Search

Science identity, encompassing perceptions of competence, interest, and recognition in science, alongside learning self-efficacy reflecting confidence to master science skills, are key drivers of outcomes. However, developmental patterns likely vary across contexts. Participants were 512 Chinese students spanning grades 1-3 who completed the Science Identity Scale and Science Learning Self-Efficacy Scale, with physics, chemistry, and biology achievement scores gathered. A Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model assessed relationships. Results substantiated psychometrics for motivational measures. The model indirectly predicting achievement via first-order discipline-specific paths explained more variance than direct second-order effects. Effects significantly varied across groups stratified by grade and region. Interest and conceptual knowledge drove physics and chemistry success, while higher-order skills enhanced biology achievement overall. However, relationships differed within subgroups, suggesting personalized motivational support needs--self-belief/competence foundations for struggling learners, conceptual development for those with high prior achievement, and intrinsic enrichment for disinterested students. Results detail complex motivational profiles underlying science achievement requiring tailored identity safety and self-efficacy scaffolding alongside conceptual and skill-building for excellence across scientific disciplines. Motivational support systems may spur more equitable and optimal science outcomes among diverse adolescent learners.

Research evidence indicated that a specific type of augmented reality-assisted (AR-assisted) science learning design or support might not suit or be effective for all students because students' cognitive load might differ according to their experiences and individual characteristics. Thus, this study aimed to identify undergraduate students' profiles of cognitive load in AR-assisted science learning and to examine the role of their distinct profiles in self-efficacy together with associated behavior patterns in science learning. After ensuring the validity and reliability of each measure, a latent profile analysis confirmed that 365 Chinese undergraduates carried diverse dimensions of cognitive load simultaneously. The latent profile analysis findings revealed four fundamental profiles: Low Engagement, Immersive, Dabbling, and Organized, characterized as carrying various respective cognitive loads. The multivariate analysis of variance findings revealed different levels of the six AR science learning self-efficacy dimensions across profiles. Low Engagement students displayed the lowest self-efficacy among all dimensions. Organized students recorded better conceptual understanding and higher-order cognitive skills than Dabbling ones. Students with the Immersive profile had the highest science learning self-efficacy. The lag sequential analysis results showed significant differences in behavior patterns among profiles. Among them, profiles with social interaction, test, and reviewing feedback behavior had a significantly higher score for self-efficacy than those patterns mainly based on test learning and resource visits. This finding provides a unified consideration of students' diverse profiles and can inform interventions for effective design of AR-assisted science learning to match appropriate strategies to facilitate the science learning effect.

IntroductionThis study investigates the relationship between science learning self-efficacy and science identity, examining how gender and science success moderate this relationship.MethodsUsing a quantitative approach with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, data from high school students in Moscow, Almetyevsk, Khabarovsk cities from Russia were analyzed.ResultsThe research highlights the significant positive impact of integrative science competence, practical science application, and science communication efficacy on science identity. Interestingly, gender did not significantly influence the efficacy-identity relationship, suggesting its minimal role in this context. Conversely, science success, particularly in conjunction with science communication efficacy, played a notable role, indicating a complex interplay that could affect students’ science identity.DiscussionThese findings emphasize the need for educational strategies that bolster students’ self-efficacy in science, catering to the development of a strong science identity. Future research should explore the nuanced effects of success and communication efficacy on science identity, aiming to inform interventions that support diverse and equitable participation in science education and careers.

The aim of this study was investigated the relationship between preservice science teachers' 21st century learner and teacher skills and their science learning self-efficacy beliefs. The research method used was the correlational research method, one of the quantitative research methods. The sample of the study was consisting of 318 preservice science teachers studying in the third and fourth grades of the science education department of the education faculties at three public universities. Data collection tools of this study were the 21st Century Learner Skills Scale, the 21st Century Teacher Skills Scale and the Science Learning Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed by structural equation modeling (SEM). In the results obtained from the SEM1, SEM2 and SEM3, a correlation was determined between the preservice science teachers' 21st century teacher skills, 21st century learner skills and science learning self-efficacy beliefs. In addition, the preservice science teachers' science learning self-efficacy beliefs positively correlated with their 21st century learner skills and negatively correlated with their 21st century teacher skills while their 21st century learner skills positively correlated with their 21st century learner skills. The preservice science teachers' 21st century skills and science learning self-efficacy beliefs was found to be predicting each other. Studies to identify the relationship between different dimensions of science education and 21st century skills should be performed to contribute to the relevant literature.

