Search Results (181)

This study analyzes formative research as a pedagogical resource for teaching scientific logic in higher education from a constructivist perspective. The purpose of the article is to examine how formative research contributes to the development of scientific reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical skills among university students through active, reflective, and contextually grounded learning processes. The study is an exploratory narrative/documentary literature review. The initial bibliographic search identified 105 scientific documents published between 2000 and 2025 in indexed databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, Taylor & Francis, MDPI, ResearchGate, Redalyc, and RENATI. After duplicates were removed and inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, 54 studies were selected for the final analysis. A two-way documentary analysis matrix was used to identify conceptual relationships among constructivism, reflection-in-action, mental representations, induction and deduction, and their contributions to scientific logic. The findings show that formative research strengthens scientific logic by promoting active knowledge construction, critical reflection, problem-solving, and argumentative reasoning. The contributions of Piaget, Vygotsky, Bruner, Schön, and Fosnot demonstrate that scientific thinking develops through interaction, inquiry, contextualized learning, and reflective practice. Inductive and deductive reasoning were also identified as complementary mechanisms for developing analytical and interpretive competencies in university education. The study proposes that formative research should be considered a central pedagogical strategy in higher education because it facilitates the integration of scientific reasoning, reflective learning, and research-based teaching. Finally, an operational formative research program based on a holistic student development approach is proposed to foster scientific reasoning, intellectual autonomy, and the formation of more critical, reflective, and scientifically competent university students. Full article

Crafting STEM teaching into meaningful experiences can transform facts into knowledge. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) represents a significant pedagogical disruption, offering novel modalities of engagement with science content, extending beyond passive reception towards enhanced critical inquiry, reflective evaluation, and the cultivation of higher-order thinking skills. This study investigated how 20 Maltese students (mean age 12) adjusted their perceptions and acceptance of IVR when encountering it for the first time in formal STEM education. A quasi-experimental design was employed over six weeks, with data collected through pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. The analytical framework combined the Technological Frames of Reference (TFR) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to capture perceptual snapshots and attitudinal shifts. While IVR initially stimulated enthusiasm, sustained exposure prompted critical reflections on its potential and limitations, particularly in relation to subject relevance, peer communication, and ease of use. Such deliberations are themselves suggestive indicators of reflective engagement. Rather than being demonstrated evidence of cognitive skill development, they are consistent with the early exercise of analytical and evaluative reasoning. These insights underscore the recursive dialog between technology-in-use and user contextualization, revealing how perceptions mature through experience. By examining how young learners engage with emergent technologies, this research highlights education’s role in cultivating adaptability, reflective judgment, and critical thinking capacities—central to innovative pedagogy and support for uncertain futures. Full article

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in cardiac surgery refers to the integration of advanced computational models, such as Large Language Models (LLMs), to automate and enhance clinical decision-making, preoperative risk assessment, and surgical education. In the context of surgical training, it functions as a personalized pedagogical tool that supports various learning activities, ranging from information acquisition and clinical inquiry to procedural practice, while requiring rigorous human oversight to ensure patient safety and clinical accuracy. (1) Background: Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is increasingly integrated into health professions education, offering new opportunities for learning; however, its specific application and pedagogical mapping in high-stakes fields such as cardiac surgery remain underexplored. This systematic review investigates how GenAI is utilized in cardiac surgery and surgical education, aligning these uses with Laurillard’s six learning types. (2) Methods: Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we searched the Web of Science Core Collection for studies on GenAI in cardiac surgery, resulting in 42 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Study quality was appraised using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI). (3) Results: GenAI applications most frequently supported clinical inquiry (93.8%) and practice (68.8%), demonstrating expanding efficiency across commercial and open-source models (including ChatGPT-4o, Gemini AI, and emerging reasoning architectures such as DeepSeek) for knowledge acquisition and medical production. While it significantly improves individualized learning and preoperative assessment workflows, its practical role in Discussion and Collaboration remains heavily underutilized, highlighting a distinct shift toward individualized solo professional workflows. (4) Conclusions: GenAI provides a transformative and scalable approach to cardiac surgical training by offering personalized and accessible knowledge retrieval. However, clinical educators and governance bodies must deliberately balance these immediate productivity benefits with long-term concerns regarding structural “hallucinations,” data verifiability, and the preservation of collaborative competencies within modern multidisciplinary Heart Teams. Full article

The integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in higher education has opened new possibilities for optimizing administrative and academic services, particularly in contexts characterized by high-demand communication processes. Within the framework of service science, this study addresses the challenge of efficiently managing high volumes of email inquiries in a university master’s program, aiming to improve service quality and operational efficiency. The study examines the implementation of GenAI-based assistants, specifically NotebookLM and custom Gem AI assistants, trained in regulatory, curricular, and historical data from the University Master’s in Teacher Training at Rey Juan Carlos University. A mixed analytical approach is adopted, combining elements of data science to quantify efficiency gains and service science to analyze organizational and service-related transformations. The implementation of GenAI assistants contributes to improved response times, enhanced accuracy of information provided, and a reduction in administrative workload. The results suggest that GenAI can support the scalability and quality of academic administrative services when integrated within a structured service framework. However, its effective adoption requires careful consideration of ethical, organizational, and governance dimensions to ensure sustainable and responsible implementation. Full article

This study analyzes the educational and scientific potential of paleogeographic reconstruction as a contextualized geoscience teaching tool within the UNESCO Global Geopark of M’Goun (Central High Atlas, Morocco). It addresses a major limitation of Moroccan geology curricula, which mainly rely on generalized paleogeographic models disconnected from local geological realities and field evidence. The Ouaouizaght sector, characterized by a continuous Jurassic–Cretaceous sedimentary succession and well-preserved Middle Liassic facies, was selected as a representative case study for developing an integrated field-based educational framework. The methodological approach combines cartographic analysis, geological field observations, structural interpretation, and GIS-based spatial synthesis. Field investigations conducted along a northwest–southeast transect enabled the characterization of carbonate platform, slope, and distal hemipelagic environments. Meanwhile, they identified tectonic controls influencing facies organization and basin geometry. The integration of lithostratigraphic, paleoenvironmental, and structural data led to the reconstruction of a coherent paleogeographic model for the western edge of the Central High Atlas during the Middle Liassic. The main target audience of this research is Life and Earth Sciences (LES) teachers, both in initial training and continuing professional development, and indirectly secondary school students. This study highlighted the pedagogical value of combining fieldwork, spatial reasoning, and geological interpretation to support inquiry-based and contextualized geoscience education. Full article

Science process skills (SPS) are a vital component of science education and a prerequisite for engaging in scientific inquiry in the classroom. This study aimed to examine the level of SPS among primary school teachers and to explore possible differences compared with physics teachers as subject specialists. Additionally, the study investigated whether differences in SPS exist among primary school teachers in relation to years of teaching experience. The research was conducted as a quantitative cross-sectional study on a sample of 222 teachers in Croatia (160 primary school teachers and 62 physics teachers). The results indicate that the level of SPS among primary school teachers varies across different domains. Lower levels of achievement were observed in tasks involving the identification of variables, the selection of measuring instruments, and the interpretation of graphical and tabular data. Comparison with physics teachers revealed statistically significant differences in most examined domains, with subject specialists achieving higher levels of performance. However, years of teaching experience did not systematically explain differences in SPS levels. The findings highlight the need for a more systematic development of inquiry-related competencies among primary school teachers within both initial teacher education and professional development programmes. Full article

Project SCORE (Student-Centered Outcomes Research Experiences) is a community-engaged after school science education program designed to address persistent inequities in health, education, and biomedical career access among Mississippi youth. Grounded in youth participatory action research and leveraging near-peer mentoring (NPM), the program engages teens in public health education, research skill development, and mentored inquiry led by undergraduate and graduate health sciences students. Program components include weekly workshops during the academic year and a one-week residential summer campus experience focused on health literacy, scientific thinking, research communication, and college-readiness. An evaluation assessed implementation and short-term outcomes. Pre/post survey data indicate increases in STEM self-efficacy, career interest in STEM careers, and public health communication skills. Students reported strong engagement, belonging, and program satisfaction, and summer participants described an enhanced interest in college and health science careers. The lessons learned highlight the importance of robust NPM support, flexible program adaptation, and strong community partnerships. Early findings demonstrate that Project SCORE is a feasible, acceptable, and replicable model for engaging historically excluded youth in STEM and public health through community-based, student-centered research experiences. Full article

