Plant awareness disparity (PAD, formerly plant blindness) is the tendency not to notice plants in one's environment, which leads to the perspective that plants are unimportant. In this paper, we explore how plants and animals are represented in introductory biology textbooks to determine if these texts are contributing to PAD in undergraduate…

Second-semester biochemistry students at two primarily undergraduate institutions, the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and the State University of New York College at Cortland, worked on a collaborative, semester-long project that resulted in the production of bioinfographics focused on metabolic pathways. Students were divided…

The present review intends to show the current state of teaching quantum-related content, to analyze and compare its learning efficiency, and to give a systemized overview of quantum-educational activities in the last years. We focus on teaching and learning elements, their innovative tools, and process-oriented studies that are empirically…

Using multiple representations (MR) such as graphs, symbols, diagrams, and text, is central to teaching and learning in physics classrooms. While different studies have provided evidence of the positive impact of the use of MR on physics learning, a comprehensive overview of existing literature on the use of MR in physics education, especially at…

The move from learning science from representations to learning science with representations has many potential and undocumented complexities. This thematic analysis partially explores the trends of representational uses in science instruction, examining 80 research studies on diagram use in science. These studies, published during 2000-2014, were…

Cartoons are part of a much larger effort by chemical educators to introduce activities to enhance learning and student participation. There are a variety of cartoon types used in teaching that have been evaluated and discussed within the chemical education community including caricatures, comics, and concept cartoons. This article focuses on the…

Numerous research studies have shown that science methods courses based on constructivist approaches can enhance teacher knowledge and confidence in ways that foster more positive attitudes to the teaching of science. However, a critical part of reflective practice is the opportunity to observe competent professionals practising their craft.…

To determine whether scientific diagrams are helpful to students, researchers involved students in a mind probing investigation. Specifically, researchers wanted to know what goes on (and does not go on) in the minds of students when they encounter diagrams during science instruction. Based upon the results of these studies, suggestions are made…