This three-paper dissertation systematically investigates the methodology issues related to using observational systems to observe, analyze, and interpret teachers' reformed teaching practices within the K-12 classroom context. Each paper contributes a distinct perspective to evaluate instructional practices accurately, consistently, and…

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of individual and school average achievement on students' self-concept in science. The data of the last four Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) cycles were used, and a two-stage individual data meta-analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between…

Over the years, there have been various calls to increase and better represent astronomy in curricula. This is motivated by views within the astronomy and astronomy education communities that the awe, wonder, and interdisciplinary nature of astronomy has the potential to engage students in STEM across disciplines. Reviews of curricula have shown…

The Washington State ClimeTime Network has been designed to build capacity for climate science learning, as well as broader NGSS implementation. As a network, we acknowledge the diversity of scientific histories and practices and continue to explore these variations to deepen our teaching and learning of climate science. This paper provides…

Australia participated in the eighth cycle of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). TIMSS is an international sample study that assesses the mathematics and science achievement of Year 4 and Year 8 students every 4 years. Australia has participated in all cycles of TIMSS since it commenced in 1995 and over this 28-year…

This report presents a literature review that was conducted to answer the question -- what can be learned from high performing jurisdictions with respect to scientific literacy? The review intends to build a picture of the education systems, specifically science education, in the five jurisdictions which performed the best in the scientific…

This contribution reports the process and outcomes of a multiyear effort that supported institutions in reforming general chemistry using multidimensional learning approaches in the form of performance expectations. Performance expectations are based on evidence-centered assessment design principles and describe what learners should be able to do…

Inquiry-Based Teaching Practice (IBTP) is an essential component of science education, and promoting its implementation is at the heart of various reform efforts. Even though science teachers regard IBTP as an essential pedagogical method, they rarely use it for various reasons. This study utilizes Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework to examine…

Schools across the United States are seeing an increase in culturally and linguistically diverse students. While there is recognition of the need for culturally and linguistically responsive teaching practices in K-12 settings, many teachers encounter challenges in effectively implementing these practices, particularly in science classrooms. There…

Garden-based learning (GBL) curricula represents a pedagogy that increases student exposure to nature and connects them to engaging activities for higher classroom achievement. GBL is proposed to enhance student science self-perceptions, engagement, and desired outcomes in science learning and identity by connecting students to relatable,…

This study examined science teachers' attitude towards the use of mother tongue for instruction in Basic Schools, employing a descriptive survey design. The respondents were selected through purposive and convenience sampling techniques and data were collected from a sample of 162 Basic School Science. The questionnaire used for data collection…

Science in schooling has for the first time been recently considered as a verified whole for the 10 or 12 of its compulsory years, rather than for a limited sector of schooling or for a particular group of students. This has also been occurring as part of a wider review and plan for the whole curriculum of schooling. A framework has been provided…

Multilingual learners (MLs), or students in the United States who are learning English as an additional language, possess knowledge from their lives outside of the classroom that science teachers can draw upon when giving instruction. This three-paper dissertation examines teacher use of these unique sources of knowledge, known as funds of…

Recent reforms in science education shift the focus of instruction to supporting students' sensemaking about phenomena. At the same time, discussions of equity in science education have become more common and more contested. For emergent bilingual (EB) learners, there is growing consensus that these trends together imply valuing diverse linguistic…

School science is often very different from "real world" science. One important difference, and possibly the main one, is that in school science the relationships between variables have often been sanitized -- essentially "cleaned up" -- so that there is very little (and often no) variation in the data from the relationship…