Search Results (37)

This entry describes high school science course taking in the United States (U.S.). High school science course taking refers to the selection, enrollment, and completion of science-related coursework during grades nine through twelve. It encompasses both the timing, quantity, and the rigor (or level of challenge) of science courses. Science course taking in high school includes both foundational or core courses like biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental science. Students may also take advanced science courses such as Advanced Placement (AP), (International Baccalaureate (IB), career and technical education (CTE) or applied, and dual credit or dual enrollment science courses. Some advanced courses meet core course requirements (e.g., AP Physics). This entry focuses on core science course taking, and the distinction between core or advanced core is beyond its scope. A discussion of CTE and dual credit or dual enrollment science course taking is also beyond the entry’s scope. The significant variability in core high school science course taking and historic unequal distribution of opportunities highlights the need for ongoing monitoring of factors influencing course taking to promote equity in access and outcomes. This entry presents a brief history of standards and graduation requirements surrounding high school science course taking, then briefly reviews science course pathways classifications and current trends in course enrollment and completion. A review of current trends in the context of historical developments can help the high school science education policy and practice field take stock of some of the factors that influence current patterns. The entry is written with a lens towards broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and equity. Full article

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development focuses on ensuring a healthy environment for present and future generations by avoiding risks associated with consumption, exploitation of natural resources and pollution. Maintaining an environmentally aware society to address hydrosphere environmental problems requires environmental literacy, which should be continuously improved through environmental education. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of integrating hydrosphere environmental problems into chemistry lessons through an online workshop, comparing students’ achievements and their situational and individual interest before and after participating in the workshop. Altogether, 145 students from seven Slovenian lower secondary schools participated in the study. Three-tier achievement tests assessed students’ knowledge about hydrosphere environmental problems before and after the workshop, while 15-item and 10-item questionnaires measured individual and situational interest. Results showed that 42.1% of students achieved more than half of the points on the preliminary achievement test, while following the workshop, 61.5% of students achieved better results on the achievement post-test. Students struggled to understand the chemical structures of pollutants and their effects on the hydrosphere. No significant differences in results on the post-test and delayed achievement test were identified, but high individual and situational interest positively influenced students’ results on all achievement tests. Full article

Collaborative problem-solving (CPS) skills are recognized as an essential aspect of 21st-century skills and STEM education. This study investigates the CPS skills of high school students from Germany and China within the context of chemistry. A total of 594 students, aged 15, were selected, comprising 249 females and 345 males. The German participants were drawn from five public high schools in Berlin, while the Chinese participants were selected from two high schools in Zhejiang. The assessment tool, developed based on the PISA frameworks and refined through pilot testing, was used to assess students’ CPS skills. The study found that Chinese students significantly outperformed their German counterparts in CPS tasks, exhibiting higher average scores and more consistent performance levels. Gender differences were also noted, with female students in both countries outperforming males. The analysis highlighted cultural influences on education, with the collectivist culture in China fostering stronger CPS skills compared to the individualistic tendencies in Germany. These findings suggest that cultural and gender differences need to be taken into account when developing and improving CPS skills. Future research will explore additional factors influencing CPS skills, such as student interest and motivation, to further understand and improve educational practices globally. Full article

Ambitious approaches to science teaching feature collaborative learning environments and engage students in rich discourse to make sense of their own and their peers’ ideas. Classroom assessment must cohere with and mutually reinforce these kinds of learning experiences. This paper explores how teachers’ enactment of formative assessment tasks can support such an ambitious vision of learning. We draw on video data collected through a year-long investigation to explore the ways that co-designing formative assessments linked to a learning progression for modeling energy in systems could help teachers coordinate classroom practices across high school physics, chemistry, and biology. Our analyses show that while there was some alignment of routines within content areas, students had differential opportunities to share and work on their ideas. Though the tasks were constructed for surfacing students’ ideas, they were not always facilitated to create space for teachers to take up and work with those ideas. This paper suggests the importance of designing and enacting formative assessment tasks to support ambitious reform efforts, as well as ongoing professional learning to support teachers in using those tasks in ways that will center discourse around students’ developing ideas. Full article

