This message about a call for comments and criticisms on the recent special issue of JRST on digital ecologies for science learning was sent by NARST.
NARST, a global organization for improving science education through research, announces the publication and release of the Journal of Research in Science Teaching’s special issue: “Science Teaching, Learning, Assessment with 21st Century, Cutting-edge Digital Ecologies.”
The special issue is set to appear online Wednesday, October 14, 2020 as the November issue of JRST (57n9).https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10982736
The works in this special issue present excellent examples of recent developments in research on digital technologies and ecologies on science teaching, learning and assessment, highlighting their potential for transforming science education, as well as generate promising areas for future research.
The special issue aimed to: (a) examine the use and impact of 21st century cutting edge technologies, technological platforms, technological activity, and digital ecologies on science teaching, learning, and assessment; (b) focus on conceptual and/or critical analyses related to theories and frameworks needed to advance the ways in which digital ecologies and technological activity can transform science teaching, learning, and assessment; and © gauge the potential of these technologies and platforms to realize equity in access and outcomes in science education for all learners.
In specific, the special issue features the work of:
Rosenberg and colleagues, who documented the role of professional networks and their role in policy implementation. Toward that end, the authors analyzed the social structure of a #NGSSchat community via Twitter and focused on members’ participation and interactions, the depth and types of conversations, the frequency of some kinds of interactions, and the factors that informed participation over time.
Teig and colleagues, who focused on students’ interactions with complex inquiry tasks in the PISA study and examined students’ log files to identify patterns of students’ interactions with the tasks. In this work, the authors aimed to determine if unique characteristics of these interactions emerge as distinct profiles of inquiry performance.
Zhai and colleagues, who examined the potential of machine learning for the assessment of science teaching and learning and developed a framework to conceptualize machine learning applications in science assessment. Their article is showcased in a Wiley press releasehttps://newsroom.wiley.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2020/Applying-Artificial-Intelligence-to-Science-Education-/default.aspx. Hodges and colleagues, who investigated the learning gains with Virtual Vet, a role-playing SEG designed for elementary students to address the fundamental science concepts associated with the human body systems and the subsequent effect of diabetes and obesity related illnesses on body systems.
Saleh and colleagues, who focused on scaffolding collaborative inquiry learning in technology-rich environments and examined how middle school students from a rural school engaged with Crystal Island: Ecojourneys, a game-based learning environment, over a two-week period. To support collaborative inquiry learning, the authors used a synergistic scaffolding framework, which included predefined hard scaffolds, and just-in-time soft scaffolds that target the regulation of collaborative inquiry processes and accountable talk.
The special issue was guest-edited by Knut Neumann (Leibniz-Institute for Science and Mathematics Education, Kiel, Germany) and Noemi Waight (University at Buffalo, State University of New York).
In the event that anyone is interested, my article on #NGSSchat with Josh, Elizabeth, Matt, Christian, and T.J. is available here: https://joshuamrosenberg.com/post/2020/09/28/new-article-in-jrst-idle-chatter-or-compelling-conversation/