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K-12 education as an enterprise always has two main aims; to teach basic skills and knowledge and to cultivate moral citizenry. There is substantial evidence that empathy can promote morality and character development through education. To shed light on what has been done and to identify the pathways already established, a thematic review of research focused on empathy development in K-12 science education has been conducted. A systematic examination of literature published before January 2024 resulted in 28 publications being analyzed in terms of their general characteristics and the specifics of the designed interventions. Results show that educational interventions can improve empathy skills; these studies use collaborative learning environments, take 3-10 weeks to implement, and the most preferred strategy is recognizing different perspectives of a given situation with reflective exercises. All of the studies reviewed positively affected students' affective and cognitive domains. For future research, more interventions designed to improve empathy skills in parallel with the science curriculum are proposed to supply teachers with new comprehensive resources to implement.

Amidst increasing religious disaffiliation, often due to a perceived tension between faith and the STEM disciplines, Catholic schools provide critical opportunities for young people to recognize how these domains can be mutually elevating. The field, however, lacks guidance as to how this integration should occur in practice. This conceptual paper first provides an overarching framework for how aspects of the Catholic tradition, like Scripture and the Catholic social tradition, can shape traditional educational domains of STEM teaching and learning. Secondly, we provide a heuristic of three criteria for deeply engaging students at the interface of the Catholic faith and the STEM disciplines. Finally, we narrow in on K-12 science standards and provide six examples of how the three criteria can be applied to authentically and deeply advance understanding at the intersection of science and the Catholic faith.

Genome Sciences Education Outreach (GSEO) has developed innovative programs that bring leading-edge science to teachers and students in K-12 schools. Disseminating educational materials equitably and accessibly to teacher stakeholders to maximize reach and impact is challenging for many programs. Traditionally, programs connect materials with teachers through local networks, in-person professional development sessions, and at regional and national conference presentations. The need for curricular changes in 2020 spurred the proliferation of online and digital educational materials and professional development opportunities. These digital materials--now available to a worldwide audience--require a shift in dissemination strategy to enhance the potential reach of these materials both locally and nationally. This manuscript reports a case study of a dissemination approach, to create a collaboration between GSEO and CommLead (the communications master's program at the University of Washington) to promote education materials developed by the publicly-funded Genes, Environment and Me Network (GEMNet) program. This manuscript describes the development and the ad hoc implementation and evaluation of a social media campaign to expand the reach of the GEMNet curricula. With a targeted social media campaign on Facebook, GSEO was able to dramatically and affordably increase the reach of the GEMNet curricula and expand the potential impact and utilization of educational materials to a nationwide teacher audience, highlighting the potential for other similar collaborations to efficiently enhance the dissemination strategy of other education outreach programs.

Chemical bonding is central to explaining many phenomena. Research in chemical education and the Framework for K-12 Science Education (the "Framework") argue for new approaches to learning chemical bonding grounded in (1) using ideas of the balance of electric forces and energy minimization to explain bond formation, (2) using learning progressions (LPs) grounded in these ideas to support learning, and (3) engaging students in 3D learning reflected in integrating the three dimensions of scientific knowledge to make sense of phenomena. The dimensions include disciplinary core ideas, scientific and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts. While the "Framework" describes the theoretical basis of 3D learning, empirical evidence for the development and validation of LPs for 3D learning is limited. This work addresses that issue for the topic of chemical bonding. We develop and validate a 3D construct map for chemical bonding grounded in the idea of balance of electric forces and energy minimization. A construct map represents a finer-grained LP spanning a shorter period and focusing on specific aspects of a larger-scale LP. An NGSS-aligned validated 3D LP has never been reported for the topic of chemical bonding. The LP is based on data from 9th grade Mid-Western and Western students who used the NGSS-aligned curriculum. Multiple validity evidence sources, including interview and item response theory analysis using an assessment tool developed to probe the 3D construct map levels, were used. We demonstrate the feasibility of using the assessment tool for assigning levels to individuals and groups of learners, which is essential for the practical applicability of the 3D construct map and provides teachers with information on how to promote learning. We hope that the 3D LP presented here will serve as a guide to develop instructional and assessment approaches for chemical bonding grounded in the fundamental scientific principles and aligned to NGSS.

The Australian Curriculum Science has "Patterns, Order and Organisation" as one of its six Key Ideas. In the biological sciences, the structural patterns revealed by observing living things are used to order and organise them in a hierarchical system of binomial nomenclature, in which living things have a generic name and a specific name, based on their morphological features. Each organism, thus described, will have its own unique name. But how does it get that name, and what happens when reputable sources have different names? This article demonstrates how science deals systematically with such disagreements by documenting a taxonomic journey into the naming of one particular zoological species, the Shark Bay pearl oyster. This scientific journey intertwines science with history and geography, as well as social, cultural, and political perspectives. It is truly a story of science as human endeavour.

