Louisa Tomas | James Cook University (original) (raw)

Papers by Louisa Tomas

School of Curriculum Faculty of Education, 2010

This mixed methods study investigated the development of Year 9 students' scientific literacy as ... more This mixed methods study investigated the development of Year 9 students' scientific literacy as they participated in an online writing-to-learn science project. The students wrote a series of BioStories; that is, short stories that integrate scientific information about the socioscientific issue of biosecurity, as a way of enhancing their conceptual science understandings, and attitudes toward science and science learning. The findings of this study support extensive calls for the utilisation of diversified writing-to-learn strategies in the science classroom, and make a significant contribution to the Socioscientific Issues Education and writing-to-learn science literature, particularly in relation to the use of hybridised scientific genres.

The Wonder of Science Challenge did not substantially engage with the challenge of working in rur... more The Wonder of Science Challenge did not substantially engage with the challenge of working in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. The majority of schools involved in the 2012 program were situated in metropolitan locations. Little evidence was available to the evaluation team reporting on how the program's organisers have engaged significantly with the challenge of meeting this aspirational priority.

The Australian Educational Researcher, 2021

Informed by curriculum theory, this in-depth qualitative case study examined the experiences of o... more Informed by curriculum theory, this in-depth qualitative case study examined the experiences of one senior teacher, Stephen, as he enacted the first unit of Queensland’s new Earth and Environmental Science (EES) syllabus. This study aimed to understand how Stephen navigated the ‘space’ between the intended and enacted curriculum, by focusing on what informed his teaching practice, and how Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) was realised (or otherwise). The realisation of ESD was limited to a few instances of teaching students about sustainability content, as Stephen’s attention was turned to issues of time and student assessment, following major curricular reform. The tensions that Stephen recounted appeared to relate to a narrowed space between the intended and enacted curriculum, which manifested in feelings of reduced teacher autonomy. The implications of these findings for realising ESD in the context of curricular reform, and the importance of teacher reflexivity in achieving ESD, are discussed.

Geographical education, 2020

Sustainability is an important cross-curriculum priority in Australian education that is not comm... more Sustainability is an important cross-curriculum priority in Australian education that is not commonly realised in schools and classrooms. In this article, we discuss the challenges and opportunities to enacting sustainability, suggesting that both top-down (systemic schoolwide leadership and support) and bottom-up (individual educator’s reflexivity) support for sustainability is needed. We postulate that an action-oriented and transformative geography education may support the realisation of sustainable world views for learners, and we present a simple learning progression for action-oriented education, adapted from the Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences, for achieving this aim. In this way, geography teachers may be empowered to embed sustainability in their day-to-day teaching.

Research in Science Education, 2018

Given that interest is associated with learning in educational research, understanding how its de... more Given that interest is associated with learning in educational research, understanding how its development can be supported in different learning contexts represents an important line of inquiry. In this study, we investigate the influence of the slowmation construction process on middle school students' interest in learning science and geology. Both quantitative and qualitative data were generated from four classes of ninth grade students; two classes participated in the construction of a slowmation about tectonic plate boundaries (n = 52) and two classes experienced a state-mandated program of instruction (n = 43). The students completed the Student Interest in Learning Science Survey, a Likert-style instrument, which examined their level of situational and individual interest prior to their participation in the study and upon their completion of the construction task or mandated instruction. Statistical analyses of these data revealed that the students who constructed a slowmation demonstrated significant increases in their interest in learning science and geology, while the students who experienced regular classroom instruction demonstrated lower levels of interest by the end of the study. Interview data obtained from students who constructed a slowmation suggest that the construction process afforded opportunities to work and learn in active, hands-on and collective ways; to exercise creativity; and to engage with technology. Importantly, increases in students' interest appeared to emerge from the early attentional and affective stages of their interest development, rather than through a meaningful connection to the geological subject matter, which has theoretical implications for interest research in learning contexts.

Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 2020

In Queensland, Australia, a new senior Earth and Environmental Science (EES) syllabus has been ap... more In Queensland, Australia, a new senior Earth and Environmental Science (EES) syllabus has been approved for first implementation in 2019. Given the natural alignment between EES and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), this study employs document analysis to investigate the extent to which the intended curriculum reflects the tenets of ESD. An exploratory content analysis examined the frequency of keywords to identify any prominent sustainability themes that might underpin the syllabus, while a curriculum key guided a deeper analysis according to four tenets of ESD: Learning content; Pedagogy and learning environments; Societal transformation; and Learning outcomes. These analyses found that the ESD tenets reflected in the syllabus is limited chiefly to sustainability learning content, while broader notions of ESD, like the promotion of transformative learning, are marginalised or absent. Instead, the syllabus reflects a technical orientation to curriculum, underpinned by a ...

