The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is the most recent reform in science education across the United States. The NGSS demands a shift in both teaching and learning. Yet there is no direction on how teachers are to implement this shift in their classrooms. This mixed-methods study examined 12 middle school teachers’ perceptions and the instructional practices within the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) by using interviews and classroom observations. Findings suggest that there was a shift in instructional practices and a varying degree of implementation of the eight SEPs. The data analysis identified ongoing needs related to specific professional development. The researcher concluded that district leaders and school principals need to provide tangible supports to teachers in order to successfully meet the demands of this new vision of science education.

In recent years, attention to equity and inclusion has rightfully become an essential focus in mathematics education. Given the social nature of mathematics, collaborative learning is one of the instructional strategies with the greatest potential for developing conceptual learning and creative problem-solving, and when facilitated well, has the potential to minimize racial and social biases. However, although the expected outcome of student collaboration is a collective mathematical agency, studies show that for this to happen, it is first necessary to develop among students Collective Mathematics Identity, which are beliefs and dispositions developed by a group of students about their collective ability to participate and operate successfully in a mathematical community through mutual interdependence. Therefore, this study explored how the Complex Instruction components of social norms and small group strategies contributed to developing a community of learners that fosters a Collective Mathematics Identity that supported preservice teachers' collective learning of mathematics. This study employed designed-based research with an ethnographic approach for examining the development of a community of learners. Data collection took place during the course of fourteen weeks in an undergraduate secondary mathematics education content course intended for preservice teachers. The participants were four preservice teachers who sat together during the semester. Data were gathered using video and audio recordings, field notes, and ethnographic interviews. The data gathered were then analyzed using qualitative methods, primarily ethnographic analysis. During this study, participants engaged in mathematical content in connected ways, as well as in team/skill-building activities designed to support social norms for effective communication and collaboration. Through engaging in this study, participants changed their behaviors and dispositions toward small collaborative groups and developed both, a supportive community and a collective mathematics identity among participants. All of the above resulted in deeper and more meaningful learning of mathematics.

Black females have faced unique experiences that impact their mathematical identity. As they continue through teacher preparation programs and transition from student to teacher, it is important to better understand the life experiences of Black females both in and out of educational settings. These life experiences have deeply rooted impacts on their mathematical identities and the ways in which teacher preparation programs might best embrace the unique strengths Black females bring to the teaching workforce and their students and how those strengths can be leveraged to develop their positive mathematical identities as teachers. Two Black female prospective elementary teachers were purposely selected for this study as they will become the teachers of K-5 students who are at the beginning stages of developing their mathematical identity. The mathematical identity of prospective teachers contributes to their dispositions toward mathematics and how they teach their students. Autobiographical videos and interviews served as data sources for this study. Each data source was transcribed into message units. Data were then organized into a chronological timeline of events including the place, plot, and scene for each participant called "stories." Unique themes were developed for each participant to represent the contributions of their life experiences on their mathematical identities. The established themes for the first participant included culture and parent expectations, teachers, academic performance, and helping others. Themes for the second participant included support, positioning in society, and teacher interactions. Through a synthesis, commonalities that existed across participants were explored by comparing the narratives of the two participants. Key findings, implications, and directions for future research were shared.

The USA is at risk of losing its position as a global leader in the space sector because currently students are performing below other space faring nations on international science assessments and are showing declining interest in STEM careers. Recent advancements in the space sector have prompted reform in USA science education that targets improving student academic achievement in science and student interest in pursuing a STEM career. Research on student self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977) has shown positive relationships with student academic achievement in science and STEM career interest; likewise, research has shown a positive relationship between student self-efficacy and teacher self-efficacy. This quasi-experimental study examined the extent to which participation in Giant Moon MapTM enrichment activities affected middle school students' space science self-efficacy and interest in pursuing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers, and if their teachers' space science self-efficacy influenced those two variables. The Giant Moon MapTM enrichment activities included 20 curated space science lessons and the Aldrin Family Foundation's Giant Moon MapTM. Pre- and post-survey data were collected using measurement scales that assessed self-efficacy, academic achievement, and STEM career interest. Multilevel modeling was used for data analysis of pre- and post-surveys of students (n=397 pre, n=244 post) and teachers (n=10). Results of the multilevel models indicated improvement in space science self-efficacy but not in academic achievement or interest in pursuing a STEM career. No statistically significant relationships of the variables of interest were observed between clusters of students. Findings were limited by missing student data, lack of comparison group post-survey participation, and underuse of the Giant Moon MapTM enrichment activities. Discussion of these findings and implications of this research are presented.

