This book project poses a major challenge to Japanese science education researchers in order to disseminate research findings on and to work towards maintaining the strength and nature of Japanese science education. It also presents a unique opportunity to initiate change and/or develop science education research in Japan. It provides some historical reasons essential to Japanese students’ success in international science tests such as TIMSS and PISA. Also, it helps to tap the potential of younger generation of science education researchers by introducing them to methods and designs in the research practice.

This book aims to highlight science education in countries along the Belt and Road. It consists of 30 chapters divided into three main parts, namely Arab and African countries, Asian countries and European countries,. We invited science education experts from 29 “Belt and Road” countries to introduce the current status of science education in their countries and the new requirements with the rapid evolution of Information Technology. The major contributions of this book include: 1) Provide the current status of science education in countries along the Belt and Road as well as the requirement for developing and improving science education in these countries; 2) Discuss new insights of science education in future years; 3) Inspire stakeholders to take effective initiatives to develop science education in countries along the Belt and Road.

Consistent with international trends, there is an active pursuit of more engaging science education in the Asia-Pacific region. The aim of this book is to bring together some examples of research being undertaken at a range of levels, from studies of curriculum and assessment tools, to classroom case studies, and investigations into models of teacher professional learning and development. While neither a comprehensive nor definitive representation of the work that is being carried out in the region, the contributions—from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand—give a taste of some of the issues being explored, and the hopes that researchers have of positively influencing the types of science education experienced by school students. The purpose of this book is therefore to share contextual information related to science education in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as offering insights for conducting studies in this region and outlining possible questions for further investigation. In addition, we anticipate that the specific resources and strategies introduced in this book will provide a useful reference for curriculum developers and science educators when they design school science curricula and science both pre-service and in-service teacher education programmes. The first section of the book examines features of science learners and learning, and includes studies investigating the processes associated with science conceptual learning, scientific inquiry, model construction, and students’ attitudes towards science. The second section focuses on teachers and teaching. It discusses some more innovative teaching approaches adopted in the region, including the use of group work, inquiry-based instruction, developing scientific literacy, and the use of questions and analogies. The third section reports on initiatives related to assessments and curriculum reform, including initiatives associated with school-based assessment, formative assessment strategies, and teacher support accompanying curriculum reform. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315717678, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

This edited volume is the premier book dedicated exclusively to marine science education and improving ocean literacy, aiming to showcase exemplary practices in marine science education and educational research in this field on a global scale. It informs, inspires, and provides an intellectual forum for practitioners and researchers in this particular context. Subject areas include sections on marine science education in formal, informal and community settings. This book will be useful to marine science education practitioners (e.g. formal and informal educators) and researchers (both education and science).

Examines ways in which beliefs and values interact with science and science teaching

The core practice of professional scientists is inquiry, often referred to as research. If educators are to prepare students for a role in the professional scientific and technological community, exposing them to inquiry-based learning is essential. Despite this, inquiry-based teaching and learning (IBTL) remains relatively rare, possibly due to barriers that teachers face in deploying it or to a lack of belief in the teaching community that inquiry-based learning is effective. Comparative Perspectives on Inquiry-Based Science Education examines stories and experiences from members of an international science education project that delivered learning resources based around guided inquiry for students to a wide range of schools in 12 different countries in order to identify key themes that can provide useful insights for student learning, teacher support, and policy formulation at the continental level. The book provides case studies across these 12 different settings that enable readers to compare and contrast both practice and policy issues with their own contexts while accessing a cutting-edge model of professional development. It is designed for educators, instructional designers, administrators, principals, researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and students seeking current and relevant research on international education and education strategies for science courses.

A discourse on women’s leadership within science education has, until now, been largely invisible in book form. This, therefore, is the first book to address women’s leadership within science education. The book embraces relational ways of knowing as a foundation for leadership and takes courageous steps by exposing our innermost tensions, dilemmas, and feelings about leadership, making them available to others. The power/promise of feminine approaches to transform traditional leadership cultures is also addressed. The authors believe that anyone can lead, regardless of position, title, years of experience or age. They also believe that each of us has a responsibility to provide some leadership and direction for the shared endeavours of which we are part. The purpose of the book is to inspire and guide educators and academics in K-16 science education, as well as individuals in other professions, as their leadership skills develop. The leadership activities provided offer guidance and/or concrete ways to delve into issues of leadership.

This engaging and practical volume looks at discourse strategies and how they can be used to facilitate and enhance science teaching and learning within the classroom context, offering a synthesis of research on classroom discourse in science education as well as practical discourse strategies that can be applied to the classroom. Focusing on the connection between research and practice, this comprehensive guide unpacks and illustrates key concepts on the role of discourse in students’ thinking and learning based on empirical analysis of real conversations in a number of science classrooms. Using real-life classroom examples to extend the scope of research into science classroom discourse begun during the 1990s, Kok-Sing Tang offers original discourse strategies as explicit methods of using discourse to engage in meaning-making and work towards a specific instructional goal. This volume covers new and informative topics including how to use discourse to: Establish classroom activity and interaction Build and assess scientific content knowledge Organize and evaluate scientific narrative Enact scientific practices Coordinate the use of multimodal representations Building on more than ten years of research on classroom discourse, Discourse Strategies for Science Teaching and Learning is an ideal text for science teacher educators, pre-service science teachers, scholars, and researchers.

Now fully updated in its third edition, Science Learning, Science Teaching offers an accessible, practical guide to creative classroom teaching and a comprehensive introduction to contemporary issues in science education. Aiming to encourage and assist professionals with the process of reflection in the science classroom, the new edition examines the latest research in the field, changes to curriculum and the latest standards for initial teacher training. Including two brand new chapters, key topics covered include: the science curriculum and science in the curriculum planning and managing learning learning in science – including consideration of current ‘fads’ in learning safety in the science laboratory exploring how science works using ICT in the science classroom teaching in an inclusive classroom the role of practical work and investigations in science language and literacy in science citizenship and sustainability in science education. Including useful references, further reading lists and recommended websites, Science Learning, Science Teaching is an essential source of support, guidance and inspiration all students, teachers, mentors and those involved in science education wishing to reflect upon, improve and enrich their practice.