This study tested competing theories about the effectiveness of different instructional sequences for learners with different levels of prior knowledge. Across two classroom experiments, undergraduates learned about noncovalent interactions in biochemistry by either receiving explicit instruction before problem-solving (I-PS group) or engaging in…

Computational thinking (CT) skills of pre-service teachers have been explored extensively, but the effectiveness of CT training has yielded mixed results in previous studies. Thus, it is necessary to identify patterns in the relationships between predictors of CT and CT skills to further support CT development. This study developed an online CT…

Not-knowing is an underexplored concept defined as an individual's ability to be aware of what they do not know to plan and effectively face complex situations. This paper focuses on analyzing students' articulation of not-knowing while completing geometric reasoning tasks. Results of this study revealed that not-knowing is a more cognitively…

Task design features have different effects on second language (L2) production and can be adopted for different pedagogical purposes. However, the synergistic effects of task features were left unexplored in the extant task-based literature. The present study investigated the synergistic effects of two task design features, namely, prior knowledge…

This study reports the knowledge of text complexity held by preservice teachers prior to coursework. The goal of this research is to determine what strengths and what learning needs preservice teachers have related to text selection with the intention of informing programmatic redesign. In this preliminary component of a design-development study,…

Epistemic beliefs, epistemic cognitions, and self-regulation processes have a significant role in students' learning. Through this study, I investigated the role of mechanical engineering students' epistemic beliefs and epistemic cognitions involved in self-regulation processes while working on tasks with different difficulty levels. In this…

Numerous studies have proven the learning benefits of concept maps in science subjects, particularly for students with low prior knowledge. There is a scarcity of research dedicated to the examination of chemistry courses at the university level, and the findings pertaining to academic performance in that subject exhibit a lack of consistency.…

Based on the largest multi-institutional observational study of undergraduate courses in the United States, this article describes exemplar teaching practices in engineering courses as an interdisciplinary science field. The College Educational Quality (CEQ) research project studied 587 courses in nine different U.S. colleges and universities.…

Two generative approaches to reaction mechanism instruction for novice students were compared to lecture instruction. In both approaches, students were coached to propose selected reaction mechanisms based on prior knowledge. New instructional methods were correlated with increased skill in representations of electron movements and other gains.…

At a research university near the east coast, a college algebra class has been restructured into two large lectures a week, an active recitation size laboratory once a week, and an extra day devoted to active group work called Supplemental Practice (SP). SP was added as an extra day of class where the SP leader has students work in groups on a…

Our work focuses on the transition from high school to university in the field of calculus. In France, recursive sequences are studied as one of the classical exercises in both institutions. Their studies use different theorems and notions, such as functions, convergence, monotonicity, induction, etc. The work expected at this transition requires…

This qualitative multi-case research study explored the experiences of pre-service teachers learning phonics and phonemic awareness (PPA) in a literacy methods course. Data were collected from pre- and post-test scores, literacy life maps, semi-structured interviews, and course questionnaires. Findings suggest pre-service teachers with limited…

This study reports how 12 secondary mathematics preservice teachers (MPSTs) described characteristics of mathematical tasks after participating in instructional activities, including reading, reflecting, and discussing task characteristics from two mathematics task frameworks and related book chapters. The findings demonstrated that after engaging…

With many universities now admitting students into their science programs with little or no prior knowledge of the relevant field, significant challenges arise in the way these fields are introduced. Challenges mount with various preconceived ideas regarding the levels of difficulty, thus necessitating introductory concepts be presented in…

Trigonometry is an important part of secondary school mathematics, but it is usually challenging for students to understand and learn. Since trigonometry is learned and used at a university level in many fields, like physics or geodesy, it is important to have an insight into students' trigonometry knowledge before the beginning of the university…