Journal of Baltic Science Education

741-742

Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 21, No. 5, JBSE

744-746

Authors: Svatava Janoušková, Martin Bílek

The world faces several crises in the last years. There have been more active conflicts presently than at any time since 1945. More than 82 million refugees must live away from their homes. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and caused economic and social disruption, whose further consequences related to human health and further aspects of well-being can be only estimated so far. Many countries are fighting climate change for a long time and this “fight” has been disrupted by unprecedented energy crises that changes our energy goals from day to day. We are surrounded by uncertainty and worries about the future which rises of populist forces even in the democratic part of the world. So, there is no doubt that we are living through challenging times. There are many strategies for coping with these challenges, one of them is acceptance. It allows us to see reality in the present moment and to move forward. But still, there will likely be many options to choose. We believe that science education is (can become) a means for explaining possibilities and our chances. At least in some of the above crises. And sustainable development indicators with good narratives can be effective educational and information tools bringing evidence about changes in the society and environment (Janoušková et al., 2022).

762-787

Authors: Kateřina Chroustová, Andrej Šorgo, Martin Bílek, Martin Rusek

In this research, a model to determine chemistry teachers’ acceptance of educational software in secondary education is proposed. The model extends the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model. Data were collected from 556 Czech chemistry teachers and analysed using structural equation modelling. With respect to the significant differences among technology users and various types of nonusers, the research model for each user group was tested too. The results showed significant differences in the individual models for each group of technology user. In the model for ‘current users’ of educational software, the influence of facilitating conditions on current users’ use of educational software behavioural intention is stressed. In addition, non-planning users’ behavioural intention seems to be influenced by their personal innovativeness in IT, social influence, and performance expectancy. Behavioural intention and attitude towards using educational software affect each of the tested models, with attitudes being an even stronger predictor of educational software usage than behavioural intention. The models contribute to the understanding of teachers’ acceptance of educational software, which can be utilized in both pre- and in-service teacher training, considering technology mastery a necessary teacher competence.

801-816

Authors: Hiroyoshi Kinoshita

The importance of critical thinking in science education is widely recognized. However, little research has been conducted on the teaching of critical thinking by teachers. If actual teaching conditions of teachers in the classroom are clarified, effective teaching methods for developing critical thinking in students could be developed. This study administered a questionnaire survey to ascertain how science teachers teach critical thinking in Japanese primary schools. The study population consisted of 291 Japanese primary school teachers with teaching careers spanning 1–38 years. The survey revealed the following. (1) Teachers taught students the importance of conducting experiments by themselves to obtain results. However, teachers did not sufficiently teach students the need to conduct multiple experiments before reaching a conclusion, improve data reliability before making decisions, or examine their conclusions carefully given incomplete data. (2) Compared to teachers with shorter teaching careers, teachers with longer careers taught critical thinking more effectively, particularly in terms of emphasizing positivity and maintaining a healthy skepticism. (3) Teachers who taught emphasized positivity and encouraged multifaceted thinking were more likely to teach about emphasized evidence. The corresponding causal relationship analysis suggests that teaching that emphasizes positivity and encourages multifaceted thinking is key to promoting evidence-oriented instruction.

836-848

Authors: Polonca Legvart, Metka Kordigel Aberšek, Maja Kerneža

Effective natural science teaching in primary schools helps students to form and change their conceptions about nature and natural processes. This is only possible through communicating about learners’ existing misconceptions and the process of transforming them into correct scientific concepts – using a socio-constructivist learning approach. The aim of this study was to find out what happens when the natural science teaching/learning process moves into digital learning environments. Immediately after the end of the Covid-induced school lock down, a sample of 183 first-, second- and third-grade teachers in Slovenia were asked to report about what happened in their science classes during the 11-week school lock down. The results reveal problems originating in very limited digital literacy competences as well as a lack of basic skills (in the first grade), and slowly emerging basic literacy in grades two and three. This had a great impact on the communication between teachers and students and between students themselves. According to research results, the problem significantly affects science teaching and is particularly urgent in didactics of chemistry and physics.

