Journal of Science Education and Technology最新文献

In the early years, it has become essential to support the acquisition of computational thinking, which is seen as a 21st-century skill and new literacy. A valid and reliable measurement tool is needed to develop and evaluate educational practices related to these skills. TechCheck is a validated unplugged assessment of computational thinking skills for young children. (Relkin & Bers in IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON) in 2021 (pp. 1696–1702), 2021; Relkin et al. in Journal of Science Education and Technology 29(4):482–498, 2020). This study aims to adapt and characterize a Turkish version of TechCheck-K for children aged 5–6. Validity and reliability of the Turkish version were established through classical test theory and item response theory, as had been done for the original English language version. Based on classical test theory, the confirmatory factor analysis used A tetrachoric weighted matrix to test the instrument’s structure. The one-dimensional structure of the instrument was verified. The KR-20 reliability coefficient for the scale consisting of one dimension and 15 items was .87, which is considered an acceptable level of reliability. Rasch and 2PL models were compared with M2 statistics to determine the item and test parameters based on item response theory (IRT). The 2PL model was chosen as the best fit. Mean TechCheck scores differed based on gender, socio-economic status, past exposure to computers, and coding experience. These results indicate that the Turkish version of TechCheck-K has acceptable psychometric properties for measuring computational thinking skills in children between 5 and 6 years of age.

Involving students in laboratory and inquiry-based activities can help them understand the concepts of physics. However the learning process should not only focus on the concepts. Moreover, the advantages of using virtual or physical labs are still under examination. The purpose of this study is to analyse which of the two modes (virtual or physical) is the most effective for high-school students, in terms of conceptual understanding and attitudes. The criteria for this comparison are (a) the contribution of these two modes to the improvement of conceptual understanding and (b) the students’ attitudes towards both modes of laboratory. The participants were high-school students of 3rd grade in two different groups. For the purpose of the study, four educational scenarios were created: two in the field of Mechanics and two in that of Electricity. The study revealed no statistically significant difference regarding students’ experimenting in either lab mode. Moreover, students’ attitudes towards both virtual and physical labs were similarly positive. We assume that these results may contribute to a broader perspective on choosing the lab mode when designing activities, given the fact that both the understanding and attitudes of the students are similar in the cases examined. Thus, the final choice of modality should be based on other factors, such as the adequacy of equipment, the educational conditions (e.g. distance education) and the specific learning goals set by the teacher.

Issues-based science education represents a suite of approaches for science teaching and learning that prioritizes contextualization of learning experiences in real-world issues that are societal problems. These approaches have grown in prominence in terms of research and classroom applications over the last decade, but issues-based teaching remains challenging and has not been fully realized in educational settings. The gap between the positive potential of issues-based science education and the reality of science learning spaces creates opportunities for innovation. The purpose of this special issue is to explore ways in which educational technologies can be used to promote innovations that narrow this gap. This introduction to the special issue offers a brief overview of how technologies could be used to enhance issues-based teaching and summarizes trends that emerge across the seven articles that make up the special issue.