According to policy documents and research studies, one key objective of science education is to develop students' inquiry abilities; however, relatively little is known about the interplay among students' inquiry abilities, the dimensions of their engagement, and their inquiry-related curiosity. The purpose of this study is to explore how four…

This exploratory study applied a proposed force and motion learning progression (LP) to high-school and university students and to content involving both one- and two-dimensional force and motion situations. The Force Concept Inventory (FCI) was adapted, based on a previous content analysis and coding of the questions in the FCI in terms of the…

A holistic education linked to creativity, innovation, critical thinking and local/global citizenship is increasingly marginalized in the United States as schools continue to struggle with the impact of high-stakes testing regimes. In particular, urban youths' access to an education that furthers their ability to choose lives they have reason to…

A problem that arises when a differential item functioning (DIF) study is done with samples of examinees differing in ability is examined. A test may function differently when the populations from which the items are calibrated are not of equal ability. Since the lower ability examinees get many difficult items incorrect, the spread (standard…

Female tenth graders (n=217) were less likely than male tenth graders (n=219) to identify missing or irrelevant information in algebra problems. Female eleventh graders (n=234) were less likely than male eleventh graders (n=287) to solve problems with irrelevant information. Results indicate sex differences in knowledge of problem structure. (SLD)