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Journal Article
Scaffolding an Inquiry-Based Spring Constant Activity for Differentiated Physics Instruction
This activity gives students the opportunity to design an experiment, collect data, and solve for the spring constant of different springs. The use of low-cost materials and the inquiry-based structure makes it more accessible for teachers and more e...
By Eric Lindley
Journal Article
We're all in this together: Collaborative modeling tasks for the chemistry classroom
This article describes four collaborative activities that we facilitate to engage high school chemistry students in the scientific practice of developing and using models in a chemical bonding unit. The activities presented incorporate both collabora...
By Destinee Cooper, Brooke Whitworth
Journal Article
This paper describes the design and implementation of a human-centered multidisciplinary engineering course for high school students. The course was implemented and modified for both in-person and online modalities. Students worked in small groups an...
By Hoda Ehsan, Abeera Rehmat
Journal Article
Overcharging: Science of Thermal Runaway
Lithium-ion batteries solve many problems, yet also create new problems like thermal runaway. To better understand the phenomenon themselves, the authors participated in a two-day workshop about the science of thermal runaway, when lithium-ion batter...
By Amy Gilbert, Ann Dubick
Journal Article
Making Motion Meaningful: Mapping Body Movements onto Graphs
The ability to interpret graphs is foundational to understanding many science topics, although mastering this skill can prove challenging to many students. This article illustrates how a lesson on motion graphs was implemented in physical science cla...
By Rebecca Vieyra, Colleen Megowan-Romanowicz, Daniel O'Brien, Chrystian Vieyra Cortés, Mina Johnson-Glenberg
Journal Article
Using Group Roles to Promote Collaboration
Collaborating effectively in small groups is an important skill for students, especially in classrooms adopting science education reforms like the NGSS, but it is also an extremely challenging skill. In this article, I share how I use group roles as ...
By Marta Stoeckel
Journal Article
Direct experiences in the living world are a major ally in helping students understand biology and the practice of science, and in fostering a lifelong love for nature. The positive impact of field study on students’ experiences and outcomes, and t...
By Barry McPhail
Journal Article
Saving Our Water: Engagement Strategies for Designing Collaborative Community-Based Solutions
In recent years, some communities have experienced extreme conditions of drought: reduced water supply for farms, increased wildfires, and decreased water availability in reservoirs and groundwater basins. This article details how high school juniors...
By Raven Mangiante, Elaine Silva Mangiante
Journal Article
Powerful Practices for the Differentiated Science Classroom
At its core, differentiation stems from the recognition that individual learners arrive in classrooms, each day, with a wide range of knowledge, lived experiences, abilities, ways of thinking, curiosities, and dispositions. Differentiation challenges...
By Brooke Whitworth, Amy Snead
Journal Article
This study aims to contribute to the growing body of research on the role of crosscutting concepts (CCCs) in three-dimensional (3D) teaching and learning by examining the complexity of elementary preservice teachers’ (PSTs) knowledge for teaching r...
By Soon Lee, Anna Arias
Journal Article
Impact of the Timing of Content Introduction on Student Exam Performance in General Chemistry
Students come into the classroom with a variety of background knowledge. Therefore, it is imperative that educators are able to help all students, regardless of their familiarity with the content. Since it can be challenging for some large enrollment...
By Anthony Howcroft, Daniel King
Journal Article
The Connection Between Drawing Organic Structures and Information Processing
Students need a strong understanding of how to represent chemical compounds in order to succeed in organic chemistry. This project set out to gain a better understanding of students’ difficulties with symbolic representations, by identifying the sp...
By Suzanne Ruder, Courtney Stanford, Nuha Farhat, Leslie Bolda
Journal Article
Science Learning in YouTube Comments on Science Videos Embedding Movie References
Movies have long been used for teaching in undergraduate science courses. However, embedding movie references (EMR) in science videos is a new trend. This study explored how EMR in YouTube science videos might affect the nature of comments and the pr...
By Chung Man Lee, Eric Meyers, Marina Milner-Bolotin
Journal Article
Increased Student Employment is Associated with Inferior Biology Exam and Course Performance
Rising tuition rates across colleges and universities contribute to the mounting financial strain on students. In response to rising costs, literature details that students would seek to bolster their financial security by working additional hours pe...
By Finley Sims, Megan O'Connor, Jana Weber, Keenan Hartert
Journal Article
A Model for International Summer Research Experiences for STEM Students
In this article, we report on a National Science Foundation-funded immersive international summer research program for biology students. Six students, representing Cohort 1 of a three-year program, spent nine weeks at one of three institutes in Japan...
By Mika Munakata, Su San Lim, Carlos Molina