This study explored the effects that the incorporation of nature of science (NoS) activities in the primary science classroom had on children's perceptions and understanding of science. We compared children's ideas in four classes by inviting them to talk, draw and write about what science meant to them: two of the classes were taught by "NoS"…

The science laboratory report, a staple of science instruction across all educational levels, can be syntactically and lexically challenging for both native and nonnative speakers of English. Because mastery of the science report genre in Western societies relies on internalized knowledge of the structure of the science report as well as on the…

Science education in primary school is critical for establishing a comprehensive understanding of the nature of science. Students with positive attitudes towards science courses are more likely to achieve academic success. Measuring and fostering positive attitudes is essential for effective instructional planning. This study aimed to develop a…

What do people mean when they say they "know" something in science? It usually means they did an investigation and expended considerable intellectual effort to build a useful explanatory model. It means they are confident about an explanation, believe others should trust what they say, and believe that their claim is testable. It means they can…

This study investigates tenured academics' experiences of science communication--popularization of science, dissemination of scientific knowledge, and collaboration outside academia. Specifically, the study spotlights the written aspect of science communication and explores how scientists approach writing addressing audiences 'beyond academia'.…

Describes the creation and use of a science magazine, "Science Stew," that circulates among 17,000 elementary students and 900 teachers in a school district in Nova Scotia. The magazine highlights the wide variety of science that occurs in the district and provides opportunities for students and teachers to experience, discuss, and write about…

This article explores the outcomes of using community-engaged learning in a sustainability-focused social sciences research course titled Methods of Social Research. The integrated components of the course were designed to teach students about the research process while addressing sustainability issues at Utah State University. Throughout the…

Writing in science can be challenging for all learners, and it is especially so for students with cognitive or language-based learning difficulties. We examined the effects of a cognitive apprenticeship on student disciplinary writing skills as well as near and far transfer of learning outcomes. This instructional approach included a gradual…

The purpose of this study was to investigate any differences in the student's ability to present evidence-based claims in writing and to evaluate teachers' perceptions of the implementation of the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning tool in middle-grade science. Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) require teachers to meet deeper conceptual knowledge,…

This book provides background information on science fiction for teachers of English at any level who are approaching science fiction for the first time. Contents are: an introduction by W.E. McNelly; "SF in the Classroom" by J. Williamson; "Second Thoughts on the Course in Science Fiction" by M.R. Hillegas; "Flatland and Beyond: Characterization…

The critical question for cognitive scientists is what does cognitive science do, if anything, for people? Cognitive science is primarily concerned with human cognition but has fallen short in continuously and critically assessing the "who" in human cognition. This complacency in a world where white supremacist and patriarchal structures…

A study investigated the ability of educationally disadvantaged and limited-English-proficient University of Cape Town (South Africa) students to write about science research projects. Analysis of students' reports showed a strong relationship between task presentation methods, specific task-completion guidelines, and quality of writing. Poor…

Purpose: Historically minoritized students are routinely silenced in classroom settings. This study aims to explore whether open annotations encourage students with historically minoritized gender/racial/ethnic identities to share knowledge and ideas. In addition, this study explores how the intersectionality of student identities relates to their…

Some people became mathematics or science teachers by default. There was once such a limited range of subjects that students who could not write essays did mathematics and science. Computers changed that. Word processor software helped some people overcome huge spelling and grammar hurdles and made it easy to edit and manipulate text. Would-be…

This randomized controlled trial with first- and second-grade students is the first experimental study addressing long-running disagreements about whether primary grade students should develop transcription and oral language abilities before learning to compose. It is also the first study at these grade levels to teach close reading (using science…