The empowerment of educational reform and innovation through AI technology has become a topic of increasing interest in the field of education. The advent of AI technology has made comprehensive and in-depth teaching evaluation possible, serving as a significant driving force for efficient and precise teaching. There were few empirical studies on the application of high-quality precision teaching models in the field of compulsory education, and the learning difficulty of technology and the teaching burden on teachers have become significant factors hindering the use of technology to support education. This study analyzed teaching models from the perspectives of teachers’ teaching burdens and students’ learning obstacles, and was committed to relying on intelligent technology to construct a new precision teaching model, an educational diagnosis–feedback–intervention path that covered the entire teaching process, from the dimensions of teacher behavior, student behavior, and parent behavior, aiming to assist teachers in efficient teaching and students in personalized learning. This study was conducted with nine science classes, including about 540 people in the second year of high school at a Middle School in China; six classes were the intervention groups while the last three classes were control groups, and a survey of 19 teachers from the intervention classes was carried out. The results showed that this model can significantly improve students’ academic performance in science subjects, especially in mathematics and chemistry. It has increased the proportion of high-achieving students, reduced the proportion of low-achieving students, stimulated students’ self-directed learning ability, cultivated a positive attitude towards science learning, and explained the key points of using a precision teaching model in different disciplines. It has achieved a deep integration of education and technology, helping to increase the efficiency and reduce the burden of teaching. Full article

The objective of this study is the development of innovative nanocurcumin-based formulations designed for the treatment and prevention of oxidative stress and diabetes. Nanocurcumin was obtained through a micronization process and subsequently encapsulated within biopolymers derived from corn starch and fenugreek mucilage, achieving encapsulation rates of 75% and 85%, respectively. Subsequently, the encapsulated nanocurcumin was utilized in the formulation of sugar-free syrups based on Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. The stability of the resulting formulations was assessed by monitoring particle size distribution and zeta potential over a 25-day period. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) revealed a particle size of 119.9 nm for the fenugreek mucilage-based syrup (CURF) and 117 nm for the corn starch-based syrup (CURA), with polydispersity indices PDIs of 0.509 and 0.495, respectively. The dissolution rates of the encapsulated nanocurcumin were significantly enhanced, showing a 67% improvement in CURA and a 70% enhancement in CURF compared with crude curcumin (12.82%). Both formulations demonstrated excellent antioxidant activity, as evidenced by polyphenol quantification using the 2.2-diphenyl 1-pycrilhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. In the evaluation of antidiabetic activity conducted on Wistar rats, a substantial reduction in fasting blood sugar levels from 392 to 187 mg/mL was observed. The antioxidant properties of CURF in reducing oxidative stress were clearly demonstrated by a macroscopic observation of the rats’ livers, including their color and appearance. Full article

The Periodic Table of the Elements of Green and Sustainable Chemistry (PT-GSC) represents a potentially meaningful tool for teaching and learning Green Chemistry. However, there is a lack of studies exploring the application of the PT-GSC in educational contexts. To contribute to filling this gap, a qualitative and participant approach was developed to examine the effects of using the PT-GSC in a high school setting, with a focus on analyzing the associated challenges and opportunities. Over a five-week period, 23 high school students enrolled in a chemistry course at a public school in Brazil worked in small groups to develop solutions for a case study addressing socio-scientific issues related to water scarcity in the local region using elements from the PT-GSC. Results from both the pre- and post-questionnaires, along with the written case study resolutions, provide evidence of the students’ knowledge gains, particularly in critical scientific literacy for Green and Sustainable Chemistry Education. The findings showed that the PT-GSC is an interdisciplinary tool for introducing students to Green Chemistry concepts within the broader societal and scientific ecosystem. The implementation of novel case studies incorporating elements from the PT-GSC is a way to support our ongoing work with students and the public, contributing to a sustainable future. Full article

