IJEMST JOURNAL

Socio-scientific teaching and learning (SSI-TL) has been suggested as an effective approach for supporting meaningful learning in school contexts; however, limited tools exist to support the work of designing and implementing this approach. In this paper, we draw from a series of four design based research projects that have produced SSI curriculum materials, research findings, and design insights. The paper describes the creation and evolution of a model for SSI-TL. The model highlights a sequence of learning experiences that should be featured in SSI-TL and the kinds of learning objectives that should result. Student learning experiences should include encountering a focal SSI; engaging in science practices, disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts as well as socio-scientific reasoning practices; and synthesizing key ideas and practices through a culminating exercise. The proposed learning objectives align with Next Generation Science Standards and also reflect the important social dimensions of SSI.

This study introduces a critical response pedagogy (CRP), an arts-based critical technique to facilitate meaningful dialogue in focus group settings, to secondary school science education students to engage them in discussion about sediment and chemical load in their local river basin community. Using a holistic single case design, twenty-two 11th and 12th graders (15 male and 7 female) from an environment ethics course participated in focus group interviews. The analysis of the data was made via case-by-case analysis individually performed by each researcher to identify themes, then across the cases using the long table (classic) method. The following themes were identified: (1) aroused curiosity, (2) human impact and responsibility, (3) triggering memories, (4) feeling connected to the Minnesota River, (5) outside of the captured area, (6) use of the image, (7) social impacts, (8) economy, and (9) ecological impacts. The findings indicated that student‟s characterization and description of the rivers is mixed although they have similar observations and experiences. In addition, using a critical response protocol created a dialogical environment where students were comfortable engaging in a conversation about a local controversial issue. Thus, the conversation shifted toward critical analysis of an issue rather than an under informed debate about perspectives. This study showed that critical response pedagogy is a non-threatening way to gauge students‟ knowledge and understanding of issues and identify possible misconceptions or knowledge gaps which would be useful in designing instruction.

Findings of this study suggest that scientific argumentation can play an effective role in addressing complex socioscientific issues (i.e. global climate change). This research examined changes in preservice teachers’ knowledge and perceptions about climate change in an innovative undergraduate-level elementary science methods course. The preservice teachers’ understanding of fundamental concepts (e.g., the difference between weather and climate, causes of recent global warming, etc.) increased significantly. Their perceptions about climate change became more aligned to those of climate scientists. A key assignment was to develop and present an evidence-based scientific argument based on an adaptation of Toulmin’s argumentation model (1958). The participants were assigned a typical question and claim of climate skeptics and asked to conduct research on the scientific findings to prepare a counter-argument (rebuttal). The preservice teachers indicated that the integration of scientific argumentation was an effective strategy for increasing their understanding and perceptions about climate change as a socioscientfic issue.

The aim of this paper is to examine the importance of contextualization of Nature of Science (NOS) within the Socioscientific Issues (SSI) framework, because of the importance to science education. The emphasis on advancing scientific literacy is contingent upon a robust understanding and appreciation of NOS, as well as the acquisition of socioscientific reasoning, skills, and values. Students‟ negotiations within SSI are influenced by a variety of factors related to NOS such as scientific knowledge, data interpretations and social interactions including an individuals‟ own articulation of personal beliefs. Since NOS and SSI have become fundamental constructs in science education, especially for achieving scientific literacy, it is conceptually important to highlight the rationale(s) behind the contextualization of NOS within the SSI framework. This paper reviews research that entails the integration of SSI with NOS, exploring the nuanced relationships between these two areas. We do this in three sections presenting key aspects of: (a) SSI in science education; (b) NOS in science education; and (c) contextualization of NOS in SSI.

This study is a meta-analysis of the effects of out-of-school time (after school, summer camps, enrichment programs, etc.) on the student interest in STEM. This study was guided by the following research questions: (1) How effective is OST as a means to foster student interest in STEM? (2) How does the effectiveness of OST differ by program and study characteristics? A total of 19 independents effect sizes were extracted from 15 studies investigating the effect of out-of-school time (OST) on STEM interest. Included studies were representative of K-12 settings in the United States from 2009-2015. Specifically studies were included if they directly assessed the effects of OST on STEM interest, and provided sufficient data to calculate an effect size. The status of publication was not a constraint on this investigation, thus grey literature was included along with journal articles to provide a more representative sample of studies. The results suggest that out-of-school time has a positive effect on student interest in STEM. Furthermore, the variation in these effects is moderated by program focus, grade level, and the quality of the research design. The effects of out-of-school time on STEM interest are synthesized, and implications for teaching and practice are provided.

