Emory-Tibet Science Initiative: Changes in Monastic Science Learning Motivation and Engagement During a Six-Year Curriculum

Led by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the initiative taken by the Tibetan Buddhist monastic community to connect with western science and scientists presents a unique opportunity to understand the motivations and engagement behaviors that contribute to monastic science learning. In this study, we draw on quantitative data from two distinct surveys that track motivations and engagement behaviors related to science education among monastic students. The first survey was administered at one monastic university in 2018, and the second follow-up survey was completed by students at two monastic universities in 2019. These surveys assessed the reception of science education related to motivations among monastics and their demonstration of engagement-with-science behaviors. We also tested for variation over time by surveying students in all years of the science curriculum. We identified that monastic students are motivated by their perception that studying science has an overall positive effect and benefits their Buddhist studies, rather than negatively affecting their personal or collective Buddhist goals. In accordance with this finding, monastics behave in ways that encourage fellow scholars to engage with science concepts. Survey responses were disaggregated by years of science study and indicated changes in motivation and engagement during the six-year science curriculum. These insights support the relevance of considering motivation and engagement in a novel educational setting and inform ongoing work to expand the inclusiveness of science education. Our findings provide direction for future avenues of enhancing exchange of knowledge and practice between Buddhism and science.

Development of INoSIT (Integration Nature of Science in Inquiry with Technology) Learning Models to Improve Science Literacy: A Preliminary studies

Has successfully created the INoSIT learning paradigm to increase students' science literacy competency. This design aims to integrate information and communication technology (ICT) with inquiry and nature of science (NoS) models to teach scientific literacy to junior high school students using a multi-representation method. The BSCS 5E model (Involvement of Biological Science Curriculum Study, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation) and the IBL model (Investigation-based learning) have many phases whose implementation requires many processes. So, the INoSIT model is designed to simplify multiple phases or sub-phases. As a result, IBL (inquiry-based learning) is ineffective and inefficient in terms of learning time. It is also challenging to teach scientific literacy of abstract concepts using this method. The study employs a descriptive analysis method in conjunction with a literature review pattern. The INoSIT model with the syntax Eliciting, Hypothesis, Testing Hypothesis, Elucidation, and Reflection was created from the results of the investigation of the weaknesses of the BSCS 5E (Biological Science Curriculum Study Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation) and the IBL (Inquiry-based learning) models. To construct students' knowledge of literacy and the study is anticipated to contribute to creativity, originality, and the development of a proclivity for inquiry and research

Children’s University: How Does It Make a Difference?

Last five decades have witnessed the comprehensive growth of science education around the world as the science is regarded as the major tenets of innovation and economic growth. Various extant studies on science education have concentrate on how to deliver and put the science in both curriculum and classrooms. However, there are rarely researches on the evaluation of the science curriculum and its impact on the scientific skills. Likewise, despite the science curricula being implemented from the 2009 onward in Ankara Children’s University, they have not yet been evaluated so far. This is the why it is essential for the evaluation of them due to the changes in the national science curricula and technological developments. This study aims at evaluating to update, change, or reform the science curricula in terms of learning objectives, content, learning activities, and the evaluation. Utilizing the mixed method, the study group was composed of 1,218 participating children and nine science educators. Program evaluation and semi-structured interview forms were developed to collect the data. Then, the QUAN&QUAL data were analyzed by the programs. The findings are as the followings: the curricula meet the expectations of children and help them to learn something new and to develop the skills to use in daily lives. Moreover, the top three things mostly liked are the play-based activities, learning something new and learning further about animals. Science educators have mentioned that children’s sense of curiosity, their active participation, and questions throughout the enactment of the science curricula made them happy.

Lessons Learned from Clinical and Translational Science Faculty and Student Survey as COVID-19 Pandemic Continues to Shift Education Online

Introduction As the pandemic continues with new variants emerging, faculty and students require support with education's rapid shift to the virtual space. The Mayo Clinic Center for Clinical and Translational Science curriculum team works closely with faculty to support a smooth transition to offering graduate courses in a virtual learning environment. The aim of the present project was to explore faculty and student perceptions of these remote learning strategies to gain an understanding of the innovations required to improve future educational offerings. Methods All faculty and learners involved in nine Clinical and Translational Science courses in spring 2020 were invited to participate in a web-based questionnaire. Quantitative analysis was performed on closed-ended items, including 5-point Likert-scale questions used to assess the range of views. Qualitative free-text responses were independently analyzed for repetitive themes and summarized. Additionally, comparisons of faculty and course evaluations and student grade point averages (GPAs) from the in-person courses and their subsequent virtual course offerings were considered. Results Survey results indicated several positive impacts with moving courses into the virtual environment, including increased accessibility as well as more student-centered education. Learners joining from sites outside of the originating campus were especially grateful for the virtual classroom because they felt newly integrated within classes. Faculty and course evaluations, as well as student GPAs, remained consistent. Conclusion New COVID-19 variants continue to shift education online, and innovative ideas are required to further improve future virtual course offerings. Increased engagement is warranted, both from faculty to incorporate activities designed specifically for a virtual classroom, and from students to increase participation by activating their microphones and webcams. Greater opportunities for global involvement and connectedness arise. Finally, this project advocates for adequate eLearning staffing to support quality online education as the need for pedagogical and technical provision continues.