862-874

Authors: Henriette Manishimwe, William Aino Shivoga, Venuste Nsengimana

Attitude has been regarded as a motivating feeling for the learning of biology. However, how inquiry-based learning contributes to attitude change towards the learning of biology has not yet been studied in Rwanda. This study intends to determine the effect of inquiry-based learning on students’ attitudes toward learning biology. A sample of 228 secondary school students at the upper secondary level in Rwanda was used. A quasi-experimental design with pre-and post-test was employed. One group was randomly assigned to the control group (N = 109) under the conventional teaching method, while the second group participated as the experimental group (N = 119) under the inquiry-based learning method. Biology attitude questionnaire (BAQ) was tested and a Pearson reliability of .89 coefficient was found, and hence the BAQ was adopted and used for the control and treatment groups before and after learning microbiology. Results asserted a significant effect of intervention in favor of the experimental group. However, a significant effect of the treatment on students’ attitude change in relation to gender was not identified. The study recommends using inquiry-based learning to promote attitude toward learning biology as it raises students’ interest to learning biology and alleviates the difficulty of its concepts.

888-901

Authors: Nyet Moi Siew, Mohammad Syafiq Abd Rahman

This study was conducted to examine the effects of the socio-scientific issue (SSI) approach assisted by the future thinking map (FTM) on five constructs of future thinking, namely i) understanding the current situation, ii) identifying the trends, iii) analyzing the relevant drivers, iv) synthesizing the possibilities or needs of the future and v) choosing with the justification of the desired future. The future-thinking test instrument was developed to measure the level of future thinking. A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test control group design was employed. A total of 255 form four students (age 16) from three randomly selected rural secondary schools in Tawau District, Malaysia were assigned to i) SSI-FTM (n = 85), ii) SSI (n = 85), and iii) conventional (CV, n = 85) teaching and learning (TL) strategies. The results of the MANCOVA analysis showed that there was a statistically significant effect across all three groups of TL strategies. The ANCOVA analysis showed that there was a statistically significant effect of the SSI-FTM TL strategies compared to the SSI and CV TL strategies on the five future thinking constructs. The quasi-experimental study proves that the SSI-FTM TL strategy is effective in nurturing future thinking among form four students in science lessons.

533-534

Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, JBSE, Vol. 21, No. 4, 2022

536-544

Authors: André du Plessis

COVID-19 had a severe impact on teaching and learning in schools and tertiary education institutions. Human Rights Watch (Impact of Covid-19 on Children’s Education in Africa, 2022) posits that due to the closure of many schools in African countries, a significant majority of learners were excluded from continuing their education as learning and teaching halted. The pandemic has also had its effect on the higher education sector within the South African context, however, data about non-attendance and drop-out seems not to be freely available as revealed by searching online. Nonetheless, it is reasonable to assume that there were drop-outs and non-attendance by students, however, not to the same extent as within schools as universities embarked on contingency plans to minimize dropouts. Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha South Africa where the author of this editorial resides, implemented contingency plans within weeks of the COVID pandemic outbreak to offer students ICT devices on loan, e.g. by debiting it against their student accounts while Wi-Fi data access was secured through collaboration with internet providers. It appears that the university sector was able to be more proactive than schools, which can probably be attributed to the fact that the majority of universities have their own ICT infrastructures. In addition, many modules incorporated the use of ICT in various ways, including the use of learning management systems such as Moodle or similar. This resulted in many universities being better prepared to embrace the opportunity to extend online teaching, learning, and assessment in various forms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

