Science

Unpacking the Nuances: An Exploratory Multilevel Analysis on the Operationalization of Integrated STEM Education and Student Attitudinal Change

Integrated STEM education (iSTEM) is recognized for its potential to improve students’ scientific and mathematical knowledge, as well as to nurture positive attitudes toward STEM, which are essential for motivating students to consider STEM-related careers. While prior studies have examined the relationship between specific iSTEM activities or curricula and changes in student attitudes, research is lacking on how the aspects of iSTEM are operationalized and their influence on shifts in student attitudes towards STEM, especially when considering the role of demographic factors.

Author/Presenter

Benny Mart R. Hiwatig

Gillian H. Roehrig

Mark D. Rouleau

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2024
Short Description

Integrated STEM education (iSTEM) is recognized for its potential to improve students’ scientific and mathematical knowledge, as well as to nurture positive attitudes toward STEM, which are essential for motivating students to consider STEM-related careers. While prior studies have examined the relationship between specific iSTEM activities or curricula and changes in student attitudes, research is lacking on how the aspects of iSTEM are operationalized and their influence on shifts in student attitudes towards STEM, especially when considering the role of demographic factors. Addressing this gap, our study applied multilevel modeling to analyze how different iSTEM aspects and demographic variables predict changes in student attitudes.

The Design and Implementation of a Bayesian Data Analysis Lesson for Pre-Service Mathematics and Science Teachers

With the rise of the popularity of Bayesian methods and accessible computer software, teaching and learning about Bayesian methods are expanding. However, most educational opportunities are geared toward statistics and data science students and are less available in the broader STEM fields. In addition, there are fewer opportunities at the K-12 level. With the indirect aim of introducing Bayesian methods at the K-12 level, we have developed a Bayesian data analysis activity and implemented it with 35 mathematics and science pre-service teachers.

Author/Presenter

Mine Dogucu

Sibel Kazak

Joshua M. Rosenberg

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2024
Short Description

With the rise of the popularity of Bayesian methods and accessible computer software, teaching and learning about Bayesian methods are expanding. However, most educational opportunities are geared toward statistics and data science students and are less available in the broader STEM fields. In addition, there are fewer opportunities at the K-12 level. With the indirect aim of introducing Bayesian methods at the K-12 level, we have developed a Bayesian data analysis activity and implemented it with 35 mathematics and science pre-service teachers. In this article, we describe the activity, the web app supporting the activity, and pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the activity.

Teacher Educators’ Use of Formative Feedback During Preservice Teachers’ Simulated Teaching Experiences in Mathematics and Science

The purpose of this research study was to identify how teacher educators (TEs) attend to and use formative feedback as they work to support preservice teachers’ (PSTs’) learning. The formative feedback was provided to the TEs as part of recurring instructional cycles within their elementary mathematics or science methods course. In these instructional cycles, their PSTs prepared for, engaged in, and reflected on their ability to facilitate argumentation-focused discussions in a simulated classroom.

Author/Presenter

Jamie N. Mikeska

Heather Howell

Devon Kinsey

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2024
Short Description

The purpose of this research study was to identify how teacher educators (TEs) attend to and use formative feedback as they work to support preservice teachers’ (PSTs’) learning. The formative feedback was provided to the TEs as part of recurring instructional cycles within their elementary mathematics or science methods course. In these instructional cycles, their PSTs prepared for, engaged in, and reflected on their ability to facilitate argumentation-focused discussions in a simulated classroom. After each cycle, the TEs received formative information about their PSTs’ discussion performance in the form of a feedback report and a scoring report.

Values Reflected in Energy-Related Physics Concepts

Gray, K. E. & Scherr, R. E. (2025). Values reflected in energy-related physics concepts. The Physics Teacher, 63, 240–242. https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0137442

Author/Presenter

Kara E. Gray

Rachel E. Scherr

Year
2025
Short Description

Physics has the reputation of being purely about nature, not about people or culture. Physics concepts such as time, space, and mass are often considered to be independent of sociopolitical concepts such as democracy and capitalism. However, physics concepts are not “out there” in the universe, free of cultural values: rather, they are created and sustained by people in specific times and places, for the purpose of addressing particular social needs and empowering particular people.

Teacher Talk Supporting Student Progressive Discourse in Science

Student participation in science discourse requires multiple levels of support through tools such as curricular materials, as well as teacher talk. The actions of the teacher can provide opportunities for students to engage in disciplinary science talk. The norms associated with this talk can be used to define what students sound like when engaged in authentic science talk. However, often talk moves are employed in service of in-the-moment tasks rather than development of disciplinary talk norms.

