STEM Problem solving necessitates a substantial amount of specialized domain knowledge. An important element of problem-solving within the domain includes how knowledge is structured and organized in memory to facilitate efficient retrieval of relevant information and future problem solving. In previous studies, however, problem solving and…

This experimental investigation seeks to confirm and extend previous investigations that resource interdependence vs. independence during problem-solving relatively extends the problem representation phase before convergence on a solution. In this current investigation, ninth-grade Korean native language participants (n = 240) worked online to…

The purposes of the study were 1) to investigate the effectiveness of the applied cooperative learning and Polya's problem-solving process on grade 9 students' mathematical problem-solving ability, 2) to compare grade 9 students' learning achievement before and after learning through the applied cooperative learning and Polya's problem-solving…

We present the analysis of an episode of mathematical problem solving in a group, where data came from multiple advanced recorders, including multiple video cameras, Smartpen recorders, and mobile eye tracking glasses. Analysis focused on a particular group that was ineffective in their problem-solving process. Relying on the commognitive theory…

This study aimed to examine the effect of cooperative problem-solving method on grade nine secondary school students' motivation towards learning algebra. In this study, pretest-posttest non-equivalent group quasi-experimental design was employed. The data were collected from 142 grade ninth students using mathematics motivation questionnaire and…

Mathematical modeling is a challenging and creative process. If one considers only interim or final solutions to modeling problems or interviews modelers afterward, often only their "explicit" models are accessible -- those expressed in work products or evinced in verbal and written reflections. The inner world of tacit knowledge and its…

Despite national curricula and instructional reforms calling for collaborative problem-solving skills (CPS), however, there is an absence of a theory-laden model showing how to effectively construct CPS for science learning. We therefore developed and validated a simulation-based CPS model that exploits its constructs, sequences, and causal…

Problem-solving is of importance in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Nevertheless, a baseline investigation conducted in 2016 revealed that mathematical problem-solving is virtually missing in South African classrooms. In this regard, a two-cycle design-based research project was conducted to develop a professional development (PD)…

Classroom activities using an inquiry approach often feature students working in small groups to reduce teacher-centeredness and maximize student autonomy. Within science classrooms, group work may mirror modern scientific research: successful interaction among team members (social/relational) that engages probing questioning and creativity…

This article describes how a class of year 9 (age 13-14) students engaged in a research-informed and negotiated action science project to address socio-scientific issues. The project was informed by the 'STEPWISE' curriculum framework. Evidence suggests that students benefited from collaborative problem-solving, developing confidence, motivation…

Student perceptions of science teaching could be expected to differ in grade 6 compared with teaching in grade 9, as could student interest in science learning. To compare Estonian grades 6 and 9, lower secondary school student and science teacher perceptions of teaching/ learning approaches as well as student perceived interests/enjoyment on…

As effective methods to foster students' understanding of scientific models in science education are needed, increased reflection on thinking about models is regarded as a relevant competence associated with scientific literacy. Our study focuses on the influence of model-based approaches (modeling vs. model viewing) in an out-of-school laboratory…

The current study explores students' collaboration and problem solving (CPS) abilities using a human-to-agent (H-A) computer-based collaborative problem solving assessment. Five CPS assessment units with 76 conversation-based items were constructed using the PISA 2015 CPS framework. In the experiment, 53,855 ninth and tenth graders in Taiwan were…

This article continues to challenge the robust myth that mathematical smartness is exemplified in individuals who consistently complete mathematics problems quickly and accurately. In so doing, I present a set of counterstories from three students in one ninth-grade Algebra 1 classroom. These students described transformative experiences in their…

This dissertation explored the roles schools can play in the successful outcomes of large carnivore or keystone reintroduction projects. Schools are more than centers for knowledge acquisition--they connect their community and disseminate information quickly to a wide audience. This study took place in California's Eastern Sierra Nevada, a…