This book features 35 of best papers from the 9th European Science Education Research Association Conference, ESERA 2011, held in Lyon, France, September 5th-9th 2011. The ESERA international conference featured some 1,200 participants from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe as well as North and South America offering insight into the field at the end of the first decade of the 21st century. This book presents studies that represent the current orientations of research in science education and includes studies in different educational traditions from around the world. It is organized into six parts around the three poles (content, students, teachers) and their interrelations of science education: after a general presentation of the volume (first part), the second part concerns SSI (Socio-Scientific Issues) dealing with new types of content, the third the teachers, the fourth the students, the fifth the relationships between teaching and learning, and the sixth the teaching resources and the curricula.

This state-of-the art research handbook provides a comprehensive, coherent, current synthesis of the empirical and theoretical research concerning teaching and learning in science and lays down a foundation upon which future research can be built. Structured to highlight recent trends in the field, the volume is organized around five themes: *Science Learning; *Culture, Gender, and Society and Science Learning; *Science Teaching; *Curriculum and Assessment in Science; and *Science Teacher Education The contributors, all leading experts in their research areas, represent the international and gender diversity that exists in the science education research community. Each chapter presents an integrative review of the research on the topic it addresses—pulling together the existing research, working to understand the historical trends and patterns in that body of scholarship, describing how the issue is conceptualized within the literature, how methods and theories have shaped the outcomes of the research, and where the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps are in the literature. Chapters conclude with implications for practice and proposed agendas for future research. As a whole, the Handbook of Research on Science Education demonstrates that science education is alive and well and illustrates its vitality. It is an essential resource for the entire science education community, including veteran and emerging researchers, university faculty, graduate students, practitioners in the schools, and science education professionals outside of universities.

Socio-scientific issues (SSI) are open-ended, multifaceted social issues with conceptual links to science. They are challenging to negotiate and resolve, and they create ideal contexts for bridging school science and the lived experience of students. This book presents the latest findings from the innovative practice and systematic investigation of science education in the context of socio-scientific issues. Socio-scientific Issues in the Classroom: Teaching, Learning and Research focuses on how SSI can be productively incorporated into science classrooms and what SSI-based education can accomplish regarding student learning, practices and interest. It covers numerous topics that address key themes for contemporary science education including scientific literacy, goals for science teaching and learning, situated learning as a theoretical perspective for science education, and science for citizenship. It presents a wide range of classroom-based research projects that offer new insights for SSI-based education. Authored by leading researchers from eight countries across four continents, this book is an important compendium of syntheses and insights for veteran researchers, teachers and curriculum designers eager to advance the SSI agenda.

This book brings researchers from across the world to share their expertise, experience, research and reflections on science education in India to make the trends and innovations visible. The thematic parts of the book discuss science education: overviews across K-16 levels; inclusivity and access for underrepresented and marginalized sections; use of innovations including technology in the teaching; and implications for research, practice, innovation and creativity. The book should be of special interest to researchers, school administrators, curriculum designers and policymakers. A timely compilation for current and future generations of academic researchers, teachers and policymakers who are interested in examining the issues facing one of the largest education systems in the world. The book offers unique insights into contemporary topics such as girls in STEM subjects, curriculum reform and developing a generation of future creative thinkers. -Professor Vaille Dawson, The University of Western Australia, Australia. It provides a panorama of challenges in a country of more than 1.3 billion people, 50% being below the age of 25 years. The book arrives at a time in which there are discouraging trends, including a decrease in funding for education. The book chapters are centred on issues that warrant debate to foster awareness of the roles of science education in India and priorities and possibilities for expanding horizons on the road ahead. -Professor Kenneth Tobin, The City University of New York, New York, USA.

This edited volume discusses major issues in present-day science and technology education (STE). It is divided into three thematic sections: philosophical foundations and curriculum development; sustainable development, technology and society; and the learning sciences and 21st century skills. Section I examines the history and future of STE curriculum development, along with specific issues within this dynamic area. Section II explores sustainable development in three important aspects: economic development, social development, and environmental protection. Section III covers the 21st century skills that are of overarching importance to the success of learners in school and the world of work. Anchoring each chapter is an assemblage of veteran science and technology education specialists selected from across the world. The book’s target is a worldwide audience of undergraduate / post-graduate students and their teachers, as well as researchers. This book’s exploration of the ever-increasing advances in STE and its narrative writing style will be of interest to a broad range of readers.

