Background: There is a growing view that 'Big Ideas of science education' are useful for teaching science but there is not much knowledge of how teachers work with them. Purpose: This study explores the conceptualisation and practice of the use of Big Ideas of science education by primary and secondary teachers in Chile. Sample: A total of 63…

Background: Physics textbooks are a learning resource for students to acquire knowledge and information. The findings of previous studies on physics textbooks analysis have mostly focused on representations of gender, the nature of science, and scientific literacy. This study, therefore, extends the critical content analysis of physics textbooks…

Background: It is crucial to support students in better understanding water and sustainability issues because water plays a vital role in maintaining global ecosystems, including human life. A wide range of curricular and instructional supports like those embodied in model-based learning (MBL) are necessary for teachers to engage students in the…

Background: In the previous decades many research papers and educational documents have emphasized the importance of the application of history of science in the science education of students. Consequently, chemistry teachers are expected to be familiar with the historical development of science and capable of incorporating historical contents in…

Background: Despite the focus of many global education systems on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, research on teachers' concerns about this relatively new educational phenomenon remains scarce. Purpose: This study used the concerns-based adoption model as the theoretical framework to examine the primary concerns…

Background: Implementing Inquiry-Based Instruction (IBI) in science is a complex process demanding certain classroom conditions prepared with instructional materials to engage students in tasks, as well as adopting the social context that will shape the inquiry-based learning environment. Within this social context, teachers are the main agents…

Background: There is a shortage of people in the STEM sector, and it has been argued that more needs to be done, especially to attract girls. Furthermore, there is a need to develop twenty-first-century skills. No studies seem to have explored the combination of activities in makerspaces and the use of drama to stimulate interest in STEM and…

Background: Being able to think independently is a must for students to construct new knowledge in their minds. Self-explaining is a constructive learning strategy that encourages students to think for themselves and to make inferences that go beyond the given information. The Self-explain--Discuss--Re-explain (SDR) strategy adapted from…

Background: In many classrooms, science textbooks remain a significant tool, functioning in some instances as the de facto curriculum and influencing pedagogical practices. Such conventions are more noticeable in the science classrooms of developing countries, like Jamaica, because of a chronic shortage of specialist science teachers and the…

Background: Varied and complex forms of parental influence may shape young people's decisions about whether or not to study science once it is no longer compulsory in school. Purpose: This study attempts to identify the role of parents in influencing the choice of science subjects in Mauritius among students at the end of the third year of…

Background: The Internet of Things (IoT) is a global network of data-sensing devices which pupils can access during science or other curriculum activities. Purpose: This article reports on a commissioned evaluation of a small-scale pilot project to explore the potential of the IoT combined with local sensors to enhance pupils' data interpretation…

Background: Several different measures have been proposed to solve persistent validity problems, such as high task-sampling variability, in the assessment of students' expertise in 'doing science'. Such measures include working with a-priori progression models, using standardised item shells and rating manuals, augmenting the number of tasks per…

Background: Uncertainty is a crucial element of scientific knowledge growth. Students should have some understanding of how science knowledge is developed and why scientific conclusions are considered more or less certain than others. A component of the nature of science, it is considered an important aspect of science education and allows…

Background: For the past decade, science educators have been exploring the use of Socio-scientific Issues (SSI) as contexts for science teaching and learning, and research indicates that doing so can support significant learning gains. However, research related to how teachers take up the practice of SSI-based instruction is far more limited, due…

Background: The results of international studies have concluded the low level of science literacy in natural science subjects of Slovak students. These studies also showed that this state can be positively influenced by various innovations, which are implemented into the teaching process of above-mentioned subjects. Purpose: The aim of this study…