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Molecular biology, broadly defined as the investigation of complex biomolecules in the laboratory, is a rapidly advancing field and as such the technologies available to investigators are constantly evolving. This constant advancement has obvious advantages because it allows students and researchers to perform more complex experiments in shorter periods of time. One challenge with such a rapidly advancing field is that techniques that had been vital for students to learn how to perform are now not essential for a laboratory scientist. For example, while cloning a gene in the past could have led to a publication and form the bulk of a PhD thesis project, technology has now made this process only a step toward one of these larger goals and can, in many cases, be performed by a company or core facility. As teachers and mentors, it is imperative that we understand that the technologies we teach in the lab and classroom must also evolve to match these advancements. In this perspective, we discuss how the rapid advances in gene synthesis technologies are affecting curriculum and how our classrooms should evolve to ensure our lessons prepare students for the world in which they will do science.

The study aims to design a socio-scientific issues (SSIs)-based electronic learning (e-LM) design framework. It is anchored to the SSI occurrences in teaching Science at a State University in Batangas province, Philippines. This SSI-based e-LM design framework will guide the e-LM development for teaching Science socio-contextually through flexible learning. The explanatory sequential mixed method design addressed the study's goal. Initially, the existing SSIs in the science course curriculum were analyzed. Significant insights into the occurrence of existing SSIs, such as the appropriate teaching approaches, suitable teaching strategies, assessments, and e-LM design structure, were identified. The resulting least occurring SSI identified and factors affecting their existence comprised the salient features of the proposed e-LM design framework. Findings showed that lifelong learning issues, ethical issues, and sustainability issues were almost "no occurrences at all" SSIs in the analysis. These identified SSIs became the priority SSIs in e-LM design framework. Significant insights showed that flexible learning and socio-contextualization are suitable teaching approaches. Meanwhile, the teaching strategies that were found appropriate in the SSI inclusion include brain-netting, discovering scientific ideas, e-collaboration, and reflective thinking evaluation. The e-LM design framework proposed is called Brain-DeCoR e-LM Framework. Applying the proposed e-LM design framework in teaching Science will encourage science facilitators to situate priority SSIs in teaching Science. This results in creating a balance in SSI inclusion. The least occurring SSIs, which are the priority SSIs, are given into focus. Furthermore, the proposed framework will aid students in learning science beyond the content, developing their skills, and enhancing their environmental concerns and social awareness.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of scripted biology curriculum as a means of providing students with the information required to increase content knowledge, while comparing curriculum developed by the teacher that utilizesthe Understanding by Design (UbD) framework (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). The study used a mixed method, concurrent triangulation design which revealed that there was a significant difference between student growth from the pretest to the posttest. The teacher reflection logs and student focus groups identified two themes regarding science content knowledge: instructional/learning style and using discussion within the instructional cycle for both curricula. It was evident that the increase in content knowledge was associated with the utilization of discussion during the learning cycle. The teacher reflection logs and student focus groups also identified two themes when looking at the perception of the learning environment: the effect of teacher relationship on instruction and the effect of time on the learning environment. According to the instrument used, both groups of students showed growth, however, there was a larger gain among the students receiving the Understanding by Design curriculum. A major contributing factor for the growth among all students was the relationship the teacher had with them to meet their individual academic needs.

"Kurikulum Merdeka" is a learning experience framework that offers flexibility and focuses on essential content, character development, and students' competencies. Teachers had the discretion to develop their modules to choose, design, and organize the learning contents for students, based on their needs. By using that module, there is more flexibility and independence either for teachers and students, while enhancing the relevance, interactivity, and effectiveness of learning. This research aims to develop problem-based teaching modules on biology based on "Kurikulum Merdeka" as a reference in the learning process. This research and development, referring to Borg and Gall's model, consists of (1) research and information collection, (2) planning, (3) developing a preliminary form of the product, (4) preliminary field testing, and (5) main product revision. The participants in this development research are teachers as learning experts and students of a senior high school in one of the districts of East Lombok as a subject in limited trials. Data collection used closed questionnaires to determine the feasibility and ideality of the instrument. Data analysis using quantitative descriptive analysis involves analyzing the results of instrument feasibility and ideality from experts and students. The results show that the developed module was included in the very feasible and ideal learning resources. The readability test of the worksheet after limited trials was included in the good category for the biodiversity content, and quite good for the virus and ecosystem content. Therefore, the problem-based teaching module on biology content in phase E of grade XI of senior high school is considered feasible.