This research explored the interrelationship among Taiwanese high school students' conceptions of learning science (COLS), self-regulated learning science (SRLS), and science learning self-efficacy (SLSE). A total of 309 students participated in the study, and the self-report survey data were collected to measure these three constructs. Four COLS factors ("Testing," "Calculating and practicing," "Application," and "Understanding and seeing in a new way"), two SRLS dimensions ("Preparatory SRLS" [task definition, goal setting, planning] and "Enactment SRLS" [controlling, monitoring, reflecting]), and two SLSE factors ("Conceptual understanding" and "Higher-order cognitive skills"), which adhere to the cognitive learning dimensions, were included for analysis. The results revealed a direct relationship between Testing and SLSE without going through any of the SRLS constructs. However, no direct relationship was built among other COLS components and the two SLSE dimensions. There are direct relationships among "Calculating and practicing," "Application," and the two SRLS constructs, but "Understanding and seeing in a new way" solely links to "Enactment SRLS" and not to "Preparatory SRLS." In the end, the two SRLS constructs are directly associated with the students' SLSE dimensions. These results have the important implication that learners' COLS have a significant impact on their SRL engagement, which eventually leads to their beliefs about their cognitive abilities in learning the abstract concepts and critical thinking tasks in science.

The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between academic hardiness in science, conceptions of learning science, and science learning self-efficacy among Malaysian middle school students. The respondents were 320 eighth-grade students from two selected Malaysian middle schools. Three questionnaires were used for this survey: Academic Hardiness in Science (AHS) regarding "commitment," Conceptions of Learning Science (COLS), including "memorizing," "calculating and practicing," and "understanding and seeing in a new way," and Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE), consisting of "cognition," "practical work," "everyday application," and "science communication." These three questionnaires were validated and found to be reliable for measuring students' AHS, COLS, and SLSE. Pearson's correlation findings indicated that AHS was significantly and positively correlated to all the factors in COLS and SLSE, and all the factors in COLS were significantly and positively correlated to all the factors in SLSE. The relationships among AHS, COLS, and SLSE were then identified by the structural equation model technique. Students with a high commitment to learning science, and who perceived learning science as understanding and seeing in a new way are prone to have confidence at all levels of science learning self-efficacy.

Promoting student engagement in learning activities and tasks has been a pivotal issue and goal of science education. Relevant literature has not yet addressed the underlying associations among students' self-efficacy and engagement in science learning from a multi-dimensional perspective. Thus, this study aimed to examine the structural relationships between the two constructs through the structural equation modelling technique to differentiate the predictive powers of multi-faceted self-efficacy on various forms of engagement. A total of 478 Taiwanese senior high school students were invited to answer two survey instruments concerning self-efficacy and engagement in science learning, respectively. The main findings indicate that, first, the 'Science Learning Engagement Instrument' was proven to be valid and reliable to assess the students' five distinct forms of engagement, including Cognitive, Behavioral, Emotional, Social, and Agentic engagement. It seems that the students had less agentic engagement experiences compared to the other forms of learning engagement. Moreover, this study further identified the multifaceted effects of self-efficacy on the manifold aspects of learning engagement in the literature. Overall, the path analysis results provide evidence that, in order to deeply engage learners in science learning, promoting their science learning self-efficacy from various aspects is of great importance.

Background: Despite the growing body of research on self-efficacy, previous studies have failed to clarify exactly how it is constructed. Meanwhile, the literature indicates that, in Taiwan, junior high school students tend to show lower self-efficacy in learning science compared with elementary and senior high school students. Purpose: This study aimed to develop a mediational model providing the factors accounting for Taiwanese junior high school adolescents' science learning self-efficacy (SLSE), especially from the perspectives of both interpersonal and intrapersonal factors. Design: We therefore proposed a mediational model to delineate the relationships among students' perceived responses to capitalization attempts -- science learning (PRCA-SL), science learning hardiness (SLH) and SLSE by conducting structural equation modeling (SEM). Sample: A total of 1,170 junior high school students in Taiwan were invited to take part in the study. Results: The results confirmed our hypothesis that students' PRCA-SL fostered their science learning hardiness, which in turn contributed to their science learning self-efficacy. Conclusions: The findings confirmed the mediational model wherein science learning hardiness completely mediated the relationship between PRCA-SL and science learning self-efficacy.