This paper reports an analysis of an interactive technology-supported, problem-based learning (PBL) project in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) from a Learning Sciences perspective using the Selected Learning Sciences Interest Areas (SLSIA). The SLSIA was adapted from the “What kinds of topics do ISLS [International Society of the Learning Sciences] members study”? (International Society of the Learning Sciences, ISLS, n.d.). The SLSIA is applied to analyze a case study, the interactive technology supported PBL simulation in water quality project the River of Life. This analysis using the SLSIA provides STEM education stakeholders with a reflective framework in designing interactive technology supported environments for PBL in STEM, and a platform for initiating thoughtful discussions on research and development efforts.

Stakeholders in STEM education have called for integrating engineering content knowledge into STEM-content classrooms. To answer the call, stakeholders in science education announced a new framework, Next Generation Science Standards, which focuses on the integration of science and engineering in K-12 science education. However, research indicates many science teachers, particularly those traditionally prepared to teach within a specific science content domain, need to broaden their knowledge in engineering content areas for successful integration. In this regard, researchers have suggested that new integrated STEM curricula should contain a list of key concepts for understanding the specific engineering content area. Therefore, there is a need for generating key concepts in critical engineering areas enabling science teachers to implement engineering into science classrooms. Using a modified Delphi research design, we identified and verified key concepts in earthquake engineering necessary for high school learners to acquire a basic understanding of earthquake engineering. As a result, we created a key concepts list and strand map with 35 key earthquake-engineering concepts. High school science teachers as well as other teachers in STEM content areas can use these key concepts to understand and teach earthquake engineering content in their classrooms.

All students need to experience the joy of discovery and innovation. In this study we discussed how STEM education that focuses on design can provide students with these opportunities. Learning environments that focus on STEM questions and engage students in design have the potential help students learn core ideas related to STEM as well as engage students in the learning process. This study presents examples that can be used by educators and also focuses on how STEM learning environments can connect knowledge of scientific and engineering ideas with focusing on scientific and engineering practices.

STEM education is a current focus of many educators and policymakers and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) with the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSM) are foundational documents driving curricular and instructional decision making for teachers and students in K-8 classrooms across the United States. Thus, practitioners and researchers need to possess a deep and working understanding of these standards. This study aims to examine how terms within the CCSSM and the NGSS are used and aligned by
addressing the following research questions: (1) What common terminology is found across CCSSM and NGSS? (2) How does the terminology between the CCSSM and the NGSS compare to one another? (3) How do the cognitive terms found in CCSSM and NGSS change across grade bands? The findings indicate that there are numerous places where common terminology is aligned and used
similarly both across grade bands and between the sets of standards. Conversely, many other terms are used with varying degrees of emphasis. Because STEM is presented as a holistic subject, these variable meanings and/or expectations reveal the potential for misguided expectations within the classroom as students,
teachers, and principals use the same terminology in multiple, but distinct contexts.

Mathematical disagreements occur when students challenge each other’s ideas related to a mathematical concept. In this research, we examined Hong Kong and U.S. elementary teachers’ perceptions of mathematical disagreements and their resolutions using a video-stimulated survey. Participants were directed to give particular attention to the mathematics embedded within the disagreement and approaches for resolving the disagreement. Results revealed incomplete knowledge structures for the selected mathematical topic for both Hong Kong
and U.S. participants. Differences existed between the two groups regarding the resolution of the disagreement, as Hong Kong participants focused on the content within the resolution process while U.S. participants focused on the form of the resolution process. Both groups found value in mathematical disagreements but for different reasons. Hong Kong participants indicated that the mathematical disagreements supported them in identifying students’ misunderstandings. In contrast, U.S. participants reported that mathematical disagreements helped to
identify areas in which students lacked prerequisite knowledge. Implications for future work are provided.