In this study, it was aimed to develop an achievement test taking into account the subject acquisitions of the sound and properties unit in the sixth-grade science course. In the test development phase, firstly, literature review for the study was conducted. Then, 30 multiple choice questions in align with the subject acquisition in the 2018 science curriculum. This 30-question test was presented to opinion of three academicians and a science teacher for the validity of the test. Necessary adjustments were made in line with the opinions of the experts. Subsequently, the draft test, modified according to the experts' feedback, was applied to a total of 300 seventh grade students. After the analysis, the number of questions in the test was reduced to 27. As a result of item analysis, mean difficulty index value of the test was 0.41, and item discrimination index was 0.49. The reliability analysis for the developed test was found 0.92 by calculating the KR-20 reliability coefficient value. By considering, the validity and reliability analysis results, it was concluded that the final version of the developed test, grounded in Bloom's Taxonomy, is a valid and reliable test with different difficulty levels.

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.

This research is a needs analysis study aimed at developing a curriculum based on an interdisciplinary context-based learning approach within the 10th-grade physics course, focusing on the electricity and magnetism unit. The research was designed according to the case study model and data were collected from expert, teacher, and student sample groups through questionnaires and interview forms. Descriptive statistics were utilized for quantitative data analysis, while content analysis technique was employed for qualitative data. The results indicated that the physics curriculum continued to maintain a disciplinary perspective and a classical understanding of physics, with insufficient connection with daily life and adaptation to contemporary conditions. Similar results were identified in the 10th-grade physics textbooks and in-class instructional practices concerning the unit of electricity and magnetism. In this respect, the research identified the needs for developing a curriculum based on an interdisciplinary context-based learning approach to address these negative results. These needs, while enhancing interdisciplinary context-based understanding, can also contribute to the emergence of various opportunities and different perspectives in physics education. It is recommended to identify needs in other subfields of physics as well and develop curricula designed with an interdisciplinary context-based approach for more effective and efficient physics education.

This study examines the role of Namibian secondary school science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teachers' interest in STEM education and self-efficacy in implementing STEM education in science education curricula. Furthermore, it aimed to distinguish male and female Namibian teachers' interests and self-efficacy regarding STEM education and investigate how different teaching subjects affect them. To achieve this goal, a survey was completed with (n=200) secondary school teachers, both males and females. Data were analyzed quantitatively using exploratory factor analysis and analyzed covariance. The results show that most teachers were highly interested and confident in implementing STEM subjects into science curricula. While Namibian teachers indicated a high level of interest, they also revealed a high lack of interest in STEM, implying that at least some teachers felt bored and meaningless in implementing STEM education. However, gender plays a significant role in teachers' negative self-efficacy, with male teachers being less confident than female teachers in implementing STEM education. Moreover, teachers in the present study have high positive and negative self-efficacy levels regarding implementing STEM education. Therefore, these findings highlight the need for a paradigm shift, especially in the Namibian science curricula, to promote STEM subjects and to improve science education. Potential implications from this research also suggest that teachers' participants benefit significantly from learning within a community by engaging in solutions to real-world problems. [Note: The page range (297-311) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct page range is 297-312.]

This study made a preliminary attempt to conduct a needs assessment of teachers' utilization of the SSI-based approach in teaching Science by exploring Filipino teachers' awareness, perceived need, readiness, and willingness. It also aimed to determine which among the demographic profiles of the teachers had significant differences in their perceived need and readiness. A needs assessment using a quantitative survey research design was used in this study. The data-gathering procedure was done using a validated online survey questionnaire with a Cronbach alpha of 0.89. A total of 124 science teachers participated in this study throughout the two-week implementation. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data gathered from this study. Results revealed that more than fifty percent of the teachers were highly aware of the SSI-based approach and perceived the need for its implementation in science classes. Teachers were also willing to participate in an SSI training program to learn more about it and develop their own SSI-related materials. Furthermore, gender and specialization significantly differed in teachers' perceived needs, while specialization significantly differed in readiness. Results obtained from this study can be used as a basis for exploring teachers' perceptions and views of implementing the SSI-based approach.

