Teacher Preparation Resources

NSTA Press Book

Click here to view video of Wild Wonderings Let your curiosity run wild! This lively book will inspire you to ask questions like scientists do. Why? Because questions can lead you to amazing discoveries. Like what? Like when theoretical physicist ...

Journal Article

Movies have long been used for teaching in undergraduate science courses. However, embedding movie references (EMR) in science videos is a new trend. This study explored how EMR in YouTube science videos might affect the nature of comments and the pr...

Journal Article

Mixed results have been reported on the correlation between clickers and performance. This study investigates the usage of clickers in a voluntary context. Scores on an internal chemistry placement exam were used to estimate cognitive ability, as a f...

Journal Article

Gateway science courses are an ongoing obstacle to recruitment into STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Students come to these courses with a high cognitive load, making success in the course challenging. Instructional de...

Journal Article

A study was done at a mid-sized public university in the Midwest of the United States. At this university, there are three large classes taught in Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies (SCALE-UP) classrooms: algebra...

Journal Article

While hands-on activities are important in science, students must have the opportunity to process the ideas and information that stem from those activities. Minds-on science activities, such as literacy integration, support making connections between...

Journal Article

The flipped classroom is a relatively new innovation in teaching middle school science; however, students often struggle with taking notes that provide metacognitive cues and reinforce understanding. This paper describes the structure of a flipped mi...

Journal Article

Focus on Physics...

Journal Article

Students’ academic performance improves when they use active study methods and discussion of study strategy efficacy can impact students’ choice. Faculty often employ mid-semester wrappers to encourage student reflection on their study habits, so...

Journal Article

Out of school informal learning environments provide an excellent experience for students to develop scientific curiosity and critical thinking skills. Currently, there is a range of methods available for supporting STEM learning. As schools focus on...

Journal Article

Metacognition is often described as the awareness and regulation of learning. It uses strategies which include monitoring one’s own thinking, engaging in active planning and self-evaluating one’s study habits. Bloom’s taxonomy can be used as a...

Journal Article

Helping students to understand complex processes is one of the core challenges in teaching biology courses. Concept mapping is a flexible pedagogical method that enables students to learn the complexities of a given subject while at the same time be...