Science Education International

Editorial

Bulent Cavas — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:43:31 -0600

In this June 2024 issue of the Science Education International, we are proud to present an array of scholarly articles that highlight the diverse and innovative approaches to science education from ten different countries: Türkiye, Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Philippines, USA, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and China. This collection underscores the global commitment to enhancing science education through varied methodologies, cultural contexts, and unique challenges. Some of these articles were presented at the 7^th ICASE World Science and Technology Education Conference, held in Dubai between March 27 and 30, 2024, further enriching the discussions with insights shared among global experts.

The first article is from Türkiye. The article mentions that the rise in STEM education has led to more authors promoting Arduino in STEM. While research exists on Arduino and STEM separately, more studies on their relationship are needed. This study uses software tools (Vosviewer, Biblioshiny) and bibliometric methods, analyzing documents from Scopus (2013-2022). Performance analysis showed publication and citation trends, highlighting top contributors. Bibliographic mapping revealed conceptual, intellectual, and social structures. Results indicated prolific authors and institutes in Türkiye, with the most cited from the USA. Türkiye may soon lead due to high growth rates and younger documents. The study warns of potential monopolization and highlights the need for increased researcher mobility and collaboration. Overall, Arduino shows great promise in future STEM activities.

The second article is from Greece. The article surveys primary students in Greece on their views toward STEM education based on urban or rural settings and gender. The sample included 281 students from Attica and 69 from a Greek province. Data was collected via a close-ended digital questionnaire. Most students felt good at math and science but unlikely to pursue related careers. They reported strong communication and cooperation skills. Rural students showed more confidence in improving their math and science skills, the usefulness of STEM knowledge, and awareness of environmental issues. Boys showed slightly more interest in STEM careers. The study suggests further research on geographical, gender, and socioeconomic disparities in STEM education.

The third article, a case study from Estonia, aimed to enhance pre-service science teachers’ readiness for integration, inquiry-based learning (IBL), ICT use, and real-life applications in teacher training. It explored their perceptions of these methods and how their views evolved over time. A questionnaire was administered to 50 pre-service science teachers before and after their 2-year training, with data analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Findings showed that teachers studying multiple science subjects valued integration, IBL, ICT use, and real-life examples more, with significant perception changes over time. Nearly half did not see IBL as crucial, and only a quarter recognized the importance of ICT.

The fourth article is from Latvia. The article addresses that teacher competence management and development are now school responsibilities, but school leaders often lack the tools and experience. Competence management in schools can involve identifying and implementing professional development (PD) tailored to teachers' needs. Unlike the "one size fits all" approach, personalized PD can be more effective. This study focuses on identifying science teacher profiles to improve teaching that promotes student conceptual understanding (CU). Using a mixed-method approach, the performance of 26 urban science teachers was observed and analyzed. The study identified six distinct teacher profiles, demonstrating varied PD needs and offering a methodology for using lesson observation data to create teacher profiles in small samples.

The fifth article is the second article from Greece. The study examines 12th-grade students' understanding of "orbital" and "electron cloud" concepts in quantum contexts (n=1 and n=2) through verbal and pictorial representations. It involved 192 students from six urban schools in Northern Greece using a paper-and-pencil assessment. Results show students struggle more with verbal explanations than pictorial ones and exhibit inconsistencies between these representations. They understand the electron cloud better verbally, but the orbital better pictorially. Representations for n=2 are more challenging than for n=1. Students were categorized into four classes based on their profiles, with implications for science education discussed.

The sixth article is written by researchers from the Philippines and the USA. This meta-analysis study (2017-2021) assessed the impact of Socio-Scientific Issues (SSI)-based approaches on learners' conceptual understanding, environmental attitudes, and pro-environmental behavior. Analyzing various SSI techniques, the findings revealed a strong positive influence on understanding complex environmental issues and promoting sustainable behavior. The study noted that SSI fosters critical thinking and engagement but also identified potential publication biases. It emphasized the need for context-specific strategies and interdisciplinary collaboration in climate change education. Overall, the SSI approach helps develop proactive, environmentally conscious citizens capable of addressing global issues.