558-574

Authors: Eva Hejnová

Cross-age studies have suggested that although children’s notions of scientific phenomena change moderately with increasing age, certain misconceptions persist from preschool to a higher educational level. The purpose of this study was to diagnose the prevalence of selected misconceptions about the particulate nature of matter among pre-service primary school teachers and to compare the findings with the results of lower-secondary learners. The participants in the study were 197 pre-service primary school teachers and 170 ninth graders. The multiple-choice diagnostic test was developed to collect data. In the analysis of the test results, the paired difference test and Pearson’s chi-square independence test for the contingency table were used. Frequency analysis was performed for individual questions in the test and percentages were calculated. The results obtained with primary school teacher trainees demonstrate the existence of a number of misconceptions similar to those observed with ninth graders; some misconceptions were observed to even be present significantly more frequently among pre-service primary school teachers. This study confirmed that age maturity and mere knowledge of scientific concepts such as atoms, molecules, etc. do not have to be sufficient to allow students to better understand the particulate nature of matter.

594-614

Authors: Seong-un Kim

This study studied the types of peer scaffolding presented in scientific experimental activities. The study included 14 university students. For the experimental activity of ‘determining temperature changes using the meridian altitude of the sun,' information regarding experimental behaviors, thinking aloud, discourse, and retrospective interview data were collected and analyzed. A model was derived and utilized for experimental activities to analyze peer scaffolding, wherein students internally structured their experiences with the experimental activities. The results indicated that students utilized seven means of peer scaffolding: ‘demonstrating’, ‘assisting’, ‘monitoring’, ‘posing’, ‘questioning’, ‘explaining’, and ‘suggesting’. Three types of peer scaffolding emerged: task completion-, model elaboration-, and learning support-oriented scaffolding. Each type differed in purpose, main mean, and major explanation details. Additionally, this study has observed the level of the model for the experimental activities and the time that had been provided to understand the experimental procedure influenced the three peer scaffolding types. These outcomes indicate that providing ample time to students independently structure the experimental procedure and supporting other students during experimental activities are essential. Moreover, providing assistance to students in focusing on observable phenomena by reducing the cognitive load required to process the experimental procedure is crucial.

638-650

Authors: Zorana Lužanin, Marija Kaplar, Tatjana Hrubik-Vulanović

The use of infographics for presenting data in the media and on the Internet has become a widespread phenomenon. This study examines how well undergraduates interpret the mean when presented in infographic, their attitudes towards the misuse of statistics, and their perceptions of their knowledge and use of statistics. The infographic was intended for the general public. The questionnaire was developed in a pilot study and then it was presented to a sample of 270 students from universities in Serbia and the USA. The study showed that STEM undergraduates and those who attended a course in statistics interpreted the infographic better. However, between 46% and 65% of those misinterpreted the infographic which indicates that changes are needed in statistics education to improve statistical literacy. Concerning demographic characteristics, somewhat better results were achieved by the American students, while gender had weak significance. Students whose interpretations were more successful perceived their knowledge and use of statistics as better. An extremely low number of students, 7.5%, disagreed that statistics is often misused, while only 14.2% trusted the research results presented in the media. The results from this study can be useful for curriculum developers, teachers, and researchers on statistical education.

663-679

Authors: Christian Bob Nicol, Emmanuel Gakuba, Gonzague Habinshuti

Students' attitude towards a subject is a key indicator of academic performance, therefore its enhancement is imperative for academic success. A sample of 328 grade eleven students was selected using cluster random sampling. Two different study groups; the experimental and control groups, were composed and exposed to the guided inquiry and demonstration methods of teaching chemistry experiments respectively. The Non-equivalent control group research design was employed with instruction lasting six weeks. Data on pre-test and post-test attitudes were collected using a 25-item attitude towards teaching and learning chemistry through experiment survey. Comparisons of mean attitude scores were made between the experimental and control groups, and between the pre-test and post-test for each group. The Mann-Whitney U test analyses indicated a higher mean attitude score for the control group. However, the difference in the mean scores was not statistically significant. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test analyses indicated statistically significant differences between the pre-test and post-test attitude mean scores for both independent groups. These outcomes show that both methods of teaching chemistry through experiments enhance students' attitudes to essentially the same extent. These findings imply that Liberian teachers can enhance students' attitudes through demonstrations.