Science learning self-efficacy could be regarded as a multi-factor belief which comprises different aspects such as cognitive skills, practical work, and everyday application. However, few studies have investigated the relationships among these factors that compose science learning self-efficacy. Also, culture may play an important role in explaining the relationships among these factors. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate cultural differences in science learning self-efficacy and examine the relationships within factors constituting science learning self-efficacy by adopting a survey instrument for administration to students in the U.S. and Taiwan. A total of 218 university students (62.40% females) were surveyed in the U.S.A, and 224 university students (49.10% females) in Taiwan were also invited to take part in the study. The results of the structural equation modelling revealed cultural differences in the relationships among the factors of science learning self-efficacy. It was found that U.S. students' confidence in their ability to employ higher-order cognitive skills tended to promote their confidence in their ability to accomplish practical work, strengthening their academic self-efficacy. However, the aforementioned mediation was not found for the Taiwanese participants.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate Taiwanese high school students' multi-dimensional self-efficacy and its sources in the domain of science. Two instruments, Sources of Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SSLSE) and Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE), were used. By means of correlation and regression analyses, the relationships between students' science learning self-efficacy and the sources of their science learning self-efficacy were examined. The findings revealed that the four sources of the students' self-efficacy were found to play significant roles in their science learning self-efficacy. By and large, Mastery Experience and Vicarious Experience were found to be the two salient influencing sources. Several gender differences were also revealed. For example, the female students regarded Social Persuasion as the most influential source in the "Science Communication" dimension, while the male students considered Vicarious Experience as the main efficacy source. Physiological and Affective States, in particular, was a crucial antecedent of the female students' various SLSE dimensions, including "Conceptual Understanding," "Higher-Order Cognitive Skills," and "Science Communication." In addition, the variations between male and female students' responses to both instruments were also unraveled. The results suggest that, first, the male students perceived themselves as having more mastery experience, vicarious experience and social persuasion than their female counterparts. Meanwhile, the female students experienced more negative emotional arousal than the male students. Additionally, the male students were more self-efficacious than the females in the five SLSE dimensions of "Conceptual Understanding," "Higher-Order Cognitive Skills," "Practical Work," "Everyday Application," and "Science Communication."

Introduction: This study investigates the relationship between science learning self-efficacy and science identity, examining how gender and science success moderate this relationship. Methods: Using a quantitative approach with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, data from high school students in Moscow, Almetyevsk, Khabarovsk cities from Russia were analyzed. Results: The research highlights the significant positive impact of integrative science competence, practical science application, and science communication efficacy on science identity. Interestingly, gender did not significantly influence the efficacyidentity relationship, suggesting its minimal role in this context. Conversely, science success, particularly in conjunction with science communication efficacy, played a notable role, indicating a complex interplay that could affect students' science identity. Discussion: These findings emphasize the need for educational strategies that bolster students' self-efficacy in science, catering to the development of a strong science identity. Future research should explore the nuanced effects of success and communication efficacy on science identity, aiming to inform interventions that support diverse and equitable participation in science education and careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research evidence indicated that a specific type of augmented reality-assisted (AR-assisted) science learning design or support might not suit or be effective for all students because students' cognitive load might differ according to their experiences and individual characteristics. Thus, this study aimed to identify undergraduate students' profiles of cognitive load in AR-assisted science learning and to examine the role of their distinct profiles in self-efficacy together with associated behavior patterns in science learning. After ensuring the validity and reliability of each measure, a latent profile analysis confirmed that 365 Chinese undergraduates carried diverse dimensions of cognitive load simultaneously. The latent profile analysis findings revealed four fundamental profiles: Low Engagement, Immersive, Dabbling, and Organized, characterized as carrying various respective cognitive loads. The multivariate analysis of variance findings revealed different levels of the six AR science learning self-efficacy dimensions across profiles. Low Engagement students displayed the lowest self-efficacy among all dimensions. Organized students recorded better conceptual understanding and higher-order cognitive skills than Dabbling ones. Students with the Immersive profile had the highest science learning self-efficacy. The lag sequential analysis results showed significant differences in behavior patterns among profiles. Among them, profiles with social interaction, test, and reviewing feedback behavior had a significantly higher score for self-efficacy than those patterns mainly based on test learning and resource visits. This finding provides a unified consideration of students' diverse profiles and can inform interventions for effective design of AR-assisted science learning to match appropriate strategies to facilitate the science learning effect., Competing Interests: Competing InterestsThe authors declare no competing interests., (© National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan 2023, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Due to the scarcity of cross-cultural comparative studies in exploring students' self-efficacy in science learning, this study attempted to develop a multi-dimensional science learning self-efficacy (SLSE) instrument to measure 316 Singaporean and 303 Taiwanese eighth graders' SLSE and further to examine the differences between the two student groups. Moreover, within-culture comparisons were made in terms of gender. The results showed that, first, the SLSE instrument was valid and reliable for measuring the Singaporean and Taiwanese students' SLSE. Second, through a two-way multivariate analysis of variance analysis (nationality by gender), the main result indicated that the SLSE held by the Singaporean eighth graders was significantly higher than that of their Taiwanese counterparts in all dimensions, including "conceptual understanding and higher-order cognitive skills", "practical work (PW)", "everyday application", and "science communication". In addition, the within-culture gender comparisons indicated that the male Singaporean students tended to possess higher SLSE than the female students did in all SLSE dimensions except for the "PW" dimension. However, no gender differences were found in the Taiwanese sample. The findings unraveled in this study were interpreted from a socio-cultural perspective in terms of the curriculum differences, societal expectations of science education, and educational policies in Singapore and Taiwan. (Contains 7 tables.)