The seventh article is from USA. The study investigated the impact of an active project-based, aquaculture constructivist-learning program on high school students' perceptions. It aimed to determine if the program influenced students' interest, engagement, and future educational and career aspirations in STEM fields, both inside and outside the classroom. The study also sought to understand students' knowledge about aquaculture and skill development post-program participation. Qualitative data were gathered through post-student focus groups, teacher journal reflections, and public newspaper articles from three rural high schools in Kentucky. Four main themes emerged: (1) students demonstrated excitement and enthusiasm in the hands-on aquaculture program; (2) students exhibited attention to detail in aquaculture tasks, leading to increased responsibility; (3) students engaged collaboratively with their peers; and (4) there was a greater interest and confidence in STEM through practical application. The results indicated that the program engaged learners in real-world problem-solving and decision-making situations, fostering collaboration and enhancing skills such as responsibility and self-confidence in STEM.

The eighth article is from Thailand. This research assessed the ability of Thai grade 10 students to construct scientific explanations and explored differences based on learning achievement, attitude toward science, and school size. The study involved 231 students from Phetchaburi province, Thailand, with 77.5% demonstrating moderate ability levels. Significant differences were found in students' ability levels based on their learning achievement, attitude toward science, and school size. The study also revealed correlations between students' ability levels and their learning achievement, attitude toward science, and school size. Students with higher learning achievement, positive attitudes, and attendance at larger schools tended to have higher ability levels. However, there was no significant relationship between students' attitudes toward science and school size. These findings emphasize the importance of considering individual differences and backgrounds, particularly in terms of learning achievement, attitude toward science, and school size, when teaching science.

The ninth article is from United Arab Emirates (UAE). This mixed-approach study explores the effects of virtual science laboratories on students' motivation and attitude toward science. Conducted in an American curriculum private school in Dubai, the research surveyed 237 students from grades 7 to 11. Results show that virtual laboratories positively impact students' overall motivation, including intrinsic motivation, perceived usefulness, effort, perceived self-efficacy, and attitude toward science. Perceived self-efficacy and perceived usefulness significantly influence students' attitudes toward science, with perceived self-efficacy being a predictor of their effort.

The tenth article is from South Africa. This study examines the effectiveness of Khan Academy Videos (KAVs) in rural thermodynamics education. 88 students were divided into two groups: one taught traditionally (control group [CG]) and the other using KAVs (experimental group [EG]). Results show significant improvement in learning outcomes and engagement with KAVs, with EG scores increasing by 61% compared to 31% in the CG. Pre-tests and post-tests were used to measure academic performance, and a mixed-method approach analyzed results and feedback. The study highlights the positive impact of KAV integration on student performance, especially in resource-limited rural schools, suggesting its transformative potential in enhancing teaching quality.

The eleventh article is from China. The article analyzes 30 documents from Web of Science and CNKI databases to compare and understand the role of science teachers in China and overseas. The research highlights slow development in both Chinese and English publications, with most studies in theoretical exploration. The role of science teachers encompasses five main aspects: Role expectation, role orientation, role identification, role transformation, and role enactment. Combining the "should be" research from Chinese publications with the "real" research from English publications could lead to a more comprehensive understanding and positive interaction. This analysis provides a basis for future research on the role of science teachers.

As a final remark, the Science Education International stands as a vital platform for advancing science education globally. By disseminating innovative research, effective teaching practices, and transformative educational methodologies, the journal fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of science among educators and students alike. Its contributions are instrumental in shaping future generations of scientists and informed citizens, ensuring that science education continues to evolve and thrive in an ever-changing world.

I warmly invite all science educators, researchers, and practitioners to contribute to the Science Education International. Your innovative research, insightful perspectives, and practical experiences are crucial in shaping the future of science education. By sharing your work, you will help advance the field, inspire fellow educators, and enrich the learning experiences of students worldwide. Join us in our mission to promote excellence and innovation in science education by submitting your manuscripts and becoming part of our vibrant, global community

Using Arduino in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education: Bibliometric Analysis

Aybüke Pabuçcu Akış — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:49:26 -0600

