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2. WIDA Correspondence Mapping of the Match, Breadth, Consistency, and Depth of Language Opportunities in State K-12 English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Standards. WCER Working Paper No. 2023-3. Summary
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University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) and Willner, Lynn Shafer
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This 15-page document provides a high-level summary and key excerpts from WCER Working Paper No. 2023-3 (ED631017). Readers should consult the full working paper for more in-depth detail and evidence, particularly in the extensive appendices. This technical summary reports on analyses conducted during the standards development process to establish a clear correspondence between the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 Edition (WIDA's K-12 English language proficiency standards), and the academic content standards used by WIDA consortium member State Education Agencies (SEAs). The analyses assess the match, breadth, balance of representation [consistency], and depth between these two types of standards. The paper also offers evidence of correspondence between these two types of standards and offers a methodology for states to use. It reports on the broad analysis used to update the WIDA ELD Standards Framework to ensure it could be applied flexibly across the consortium. SEA correspondence mappings are specific to individual SEAs. As federal law and peer review indicate the final responsibility for standards lies with states, WIDA is able to offer this technical paper as a tool to support the state correspondence process. [For the full report, see ED631017.]
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- 2023
3. Evolution vs. Creationism in the Classroom: the Lasting Effects of Science Education. Program on Education Policy and Governance Working Papers Series. PEPG 22-01
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Harvard University, Program on Education Policy and Governance and Arold, Benjamin W.
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Anti-scientific attitudes can impose substantial costs on societies. Can schools be an important agent in mitigating the propagation of such attitudes? This paper investigates the effect of the content of science education on anti-scientific attitudes, knowledge, and choices. The analysis exploits staggered reforms that reduce or expand the coverage of evolution theory in US state science education standards. I compare adjacent cohorts in models with state and cohort fixed effects and conduct fine-grained placebo tests to rule out scientific, religious and political confounders. There are three main results. First, expanded evolution coverage increases students' knowledge about evolution. Second, the reforms translate into greater evolution belief in adulthood, but do not crowd out religiosity or affect political attitudes. Third, the reforms affect high-stakes life decisions, namely the probability of working in life sciences.
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- 2022
4. A Testing Load: Investigating Test Mode Effects on Test Score, Cognitive Load and Scratch Paper Use with Secondary School Students
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Pengelley, James, Whipp, Peter R., and Rovis-Hermann, Nina
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The aim of the present study is to reconcile previous findings (a) that testing mode has no effect on test outcomes or cognitive load (Comput Hum Behav 77:1-10, 2017) and (b) that younger learners' working memory processes are more sensitive to computer-based test formats (J Psychoeduc Assess 37(3):382-394, 2019). We addressed key methodological limitations in past cognitive load research by employing a repeated measures design with 263, year 9 (aged 13-14) science students in Western Australia. Question difficulty (intrinsic cognitive load) and test mode (extraneous cognitive load) were manipulated to measure changes in test performance, cognitive load and scratch paper use on equivalent paper and computer-based versions of an Ohm's Law revision quiz. Hierarchical linear modelling indicated significantly higher paper-based test performance on difficult questions in addition to greater cognitive load and scratch paper use for all paper questions. Testing mode effects on test score, as well as both measures of cognitive load, were not significant when controlling for working memory capacity, although the testing mode*question difficulty interaction remained significant. Together, these results contradict previous findings that computer-based testing can be implemented without consequence for all learners. With the increased use of computer-based testing in national and international-level assessments, these findings warrant further research into the effect of different testing modes on school-aged students.
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- 2023
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5. Fostering Scientific Citizenship in an Uncertain World: Selected Papers from the ESERA 2021 Conference. Contributions from Science Education Research. Volume 13
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Carvalho, Graça S., Afonso, Ana Sofia, Anastácio, Zélia, Carvalho, Graça S., Afonso, Ana Sofia, and Anastácio, Zélia
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This edited volume brings together innovative research in the field of Science Education, fostering scientific citizenship in an uncertain world. The nineteen chapters presented in this book address diverse topics, and research approaches carried out in various contexts and settings worldwide, contributing to improving and updating knowledge on science education. The book consists of selected high-quality studies presented at the 14th European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) Conference, held online (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) by the University of Minho, Portugal, between August 30th and September 3rd, 2021. Being of great relevance in contemporary science education, this book stimulates reflection on different approaches to enhance a deeper understanding of how better prepare the coming generations, which is of great interest to science education researchers and science teachers.
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- 2023
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6. Exploring Making through Mobile Emergent Technologies: Makerspace Education in Rural Communities. WCER Working Paper No. 2021-1
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University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER), Nixon, Jessie, Halverson, Erica, and Stoiber, Andy
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The Exploring Making Through Mobile Emergent Technologies (EMMET) program sought to disrupt the trajectory from rural high school to factory floor by introducing STEM and computational thinking (STEM+C) skills through mentorship training and hands-on activities involving creative production--often referred to as "making." The program also bridged the divide between formal school science education and informal opportunities for science learning outside of school--a division that has marginalized young people from science class and devalued everyday science experiences (Stocklmayer et al., 2010). The overall project focused on designing maker experiences, training local high school students as "maker-mentors" for their community, developing partnerships with area community-based organizations, and researching what program participants learn about STEM and computational thinking. The work described in this white paper offers a model for regions with distributed, rural populations to build capacity for young people to develop skills and self-efficacy in STEM+C fields. This paper aims to answer the following questions: (1) How are rural communities impacted by mobile making experiences that involve community mentors as instructors? (2) What do maker-mentors learn as a result of their participation in facilitating mobile making experiences? and (3) What aspects of the community-involved maker experiences are sustained beyond institutional intervention? [This paper was written with contributions from Tim Fetting, Vicki Jeppesen, and Darren Ackley.]
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- 2021
7. A Systematic Review of the Research Papers on Chemistry-Focused Socio-Scientific Issues
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Çalik, Muammer and Wiyarsi, Antuni
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Although chemistry-focused socio-scientific issues support the 'relevance' model of chemistry education, the related literature has lacked any systematic review handling them together. For this reason, this research aimed to thematically synthesize the research papers on chemistry-focused socio scientific issues (SSI) from 2008 to 2020 and inferentially evaluate them in terms of the relevance model of chemistry education. After searching international and national well-known databases through relevant keyword patterns (e.g., Pattern 1: socio-scientific issues and chemistry education), 65 research papers were apparent for the systematic review. Then, the authors generated primary and secondary codes for the research papers and then inferentially marked their 'relevance' components. The systematic review indicated variation of research areas (e.g., relevance model of chemistry education) and dominant research foci for different themes (e.g., competencies and related variables for the theme 'aims'; pollution, energy, industry and fabrication-based problems for the theme 'SSI'; organic compounds for the theme 'chemistry concepts'). Further, it revealed that the research papers on chemistry-focused SSI had some shortcomings at handling all components of the relevance model in a balanced way. The current research suggests professionally training teachers about how to integrate chemistry-focused SSI and the relevance model into school chemistry.
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- 2021
8. Exploring Gender-Based Effects of Virtual Laboratory against Paper-Based Practices towards Real Chemistry Practical in Tanzanian Secondary Schools
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Majuto Clement Manyilizu
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Gender inequality is strongly linked with poor performance in science and mathematics for female students in secondary schools owing to socio-economic and cultural issues as well as learning strategies. According to the Certificate of Secondary Education Examination results of 2021 in Tanzania, the failure rate for female students was higher than that for male students, and such failure in chemistry was associated with inadequate knowledge about the tested concepts, failure to identify the requirements of the respective questions and lack of adequate mathematical skills. Real practical sessions are integral parts of chemistry to enhance the learning environments for both female and male students. However, the real laboratory practices especially for chemistry are challenged with the costs of the construction of physical laboratory infrastructure and reagents, and the time-consuming and physical demands on personnel during real practical sessions. Thus, this study explores gender-based effects of the chemistry virtual laboratory against a paper-based approach towards a real chemistry practical in Tanzanian secondary schools. The results indicate that the combined exposures of virtual laboratory and paper-based practicals improve real practical performance for both female and male students. Moreover, the performance of real practical practices progressively improved for female students when they were first exposed to the virtual laboratory and then the paper-based practical. Such improvements can be associated with the virtual laboratory providing interactive learning environments which support female students to connect and engage.
