National Science Education Standards

Science and Engineering Practices that connect to garden-based education (all 8): • Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering) • Developing and using models • Planning and carrying out investigations • Analyzing and interpreting data • Using mathematics and computational thinking • Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering) • Engaging in argument from evidence • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Next Generation Science Standards

An inquiry-based integrative STEM education approach was implemented in two fourth grade Elementary Education classes, in Spain, through a module on simple machines. The viability of this science education model in the official Spanish curriculum and its influence on students’ attitudes towards science and learning of STEM subjects has been studied through an adapted Test of Science Related Attitude scale, achievement tests, and teachers’ interviews. Students participating in the integrative STEM project reported significantly more favourable attitudes toward science than students from traditional classrooms. Although attitude scale and achievement test results seem to show that an integrative STEM education may be feasible in 4th grade of the Spanish elementary education, interviews revealed reluctance among teachers to use integrative STEM education and more directive instructions on implementing such an educational model are demanded. Implications for science education and future studies are discussed.

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The Effect of Integrative STEM Instruction on Elementary Students’ Attitudes toward Science

Worldwide studies have revealed an important issue in that an increasing percentage of students within the X – Y age group are not interested in science. Many students, especially females, have negative feelings and attitudes toward science, which discourages them from continuing with scientific inquiries. There are limited studies related to the factors predicting school students’ attitude toward science; therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the relationships among the seventh grade elementary students’ attitudes toward science, their learning approaches, motivational goals, science achievement and students’ nature of science (NOS) views. The questionnaires for this study were administered online to 3,598 seventh grade students in different regions and cities of Turkey. The convenience sampling method was used in this study. The correlation results revealed the positive relationship between attitude toward science and the other variables. Multiple regression analysis indicated that while students’ meaningful learning, self-efficacy, and nature of science views have a positive contribution, rote learning contributed negatively to the model. The findings also showed that parents’ income and education level had a significant effect on students’ attitude toward science.

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Elementary School Students’ Attitude toward Science and Related Variables

What Research Says to the Science Teacher.

This study focuses on two main issues concerning changes in student attitudes toward science study and their perceptions of its usefulness in their lives. Information has been gathered concerning how student attitudes toward science have changed for teachers and schools not involved with any funded professional development project. Pretesting and posttesting were administered with such “control” groups at the same intervals corresponding with the data collected from students with teachers enrolled in five funded Professional Development projects over the 1981–2008 interim. The grade levels used by the National Assessment of Education Progress in their 1977 assessment of science were used; it focused on students in grades 3, 7, and 11. The results indicate a steady decline in student positive attitudes concerning their science study as grade levels increase. Conversely, the student perceptions of the usefulness of their science study as related to daily living, further science study, and for potential careers remained much the same over the 30-year interim is a second focus. Generally, results indicate that traditional teaching and major use of textbooks cause increasingly negative student attitudes about science while not producing major changes in their perceptions of its usefulness in their lives.

Changes in Student Attitudes Regarding Science When Taught by Teachers Without Experiences With a Model Professional Development Program

The purpose of this study is to determine the features of creativity which K-12 students display in STS (Science-Technology-Society) classrooms vs. those found in non-STS classrooms of interest, too, is how students in STS and Control classrooms differ in terms of questions posed and collected from interviews with students concerning creativity. A pre-test post-test experimental design was used in this study. The sample consisted of 463 K-12 students enrolled in STS classes and 386 K-12 students in non-STS classes. Videotapes and notes from direct observations were reviewed in terms of eight features of creativity. Interviews of a random sample of students revealed major differences of student views concerning creativity in STS and Non-STS classrooms. Interviews with a sample of students regarding creativity features were more highly developed in students who experienced science in STS classrooms.

Differences between Students in STS and Non-STS Classrooms Regarding Creativity

Creativity can be described in ways that improve school science. A year-long workshop series offered designs to illustrate changes in teaching used for improving student learning. A research panel was formed to observe changes in the use and understanding of creativity by students in classrooms taught by teachers participating in year-long workshops designed for that purpose. Comparisons included observations at the beginning of the school year (October) and again near the close of the year (April) to indicate student learning involving the use and understanding of six facets of creativity. The focus was on middle school teachers and students. Results with teachers were statistically positive.

http://www.k12stemeducation.in.th/journal/article/download/41/pdf

Features of Creativity that Improve Student Science Learning

The purpose of this study is to compare changes in attitudes of students about their study of biology in the classes thought by five biology teachers who experienced an Iowa Chautauqua workshop with and two non-Chautauqua teachers who had no experience with any professional development program. The results indicated that there are significant differences in student attitudes in favor with students of the five biology teachers who experienced of a full year of experiences an Iowa Chautauqua workshop.

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Mohamed Moustafa Ali

Papers

Changes in Student Attitudes Regarding Science When Taught by Teachers Without Experiences With a Model Professional Development Program

Differences between Students in STS and Non-STS Classrooms Regarding Creativity

Features of Creativity that Improve Student Science Learning

Successes with Reversing the Negative Student Attitudes Developed in Typical Biology Classes for 8th and 10th Grade Students.