Convergence education, driven by compelling or complex socio-scientific problems, is an approach to bring cultural relevance into secondary STEM education. National trends show the need to increase the STEM workforce by leveraging educational research and innovative practices within the secondary level to increase student interest prior to graduating high school. We introduced CReST (Culturally Relevant STEM) in a US high school pilot study. Student participants included 276 Chemistry students and 19 World History I students. The study also engaged four (4) high school teachers in chemistry and social studies with the challenge of cultural heritage conservation through the lens of the (physicochemical) life cycle of mural paintings in Europe. Teachers were provided with (1) professional development; (2) a digital curriculum; and (3) modular kits for hands-on learning. The research focused qualitatively on the experiences from the teacher and students as well as quantitatively to assess whether there was an increase in student academic performance. We found a statistically significant gain with respect to Chemistry (4.0%) and World History (13.4%) content. Students and teachers responded with overwhelming positivity in individual and focus-group interviews. This amplifies the further need of convergent educational approaches in high school STEM education to enhance engagement and increase student learning. Full article

In this paper, a distinction is first made between environmental, sustainable, and green chemistry; the last two are then examined in relation to the more general problem of environmental education. A brief historical digression on the Science, Technology, and Society movement attempts to dissect reasons why chemistry is seen by the general public as a problem, not as a decisive resource for the realization of the ecological transition. Although sustainable and green chemistry can be decisive in overcoming the insularity of chemical disciplines in high school, it is not well-embedded in educational practices. This situation is slowly changing thanks to the implementations of systems thinking in teaching practice, showing interconnections between the molecular world and sustainability. Historical and epistemological studies provide an all-encompassing framework for the relationship between chemistry and the environment in a broad sense, giving a solid foundation for educational projects. Specific operational goals can help chemical educators in supporting real learning, as well as an examination of the fundamental axes of sustainable and green chemistry, according to the criteria of Scientific and Technological Literacy. Finally, the results of some research carried out in secondary school are presented. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the interdisciplinary-systemic approach in teaching chemistry as well as in guiding future green careers and reducing the gender gap, preparing high school students in the best possible way to face the challenges of an increasingly interconnected and complex world. Full article

This paper examines the impact of supervised laboratory instruction (SLI) on grade 12 students’ understanding of acid–base and solution chemistry topics in the context of Ethiopian secondary schools. A mixed-methods research design was employed, with a purposive sampling of 160 secondary students from six schools in Northwest Ethiopia. The students were divided into two groups: an experimental group (n = 76) and a control group (n = 84). The experimental group attended sessions that were designed based on self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies with SLI, and the control group attended regular instruction designed by the course teacher. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected to explore the impacts of the experimental and control lessons on improving students’ conceptual understanding and motivation. Descriptive and inferential statistics (for the quantitative data)and reflexive thematic analysis(for the qualitative data)were employed to analyse the data. The findings showed that the SLI-SRL teaching approach for the experimental group resulted in a significantly higher conceptual understanding of the selected chemistry topics than the regular instruction for the control group. In addition, participants from the experimental group indicated that the SLI approach enhanced their motivation towards chemistry. These findings suggest that improving high-school students’ motivation and their conceptual understanding of chemistry requires paying attention to the lesson design. Full article

Mechanisms are part of the high school curriculum in many countries. Although research shows that university students struggle with mechanistic reasoning, very little is known about learning mechanisms in high school. Understanding the cognitive resources that high school students intuitively activate is critical to fostering meaningful learning. A readily available tool for modeling dynamic processes are stop-motion animations (SMAs). In this study, 55 high school students were asked to create SMAs of their intuitive ideas of nucleophilic substitution reactions. In a second step, the students evaluated two pre-made SMAs modeling the textbook-based stepwise (S_N1) and concerted (S_N2) mechanisms. Within the student-generated SMAs, S_N1- and S_N2-like mechanisms were equally distributed; after viewing the textbook-style animations, most students rated an S_N2 mechanism as more likely. However, no group modeled both types of mechanisms or reasoned that both mechanisms were possible. Students used diverse chemical concepts as well as plausibility in their reasoning. However, simultaneous movement of atoms, conformational changes, and the idea of competing and boundary mechanisms do not seem intuitive. In conclusion, SMAs were found to be an appropriate tool for activating, analyzing, and discussing students’ resources “on the fly”, and these ideas can serve as a starting point for promoting productive mechanistic reasoning. Full article