Very few Lebanese students have been able to perform at the highest level in mathematics and science in TIMSS, leading to the belief that current curricula and/or pedagogies are not supporting our highly able students to realize their potentials. In this research, we investigate how the national Policy documents and the mathematics and science centralized curricula, and textbooks address the needs of highly able students. Teachers' perceptions and role in providing for the educational needs of highly able is also examined. Through qualitative methods, the following data sources were used to address the research aim: policy document analysis, curriculum analysis, and teacher interviews. Findings indicated no specific policy for highly able students in Lebanon and little evidence of curricular provisions and attention to the needs of highly able learners in the mathematics and science national curricula and textbooks. The resultant data also provided important insights into the limited knowledge of teachers in the area of supporting highly able learners. The findings of the current study will inform the efforts of the policy makers and the Ministry of Education faced with the challenge of effectively educating their most able students.

The processes of educational planning and program development at the local and national levels differ in centralized and decentralized educational systems. In Türkiye, there is a centralized education system, and curricula are created centrally to include all students. In the United States of America, there is a nationally disseminated curriculum framework for science education and a set of standards developed in accordance with these frameworks, while curriculum development continues at the local level based on these two national documents. Seeing how the curricula are designed in the different systems and what details they provide to teachers would be a source for designing curriculum development policies. The purpose of this study is to provide a comparative description of the scope of curriculum documents and the details of the information they contain in two different systems. The research is a comparative, holistic, multi-case study conducted by analyzing curriculum documents at the national level. As a result of the research, national curriculum documents for science education in the United States contain comprehensive descriptions of expected outcomes and content, even as curriculum development continues to occur at the local level. In contrast, Türkiye's science curriculum describes expected outcomes and content in less detail. The outcomes are discussed in terms of curriculum elements, system diversity, and literature.

The emergence of immersive VR technology in K-12 educational spaces has created a need for research examining the affordances and constraints of this technology for student learning. The current study uses a case-study methodology to illustrate K-12 secondary science teachers' perceived affordances and constraints of using immersive VR tools to develop maker-centered learning experiences which align with curricular goals following a professional development experience. Findings suggest teachers were able to design student-centered maker learning experiences using immersive VR devices that addressed K-12 science content. In addition, participants discovered ways to overcome reported challenges, and develop teaching artifacts as well. This study offers a model for teacher educators in this area, examples of curriculum aligned learning activities, and provides a foundation for future research on integration of VR in K-12 contexts.

Background: Integrated science is a ubiquitous school subject that is an amalgamation of science disciplines; its teaching allows topics to be sequenced in any order and given various degrees of coverage and emphasis in the classroom. Ensuring canonical coherence, which is the logical organization of subject matter for effective instruction is therefore necessary for meaningful student learning to occur. Purpose: We examine the coherence as well as closely related ideas of coverage and emphasis of the integrated science curriculum and textbooks from Singapore. Such an analysis has not been attempted before, which might shed light on strong student achievement reported from this region in this subject. Methods: Coherence was determined by finding buttress topics and upper triangular patterns based on a list of standard science topics--these inter-related curricular features aid in conceptual learning of a subject. We also investigated questions about coverage and emphasis from the number of learning outcomes, topics in curriculum and textbooks, and page surface area of textbooks following past TIMSS research. Results: Three buttress topics and two upper triangular patterns in life and physical science disciplines were found, but not among earth science topics. Two topics were strongly emphasised in the curriculum and textbooks--"organs", "tissues" and "physical properties of matter"--and there was a close alignment between topics in the curriculum and textbooks. Integrated science here was relatively restricted compared to three other high-performing East-Asian regions, but there was a common strong emphasis on physical science topics. Conclusions: Integrated science in Singapore has shown some evidence of coherence in its curriculum and textbooks that have also emphasised physical science topics. Because learning outcomes here were intentionally trimmed due to past general educational reforms, the findings lend tentative support to arguments stating that a reduced, but well-designed science curriculum has benefits for learners.

Understanding the nature of science is conducive to establishing a correct view of science and understanding the connotation of science education and the nature of scientific inquiry. This study aims to contextualize the philosophy of science education from China's perspective. The value, goal, and content of science humanistic education, experience in China's science education, and regionalization for promoting the development of science education in schools have been explored in this study. In addition, both the challenges facing science education and countermeasures of science education have also been offered in the last.

From the perspective of host country education system and, in light of a normative view of academic development, school systems have too often viewed the academic profiles of newcomer students as deficient despite a curriculum in Ontario (Canada) that mandates culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy. In this project, we view the mobility of these students as an enrichment of the host school system through the lens of reciprocal knowledge. The online STEM resources created are based on an understanding of the students' funds of knowledge from the curricula of the families' home countries. The results show that these resources contribute to the inclusion of multilingual students by allowing their teachers to better understand them, helping parents to understand the educational system of the country in relation to their own. However, such an approach requires curriculum change to include these transcultural perspectives and to train teachers to open their classrooms to reciprocal knowledge.

This paper is part of a larger NSF funded research project that situates the lived experiences and narratives of African Americans and Black heritage in the K-12 science curriculum. This work contributes to research on the science capital, and on positive and empowering identity construction for the African Diaspora. This study takes the position that K-12 science curricula, content, and standards do not support nor do they adequately facilitate an integrated inclusion of Black heritage, narratives, and lived experiences from a position of strength. This study uses the research literature and archives that reflect the social, cultural, and historical narratives and underpinnings of early African Americans, Africans, and Black heritage that can be used to learn science. In this research, well established frameworks vetted by scientists and science educators were used to extract from Black narratives and literature data. It is important to note that these well-respected frameworks do not specifically point to the inclusion of Black people nor do they highlight the cultural resources of African Americans or Black heritage. The "Next Generation Science Standards" were used to explore and explain the data. The results show that sociocultural and historical data that reflect the science experiences and the political and economic underpinnings of the African American experience and Black heritage can be used to understand the three dimensions of STEM in the "Next Generation Science Standards"--namely the Disciplinary Core Ideas, Nature of Science, and Crosscutting Concepts. Emergent concepts implicate adaptations of early African Americans. Implications for understandings about science that benefit all and that promote insights into the science of environmental sustainability and culture are indicated. Sample modifications and inclusions in the science standards are provided.

