Science education that fosters scientific competency and engagement prepares students to become informed civic participants in modern society. Teaching strategies that encourage scientific engagement are especially important in rural settings, as these students are less likely to pursue scientific careers or use science in their everyday lives. To…

Topics associated with the chemical sciences form a significant part of the curriculum in science at the primary school level in the U.K. In this methodology paper, we demonstrate how a wide range of research articles associated with the chemical sciences can be disseminated to an elementary school audience and how children can carry out…

This study used a three-phase design to explore how teachers' views and practices of scientific inquiry can be reconciled with early graders' ability to engage in scientific inquiry. First, 19 early years teachers were interviewed to explore their views and practices of scientific inquiry. Second, six standard two students were exposed to a…

The current study aimed to investigate the effect of visual media-supported classroom discussions on 8th grade students' attitudes towards socio-scientific issues, towards research and inquiry and on their decision making. The study was conducted in a secondary school located in a city in the western part of Turkey in the fall term of the…

This article introduces Youth Participatory Science (YPS) as an approach to science teaching and grassroots knowledge production that draws from traditions of youth participatory action research (YPAR) and citizen science. YPS is differentiated from YPAR by its emphasis on the tools and methods of the so-called natural sciences while it extends…

Science instruction reform efforts call for increased opportunities for students to engage with science content and practices. School-based citizen science (CS), when implemented well, addresses this call and provides a meaningful context for student learning. Despite CS projects' increasing role in formal science instruction, research on the…

The historic underrepresentation of women, certain racial and ethnic minorities, and members of other marginalized groups in careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) reflects a disproportionate exit of individuals from these academic and career paths due to both environmental and personal factors. To transition…

Contemporary curricula are increasingly focused on broader framings of student outcomes such as 'competencies', 'capabilities' and '21st century skills', as we realise that declarative disciplinary knowledge no longer, on its own, confers the capacity to deal with the complex and fast-changing world that students are now entering. In mathematics,…

Though there are a multiplicity of approaches that have been used to promote Nature of Science (NOS) among school students, an approach based on exploration of a scientific discovery indigenous to the sample population, of contemporary interest, and based on a topic outside the school science syllabus seems to be lacking in the literature. This…

Citizen science (CS) projects have become widespread in part because they expand the capacity of professional scientists, enabling research that would otherwise be impracticable or unaffordable. In addition to the research benefits, educators and scientists have seen educational value in CS because it can incorporate students into real-world…

Physics inquiry can be interpreted as the construction of a cogent argument in which students apply inquiry knowledge and knowledge of physics to the systematic collection of relevant, valid, and reliable data, creating optimal scientific support for a conclusion that answers the research question. In learning how to devise, conduct and evaluate a…

The term 'experiment' is used in different ways to mean different things in school science. This study examines the meanings of 'experiment' and how they have changed in the intended chemistry curriculum (ICC) in China since the early 1950s. A mixed methodology was adopted to analyse the 11 ICC documents from a socio-historical perspective. The…

In this chapter, eight foci relevant for science educators are presented and illustrated by paradigmatic examples and discussed in two parts. The first part "from science education to practice and authorities" discusses the four foci of: (1) developing concepts for instruction; (2) responding to the needs of schools; (3) connecting…

The Parallel Curriculum Model (PCM) lends itself to considering curriculum development from different angles. It begins with a solid Core Curriculum and can then be extended through the Curriculum of Connections, Practice, and Identity. This article showcases a way of thinking about the creation of a PCM unit by providing examples from an…

Solar energy is clean, free, and abundant worldwide. The challenge, however, is to convert it to useful forms that can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. This article presents an activity for physical science classes in which students learn firsthand how solar energy can be used to produce electricity specifically for transportation. The…