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 2019

In our first year science and sustainability education subject, how to best support pre-service t... more In our first year science and sustainability education subject, how to best support pre-service teachers to meet the conceptual demands of understanding important socio-ecological challenges such as climate change is a key focus of our teaching practice. In this multi-method case study, we explore how a flipped classroom supported students' engagement and learning by way of an end-of-semester student survey, and a narrative account of our experiences, as educators, enacting the active learning strategies in class. Analysis of survey data showed that while students reported a high level of engagement with the videos and believed that they supported their learning, opinions were divided as to whether a flipped classroom was preferred over traditional lectures. Additionally, our reflections on how students engaged with the active learning strategies revealed that significant time was required at the start of class to review key concepts, as students appeared reluctant to engage independently with the planned activities-particularly those that involved more challenging science concepts. Informed by these findings, we propose a flipped learning continuum that fosters different levels of student-centred learning and autonomy, depending on students' learning needs and their readiness for a flipped learning approach. In the context of the first year experience, specifically, some teacher-led instruction may be appropriate in a flipped classroom to support students' transition to learning in higher education.

Journal of Science Education and Technology, 2018

There is a need for research-informed instructional approaches that promote school students' deep... more There is a need for research-informed instructional approaches that promote school students' deep conceptual understanding of abstract geological concepts. Given that a type of learner-constructed stop-motion animation, 'slowmation', has been shown to offer affordances for learning in science preservice teacher education, we extended its application to middle school and investigated the impact of the construction process on students' learning about plate tectonics. Drawing upon theoretical notions of knowledge reconstruction, this mixed methods case study explored two research questions that concerned the extent to which the slowmation construction process influenced students' conceptual understanding about plate tectonics, and how students' learning was facilitated by the slowmation construction process. The participants were Year 9 students (n=52) who constructed slowmations in small groups to explain the geological processes that occur at tectonic plate boundaries. Data were generated using a twotiered multiple-choice test instrument, the GeoQuiz, which we designed and validated, and audiorecordings of students working together as they researched, planned, and constructed their slowmations. A significant improvement was found in students' GeoQuiz scores, from pretest to posttest, which indicates their conceptual understanding improved over the course of the construction process. Analysis of the qualitative data found that students' ideas increased in sophistication through 'teachable moments', wherein students learnt through dialogic teacherstudent and student-student exchanges. We assert that such exchanges ought to be viewed as an integral part of the slowmation construction process itself. While the study's findings support existing research that suggests representation-based activities are effective for student learning of geological phenomena, they also raise important questions about how to best engage middle school students in the construction of a slowmation.

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 2016

Education for sustainable development (ESD) espouses student-centred, transformative pedagogies t... more Education for sustainable development (ESD) espouses student-centred, transformative pedagogies that promote learning through active, participatory and experiential learning. Yet, traditional lectures provide limited opportunities for engaging students in such pedagogies. This article reports on the inclusion of sustainability pedagogies within the constraints of a traditional lecture to investigate the effect on pre-service teachers’ self-reported ESD self-efficacy. A quasi-experimental, pre–post test design with a non-randomized control group was applied whereby lectures in the treatment group adopted sustainability pedagogies, in addition to the more traditional teaching methods employed in both groups. While a significant improvement was observed in pre-service teachers’ ESD self-efficacy in both groups, there is no evidence to suggest that the inclusion of sustainability pedagogies is more effective for enhancing pre-service teachers’ ESD self-efficacy than traditional, teacher...

International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 2016

There are ongoing calls for research that identifies students' conceptions about geographical phe... more There are ongoing calls for research that identifies students' conceptions about geographical phenomena. In response, this study investigates junior secondary school students' (N=95) conceptions about plate tectonics. Student response data was generated from semi-structured interviews-about-instances and a two-tiered multiple-choice test instrument developed and validated by the researchers. There were three main findings: (1) students held many alternative conceptions about plate tectonics, most of which have not been reported in previous research; (2) students' alternative conceptions most commonly concerned the formation of landforms at tectonic plate boundaries; and (3) students were especially confused about the cause of subduction at an oceanic-continental convergent plate boundary. The findings of this study can assist geography teachers and researchers to develop innovative pedagogies that consider students' pre-instructional alternative conceptions and promote conceptual change learning.