Over the years, there have been various calls to increase and better represent astronomy in curricula. This is motivated by views within the astronomy and astronomy education communities that the awe, wonder, and interdisciplinary nature of astronomy has the potential to engage students in STEM across disciplines. Reviews of curricula have shown that astronomy topics are represented in most mandated curricula around the world and although there is a homogeneity of astronomy topics in most mandated curricula, this representation has its limitations. By using the Australian National Curriculum, the USA-based Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and the Swedish National Curriculum as examples, this study unpacks ideas around "How much astronomy is enough?", the mismatches between astronomy topics in curricula and what constitutes astronomical literacy within the context of the Big Ideas in Astronomy document. The results identify that there is a significant gap at the galactic and extragalactic scales when considering the typical progression of astronomy topics when considering the conceptual, spatial, and temporal scales of the topics. Specifically, topics in curricula jump from tangible concepts within the student's immediate and Solar System spatial scales in primary school to cosmological spatial scales in upper high school, without reference to spatial and conceptual connecting topics at galactic scales. Potential sample curriculum statements drawn from the Big Ideas are presented as a suggested curriculum inclusion. This curricula gap is identified as a potential source of a similar gap in education research in these topics at these levels, which in turn perpetuates the problem by there being a lack of research-based evidence for inclusion in the curriculum.

In order to design professional learning that supports rural science teachers to effectively implement standards-based "five-dimensional" (5D) instructional and assessment practices, a critical first step is to elicit their perspectives, prior experiences, concerns, and interests. Based on survey data from 87 rural science teachers in Colorado, along with focus group sessions with 18 of those teachers, this article investigates teachers' perspectives on what makes rural science teaching unique, the degree to which they use 5D science instruction, their curricular and assessment resources, and their professional learning experiences and preferences. Overall, rural science teachers in Colorado reported using rich practices for engaging students' interests and identities in the pursuit of high-quality engagement, and they expressed a need for more science-specific professional learning and materials distribution. Implications for designing professional learning opportunities for rural science teachers are offered.

The decision to integrate Nature of Science into classroom practice is no longer a debate among science educators and curriculum experts. There exists empirical evidence to substantiate its effectiveness, judging by both the academic performance and ability of students to conceptualize abstract yet teachable areas in science. Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement of physical science permits for teachers, fundamentally, the discretion to inculcate and incorporate Nature of Science in classroom practices. However, the usual classroom practices are far from the expectations of both curriculum experts and policy makers in the field of science education. Ambiguity, accessibility, and perceived non-domestication were three areas identified in the literature to be responsible for lack of integration aside capacity building. This manuscript provided answers to the three areas of need by traversing relevant literature on both Nature of Science and Science education with a view to aggregate and simplifies scholarly positions for easy classroom usage for teachers and educators alike. Positions were drawn from nature of science, attendant curriculum, and position of literature with respect to the locale. Literature reviewed in this manuscript avail reader's inherent conditioning and grit to understand nature of science and its essence in science teaching and learning.

Incorporating literacy instruction in science is a beneficial practice that uses interdisciplinary strategies to address connections between language arts and science. Interdisciplinary curricular approaches in education are common expectations for science teachers and there are increasingly more mandates for embedding literacy into science curricula. This interdisciplinary program requires the teachers to apply a common methodology and language to instruction. While ideas for lessons and strategies for incorporation of literacy in science are plentiful, the field falls short in providing guidance on assessment of proficiencies in the literacy embedded science instruction. Therefore, it is critical that teachers receive support in creating common learning goals and assessments to ensure appropriate alignment of interdisciplinary curricula. The purpose of this project is to explore the problem that elementary teachers have with assessment when implementing interdisciplinary science and literacy instruction. The project has practical implications for teachers at the primary and secondary level where many times it is easier to teach only one subject, and sometimes teachers have not had training in teaching both subjects. Additionally, even if teaching interdisciplinary science and literacy is done, it is difficult to assess both subjects in one assessment tool. Therefore it is necessary to determine how teachers can not only design the assessment tools, but use them to identify student learning in both literacy and science instruction. This manuscript will provide our analysis of interdisciplinary teaching and assessment strategies, and a compilation of effective assessment strategies that will be useful for other teachers involved in incorporating literacy curricula into science instruction.