Over the course of a two-year curriculum field test study that implemented a curriculum-based professional learning framework, we investigated the factors that influenced teachers' willingness and ability to implement NGSS-aligned, phenomenon-based storylines for teaching the nature of science, evolution, and climate change. Through qualitative data collected from interviews and lesson evaluation surveys from 25 middle and high school science teachers, we identified potential implementation barriers and support structures relating to organizational culture as well as curriculum and instruction at the classroom, school, community, and systemic levels. The data indicate that lack of administrative support, time constraints, difficulty with student sense-making, and mismatched classrooms are the largest barriers to implementation, while curriculum-based professional learning including working through the lessons from a student perspective, peer collaboration, autonomy, and flexibility were the largest predictors of successful implementation. Administrators can play a large role in providing successful supports and removing barriers for teachers implementing NGSS-aligned, phenomenon-based lessons.

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.

Energy literacy has become acritical issue in recent years. The purpose of this study was to examine the contributions of epistemological beliefs to energy literacy in lower-secondary school students in Turkey. Data were collected via self-report questionnaires from 656 lower-secondary school students in the Aegean Region of Turkey. To address the research questions, Pearson correlation and multiple regression were implemented. Descriptive results revealed that students had a low energy literacy mean score in the knowledge dimension whereas they had moderate mean scores in the behavioral and affective dimensions. Multiple regression results yielded statistically significant contributions of epistemological beliefs to energy literacy. Analysis revealed that the reasoning dimension positively predicted the energy literacy in the knowledge dimension whereas the authority and accuracy dimension did negatively. The results of this study suggest that advancing students' epistemological beliefs can be a way to increase students' energy literacy levels.

This study utilized the SEC (Survey of Enacted Curriculum) method to examine the alignment between Chinese high school chemistry curriculum standards (HSCCS) and the assessment of 'Chemical Reaction Principles' in the National College Entrance Examinations (NCEEs). The HSCCS and NCEEs were coded into two-dimensional matrices separately using SPSS, MATLAB, and EXCEL. The alignment coefficients were analyzed both macroscopically and specifically based on two dimensions: themes and cognitive levels. The findings indicated a generally low alignment between NCEEs and HSCCS in the 'Chemical Reaction Principles' domain, and no statistically significant alignment was observed. Comparing Porter alignment coefficients revealed a gradual increase in the overall alignment level between 2018-2022 NCEEs and HSCCS due to curricular reforms. Further specific analyses and comparisons highlighted significant discrepancies between NCEEs and HSCCS concerning themes and cognitive levels. Regarding themes, 'Ionic Reactions and Equilibrium in Aqueous Solutions' showed substantial alignment between NCEEs and HSCCS. However, for 'Application of Ionic Reactions and Equilibrium' and 'Systems and Energy,' NCEEs diverged significantly from or exceeded HSCCS requirements. Concerning cognitive levels, NCEEs demanded higher levels of student cognition compared to HSCCS.

Mechanistic reasoning about an artifact or system involves thinking about its underlying entities and the properties, activities, and cause-effect relationships of those entities. Previous studies of children's mechanistic reasoning about engineering solutions have mostly focused on specific mechanical systems such as gear trains. Yet there is growing interest in more contextualized, community-connected engineering design experiences for elementary students. Important questions remain about how the specific features of community contexts influence student opportunities for engineering design practice and reasoning. In this study, we explore whether comparisons in students' mechanistic reasoning can be made across a range of five different community design contexts. For this qualitative descriptive study, we focus on interview data collected after each of five community-connected engineering-enriched science curriculum units: accessible playground design (3rd grade, N = 8, district A, schools 1 and 2), displaced animal relocation design (3rd grade, N = 10, district A, school 1), migration stopover site design (4th grade, N = 4, district A, school 2), retaining wall design (4th grade, N = 13, district B, school 1), and water filter design (5th grade, N = 9 students, district A, school 3). The findings showed that all students "named entities" and "described entity factors" for the design solutions for all five units. For the playground, displaced animals, and stopover sites units, some students described the design artifacts without explicitly expressing "connections between entity factors" and/or the way factors "linked up to the design performance." We argue that particular features of the design tasks influenced students' approaches to explaining their design solutions. Therefore, we can claim that comparisons can be made across different community-connected engineering design contexts in terms of children's mechanistic reasoning.

