Decision making is influenced by multiple factors, especially when approaching controversial socio-scientific issues, such as stem cell research. In the present study, we used qualitative data from 132 college student papers in a biotechnology course to investigate how students made decisions about stem cell research issues. Students indicated…

In 2005 the European particle physics masterclasses attracted 3000 students from 18 European countries to visit one of 58 universities and education centres. The participants worked with data from real high energy particle collisions, learned about particle physics, and experienced research and education environments at European universities. In…

High school students can access original scientific research articles on the Internet, but may have trouble understanding them. To address this problem of online literacy, the authors developed a computer-based prototype for guiding students' comprehension of scientific articles. High school students were asked to read an original scientific…

Academia is under attack from those who believe that college professors are uniformly leftist politically, which creates an environment of bias against conservative students and professors. Advocates have proposed an "Academic Bill of Rights" that may lead to policies to achieve intellectual diversity in faculty hiring and tenure decisions.…

This paper describes the design and subsequent impact of a scientific research skills course. Student understanding of the university research environment, their confidence in finding and using scientific literature and in scientific writing and presentation pre- and post-course was investigated. The findings suggested that understanding of the…

We report on an outcomes assessment of the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Using follow-up survey data and academic transcripts, we gauge SURE's impact on levels of interest in, preparedness for, and actual pursuit of graduate study and professional careers in the sciences for the…

This paper describes the results of a questionnaire survey of UK Year 3 biology undergraduates' career aspirations, and their perceptions of employment in teaching, research and conservation. Although most students sought material benefits in their potential careers, even more wished to gain job satisfaction. None of the careers in biology was…

When students investigate science, they model, imitate, and perform science much as scientists do. Learning science in this way is best, according to the locus of control research. Based on this research, students need to develop an internal belief that they can control science outcomes and become a part of science through their own hands-on…

Udergraduate students may be attracted to science and retained in science by engaging in laboratory research. Experience as an apprentice in a scientist's laboratory can be effective in this regard, but the pool of willing scientists is sometimes limited and sustained contact between students and faculty is sometimes minimal. We report outcomes…

If we want to integrate science into society as part of modern culture, we should first ensure that we know about the image that its citizens hold, starting with the students themselves. One of the aims of this could be to increase the number of students studying physics when at present they appear to be in decline. In this paper, we analyse the…

Few studies have dealt with students' preconceptions of sounds. The current research employs Reiner "et al." (2000) substance schema to reveal new insights about students' difficulties in understanding this fundamental topic. It aims not only to detect whether the substance schema is present in middle school students' thinking, but also examines…

The fundamental concepts of ethics: value, obligation and responsibility are what many of us use in our everyday decision-making on issues that affect our lives. Students in the coursework unit "Science and technology in contemporary society" learn about these concepts in relation to science and technological research and development. The learning…

Presents a case study of a high school student working as an apprentice in a university research laboratory. Examines communication between mentors and students and how it constrained or supported learning. Reports that the student learned to participate in activities and discourse that were part of the everyday practices of members of a research…

Providing undergraduates with mentored research experiences is a critical component of contemporary undergraduate science education. Although the benefits of undergraduate research experiences are apparent, the methods for mentoring young scientists as they first begin navigating the research lab environment are reinvented in labs all over the…

While university-level education is increasingly recognized as an important component of sustainable approaches to development, little empirical research has been done on the impact of sustainability education on student behavior. This study relies on an evidence-based research approach to better understand how graduate coursework on sustainable…