The dramatic increase in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education studies has resulted in more authors promoting the use of Arduino in STEM education. Although there are educational research studies utilizing bibliometric procedures for the exploration of Arduino and STEM separately, there is a further need for research on their relationship. The current study utilizes several software tools (Vosviewer, Biblioshiny) and bibliometric procedures for this research domain. The documents were retrieved from the Scopus database from 2013 to 2022. Performance analysis was used to reveal publications and citation trends with the top contributors. Moreover, bibliographic mapping was used to comprehend the conceptual (co-occurrences), intellectual (bibliographic coupling), and social (collaboration network) structures of the retrieved data. The results revealed that the most prolific authors and institutes were addressed in Turkey. Besides, the most cited authors and institutes were from the USA. However, it seems this situation will change soon to the advantage of Turkey because of its highest annual growth rate and smallest document average age. This research also shows that there is a sign of the risk of monopolization in this area soon. Moreover, little cooperation was found within the dataset implying the importance and necessity of encouraging the mobility of researchers as well as increasing the collaboration between universities at both national and international levels. Overall, the study reveals that Arduino has great potential in using STEM activities in the future.

Primary Students’ Views toward STEM Education in Greece

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:49:59 -0600

This paper presents the findings from a survey conducted on primary students to map their views toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in Greece according to their urban or rural setting and gender. The sample included 281 primary students from different public schools in Attica and 69 primary students from a Greek province. A close-ended questionnaire was digitally distributed to collect the data. The findings revealed that most students, from both settings, consider themselves good at mathematics and science. At the same time, they do not report it to be very likely that they would follow a career that is related either to these subjects or engineering and technology. Regarding their personal skills, most of them stated that they have communication and cooperation skills. Concerning differences between the two settings, there were statistically significant differences in favor of rural students in whether they believed they could improve, both in mathematics and science, their belief that their knowledge in STEM subjects could be useful in their adult life, and their views on the causes and effects of environmental issues. Finally, limited gender differences emerged in favor of the boys’ responses regarding future STEM careers. The implications for further research on geographical, gender, and socioeconomic disparities in STEM education are discussed.

The Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of Integrated Teaching, Inquiry Learning, using ICT and Real-life Examples in Science Classes

Anne Laius, Minna Presmann — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:50:26 -0600

The study was conducted as a case study to enhance pre-service science teachers’ readiness for integration, inquiry-based learning (IBL), the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and the application of real-life examples during their teacher training courses. The objective of the research was to explore pre-service science teachers’ perceptions of integrated teaching, inquiry learning, and the use of ICT in science education, drawing on their experiences in teacher training. It also aimed to examine potential differences in their viewpoints and the evolution of their perceptions over time. A questionnaire was developed to gather insights from 50 pre-service science teachers regarding their views on the integration of science subjects before and after their 2-year teacher training courses. The collected data were analyzed using a qualitative approach with the QCAmap software, followed by a quantitative analysis utilizing the Microsoft Excel software. The findings revealed significant variances in perceptions among pre-service teachers based on the number of science subjects they studied during their training. Those who studied two or more subjects placed greater emphasis on the value of integration, IBL, ICT use, and real-life examples in science education, and exhibited more significant changes in their views throughout the 2 years of teacher training. Furthermore, the study found that nearly half of the pre-service teachers did not view IBL in science classes as crucial, and only about a quarter recognized the importance of ICT utilization.

Identification of Science Teacher Profiles Based on Lesson Observation Data

Karlis Greitans, Dace Namsone — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:50:51 -0600

It is characteristic that besides other duties teacher competence management and development is becoming a part of school responsibilities. Still, school leaders lack the experience and instruments to accomplish these duties. From a teacher’s perspective competence management and development can be seen as the process of identification and implementation of professional development (PD). An effective competence management approach that is widely used in business environments is the identification of required and actual competence profiles to judge which development is needed. Such a competence management approach isn’t characteristic of school environments, still a promising perspective on how to solve challenges regarding teacher PD (TPD). TPD interventions are often criticized as being too general (“one size fits all” dominates); therefore, the search for practices on how to “tailor” PD initiatives to individual teacher needs is topical for TPD research. An effective way to personalize TPD could be the determination of TPD profiles and the design of the PD around these profiles. Person-centered approaches dominate in the identification of science teacher profiles, as surveys and tests are commonly used. Examples, of how the identification of science teacher profiles can be done using lesson observation data are missing. Science teaching is a complex process; to limit the complexity of this study, the authors focus on teaching that promotes student conceptual understanding (CU). A mixed method study was designed and conducted in a sample of 26 science teachers, who represented urban municipalities’ science teacher population. The study included science teacher lesson observation and analysis, and determination of science teacher performance regarded teaching that promotes student CU. Science teacher performance data were used to identify teachers with similar performance across the selected criteria and to create science teacher profiles. A methodology for how lesson observation data can be used to identify teacher profiles in small teacher samples is described. Six various science teacher profiles in teaching that promote student understanding were identified, characterizing the variety of science TPD needs.