Mathematization competency is considered in the field as the focus of modelling process. Considering the various definitions, the components of the mathematization competency are determined as identifying assumptions, identifying variables based on the assumptions and constructing mathematical model/s based on the relations among identified variables. In this study, preservice elementary mathematics teachers’ mathematization competencies are tried to be elicit by investigating their solution approaches while solving a modelling problem. It was seen the participants started to solve the problem by
using only verbal explanations and then their expressions became more
mathematical throughout the process. The participants, who made validations frequently in the process, displayed more comprehensive mathematization competencies by correcting their assumptions, mathematical models and solution.

As the learning paradigms are shifting to include various forms of digital
technologies such as synchronous, asynchronous, and interactive methods, social networking technologies have been introduced to the educational settings in order to increase the quality of learning  environments. The literature suggests that effective application of these technologies in education can provide a means of addressing the lack of uptake and sharing of learning and teaching ideas and designs. This study investigated the effects of integrating social networking technologies on students’ interaction, motivation, and engagement in an
alternative learning school environment. Twenty-two 10th to 12th raders in an alternative school were recruited from their environmental science class to participate in this study. An online learning environment was designed to assist in-class instruction to promote student learning and engagement around the topic of climate change. Students’ reflections that emerged from their interactions and posts on the social network indicated the relationship between the use of social networks and student motivation and engagement.

Present study reviews empirical research studies related to learning science in online learning environments as a community. Studies published between 1995 and 2015 were searched by using ERIC and EBSCOhost databases. As a result, fifteen studies were selected for review. Identified studies were analyzed with a qualitative content analysis method suggested by Li and Tsai (2013). Content from the studies regarding social interaction in online learning environments while teaching or learning science were analyzed to identify research purposes, theoretical foundations, and learning foci. Results indicated of the 15 studies, six studies were built on a specific learning theory. Of the 15 studies, eleven indicated that their focus was socio-contextual learning. Scientific process was studied in eight studies. Six focused on scientific knowledge, five focused on engagement, four considered effect as their focus, and one studied problem solving. The importance of online learning environments for learning science was pointed to better integrate technology and education.

In science teaching, metaphors are important tools for understanding meaningful learning and conceptual formation by the help of daily life language. This study aims to evaluate how the concepts of heat, temperature and energy are perceived by students in secondary school science classes and how the perceptions of these concepts vary in terms of metaphors depending on grade level (5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades). The study group of the present research consists of 226 students selected from 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders through criterion sampling method. The descriptive method was used in the study and the data was collected by metaphor questionnaire. According to the findings, 176 metaphors were generated by students under four categories “formal/scientific metaphors”, “Abstract metaphors”, “Environmental/daily metaphors” and “misconception metaphors”. When the findings were examined, it was seen that though there were some misconception detected about the concepts of heat, temperature and energy, conceptual changes in the other three categories vary depending on grade level. This variety needs to be discussed in relation to cognitive development and daily life. Some suggestions were made about the place and importance of metaphors in concept teaching for researchers and practitioners.

The aim of this study is to examine middle school students‟ attitude towards mathematics in the context of their mathematic learning preferences using data mining which is data analysis methodology that has been successfully used in different areas including educational domains. „How do I actually learn?‟ questionnaire and attitude scale were applied to 702 middle school students studying in three different cities of Turkey. Demographic data (gender, grade level, parents‟ education level, pre-school education) were also gathered. Data mining techniques such as decision tree was implemented. Furthermore web graph was used for visualization of relationship between mathematic learning preference and attitude towards mathematics. Constructed decision tree models with C5.0 algorithm revealed that all of variables used in this study are related to the attitude towards mathematics but the most effective attribute is found as grade level. Using web graph, it was found that the strongest relationship was between reflective learning preference and positive level attitude towards mathematics.

Whereas origami is said to have pedagogical benefits in geometry education, research is inclusive about its effect on spatial ability and geometric knowledge among preservice teachers. The study investigated the effect of origami instruction on these aspects using pretest posttest quasi-experiment design. The experimental group consisted of 52 students while students in the control group were 42. Paper folding test and mental rotation test were used to assess two subscales of spatial ability of the pre-service teachers and achievement test was also used to assess geometric knowledge for teaching shape and space. Data were analyzed using (M)ANOVAs at .05 significance level. The results of univariate ANOVAs show statistical and practical significant effect on spatial orientation and geometric knowledge for teaching, but unpredictably no statistical significant difference in spatial visualization between groups was found. The MANOVA however indicated overall statistically significant difference in posttest mean scores between groups with treatment accounting for 17% of multivariate variance of dependent variable. Implications for adopting origami instructions at the colleges of education were discussed.

