The 2011 "Vision & Change" report outlined several recommendations for transforming undergraduate biology education, sparking multiple pedagogical reform efforts. Among these was the Promoting Active Learning and Mentoring (PALM) network, an NSF-funded program that provided mentorship and training to instructors on implementing…

The article introduces a design-and-effects-framework comprising five key features of effective professional development: (1) extended Duration, (2) Content Focus of input, (3) Coherence of input with practice, (4) Collegial Participation, and (5) Active Learning. The framework's general feasibility is investigated in a proof-of-concept study.…

Inquiry-based instruction has played an important role in science education, and been recognized as a critical approach to improve students' scientific learning effectiveness. However, current research revealed that it is a challenge for teacher education programs to improve pre-service science teachers' inquiry-based instructional activity design…

Drawing upon the model for science teacher assessment literacy developed by [Abell, S. K., & Siegel, M. A. (2011). Assessment literacy: What science teachers need to know and be able to do. In "The professional knowledge base of science teaching" (pp. 205-221). Springer. https://doi-org.bibliotheek.ehb.be/10.1007/978-90-481-3927-9_12], this study…

The paper presents a study that aimed to reveal the process quality descriptors of an argument-based inquiry approach. Process quality signifies whether a teacher is a better or unsatisfactory implementer of a version of in-class science inquiry. An experienced middle school science teacher was the participant. Based on the initial analysis…

This study advances the understanding of providing effective professional development for elementary teachers in the field as the Pennsylvania STEELS standards require inquiry-based learning as a component of the science classroom. I sought out elementary teacher perceptions surrounding professional development as it pertained to their ability to…

Although cognitive and social processes influencing students' scientific thinking skills have been extensively studied in recent years, the interplay between these processes remains insufficiently understood. This study examines the mediating role of research collaboration in the relationship between epistemic curiosity and critical thinking, as…

Teachers' teaching practices are influenced by various factors, including the teacher's personal (e.g. beliefs, efficacy and attitudes) and school context (e.g. administrative and collegial support). However, the previous model did not consider the interactions between these factors simultaneously in effecting the teaching practices. Thus, an…

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) project refers to experiments conducted to address problems, make improvements, or discover new things in those fields that can be tested using the scientific method. This paper describes a long-term STEM project in which pre-service science teachers (PSSTs) have a chance to discover new…

Teacher professional development (PD) is essential to continuously improve teaching skills, to adapt to diverse student needs, and to promote equity and inclusion. Only a few studies to date have synthesized how PD programs improve teachers' content knowledge and instructional quality, as well as students' academic performance. In this…

The purpose of this study was to build a project-based learning (PjBL) model using Susan A. Ambrose et al. cycle's metacognition conceptual framework. The PjBL approach was created to improve the preservice science teacher's metacognitive skills. Methods: To modify the PjBL strategy, this study began with a basic review of PjBL and metacognitive…

The enhancement of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) can be achieved through the implementation of active learning models. The current study aimed to examine the efficacy of the Pj4CS (Integrated Project-Based and 4C-Scaffolding) learning model on pre-service biology teachers' HOTS. This study employed a quasi-experimental design. The…

Assessing scientific inquiry competence (SIC) is essential for fostering students' inquiry skills, and the effectiveness of such assessments largely depends on teachers' assessment knowledge. Grounded in a four-dimensional framework of science teacher assessment knowledge, this study developed and validated a scenario-based diagnostic instrument…

Pre-service science teachers need to be aware of eco-literacy and biotechnology as they will teach science subjects to students from the perspectives of 21st-century skills. This study aimed to develop a web-based module on biotechnology and examine preservice science teachers' eco-literacy skills after using the developed module. The study used a…

A survey of 722 physics faculty conducted in 2008 found that many physics instructors had knowledge of research-based instructional strategies (RBISs), were interested in using more, but often discontinued use after trying. Considerable effort has been made during the decade following 2008 to develop and disseminate RBISs in physics as well as…