Science, technology, society, and environment (STSE) education is a focus of the public education system of both Canada and Brazil and therefore should translate into the teaching and learning that occurs within their respective Bachelor of Education programs when addressing Science education, and specifically the connections between STSE and Physics Education within the curriculums of both countries. This research is based on the experiences that took place during a 20-day scholarly visit to St. Francis Xavier University with Dr. MacLeod by Dr. Roehrig, a Physic Education scholar from Brazil. Using the technique of comparative study, the authors agreed upon three areas of comparison to be considered: the performance of teacher educators, the curriculum structure of the B.Ed. programs, and university-school interaction. Each of these three areas drew attention and are discussed within. This work points to possibilities for strengthening the insertion of STSE pre-service education with the aim to exchange best practices. As this collaboration evolves, this work is expected to expand with discussions leading to both breadth and depth of improvements within course offerings, overall education of pre-service and in-service physics teachers, and faculty who enact the premises of STSE physics education in their daily practice and profession. [Note: The publication year (2021) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct publication year for this article is 2022.]

Scientific Practices play a central role in the Next Generation Science Standards, influencing the standards of more than 70% of students in the United States. Therefore, a view of what has been studied about Scientific Practices in Science Education, globally in the past decade is relevant. Thus, 44 articles from international journals in Science Education in the past decade (2010-2019) were analyzed. This review focuses on the specific research contexts of these articles. The research objectives were: (1) To identify in which contexts the authors carried out research involving Scientific Practices and (2) to critically discuss the research contexts of Scientific Practices and find research gaps. For this, a systematic literature review was conducted, guided by Bardin's Content Analysis (2011) and the guide to a systematic review by Okoli (2015). Regarding the contexts, six categories were identified: Scientific Practices and teaching proposals (C1); Scientific Practices and distinct theoretical frameworks (C2); Scientific Practices and students (C3); Scientific Practices and assessments (C4); Scientific Practices and teachers (C5); and Scientific Practices and the curriculum (C6). There was a predominant trend to relate Scientific Practices and teaching proposals (38.6%) and Scientific Practices and different theoretical frameworks (22.7%), totaling more than 61% of the analyzed articles. Research gaps have been identified, such as the need for further research on the relationship between Scientific Practices and students (learning) and Scientific Practices and teachers (teaching). Research in this regard can help to clarify: How have students engaged in Scientific Practices? How can teaching be organized to promote Scientific Practices? And what are the relationships between Scientific Practices, school subjects, and specific content? The findings of the study revealed that a greater diversity of research contexts is necessary to fully understand the connections between Scientific Practices and the many dimensions involved in Science Education. It was found that there is a need for more research that addresses Scientific Practices as its main focus, considering the importance the concept is given in guiding documents.

Turkey's politically induced 'curricular modernization initiative' intended a philosophical change and a system-level transformation from behaviouristic to constructivist-inspired pedagogies in the early 2000s. Science curriculum has been one of the curricula that has taken precedence. It has changed four times since then. The latest science curriculum for grades 3-8 -- age group 9-13 -- is issued in 2018. This study examines these curricula and discusses curriculum making at the macro site. Whether or to what extent the tools of state-based curriculum making (ToSBCM) are used is also investigated. Directed content analysis and thematic analysis are used to address the research questions. Findings revealed that Turkey's latest science curriculum is a reformulation of its predecessors' goals, learning outcomes and content. ToSBCM are effectively used in introducing the new emphases of curriculum, managing discourse communities and granting the executive responsibility to teachers. Considering Turkey's curricular experiences as a country which has one of the most centralized education systems among OECD countries, and a very large hierarchical national administration with schools having the lowest levels of autonomy in determining curriculum and assessment policies among countries participating in PISA, findings offer opportunities to compare and discuss processes of curriculum making with an international perspective.

Strengthening Learning Progression (LP) for students' reasoning abilities is important, especially learning about diseases in Indonesia. This study aimed to map the learning progression of disease in Indonesia, compare and analyze its similarities and differences with the LP designed by National Research Council (NRC). This qualitative research to map LP, using the analysis document method by comparing the content analysis of Basic Competencies of Curriculum 13 with benchmark analysis from the NRC 2007 on Science and Biology textbooks published in 2016, 2017, and 2018 at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels published by the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia. The findings are the LP on disease in the curriculum and life science textbooks in Indonesia has not met the benchmarks, especially in three categories, namely; pathogens, the immune system, and infection spanning learning from K-2 (elementary) to K-12 (high school). Therefore, it is necessary to categorize LP topics in diseases based on conceptual abilities from the simplest to the most complex.

In this paper, we argue that the current science curricula are failing to educate students to be competent outsiders to science. Historically, science education has rested on two premises. The first is that it is possible for students to acquire sufficient scientific knowledge from K-12 education to become intellectually independent. That is that science education can produce individuals capable of evaluating scientific evidence and arguments critically for themselves. This belief is what underlies many of the conceptions of scientific literacy and is the basis of the rationale that is used to sustain and justify what is offered in nearly all countries across the globe. The second is the belief that the science that students will encounter will have been filtered such that it can be trusted. Nothing today could be further from the truth. Today, misinformation abounds and much of it purports to be scientific. Very few conceptions of scientific literacy have considered how students can be prepared to evaluate the claims that abound on social media. Current conceptions of "scientific literacy," we argue, are failing to articulate the competencies and knowledge required in today's changed context. In what follows, we lay out our arguments for why it is time to rethink the conception of scientific literacy by considering what it requires to be a competent outsider to science. Then drawing on our recent report, we lay out what might be done within science education to address the specific phenomenon of misinformation.

