Distributing Epistemic Functions and Tasks - A Framework for Augmenting Human Analytic Power With Machine Learning in Science Education Research

Machine learning has become commonplace in educational research and science education research, especially to support assessment efforts. Such applications of machine learning have shown their promise in replicating and scaling human-driven codes of students’ work. Despite this promise, we and other scholars argue that machine learning has not achieved its transformational potential. We argue that this is because our field is currently lacking frameworks for supporting creative, principled, and critical endeavors to use machine learning in science education research. To offer considerations for science education researchers’ use of ML, we present a framework, Distributing Epistemic Functions and Tasks (DEFT), that highlights the functions and tasks that pertain to generating knowledge that can be carried out by either trained researchers or machine learning algorithms. Such considerations are critical decisions that should occur alongside those about, for instance, the type of data or algorithm used. We apply this framework to two cases, one that exemplifies the cutting-edge use of machine learning in science education research and another that offers a wholly different means of using machine learning and human-driven inquiry together. We conclude with strategies for researchers to adopt machine learning and call for the field to rethink how we prepare science education researchers in an era of great advances in computational power and access to machine learning methods.

Strategies for the Development and Application of Research Frameworks in Sciences Education Research

Recent research in social sciences and education shows that a significant number of studies are neither reproducible nor repeatable. This compromises the validity, reliability and trustworthiness of these studies, as they violate the prescriptions of the nature of science. This lack of validity, reliability and trustworthiness could be due to poorly conceptualized research frameworks, including the conceptual framework and theoretical framework. Additionally, there is an apparent confusion on the difference between the research frameworks and their role in research. The current paper defines the different research frameworks that are used in science education. It also provides systematic strategies for the development and application of research frameworks in science education research. By using these systematic strategies, researchers could enhance the validity, reliability and trustworthiness of their research. Received: 2 August 2021 / Accepted: 18 September 2021 / Published: 5 November 2021

Quantum Physics Education Research over the Last Two Decades: A Bibliometric Analysis

Quantum physics is an essential field of science education research, which reflects the high relevance of research on quantum physics and its technologies all around the globe. In this paper, we report on a bibliometric analysis of the science education research community’s scientific output in the area of quantum physics in the period from 2000 to 2021. A total of 1520 articles published in peer-reviewed physics and science education journals were retrieved from Web of Science and Scopus databases to conduct bibliometric analysis. This study aims to provide an overview of quantum physics education research in terms of scientific production, preferred publication venues, most involved researchers and countries (including collaborations), and research topics. The main findings point to a continuous increase in research output in the field of quantum physics education over the last two decades. Furthermore, they indicate a shift regarding the research foci. While formerly mainly papers on the teaching of quantum physics content were published, recently, an increase in the relevancy of empirical studies on the teaching and learning of quantum physics can be observed.

How Undergraduate Students Learn Atmospheric Science: Characterizing the Current Body of Research

Educators can enrich their teaching with best practices, share resources, and contribute to the growing atmospheric science education research community by reading and participating in the scholarship of teaching and learning in atmospheric science. This body of scholarship has grown, particularly over the past fifteen years, and is now a sizable literature base that documents and exemplifies numerous teaching innovations in undergraduate atmospheric science education. This literature base benefits the entire atmospheric science community because graduates of atmospheric science programs are better prepared to enter the workforce. This literature base has not yet been examined, however, to see how well the evidence supports education practices in the atmospheric science education literature. In this study, we characterized that evidence and show that the majority of papers we reviewed share education innovations with anecdotal or correlational evidence of effectiveness. While providing useful practitioner knowledge and preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of numerous innovative teaching practices, opportunities exist for increasing readers’ confidence that the innovations caused the learning gains. Additional studies would also help move conclusions toward generalizability across academic institutions and student populations. We make recommendations for advancing atmospheric science education research and encourage atmospheric science educators to actively use the growing body of education literature as well as contribute to advancing atmospheric science education research.

Chemistry and Racism: A Special Topics Course for Students Taking General Chemistry at Barnard College in Fall 2020

Science education research has shown that systemic racism, microaggressions, and unwelcoming or unsupportive climates disproportionally impact the ability of some individuals to flourish in chemistry. In order to help students taking general chemistry learn about the impact of systemic racism in chemistry and to provide them with a venue to discuss this issue, a special seminar-style course was created. This relatively low intensity course successfully created a space for intense conversation, reflection, increased understanding of some of the aspects of racism in chemistry, and the impetus for institutional change. A description of the course, along with student opinions, and co-facilitator reflections, are presented.

Chemistry and Racism: A Special Topics Course for Students Taking General Chemistry at Barnard College in Fall 2020

Science education research has shown that systemic racism, microaggressions, and unwelcoming or unsupportive climates disproportionally impact the ability of some individuals to flourish in chemistry. In order to help students taking general chemistry learn about the impact of systemic racism in chemistry and to provide them with a venue to discuss this issue, a special seminar-style course was created. This relatively low intensity course successfully created a space for intense conversation, reflection, increased understanding of some of the aspects of racism in chemistry, and the impetus for institutional change. A description of the course, along with student opinions, and co-facilitator reflections, are presented.