Author/Presenter

Kraig A. Wray

Scott McDonald

Year
2025
Short Description

For this study, we focused on the Ambitious Science Teaching–based teacher talk engaged in by two middle school science teachers to support student sensemaking regarding a phenomenon-based science unit with embedded data visualization and simulation software over the course of a 2-week teaching unit. This descriptive case study identifies how differences in the purpose of questioning impacts the patterns of teacher talk regarding establishing norms in support of the norms of progressive discourse.

Exploring Students’ Engagement with Inscription-based Science Practices from the Perspective of Epistemic (Un)certainty

Learning about natural hazards and risks through science practices entails considerations of uncertainty. We examined ways in which students expressed their epistemic (un)certainty about claims they made based on their inscription-based science practices.

Author/Presenter

Hee-Sun Lee

Amy Pallant

Gey-Hong Gweon

Trudi Lord

Christopher Lore

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2025
Short Description

Learning about natural hazards and risks through science practices entails considerations of uncertainty. We examined ways in which students expressed their epistemic (un)certainty about claims they made based on their inscription-based science practices.

Elementary Students Learning Through Data Analysis and Sharing Findings: Design-based Research for Community and Citizen Science in Schools

While citizen science and other participatory approaches to science are increasingly used in schools to promote student science learning, rarely are these students supported to collect, analyze, and share their data with meaningful outside audiences.

Author/Presenter

Alexandra I. Race

Shulong Yan

Caroline Spurgin

Sol Henson

Evan F. Portier

Heidi L. Ballard

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2025
Short Description

While citizen science and other participatory approaches to science are increasingly used in schools to promote student science learning, rarely are these students supported to collect, analyze, and share their data with meaningful outside audiences. In this study, we used a Design-Based Research approach to iteratively develop and examine an elementary school-focused community and citizen science (CCS) program that facilitated students’ collecting, analyzing, and sharing forest health data with their forest manager community partners in an area of California, USA facing continual risk of catastrophic wildfires.

A Comparison of Responsive and General Guidance to Promote Learning in an Online Science Dialog

Students benefit from dialogs about their explanations of complex scientific phenomena, and middle school science teachers cannot realistically provide all the guidance they need. We study ways to extend generative teacher–student dialogs to more students by using AI tools. We compare Responsive web-based dialogs to General web-based dialogs by evaluating the ideas students add and the quality of their revised explanations.

Author/Presenter

Libby Gerard

Marcia C. Linn

Marlen Holtmann

Year
2024
Short Description

Students benefit from dialogs about their explanations of complex scientific phenomena, and middle school science teachers cannot realistically provide all the guidance they need. We study ways to extend generative teacher–student dialogs to more students by using AI tools.

Local Waters, Global Impact: Inspiring Young Minds Through Place-based Environmental Education

Environmental education is essential for protecting and restoring natural water sources. Integrating education with positive environmental experiences can instill values and stewardship in the public, encouraging proactive steps to preserve and enhance water resources. Elementary teachers can incorporate real-world water-related environmental issues into their classrooms, promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Place-based education, which involves experiential learning in local settings, effectively builds connections between students and their communities.

Author/Presenter

Amal Ibourk

Karolyn Burns

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2025
Short Description

Environmental education is essential for protecting and restoring natural water sources. Integrating education with positive environmental experiences can instill values and stewardship in the public, encouraging proactive steps to preserve and enhance water resources. Elementary teachers can incorporate real-world water-related environmental issues into their classrooms, promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Place-based education, which involves experiential learning in local settings, effectively builds connections between students and their communities. Authentic water-focused climate science learning should anchor in local phenomena, fostering student inquiry and validating student voices.

Variation in the Implementation of Educative Curriculum Materials for Elementary Science Teacher Educators in Two Course Contexts: An Exploratory Case Study

Educative curriculum materials (ECM) have been shown to support K-12 teacher learning, but little is known about teacher educators’ use of ECM. In this study, we report on enactments of ECM designed to support the development of preservice elementary teachers’ content knowledge for teaching about matter in two different courses to understand how teacher educators use ECM. Participants were two full professors teaching science content and science methods courses for elementary preservice teachers at a public university in the Pacific Northwest.

Author/Presenter

Josie C. Melton

Jamie N. Mikeska

Year
2025
Short Description

Educative curriculum materials (ECM) have been shown to support K-12 teacher learning, but little is known about teacher educators’ use of ECM. In this study, we report on enactments of ECM designed to support the development of preservice elementary teachers’ content knowledge for teaching about matter in two different courses to understand how teacher educators use ECM.