This paper introduces the idea of integrating indigenous knowledge (IK) in the elementary level of the K-12 Science Curriculum. The study identifies indigenous knowledge that is practiced by the people and presents instructional strategies that could be used to integrate indigenous knowledge in the science curriculum. These strategies are based on the peoples' experiences of effectively teaching indigenous knowledge to young children in their families and local communities. The results of the study could help make the elementary science curriculum more appropriate and responsive to the needs of learners in various local communities.

The global carbon cycle (CC) is a key environmental literacy issue related to climate change, ocean acidification, and energy sustainability. Understanding the CC requires interdisciplinary knowledge informed by multiple science disciplines such as biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics. To examine the core principles and interdisciplinary nature of CC, we interviewed 10 experts from various science disciplines and asked them to create their own models of the carbon cycle. We utilized the data to identify emerging core concepts of CC and discover commonalities and differences across the experts' models in the context of interdisciplinary understanding. The concepts and interdisciplinarity were compared with those of CC-related topics in the U.S. Framework and Next Generation Science Standards. Most experts demonstrated a breadth of interdisciplinary knowledge based on their disciplinary backgrounds. The experts hold a wider set of ideas about CC than is present in the standards. Many topics not included in the standards could feasibly be added (e.g., the process of carbon sequestration into the ocean and rocks and CO2 emissions by volcanic activity). This study generates concrete recommendations for science standards to guide the revision of existing curricula or to guide the development of new interdisciplinary approaches to teaching global CC.

Indigenous educators desire to use culturally restorative and decolonized pedagogies reflective of their own cultural values and beliefs in their science programs but have lacked models for how to start. They also often lack confidence in their ability to teach the sciences. This three-year qualitative case study used grounded theory methodology to discover (a) how Hawaiian language immersion (HLC) K-6 educators used Maria Montessori's Cosmic Curriculum for the creation of a science program based on Hawaiian epistemology and cultural values and (b) why the Cosmic Curriculum appealed to the HLC educators. Five key themes emerged: (a) the notion of creation as interconnected and relational, (b) an epistemological similarity regarding how people learn, (c) using timelines as organizing cognitive structures, (d) a focus on the natural sciences, and (e) the use of storytelling and key lessons to engage students. Participants stated that they felt successful in creating science curriculum and teaching the sciences as they adapted the above aspects of Dr. Montessori's Cosmic Curriculum. Future research should be conducted to discover if her Cosmic Curriculum can be adapted for use in other types of non-Montessori program and whether this kind of science program could encourage students to choose the sciences as a career choice.

This article explores how the sorting and separating of pupils into entangled categories of social/cultural disadvantage and disability in the 1960s through the 1980s created populations of concern. Even though the United States and Germany are typically contrasted in their approaches to inclusive education, a new scientisation of the "social" had similar effects in both countries. While inclusion is usually presumed as the opposite of segregation, we examine how distinct curricula -- often administered in separate classrooms or schools -- became deemed essential to prepare target populations for eventual inclusion. In the United States, demands for desegregation and mainstreaming were met in part with the design of curricula and instructional strategies for populations marked by categories of disability and/or cultural disadvantage. In West Germany, similar pedagogies appeared in materials designed for special and lower-track schools aimed at pupils classified as learning disabled and/or socio-culturally disadvantaged. Drawing on archival analysis of research journals, reports, and curricular materials from both countries, we examine how science pedagogies constituted social/cultural disadvantage and/or disability as a type of learner with limited experiences requiring compensation and emotional needs requiring affective calibration. Similar practices produced these populations of concern, enclosing them in a pre-scholastic intervention space and prescribing targeted strategies as necessary for their integration as healthy, responsible citizens. At stake is understanding how curricular differentiation directed to previously excluded groups can generate new subdivisions of the social -- authorising separate (and unequally positioned) instruction in the name of inclusion.

Water is one of Earth's fundamental natural systems. It is crucial to foster water literacy in today's global citizens, particularly through formal education. The purpose of this research, in parallel with a study focused on human dimensions of water systems (Mostacedo-Marasovic et al., in press), is to examine water-related K-12 standards for teaching and learning about water and natural systems and develop a comprehensive and transdisciplinary perspective on water education. Our overarching question is, "What do disciplinary standards specify as outcomes for students' learning about water and natural systems?" Our research questions are: (1) "To what extent do these water-related standards address recognized domains of learning?" and (2) "What thematic outcomes for students' learning are apparent across grades in these water-related standards?." We use chi-square statistics and conventional qualitative content analysis complemented by processes from grounded theory to analyze water-related education standards (N = 196) from 11 education-oriented governmental and non-governmental organizations based in the United States and the United Nations. Our results indicate that, first, water-related standards emphasize the cognitive domain, including declarative and procedural knowledge, for water-related concepts and skills. The affective domain and its social component are far less prevalent. Second, the water-related standards illustrate four categories including abundance, distribution, and movement of water on Earth; water and the Geosphere; water and climate; and water and life. These findings provide a more comprehensive perspective from multiple disciplines of the natural sciences on outcomes for teaching and learning about water and natural systems, as well as the learning domains they address. These can inform educational efforts to cultivate water literacy across K-12 through teaching and learning.

