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Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education has become one of the main priorities in the United States. Science education communities and researchers advocate for integration of STEM disciplines throughout the teaching curriculum. This requires teacher knowledge in STEM disciplines, as well as competence in scientific literacy. Since nature of science (NOS) is a critical component of scientific literacy, this study examined teachers' conceptions NOS over a one-year period. Participants included 21 middle school science and mathematics teachers who integrated science and mathematics in their classrooms. We employed two NOS instruments to collect data on participants' NOS conceptions "before" and "after" a one-year online graduate program. This study examined changes in NOS understanding for the group as a whole, between science and mathematics teachers, and whether beginning and experienced teachers differed in their conceptions of NOS. Findings show that the teachers' conceptions of NOS improved significantly after two semesters of explicit, reflective NOS instruction. There was no significant difference between science and math teachers' conceptions of NOS. The notion that science teachers know just as much about NOS as mathematics teachers indicates that science teachers in the U.S. are just as unfamiliar with the nature of science as mathematics teachers. In addition, years of experience did not play a role in the participants? conceptions of NOS. Examination of teachers' conceptions of NOS will help researchers, teacher educators and teacher professional development providers gain insight on ways to develop STEM teachers' conceptions of NOS.

This study analysed the effect of high schools' gender organization on Korean tenth-grade students' science achievements, and their attitudes towards science. The high schools involved included an all-male institution, an all-female institution, and a co-educational institution. Three schools, three principals, three science teachers, and 302 tenth-grade students from their respective school types responded to an initial survey, and eleven academically outstanding students were subsequently interviewed. Also, the students' pencil and paper tests--which included second semester midterms, and final exams containing their general science test scores--were collected from each school. The questionnaire responses and the transcribed interview sections were analysed using One-Way ANOVA, followed by Post Hoc analysis, constant comparison, and content analysis. Results indicated that the male and female students from the co-ed school had significantly higher science achievement and positive attitudes towards science. Interview transcripts of the selected students from the all-male, the all-female, and the co-ed schools confirmed the findings. Later discussion addresses the improvement of the Korean science curriculum, of learning environments, of the teachers' and students' roles in the classroom, and of education policies. (Contains 1 table.)

This study examined the technology use of beginning secondary science teachers and explored factors facilitating or inhibiting their use of technology. The researchers collected and analyzed interviews and observational data from 95 teachers over a 5-year period. The results show that teachers used PowerPoint the most and other software the least over time. This pattern was consistent over the 5 years of observation, increasing in frequency of usage only slightly each year. The use of PowerPoint was statistically significant when compared to the use of lecture and procedural laboratories. One-way ANOVAs yielded several statistically significant results, in that induction treatments, teacher's gender, and SES populations were significantly correlated to the use of technology. This study urges that the value of technology used in science classrooms should be redefined to enhance inquiry-based science teaching and learning. (Contains 3 tables.)

This study explores the impact of a semester-long science methods course examining pre-service elementary teachers' views on the nature of science (NOS). Also examined were NOS characteristics that pre-service teachers incorporated into their science lesson plans and peer teachings, during the course. Data used for this study were obtained from 21 pre-service teachers who participated in the pre/post card exchange game, pre/post VNOS interviews, 5E lesson plans, and peer teaching performances. The results of the study showed that some changes were made as a result of EED 420--such as starting to view science as a data-gathering experimental endeavor, rather than just a theory-driven endeavor. None of the groups explicitly designed or taught their lesson's NOS aspects. The study posits that a mere one semester-long science method's course is insufficient to adequately improve understanding of the NOS, and to establish a sufficiently robust desire in pre-service teachers for them to implement NOS into their lessons.

This study examines four induction models and teacher changes in science teaching practices, as a result of several mentoring programs. It explores three different computer-mediated mentoring programs, and a traditional offline induction program--in terms of interactivity, inquiry-based teaching, and topics of knowledge. Fifteen elementary science teachers--eleven new teachers and four experienced science teachers--were assigned to and participated in, one of the four induction programs for five months: a Virtual Reality (VRG), a Wiki (WKG), a hand-held digital device (HDG), and a general group (GG). Data was collected by archiving written dialogues, snapshots and field notes of avatar interactions, monthly open-ended questionnaires, weekly journal reflections, science lesson plans, mentor/teacher field notes, student artifacts, and video-recording science teaching in classrooms. Using a case study through a time-order display strategy and utilizing situated learning framework, the findings indicate that the beginning teachers in each induction program had their own unique way of professionally interacting with their mentors. Except for the teachers in the GG, the new teachers were able to establish their own platforms for inquiry-based, student-centered teaching, improving not only their pedagogical content knowledge but also their confidence in teaching science. This study further discusses the importance of meaningful social engagements between mentors and mentees, as well as how these social engagements benefit new teachers becoming inquiry-based teachers and developing healthy communities of practice.

