Three cohorts of six pre-service Earth Science teachers (undergraduate majors in Earth Science Education) participated in summer research experiences focused on developing dynamic physical models of Earth processes to help middle and high school students understand complex concepts and confront misconceptions. The pre-service teachers used…

Research about modeling emphasizes the importance of heterogeneity in science learning. At the same time, a growing body of scholarship seeks curricular pathways for epistemic and representational convergence. In response to this tension, we propose two constructs: heterogeneity-seeking curricula and commitments. Heterogeneity-seeking curricula…

This article describes and illustrates a physics course for first-year college students whose only knowledge of physics is that they do not like the subject. The physics content is driven entirely by what appears in the daily newspapers and generally covers most physics topics in a semester. This course was structured as a learning community that…

As computational methods are widely used in science disciplines, integrating computational thinking (CT) into classroom materials can create authentic science learning experiences for students. In this study, we classroom-tested a CT-integrated geoscience curriculum module designed for secondary students. The module consisted of three inquiry…

Students sometimes learn about a model of the "scientific method" that is linear and clear cut. While this approach may have pedagogical advantages, it does not reflect how science is often done in practice. The Experimental Modeling Framework (EMF) describes the complex and iterative process of experimentation in the domain of physics,…

Despite being a fundamental concept in biology, evolution continues to be one of the most challenging topics to teach in science education. Ideas of evolution emphasising anatomical or behavioural features of individuals, as opposed to the interplay between genetics and the environment, are reinforced through language and culture, making them…

Purpose: The paper explored the benefits as well as the concerns of vocabulary learning with clay modeling in terms of practical and pedagogical implications for creating positive learning experiences. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-methods design was conducted to examine the effectiveness of vocabulary learning with clay modeling practices…

Using a mixed-method approach, researchers examined college instructors' use of a virtual lab simulation library, Labster, students' perceptions of the simulations on their learning and future STEM plans, as well as data from the library to explore patterns of lab use and quiz scores. A detailed look at Contemporary Biology I and Biology II quiz…

Understanding scientific models and practicing scientific modeling have been emphasized and advocated in science learning. Although teachers have been perceived as shaping their students' understanding of the nature of science, they have been recognized for their lack of understanding of scientific models. This study explores middle school science…

Novice chemists often struggle with the highly visual nature of some chemistry topics. To make visually demanding concepts, such as isomerism and stereochemistry, more accessible to students, chemistry instructors have long recommended the use of molecular model kits as visual aids. However, studies pertaining to student model usage have shown…

The communities of practice (COP) framework describes learning as a process of navigating one's position of membership within a community of professionals pursuing a set of common goals using established practices. As students navigate their membership within a community like a physics research group, they develop a mental model of the community…

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to explore the development of pre-service chemistry teachers' pedagogical content knowledge regarding the effect of temperature on reaction rate topic as they took pedagogical content knowledge courses throughout the teacher education program. Pre-service teachers' pedagogical content knowledge was…

Research has shown that teachers and students have difficulties in connecting climate change evidence with climate change claims. Such difficulties may come from the lack of knowledge about how scientific models and modeling work in climate science. Climate change as a complex system with a large time and land scale requires sophisticated…

We present an empirically based model for modeling the quality of pre-service teacher reflection. Conversations from twelve groups of a total of 47 pre-service teachers were video recorded and transcribed verbatim. First, we analyzed their conversations through practical epistemology analysis and an operationalization of Dewey's definition of…

It is essential for introductory level chemistry students to understand atomic models and how atoms interact to form chemical bonds. The tactile model in this article utilizes marbles to represent subatomic particles, a cup to represent the nucleus and wooden rings to simulate the electron orbitals. These inexpensive items can be combined to…