The present study explores the validity of inferences that may be drawn from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) learner achievement data by measuring the South African curriculum-TIMSS alignment for the Grade 8 science assessments from 2007 to 2019. The Singapore curriculum--TIMSS alignment indices are a fair benchmark for comparison, as Singapore is the best-performing country in the TIMSS. The research questions that guide the present study included the calculation and comparison of the South African curriculum--TIMSS and Singapore curriculum-TIMSS alignment indices. The study analysed 585 South African curriculum items, 659 Singapore curriculum items and 1025 TIMSS assessment items from 2007 to 2019. The present study employed four raters and achieved an inter-rater reliability coefficient of 0.85. The South African curriculum-TIMSS analysis achieved an average content alignment index of 0.34, and an average cognitive alignment index of 0.54. As a benchmark, the Singapore curriculum-TIMSS analysis achieved an average content alignment index of 0.36 and an average cognitive alignment index of 0.74. The literature reviewed supports acceptable content and cognitive alignment indices of 0.67 and 0.65, respectively. The present study concludes that valid inferences from learner performance in the TIMSS may not be drawn for the case of South Africa, and even for Singapore valid inferences are based on cognitive alignment only. However, South Africa's continued participation in the TIMSS is encouraged as the literature supports many benefits associated with the TIMSS non-achievement data.

This article examines curricular development within compulsory science and mathematics education (grades k-9) in Denmark during a 20-year transition towards competency-oriented curricula. The article contains two main parts. In the first part, we describe the Danish case, emphasizing how international and national trends at the turn of the millennium led to the development of competency-oriented curricula based on a two-dimensional framework. In this framework, subject goals are separated into competency and subject matter goals. In the second part, we explore teachers' perspectives on potentials and challenges when implementing competency-oriented teaching. Teachers found the two-dimensional framework useful when translating curricula into teaching practice. This analysis also identified four key aspects that support teachers' work within this framework: Maintaining two-dimensionality, coherent competency goals, goals that are both purposeful and teachable, and a feasible content structure. We conclude the article by proposing a model that combines these four aspects and by suggesting possible avenues for future research and developmental processes.

Global efforts are underway to include engineering in pre-college curricula. In the USA, this pursuit led to the inclusion of engineering content in the most recent version of the Next Generation Science Standards that guide K-12 science. As these standards become part of the K-12 curriculum, teachers face the challenge of gaining basic engineering literacy, while developing the associated inclusive pedagogies necessary to integrate engineering content into their classrooms. In this context, teacher preparation programs can benefit from easy-to-implement tools that measure preservice teachers' readiness to integrate engineering content in their future classrooms. This work describes the development and validation of an instrument to help assess educators' perceived levels of pedagogical content knowledge for engineering integration at single or multiple time points throughout their academic preparation. The proposed instrument can complement other assessment methods, such as classroom observations, interviews, and journal entries. Additionally, the instrument can be used to help discern the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs in preparing future teachers to integrate engineering.

This study critically examines the K-12 curriculum reform in the Philippines and suggests ways on how it can move forward. Specifically, three recent curriculum guides (i.e., science, mathematics, and English) were analysed to determine how they fit with the Education 4.0 milieu. Using a curriculum analysis matrix, the findings indicate that these curricula may require conceptual and pedagogical refinements, particularly in the area of constructive alignment, technology integration, and specificity of its components. Potential implementation challenges in terms of instructional delivery, assessment, lesson preparation, school-based initiatives, and commitment of teachers and school leaders to curriculum reform were also discussed. Recommendations for future design, implementation, and studies are offered.

This paper focuses on the context underpinning the implementation of ethno science at the K-12 school science curriculum in the context of Nepal. Since human evolution, Indigenous people have both gained scientific knowledge and practiced scientific skills. This paper refers to this knowledge as Ethno Science/ Indigenous Wisdom. However, hegemonic Western Science (WS) knowledge and practices deny such indigenous wisdom. In Nepal, school science curriculum is designed to teach Western scientific methods. The recognition, utilization, and validation of Indigenous Knowledge within the science curriculum generate challenges to students and teachers alike. The concern is that the Indigenous students continuously underperform when taught using Western Science. The bright spot is when Indigenous students are taught Western Science with Ethno Science/ Indigenous Wisdom as the bridge-builder between these two systems of knowledge.

The purpose of this study was to determine the science teachers' perceptions of and beliefs about integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the science curriculum. A case study research method was used to determine teachers' perceptions and beliefs of integrated STEM education in the science curriculum. The research was conducted with the participation of ten science teachers who worked in secondary schools located in different regions of Turkey. In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection. The data obtained from the study were analyzed using content analysis. During the content analysis process, open and axial coding steps that are based on grounded coding were followed. According to the findings, teachers' perceptions of STEM education knowledge were examined under three categories: STEM education concept knowledge, curriculum knowledge, and STEM education implementation knowledge. In the study, it was determined that most of the teachers considered themselves inadequately prepared for integrated STEM education in the science curriculum. When teachers' beliefs regarding the problems that might be encountered during an integrated STEM education process were examined, it was found that the emphasis was especially on teacher-based problems. Furthermore, teachers believed that integrated STEM education would have positive effects on teachers, students, and science education.

