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Journal Article

Phenomena Interest Comes Naturally to Young Children

A child’s world is one filled with observable daily events or facts referred to as phenomenon that exist or happen, especially those that invoke a cause or explanation in question. From the earliest ages, young children are active learners explorin...

By Shelly Counsell

Early Education Pre-K Preschool Phenomena Physical Science

Journal Article

Patterns are Everywhere: Exploring the schoolyard to facilitate thinking about science phenomena

After realizing the difficulty educators face with integrating the crosscutting concepts (CCCs) from the Next Generation Science Standards into their lessons and noticing missed opportunities for caregivers to engage children in scientific thinking, ...

By Brandon Davis, Ingrid Carter, Lisa Dispense

5E Crosscutting Concepts NGSS Phenomena

Journal Article

Disciplinary Differences in STEM Faculty and Student Use of Learning Objectives: Implications for Teaching and Learning

Using learning objectives to guide course design is often considered an educational best practice, but little research exists that explores how students use them over time and across courses. We surveyed students on their use and perceived value of l...

By Sarah Leupen, Tory Williams, Linda Hodges, Laura Ott, Eric Anderson, Lili Cui, Kalman Nanes, H. Perks, Cynthia Wagner

Interdisciplinary Preservice Science Education STEM

Journal Article

“Flipping” a course: is it worth it? A multiyear analysis of interactive and student-centered pedagogy in an introductory physical geology course

This study summarizes the comparison of interactive lecturing and technology-supported student-centered pedagogy across six semesters of an introductory physical geology course. A multiple linear regression analysis of 967 student scores shows that a...

By Theresa Halligan, Cinzia Cervato, Ulrike Genschel

Earth & Space Science Pedagogy STEM Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Resources university science and mathematics students use to replace or supplement lectures in the 21st century: A case study

The development of web-based technologies in recent decades has provided ready access to a wealth of on-line educational resources, and despite concerns that availability of on-line recorded lectures impacts on-campus attendance, we believe there nee...

By Andrew Seen, Tony Kerr, Joee Kelk, Sharon Fraser

Distance Learning Mathematics Teaching Strategies Technology

Journal Article

“Enhancing” exam wrappers with research into learning is associated with a shift in study strategies in a first semester biology course.

Students’ academic performance improves when they use active study methods and discussion of study strategy efficacy can impact students’ choice. Faculty often employ mid-semester wrappers to encourage student reflection on their study habits, so...

By Maya Sobel, Linden Higgins

Learning Progression Pedagogy Teacher Preparation Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

We have more in common than we think: A comparison of scientific skills and disciplinary practices in the guiding documents for Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics

Students are encouraged to develop a set of scientific skills and disciplinary practices common across the STEM disciplines....

By Daniel SIlverio, Eugenia Villa-Cuesta, Alison Hyslop, Kevin Kolack, Sabrina Sobel

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Student-centered approaches to breaking through scientific writing barriers

Scientific writing is a rewarding, challenging, and necessary part of research. Building skills in scientific writing is critical in graduate student training and provides the foundation for scientific communication at all professional levels. Despit...

By Laura Young, Blessing Okosun, Lydia Westberg, Diane Darland, Emily Gisi, Julia Hampton, He Huang, Lydia Kantonen, DEHUI KONG, Lynda LaFond, Jeremy Martin

Interdisciplinary Literacy STEM

Journal Article

Out of School Engagements in Forensic Science on a College Campus

Out of school informal learning environments provide an excellent experience for students to develop scientific curiosity and critical thinking skills. Currently, there is a range of methods available for supporting STEM learning. As schools focus on...

By Sonali Raje, Keri-Anne Croce, Noelle Neff, Shannon Stitzel, Kelly Elkins

Informal Science Education Life Science Teacher Preparation Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Can a simple metacognitive intervention influence students’ knowledge, behavior, and performance?

Metacognition is often described as the awareness and regulation of learning. It uses strategies which include monitoring one’s own thinking, engaging in active planning and self-evaluating one’s study habits. Bloom’s taxonomy can be used as a...

By Kathleen Hefferon, Esther Angert, Anna Levina

Biology New Science Teachers Teacher Preparation Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Building Research Communities for Life Science Transfer Students: Improving Retention and Student Outcomes

Many initiatives attempt to smooth transitions between 2-year colleges and 4-year universities, but retention and graduation rates for transfer-students are still low, especially in STEM. The Transfer-student Research and Integration Program (TRIP) a...

By Ian Biazzo, Kenneth Fedorka, Kimberly Schneider, Ken Teter

Leadership Pedagogy STEM

Journal Article

Hybrid Group-Based Concept Mapping

Helping students to understand complex processes is one of the core challenges in teaching biology courses. Concept mapping is a flexible pedagogical method that enables students to learn the complexities of a given subject while at the same time be...

By Nathan Ruhl

Postsecondary New Science Teachers Teacher Preparation Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Introducing Engineering Design to First-Year Students Through the Net Zero Energy Challenge

First-year engineering students are often introduced to the engineering design process through project-based learning situated in a concrete design context. Design contexts like mechanical engineering are commonly used, but students and teachers may ...

By Elena Sereiviene, Xiaotong Ding, Rundong Jiang, Juan Zheng, Andriy Kashyrskyy, Dylan Bulseco, Charles Xie

Postsecondary Engineering Instructional Materials Interdisciplinary STEM

Journal Article

Value Creation in a Pedagogically-focused Faculty Online Learning Community

Faculty online learning communities (FOLCs) can help faculty effectively adopt and persist in using research-based curricula. This paper documents faculty perspectives on the value they gained from participating in a multi-year FOLC designed to help ...