Professional competency frameworks are important for aligning educational outcomes with workforce needs. While multiple frameworks exist across sectors, the underlying research-informed design principles guiding their development remain fragmented. This systematic review synthesises methodological approaches and proposes research-informed design principles used in developing professional competency frameworks across diverse professions, identifying common patterns and informing future framework design. A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 and SWiM guidelines. Searches across major academic databases yielded 3656 records. After screening, 47 studies met inclusion criteria. Data extraction focused on methodological processes and development activities. Thematic analysis was used to generate a set of design principles: (1) Foundational Inquiry and Evidence Gathering; (2) Consensus-Building and Collaborative Validation; and (3) Framework Development and Iterative Refinement. The development of competency frameworks is inherently cyclical, interdisciplinary, and iterative, blending empirical inquiry with collaborative validation. The identified research-informed design principles offer a transferable blueprint applicable across sectors, from healthcare to education and other industries. Thus, it is strongly recommended that future studies use these initial research-informed design principles to inform competency development. The systematic review has been registered with Open Science Framework (OSF). Full article

Addressing climate change requires an understanding not only of science concepts but also the social, economic, and political factors that influence decision making. Thus, this study investigated the development of socio-scientific reasoning related to climate change action. This case study explored the six dimensions of socio-scientific reasoning (complexity, perspective-taking, inquiry, skepticism, affordance of science, and multiple perspective-taking) of twenty undergraduate students as they engaged with decision making about climate action. Data were collected from classroom worksheets reflecting small group decision making and individual student reflections. Data were analyzed using a rubric that categorized the level of students’ socio-scientific reasoning across the six dimensions. These categorizations were further supported by qualitative interpretation of students’ responses. The findings indicate strong performance in complexity and perspective-taking, while inquiry, skepticism, and the affordance of science were less consistently demonstrated. The study contributes to understanding how simulation-based learning can support the development of SSR and highlights the importance of structured pedagogical design in fostering higher order reasoning in climate education. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a significant paradigm of methodology and epistemology in the social sciences. Machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP), and generative models enable researchers to work with big, multimodal datasets, identify complex patterns, and recreate events in the social world in ways that previously were not feasible. At the same time, these innovations also lead to ethical challenges related to algorithmic bias, black boxes, data extractivism, and reinforced structural inequalities in welfare, government services, education, and criminal justice. The article critically questions the social sciences in the light of AI on three dimensions that are inextricably linked, namely: (1) the opportunities that AI provides to social-scientific inquiry; (2) the biases and constraints generated through data, models, and institutional application; and (3) ethical pathways that are necessary for the responsible governance of AI-facilitated research and decision support. The article is based on a scoping, critical thematic review of the recent literature, and its conceptualization of AI as a socio-technical infrastructure is that it produces knowledge and, at the same time, offers power. It explains the impact AI practices have on restructuring disciplines like sociology, psychology, political science, and policy analysis, and how it blindly predicts how data practices, design choices, and governance arrangements can either preserve or destroy existing hierarchies. The paper suggests an analytical framework synthesizing AI practices, social research practices, and governance structures in ethical frameworks. It argues that the emancipatory promise of AI in the social sciences is dependent on the attainment of something beyond principle-based claims of so-called ethical AI by operational governance mechanisms that make systems visible, debatable, and responsible in their respective situations. Full article

The development of critical thinking from an early age is essential in science education, and despite its importance, there is still little research in early childhood education. This exploratory study presents a learning environment around a daily life problem faced by preschoolers, related to the human body and health, carried out through role-play and inquiry, aimed at developing critical thinking within the knowledge application domain in 4-year-old children. The study involved a sample of 9 children from a preschool in Málaga (Spain). Data were collected through observations, dialogues, field notes, and children’s productions. The assessment of progress in the application of scientific knowledge and understanding of science encompassed a comprehensive set of criteria aligned with Bloom’s revised taxonomy. The findings indicate greater progress in the remembering compared to understanding. Specifically, 76.18% of the children reached the achieved level in listing, 72.21% in explaining, 62.50% in relating, and 58.33% in identifying. This suggests that, at early ages, learning environments designed around daily-life health contexts can contribute to the development of certain aspects of critical thinking. Full article