International Journal of Science Education, 2016

In response to calls for research into effective instruction in the Earth and space sciences, and... more In response to calls for research into effective instruction in the Earth and space sciences, and to identify directions for future research, this systematic review of the literature explores research into instructional approaches designed to facilitate conceptual change. In total, 52 studies were identified and analyzed. Analysis focused on the general characteristics of the research, the conceptual change instructional approaches that were used, and the methods employed to evaluate the effectiveness of these approaches. The findings of this review support four assertions about the existing research: (1) astronomical phenomena have received greater attention than geological phenomena; (2) most studies have viewed conceptual change from a cognitive perspective only; (3) data about conceptual change were generated pre-and postintervention only; and (4) the interventions reviewed presented limited opportunities to involve students in the construction and manipulation of multiple representations of the phenomenon being investigated. Based upon these assertions, the authors recommend that new research in the Earth and space science disciplines challenges traditional notions of conceptual change by exploring the role of affective variables on learning, focuses on the learning of geological phenomena through the construction of multiple representations, and employs qualitative data collection throughout the implementation of an instructional approach.

Teaching Science, Jun 1, 2014

In 2012, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) piloted the Wond... more In 2012, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) piloted the Wonder of Science Challenge with a view to enhance school students' interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Students in 15 schools across northern Queensland were provided with an inquiry-based research problem and presented their findings at a regional competition. This paper explores the experiences of one primary school teacher and his students. Evidence drawn from the analysis of interview and survey data suggests that the key features of the Challenge - namely, open inquiry, engagement with practicing scientists, and the student presentations - had transformative outcomes for both teacher and students.

Environmental Education Research, 2015

The education for sustainability (EfS) literature espouses participatory, praxis-orientated, plac... more The education for sustainability (EfS) literature espouses participatory, praxis-orientated, place-based and holistic approaches to teaching and learning. The introduction of a first-year EfS unit for pre-service teachers at James Cook University provided an opportunity to explore their attitudes toward EfS and their perceptions of the relevant aspects of the unit to their learning. In this mixed-methods study, pre-service teachers (N = 100) completed a Likert-style survey at the beginning and end of the unit that examined their attitudes toward EfS. Three pre-service teachers were also interviewed to explore further their perceptions and experiences, one semester after completing the unit. Significant improvements were found in pre-service teachers’ EfS self-efficacy, and familiarity with and interest in sustainability issues. Participants also perceived EfS to be relevant to their learning, particularly the praxis-orientated pedagogies in which they engaged, as they believed it developed their knowledge, skills and confidence to teach sustainability in schools. For one pre-service teacher, her experiences of EfS during her practicum enhanced its relevance, as she was able to link theory and practice. The implications of these findings for both teacher education and pedagogical practice for EfS in higher education are also discussed.

Well-documented declines in student participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathema... more Well-documented declines in student participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in schools are regularly linked to perceived inadequacies in both the science curriculum and teachers' self-efficacy for teaching science inquiry. In 2012, the Australian Academy of Technological Science and Engineering (ATSE) Wonder of Science Challenge pilot focused on these concerns. Students in 15 schools across northern Queensland, Australia, were provided with a design- or inquiry-based research problem. The Challenge required student teams to conduct research and present their findings at a regional student forum. This paper presents a case study of the experiences of one primary teacher – Mr Matthews – and his students. Analysis of interview and survey data revealed improvements in students' attitudes towards science-related careers, increased motivation and ownership of the inquiry process, and developed depth of science knowledge and understanding. For Mr Ma...

Education for sustainable development (ESD) espouses student-centred, transformative pedagogies t... more Education for sustainable development (ESD) espouses student-centred, transformative pedagogies that promote learning through active, participa-tory and experiential learning. Yet, traditional lectures provide limited opportunities for engaging students in such pedagogies. This article reports on the inclusion of sustainability pedagogies within the constraints of a traditional lecture to investigate the effect on pre-service teachers' self-reported ESD self-efficacy. A quasi-experimental, pre–post test design with a non-randomized control group was applied whereby lectures in the treatment group adopted sustainability pedagogies, in addition to the more traditional teaching methods employed in both groups. While a significant improvement was observed in pre-service teachers' ESD self-efficacy in both groups, there is no evidence to suggest that the inclusion of sustainability pedagogies is more effective for enhancing pre-service teachers' ESD self-efficacy than traditional, teacher-centred pedagogies alone. Participants reported that an increase in their knowledge and understanding of sustainability concepts most strongly influenced their ESD self-efficacy.

Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 2015

Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 2015

ASTE Series in Science Education, 2015

School of Curriculum Faculty of Education, 2010

This mixed methods study investigated the development of Year 9 students' scientific literacy as ... more This mixed methods study investigated the development of Year 9 students' scientific literacy as they participated in an online writing-to-learn science project. The students wrote a series of BioStories; that is, short stories that integrate scientific information about the socioscientific issue of biosecurity, as a way of enhancing their conceptual science understandings, and attitudes toward science and science learning. The findings of this study support extensive calls for the utilisation of diversified writing-to-learn strategies in the science classroom, and make a significant contribution to the Socioscientific Issues Education and writing-to-learn science literature, particularly in relation to the use of hybridised scientific genres.

The Wonder of Science Challenge did not substantially engage with the challenge of working in rur... more The Wonder of Science Challenge did not substantially engage with the challenge of working in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. The majority of schools involved in the 2012 program were situated in metropolitan locations. Little evidence was available to the evaluation team reporting on how the program's organisers have engaged significantly with the challenge of meeting this aspirational priority.

The Australian Educational Researcher, 2021

Informed by curriculum theory, this in-depth qualitative case study examined the experiences of o... more Informed by curriculum theory, this in-depth qualitative case study examined the experiences of one senior teacher, Stephen, as he enacted the first unit of Queensland’s new Earth and Environmental Science (EES) syllabus. This study aimed to understand how Stephen navigated the ‘space’ between the intended and enacted curriculum, by focusing on what informed his teaching practice, and how Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) was realised (or otherwise). The realisation of ESD was limited to a few instances of teaching students about sustainability content, as Stephen’s attention was turned to issues of time and student assessment, following major curricular reform. The tensions that Stephen recounted appeared to relate to a narrowed space between the intended and enacted curriculum, which manifested in feelings of reduced teacher autonomy. The implications of these findings for realising ESD in the context of curricular reform, and the importance of teacher reflexivity in achieving ESD, are discussed.

Geographical education, 2020

Sustainability is an important cross-curriculum priority in Australian education that is not comm... more Sustainability is an important cross-curriculum priority in Australian education that is not commonly realised in schools and classrooms. In this article, we discuss the challenges and opportunities to enacting sustainability, suggesting that both top-down (systemic schoolwide leadership and support) and bottom-up (individual educator’s reflexivity) support for sustainability is needed. We postulate that an action-oriented and transformative geography education may support the realisation of sustainable world views for learners, and we present a simple learning progression for action-oriented education, adapted from the Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences, for achieving this aim. In this way, geography teachers may be empowered to embed sustainability in their day-to-day teaching.

Research in Science Education, 2018

Given that interest is associated with learning in educational research, understanding how its de... more Given that interest is associated with learning in educational research, understanding how its development can be supported in different learning contexts represents an important line of inquiry. In this study, we investigate the influence of the slowmation construction process on middle school students' interest in learning science and geology. Both quantitative and qualitative data were generated from four classes of ninth grade students; two classes participated in the construction of a slowmation about tectonic plate boundaries (n = 52) and two classes experienced a state-mandated program of instruction (n = 43). The students completed the Student Interest in Learning Science Survey, a Likert-style instrument, which examined their level of situational and individual interest prior to their participation in the study and upon their completion of the construction task or mandated instruction. Statistical analyses of these data revealed that the students who constructed a slowmation demonstrated significant increases in their interest in learning science and geology, while the students who experienced regular classroom instruction demonstrated lower levels of interest by the end of the study. Interview data obtained from students who constructed a slowmation suggest that the construction process afforded opportunities to work and learn in active, hands-on and collective ways; to exercise creativity; and to engage with technology. Importantly, increases in students' interest appeared to emerge from the early attentional and affective stages of their interest development, rather than through a meaningful connection to the geological subject matter, which has theoretical implications for interest research in learning contexts.

Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 2020

In Queensland, Australia, a new senior Earth and Environmental Science (EES) syllabus has been ap... more In Queensland, Australia, a new senior Earth and Environmental Science (EES) syllabus has been approved for first implementation in 2019. Given the natural alignment between EES and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), this study employs document analysis to investigate the extent to which the intended curriculum reflects the tenets of ESD. An exploratory content analysis examined the frequency of keywords to identify any prominent sustainability themes that might underpin the syllabus, while a curriculum key guided a deeper analysis according to four tenets of ESD: Learning content; Pedagogy and learning environments; Societal transformation; and Learning outcomes. These analyses found that the ESD tenets reflected in the syllabus is limited chiefly to sustainability learning content, while broader notions of ESD, like the promotion of transformative learning, are marginalised or absent. Instead, the syllabus reflects a technical orientation to curriculum, underpinned by a ...

