Background: In science education asynchronous online interactions have increased dramatically during the recent pandemic and some of these practices will stay. One of the characteristics in asynchronous exchanges is the spacing and sequencing of online interaction. It means that dialogue partners do not necessarily receive immediate feedback as is…

The way science education is positioned and practised in New Zealand primary schools varies widely. In this qualitative case study, participants in senior management from five Auckland primary schools were asked how they perceived science, how it was taught and reasons for the pedagogical approaches chosen. It was clear all schools were different…

This project aimed to assess the impact of online citizen science (OCS) participation on the science education of primary school children in New Zealand. Four exploratory cases were used to examine the nature and impact of embedding OCS projects that use web-based online tools within primary classroom environments. Findings provide key insights…

Current curriculum demands require primary teachers to teach about the Nature of Science; yet, few primary teachers have had opportunity to learn about science as a discipline. Prior schooling and vicarious experiences of science may shape their beliefs about science and, as a result, their science teaching. This qualitative study describes the…

The science learning area of the "New Zealand Curriculum" (NZC) (Ministry of Education, 2007) requires students to learn about "features of scientific knowledge and the processes by which it is developed" and "carry out science investigations using a variety of approaches." Investigations are mostly, but not always,…

Students' negative experiences of science in the primary sector have commonly been blamed on poor teacher content knowledge. Yet, teacher beliefs have long been identified as strong influences on classroom practice. Understanding the nature of teacher beliefs and their influence on primary science teaching practice could usefully inform teacher…

In an educational landscape of primary teachers' underdeveloped professional knowledge and low feelings of self-efficacy around science teaching, the prospects for science losing status in the primary school curriculum seems grim. This paper reports positive findings from a New Zealand research project designed to support and enhance primary…

Over the past decade, there has been a significant reduction for New Zealand initial teacher education student teachers to experience education through a science context. This paper presents the stories of two graduates from a large New Zealand university and their journeys into the classroom. Richard graduated with a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary…

The displaying of a sense of wonder when responding to aesthetic experiences of natural phenomena has been identified as having a significant impact on an individual's learning in primary science education. This paper attempts to review the significance of the influence of "wonder" arising from students aesthetic reactions to exploratory…

The nature of knowledge needed for teaching elementary science and the development of such knowledge is a focus of ongoing research in science education. Internationally, there is a move to include scientific literacy as an aim of science education curricula. In order to teach such curricula teachers need two types of subject matter knowledge…

In contrast to a focus on vertical learning experiences where the emphasis is on progression up a scale of complexity, this article explores the value of horizontal learning experiences. These aim to provide learners with a variety of opportunities and spaces to participate, thereby expanding the entry points for them into school science. The…

Investigated ideas used/favored by 40 California students (ages 8-12) who received little/no formal teaching about electric currents. Also investigated whether they were interested in or could discuss other childrens' ideas and whether they would change their ideas following exposure to experimental evidence that was at variance with these ideas.…

This workshop is based upon work and findings of the Learning in Science Project, a research project which investigated problems and difficulties in the teaching and learning of science. The workshop program, including activities which have been shown to impact on teacher thinking, is designed to focus attention on learning problems in classrooms,…

Investigated students' (N=43) conceptions of what happens when water boils, evaporates, and condenses, and when ice melts. Results obtained from clinical interviews indicate that childrens' conceptions are quite different from those of scientists and that their ideas can sometimes be influences in unintended ways during instruction. Implications…

The Learning in Science Project has adopted the view that science teaching might be improved if teachers can be given some appreciation of students' views of the world and the beliefs, expectations, and language that learners bring to new learning situations. This investigation compares and contrasts views that children and scientists have on…