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- 2023
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9. Using Paper Models to Teach Basic Concepts of the Human Musculoskeletal System
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Rehorek, Susan J., Falso, Paul G., and Siebert, Justin R.
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Traditionally, human anatomy is taught using cadaveric human or animal specimens, however such materials are not always available or are quite costly. Alternate instructional methods can include software, models, clay models, and illustrations. Unfortunately, while cost effective, these methods lack the ability to demonstrate the "in situ" three-dimensional relationships between anatomical structures. This study examined one alternative method of instruction, the construction of threedimensional paper models, which are currently limited in availability, and mostly designed for teaching medical anatomy programs. This study set out to determine (1) if a paper model system could be used to highlight the anatomic complexity of specific anatomic regions, (2) if a model system primarily designed for medical anatomy programs could be customized to topics and made appropriate for undergradute anatomy courses, and (3) if this low-technology and inexpensive form of instruction is an effective tool in teaching musculoskeletal anatomy. Students were given a series of four models to assemble during a time period of 4-weeks. Students were assessed with a series of paired questions before and after the model exercise relating to: number of muscles, plane of muscle, depth of structure, name and function of muscle. Comparison of the pre and post-test data demonstrated a gain in knowledge. Thus, the utilization of paper models are a viable and cost effective pedagogical tool for undergraduate anatomical education.
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- 2019
10. Connecting Mathematics with Science to Enhance Student Achievement -- A Position Paper
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Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia and Little, Jake
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Students in secondary school often find mathematics abstract and irrelevant, frequently questioning its usefulness and purpose. The discourse around STEM education has encouraged secondary teachers to attempt connecting mathematics with other STEM disciplines, most commonly with science. By making connections between content and skills through applications, it is anticipated that secondary school students will engage more in class that may result in improved mathematics achievement. This paper explores the rationale for making connections with science, examines the impact on student achievement in mathematics from previous research and discusses challenges for schools and teachers.
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- 2019
11. Proceedings of International Conference on Social and Education Sciences (IConSES) (Las Vegas, Nevada, October 19-22, 2023). Volume 1
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International Society for Technology, Education and Science (ISTES) Organization, Mack Shelley, Valarie Akerson, Mevlut Unal, Mack Shelley, Valarie Akerson, Mevlut Unal, and International Society for Technology, Education and Science (ISTES) Organization
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"Proceedings of International Conference on Social and Education Sciences" includes full papers presented at the International Conference on Social and Education Sciences (IConSES), which took place on October 19-22, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The aim of the conference is to offer opportunities to share ideas, discuss theoretical and practical issues, and to connect with the leaders in the fields of education and social sciences. The IConSES invites submissions that address the theory, research, or applications in all disciplines of education and social sciences. The IConSES is organized for: faculty members in all disciplines of education and social sciences, graduate students, K-12 administrators, teachers, principals, and all interested in education and social sciences. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
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- 2023
12. At-Home Microscale Paper-Based Quantitative Analysis Activity with External Standards
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Schmuck, Viktoria D. E., Romine, Isabelle C., Sisley, Tyler A., Immoos, Chad E., Scott, Gregory E., Zigler, David F., and Martinez, Andres W.
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An inexpensive at-home quantitative analysis activity was developed for the determination of glucose in unknown samples using paper-based microfluidic devices. All of the materials and reagents for the activity fit in a small kit that was mailed to students. The only items students needed to supply were water and a smartphone. Microgram quantities of glucose were dried down in microcentrifuge tubes and included in the kit so that students could prepare external standards. Student results distinguished between two different concentrations of glucose that served as unknown samples. The combination of paper-based devices and dried-down microgram quantities of reagents provides a foundation for the development of other at-home or in-person experiments.
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- 2022
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13. Project-Based Learning: A Literature Review. Working Paper
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MDRC and Condliffe, Barbara
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The concept of project-based learning (PBL) has garnered wide support among a number of K-12 education policy advocates and funders. This working paper builds on and updates a seminal literature review of PBL published in 2000. Focused primarily on articles and studies that have emerged in the 17 years since then, the working paper discusses the principles that underlie PBL, how PBL has been used in K-12 settings, the challenges teachers have confronted in implementing it, how school and district factors influence its adoption, and what is known about its effectiveness in improving students' learning outcomes. PBL is grounded in cross-cutting "design principles" often related to what is taught, how it is taught, and how students should be evaluated in a PBL classroom. PBL design principles emphasize the importance of the project as the central vehicle of instruction and of students as active participants in the construction of knowledge. There is little consensus among developers of PBL design principles, however, about how PBL fits in with other instructional methods, how long a PBL unit should last, the roles of student choice and collaborative learning, and how learning should be assessed. The lack of a uniform vision complicates efforts to determine whether PBL is being implemented with fidelity and to evaluate its effects. PBL can be introduced into classrooms in a number of ways: Teachers and schools can make use of externally developed PBL curricula, they can develop their own PBL approaches, or PBL can be part of a whole-school reform effort. Implementing PBL is often challenging. It requires that teachers modify their roles (from directors to facilitators of learning) and that they tolerate not only ambiguity but also more noise and movement in the classroom. Teachers must adopt new classroom management skills and learn how best to support their students in learning, using technology when appropriate. And they must believe that their students are fully capable of learning through this approach. Given these challenges, professional development -- both initial training and continuing support -- is likely to be essential to the successful implementation of PBL. The working paper suggests that the evidence for PBL's effectiveness in improving students' outcomes is "promising but not proven." Evaluations of its effectiveness have been hampered by the paucity of valid, reliable, and readily usable measures of the kinds of deeper learning and interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies that PBL aims to promote. Many studies, too, have used evaluation designs that leave open the possibility that factors other than PBL were responsible for the outcomes that were found. This said, some studies have found positive effects associated with the use of PBL curricula in science and social studies classes. Evidence for its effectiveness in math and literacy classes is more limited. In particular, it has been noted that math teachers have found it difficult to integrate PBL into their instruction. Some studies in schools that follow PBL approaches have pointed to positive effects on students' engagement, motivation, and beliefs in their own efficacy, although the specific PBL model and the intensity of its use have varied across these schools. The working paper concludes with recommendations for advancing research and knowledge about PBL. [This paper was written with: Janet Quint, Mary G. Visher, Michael R. Bangser, Sonia Drohojowska, Larissa Saco, and Elizabeth Nelson. An earlier version of this paper was funded and published by Lucas Education Research.]
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- 2017
14. Position Paper on Use of Stereoscopy to Support Science Learning: Ten Years of Research
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Price, C. Aaron, Lee, Hee-Sun, and Plummer, Julia D.
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Stereoscopy's potential as a tool for science education has been largely eclipsed by its popularity as an entertainment platform and marketing gimmick. Dozens of empirical papers have been published in the last decade about the impact of stereoscopy on learning. As a result, a corpus of research now points to a coherent message about how, when, and where stereoscopy can be most effective in supporting science education. This position paper synthesizes that research with examples from three studies recently completed and published by the authors of this paper. Results of the synthesis point towards generally limited successful uses of stereoscopic media in science education with a pocket of potentially beneficial applications. Our position is that stereoscopy should be used only where its unique properties can accommodate specific requirements of understanding topics and tasks--namely visualizations where the spatial sense of depth is germane to conveying core ideas and cognitive load is high. Stereoscopy's impact on learning is also related to the spatial ability of the viewer. More research is needed on the effect of novelty, long-term learning and possible learning differences between the various methods of implementing stereoscopy.
