This study explores the influence of science and plant interest, alongside emotional responses, on the learning experiences of prospective primary education teachers during a botanical inquiry trail. Conducted at the University of Extremadura (Spain), the research involved 137 participants and valued their science and plant interest, knowledge…

There are relatively few studies examining cooperative learning during laboratory activities in a science museum. This study aims to explore such activities to better understand the nature of cooperative learning, if any, in that setting. The participants in this study were 60 fourth-grade students who visited a science museum lab as part of a…

Undergraduate STEM students have limited opportunities to apply course-acquired knowledge in the community. Experiential learning opportunities that connect students with community partners offer one impactful way to apply course learning to communities within and beyond the university. While studies have established the value of experiential…

Citizen science, a growing domain that allows public participation in scientific research, plays an increasingly significant role in formal education. Its potential to foster scientific literacy, address environmental issues, and promote sustainability is widely acknowledged. Drawing on the concept mapping approach, this study aims to investigate…

The use of a drama-based pedagogical (DBP) approach, while well-documented to promote active learning and enhance students' generic skills, is under-utilised in the context of higher education, particularly in psychology learning and teaching (L&T). A project, comprising two virtual drama-integrated learning sessions, was implemented to gauge…

This study introduces an Action Learning -- Professional Development Framework (AL-PDF) designed to enhance research skills among young agricultural scientists in a rural institution. The framework tackles issues such as limited research capacity, the absence of formal professional development (PD) pathways, and limited resources. Beyond our…

A critical objective of environmental education (EE) is sustained and active care for the natural world. Numerous studies point to the inadequacy of information-centered pedagogies in motivating such ecologically responsive action. The primacy of action in effectively addressing environmental issues calls for conceptions of EE that emphasize the…

Practical work is widely seen as an integral part of school science. Research and teacher guidance have tended to consider practical work in science, rather than in individual science subjects or topics. This study used a questionnaire of selected- and open-response items to probe the views and reasoning of a sample of 43 pre-service teachers in…

The education landscape continues to change as perpetuated by crises like COVID-19 propelling teachers to adapt and change their pedagogical approaches. As a mid-career science teacher educator, having developed ways of teaching, I experienced pedagogical tensions that were unsettling during COVID-19, thus threatening what I already knew about…

The COVID-19 global pandemic has prompted educators in universities to reconsider their teaching methods, mainly due to the social distancing measures imposed within the classroom settings. On the other hand, the growing importance of continuing education opportunities for adult learners after graduation has seen the need to transform traditional…

Comenius (1592-1670) has been widely studied in educational research, although limited work has addressed his thinking about science education comprehensively. His Pansophist philosophy led him to believe that science was a necessary subject for all ("Omnes"). Comenius emphasised useful scientific knowledge and core principles…

Food gardens are an underdeveloped resource for teaching and research in Australian universities. While some campuses have food or botanical gardens, outside the biological or physical sciences food growing is not routinely incorporated into mainstream curricula. This article investigates why and how we might change this. It examines universities'…

The primary objective of the research reported on here was to decide whether a combined framework of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) could be a valid and reliable model to predict Indonesian pre-service science teachers' (PSTs') actual use of technology (AUT) during teaching…

Embedding learning abroad as part of the curriculum has become popular in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the US and European countries. In Australia, the government has actively promoted and committed to funding students' learning abroad in the Indo-Pacific region which is considered to be strategic to the nation's prosperity and public…

A qualitative study adopting a phenomenological approach examined the feedback of 53 sixth-grade students (aged 11-12) who participated in an annual educational program on climate change and environmental activism. The program was structured around instilling hope while utilizing the 'head,' 'heart,' and 'hands' pedagogical framework. Research…