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), culture provides the transformative dimension for ensuring the development process of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As one of the key drivers in the implementation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, culture ensures a people-centered and context-relevant approach that cuts across a range of policy areas and, thus, in the context of quality education promotes the development of human resources for cultural and environmental sustainability. It is in this context that we report on a study aimed at developing students’ cultural identity and supporting the younger generation in preserving their cultural heritage, whilst learning chemistry concepts at the same time. The culturally responsive transformative teaching (CRTT) model served as a theoretical framework for the research to engage students in culture-based, high school chemistry learning by utilizing specially designed ethnochemistry texts that highlighted the relationship between cultural values and chemistry concepts. Case studies were conducted within the interpretive research paradigm and involved 149 students from four high schools in four Indonesian provinces, namely Banten, west Java, Bangka Belitung, and south Sumatra. In particular, we were interested in understanding how well students engage in this innovative transformative learning model, designed to educate them about cultural sustainability. We generated data by means of students’ reflective journals, semi-structured interviews with students, and classroom observations. In general, the results from the research strongly suggest that students involved in cultural identity reflection, engaged in cultural-based chemistry learning, explored cultural heritage through a chemistry lens, applied social etiquette and ethics, and developed cultural heritage preservation awareness. These are important aspects of cultural sustainability. The results imply that culturally responsive chemistry education has great potential for educating students and empowering them as conservationists of Indonesian culture. Further research on empowering students on cultural sustainability with other ethnochemistry topics within Indonesian cultural contexts is needed to further investigate the CRTT model’s broader efficacy. Full article

Particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 (PM_2.5) is one of the major threats posed by air pollution to human health. It penetrates the respiratory system, particularly the lungs. In northern Thailand, the PM_2.5 concentrations have significantly increased in the past decade, becoming a major concern for the health of children. This study aimed to assess the health risk of PM_2.5 in different age groups of children in northern Thailand between 2020 and 2029. Based on the PM_2.5 data from the simulation of the Nested Regional Climate Model with Chemistry (NRCM-Chem), the hazard quotient (HQ) was used to estimate the possible risk from PM_2.5 exposure in children. In general, all age groups of children in northern Thailand will tend to experience the threat of PM_2.5 in the future. In the context of age-related development periods, infants are at a higher risk than other groups (toddlers, young children, school age and adolescents), but adolescents also have a lower risk of exposure to PM_2.5, albeit maintaining a high HQ value (>1). Moreover, the analysis of risk assessment in different age groups of children revealed that PM_2.5 exposure might indeed affect adolescent risk differently depending on gender, with males generally at a heightened risk than females in adolescence. Full article

The topic of safety in chemistry laboratories in schools is crucial, as severe accidents in labs occur worldwide, primarily due to poorly trained individuals and improper behavior. One reason for this could be that the topic is often dry and boring for students. One solution to this problem is engaging students more actively in the lesson using a game format. In this publication, we present an augmented-reality-supported exit game in the form of a laboratory rally and the results of a pilot study that examined the use of the rally in terms of technology acceptance and intrinsic motivation. The study involved 22 students from a general high school. The study results show a high level of technology acceptance for the augmented reality used, as well as good results in terms of the intrinsic motivation triggered by the lesson. Full article

Spectroscopy is the basis of many applications in chemistry; however, the basic principles of light, light–matter interaction, and the operation of spectrophotometers are rarely present in chemistry curricula at the high-school level, or they are only briefly introduced to students before focusing on analytical chemistry applications. In this work, we report the results of a study conducted over several years, aimed to design, optimise, and put into practice a didactic sequence on light phenomena such as reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction, and light dispersion, as well as the basic principles of ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and spectroscopic instruments. Difficult concepts of light phenomena and related topics were deeply investigated, focusing on the best ways to teach them to high-school students in the framework of the content-specific components identified in the topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge theoretical model. Inquiry-based learning and interactive STEM laboratory activities were combined with a historical epistemological teaching method. Short introductory videos were also recorded to help students during the remote lessons in the COVID-19 pandemic period. In this paper, we report and discuss the research strategy used in order to design and implement the sequence of educational activities, leading to a final optimised didactic sequence that was tested in a pilot study. The main results were obtained from the experimentation with several classes in two high-school technical institutes with a chemistry and material sciences curriculum, along with a group of undergraduate students during the first part of an introductory course on molecular spectroscopy. Full article