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- 2015
15. A University in the Wilderness: Building a Community and Culture at the New University of California. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.9.17
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University of California, Berkeley. Center for Studies in Higher Education and Merritt, Karen
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When the University of California moved to a permanent campus site in Berkeley, many described what they found there as a wilderness. Early faculty and students proceeded to build a campus and community, creating clubs, musical groups, fraternities, and athletics. This experience is brought to life in this essay through contemporary memoirs and campus publications, notably, the papers of a leading university family, Joseph Le Conte with his son, J.N. Le Conte, and youngest daughter, Carrie Le Conte. Through these sources, we can glimpse student life between 1880, when Carrie matriculated, and 1891, when J.N. graduated. The burgeoning campus culture embraced a distant wilderness too. The Le Conte family joined other university folks in spending summers camping in Yosemite Valley and the High Sierra. Many UC scientists, like the Le Contes, blended recreation with field research and education in the mountains. When John Muir went looking for advocates to form a "Yosemite defense association" to protect the newly created national park, he found ready organizers and supporters from the university built in the wilderness to help him form the Sierra Club.
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- 2017
16. Assessment in the English for Academic Study Telecollaboration (EAST) Project -- A Case Study
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Rolinska, Anna and Czura, Anna
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This case study presents and discusses the English for Academic Study Telecollaboration (EAST) project, carried out between Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET) students from different higher education institutions. In this telecollaborative project, the students work across borders and cultures on real-life SET discipline-specific scenarios and develop a number of soft skills and attributes alongside. The paper shows how the telecollaborative exchange has been set up and what changes were required to adapt the existing course, particularly its assessment procedures, to ensure the project was well integrated into the curriculum. It also attempts to evaluate the project, taking into account the differing outcomes and learning experiences of the participants from the partnering institutions. It concludes that adding the telecollaborative project to the existing course resulted in a richer educational experience for the participants and development of a number of skills but points out imbalances in the treatment of the participants from the assessment point of view and suggests how these inequalities could be addressed in the future. [For the complete volume, "Assessing Virtual Exchange in Foreign Language Courses at Tertiary Level," see ED624433.]
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- 2022
17. Bridging Research and Practice in Science Education: Selected Papers from the ESERA 2017 Conference. Contributions from Science Education Research. Volume 6
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McLoughlin, Eilish, Finlayson, Odilla E., Erduran, Sibel, Childs, Peter E., McLoughlin, Eilish, Finlayson, Odilla E., Erduran, Sibel, and Childs, Peter E.
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This edited volume presents innovative current research in the field of Science Education. The chapter's deal with a wide variety of topics and research approaches, conducted in a range of contexts and settings. Together they make a strong contribution to knowledge on science teaching and learning. The book consists of selected presentations from the 12th European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) Conference, held in Dublin, Ireland from 21st to 25th August, 2017. The ESERA community is made up of professionals with diverse disciplinary backgrounds from natural sciences to social sciences. This diversity enables a rich understanding of cognitive and affective aspects of science teaching and learning. The studies in this book will stimulate discussion and interest in finding new ways of implementing and researching science education for the future. The twenty-two chapters in this book are presented in four parts highlighting innovative approaches to school science, emerging identities in science education, approaches to developing learning and competence progressions, and ways of enhancing science teacher education. This collection of studies showcases current research orientations in science education and is of interest to science teachers, teacher educators and science education researchers around the world with a commitment to bridging research and practice in science teaching and learning. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
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- 2019
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18. Engaging with Contemporary Challenges through Science Education Research: Selected Papers from the ESERA 2019 Conference. Contributions from Science Education Research. Volume 9
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Levrini, Olivia, Tasquier, Giulia, Amin, Tamer G., Branchetti, Laura, Levin, Mariana, Levrini, Olivia, Tasquier, Giulia, Amin, Tamer G., Branchetti, Laura, and Levin, Mariana
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This book starts with the premise that beauty can be an engine of transformation and authentic engagement in an increasingly complex world. It presents an organized picture of highlights from the 13th European Science Education Research Association Conference, ESERA 2019, held in Bologna, Italy. The collection includes contributions that discuss contemporary issues such as climate change, multiculturalism, and the flourishing of new interdisciplinary areas of investigation, including the application of cognitive neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and digital humanities to science education research. It also highlights learners' difficulties engaging with socio-scientific issues in a digital and post-truth era. The volume demonstrates that deepening our understanding is the preferred way to address these challenges and that science education has a key role to play in this effort. In particular, the book advances the argument that the deep and novel character of these challenges requires a collective search for new narratives and languages, an expanding knowledge base and new theoretical perspectives and methods of research. The book provides a contemporary picture of science education research and looks to the theoretical and practical societal challenges of the future.
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- 2021
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19. Performative Intra-Action of a Paper Plane and a Child: Exploring Scientific Concepts as Agentic Playmates
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Haus, Jana Maria
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This work uses new materialist perspectives (Barad 2007; Lenz Taguchi 2014; Rautio in "Children's Geographies," 11(4), 394-408, 2013) to examine an exploration of concepts as agents and the question how intra-action of human and non-human bodies lead to the investigation of scientific concepts, relying on an article by de Freitas and Palmer ("Cultural Studies of Science Education," 11(4), 1201-1222, 2016). Through an analysis of video stills of a case study, a focus on classroom assemblages shows how the intra-actions of human and non-human bodies (one 5-year-old boy, a piece of paper that becomes a paper plane and the concepts of force and flight) lead to an intertwining and intersecting of play, learning, and becoming. Video recordings were used to qualitatively analyze three questions, which emerged through and resulted from the intra-action of researcher and data. This paper aims at addressing a prevalent gap in the research literature on science learning from a materialist view. Findings of the analysis show that human and non-human bodies together become through and for another to jointly and agentically intra-act in exploring and learning about science. Implications for learning and teaching science are that teachers could attempt to focus on setting up the learning environment differently, so that children have time and access to materials that matter to them and that, as "Hultman (2011) claims […] 'whisper, answer, demand and offer'" (Areljung forthcoming, p. 77) themselves to children in the learning and teaching environment.
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- 2020
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20. Non-Cognitive Characteristics and Academic Achievement in Southeast Asian Countries Based on PISA 2009, 2012, and 2015. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 233
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Lee, Jihyun
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Non-cognitive characteristics of students in four Southeast Asian countries -- Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam -- were reviewed based on the PISA 2009, 2012, and 2015 data. Overall, students in this region demonstrated similarities with respect to their non-cognitive dispositions such as learning habits, approaches to learning, motivation for school subject matters and self-beliefs about their abilities. The non-cognitive characteristics that were most prevalent in the region included enjoyment and instrumental motivation to learn, which were evidenced by the indices of "intrinsicmotivation for mathematics" (INTMAT), "instrumental motivation for mathematics" (INSTMOT), "enjoyment in learning of science" (JOYSCIE), and "instrumental motivation in learning science" (INSTSCIE). However, these variables were not strong predictors of student achievement in this region. The review also revealed that the best non-cognitive predictors of student achievement were metacognitive awareness (METASUM and UNDREM) for reading achievement; self-efficacy, self-concept, and anxiety (MATHEFF, SCMAT, and ANXMAT) for mathematics achievement; and environmental awareness and epistemological beliefs (ENVAWARE and EPIST) for science achievement. These variables were also the best predictors, on average, across all PISA participants and economies. However, some region-specific non-cognitive predictors were also noted. These were "intrinsic motivation" (INTMAT) in Malaysia; "perseverance" (PERSEV) in Thailand; and "mathematics intentions" (MATINTFC)in Viet Nam. Overall, the similarities found in the non-cognitive characteristics among Southeast Asian students suggest that (a) regional collaboration in designing the educational strategies may be beneficial and that (b) an implementation of regional questionnaires in future PISA surveys may be useful to gain an in-depth understanding of achievement-related factors in this region.