Studying Students’ Representations of the “Orbital” and “Electron Cloud” Concepts

Nikolaos Zarkadis, George Papageorgiou, Angelos Markos — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The study investigates secondary students’ understanding of “orbital” and “electron cloud” concepts in different quantum contexts (for values of the ʽprincipal quantum number n = 1 and n = 2) on the basis of their verbal and pictorial representations, evaluating also their consistency. Participants, which were 192 12^th-grade students from six urban secondary schools of Northern Greece, represented these two concepts through two corresponding tasks of a paper-and-pencil assessment tool, each of which comprised two parts for verbal and pictorial representations, respectively. Results provide evidence that although students struggle to express verbally the orbital and electron cloud concepts, their competences in the corresponding pictorial representations are relatively better, exhibiting inconsistencies between verbal and pictorial representations. Inconsistencies also exist between representations of the orbital and electron cloud concepts, since students appear to have verbally a better understanding of the electron cloud than the orbital, whereas the opposite holds true for their pictorial representations. Comparing verbal and pictorial representations, the pictorial ones appear to be more consistent tools, whereas a quantum context defined by n = 2 seems to be more challenging for students compared to that of n = 1. Furthermore, an analysis of student profiles leads to their categorization in four classes, providing additional relevant information. Implications for science education are also discussed.

Socio-Scientific Issues in Focus: A Meta-analytical Review of Strategies and Outcomes in Climate Change Science Education

Joje Mar Sanchez, Marchee Picardal, Sunny Fernandez, Reginald Raymund Caturza — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:52:39 -0600

This meta-analysis looked at how well students' conceptual understanding, environmental attitudes, and pro-environmental conduct were improved by the Socio-Scientific Issues (SSI) approach based on the literature (2017-2021). The research demonstrated the efficacy of SSI techniques such as argumentation, case-oriented approaches, and problem-based learning by analyzing a wide range of studies. The findings showed a strong positive influence on students' understanding of intricate environmental concerns and their propensity for sustainable conduct. While the study found that the SSI approach fosters critical thinking and involvement in several noteworthy ways, it also uncovered potential publication biases in certain aspects. Furthermore, to improve the robustness and application of SSI-based interventions in climate change education, the research stressed the necessity of context-specific strategies and interdisciplinary collaboration. Overall, the results highlight how the SSI approach can cultivate proactive, environmentally conscientious, and knowledgeable citizens who are ready to take on urgent global concerns.

Integrating Aquaculture to Support STEM Education: A Qualitative Assessment to Identify High School Students’ Attitudes, Interests, and Experiences

Kenneth Thompson, Carl Webster, Kirk Pomper, Jennifer Wilhelm, Rebecca Krall — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:53:08 -0600

This study explored the impact of an active project-based, aquaculture constructivist-learning program, as perceived by high school students. The purpose of this case study was to discover if participation in the program influenced students’ interest, engagement, and future educational and career aspirations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) when integrating aquaculture in and outside the classroom. Likewise, the study also wanted to explore students’ knowledge about aquaculture and skill development after their participation in the program. The study employed a qualitative methods approach to explore students’ attitudes and experiences. Qualitative data were collected from post-student focus groups at three different public, rural high schools in Kentucky. Other qualitative data included teacher journal reflections (e.g., personal documents) and public newspaper articles (e.g., public documents). Four emergent themes were found: (1) Students show excitement and enthusiasm in the hands-on, aquaculture program; (2) students show attention to detail in the hands-on, aquaculture tasks, it sticks, and are more responsible; (3) students are collaboratively engaged with their peers; and (4) greater interest and confidence in STEM through practical application. Results demonstrated that the program engaged learners in real-world problem-solving and decision-making situations while working collaboratively in small works. It also appears that students gained an important life skill, responsibility, as well as self-confidence in STEM, after participating in the program.

