Being able to learn from failure is a fundamental skill for a scientist, as scientists often learn from failure in practical work by trialling and refining experimental designs, improving calibration techniques, and hypothesising and testing expected outcomes. This qualitative, practice-based study describes how junior secondary science teachers…

Problem-posing has been regarded as a potential method to engage students in deeper thinking; however, without sufficient supports, most students could encounter difficulties in posing quality problems. In this study, a concept mapping-based online cooperative problem-posing (CM-OCPP) approach is proposed to guide students to complete…

Transforming the chemistry curriculum to an interdisciplinary perspective is essential for preparing students to meet interdisciplinary career demands and to brace themselves for the challenges of complex environmental and health issues. The study introduces four interdisciplinary electrochemistry STEM-lab activities as an alternative to the…

This qualitative research project investigated high school students' experiences with science, as well as how their unique experiences can be used to develop empowering science education for all students. Inquiry was conducted via the photovoice method with a critical sociocultural theoretical framework. Results showed that students' science…

This paper reports the development of a digital escape room for high school students using Genially, a web-based media platform. The escape room was used to aid understanding of basic concepts in chemistry and mostly enhance students' classes participation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The activity entitled "The thalidomide mystery"…

This research aimed to design an instructional module to teach light diffraction by a grating to secondary students applying a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-integrated approach. Based on this approach, instructional management integrated the disciplines of physics and mathematics with engineering design process…

This article describes how a class of year 9 (age 13-14) students engaged in a research-informed and negotiated action science project to address socio-scientific issues. The project was informed by the 'STEPWISE' curriculum framework. Evidence suggests that students benefited from collaborative problem-solving, developing confidence, motivation…

This research was informed by a constructivist approach to learning, with a focus on answering the research question: what skills can science teachers promote and encourage among students through designing and implementing problem-based learning in their classrooms? The research was carried out in a co-education secondary school in England and…

Being able to contextualise and solve complex problems is a highly valued skill in STEM graduates--a skill which we strive to nurture in our students. Since its introduction into undergraduate teaching, laboratory teaching has been used to consolidate students conceptual understanding, develop their practical skills and inculcate an evidence based…

Putting an electrical circuit within an inaccessible black box and asking pupils to deduce what wiring is contained within the box based solely on the circuit's behaviour is a simple teaching idea with a long history. Problems arise when trying to build enough physical black boxes to simulate a larger number of circuits within a typical school's…

Analytical thinking is the competency needed by students in order to compete and achieve success in the professional field for the 21st Century. Research that aims to examine the most optimal learning model in empowering students' analytical thinking needs to be done since many students have low ordered thinking skills. Through this…

Research on science-education reform affirms the importance of taking into consideration teachers' pedagogical beliefs in relation of the constructivist perspective to ensure successful implementation of a reform-oriented curriculum. In addition, prominent studies pinpoint the need for teachers to have sufficient pedagogical content knowledge…

Research on science-education reform affirms the importance of taking into consideration teachers? pedagogical beliefs in relation of the constructivist perspective to ensure successful implementation of a reform-oriented curriculum. In addition, prominent studies pinpoint the need for teachers to have sufficient pedagogical content knowledge…

Increasing student participation in science is an ongoing challenge for many universities. In this active learning workshop, centered on inquiry and teamwork, we introduce high-school students to biochemistry and molecular biology techniques using a murder mystery activity. During this intensive 3 hr workshop, we engage students in a murder…

Educating future scientists and citizens is more effective if students are guided to correctly apply what they learned in school to their daily lives. This experience-based work is focused on the study of a well-known commercial product: cat litter. This material offers different starting points for a critical examination. Questions related to…