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- 2020
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21. The Paper Towels Challenge: an open-ended scientific inquiry activity to promote science understanding, scientific skills and 21st century skills.
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Ahr, Emmanuel, Potvin, Patrice, Charland, Patrick, Chastenay, Pierre, Brault Foisy, Lorie-Marlène, Bruyère, Marie-Hélène, Boissard, Bénédicte, and Cyr, Guillaume
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SCIENTIFIC method , *PAPER towels , *TWENTY-first century , *CRITICAL thinking , *SCIENCE education - Abstract
This article introduces a flexible and easy-to-implement open-ended scientific inquiry activity called the Paper Towels Challenge. After experimentally determining which of three unbranded paper towels is the most absorbent, students discuss their results and methods. The teacher facilitates the discussion of epistemological issues. This activity can be used regardless of the participants' age or country to promote science understanding, NGSS science and engineering practices, and twenty-first century skills, such as critical thinking and communication. The many uses, benefits, and possible adaptations of the activity are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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22. Claiming the Promise of Place-Based Education. Occasional Paper Series 33
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Bank Street College of Education, Altman, Roberta, Stires, Susan, Weseen, Susan, Altman, Roberta, Stires, Susan, Weseen, Susan, and Bank Street College of Education
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Each of the papers in this collection offers a much-needed antidote to the forces that disconnect educators from the places in which they teach, learn, and live. Together, they provide an opportunity to reflect on the power of place in education. This issue offers an opportunity--an invitation--to embrace all that the places both in and outside the classroom have to offer. Individual essays in this paper include: (1) Reclaiming the Promise of Place: An Interview with David Greenwood (Roberta Altman); (2) Playing in Literary Landscapes: Considering Children's Need for Fantasy Literature in the Place-Based Classroom (Sarah Fisher); (3) Guggenheim for All: Museum Education for Students on the Spectrum (Chiara Di Lello); (4) Curtain Up: Place-based Teaching & Learning in the New York City Theater District (Peggy McNamara and Bryan Andes); (5) Place-Based Education: (Re)Integrating Ecology & Economy (Mark T. Kissling and Angela Calabrese Barton); (6) Discovering Place-based Education in the Foothills of the Himalayas (Monimalika Day with Doug Hernandez); (7) Learning Naturally: An Inquiry Study of Streams in Hawaii (Becca Kesler); (8) Nature Preschools: Putting Nature at the Heart of Early Childhood Education (Ken Finch and Patti Ensel Bailie); and (9) Preparing Teachers for Place-based Teaching (Amy Vinlove). Individual essays contain references and figures.
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- 2015
23. Novel Behaviors of Youth in a Virtual Reality Chemistry Lab
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Hu-Au, Elliot, Addla, Pooja, Harinarayanan, Janani, Wei, Zhanlan, Wu, Chuhe, Liu, Zoey Yichen, Danoff, Mara, Filipe, Joaquim, Editorial Board Member, Ghosh, Ashish, Editorial Board Member, Prates, Raquel Oliveira, Editorial Board Member, Zhou, Lizhu, Editorial Board Member, Bourguet, Marie-Luce, editor, Krüger, Jule M., editor, Pedrosa, Daniela, editor, Dengel, Andreas, editor, Peña-Rios, Anasol, editor, and Richter, Jonathon, editor
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- 2024
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24. Art & Early Childhood: Personal Narratives & Social Practices. Occasional Paper Series 31
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Bank Street College of Education, Sunday, Kris, McClure, Marissa, and Schulte, Christopher
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This issue explores the nature of childhood by offering selections that re/imagine the idea of the child as art maker; inquire about the relationships between children and adults when they are making art; and investigate how physical space influences approaches to art instruction. Readers are invited to join a dialogue that questions long-standing traditions of early childhood art--traditions grounded in a modernist view of children's art as a romantic expression of inner emotional and/or developmental trajectories. Selected essays create liminal spaces for reflection, dialogue, and critique of the views that have governed understandings of children and their art. Individual essays in this paper include: (1) Entering the Secret Hideout: Fostering Newness and Space for Art and Play (Shana Cinquema); (2) The Affective Flows of Art-Making (Bronwyn Davies); (3) Seeing Meaning (Barry Goldberg); (4) The Existential Territories of Global Childhoods: Resingularizing Subjectivity Through Ecologies of Care and the Art of Ahlam Shibli (Laura Trafí-Prats); (5) Visualizing Spaces of Childhood (Heather G. Kaplan); (6) A "Widespread Atelier" for Exploring Energy (Giulio Ceppi); (7) Art Education at Bank Street College, Then and Now (Edith Gwathmey and Ann-Marie Mott); (8) Theorising through Visual and Verbal Metaphors: Challenging Narrow Depictions of Children and Learning (Sophie Rudolph); and (9) Time for a Paradigm Shift: Recognizing the Critical Role of Pictures Within Literacy Learning (Beth Olshansky). Individual essays contain references and figures.
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- 2015
25. Multi-Index and Hierarchical Comprehensive Evaluation System for Training Quality of Science and Engineering Postgraduates
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Duan, Peitong, Niu, Huijun, Xiang, Jiawen, and Han, Caiqin
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It is essential to establish a multi-dimensional postgraduate quality evaluation system for student assessment and training. This study aimed to explore the construction of the multiindex and hierarchical comprehensive evaluation system for postgraduate training in science and engineering based on the Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) model using Analytic Hierarchy Process. It involved 756 postgraduates in physics and engineering who were randomly selected via the Internet. Data were collected from the questionnaire about postgraduates' basic information. After collection, Factor Analysis was used to verify the rationality of the design of second-level and third-level indicators, and adjust the corresponding weights. On this basis, Cluster Analysis was used to classify the training quality of the postgraduates based on their scores on academic ability, basic quality, and social ability indicators. The results revealed that the index system includes 4 first-level indicators,12 second-level indicators and 36 third-level indicators, and different weights being assigned to the indicators according to their influence on the training quality of postgraduates in science and engineering. This study also provides some reference for the quality of science and engineering postgraduate training in Chinese universities by proposing relevant measures, which could be interesting also for international audience.
- Published
- 2022
26. Teaching and Assessing Ethics and Social Responsibility in Undergraduate Science: A Position Paper
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Schultz, Madeleine
- Abstract
Institutional graduate capabilities and discipline threshold learning outcomes require science students to demonstrate ethical conduct and social responsibility. However, the teaching and assessment of these concepts are not straightforward. Australian chemistry academics participated in a workshop in 2013 to discuss and develop teaching and assessment in these areas, and this paper reports on the outcomes of the workshop. Controversial issues include: How broad is the mandate of the teacher, how should the boundaries between personal values and ethics be drawn, and who determines what constitutes social responsibility? In this position paper I argue for a deep engagement with ethics and social justice, achieved through case studies and assessed against criteria that require discussion and debate. Strategies to effectively assess science students' understanding of ethics and social responsibility are detailed.
