Virtual Reality

The diversity of learners within education is neither linear nor constant. Educators are challenged to be responsive and understanding when encouraging learners to construct meaning while adhering to stringent standards. The objective of this study is to integrate science standards into authentic learning experiences, created in both a traditional teaching method and virtual reality (VR) platform, for 8th grade middle school students in Lafayette, Louisiana. The authentic experiences were based on oral histories of the residents of Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana, who have lost 98% of their ancestral homeland since 1955. These experiences were then tied to the National Science Standards (8-MS-ESS1-4, 8-MS-ESS2-2, and 8-MS-ESS3-1). The students were split into two groups and given either a PowerPoint or VR experience, both having the same content. The researchers tracked engagement, focus, interest, and how important the students thought the content was. Using an experimental approach, the researchers also gave a pre- and posttest to determine if the VR experience resulted in better academic learning than a regular, PowerPoint-based lecture. The students were also asked to comment on their experience of the PowerPoint versus the VR and describe what their experience.

Getting to “Know” STEAM

This chapter describes the evolution of an arts-integrated approach to science curriculum inquiry which has been evolving since the 1990s—before the national science standards, the acronym STEM, much less STEAM, appeared across educational horizons. It reads as ethnography and has been performed in community, in association with the most caring of souls, with the goal of achieving a more inclusive/empowering, aesthetic science education, and a deep appreciation of the importance of the creative arts in the science learning process. It presents two research-based iterations of STEAM education in practice: 1) the creation of arts-integrated middle school ocean science curricula and 2) the development of a pedagogical tool called the “Know”tation as a way for teachers and students to make learning visible and integrate the languages of science throughout the process of inquiry. The cases described here apply many features of the STEAM model developed in Chapter 2 of this book.

Using Asynchronous Online Discussion in the 7-12 Science Classroom

In the age of post-secondary courses being moved to an online format, the use of asynchronous online discussion (AOD) is at an all-time high. However, though universities are using this method of discussion, K-12 educators are only beginning to explore it. This chapter examines the advantages of 7-12 teachers using AOD in science classrooms, how it aligns with national science standards, the theoretical framework, and explores one manuscript found about a high school science teacher using AOD. The subject of pendulum motion is selected, and each component of the 5E model is described, and potential AOD questions are written for the 5E model pertaining to pendulum motion. Tips and best practices are then discussed for writing AOD questions for science, and further implications described of using this model in 7-12, including a pilot program, creating a prototype model for 7-12, and curbing potentially emotionally charged argumentation devoid of credible evidence.

Getting to “Know” STEAM

This chapter describes the evolution of a personalized, arts-integrated approach to science curriculum inquiry which has been evolving since the 1990s—before even the national science standards, the acronym STEM, much less STEAM, appeared across educational horizons. It reads as ethnography and has been performed in community, in association with the most caring of souls, with the goal of achieving a more inclusive/empowering, aesthetic science education and a deep appreciation of the importance of the creative arts in the learning process. It presents two research-based iterations in STEAM education in practice: 1) the creation of arts-integrated middle school ocean science curricula and 2) the development of a pedagogical tool called the “Know”tation as a way for teachers and students to make learning visible and integrate the languages of science throughout the process of inquiry. The cases described in this chapter apply many features of the STEAM model developed in Chapter 1 of this book.

Assessing the Life Science Knowledge of Students and Teachers Represented by the K–8 National Science Standards

We report on the development of an item test bank and associated instruments based on the National Research Council (NRC) K–8 life sciences content standards. Utilizing hundreds of studies in the science education research literature on student misconceptions, we constructed 476 unique multiple-choice items that measure the degree to which test takers hold either a misconception or an accepted scientific view. Tested nationally with 30,594 students, following their study of life science, and their 353 teachers, these items reveal a range of interesting results, particularly student difficulties in mastering the NRC standards. Teachers also answered test items and demonstrated a high level of subject matter knowledge reflecting the standards of the grade level at which they teach, but exhibiting few misconceptions of their own. In addition, teachers predicted the difficulty of each item for their students and which of the wrong answers would be the most popular. Teachers were found to generally overestimate their own students’ performance and to have a high level of awareness of the particular misconceptions that their students hold on the K–4 standards, but a low level of awareness of misconceptions related to the 5–8 standards.

Science in Your Own Backyard: Using Locally Abundant Caterpillars & Plants to Teach about Herbivory

National science standards require an understanding of animal behavior, diversity, and adaptations of organisms, as well as the concept of science as inquiry. We have developed a hands-on classroom activity that addresses these standards through teaching about herbivory and diet breadth, using locally abundant caterpillars and plants. This activity provides students with opportunities for careful observation, data collection and analysis, and development of testable hypotheses for further experimentation. The lesson can be adapted to different grade levels, with students taking on varied levels of responsibility for formulation of hypotheses, experimental design, data collection, and data analysis.