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.

Adopting new instructional materials is an important way to support reform in science education, but implementation can be challenging and complex. Therefore, we conducted a contrasting case study of two middle schools implementing new curricular materials. We conducted semi-structured interviews with teachers and leaders and collected instructional artifacts and reflections from teachers. Using an organizational sensemaking framework, we investigated the tensions that came up during implementation, the resources leveraged to address those tensions, and resulting instructional and leadership practices. One school focused on implementing the materials with fidelity, relying on networking and past practices, which led to a more traditionalized teaching approach. The other school centered the curricular materials, prioritizing understanding the instructional model and customizing for their students, resulting in more aligned instructional practices. Looking across the two cases highlights three key takeaways. First, we discuss the dilemma of agency, which is how can leaders balance teachers' professional agency with the push for instructional reform, especially when teachers may not fully understand the reform approach. We propose that a focus on understanding the goals of instructional reform might help resolve this dilemma. Second, we discuss the role of collaboration as potentially supporting or inhibiting teacher learning and propose that when teachers collaborate about high quality instructional materials they may be more likely to learn about the reforms inherent in them. Finally, we highlight the importance of discipline-specific leadership in helping teachers to understand and implement the complexities inherent in new science instructional materials.

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.

Interest in the study of computer technology in schools (often in the form of Computer Science subjects or coding initiatives) is seen to have undergone two waves of interest, one in the late 1970s/early 1980s and the other more recently since about 2010. Through a historical exploration of the rationales for the study of computer technology in schools in both the first wave and the second wave, this paper aimed to explore the various curriculum ideologies underpinning their justification. In doing so, the paper highlights the chameleon-like nature of this change agenda in aligning with contemporary trends to advance the study of computer technology on the curriculum. The paper argues that current manifestations of the study of computer technology in schools are at odds with broader curriculum reform goals and international policies and raises questions about students' access to such knowledge.

Engineering education has slowly been making its way into schools with the aim of promoting engineering literacy, which is central to learning and working in a technology-oriented society. Educators and policy makers advocate the need for developing students' understanding of the nature of engineering (NOE); yet, there is an ongoing debate on the heuristics that should be applied. In this article, we review and discuss current studies on engineering education in schools and the integration of engineering into the science curriculum. We describe four aspects of engineering fields: Structures, Machines, Materials, and Data, each uniquely characterized by the technology used and the artefact produced. We discuss the application of the Family Resemblance Approach (FRA) to the characterization of NOE, focusing on the cognitive and epistemic domain. Accordingly, we describe NOE through four categories: Aims & Values, Engineering Practices, Methods & Methodological Rules, and Engineering Knowledge, which can guide teaching and learning about NOE. Building on the FRA, this paper provides a framework for a continuous discussion on NOE and the theoretical and practical relationships between science and engineering.