The first PhD thesis in the field of Chemistry Education at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, was defended in 1992. This can be regarded as the symbolic dawn of Chemistry Education as a scientific discipline in this region. After the official breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, research that had started in the 1980s, and which was focused on the development of tools for assessing the quality and flexibility of student knowledge, was continued through the 1990s. This research included the application of computers to chemistry teaching, as well as the development of appropriate chemistry learning programmes. In the following period, research focused on the analysis of chemical teaching programmes in the Republic of Serbia, with a special emphasis on the possibility of including eco-chemical content in curricula. Accordingly, potentially efficient models were suggested. The most recent research has been focused on the investigation of the effectiveness of instructional strategies based on a systemic approach and a triplet model of content representation, using combined measures of students' performance and mental effort. In this regard, tools for the efficient assessment of knowledge (systemic synthesis questions, context-based questions) have been developed along with tools for the efficient assessment of students' misconceptions (multi-tier tests). Furthermore, in order to make teaching more effective, procedures for assessing the cognitive complexity of chemical problems have recently been developed and subsequently validated both statistically and by applying Knowledge Space Theory.

Background: Spatial thinking skills are strongly correlated with achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields and emerging research suggests that interventions aimed at building students' skills will likely yield measurable impacts on learning across K-12 settings. The importance of spatial thinking in science has received increased attention in academic discussions; however, the intentional practice of teaching spatial thinking skills is still largely absent from K-12 education. The translation of science into educational practice is challenging for a variety of reasons, including the difficulty "translating" research findings into practical applications and limited resources to support its development, implementation, and evaluation. Given these obstacles, one may ask "can spatial thinking be brought to the classroom?" In this paper, we argue that in order to effectively move research into the classroom, we must first systematically explore how spatial thinking can be translated into practice. Approach: We present a use-inspired, integrative framework that draws upon planned action and translation science theories, as well as research from cognitive, developmental, educational, and implementation sciences, to guide the infusion of spatial thinking into science curricula. In the Knowledge Translation Framework (KTF), translation is conceived as a multistage process, proceeding through seven stages: (1) the identification of relevant disciplinary and contextual knowledge, (2) the synthesis and translation of knowledge into guidelines to support the infusion of knowledge into the curriculum, (3) the development of tools to support curriculum development, implementation, and track the translation process, (4) the iterative development and refinement of the spatially-enhanced curriculum, (5) the creation of an analysis plan to evaluate the impact of the spatial enhancements and other contextual features on learning, (6) the development and implementation of an intervention plan, and (7) the evaluation of the intervention. Conclusion: The KTF is a use-inspired, integrative framework that unpacks the translation process and offers practical guidance on how a team may synthesize scientific and contextual knowledge, infuse it into a curriculum, and evaluate its impact in ways that will yield scientific understanding and practical knowledge. We also provide illustrative examples of how this approach was used to spatially enhance an elementary science curriculum.

Science in schooling has for the first time been recently considered as a verified whole for the 10 or 12 of its compulsory years, rather than for a limited sector of schooling or for a particular group of students. This has also been occurring as part of a wider review and plan for the whole curriculum of schooling. A framework has been provided consisting of a matrix of strands of intended content for learning across a number of levels approximating the years of schooling. There is a sense and expectation of continuous progression in the learning of science. Earlier notions of progression in science curricula are explored and compared with what has now appeared in the national curricula in England and Wales, New Zealand and Australia. The notions of curriculum opportunity and curriculum purpose for science education are introduced as factors that would lead to a shift in the sense of progression from a focus on Science itself to an emphasis on the learners' changing need of science as they progress through the years of schooling.

More than a decade ago, the K-12 Framework for Education and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) shifted states' notions of what constitutes the core of science skills and knowledge that students need to thrive in school and beyond. The majority of states adopted standards based on the framework as well as the NGSS. Yet because of the standards' complexity and an overall lack of emphasis on science instruction, districts have few quality curricula and materials to choose from. There is no single policy or set of policies that will address all the challenges teachers and students face in accessing and using high-quality science instructional materials. Even as teachers wait for the market to catch up to their demands for quality materials, state leaders can take several steps that will make a real difference in science classrooms: (1) maintain rigorous science standards and demand high-quality curriculum options; (2) assess the state's instructional materials landscape; (3) help districts identify and select quality materials; and (4) invest in professional learning tied to standards and quality curriculum.

This study was conducted using a qualitative approach as it aimed to evaluate the Science and Art Center Science Curriculum (SACSC), which was updated in 2020, within the framework of the context, input, process, and product (CIPP) approach by taking the opinions of science teachers working in Science and Art Centers (SACs) in Turkey. The data were collected according to the qualitative data collection method and a structured interview form was used as a data collection tool. The findings showed that science teachers working in SACs have generally negative views on SACSC based on the context dimension of the CIPP Model, while their views are generally positive based on input, process, and product dimensions. Based on the results of the research, it is recommended to conduct other comparative studies between the SACSC and similar curricula in other countries in order to reveal the relationship between the program components and the needs of children and society.