- Published
- 2014
27. Annual Proceedings of Selected Papers on The Practice of Education Communications and Technology Presented at the Annual Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (37th, Jacksonville, Florida, 2014). Volume 2
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Association for Educational Communications and Technology and Simonson, Michael
- Abstract
For the thirty-seventh year, the Research and Theory Division and the Division of Instructional Design of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) sponsored the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the annual AECT Convention in Jacksonville, Florida. This year's Proceedings is presented in two volumes--Volume 1 includes twenty-seven research and development papers. Volume 2 includes thirty-one papers on the practice of educational communications and technology. The 31 papers with respective authors included in Volume 2 are: (1) Evaluation of Education and ICT Network (EBA) Based on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (Ayse Aydin Akkurt, Murat Ataizi, Haci Mustafa Dönmez); (2) Factors That May Influence Instructors' Choices of Including Social Media When Designing Online Courses (Laura L. Alderson, Deborah L. Lowther); (3) A Proposed Framework for Designing MOOCs Based on the Learning Sciences and the First Principles of Instruction (Hawazen Alharbi, Michele Jacobsen); (4) Renaissance 2.0: Connecting Dots (Aras Bozkurt); (5) In the Learner-focused Course Design: Games and Sims 101 (Joanne E. Beriswill); (6) Anatomy of the Megatech Project: A Goal-Based Scenario for Computing Fundamentals (Joanne E. Beriswill); (7) Meaningful Stimulus for a Segmented Instructional Animation: Reflection versus Prediction (Jongpil Cheon, Sungwon Chung, Steven M. Crooks); (8) A National Study of School Library Websites: Preliminary Design & Usability Guidelines (Anthony S. Chow, Rebecca J. Morris, Amy Figley, Jessica Sherard); (9) Designing a Responsive E-Learning Infrastructure: Systemic Change in Higher Education (Anthony S. Chow, Rebecca A. Croxton); (10) Using Addie and Systems Thinking as the Framework for Developing a MOOC: A Case Study (Rebecca A. Croxton, Anthony S. Chow); (11) Video Games and Learning: What Boys Learn From Vidoe Games and Can it Map to the Common Core Standards? (Jason A. Engerman, Alison Carr-Chellman); (12) Interpreting the Aesthetics of Games and Evaluating its Effect on Problem-Solving Using Visualization Theory (Diali Gupta, Beaumie Kim); (13) Designing Feedback to Increase Interaction and Learning in an Online Self-Study Course (Jacob A. Hall, Tiffany A. Koszalka, Lina Souid, Yufei Wu); (14) How a Once-Rejected Grant Proposal Was Later Funded by the State of Georgia (Jackie HeeYoung Kim, Moon-Heum Cho); (15) iBooks Author: Potential, Pedagogical Meanings, and Implementation Challenges (Jackie Heeyoung Kim); (16) Creating Participatory Online Learning Environments: A Social Learning Approach Revisited (Heather Lutz, Quincy Conley); (17) Faculty Training on eLearning: An International Performance Improvement Case Study (Eunice Luyegu); (18) Using the Community of Inquiry Framework for Library Science Course Design: An Eastern Caribbean Example (Dorothea Nelson); (19) Technology Enhanced Learning Strategies In K-12 Classrooms (Esther Ntuli); (20) The Role of Digital Game-Based Learning in Enhancing Social Presence (Ela Akgun Ozbek); (21) Digital Science Notebooks to Support Elementary Students' Scientific Practices (Seungoh Paek, Lori A. Fulton); (22) ESL's and PARCC Online Testing (Christine Patti); (23) Teaching Soft Skills with Games and Simulations (Deanna L. Proctor, Lenora Jean Justice); (24) Online Learning: Genie In a Bottle or Pandora's Box? (Angela Doucet Rand, Gayle V. Davidson-Shivers); (25) Promoting Student-Centered Learning: Team-Based Learning In A Technology-Rich Classroom (Mei-Yau Shih, Susan Han); (26) Computers as Critical Thinking Tools: Primarily Self-Directed, Online Capstone Course (Lina Souid, Yufei Wu, Jacob A. Hall, Tiffany A. Koszalka); (27) Collaborative Design of an Online Self-Directed Course: An Example of a Cognitive Apprenticeship (Lina Souid, Yufei Wu, Jacob A. Hall, Tiffany A. Koszalka); (28) Mobile Technology and Applications for Enhancing Achievement in K-12 Science Classrooms: A Literature Review (Sylvia Manka Azinwi Suh); (29) Evaluation of Web-Based English Reading Activities for Adolescent English Language Learners: A Pilot Study (Wan-Chun Tseng, Robert Dustin Florence); (30) Training Instructional Designers As Edupreneurs (Caglar Yildirim, Moonyoung Park, Tera Lawson, Nadia Jaramillo, Ana-Paula Correia, Ritushree Chatterjee, Pinar Arpaci ); and (31) Engaging the Online Language Learner (Julia Zammit, Sally A. Eliot, Caroline Kelly, Trey Martindale). (Individual papers contain references.) [For Volume 1, see ED562046.]
- Published
- 2014
28. Paper Copters and Potential: Leveraging Afterschool and Youth Development Trainers to Extend the Reach of STEM Programs
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Lingwood, Stephanie A. and Sorensen, Jennifer B.
- Abstract
October 6, 2012: 109 adults simultaneously threw their heads back and shouted "I discovered!" at the top of their lungs. Slightly mangled bright-green paper helicopters littered the floor. The class was six minutes into a daylong journey of discovery, during which this group of volunteer trainers would learn to facilitate a curriculum that uses inquiry-based science to teach youth development concepts. What would it take to increase the number of youth-serving volunteers who can competently lead science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities? This question has guided the authors work in the Inquiry in the Community project, launched in 2008. Along with Girl Scout staff colleagues and many dedicated volunteers, the authors have created a system for embedding inquiry-based science into a youth development organization. They achieved this goal by training staff and volunteers on inquiry facilitation techniques and then building support networks to reinforce these new skills. When co-author Stephanie was accepted into the National Afterschool Matters STEM Practitioner Fellowship, the authors decided to use the action research component of the fellowship to dive deeper into a facet of Inquiry of the Community they hadn't yet been able to investigate: the experience of volunteers participating in the project's train-the-trainer program. The lessons learned in the resulting action-research project can apply to other train-the-trainer efforts in afterschool and youth development. Stephanie takes over the story in this article to describe how she and co-author Jen Sorensen implemented the program and how Stephanie's action research examined the volunteers' experience.
- Published
- 2014
29. STEM Integration in Sixth Grade: Designing and Constructing Paper Bridges
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English, Lyn D. and King, Donna
- Abstract
In this article, we report on sixth-grade students' responses to a set of problem activities that required the application of mathematics, science, and engineering knowledge in designing and constructing a paper bridge that could withstand an optimal load. Increasing students' application and awareness of their disciplinary learning and how they are applying this in an integrated STEM activity remains a challenge for educators. In addressing this issue, we included a focus on knowledge reflection and knowledge scaffolding through thought-provoking student workbooks. Among the findings are students' capabilities in planning, designing, reflecting, constructing, and redesigning. Students' planning indicated that they could justify their proposed bridge type/s, which often included a combination of types, by referring to their STEM understandings. At the same time, students remained cognizant of the problem boundaries. Students' design sketches indicated an awareness of the problem constraints, an understanding of basic engineering principles, and an application of mathematics and science knowledge. Students' reflections on their actions helped them to improve their bridge constructions. Suggestions are presented for knowledge scaffolding to facilitate the flexible and innovative application of STEM learning to new problem situations.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
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30. Successful Schools: How School-Level Factors Influence Success with Urban Advantage. Working Paper #01-14
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New York University, Institute for Education and Social Policy (IESP), Weinstein, Meryle, Whitesell, Emilyn Ruble, and Leardo, Michele
- Abstract
Informal science education institutions have been identified as critical participants in helping students succeed in science by working in collaboration with school systems across the country. The results of one such collaboration, the Urban Advantage (UA) program found that participation in UA improved student achievement, on average, by 0.6 standard deviations on the 8th grade New York State Intermediate Level Science exam. However, while some UA schools performed exceedingly well, others performed well below expectations. In the current study, we explore the heterogeneity in the results and look deeper into what may be the cause of this variation, focusing closely on the school-level factors that may help or hinder success. After identifying a set of high and low-performing UA schools, we use qualitative research methods to uncover the ways in which successful schools are implementing UA, as well as other school-level factors that may influence the degree to which the school is able to benefit from the UA program. Identifying these best practices across different school contexts may help UA program staff develop strategies to support UA schools having more limited success. Additionally, findings from this study may aid UA staff in the school selection process, for example choosing schools they previously may not have based on their school-level characteristics. The following is appended: Teacher Interview Protocol.