This study examines four induction models and teacher changes in science teaching practices, as a result of several mentoring programs. It explores three different computer-mediated mentoring programs, and a traditional offline induction program--in terms of interactivity, inquiry-based teaching, and topics of knowledge. Fifteen elementary science teachers--eleven new teachers and four experienced science teachers--were assigned to and participated in, one of the four induction programs for five months: a Virtual Reality (VRG), a Wiki (WKG), a hand-held digital device (HDG), and a general group (GG). Data was collected by archiving written dialogues, snapshots and field notes of avatar interactions, monthly open-ended questionnaires, weekly journal reflections, science lesson plans, mentor/teacher field notes, student artifacts, and video-recording science teaching in classrooms. Using a case study through a time-order display strategy and utilizing situated learning framework, the findings indicate that the beginning teachers in each induction program had their own unique way of professionally interacting with their mentors. Except for the teachers in the GG, the new teachers were able to establish their own platforms for inquiry-based, student-centered teaching, improving not only their pedagogical content knowledge but also their confidence in teaching science. This study further discusses the importance of meaningful social engagements between mentors and mentees, as well as how these social engagements benefit new teachers becoming inquiry-based teachers and developing healthy communities of practice. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.) [This study was partially supported by the Iowa State University College of Human Sciences Seed Grant Program, and was also supported by the Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP).]

Science teachers often participate in professional development programs (PDPs) to improve their students' learning. They sign up for workshops, institutes, university classes, or professional learning communities to gain knowledge and new instructional practices and to find colleagues with whom to discuss their teaching. But with so many options available, how do you know which PDPs are best and which in particular will support the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS Lead States 2013)? To answer these questions, a review was conducted of the research focused on PDPs for science teachers. In this article, the authors present the results of that review and suggest what to consider when selecting a PDP.

This study explored the yearlong learning processes of two first-year secondary science teachers participating in an online mentoring program, through examination of their written dialogues within the program and other data. Using a case study method, this study (a) explored the patterns of written dialogues between the two new teachers and their mentors over the course of a year, (b) documented pertinent topics of importance, and finally (c) illustrated the new realities created in the mentees' classrooms as a result of the online mentoring process. Penelope and Bradley, who taught at an urban school and at a suburban school respectively, were selected as subjects. Our analysis revealed that the two pairs of mentee-mentors showed "different" participation patterns that affected the intensity of the creation of new realities, and affected whether the mentees tried/vetted new teaching practices suggested by their mentors. Yet, analysis also revealed that certain elements in the written dialogues between pairs were found to be "similar," in that construction of knowledge was evident between both pairs when friction developed and appropriate teamwork emerged to deal with it. The topics of greatest interest and importance within the dialogues were those related to the logistics of the school system and the processes and methodologies of teaching. These results suggest that online mentoring programs are an effective dialogical tool for transferring the knowledge of experts to novices, and for thus expediting the professional induction and growth of new science teachers.

This paper presents a qualitative case analysis of a new and unique, high school, student-directed, project-based learning (PBL), virtual reality (VR) class. In order to create projects, students learned, on an independent basis, how to program an industrial-level VR machine. A constraint was that students were required to produce at least one educational application of VR. This study incorporated in-depth classroom observations, interviews with students, analyses of student projects, and surveys of parents and teachers to examine the social and learning processes in the class, and the nature of content learning represented in student projects. The results demonstrated that PBL can be effective even with minimal teacher guidance. The findings substantiate an educational approach rich with promise, for at least some students, that deserves considerable additional study to maximize its powerful potentials for independent and peer-mentored learning.

Despite calls for investigations that explore the efficacy of integrating literacy into science instruction, few researchers have conducted this cross-disciplinary research. Therefore, this study focused on determining the impact of a literacy-based approach to teaching science on secondary students' attitudes toward science and their achievement and engagement in physical science. This inquiry also focused on determining any differential effects for girls since females are often marginalized in science instruction and discouraged in choosing science careers. This mixed-methods study used quantitative measures and methods to determine the efficacy of integrating science and literacy and qualitative methods to describe the instructional activity in three experimental teachers' chemistry classes. Findings demonstrated the positive impact of integrating literacy into science on students' inquiry skills and improved attitudes toward science for girls. Appealing elements of the instructional activities are identified and described. Implications are provided for instruction and recommendations are offered for future research. (Contains 1 figure.)

Science teacher attrition is a topic of frequent discussion among teacher educators, administrators, university educators, and policy makers. While attrition could be described as leaving the workforce for any number of reasons (e.g., retirement, moving to a new location, contract not renewed), those in education often link attrition to teachers who are leaving the work force in their first five years. These expressed concerns for the thinning science teacher work force often entail a statistical reference that is from the work of Ingersoll or data from the National Center for Educational Statistics. As a result, it is not unusual to read that "after just five years, between 40 and 50 percent of all beginning teachers have left teaching altogether," or that the newest and the oldest teachers are leaving the workforce. While these large data sets are important for understanding educational trends, there are limits to their interpretation. Most importantly, they don't provide details that give insights into why newly qualified teachers are leaving the profession. For the last three years, the authors have been involved in a study that follows beginning secondary science teachers during their first, second, and third years of teaching. This study, which is funded by the National Science Foundation, ultimately aims to explore the development of beginning secondary science teachers. While the authors are just beginning the analysis of this data, they have data that depicts and describes science teachers who are in their first year of teaching and who are staying in the profession (stayers), moving to different locations (movers), or leaving the field altogether (leavers). This research report ultimately gives more insight into first-year science teachers and their job situations. (Contains 2 tables.)