The purpose of this study is to examine how and in what ways the dimensions of the nature of science are included in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade science textbooks taught between 1926 and 2018 and to determine how these dimensions are represented in textbooks based on curricula shifts. In this study, a total of 24 textbooks allowed by the Ministry of National Education to be used in schools were examined by using the document analysis method. Textbooks were prepared according to the science curriculum published in 1926, 1948, 1968, 1992, 2000, 2004, 2013, and 2018. Textbooks were evaluated in eight dimensions, including empirical, inferential, tentative, creativity, social and cultural structure of scientific knowledge, theory-driven (subjectivity of scientific knowledge), myth of the scientific method, and the nature of theories and laws. The representation of the dimensions in the textbooks was determined by using the rubric developed by Abd-El Khalick, Waters and Le in "Journal of Research in Science Teaching" 45:835-855, 2008. As a result of the analyses, it was concluded that the representation of the dimensions of the nature of science was inadequate in all examined textbooks. While most of the textbooks include empirical, inferential, and tentative dimensions of the nature of science, creativity, theory-driven, and social and cultural structure of scientific knowledge are given little attention; myth of the scientific method, the nature of theory, and laws are almost never taken into consideration in the textbooks. It has been observed that the representation of the dimensions of the nature of science is at a slightly better level in the textbooks of the 2000 and following curricula. Therefore, it is concluded that all curricula are inadequate in general because the dimensions of the nature of science are represented in a more indirect approach in the science textbooks examined.

Curriculum reform worldwide has often reflected changing perspectives on the teaching and learning of science. Such perspectives underline the notion that not only the teaching of science content knowledge is relevant but also the aims and methods scientists use to further their knowledge and the social context in which science is applied. We call this the 'cognitive-epistemic' and 'social institutional aspects' of science. They form the hard core of the nature of science (NOS) concept for curriculum reform. In South Africa, after years of Apartheid, a key focus of school science curriculum reform is for importance to be given to NOS due to the potential benefits of learning and understanding of NOS for students. This study analyses cognitive-epistemic and social-institutional categories of NOS in the South African Life Sciences and Physical Sciences school curricula. A critical finding for both Life Sciences and Physical Sciences curricula was the imbalance in the NOS categories. In the curricula, there is less presence of the social-institutional categories compared to the cognitive-epistemic categories. In general, there was poor interconnectedness amongst NOS categories, with the strongest interconnectedness revealed for the cognitive-epistemic categories 'scientific practices' and 'methods and methodological rules'. Implications for the design of future curricula and recommendations for future research are discussed.

The prevalence and pervasive nature of emerging chemicals of concern have created widespread environmental injustice apprehensions in vulnerable communities. To alleviate and address these concerns, identifying, engaging, and training a diverse environmental health research workforce will be critical and necessary steps to combat and prevent the consequences of environmental injustice. While there is an obvious need to enhance diversity in environmental health research, this process is hampered by facets of systemic racism that reduce access to educational resources needed to build interest and knowledge in students and teachers. We present here a historical perspective to offer a guide for building programs and relationships with underserved schools to help overcome limiting factors that have plagued certain public school systems. With the proper training and mentorship, the untapped workforce present within these schools will be empowered to understand and address current and emerging environmental health and safety threats. Through this transformative 8-week high school research program, we will develop well-prepared, ethical researchers committed to scientific inquiry, intensive fieldwork, and collaborative problem solving to address environmental health challenges. Following the four-step risk assessment process, students, teachers, and faculty mentors will work collaboratively to identify toxicants, potential hazards and risks, and environmental disparities in urban neighborhoods, which provides the necessary training to formulate critical thinking skills for use in academic or nonacademic careers.

Social justice is increasingly being seen as relevant to the science curriculum. We examine the intersection of participatory science, social justice, and higher education in the United States to investigate how instructors can teach about social justice and enhance collaborations to work toward enacting social justice. Participatory science approaches, like those that collect data over large geographic areas, can be particularly useful for teaching students about social justice. Conversely, local-scale approaches that integrate students into community efforts can create powerful collaborations to help facilitate social justice. We suggest a variety of large-scale databases, platforms, and portals that could be used as starting points to address a set of learning objectives about social justice. We also describe local-scale participatory science approaches with a social justice focus, developed through academic and community partnerships. Considerations for implementing participatory science with undergraduates are discussed, including cautions about the necessary time investment, cultural competence, and institutional support. These approaches are not always appropriate but can provide compelling learning experiences in the correct circumstances.