In contemporary society, science constitutes a significant part of human life in that it impacts on how people experience and understand the world and themselves. The rapid advances in science and technology, newly established societal and cultural norms and values, and changes in the climate and environment, as well as, the depletion of natural resources all greatly impact the lives of children and youths, and hence their ways of learning, viewing the world, experiencing phenomena around them and interacting with others. These changes challenge science educators to rethink the epistemology and pedagogy in science classrooms today as the practice of science education needs to be proactive and relevant to students and prepare them for life in the present and in the future. Featuring contributions from highly experienced and celebrated science educators, as well as research perspectives from Europe, the USA, Asia and Australia, this book addresses theoretical and practical examples in science education that, on the one hand, plays a key role in our understanding of the world, and yet, paradoxically, now acknowledges a growing number of uncertainties of knowledge about the world. The material is in four sections that cover the learning and teaching of science from science literacy to multiple representations; science teacher education; the use of innovations and new technologies in science teaching and learning; and science learning in informal settings including outdoor environmental learning activities. Acknowledging the issues and challenges in science education, this book hopes to generate collaborative discussions among scholars, researchers, and educators to develop critical and creative ways of science teaching to improve and enrich the lives of our children and youths.

Publishes original articles on the latest issues and trends occurring internationally in science curriculum, instruction, learning, policy and preparation of science teachers with the aim to advance our knowledge of science education theory and practice.

This book reviews the current state of theoretical accounts of the what and how of science learning in schools. The book starts out by presenting big-picture perspectives on key issues. In these first chapters, it focuses on the range of resources students need to acquire and refine to become successful learners. It examines meaningful learner purposes and processes for doing science, and structural supports to optimize cognitive engagement and success. Subsequent chapters address how particular purposes, resources and experiences can be conceptualized as the basis to understand current practices. They also show how future learning opportunities should be designed, lived and reviewed to promote student engagement/learning. Specific topics include insights from neuro-imaging, actor-network theory, the role of reasoning in claim-making for learning in science, and development of disciplinary literacies, including writing and multi-modal meaning-making. All together the book offers leads to science educators on theoretical perspectives that have yielded valuable insights into science learning. In addition, it proposes new agendas to guide future practices and research in this subject.

Science Education: A Global Perspective is ‘global’ both in content and authorship. Its 17 chapters by an assemblage of seasoned and knowledgeable science educators from many parts of the world seek to bring to the fore current developments in science education and their implications. The book thus covers a wide range of topics in science education from various national and international perspectives. These include the nature of science, science and religion, evolution, curriculum and pedagogy, context-based teaching and learning, science and national development, socially-responsible science education, equitable access for women and girls in science and technology education, and the benefits of science education research. It ends on an optimistic note by looking at science education in 50 years’ time with a recommendation, among others, for stakeholders to take the responsibility of preparing children towards a blossoming science education sector in an anticipated future world. This book is suitable for use by discerning researchers, teachers, undergraduate and postgraduate students in science education, and policy makers at all levels of education. Other educationalists and personnel in science and technology vocations will also find it interesting and useful as the reader-motivated approach has guided the presentation of ideas. Science Education: A Global Perspective is a rich compendium of the components of science education in context, practice, and delivery. Dr Bulent Cavas, Professor of Science Education, Dokuz Eylul Univerity, Buca-Izmir, Turkey/President-Elect, International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE) This book will be of immense relevance for current and future global strides in training and research in science education. Surinder K. Ghai, Chairman, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India This book provides a refreshing insight into the current status and future direction of science education. It will be very useful to researchers, those pursuing undergraduate and post-graduate courses in science education, and all other personnel involved in the policy and practice of science education. Dr. Bennoit Sossou, Director/Country Representative, UNESCO Regional Office in Abuja, Nigeria

This book discusses the scope of science education research and practice in Asia. It is divided into five sections: the first consists of nine chapters providing overviews of science education in Asia (China, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Oman, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand). The second section offers chapters on content analysis of research articles, while the third includes three chapters on assessment and curriculum. The fourth section includes four chapters on innovative technology in science education; and the fifth section consists of four chapters on professional development, and informal learning. Each section also has additional chapters providing specific comments on the content. This collection of works provides readers with a starting point to better understand the current state of science education in Asia.