694-705

Authors: Muhammet Usak, Harun Uygun, Muharrem Duran

Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is one of the most important research topics in science teacher education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the PCK of science teachers with different teaching experiences and examine the effects of teachers' PCK on students' achievement and attitudes toward science. A mixed methods research design was used for the study. Participants were science teachers and their students from two middle schools. Interviews, observation forms, achievement tests, and attitude scales were used as instruments for data collection. Data were collected and analyzed using content analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings obtained from the quantitative and qualitative data showed some significant differences between teachers' PCKs according to their teaching experience. The results also showed that the PCK of a teacher with the least experience was lower than that of the other two experienced science teachers. The results indicated that experienced teachers who developed PCKs did not significantly impact student achievement and attitudes. Educational implications and recommendations for further studies are also provided.

720-738

Authors: Yi Zou, Lizhen Jin, Yanbing Li, Tao Hu

Students’ problem-solving ability depends on their understanding of related scientific concepts. Therefore, the modeling and assessment of students’ understanding of specific scientific concepts is important to promote students’ problem-solving ability, as it can find students’ understanding difficulties and explore breakthrough strategies accordingly. Inspired by the theory of knowledge integration and combined with the situational characteristics of science education in China, this study established a conceptual framework about buoyant force, which was applied to model students’ different understandings of it. And based on the established framework, an assessment of buoyant force was designed and tested among 622 Chinese lower-secondary school students. Through the analysis of the test data and the interview outcomes, it was found that students’ understanding of buoyant force could be divided into three levels of knowledge integration including novice, intermediate, and expert. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that an emphasis on the nature of buoyant force can be an effective strategy to help students achieve a deeper conceptual understanding of buoyant force, leading to a more integrated knowledge structure.

345-346

Authors: Editorial Board

Cover, JBSE, Vol. 21, No. 3, 2022

348-350

Authors: Boris Aberšek

The environment is a system, a complex system, which we are unable to comprehend, let alone truly understand, with the help of simplified models that we, humans, are able to process. Our human understanding of the complexity of a grain of sand simply isn’t enough to construe and adapt the universe! This would require time and knowledge, which we do not have today, and which we will not have for a long time. So, everything is in interpretation. Let us start our stories with some basic truths. The main premise is, that man doesn't need an outside enemy, he's the greatest threat to himself. But he's not just a threat to himself, he's a threat also to everything around him. No living thing on earth destroys it more than it takes for its existence, except for human.

366-380

Authors: Ivana Z. Bogdanović, Dušica D. Rodić, Tamara N. Rončević, Jelena D. Stanisavljević, Zekri A. M. Zouhor

The differences related to gender are evident in physics education from the early age of the students. Thus, it is important that the teaching strategies that are implemented in mixed-gender physics classrooms are appropriate for both boys and girls. This research examined physics achievement and metacognitive awareness of students in lower secondary education in relation to gender when the modified Know-Want-Learn (mKWL) strategy is implemented. During the study, the students were divided into the control group (where direct teaching was implemented) and the experimental group (where the mKWL strategy was implemented in physics teaching). Students’ physics achievement (estimated with knowledge tests) and metacognitive awareness (estimated with a questionnaire) before and after the pedagogical experiment, and also the students’ comments on the mKWL strategy (provided through an informal conversation) were analyzed. It was shown that the students’ achievement did not differ in relation to gender while girls showed higher metacognitive awareness in comparison with boys, and the mKWL strategy increased physics achievement and metacognitive awareness of both boys and girls. Furthermore, the students’ comments on the strategy were discussed. The proposed strategy is shown to be appropriate for both genders, and its implementation in physics classrooms can be recommended.