The purpose of the study reported on here was to investigate the role of partnerships in helping in-service teachers overcome the difficulties associated with performing practical work prescribed in the Life Sciences Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), an educational policy intended to transform the South African school curriculum in the wake of the apartheid years. CAPS is the latest of a plethora of educational policies that have been introduced in post-apartheid South Africa. However, teachers have lamented the lack of skills and resources necessary for its effective implementation. With this study we investigated how partnership between schools and 1 university in South Africa helped teachers to acquire practical skills and techniques related to CAPS implementation. A qualitative research approach with purposeful sampling was used. Data were collected through focus-group interviews, document analysis and observations that entailed observing teachers performing the experiments prior to the training. Teachers from 22 secondary schools participated in this research. Collected data were analysed using Creswell's method of coding. Findings of this study indicate that partnership with the University helped equip teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge to perform science experiments, ultimately resulting in improved learner performance. Partnerships between schools and institutions of higher learning to enhance policy implementation are, therefore, recommended.

The aim with this study was to analyse and explore how physical sciences, engineering science and technology subjects (technical electrical technology, technical civil technology, technical mechanical technology) can contribute to the alignment of the technical sciences curriculum. We used document analysis to collect data. An analysis of the curriculum and assessment policy statements (CAPS) for technical sciences, physical sciences, electrical technology, civil technology, mechanical technology, and textbooks for engineering science was done. The findings of the study suggest that the technical science curriculum is a replica of the physical science curriculum. We recommend that the technical sciences curriculum be reviewed such that relevant scientific concepts can be used to bridge the gaps identified in the curriculum. The implications are that a new, aligned technical sciences curriculum that is relevant for technology subjects must be developed.

Attracting and retaining students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics majors, particularly those who are underrepresented, is a national concern. While undergraduate research experiences have been shown to increase retention and engagement, inequities in access exacerbate disparities. Understanding what hinders or facilitates the implementation of undergraduate research experiences is crucial. Using semi-structured interviews with the project leaders and document analysis, the findings from this project expose the relational, political, discursive, and structural power dimensions hindering or facilitating the integration of research experiences in undergraduate science courses. Revealing these barriers and opportunities will inform future initiatives, such as those focused on implementing course-based research experiences.

The authors, a chemistry professor and a librarian, used a qualitative survey to assess student perceptions of a Wikipedia editing assignment that they included in a large upper-level biochemistry course. The assignment was initially intended as a public-facing alternative to a short research paper, emphasizing information literacy and scientific literacy. The goal of the survey was to use the results to enhance the assignment. The results of the survey and research for the literature review inspired a novel approach to the assignment using the perspective of metaliteracy. This approach encourages students to think critically about their role as scholars in a participatory environment.

Much research attention has been focused on learning through game playing. However, very little has been focused on student learning through game making, especially in science. Moreover, none of the studies on learning through making games has presented an account of how students engage in the process of game design in real time. The present study seeks to address that gap. We report an exploratory embedded case study in which three groups of students in one classroom created a computer game designed to teach peers about climate science, while drawing on scientific knowledge, principles of game design, and computational thinking practices. Data sources were student design sheets, computer video, and audio screen capture while students created their game, and interviews after completing the curriculum unit. A theme-driven framework was used to code the data. A curricular emphasis on systems across climate systems, game design, and computational thinking practices provided a context designed to synergistically supported student learning. This embedded case study provides a rich example of what a collaborative game design task in a constructionist context looks like in a middle school science classroom, and how it supports student learning. Game design in a constructionist learning environment that emphasized learning through building a game allowed students to choose their pathways through the learning experience and resulted in learning for all despite various levels of programming experience. Our findings suggest that game design may be a promising context for supporting student learning in STEM disciplines.

This study aimed to unveil pre-service primary school teachers' (PPSTs) technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) regarding the unit "Let's Recognize the Force" suggested by grade 3 science curriculum. Through a single-case (holistic) design of case study method, 43 PPSTs voluntarily participated in the study. To collect data, a Google Form with open-ended questions was developed and administered. In analysing the data, the authors improved a four-point rubric to evaluate the quality of their responses. Hence, they scored their responses through the rubric and imported them into SPSS 20.0[TM] to run correlation analysis for TPACK components. Also, their responses were exposed to content analysis to generate their conceptual schemes via the "cut-off" points. The findings showed that the PPSTs had some shortcomings in associating and transforming their TPACK to the unit "Let's Recognize the Force." The current study recommends that future research should focus on how to improve the PPSTs' domain-specific TPACK.