The Integration of 21st-Century Skills in Science: A Case Study of Canada and the USA

This comparative study examines the extent to which the 21st-century skills are integrated into the 4th and 8th-grade public school science curriculum in Canada in relation to that of the United States of America (USA) by analyzing the 4th and 8th grade Common Framework of Science Learning Outcomes of Canada and the 4th and 8th grade Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) of the United States in relation to the 21st-century skills as listed by the Applied Educational System (AES). The results predicted a huge economic decline of the United States in the nearest future in contrast to that of Canada if an intervention is not instituted.

Animal industry survey: The importance of technical and soft skills, coursework, and extracurricular activities on the success of undergraduates entering animal industries

A survey instrument was developed to inquire about the skills and experiences needed to be successful in an entry-level position within an animal industry. The instrument called upon industry representatives to rank the importance of skills, experiences, and coursework as they relate to success. A five-point scale was used for ranking (1=not important, 2=somewhat important, 3=moderately important, 4=very important, 5=extremely important). Industry representatives ranked personal and team-based soft skills as the most important skills related to success. Animal science coursework and hands-on animal handling and welfare experiences also ranked very high. Non-animal science coursework, agricultural business skills, collegiate experiences, and scientific/laboratory skills were ranked the lowest in terms of importance, but rankings of these categories still fell in the moderately important range. These rankings indicate the need for well-rounded students that have gained technical and personal skills throughout their collegiate education. This also signals a need for projects, writing assignments, and hands-on animal-related activities that promote development of soft skills within the animal science curriculum.

Identifying knowledge important to teach about the nervous system in the context of secondary biology and science education–A Delphi study

Teaching about the nervous system has become a challenging task in secondary biology and science education because of the fast development in the field of neuroscience. A major challenge is to determine what content to teach. Curricula goals are often too general to guide instruction, and information about the nervous system has become overwhelming and diverse with ubiquitous relevance in society. In addition, several misconceptions and myths are circulating in educational communities causing world-wide confusion as to what content is correct. To help teachers, textbook authors, and curricula developers in this challenging landscape of knowledge, the aim of the present study is to identify the expert view on what knowledge is important for understanding the nervous system in the context of secondary biology and science education. To accomplish this, we have conducted a thematic content analysis of textbooks followed by a Delphi study of 15 experts in diverse but relevant fields. The results demonstrate six curriculum themes including gross anatomy and function, cell types and functional units, the nerve signal, connections between neurons, when nerve signals travel through networks of neurons, and plasticity in the nervous system, as well as 26 content principles organized in a coherent curriculum progression from general content to more specific content. Whereas some of the principles clarify and elaborate on traditional school biology knowledge, others add new knowledge to the curriculum. Importantly, the new framework for teaching about the nervous system presented here, meets the needs of society, as expressed by recent international policy frameworks of OECD and WHO, and it addresses common misconceptions about the brain. The study suggests an update of the biology and science curriculum.

Assessing student desire for professional skills development within the undergraduate science curriculum: a focus on teamwork

Professional skill development has emerged as an increasingly important facet of undergraduate training, specifically within science curricula. The primarily agreed upon professional skills for a well-rounded scientist include teamwork, oral communication, written communication, and quantitative skills. The demand for these skills has been driven by employers and graduate/professional schools. To this end, instructors in higher education have begun to integrate professional skill development into their course design and student learning goals. However, the attitudes of students towards the importance of different professional skills, the inclusion of these skills in their coursework, level of improvement and end confidence has yet to be thoroughly characterized. It was the aim of this study to ascertain students' desire for the aforementioned professional skills within their undergraduate science programs by exploring student perceptions of professional skills inclusion, importance, improvement, and confidence and identify the local courses students recognize as utilizing "teamwork activities." Here we detail these attitudes in biomedical science undergraduates at Michigan State University. By using the Science Student Skills Inventory (SSSI), a previously validated assessment tool, we observed differences in student perceptions of professional skills when compared to previous SSSI studies. We also observed significant differences in attitudes between age groups with respect to writing and communication skills, differing perceptions of what constitutes teamwork, as well as gender differences regarding communication and ethical thinking. Our results give valuable insight into student perspectives on how professional skills are developed in their program. These data may inform curriculum development within and across institutions.