398-407

Authors: Pedro D. Cadena-Nogales, Joan J. Solaz-Portolés, Yolanda Echegoyen-Sanz, Vicente Sanjosé-López

One of the main objectives of scientific literacy is the development of rational skills and critical thinking in citizens. This is a central goal for teachers. However, beliefs that lack rational foundation and supporting evidence, named “epistemically unwarranted beliefs” (EUB), spread rapidly among the population. If teachers had some of these EUB, their work could be compromised. The aim of this research was to determine the level of acceptance of different EUB in Spanish pre-service primary school teachers and to analyze the influence of their cognitive style, gender, and academic level. Two hundred and fifty undergraduate students of Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education participated in this study. Two questionnaires were used to collect data. ANOVA, ANCOVA, correlations, and linear regression analysis were used to quantify that influence. Results showed high levels of acceptance of some EUB in future teachers, with significant influences of gender and academic level, and a mediating role of cognitive styles. Experiential and rational cognitive styles, and academic level were significant predictors of EUB, being experiential thinking the most powerful one. Thus, pre-service teacher education should have an epistemological vigilance on future teachers’ scientific literacy and increase the presence of rational style among teachers.

428-444

Authors: Peng He, Changlong Zheng, Tingting Li

Student understanding of chemical equilibrium in aqueous solutions (CEAS) plays a vital role in their upper secondary school chemistry learning and everyday life. Diagnosis of students’ alternative conceptions (ACs) of the CEAS will provide teachers with valuable information to make instructional decisions on student learning. This study aims to develop and validate an instrument to diagnose students’ ACs about the CEAS, including ionization equilibrium, water self-ionization equilibrium, the equilibrium of salt hydrolysis, and precipitation and dissolution equilibrium. Using Treagust (1998)’s development framework, we have developed 25 two-tier multiple-choice items for the CEAS diagnostic test. After completing the corresponding courses, 750 Grade 11 students from five public schools responded to the CEAS diagnostic test. Rasch modeling approach was employed to provide psychometric properties of the CEAS diagnostic test consisting of one-dimensionality, reliability, and validity. This study identified 15 ACs toward the CEAS. This study found that most students performed better on concept tiers rather than reasoning tiers. In addition, students have difficulties in connecting acidity, solubility, ionization, and chemical reaction and in using mathematical thinking to do transformation between concentration, equilibrium constant, and pH value.

462-480

Authors: Insun Lee, Jongwon Park, Hye-Gyoung Yoon

This research examined theory-based teaching processes of science teachers to understand the mechanism by which theory and practice were connected. Four science teachers desgined lesson plans by applying the empirical-abductive learning cycle (EALC) model and modified lesson plans through a collaborative interview with the researcher. Data were obtained from lesson plans and interviews. Using the constant comparison method with open coding, data were analyzed to find out obstacles or facilitators acted in the process of applying the EALC model to design lesson plans and reveal the path through which theory and practice were connected. As a result, it was found that perceptive prejudice about the role and necessity of the EALC model was the main obstacle. The collaboration process helped teachers understand the EALC model clearly and deeply. The development of this cognitive understanding changed their prejudice about the EALC model and led them to reflect their teaching practices with the eyes of theory. Through this process, a separated state between theory and practice was developed to a connected state. With the belief that it is a good starting point for coordination between theory and practice, further studies are proposed.

495-512

Authors: Chia-Yu Liu, Chao-Jung Wu, Guo-Li Chiou, Wing-Kwong Wong

Proposing scientific descriptions is critical for individuals to cope with daily problems and acquire essential information. Nonetheless, few classes have enhanced students’ ability to describe facts of scientific phenomena. Thus, using a tool of technology-based laboratory, this research examined whether students’ scientific descriptions and mathematical modelling behaviours could be improved. The participants included 52 undergraduate students randomly assigned to the experimental and control group. Two prompts were developed to remind the experimental group that it is common to place ‘time’ along the x-axis and that mathematical modelling is important in physics. Results showed that as expected, all participants generated more propositions in scientific descriptions, especially the experimental group. However, contrary to the hypothesis, the participants did not propose more correct propositions and the effect of group was limited. Moreover, the hypotheses were partially supported that the participants used more image-based and mathematics-based representations to describe phenomena, and the proportion of participants whose propositional type was quantitatively increased, though no main effects of group were observed. Most participants adjusted their mathematical models by keeping slightly changing the coefficients/constants to fit the data, rather than applying relevant physics knowledge to revise models, illustrating their difficulties in connecting mathematical representations with actual phenomena.