The COVID-19 health crisis brought about transformations in education systems. In Chile, the ministerial authorities prioritized the school curriculum, stressing certain learning objectives over others. This paper seeks to uncover the social functions underlying curriculum prioritization for the subject of natural sciences. To do this, the functionalist approach to the sociology of education was adopted to analyse the prioritized curriculum for the subject in sixth grade elementary. Three dimensions were considered: (1) the principles of curriculum prioritization; (2) prioritized learning objectives; and (3) nonprioritized learning objectives. The presence of functions of creation (social consensus, social stratification, technical-modern development, human capital formation, and care for children and youths) was verified. As there has been no change in the curriculum that enables science education to address the current issues, the paper proposes that the social functions of science education should be resignified. Finally, examining the meritocracy and credentialism underlying the rationale for prioritization, the article finds that the social stratification attributed to education has increased rather than decreased.

The present study aims to investigate the views of secondary school students on an entrepreneurship-assisted science course. The study was carried out with the case study method, one of the qualitative research methods. The study data were collected with qualitative research techniques such as focus group interviews and diaries. The study group included 23 5th-grade students attending a secondary school located in Adiyaman urban center during the 2020-2021 academic year. The data were analyzed with content analysis. The study findings demonstrated that students considered the entrepreneurship-assisted science course and related practices as fun and interesting in the focus group interviews. Similarly, the diary entries revealed that the entrepreneurship-assisted science course and the activities were enjoyable according to the students and they liked these activities. Furthermore, it should be noted that the students mentioned entrepreneurship dimensions in both focus group interviews and diaries.

This study aims to examine the 9th-grade 2018 physics curriculum according to various criteria. A cross-sectional survey model was used. The sample consists of 36 physics teachers working in various high schools in 12 regions of Turkey in the 2022-2023 academic year. The data of the study were collected via the "9th-grade 2018 physics curriculum Evaluation Form". The data collected via the evaluation form were determined with the multilevel Rasch analysis program. The results of the research revealed that the criteria determined in the evaluation of the 9th-grade physics curriculum differed in terms of strictness and generosity. In addition, the quantitative data analysis revealed that the physics teachers mostly comply with the criteria set in the program while they disapprove of some criteria. The physics teachers reported some deficiencies in the objectives, content, and educational status of the elements included in the program. In this context, it is recommended that the achievements of the 9th-grade 2018 physics curriculum be reviewed in line with the evaluations of the stakeholders related to the subject.

The aim of this study is to reveal experienced primary school teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), sub-components of PCK, and their possible interactions with science teaching. To this aim, a multiple holistic case study design was used. The research used a comprehensive PCK model consisting of 5 categories and 28 subcategories to reflect the knowledge base of teachers. Among the volunteered teachers, four experienced primary school teachers were randomly selected for research. Data triangulation, which utilizes interview, observation, and document analysis together, along with a subject matter knowledge test (SMKT) developed by the researchers, was used to explore teachers' PCKs in-depth. According to the results of the research, it was concluded that instead of making standard generalizations about teachers' PCK, explaining the situation over sub-categories and making comparisons on the basis of teacher competencies can guide our PCK understanding. Due to PCK's complexity and depth, several results were obtained in this study. One of the basis result of the study, the PCK category, in which experienced primary school teachers are the best compared to other categories, is "pedagogical knowledge" which is consistent between teachers and within each teacher's own levels of sub-categories. The weakest PCK categories of teachers were "knowledge of assessment in science" and "curriculum knowledge of science," this situation also leads to inadequacies in using appropriate contemporary learning-teaching processes, strategies, alternative assessment methods and rubrics. Therefore, the PCK model of the research can be recommended as an explanation guide for future studies.

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.