By Fred Goldberg, Edward Price, Mo Basir, Lawrence Escalada, Steven Maier, Steven Sahyun, Tamara Snyder, Liang Zeng

Distance Learning Pedagogy Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Investigating Effects of Emergency Remote Teaching on Biology Teaching Assistants and their Approaches to Teaching

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Biology Teaching Assistants (TAs) were tasked with transitioning and adapting their instruction to an online environment by quickly implementing Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) practices. Effective online and in-person ...

By Amy Kulesza, Susan D'Agostino, Lucía Chacón-Díaz

Postsecondary Biology Distance Learning Teacher Preparation Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Reworking the Recipe: Adding Inquiry and Reflection to College Science Labs

Cookbook-style laboratories (labs), where students follow recipes and confirm known results are common, yet years of science teaching and learning research indicate they do not help college students develop the habits of mind and skills of a scientis...

By Cari Din, Martin MacInnis

Inquiry Labs Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

A Community of Practice for CURE Development: The MIRIC (Mentoring the Integration of Research into the Classroom) Network

As the advantages of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) become widely accepted as a mainstream high-impact practice for undergraduate STEM education, it is paramount for instructors to be trained in effective practices for CURE d...

By Elizabeth Sandquist, Brett Schofield, Kristian Taylor, Alex Engel, Jinjie Liu, Aaron Putzke, Laxmi Sagwan-Barkdoll, Susan Walsh, Taylor Buchanan, Lance Barton, Karen Resendes, Michael Wolyniak

Inclusion Research STEM

Journal Article

Who Speaks for Earth? Impacts of an Anti-Racist and Gender-Inclusive Training in an Astronomy Class

As science educators, we have an important opportunity to influence perceptions of who does science, and we can work to empower students to make our disciplines more accessible to people of all backgrounds. This goal was explicitly built into an intr...

By Kathryn Williamson, Ellen Belchior Rodrigues, Myya Helm, Christopher Cunningham, Daniel Gallegos, Unique Beaver, Iahnna Henry

Astronomy Inclusion Social Justice

Journal Article

Meeting the Needs of the Refugee Students in Your Science Classroom

Your new student roster includes refugee students. You want to communicate with them and make them feel welcome in their new science classroom; however, given their limited English and traumatic experiences that are unlike anything you have known, yo...

By Gayle Buck, Arya Karumanthra, Shukufe Rahman

Inclusion Multicultural Multilingual Learners Social Justice Teacher Preparation

Journal Article

Social-Emotional Learning in the Science Classroom

From the Editor's Desk...

By Patty McGinnis

Inclusion Pedagogy Social Justice Teacher Preparation Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Integrating Careers Into Your NGSS Lessons

Middle school is a critical time when students form ideas and preferences regarding careers they might pursue. Employers sometimes have difficulties filling STEM job openings, yet students often are not even aware these jobs exist. The middle-school ...

By Kyle Gray, Jill Maroo, Alan Czarnetzki, Sadik Kucuksari

Careers NGSS Pedagogy STEM Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Chasing Giant Ice balls

Scope on the Skies regular column. An SEL-based look at comets, their impact on society, and how they are named....

By Bob Riddle

Astronomy Earth & Space Science Instructional Materials Phenomena Physical Science

Journal Article

Expanding Language Use: Supporting Emergent Multilingual Learners’ Sensemaking in Science

Students bring with them rich cultural and linguistic ways of knowing and communicating when engaged in figuring out explanations of phenomena. However, it is a challenge for teachers to support bi/multilingual learners in language-intensive science ...

By Samuel Lee, Benjamin DiFrancesco, Caitlin Fine, Katherine McNeill

Inclusion Multicultural Multilingual Learners Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Fieldwork Fridays: Connecting Scientific Learning to Nature

Building routines around place-based learning allows students to apply their scientific learning to nature and form a connection with their local environment and the species in it over the course of a school year. Each Friday, in what are referred to...

By Katie Coppens

Earth & Space Science Labs Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Snapshot Safari: Elephant Edition

Citizen Science article for the September/ October 2024 issue of Science Scope...

By Jill Nugent

Biology Citizen Science Earth & Space Science Life Science

Journal Article

Using Conferences to Give Students a Sense of Belonging

Conducting student conferences similar to those used by English Language Arts teachers to improve reading skills can give middle school science students a sense of belonging and ownership in science. Once a set of conference goals is determined, a te...

By Tasha Kirby

Inclusion Pedagogy Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Unlocking the Power of Emotional Connections: Strategies for Teaching Climate Change in Middle School

In the face of the escalating climate crisis, effective climate education is imperative, not only for imparting knowledge, but also for inspiring action. This paper explores innovative strategies for teaching climate change in middle school, recogniz...

By Emily Godin, Jo'el Johanson

Climate Change Inclusion Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Dyeing to Last: Using Natural Dyes to Create an Ideal Fabric

In this project-based lesson, students explore how chemistry concepts relate to creative expression by investigating a variety of dyeing conditions. Through sequenced discussions and investigations, students arrive at a dyed cotton product that optim...

By Tyler St. Clair, Makayla Kraetsch, Mia Arrieta

Middle School Chemistry Instructional Materials NGSS

NSTA Press Book

Uncovering Student Ideas in Life Science, Volume 2: 30 New Formative Assessment Probes

Click here to view video of Uncovering Student Ideas in Life Science, Volume 2...

By Page Keeley

Elementary High School Middle School Assessment Instructional Materials

Journal

Science Scope—September/October 2024

Journal

Science and Children—September/October 2024

Journal

The Science Teacher—September/October 2024

Book Chapter

Uncovering Student Ideas in Life Science, Volume 2: 30 New Formative Assessment Probes (Book Sample)