- Published
- 2014
31. Do Stricter High School Graduation Requirements Improve College Readiness? ACT Working Paper Series. WP-2014-1
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ACT, Inc., Buddin, Richard, and Croft, Michelle
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In recent years, state policymakers have increased high school course requirements--particularly in mathematics and science. This research examines whether stricter requirements have been effective at improving student outcomes. Student-level evidence from a state's recent reform suggests that higher requirements had little effect on trends in course-taking, student performance, and college enrollment. Our evidence suggests that state policies that simply raise math and science graduation requirement may not be effective alone for improving student outcomes. This shortcoming may reflect that the laws primarily affect lower-ability and less-motivated students who often have weaker preparation for advanced coursework. Districts and states may require greater efforts at preparing these students for advanced coursework or redesigning the curriculum to improve student outcomes.
- Published
- 2014
32. High School Students' Use of Paper-Based and Internet-Based Information Sources in the Engineering Design Process
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Pieper, Jon and Mentzer, Nathan
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Mentzer and Becker (2011) and Becker and Mentzer (2012) demonstrated that high school students engaged in engineering design problems spent more time accessing information and spent more time designing when provided with Internet access. They studied high school students engaged in an engineering design challenge. The two studies attempted to apply the same research methodology as was used in previous work by Atman to facilitate comparison between high school students and experts. The 2011 study included Internet access, but the 2012 study did not. Their work showed that with Internet access, students spent an average of 137 minutes engaged in designing a playground and students allocated 47 minutes (35%) to information access. Without Internet access, similar students from the same schools on the same design problem spent an average of 92 minutes of which, 10 minutes (10%) was dedicated to information access. With limited computer access or limited time to enable students to access a computer in some classrooms, the research questions guiding this study are: (1) What information do high school students spend time accessing during an engineering design challenge? How much information comes from paper-based resources as compared to the Internet?; and (2) How much time do they spend accessing information? What is the balance of time spent accessing information from paper-based sources as compared to the Internet? Findings and implications of this research on student learning are discussed. Recommendations for future research are also offered. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)
- Published
- 2013
33. Formative Assessment for Next Generation Science Standards: A Proposed Model. Resource Paper No. 16
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National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing and Herman, Joan L.
- Abstract
Historically, educational policymakers have focused on and invested heavily in accountability testing of "learning" to leverage improvement in student learning. Through accountability testing, policy makers aim to communicate standards, establish performance goals, provide data through which educators can analyze and improve school programs and student performance, and establish incentives and sanctions to motivate action. Today, however, there is growing recognition of the limitations of accountability testing of learning, and wide acknowledgment and accumulating evidence of the crucial role that formative assessment--"assessment for learning"--can play in helping all students achieve rigorous standards. This paper pairs an in-depth exploration of current formative assessment practices and research with guidance on application of the presented conceptual model to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The paper includes a selective review of diverse literature focused on effective formative assessment practice, and uses this literature to describe and justify a proposed model. The paper highlights special considerations for, and provides examples of the model's application in Next Generation Science Standards. Implications for the design of coherent assessment systems that support student learning are included.
- Published
- 2013
34. Writing Science Project Research Papers: A Step-by-Step Approach.
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Applied Educational Technology, Tigerville, SC. and Farmer, Mike
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This guide is intended to be a manual for directing students in the formal presentation of science-project research. Because the results of science research are expected to be presented in an understandable form that persuades the reader that the conclusions drawn from the experimentation are correct, it is important that students follow established formats in their writing. To be convincing, papers should be clear, concise, and accurate. The guide contains guidelines for the eight distinct sections that are usually part of a scientific paper: (1) title page; (2) abstract; (3) introduction; (4) method; (5) results; (6) discussion and conclusions; (7) bibliography; and (8) acknowledgements. The content and purpose of each section is described. Additional suggestions, hints, and samples of award-winning papers are discussed. Guidelines for submitting papers to the "Journal of High School Science Research," and the addresses of where to send papers are included. (MDH)
- Published
- 1992
35. Museums, Zoos, and Gardens: How Formal-Informal Partnerships Can Impact Urban Students' Performance. Working Paper #04-13
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New York University, Institute for Education and Social Policy (IESP), Weinstein, Meryle, Whitesell, Emilyn Ruble, and Schwartz, Amy Ellen
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In this paper we provide the first rigorous evidence of the impact of a partnership between public middle schools and informal science institutions (ISIs), such as museums and zoos, on student outcomes. This study focuses on Urban Advantage (UA), a program in New York City (NYC) that explicitly draws upon the expertise and resources of the city's ISIs, bringing these institutions together with NYC public schools to improve science education through intensive professional development, access to ISIs for teachers and students, and other science resources. We conclude that attending a UA school in eighth grade increases middle school science achievement, and there is some evidence that it may also increase the likelihood of passing standardized science exams in high school. [Major public support for Urban Advantage is provided by the Speaker and the City Council of New York and the New York City Department of Education.]
- Published
- 2013
36. Academic Disciplines and the Undergraduate Experience: Rethinking Bok's 'Underachieving Colleges' Thesis. SERU Project and Consortium Research Paper. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.6.11
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University of California, Berkeley, Center for Studies in Higher Education, Brint, Steven, and Cantwell, Allison M.
- Abstract
Using data from the 2008 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey, we show that study time and academic conscientiousness were lower among students in humanities and social science majors than among students in science and engineering majors. Analytical and critical thinking experiences were no more evident among humanities and social sciences majors than among science and engineering majors. All three academically beneficial experiences were, however, strongly related to participation in class and interaction with instructors, and participation was more common among humanities and social sciences students than among science and engineering students. Bok's (2006) influential discussion of "underachievement" in undergraduate education focused on institutional performance. Our findings indicate that future discussions should take into account differences among disciplinary categories and majors as well. (Contains 4 tables and 13 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2011
37. Math and Science Education with English Language Learners: Contributions of the DR K-12 Program. Targeted Study Group Working Paper
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Abt Associates, Inc., Education Development Center, Inc., Martinez, Alina, Rhodes, Hilary, and Copson, Elizabeth
- Abstract
Although educational leaders, policy makers, and researchers have long emphasized the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for the country's continued prosperity, increasing participation in STEM has remained a challenge for both the education and scientific communities (Pearson & Fechter, 1994; National Academies, 2007; President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, 2010; American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1989). A historic imbalance in STEM participation persists whereby proportionately fewer female and minority students enroll in STEM courses and seek employment in STEM professions (National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine, 2010). Historically the subject area instruction of English Language Learners (ELLs) in math and science has received limited attention by the research community, which has instead focused on English proficiency and literacy of ELLs (Lee, 2005). Thus, the research fields of math and science education have developed independent of the research field involving ELLs. However, this trend is beginning to fade as science and math education researchers and their ELL education peers have begun to crossover to one another's domains to produce new understandings and strategies in math and science education specific to the needs of English Language Learners. For its part, the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Discovery Research K-12 (DR K-12) program is contributing to the growth of knowledge in these areas of crossover by funding ELL math and ELL science education projects that seek to understand and improve STEM learning and STEM instruction with ELLs. To investigate the contribution of the DR K-12 portfolio to the knowledge base on math and science learning among ELLs, the Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education (CADRE) designed a study to explore the ELL work that is being conducted in the DR K-12 projects. This paper summarizes the work of this study. It begins with a description of the methodology employed, followed by a presentation of the findings, and finally a discussion of the conclusions drawn from this work. The findings are organized into discussions about the expertise held by the DR K-12 ELL researchers and research teams, the characteristics of the ELL research being conducted by the DR K-12 projects, and a comparison of the research conducted by the DR K-12 projects with published research on ELL-science education and ELL-math education. The following appendices are included: (1) Description of DR K-12 Projects; (2) Research in Science Education and ELL; and (3) Research in Math Education and ELL.