Investigating the Ability in Constructing Scientific Explanations of Thai Grade 10 Students: Insights from Learning Achievement, Attitude, and School Size

Piriya Wannathai, Chaninan Pruekpramool — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:53:42 -0600

The ability to construct scientific explanations is a vital goal of learning science at all levels. Students from different backgrounds are likely to have this ability differently. This research aimed to assess Thai grade 10 students’ ability to construct scientific explanations, examine differences based on learning achievement, attitude toward science, and school size, and find correlations among these variables. The study included 231 students from Phetchaburi province, Thailand, with 77.5% showing moderate ability levels. The research identified significant differences in students’ ability levels based on their learning achievement, attitude toward science, and school size. The levels of students’ ability correlated with their learning achievement, attitude toward science, and school size. In addition, students with high learning achievement, and positive attitudes, and who attended larger schools tended to have higher ability levels. However, there was no significant relationship between the levels of students’ attitudes toward science and school size. These findings highlight the importance of considering individual differences and backgrounds when teaching science, particularly in terms of learning achievement, attitude toward science, and school size.

Investigating the Effects of Virtual Laboratories on Students’ Motivation and Attitudes Toward Science

Dareen Alnaser, Sufian Forawi — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:54:13 -0600

Allowing students to practice science inquiry in the classroom is fundamental for science education. Students should master investigation skills, promoting their understanding of science concepts. Virtual laboratories have emerged as a powerful interactive tool that can be a suitable alternative to real laboratories, especially when lacking enough equipment and safety measures. This mixed approach study investigates the effects of virtual science laboratories on students’ motivation and attitude toward science (ATS). Students (n = 237) from grades (7, 8, 9, 10, and 11) were surveyed to evaluate their virtual laboratory experience in an American curriculum private school in Dubai with the theoretical basis of motivation theories. The study reported that virtual laboratories positively impact students’ overall motivation in terms of intrinsic motivation, perceived usefulness (U), effort (E), perceived self-efficacy (SE), and ATS. Students, perceived SE and U significantly impact student attitudes toward science (p < 0.001). Students’ perceived SE is a predictor of their E in the laboratory by 6.1%. Students with high SE put more E into completing a virtual laboratory task than students with low SE.

A Study on the Impact of Khan Academy Videos: Enhancing Grade 11 Thermodynamics Learning in a Rural High School

Nishaal Bhaw, Rudorwashe Hungwe, Jeanne Kriek — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:54:51 -0600

In the realm of science education, traditional teaching methods face challenges in catering to diverse learning preferences. This study investigates the efficacy of Khan Academy Videos (KAVs) in improving educational quality, specifically in rural thermodynamics instruction. The research involved 88 students and one teacher, with one group taught using traditional methods (control group [CG]) and the other using KAVs (experimental group [EG]). Results show significant improvements in learning outcomes and engagement with KAV integration, with EG scores improving by 61% compared to 31% in the CG. Pre-tests and post-tests were conducted to establish baseline understanding and measure academic performance, while a mixed-method approach analyzed results and feedback. Findings indicate that KAV integration positively influences student performance, offering valuable enhancements for resource-limited rural schools. This study underscores the transformative potential of KAV-integrated teaching in addressing educational challenges and elevating teaching quality.

A Comparative Study on the Roles of Science Teachers Published in English and Chinese

Xin Wang, Baohui Zhang, Ziwei Yan — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:55:22 -0600

Science teachers play a crucial role in the science education system, significantly influencing the development of students. However, existing research highlights issues such as a wide age span and uneven quality among science teachers, which undermines the effectiveness of science education. In addition, the role of science teachers can be ambiguously defined, leading to confusion about their responsibilities. To better understand the current situation and future development trend of research on the role of science teachers in China and overseas, this study compares and analyses a total of 30 documents on the role of science teachers in Chinese or English. The documents were from Web of science or CNKI databases. Content analysis was applied on time of publication, number of papers, research topic, and similarities and differences of the role development of science teachers in China or overseas. Results show that: (1) At present, the development trend of research on the role of science teachers published in English and Chinese is relatively flat and has not received due attention. Most mainstream research paradigms are still in the stage of theoretical exploration; (2) Research themes of the role of science teachers mainly included five aspects: Role expectation, role orientation, role identification, role transformation, and role; (3) the “should be” research published in Chinese and the “real” research published in English should be combined and form a positive interaction. This study is helpful to systematically analyze the current situation of research on the role of science teachers, with a view to providing a basis for subsequent research on the role of science teachers.