This paper describes the development and intended uses of the Early Grades Mathematics Assessment (EGMA), which measures essential early mathematical knowledge and skills that are foundational to more sophisticated mathematical abilities, predictive of later achievement, and teachable. Administering the EGMA can provide policy makers, practitioners, and researchers with information about whether existing educational policies, curricular reforms or programs, and instructional interventions are supporting students in reaching important goals in mathematics. We highlight the utility of the EGMA results in three abbreviated illustrations of implementation studies in low-income countries. Recommendations for policy makers, practitioners, and researchers are provided.

The goal of this paper is to present a framework of researcher knowledge development in conducting a study in mathematics education. The key components of the framework are: knowledge germane to conducting a particular study, processes of knowledge accumulation, and catalyzing filters that influence a researcher decision making. The components of the framework originated from a confluence between constructs and theories in Mathematics Education, Higher Education and Sociology. Previously published interviews with professor Jeremy Kilpatrick and professor Michèle Artigue are used for illustrating how the framework can be utilized in data analysis. Criteria for framework evaluation are discussed.

Studies reveal that students as well as teachers have difficulties in understanding and learning of decimals. The purpose of this study is to investigate students’ as well as pre-service teachers’ solution strategies when solving a question that involves an estimation task for the value of a decimal number on the number line. We also examined the pre-service teachers’ anticipation of students’ misconceptions and difficulties for the given task. To conduct our analysis, we conducted interviews with three 5th and three 6th grade students, and eight pre-service teachers. During the interviews we asked them to solve the question and explain their solution strategies. The findings of the study indicate that students and pre-service approach this problem in different ways. However, both groups have a tendency to think of decimals successively and indicate precise answers rather than specifying a range of possible values. We also observed the pre-service teachers could only partially anticipate the misconceptions and difficulties faced by the students.

New approaches to instruction are needed in all educational levels in order to develop the skills suited to the twenty-first century (i.e., inquiry, problem solving, innovation, entrepreneurship, technological communication, experimental design, and investigativeness). This research evaluated the outcomes of an approach aiming to develop such skills based on students’ assessments of themselves and their peers with regard to investigative projects and course grades. The study is chiefly based on a quantitative paradigm with a multi-method approach. Data were primarily collected using a form to evaluate scientific investigation skills and learning gains; students’ project reports and examination papers were the other data sources, which were evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results revealed a low-to-moderate level of improvement in skills. In addition, the authors discovered that students were overestimating their gains, and that peer-evaluations seemed to function better than self-evaluations.

In this paper, we discuss the individuals’ roles, responsibilities, and routine activities, along with their goals and intentions in two different contexts—a school science context and a university research context—using sociological lenses. We highlight the distinct characteristics of both contexts to suggest new design strategies for STEM learning environments in school science context. We collected our research data through participant observations, field notes, group conversations, and interviews. Our findings indicate that school science practices were limited to memorizing and replicating science content knowledge through lectures and laboratory activities. Simple-structured science activities were a means to engage school science students in practical work and relate the theoretical concepts to such work. Their routine activities were to succeed in schooling objectives. In university research settings, the routine activities had interdisciplinary dimensions representing cognitive, social, and material dimensions of scientific practice. Such routine activities were missing in the practices of school science. We found that the differences between school and university research settings were primarily associated with individuals’ goals and intentions, which resulted in different social structures. In school settings, more authentic social structure can evolve if teachers trust their students and allow them to share the social and epistemic authorities through establishing mentorship. We do not expect school science students to perform the tasks of scientists in the same manner, yet the desired school science activities should include mentorship roles and interdisciplinary perspectives and encourage school science students to pursue unanswered questions without looking for the right answer.