This paper examined the conceptual understanding, self-efficacy, and scientific creativity of the students in Physics. The study further investigated the significant difference observed in the study variables according to sex and grade level using multivariate analysis. Using descriptive model of research design, the 125 Senior High School (SHS) students were asked to fill out the Physics Conceptual Understanding (PCU) test, Science Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (SLSE), and Scientific Creativity (SC) test. After the score were tallied and organized, two-way MANOVA was administered to determine the difference in the outcome variables when grouped according to sex and grade level. Based on Pillai’s Trace as revealed, there was a statistically significant difference in independent variables based on grade level. The analysis further revealed that PCU (𝑝=0.675) and SLSE (𝑝=0.101) are unaffected, while SC (𝑝=0.010) is influenced by the grade level. This study uncovered that there is no sex difference observed, while statistical variation exists in terms of grade level specifically to SC. This concludes that PCU, SLES, and SC is not affected by their sex identity but are associated on their academic level. Implications for practice into classroom are discussed and further suggestions of future research are provided.

IntroductionEnvironmental education has long been closely related to sustainable development. In this study, in response to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an augmented reality (AR) digital picture book was created using the unique natural ecosystem of Taiwan’s Orchid Island as a source of self-efficacy for science learning.MethodsInteractive environmental education learning through AR drawing was used to determine whether students’ science learning self-efficacy and environmental attitudes significantly influenced the environmental behavioral skills of culturally diverse children. In this study, 26 elementary sixth-grade Taiwanese students and 26 elementary sixth-grade Japanese students were invited to participate in an extended reality drawing activity as an environmental education curriculum.ResultsBased on the sample size of 52, the survey results were accurate with a sampling error of 3.8% with a confidence level of 95%. A questionnaire survey was administered to the 52 students after the event. After the valid questionnaire samples were collected, a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis was conducted with Smart PLS 3.0 on the small sample. The results of the study showed that students who had a better self-efficacy in science learning were more likely to engage in conservation actions related to the natural environment in their daily lives.DiscussionIn this study, the constructs of environmental behavior were further discussed and the hypothesis model was validated using the quantitative empirical method. The results of the study revealed good reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the constructs in the hypothesis model, and the hypothesis model itself was validated. In the validated model, students’ science learning self-efficacy affects the sustainability of their environmental behaviors, but only through the role of environmental attitudes. However, the environmental attitudes construct plays a fully mediating role in the model.