This paper, the third in a series on Earth System Science Education, describes various pedagogical ways forward when science teachers are addressing the curriculum implications of the recent interdisciplinary field of Earth System Science (ESS). Parts I and II introduced the key ideas of ESS and the implications for the Australian Curriculum: Science (see "Teaching Science" 68.1 & 68.2 respectively). Part III outlines several research-informed pedagogies to help learners develop more scientific understandings of the Earth System and appropriate related abilities. We believe the suggested ESS additions, emphases and the recommended pedagogies could comprise one pathway toward a more comprehensive and confident Earth System literacy and a stronger engagement in the Earth and other sciences at every school level, and to the curriculum as a whole. Better-informed, sustainability decision-making and actions by students as today's, and tomorrow's, citizens are the hoped-for outcome. [For Part II, see EJ1355521.]

The "Evolving 5-19 Biology" report (RSB, 2021) presents eight key recommendations and a framework for the development of biology curricula for ages 5-19. The framework proposes organising the curriculum in 23 coherent themes that form learning progression pathways. These pathways build answers to seven 'big questions' related to big ideas of biology across three dimensions: practices, concepts and applications. The report is aimed at policymakers but also provides inspiration for teachers looking to redevelop their school biology curriculum. Here, two of the report's lead authors discuss its importance, ethos and intended impacts on biology curriculum policy and teaching.

This paper, the second in a series of three, explores the representation of Earth System Science (ESS) in the Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2018a)) through the Cross Curriculum Priority area of Sustainability and the Australian Curriculum: Science (F-12), with a focus on F-10. Part I (in Teaching Science, 68.1) overviewed the current understandings of the Earth System and the relatively recent interdisciplinary field of Earth System Science (ESS). Here, in Part II, an analysis of the Cross Curriculum Priority area of Sustainability and the Australian Curriculum: Science (F-12) revealed that several key ESS understandings and system-thinking skills were present. How the most current ESS understandings and abilities could lead to a far deeper understanding of the Earth System are then considered and those that may need more attention from students and teachers are highlighted. Part III (in a forthcoming issue) outlines several research-informed pedagogies to help learners develop more scientific understandings of the Earth System, and appropriate related abilities. These Earth System goals and pedagogies needed to be considered in the ACARA review of the Australian Curriculum: Science and the Sustainability Cross Curriculum Priority area -- to that end, this paper was submitted to the appropriate committees. We believe the suggested ESS additions and emphases could comprise one pathway toward a more comprehensive and confident Earth System literacy and a stronger engagement in the Earth and other sciences at every school level, and to the curriculum as a whole. Better-informed, sustainability decision-making and actions by students as today's, and tomorrow's, citizens is the hoped-for outcome. [For Part I, see EJ1346071.]

This study explored democratic citizenship (DC) for students by developing a DC framework (DCF) with eight components. We employed the DCF to examine what and how much DC was included in Korean science textbooks and lab books focused on the topic of energy for Grades K-12. We found different DC components were included at different grade levels and some components were not present at all. To help address the uneven distribution of these components, we developed four DC inclusive science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) books related to the topic of energy. These books were designed with the DCF to foster rich DC learning experiences in school science. We engaged 13 teachers as consultants in a validation process when developing the DC inclusive STEAM books. This study describes the development and implementation of the DCF for preparing supplemental science curriculum materials that can improve students' appreciation for DC.

BioEYES is a K-12 science outreach program that develops self-sustaining teachers as a replication strategy to address high demand for the program while promoting long-term school partnerships. This paper explores the practices of "model teachers" from multiple grades, who are empowered over a three-year period to deliver BioEYES' hands-on science content autonomously, as compared to the program's standard co-teaching model (BioEYES educator + classroom teacher). The authors found that BioEYES' professional development (PD) workshop, classroom co-teaching experience, and refresher trainings assist teachers in gaining autonomy to teach the program's curricula. In addition, the authors found: 1) a similar effectiveness on student learning across three grade bands, and 2) positive attitude changes about science as a result of the program, regardless if the BioEYES unit was taught by a model teacher or program staff. Further we found that high school model teachers exceeded the performance of BioEYES educators. This observation supports our contention that giving high quality STEM programing that includes multi-level PD to teachers generates the strongest possible outcome. Overall, we characterize the impact and financial investment of BioEYES and describe a PD framework that can be used by outreach providers to deliver content, expand their reach, and sustain school partnerships.

The aim of this study is to compare 2018 Science Course Curriculum (SCC), 2015 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and 2018 High School Entrance Examination (HSE) in terms of content domains, cognitive domains and learning objectives. Qualitative research method, was used in this study. Data were analyzed using document review matrices to determine the similarities and differences between the objectives of SCC, TIMSS and HSE. SCC outcomes and HSE science questions were also classified according to TIMSS cognitive domains. Results show that the learning objectives of the fields of Physics, Biology and Earth Sciences of TIMSS are compatible with those of all grade levels of SCC and that the objectives of Chemistry are compatible with those of the seventh and eighth grades. Most of HSE questions are compatible with the objectives of SCC, however, the latest revision in the curriculum has introduced some eighth grade objectives to other grade levels. HSE science questions measure higher-level skills than TIMSS science questions. The subject domain of the "Organisms and Life" of SCC has the most learning objectives in the levels of "knowing" and "reasoning" while the subject domain of the "Physical Events" has the most learning objectives in the levels of "applying." Besides, the seventh-, fifth- and eighth-graders have the most objectives in the levels of "knowing," "applying," and "reasoning," respectively. It is hoped that the results will contribute the literature in improvement of science curricula and interpretation of national and international exams.