- Published
- 2011
38. Games and Simulations in Informal Science Education. WCER Working Paper No. 2010-14
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Wisconsin Center for Education Research, Squire, Kurt, and Patterson, Nathan
- Abstract
This paper explores the possibilities and challenges games and simulations pose for informal science education. The authors begin with a brief overview of the recent history of games and games research. They then attempt to clarify the distinctions between games and simulations. Next, they examine types of informal learning environments--"structured" informal learning environments such as workshops and after-school programs and relatively "unstructured" learning environments such as home and online environments--contrasting them with more formal learning environments such as school. The authors then turn their focus to research on learning across these contexts. They conclude by offering some thoughts on the opportunities and challenges for informal science education with games. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure, 6 footnotes, and 21 software citations.)
- Published
- 2010
39. Rural Roots, Urban Harvest, and Giving Back to the Land. Occasional Paper No. 8
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Ohio Univ., Athens. Appalachian Collaborative Center for Learning, Assessment, and Instruction in Mathematics. and Schmidt, Martina
- Abstract
This paper is the personal journey of one teacher from a rural childhood, through a small university, to a rural school, and eventually to the city. It contrasts the intense challenges that rural teachers and students face with the unique opportunities afforded them by virtue of being rural. It includes an attempt to piece together the factors that influence high teacher transience rates in rural areas, a discussion of the pedagogical restrictions and freedoms offered by rural areas, and an exploration of possible ways that rural areas could reach out to their urban counterparts to help city kids understand their own inescapable connection to the land. Factors affecting transience rates include: (a) social isolation, long commutes, or both, (b) professional isolation, (c) demanding workloads as small staffs struggle to cover school responsibilities, (d) limited employment opportunities for life partners to find work in the same community, and (e) lack of long-term connection to the land. Pedagogical restrictions include (a) multi-graded classrooms, (b) demanding workloads, (c) limited budgets, (d) lack of professional support, and (e) the adverse impact of teacher transience on program continuity. Conversely, country schools offer many benefits: (a) small class sizes, which provide a unique opportunity to better understand children and how they think, (b) the potential for real-life contexts in which to embed many classroom experiences, (c) a less-restricted environment in which to explore innovative ways of teaching, and (d) a potential source of rich outreach to urban children regarding the world's food supply and our own connection to and dependence upon the land.
- Published
- 2004
40. Can Online Learning Reproduce the Full College Experience? Center for Policy Innovation Discussion Paper. Number 3
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Heritage Foundation and McKeown, Karen D.
- Abstract
With the tuition cost of traditional colleges and universities soaring and education technology advancing, online courses and degree programs are becoming more common. Some critics argue that an online degree cannot provide all the important features of a traditional college education, from extracurricular activities to new professional networks, but the evidence disputes much of that criticism, especially for certain groups of students. Indeed, some aspects of online education may provide a better experience than a traditional brick-and-mortar college for some students. (Contains 49 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2012
41. The Challenges of Producing Evidence-Based Claims: An Exploratory Study of NSF's Math and Science Partnership Community. WCER Working Paper No. 2009-4
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Wisconsin Center for Education Research, Hora, Matthew T., Millar, Susan B., and Arrigoni, Jessica
- Abstract
This paper describes the analysis of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program's January 2008 Learning Network Conference (LNC). This study focuses on the methodologies used by the MSP community to generate evidence and seeks to understand topics of interest to the 320 LNC participants. The data set for this study included the 47 abstracts accepted for presentation, 68 interviews conducted during the conference, observations of all 26 breakout sessions, and 98 "think pieces" written by conference attendees. The analytic procedures included a holistic scoring rubric for the abstracts and inductive analyses of the interview, observation, and think-piece data using a structured approach to grounded theory. Findings included enthusiasm for the conference theme, respondent focus on realistic and field-tested ways to generate evidence instead of theory and implementation reports, and a strong assumption that student learning outcomes are the type of outcome data of primary interest to the NSF. The study also identified factors that influence the MSP community's approach to evaluation. Overall, the study is framed by observed patterns in how principal investigators (PIs) and their teams responded to project evaluation requirements. Some PIs experienced a dilemma as to whether their dominant operational approach should be discovery--as for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research projects--or delivery of pre-specified outcomes. Other PIs and project leaders were slow to start the evaluation and were impressed by the complexity of producing sound evaluation findings. Three appendices are included: (1) Data Collection Instruments; (2) Methodology; and (3) LNC Call for Abstracts. (Contains 17 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2009
42. Introductory Paper on Critical Explorations in Teaching Art, Science, and Teacher Education
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Cavicchi, Elizabeth, Chiu, Son-Mey, and Hughes-McDonnell, Fiona
- Abstract
The authors of the three papers in this issue discuss and analyze the practice underlying "critical exploration," a research pedagogy applied in common within their separate art, science, and teacher education classrooms. Eleanor Duckworth developed critical exploration as a method of teaching by involving students so actively and reflectively with a subject that they have "wonderful ideas" that arise from their own questioning. Teachers who encourage critical exploration support their students in encountering complex materials, experiencing confusion, considering multiple possibilities, and constructing new understandings. Teachers refrain from providing answers, or even implying that there is an acceptable answer or technique, and instead facilitate the personal process of development that Jean Piaget, Barbel Inhelder, and others documented and analyzed. Applying Piaget's findings requires teachers to sustain what David Hawkins described as "triangular relationships" of trust and respect among teacher, learners, and subject matter. The three classroom studies that follow narrate these exploratory qualities in the contexts of middle school girls learning Chinese brush painting, undergraduates investigating mirrors, and teacher education students exploring seeds, pendulums, and the moon. In teaching art and science via critical exploration, curiosity and a sense of beauty reinforce one another, and open a window into the processes of--and connections between--art and science. (Contains 2 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2009
43. A Final Case Study of SCALE Activities at California State University, Northridge: How Institutional Context Influenced a K-20 STEM Education Change Initiative. WCER Working Paper No. 2009-5
- Author
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Wisconsin Center for Education Research, Hora, Matthew T., and Millar, Susan B.
- Abstract
This qualitative case study reports on processes and outcomes of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded System-Wide Change for All Learners and Educators (SCALE) project at the California State University, Northridge (CSUN). It addresses a critical challenge in studying systemic reform in complex organizations: the lack of methodologies that incorporate technical, social, cultural, and cognitive elements. Guiding questions include (a) how the institutional context influenced the project, (b) whether project activities affected science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instruction, interdisciplinary collaboration on preservice programs, and inter-institutional collaboration on in-service programs, and (c) if and how change initiatives are accepted and incorporated. In-depth interviews (N = 34), relevant documents, and observation data were collected in 2006 and 2007. Findings identified several factors that supported and several that inhibited achievement of SCALE goals. Supportive factors included reform efforts already underway at CSUN, an institutional mission emphasizing undergraduate education, an active social network of STEM educators, and faculty experienced with inquiry-based STEM instruction. Inhibiting factors included a heavy faculty and staff workload, a lack of pedagogical training for new faculty hires, a limited pipeline of preservice science majors, funding limitations, and a pervasive sentiment that scientific legitimacy is equated with basic research and not teaching expertise. Into this context, SCALE introduced two activities, including thirteen 5-day science professional development workshops for 270 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) personnel, and four 15-day math professional development workshops for 83 LAUSD personnel. The project's success was limited by the absence of SCALE leaders at CSUN, and the subsequent lack of an explicit theory of institutional change for CSUN. Instead, SCALE engaged CSUN as primarily a site for its already existing math and science institutes, and largely ceded the effort at institutional transformation to chance and the extant reforms at CSUN. An enduring lesson from this study is that efforts to change the culture of teaching and learning in STEM departments should focus on illuminating and then shifting the pervasive cultural schema that faculty hold for teaching and learning. This analysis suggests that shaping the culture of an organization may require comprehensive efforts to change the structural, social, and symbolic milieu in which individuals operate, in addition to efforts to change the cognitive processes that constitute individuals' habits of mind. To accomplish this, leaders are encouraged to (a) conduct regular institutional assessments prior to program planning, (b) design neutral spaces in which different groups may interact, (c) recruit a skilled culture-broker when working with interdisciplinary groups, (d) marshal existing resources and reform projects to collectively target key leverage points, and (e) focus on developing cohorts of STEM educators in specific departments. (Contains 5 figures and 3 tables.)