This study investigated high school students' conceptions of technology-assisted science learning via drawing analysis, and explored how students with different degrees of computer experience and science learning self-efficacy may show different conceptions via their drawings. The participants included 335 senior high school students in Taiwan (179 male and 156 female). All of them were asked by guiding questions to make two drawings to represent their conceptions of technology-assisted science learning in actual and ideal contexts, respectively. Their background information including computer experience and science learning self-efficacy were obtained using self-reported questionnaires. Through drawing analysis, seven categories of conceptions of technology-assisted science learning were identified, including types of technology, location of learning, types of learning activities, content of learning, participants of learning activities, affordance of learning technology, and effects of learning technology. The results further revealed that the students' conceptions of actual and ideal technology-assisted science learning significantly differed in some sub-categories of all categories except the category of participants of learning activities. Moreover, students' computer experience and science learning self-efficacy may link to different conceptions of technology-assisted science learning. Future research and directions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of science education, laboratory learning environment has gained renewed interest in the recent decade. This study aimed to investigate the relationships among students' conceptions of science laboratory learning, perceptions of the science laboratory learning environment, and their academic self-efficacy in science learning by adopting the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. A total of 513 senior high school students (262 females) in Taiwan were invited to participate in this survey study. Three instruments were adapted and implemented to investigate the aim of the study (i.e. the conceptions of science laboratory learning questionnaire, the science laboratory environment inventory, and the academic self-efficacy in science learning questionnaire). The results indicated that the students' conceptions of science laboratory learning made a significant contribution to their perceptions of the science laboratory environment, which consequently fostered their science learning self-efficacy. More specifically, students with conceptions of science laboratory learning as reviewing their prior learning profiles tended to highlight the "student cohesiveness," "integration," and "material environment" aspects of the laboratory environment. Moreover, students who held personal ideas of science laboratory learning as acquiring manipulative skills tended to perceive actual science laboratory environments as much more open-ended and to attain advanced academic science learning self-efficacy. In addition, those students who viewed laboratory learning as achieving in-depth understanding, and who perceived that laboratory activities are guided by clear rules, were prone to express a stronger sense of academic self-efficacy. Based on the results, practical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop an instrument to measure upper-level Chinese elementary students' attitudes towards science by addressing problems with existing ones, as highlighted in the literature. The theoretical framework was drawn from the ABC model, which defines attitudes towards science as consisting of affective, behavioural, and cognitive domains in the study. Instrument development was performed through expert review, small-scale pilot tests and student interviews, large-scale field tests and validation. Factor analysis and Rasch analysis provided reliability and validity evidence. According to the results of the first round of the field test, changes were made to the items and the response category in the second round of the development procedure. The final instrument demonstrated good psychometric properties and consisted of four dimensions: enjoyment of science learning, self-efficacy in science learning, value of science learning and intention to learn and do science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers’ engagement in continuing professional development activities plays an essential role in the design, implementation, and effectiveness of in-service teacher training (INSET) programs. Understanding multidimensional orientations of teacher engagement in continuing professional development (CPD) activities, albeit fluctuations and deceptive images, may provide implications for the rate and pace of their professional development. To address this issue, the present study aims to understand teachers’ engagement orientations, namely cognitive, behavioral, and affective; as well as the levels, i.e. authenticity or fakeness of their engagement. In doing so, this study further aims to analyze how the participants with different engagement orientations revealed signs of fake and/or genuine engagement. The data collected from the observations of a six-week-long CPD course and semi-structured interviews conducted after the completion of the course indicated that teachers with different engagement orientations demonstrated various ways of genuine and/or fake participation in the CPD course. Pedagogical implications highlight an assortment of courses of action to maximize authentic teacher engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting science, math, engineering, and technology (STEM) skills for young children provides foundation for and interest in later STEM learning, making early childhood an important time to develop these competencies. Young children also spend increasing amounts of time with media, and thus it is important to understand if children are accessing STEM content and what factors may determine this access. The current survey study of parents of three- to seven-year olds assesses how parents' science self-efficacy and parents' scientific literacy relate to children's STEM media use. Results demonstrate positive relations between parent self-efficacy and child STEM media use (aligned with self-efficacy theory), but results also demonstrate no significant relation between parent scientific literacy and child STEM media use. We conclude that parent self-efficacy is an important social susceptibility for young children's STEM media use and that future research should continue exploring potential interventions for promoting parents' self-efficacy related to teaching their children science. Impact Summary: Prior State of Knowledge: Little research has examined the relations between parents' perceived beliefs that they can teach their children science and children's engagement with STEM media. Children spend increasing time with media; thus, we should understand how to leverage this time for learning. Novel Contributions: The current study demonstrates that parents' beliefs that they can teach their children science are positively associated with children's STEM media use. However, parents' scientific literacy was not associated with children's STEM media use. Practical Implications: To get children to use more STEM media, interventions should focus on parents' beliefs that they can teach their children STEM concepts, such as science. Parents influence children's media use, and intervening with parents can help shape children's media diets in positive ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]