This study examined how filters and amplifiers affect pre-service science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in a human and environment unit. The redefined consensus model for PCK and decision-making framework for identifying how personal and extrapersonal factors act as filters and amplifiers were selected as theoretical frameworks. Two pre-service science teachers participated in the study. While pre-interviews were used to determine participants' PCK before teaching, observations and post-interviews were used to reveal participants' PCK after teaching, and how filters and amplifiers influenced PCK. Data were analyzed deductively to examine teachers' PCK including interactions among components and the way filters and amplifiers act on PCK. Constant comparison analysis revealed five general assertions of how filters and amplifiers shaped the decision-making process when these teachers enacted their PCK. First, the number of amplifiers and filters affecting knowledge of instructional strategies (KOIS) was the highest. Second, the number of amplifiers and filters affecting knowledge of curriculum in science was the lowest. Third, the effect of filters and amplifiers on PCK components was idiosyncratic. Fourth, the more (or the less) the map was integrated; the less (or the more) amplifier and filter influenced the PCK. Fifth, the number of personal factors affecting KOIS was highest. Implications are suggested considering the effects of filters and amplifiers on teachers' PCK.

This study on the Estonian lower secondary (7-9th grade) science curricula, is seen as an important framework for educators preparing students as tomorrow's citizens able to reflect on sustainable energy development. As the curriculum is taken to be the major document allowing insights into Estonian educational standards, this study identifies components within the intended lower secondary science curricula for subjects of biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, and interdisciplinary science. Using document analysis, verbs associated with career-related learning outcomes are detected, allowing the relatedness of the energy conceptualizations and determination of their cognitive level utilizing SOLO (Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes) taxonomy. A team of coders identify a total of 782 learning outcomes across three learning domains: psychomotor (176), affective (32), cognitive (574) at unistructural (33), multistructural (225), relational (276), and extended abstract (40) levels. The majority of energy concept learning outcomes (274) are identified in the source (form) and transfer (transform) categories. Very few career-related learning outcomes are detected with the science education relevance dimensions (individual, societal, career). The suitability of the findings is discussed. The current analyzing method can be applied to other educational disciplines for raising awareness of disciplinary crosscutting concepts.

The main objective of this research was to study the factors influencing the science and environment of education program for blind students at the elementary level. This research used mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative approaches), specifically a questionnaire survey was conducted to better understand the current situation on Science and Environmental Education Learning among 192 blind students in 14 primary schools for the blind in Thailand and in-depth interviews with the directors, science and Environmental teachers, and students' parents, 30 interviewees in total. The data were collected and analyzed into frequency and percentage (and K-means clustering) using SPSS software. The research findings from data collection from 192 blind students illustrated that the importance of facilitator that involve teaching materials (43%) was support appropriate to Science and Environmental Education teaching materials for blind students, 34% students had a good relationship with their classmates and teachers. A total of (32%) were provided more Braille textbooks for Science and Environmental Education teaching. K-means cluster analysis showed four clusters of science and environmental education learning blind students. The study concluded that the factors influencing effectiveness of science and environmental education learning of blind students consisted of facilitators, the creation of scientific learning processes, media and technology as the medium for communicating scientific knowledge, appropriate curriculum for blind students, and cognitive abilities of blind students in physical, mental, intelligence, and emotion terms.

In science class, students learn by making and living information, enabling them to make sense of knowledge effectively and permanently and to associate it with daily life. Applied science courses make learning more qualified. While science teaching is carried out in application areas such as laboratories, virtual laboratories are used with the development of information technologies today. Virtual laboratories are auxiliary tools that make teaching and learning easier. Virtual environments offer the opportunity to experiment through simulation programs and modeling. In the study, it was examined which of the experiments in the PhET simulation software was suitable for the student gain in the science course curriculum according to the grade level. In the research, a qualitative research method was employed. Simulation programs on the web address "phet.colorado.edu" were examined by document analysis. According to the findings of the study, there are 80 interactive simulation applications in the PhET application that are suitable for student gains in the science curriculum prepared by the Ministry of National Education. In the PhET simulation software, it was determined that most physical experiments can be done according to the student gains in the science course curriculum, and the experiments in the field of biology are limited.