528-532

Authors: Editorial Board

End page, Vol. 21, No. 3, JBSE, 2022

173-174

Authors: Editorial Board

Cover, JBSE, Vol. 21, No. 2, 2022

176-178

Authors: Jari Lavonen

Climate change and its mitigation represent a major global challenge, alongside biodiversity loss, global pandemics, and shortages of fresh water and food. It has the power to shape the environment and future; however, policymakers seek to prevent undesirable changes through environmental and education policies. Hinesjeffrey et al. (2013) consider climate education to be a major challenge. For example, the mitigation of climate change requires an understanding of climate change as a multidisciplinary phenomenon that must be considered in addition to the natural sciences, at least from the perspective of the social sciences, engineering, economics and education. This mitigation requires individuals to have a wide range of competences, such as creative and critical thinking and socioemotional skills (Hestness, 2015).

192-206

Authors: Busra Cengiz-Istanbullu, Gonul Sakiz

For long years, researchers in the field believed that the development of self-regulated learning (SRL) behaviors of students could only be initiated around middle school years. Nowadays, a growing number of research around the world attempt to challenge this belief by demonstrating that SRL behaviors and strategies can emerge in students at an earlier age than expected through proper training and eventually affect students’ positive academic outcomes in the learning process. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the use of self-regulated learning strategies (SRLS) on fourth-grade students’ academic self-efficacy, science motivation, academic worry, and achievement in a primary school science classroom. A pre-test – post-test control group quasi-experimental design was used. The participants were 39 fourth-grade students from a private primary school in Istanbul, Turkey. The SRLS (goal-setting, planning, note-taking, monitoring and self-evaluation) used in the study were explicitly taught to the students in the experimental group. The data were collected using two self-report questionnaires and an achievement test. A 2x3 Split-plot ANOVA test was used for data analyses. The results revealed that the use of SRLS significantly positively impacted students’ perceived academic self-efficacy, science motivation and academic achievement; and, significantly negatively affected their academic worry. The results of the retention tests, however, showed the necessity of continuous stimulation of SRLS to obtain optimal benefits for student outcomes.

224-231

Authors: Aleksandar Janković, Dragan Lambić

The application of student response systems could have a lesser effect on the science education of younger students compared to the effects achieved with older students in language and social science courses. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of the application of Kahoot and Quizizz on the academic achievement of third grade primary school students (9 years old) in a natural sciences course. A total of 113 third grade primary school students participated in this research. During the experimental phase which lasted 4 weeks, the participants were divided into three groups. Out of two experimental groups one group used Kahoot as a learning aid, while the other used Quizziz. The third group was the control group. At the beginning and at the end of the experimental phase, the participants were given an academic achievement test. The results of this research showed that the experimental group which used Kahoot for learning the content of the natural sciences course achieved significantly higher results in the post-test than the control group. There were no significant differences in the academic achievement of the group which used Quizizz and the other two groups. This result indicated that Kahoot could be used effectively as a learning aid in third grade primary education in the field of natural sciences.