The study aimed to explore the impact of an SDM-based professional development program on teacher discourse. Two types of discourse, authoritative and dialogic discourses, was the focus of the search. From a Bakhtinian standpoint, authoritative words are viewed as located in a distanced zone, do not reflect any individual point of view, and are not disputable. Moreover, in these words, one hears only one, single voice. Whereas, internally persuasive (dialogic) words are freely developed, applicable to new material and conditions, and, in these words, one hears at least two voices. A total of seventeen teachers volunteered and participated in a four-week professional development program. The program provided information about and classroom uses of authoritative and dialogic talk. After the program had been fulfilled, the classroom activities were videotaped and then transcribed. The transcriptions were later analyzed deductively. The results indicated that the SDMbased program had a positive and statistically significant impact on teacher dialogic discourse. The analysis revealed that after the program, all the teachers altered their discourse to a more dialogic one. It was specifically observed that a total of eleven teachers’ dialogic-authoritative talk ratio was over 7/3.

This study uses a unique synthesized set of data for community college students transferring to engineering by combining several cohorts of longitudinal data along with transcript-level data, from both the Community College and the University, to measure success rates in engineering. The success rates are calculated by developing Kaplan-Meier survival curves measuring retention in engineering over time by grades received in Calculus and Physics courses at both institutions. For each course, survival curves are compared to determine if statistically significant differences exist between levels of grades received. The levels of course grades at which statistically significant differences in retention rates exist are documented. To validate these findings the actual graduation rates in engineering for the same groups of students are estimated using grades received in Calculus and Physics. Policy recommendations based on these findings, including the best time to transfer for this group of community college students, are incorporated.

One of the most important variables affecting middle school students’ mathematics performance is motivation. Motivation is closely related with expectancy belief regarding the task and value attached to the task. Identification of which one or ones of the factors constituting motivation is more closely related to mathematics performance may help more effective mathematics planning process. In this context, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among middle school students’ task values concerning the math class, their expectancy perceptions and mathematics performance via a structural equation model. The study was conducted on 200 middle school students receiving their education in Konya provincial center. Fifty point five percent of the students (n=101) were female whereas 49.5 %. (n=99) were male. Twenty-nine percent of the students (n=58) were sixth graders, 35 % (n=70) were seventh graders and 36 % (n=72) were eighth graders. The Self and Task Perception Inventory in mathematics was used to identify the students’ task values and expectancy perceptions concerning mathematics, while end-of-the-term math class scores were used to determine their mathematics performances. The data obtained were analyzed using the structural equation modeling. According to the results that were obtained, it was understood that expectancy beliefs, task difficulty and intrinsic interest value were the most effective variables on mathematics performance. Moreover, findings of this study show that students with high expectancy perceptions in mathematics who derived pleasure from dealing with mathematics and had less difficulty in mathematics had higher mathematics achievements. The findings that were obtained were discussed in light of theoretical explanations.

This paper was designed to investigate the perceptions of four preservice mathematics teachers on the role of scaffolding in supporting and assisting them achieves quality classroom teaching. A collaborative approach to teaching through a community of practice was used to obtain data for the three research objectives that were postulated. Two methods were used to collect data for the research which include classroom observations and the reflection meetings. While the researchers adopted the grounded theory approach to collate and discuss the data collected for the study. The findings of the study suggested that the researchers uses varied approaches to provide scaffolding to the teachers and the teachers’ perception of the role of scaffolding was positive as they view scaffolding as providing the opportunity to observe one another’s strength and weaknesses. It also provided opportunity for them to discuss, dialogue, debate and criticize one another’s thoughts in the process of achieving quality classroom instruction. In conclusion the researchers suggested that scaffolding could be a useful approach to helping teachers achieve quality classroom teaching and to having positive perceptions to teaching in general. The researchers therefore, recommend that the adoption of scaffolding strategies to Nigerian mathematics classroom could help improve the teaching of mathematics

Professional learning groups are becoming a popular form of teacher development in mathematics. Due to the personal nature of the groups, as well as differences in initial beliefs and capacity, teachers may respond differently to such opportunities. A total of 14 teachers were observed over a three-year period, and two contrasting participants, each involved for two years, were chosen for in-depth study in order to illustrate a range of responses. The teachers were chosen from the larger sample to exemplify differences in initial capacity as well as varying responses to the group activities. Both teachers, regardless of their differing initial beliefs and knowledge, demonstrated growth over a two year period. Such development however was in relation to their initial beliefs and capacity.

