This study aimed to explore how proficient science teachers facilitate sensemaking moments in the classroom. Specifically, the study sought to describe how science teachers facilitate sensemaking during lesson discussions, exploring the factors that influence their facilitation, and developing a model that will guide proficient science teachers in…

The formation of chemistry identities among students is closely linked to the norms and practices prevalent in their chemistry learning environments. However, these norms may not be equally accessible or aligned with formal assessment criteria, leading to disparities for students in cultivating a positive chemistry identity. This study…

Language is a fundamental tool for learning science. This study highlights the importance of teacher knowledge in utilising language as a tool for knowledge generation in the classrooms. This case study examines elementary teachers' development of declarative, procedural, and epistemic knowledge related to using language, particularly focusing on…

This Spotlight explores strategies to foster an engaging classroom environment that promotes critical thinking and knowledge building. Discover how effective instruction can enhance student engagement, the importance of comprehension strategies in curriculum design, and the essential role of real-world problem-solving in preparing students for…

Addressing student conceptions is crucial in science education. Therefore, teachers should be able to notice and interpret situations, in which student conceptions are part of the complex classroom interactions. This study analyzes the skills known as professional vision using an interpretivist research paradigm and a sociocultural perspective.…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of scripted biology curriculum as a means of providing students with the information required to increase content knowledge, while comparing curriculum developed by the teacher that utilizes the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework (2005). The study is guided by two research questions:…

This study aims to put forth how and to what degree pre-service science teachers can practice 2018 Secondary School Science Curriculum (SSSC). The study employs an illustrative case study design. Identified through purposive sampling, the participants of the study consist of 28 senior pre-service teachers studying at science teaching program at an…

In this study, the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of four experienced primary school teachers was investigated within the "Let's Solve the Riddle of Our Body Unit". The PCK investigation adopted a learning approach based on inquiry, content representation and pedagogical and professional-experience repertoires (PaP-eRs), and…

In this article, we present a mixed-methods study of 2 schools' elementary science programs including outdoor instruction specific to each school's culture. We explore fifth-grade students in measures of science knowledge, environmental attitudes, and outdoor comfort levels including gender and ethnic differences. We further examine students'…

This study examined the differential impacts of an inquiry-based instruction on conceptual changes across levels of prior knowledge and reading ability. The instrument emphasized four simultaneously important components: conceptual knowledge, reading ability, attitude toward science, and learning environment. Although the learning patterns and…

Teaching ecological concepts in schools is important in promoting natural science and environmental education for young learners. Developing educational programs is difficult, however, because of complicated ecological processes operating on multiple levels, the unlimited nature of potential system interactions (given the openness of systems), and…

Designed to focus on teaching for higher-level cognitive learning, this study measured student perceptions of psychosocial aspects of their classroom learning and involved a team of six researchers. The study consisted of an intensive 10-week investigation of two above-average science teachers in a suburban high school in Perth, Western Australia.…

This study examined teachers' content knowledge about the nature of science and how this knowledge was expressed in their classrooms. Understandings about science influence not only explicit lessons about the nature of science, but also shape an implicit curriculum concerning scientific knowledge. Consideration was also given to ways in which…

These Proceedings document an educational research forum held at Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) on December 12, 2007. Table of contents and 23 research studies of high school teaching are included. Each paper contains a literature review, methodology, results, conclusions, and references. Studies include: (1) Cultural…