245-257

Authors: King-Dow Su

This research conceived multivariate learning concepts and aimed at the implementation of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) life learning of face recognition, self-driving, and robots’ situational issues into problem-based learning (PBL) in natural science. This research put forward problem-solving and group cooperation in which students worked together to complete learning tasks from encountering problems to planning problem-solving. All 127 participants engaged in this research from the Hungkuo Delin University of Technology in Taiwan. 7 experts helped construct the content validity, construct validity, and reliability through instrument developments of 5 open-ended test questions and 31 learning attitude items. The statistical analyses revealed that those students improved their scientific cognitive skills of problem-solving by quantitative analyzes and presented their logical reasoning and activation ability by qualitative ones. In addition, the descriptive statistical analysis of learning attitude revealed that students had positive thinking attributes for the application of cross-disciplinary PBL and AI new knowledge. These findings had implications for the AI cognitions with PBL educational environment to increase innovation in the classroom. Pedagogical suggestions presented that students’ learning growth in the environment requires long-term cultivation to exhibit significant learning outcomes in the future.

275-287

Authors: Eser Ültay

Metaphors are expressions that are frequently used in people's minds to explain concepts with other unrelated concepts and have a personal emphasis on learning. The purpose of this study is to determine and interpret the metaphorical perceptions of primary school pre-service teachers towards environmental pollution. The "phenomenology" research design was used in this study. The study group of this research consists of a total of 372 primary pre-service teachers. Data were collected using semi-structured forms to determine the metaphorical perceptions of primary school pre-service teachers. The pre-service teachers were asked to complete the sentence, "Environmental pollution is like... because....". At the conclusion of multiple comparisons, by the relation degree between environmental pollution and its metaphors, it was determined that significant difference was in favour of the 2nd year between the 2nd and 4th years and in favour of the 3rd year between the 3rd and 4th years. As a result of the research, it was discovered that the majority of the metaphors produced by the pre-service teachers were in the "human" and "harmful/dangerous/uncomfortable situations" categories. Furthermore, the study discovered that as the year level increased, the number of related metaphors about environmental pollution decreased.

305-324

Authors: Hongjun Xing, Yanfang Zhai, Sisi Han, Yuping Zhao, Wenhui Gong, Yuting Wang, Jing Han, Qiaoyi Liu

Problem solving is considered one of the most critical competencies for life. However, many students may perform well in school yet cannot transfer the skills they learned in school to solve real-world problems, especially in science education. This study discusses the characteristics of the problem from the physics education perspective, based on Problem Representation Theory, and proposes a new type of problem: The Primitive Physics Problem. Moreover, the significance and contribution in promoting students' physics problem-solving ability, both theoretical and empirical, are described. Then the study develops a set of instruments that was tested on 811 students in 12th grade from 10 upper-secondary schools in China. The results showed that the new instrument had good reliability and validity. The promising application in the instruction of the Primitive Physics Problem and in measuring upper-secondary school students' problem-solving ability of the instrument is discussed.

342-344

Authors: Editorial Board

End, Vol. 21, No. 2, 2022, JBSE

1-2

Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 21, No. 1, 2022, JBSE

4-6

Authors: Uladzimir Slabin

A lot has been researched on and published about applying analogies in teaching science. The content being complex, often abstract, and difficult for understanding, analogy comes as an effective tool to catch the essence. In brief, using an analogy for explanation of something unfamiliar new, we take something familiar old and establish connections between the two (Sarantopoulous & Tsaparlis, 2004).

26-37

Authors: Bo Chen, Lijun Chen, Xianhua Meng, Minjie Yan, Miaomiao Shen

Teachers’ practical knowledge is closely related to teaching practice. The purpose of this research was to develop an instrument for assessing upper-secondary school science teachers’ perceived practical knowledge about practical work. The development of this instrument was based on five components in the conceptual framework of PCK about practical work: orientations of practical work, knowledge of curriculum materials in practical work, knowledge of students in practical work, knowledge of educational strategies for practical work, and knowledge of assessment in practical work. After the questionnaire was developed, 636 Chinese upper-secondary school science teachers participated in this research voluntarily. The results from exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis and confirmatory factor analysis provided sufficient evidence for the construct validity of instrument. The high Cronbach coefficient indicated that the instrument had good internal consistency reliability. Finally, an instrument with six factors and 25 items was documented. The instrument would benefit science teacher educators and researchers.