This multiple-case study investigated the changes in three secondary science preservice teachers' views of the nature of science (NOS), their beliefs about the importance of NOS, as well as how these changes relate to their NOS teaching at the end of a science methods course guided by the reconceptualized family resemblance approach (RFN). RFN is a conceptual framework that visualizes science as a cognitive-epistemic and socioinstitutional system, and its educational applications have recently begun to be explored. Data sources included the pre and post course RFN Questionnaire (Kaya et al., 2019) and individual interviews, as well as each preservice teachers' lesson plan and teaching video from the end of the semester. Findings showed that there was an overall improvement in preservice teachers' views of NOS and revealed some inconsistencies between the views reflected on the questionnaire compared to those expressed during the interview. One preservice teacher continued to hold misconceptions about scientific theories and laws after the course. Two preservice teachers developed far-reaching beliefs in the importance of teaching NOS that transcend the classroom and were able to implement explicit-reflective NOS instruction at the end of the course. Despite having accurate views and knowledge of effective NOS teaching and professing a belief in the importance of teaching NOS, the third preservice teacher did not enact explicit-reflective NOS instruction at the end of the course. Contributions to the NOS literature were identified. Recommendations were made for further study and implications for research and science teacher education were discussed.

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of preservice elementary teachers (PSETs) in a teacher preparation course and the factors that informed their science teacher identity. The theoretical framework used was phenomenology, and the study addresses under researched undergraduate preservice elementary teachers within teacher preparation courses with no teaching experience. Methods included participant survey, semi structured interviews, and a card sort activity. Analysis was conducted with basic statistical methods for the quantitative data, and coding followed by creating themes for the qualitative data. Findings reveal that the responses (n=28) to an open question survey report 21 PSETs did not identify as science teachers. Further analysis of rich verbal discourse revealed how social markers of participants, through the lens of their positionality, shaped their science teacher identity. This study explored the unconscienced day-to-day events of the participants. Reflective discourse was applied to reveal how sociocultural worlds informed science teacher identity. Reflecting on the science teacher identity phenomenon, one implication of the work is that increasing science content knowledge may not be the only factor that informs professional identity amongst the PSETs. Exploring science teacher identity in teacher preparation courses could increase awareness on how positionality informs professional identities. Studies with more participants are needed as well as future longitudinal studies to determine if science teacher identity informs the quality of science teaching in the K – 5 elementary science classrooms post graduation

This qualitative content analysis research study examined changes made to K-5 state mathematics standards across the United States from 2012 to 2022. This study aimed to answer the research question: In what ways, if any, do K-5 state mathematics standards differ from the CCSSM? This was accomplished through four additional sub questions which include: (1) In what ways, if any, do K-5 state mathematics student process and practice standards differ from the CCSSM? (2) In what ways, if any, do K-5 state mathematics standards content domains differ from the CCSSM? (3) In what ways, if any, do states describe how learning trajectories are addressed in K-5 state mathematics standards? and (4) In what ways, if any, is the relationship between procedural and conceptual learning outcomes represented in K-5 state mathematics standards? Data collection included state mathematics standards documents and any publicly available relevant supporting documents found on state department of education websites. Of the 21 standard revisions from 15 states considered for the study, revisions from six states were selected for coding. From the coding process, themes were developed regarding patterns in changes that occurred in individual states' standards. The most prominent and common themes of changes included the addition of standards (e.g., personal finance, estimation, patterns, statistics, and probability), the merging of domains, the lack of specific evidence to the inclusion of learning trajectories in the development of revisions, and movement away from a balanced approach to learning outcomes. There were no consistencies in changes across all states that were coded. The results from this study can be used to promote consistency for future considerations for states that are revising their standards or to urge the reconvening of a writing committee for a revision of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

Thls study was designed to Investigate the effects of Introducing a process problem solving component to the Middle School mathematics curriculum. The process problem solving component replaced the tradltlona1 tlme spent in clase on drlll and practice, review and skill building problem sets. One hundred sixty-eight seventh grade students and three hundred eighth grade students were involved over a four year period. The problem solving component introduced included huerlstlc Instruction and the development of various strategies including working backwards from answer to solution. reformulating a problem in various ways, thinking of a simpler problem, diagram drawing, pattern discovery and trlal and error. The eoclallzatlon of the classroom and the dynamics involved ls explained in this etudy and viewed as an effective alternative to 'chalk and talk" methods of classroom Instruction. Student wllllngness to become active participants in lea~nlng mathematics and the Increase ln parental involvement In their child's mathematical education are affective constructs throughout the study. The mean differences for the dependent measures were tested for slgnlflcant differences

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