The purpose of this study was to uncover the degree to which in-service teachers understand sociomathematical norms and the nature of that understanding without having to enter and observe their classes. We therefore developed five classroom scenarios exemplifying classroom interactions shaped by certain sociomathematical norms. We then administered these scenarios to in-service elementary school and grade 5-12 mathematics teachers and collected their written responses. We also collected data about what teachers believe about sociomathematical norms through a Likert-type questionnaire. We then analyzed the data using quantitative and qualitative techniques. First, the findings suggest that the teachers’ understanding of sociomathematical norms is neither dependent on the level of schools teachers teach, or their background or demographic characteristics such as number of years they spent in teaching, specialty area, faculty graduated, highest degree earned, and gender. Second, what teachers believe about sociomathematical norms seem to be not parallel to how they analyze the scenarios illustrating sociomathematical norms. Third, use of scenarios was helpful in revealing how teachers think about sociomathematical norms. Finally, there are three cross-cutting themes to which all the teachers referred in common for all sociomathematical norms: opposition (opposition to the core of the norm), social facilitator (considering all targeted norms as supporting and regulating the classroom social environment) and condition-based (believing that interactions given in scenarios are only possible under certain conditions).

This study explored Ghanaian primary school teachers’ values and challenges of integrating cultural games in teaching mathematics. Using an In-depth conversational interview, ten (10) certificated teachers’ voices on the values and challenges of integrating games were examined. Thematic data analysis was applied to the qualitative data from the interviews. Results indicated that although cultural games count as instructional tools in four knowledge domains, actualizing their value in the classroom appears problematic for lack of game-based pedagogical know-how. The study recommended looking into the classroom for a complete understanding of the values and challenges of integrating games in teaching and learning mathematics.

Given the minimal impact in the classroom from the implementation of reform movements internationally, the question remains how researchers and teacher educators can address the learning needs of secondary mathematics teachers. The goal was to implement research that was focused on providing an empowering space for the advancement of teachers’ beliefs and practices. This study showed that it was possible to impact the beliefs and practices of a group of teachers who had varying levels of loyalty to more traditional practices. This was accomplished by considering practitioner-derived knowledge to be trustworthy and relevant. By employing a critical and participatory research methodology informed by Kemmis and McTaggart, and by designing a study that was framed by Fay’s three stages of empowerment, I was able to provide a space where teachers became aware of their beliefs and practices, negotiated barriers, became more grounded in their personal philosophical perspectives, took action to implement novel pedagogies, and knew finally “who they are” as professionals.

Previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of two explanation-based approaches for increasing learning in
educational games. The first involves asking students to explain their answers (self-explanation) and the second
involves providing correct explanations (explanatory feedback). This study (1) compared self-explanation and
explanatory feedback features embedded into a game designed to teach Newtonian dynamics and (2)
investigated relationships between learning and individual differences. The results demonstrated significant
learning gains for all conditions. There were no overall differences between conditions, but learning outcomes
were better for the self-explanation condition after controlling for the highest level completed by each student.
Analyses of individual differences indicated that certain threshold inhibitory control abilities may be necessary
to benefit from the self-explanation in games

Acquaintance with various ways of inculcating concepts in any studied area of knowledge is one of teachers' duties, particularly mathematics teachers. Studies indicate errors and difficulties when inculcating concepts in mathematics and learning them. Many concepts have different meanings in different contexts. Hence, teachers should deal with the image of the concept by paying attention to its essence. They should also deal with misconceptions developed while inculcating the concept. The present paper describes an activity conducted with 28 teachers studying for an M.Ed. degree in mathematics education at a teacher education college. They attend a course of solid geometry, a topic which is perceived as extremely difficult for the learners. The activity focuses on two ways of inculcating a solid geometry concept: "an angle between a lateral face and a base of a pyramid" as one of the ways for developing spatial orientation. Upon completion of the activity, the paper illustrates the participants' responses regarding their perception of the advantages of each of the ways they experienced and their recommendations as to their preferred ways for inculcating new geometric concepts.