The current study examined how participation in an undergraduate research experience (URE) that provides a counterspace affects sociocognitive factors (science self-efficacy, science identity, and academic self-concept) and how they, in turn, may shape science career intention in a sample of STEM undergraduate students. STEM majors from a public…

Science teaching self-efficacy is a strong predictor of elementary teachers' efforts to provide elementary students with robust science learning. This exploratory study examined the impacts of place-based science learning on pre-service elementary teachers' science teaching self-efficacy and perceptions of science. Place-based pedagogy was used to…

Background: The nature of science (NOS) and science self-efficacy have an important place in the development of scientific literacy, which is the ultimate goal of science education. However, the relationship between them and metacognition, which can have a significant impact on these variables, is an under-researched area and worthy of study.…

The purpose of this study was to examine which early childhood (EC) teachers' qualifications (i.e., degree, major, and teaching experience) are linked to teachers' Metacognitive Awareness (MA) and science teaching efficacy, and to investigate the relation among EC teachers' MA components and science teaching efficacy. A total of 153 Head Start…

Background: In many countries and regions, such as the United States, Europe and China, a trend has emerged in which students' enthusiasm for STEM is declining. This decline may be related to students' lack of science self-efficacy. An accurate examination of students' science self-efficacy can provide a research foundation for how to cultivate…

With the rapid development of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, more and more primary and middle school students have begun to receive preliminary STEM courses. However, the systematic instrument for measuring younger students' science self-efficacy and motivation in Mainland China has not been well developed,…

Programs to broaden female STEM participation, especially in pre-adolescent girls have had mixed success. We present results from an empirical study aimed at promoting positive science identity and nature connection in middle-school girls through engagement in citizen/participatory science activities at national parks. Our science identity…

In 2014, the NIH Diversity Program Consortium (DPC) launched an initiative to implement and evaluate novel interventions at a variety of academic institutions across the country to engage undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds in biomedically-related research. The local intervention examined in the current study provides Critical Race…

Augmented reality (AR) is increasingly integrated into science education, yet the role of teacher support in fostering students' self-efficacy within AR-based inquiry learning remains underexplored. This mixed-methods study investigated the effects of the AR-based inquiry learning activities on students' science self-efficacy in various…

The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) outcomes of community college students by looking at students' sense of project ownership, science self-efficacy, and science identity using an end of course survey. A total of 54 students, 41 females and 13 males, completed the survey.…

One of the earliest indications that a student may be interested in STEM paths is the students' own self-efficacy for science as well as how they may see themselves in a STEM career as part of their science self-identity (Schlegel et al., 2019). Currently, there is a need to contribute to research that can assist agencies such as the National…

The relationship between inquiry-based learning and science self-efficacy was analysed using data from 57 countries and economics participating in the 2015 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This analysis generated a mediating--moderating model, which involved the mediating role of science interest and the moderating role of…

Traditional science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is sometimes criticized for lacking approaches to present real-world practices and phenomena beyond naked eyes. Head-mounted display virtual reality (HMD VR) provides opportunities to solve this issue. However, little is known about the impact of this approach on…

This study investigates the relationship between pre-service elementary teachers' (PSETs) self-efficacy in equitable science teaching and the demographic characteristics of their field placement settings. While extensive research exists on fostering PSETs' general science teaching self-efficacy, there is limited understanding of how field…

Previous research has indicated that attitudes influence various factors contributing to scientific achievement. Inadequate performance in science can limit career opportunities, underscoring the importance of comprehending how attitudes towards science can enhance overall scientific achievement. This study explored the mediating effect of…