The focus of this article is the more immediate way to help new science teachers, which comes from the experienced and professionally active teacher--you! As science teacher educators who work with and study the development of beginning teachers, the authors found the support offered knowingly and unknowingly by the teacher next door was a critical factor in assisting the new teacher (Luft and Roehrig 2006). Other research has expanded on this and found that support creates a positive learning and teaching environment and contributes to the development of the new teacher (Dangel 2006). Experienced science teachers can use the research-based strategies presented in this article to assist beginning science teachers. (Contains 3 figures.)

Loss of immunity is an important cause in the pathology of infectious disease. This study investigates the effect of Litsea japonica fruit extract (LJFE) as a potential functional food on immunity and hematopoietic function in immunosuppressed BALB/c mice. Immunity-stimulating activity was observed in mice supplemented with LJFE at low (25 mg/kg), medium (50 mg/kg), and high (100 mg/kg) dosage for seven days after administration of cyclophosphamide. LJFE treatment significantly improved spleen injury score (p < 0.001) and body weight (p < 0.02) by approximately two-fold with a high dosage of LJFE (100 mg/kg). Spleen-derived lymphocyte analysis demonstrated that the numbers of clusters of differentiation (CD)4+ and CD8+ T-cells were notably increased by approximately two-fold (p < 0.001) with a high dosage of LJFE (100 mg/kg). In mouse splenocytes differentiated into T- and B-lymphocytes, LJFE significantly induced proliferation up to approximately 90% of control for T- (p < 0.001) and B-lymphocytes (p < 0.01) with a high dosage of LJFE (100 mg/kg). Furthermore, LJFE significantly recovered the numbers of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that serum levels of immune-related cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-2, and interferon (IFN)-γ, were notably Increased. In addition, serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgM, and IgG were restored by LJFE treatment. This study provides a reference to use L. japonica as a functional food ingredient to improve immunity and hematological function in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capacity for quantification of active metabolites of vitamin D (VitD) is highly valuable to evaluate the risks and therapies for numerous diseases such as multiple sclerosis. However, the extremely low circulating levels and poor detectability of some dihydroxyl metabolites such as the 1[alpha],25-dihydroxy-Vit[D.sub.3] constitute a daunting challenge. Based on the combination of a selective solid-phase extraction (SPE) and a microflow liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry ([micro]LC-MS/ MS), we developed an ultrasensitive method for the robust, selective, and accurate quantification of four key VitD metabolites, including 25-hydroxy-Vit[D.sub.2], 25-hydroxy-Vit[D.sub.3], 24(R),25-dihydroxy-Vit[D.sub.3], and l[alpha],25-dihydroxy-Vit[D.sub.3], in serum samples. A one-step derivatization was employed to improve the ionization efficiency of the metabolites. The SPE procedure was optimized so that the analytes were selectively extracted from serum, while the sample matrix was substantially simplified. By eliminating majority of undesirable compounds from the matrix, the selective SPE enabled a high sample loading volume on the p LC column without causing overcapacity of the [micro]LC column and thus helped to achieve ultralow detect limits in serum. An on-column sample focusing approach was employed to prevent band-broadening, and a sufficient [micro]LC separation was achieved to eliminate endogenous interferences and to minimize ion suppression effect. Detect limits of the four metabolites ranged from 0.5-1 pg/mL, and the linearity was excellent for all compounds. The method showed high quantitative accuracy (error < 13.8%) and precision (CV < 14.1%). For 1[alpha],25-dihydroxy-Vit[D.sub.3], a lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 5 pg/mL was validated. This high level of sensitivity, for the first time, enabled the robust and consistent LC/MS/MS-based analysis of the four metabolites in a large-scale clinical investigation. Serum samples from 281 multiple sclerosis patients and 22 healthy subjects were analyzed, and it was discovered that the levels of both 24(R),25-dihydroxy-Vit[D.sub.3] and 1[alpha],25-dihydroxy-Vit[D.sub.3] were significantly lower in patients than healthy subjects (P < 0.05). This novel observation may imply that the incidence of multiple sclerosis is inversely associated with the levels of the two metabolites. Moreover, the method was highly robust and reproducible as evaluated extensively in the clinical analysis; therefore, it could serve as a more selective and accurate alternative to immunoassay for large-scale clinical studies. 10.1021/ac902869y