52-68

Authors: Linda Honskusová, Karel Vojíř, Martin Rusek

Ability to adequately analyze educational situations is essential not only for (pre-service) teachers’ occupational decisions, but also for their own professional development. This study represents an evaluation of the observation practice aimed at pre-service chemistry teachers’ (N = 12) professional vision development. They attended chemistry classes in schools, discussed them in a group and independently wrote their reflections. The effect on the professional vision was evaluated using a self-efficacy questionnaire, lesson reflections analyses and semi-structured interviews. The results showed that pre-service teachers significantly overestimated their ability to reflect on lessons, struggled with lesson analyses, failed to describe and analyze chemistry-specific content in contrast with their significant improvement in describing student-teacher interaction and teacher’s activity – all with medium to large effect. Although observation practice deepened their ability to notice, pre-service teachers did not change attention to individual lesson’s aspects. Lesson observation therefore seems to be a suitable means of professional vision development from the richness of observed phenomena’s point of view, as well as students’ self-efficacy improvement, however more research in several aspects is needed to further inform (pre-service) teacher training practice.

84-107

Authors: Bekir Yıldırım, Ahmet Tayfur Akcan, Erdinç Öcal

This study addressed teachers’ perceptions of the effect of online teacher professional development programs (OTPDPs) on their professional development. This five-month study focused on four aspects of OTPDPs: (1) Teachers' perceptions on OTPDPs, (2) the impact of OTPDPs on lesson planning, (3) the impact of OTPDPs on STEM teaching, and (4) the impact of OTPDPs in STEM education on teacher employment. The sample consisted of 36 teachers. An OTPDP tailored to STEM education was designed to help participants develop professional skills. This study adopted a qualitative type of research, which was a single case study.” Data were collected through interviews, videotapes, and lesson plans. The data were analyzed using content analysis. Participants had positive perceptions about OTPDPs. They stated that the OTPDP helped them plan and teach STEM better and gain pedagogical and content knowledge. It also allowed them to acquire technological self-efficacy. They also noted that OTPDPs helped teachers develop the skills that would make them more likely to be employed in the future. The results indicate that technological self-efficacy and Internet access are of paramount importance for effective OTPDPs.

121-139

Authors: Mingyu Li

The topic ‘photosynthesis’ contains many intangible and abstract scientific concepts, regarding which students hold many preconceptions. Conceptual learning is a process of co-creation and flow that requires the teachers’ higher educational level on conceptual teaching. The present research considers photosynthesis as an example. Results of Ball's 2008 research on teachers' content knowledge for teaching served as the theoretical framework. In total, 30 biology teachers from 11 lower-middle schools in a medium-sized city in China were selected as the research objects. The conceptual learning achievements of 1442 students taught by those teachers were used as a yardstick, and two sets of self-designed questionnaires were used to demonstrate, describe, and discuss these elements and their current state in the teachers' mind and determine influencing factors. According to the results, except for the knowledge of concept and student element, all the other three elements attained the passing level. Specifically, the level of common concept knowledge was relatively high, but this element had not attained the perfect level. A scope for improvement was observed for the other three conceptual knowledge elements. No significant difference in the knowledge elements level was observed among the teachers from different schools.

156-170

Authors: Danxia Xing, Chun Lu

The main purpose of this research was to explore the key factors influencing secondary school students’ computational thinking skills within the smart classroom environment. Data were collected from 420 students in 4 secondary schools in B city, China. The optimal fitting results of the structural equation model showed that internet attitudes, internet self-efficacy, and internet use are the key factors directly related to students’ computational thinking skills. Furthermore, there are indirect effects between students’ attitudes towards the internet and computational thinking skills through internet self-efficacy and internet use as mediators. These internet-related characteristics were confirmed to be significantly associated and simultaneously affected their computational thinking skills. After reviewing and reflecting on the research conclusions, this study proposed several measures to improve secondary school students’ computational thinking skills while taking into account the complicated interplay of internet psychology and behavior characteristics.