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…

Throughout the years, there has been a reduction of graduates entering and pursuing careers within the Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) fields. Thus, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), now called the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science (NJSLS-S) developed a rigorous program of standards for students to…

This descriptive case study aimed to understand the perception and needs of Michigan public high school science teachers during the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and subsequent preparedness to teach the content found in the new curriculum. A questionnaire was distributed to science teachers state-wide, with twenty…

This study investigated the integration of Citizen Science projects in high school science classrooms, aiming to discern the prerequisites for their successful implementation. Qualitative data collection methods were employed to illuminate how six high school Environmental Science teachers incorporated these projects into their curriculum and…

It is critical to provide inservice elementary teachers the opportunity to advance their science instruction, which in turn can positively impact not only their practice but also their perceptions towards science teaching and learning. Too often, science-specific professional development (PD) programs are scarcely provided as a result of an…

School districts choose programs based on limited data, word of mouth, or cost-effectiveness. STEM-based schools often choose project-based learning (PBL) programs to deliver curricula through limited research and word of mouth effectiveness. This study evaluated one PBL program implementation in the context of a suburban Texas middle school by…

The expansion of information and communication technology (ICT), combined with the recent changes in education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to new pedagogical practices. These technological advances provide new and enhanced learning opportunities for students but present both challenges and opportunities for educators. This…

Scholars continue to propose that students develop scientific literacy and 21st century competencies through student-centered reform-based science instruction with the teacher as the main facilitator of learning (Maeng et al., 2018). The National Science Teaching Association (2018) called for high-quality science instruction that builds on…

This study explored ways in which the development and implementation of an online professional development experience for secondary science teachers might shift teacher perspectives, understandings, and practices surrounding the integration of socio-ecological justice learning (SEJL) into their classrooms, courses, and curricula. This…

The purpose of this study was to investigate how school districts dealt with the challenges of implementing new science learning standards in their middle schools. Six Long Island school districts of varying size and levels of need, with different curricula models, and distinct building grade-level configurations were purposefully selected as case…

This study examined the role of K-12 science teachers' understandings and perceptions of the Next Generation Science Standards, implementation of the new standards in the classroom, and potential barriers to implementation as reform stakeholders had envisioned. Grounded in the relevant literature and working from the Teacher-Centered System Reform…

Teacher in-service learning about education reforms like NGSS often begin with professional development (PD) as a foundational component (Supovitz & Turner, 2000). Teacher Leaders, who are early implementers of education reform, are positioned to play a contributing role to the design of PD. As early implementers of reforms, Teacher Leaders…

In 2013, California became one of the first states to adopt the rigorous Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). However, the current state of science instruction does not support the conceptual shifts of the NGSS, which call for consistent science instruction K-12, increased inquiry, subject integration, as well as science instruction that…

A number of national directives and successful case studies, focus on the need for change in teaching and learning, particularly emphasizing increasingly rigorous STEM learning tied to the use of ICT and digital tools for technological literacy and future workforce development. This action research study investigated the role of instructional…

The California State Board of Education's decision to adopt the Common Core State Standards Initiative, with the incorporation of English language arts expectations for literacy in science, has not yet ensured complete involvement and support of all science educators to implement instructional change. Teachers' willingness to implement this…