- Published
- 2009
44. Winona State University: Compilation of K-12 Action Research Papers in Science Education. 2000-2002 Learning Community Masters in Education.
- Author
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Lundquist, Margaret and Sherman, Thomas F.
- Abstract
This report contains five action research papers in science education. Papers include: (1) "Does Classroom Size in an Industrial Technology Laboratory Affect Grades and Success in Class?" (Chad Bruns); (2) "The Effects of Project Based Learning on Students' Engagement, Independence, and Interest in Physical Geology Class" (Jill Dahl); (3) "Will an Interactive Lab Safety Program Create a Safer Laboratory Environment for Students in Biology Class?" (Laura Espeset); (4) "Will Random Sampling of Science Terms Increase Students' Long-Term Recall?" (Ann Miller); (5) "Using Rubrics to Improve Student Independence in Active Scientific Inquiry" (Tony McGee). (KHR)
- Published
- 2003
45. Undergraduate Research Participation at the University of California, Berkeley. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.17.08
- Author
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University of California, Berkeley, Center for Studies in Higher Education and Berkes, Elizabeth
- Abstract
Although the University of California, Berkeley has increased efforts to involve undergraduates in scientific research, little data exists regarding the number of undergraduate researchers. The University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES) presents an opportunity to investigate the extent of undergraduate research involvement at the UC Berkeley. The data (N=5,347) show that the frequency of student participation in research under the direction of a faculty mentor varies significantly based on whether students are receiving course credit, pay, or working as a volunteer. Undergraduate research participation also varies between STEM majors and social science or humanities majors (non-STEM), with slightly more STEM majors participating. The data show that women are participating in STEM research opportunities at a lower rate than men but participating in non-STEM research opportunities at a higher rate than men. The data also show that Asian, Filipino, and Pacific Islanders (AFP students) account for 50% of all undergraduate researchers in STEM fields and 35% of all non-STEM researchers. However, the data also reveal that African American, Chicano-Latino, AFP, White, American Indian, and international students are all participating at almost the exact same rate in undergraduate research (between 24% and 27% by ethnic or racial category). Further analysis regarding the relationship between undergraduate research experience and the highest parental education level reached, as well as high school grade-point average and standardized test scores (SAT I and ACT) is presented. Implications for higher education administrators, education researchers, faculty mentors, and undergraduate students are discussed. (Contains 10 tables.)
- Published
- 2008
46. The 'Black Girl Turn' in Research on Gender and Science Education: Toward Exploring and Understanding the Early Experiences of Black Females. A Literature Review Paper
- Author
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Pinder, Patrice Juliet
- Abstract
For the pat 40 years, educators and researchers have largely discussed sex equity issues, particularly in the K-12 settings. However, within the last few years gender equity issues have become a hotly debated area of research. One may contend that sex is biologically determined maleness and femaleness; whereas, gender is influenced by cultural, social, and historical factors. Although, there has been a lot of emphasis on unfair treatment or exclusion of girls from formal science, the focus was mainly on White, middle class girls with little focus placed on Black girls. This has fueled the debate for the promotion of the "Black Girl Turn" in research on gender and science education, as over the centuries Blacks and girls have been denied their turn in science due to cultural and historical reasons. This literature review addresses the strengths and limitations of the existing bodies of work and concludes with directions toward a student-based inquiry approach that can explore and help others to understand Black females' perspectives with an aim at filling in some of the missing information in the science education literature.
- Published
- 2008
47. Not 'Just' an Undergrad: Undergraduate Journals as a Portal to Participating in Academic Discourse Communities
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Paige France and Christopher Eaton
- Abstract
This essay examines a case study that investigated how students learned and how they applied their writing skills as they pursued publication in an undergraduate scientific journal at a Canadian university. As we conducted a genre analysis of student drafts submitted to the journal and interviewed students who published in the journal's inaugural year, we noted the desire and eagerness that students had to publish at the undergraduate level. We also noticed certain barriers to students fully participating in research for their discourse communities, including challenges accessing publication opportunities and revising their work for new audiences and contexts. Undergraduate journals offer a tremendous space for them to hone a variety of skills in a supportive environment while also taking the first steps to fully participating in scholarly practice.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Policy Research Issues for Canadian Youth: Transition Experiences of Young Women. Research Paper Series
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Human Resources Development Canada, Applied Research Branch and Andres, Lesley
- Abstract
This paper is part of a research paper series that the Applied Research Branch of Human Resources Development Canada commissioned in 2001 to contribute to the development of a research strategy for young Canadians completing their education and starting their careers. The series focuses on various elements of the school-work transitions of Canadian youth. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the literature on the transitional experiences of young women. Research has documented that gender differences exist in educational and occupational choices, experiences, and attainments and that these differences have special characteristics. The additional dimensions of marriage and family can also generate differences in transition pathways between women and men. Two key impressions emerge from this review: how much we know and how little has changed. Female inequality, whether in reference to participation in mathematics and science, different fields of study at post-secondary institutions, employment status, family responsibilities in relation to work, or the income earnings gap, has been remarkably stable over time in the research literature. However, the accounts of persistent stability mask the educational and occupational, and earnings outcomes for certain groups. The least advantaged continue to be female lone parents and low income families. Several recommendations for further research emerge from the studies reviewed in this paper. Further research is needed, especially using longitudinal research designs, to document changes in attitudes, course selection, post-secondary field chosen and eventual occupational attainment. In addition, policies for access to and participation in education and labour market require monitoring. (Contains 17 figures and 5 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2002
49. Teacher Inquiry. Center for the Development of Teaching Paper Series.
- Author
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Education Development Center, Newton, MA. Center for the Development of Teaching. and Hammer, David
- Abstract
The progressive agenda of science education reform, particularly the goal of promoting student inquiry, places substantial intellectual demands on teachers. If this reform is to succeed, the education community must do more to appreciate and address its demands. This paper presents three examples of high school physics teachers' conversations about "snippets" of each others' work with students. The purposes are: (1) to highlight the central role and intellectual demands of teacher inquiry, in particular teachers' diagnoses of students' strengths and needs; (2) to suggest that teachers often experience and express their diagnoses in terms of instructional strategies; and (3) to suggest that the value of educational research for instruction be understood primarily with respect to what it may contribute to teacher inquiry. (Contains 15 references.) (Author/ASK)
- Published
- 1999
50. They Remember What They Touch...: The Impact of Place-Based Learning in East Feliciana Parish. Rural Trust White Paper on Place-Based Education
- Author
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Rural School and Community Trust, Washington, DC., Emekauwa, Emeka, and Williams, Doris Terry
- Abstract
Stressed by high poverty levels, a low tax base and low teacher salaries, the East Feliciana School District competes, most often unsuccessfully, with neighboring districts and states, and with a relatively segregated white academy system for qualified teachers and pupil resources. Consequently, at the dawn of the federal government's landmark education reform initiative, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 55.8% percent of the district's K-8 teachers were not fully certified to teach and 80% of its students were performing below average in at least one core subject. At the same time, only 31.8% of the parish's adult population had completed high school and fewer than 5% were college graduates. With a median household income of $26,864, 26% of the parish's children were living below the poverty level. This paper describes the implementation and results of a reform effort, undertaken in the late 1990s, that focused on place-based science and mathematics education. Standardized test scores have improved, and parish schools are now developing lasting school-community partnerships. The district is connecting its residents, including students, with natural resources located in East Feliciana and the surrounding communities by collaborating with educators, parents, community members, clergy, businesses, and nonprofits. (Contains 6 figures and 6 tables.)
- Published
- 2004
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