledge of living things and inheritance. Methods used to evaluate the intervention included comprehensive pre-instructional and post-instructional interviews with all students in the class. Classroom observations were constructed as a reflective diary. Findings indicate that meaningful learning occurred as a result of the intervention for many of the students in the class. For these students, networks of knowledge were developed between their understandings of living and non-living things, their understandings of inheritance, and concepts of the gene and DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]