The future of innovation and economic growth depends on our ability to nurture the next generation of scientists. The global shortage of qualified STEM (Science, Technology, engineering, Mathematics) teachers has led many countries to expedite the transition of subject-matter experts from industry and academia into teaching roles. These second-career science student teachers typically participate in accelerated training programs designed to address urgent shortages. This study addresses a gap in the literature regarding effective pedagogical interventions for career-changing professionals in STEM fields, focusing on the experience and transformation of second-career science student teachers. This qualitative case study explores how a Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) course fosters the development of pedagogical competences via developing an instructional unit collaboratively, among five second-career science student teachers enrolled in an accelerated teacher education program. Drawing on data collected through instructors’ field notes, iterative work-in-progress lesson drafts, and reflective final papers, the study employs qualitative content analysis to trace changes in participants’ instructional approaches and professional identity. Findings reveal that engagement with the CBL framework promoted a significant shift from teacher-centered to learner-centered instruction, as participants increasingly integrated collaborative learning, inquiry-based activities, and reflective practices into their lesson planning and classroom teaching. The iterative nature of CBL, which emphasizes real-world problem-solving and structured opportunities for reflection and peer feedback, was instrumental in supporting participants’ adaptive expertise and confidence as novice teachers. Moreover, the course experience contributed to the emergence of a professional teaching identity, with participants reporting greater self-efficacy, a stronger sense of belonging to the teaching community, and increased motivation to persist in the profession. The results underscore the potential of integrating CBL and learning sciences principles into accelerated teacher preparation programs to enhance both cognitive and affective dimensions of teacher development. Full article

Critical thinking (CT) is increasingly recognized as a transversal competence within STEM education, yet it is often addressed implicitly in preservice teacher training. This study analyzes the development of critical thinking in 130 Preservice Early Childhood Education Teachers (PECETs) who, during the 2024–2025 academic year, participated in a training programme designed from a STEM perspective and grounded in scientific inquiry. A mixed-methods approach was used to examine the teaching unit elaborated by PECETs with a rubric that assessed stages of inquiry, as well as to analyze their final reports for evidence of connections between CT and STEM. The findings revealed strong scientific thinking but only superficial links to STEM and CT suggesting progress in participants’ scientific reasoning and analytical and reflective competence. However, evidence of explicit STEM integration and CT justification remained limited. These results confirm the formative potential of inquiry-based STEM education for supporting CT development in early childhood preservice teacher education, while highlighting the need for more explicit scaffolding of inquiry phases, structured reflection opportunities, and collaborative argumentation tasks to strengthen conceptual integration and deepen critical engagement with scientific evidence. Full article

Data science has become central to contemporary social, civic, and professional life, yet its integration into initial teacher education remains fragmented and undertheorised. This paper addresses the need to support teacher educators in designing learning experiences that develop pre-service teachers, who are non-data science specialists, competence in data science. A systematic scoping review of the literature was conducted across major academic databases and complemented by an expert-informed literature identification strategy. The review examined how data science is described conceptually, how it is structured within school curricula and teacher education, and what knowledge and practices are emphasised for teachers. Findings indicate that while core processes and practices of data science, such as problem formulation, data preparation, exploratory analysis, modelling, visualisation, and ethical engagement, are widely recognised, their translation into teacher education is inconsistent and often lacks coherence. In response, the paper presents a conceptual framework designed to support pre-service teachers in engaging with the processes and practices of doing data science. The framework offers a flexible, practice-informed structure that is accessible to non-specialist teachers and aligned with pedagogical decision-making in educational settings. The paper concludes by discussing how the framework, alongside practical considerations for enactment, can support the preparation of data-literate teachers capable of fostering critical, ethical, and inquiry-based engagements with data in schools. Full article

Despite broad consensus on the benefits of inquiry-based science education (IBSE), its implementation remains limited in secondary physics classrooms, partly due to naïve conceptions of the Nature of Science (NoS). This quantitative study characterizes preservice physics teachers’ (N = 26) initial NoS conceptions and views on IBSE at program entry and examines how specific epistemological beliefs relate to perceived implementation barriers in a small, single-institution sample. Using the PTIP and SUSSI instruments in a cross-sectional design, we applied nonparametric analyses with multiple-testing corrections. Participants showed relatively sophisticated conceptions of the tentativeness of scientific theories but naïve misconceptions about the distinction between scientific laws and theories. They strongly endorsed dialogic components of IBSE (discussion, argumentation) yet perceived severe external barriers (time, resources, assessment) and expressed only cautious support for student-designed investigations. Three correlations survived false discovery rate correction: understanding methodological pluralism (rejecting a single universal “scientific method”) was positively associated with both endorsement of inquiry practices and fewer perceived internal barriers, while endorsement of inquiry practices also correlated with lower internal difficulties. Other NoS dimensions showed no robust associations with views on IBSE. These findings suggest that fostering methodological pluralism as “epistemic security,” alongside realistic strategies for inquiry under constraints, should be a priority in teacher education, although the results should be interpreted as exploratory and not statistically generalizable beyond similar contexts without replication. Full article