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 2019

In our first year science and sustainability education subject, how to best support pre-service t... more In our first year science and sustainability education subject, how to best support pre-service teachers to meet the conceptual demands of understanding important socio-ecological challenges such as climate change is a key focus of our teaching practice. In this multi-method case study, we explore how a flipped classroom supported students' engagement and learning by way of an end-of-semester student survey, and a narrative account of our experiences, as educators, enacting the active learning strategies in class. Analysis of survey data showed that while students reported a high level of engagement with the videos and believed that they supported their learning, opinions were divided as to whether a flipped classroom was preferred over traditional lectures. Additionally, our reflections on how students engaged with the active learning strategies revealed that significant time was required at the start of class to review key concepts, as students appeared reluctant to engage independently with the planned activities-particularly those that involved more challenging science concepts. Informed by these findings, we propose a flipped learning continuum that fosters different levels of student-centred learning and autonomy, depending on students' learning needs and their readiness for a flipped learning approach. In the context of the first year experience, specifically, some teacher-led instruction may be appropriate in a flipped classroom to support students' transition to learning in higher education.

Journal of Science Education and Technology, 2018

There is a need for research-informed instructional approaches that promote school students' deep... more There is a need for research-informed instructional approaches that promote school students' deep conceptual understanding of abstract geological concepts. Given that a type of learner-constructed stop-motion animation, 'slowmation', has been shown to offer affordances for learning in science preservice teacher education, we extended its application to middle school and investigated the impact of the construction process on students' learning about plate tectonics. Drawing upon theoretical notions of knowledge reconstruction, this mixed methods case study explored two research questions that concerned the extent to which the slowmation construction process influenced students' conceptual understanding about plate tectonics, and how students' learning was facilitated by the slowmation construction process. The participants were Year 9 students (n=52) who constructed slowmations in small groups to explain the geological processes that occur at tectonic plate boundaries. Data were generated using a twotiered multiple-choice test instrument, the GeoQuiz, which we designed and validated, and audiorecordings of students working together as they researched, planned, and constructed their slowmations. A significant improvement was found in students' GeoQuiz scores, from pretest to posttest, which indicates their conceptual understanding improved over the course of the construction process. Analysis of the qualitative data found that students' ideas increased in sophistication through 'teachable moments', wherein students learnt through dialogic teacherstudent and student-student exchanges. We assert that such exchanges ought to be viewed as an integral part of the slowmation construction process itself. While the study's findings support existing research that suggests representation-based activities are effective for student learning of geological phenomena, they also raise important questions about how to best engage middle school students in the construction of a slowmation.

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 2016

Education for sustainable development (ESD) espouses student-centred, transformative pedagogies t... more Education for sustainable development (ESD) espouses student-centred, transformative pedagogies that promote learning through active, participatory and experiential learning. Yet, traditional lectures provide limited opportunities for engaging students in such pedagogies. This article reports on the inclusion of sustainability pedagogies within the constraints of a traditional lecture to investigate the effect on pre-service teachers’ self-reported ESD self-efficacy. A quasi-experimental, pre–post test design with a non-randomized control group was applied whereby lectures in the treatment group adopted sustainability pedagogies, in addition to the more traditional teaching methods employed in both groups. While a significant improvement was observed in pre-service teachers’ ESD self-efficacy in both groups, there is no evidence to suggest that the inclusion of sustainability pedagogies is more effective for enhancing pre-service teachers’ ESD self-efficacy than traditional, teacher...

International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 2016

There are ongoing calls for research that identifies students' conceptions about geographical phe... more There are ongoing calls for research that identifies students' conceptions about geographical phenomena. In response, this study investigates junior secondary school students' (N=95) conceptions about plate tectonics. Student response data was generated from semi-structured interviews-about-instances and a two-tiered multiple-choice test instrument developed and validated by the researchers. There were three main findings: (1) students held many alternative conceptions about plate tectonics, most of which have not been reported in previous research; (2) students' alternative conceptions most commonly concerned the formation of landforms at tectonic plate boundaries; and (3) students were especially confused about the cause of subduction at an oceanic-continental convergent plate boundary. The findings of this study can assist geography teachers and researchers to develop innovative pedagogies that consider students' pre-instructional alternative conceptions and promote conceptual change learning.

International Journal of Science Education, 2016

In response to calls for research into effective instruction in the Earth and space sciences, and... more In response to calls for research into effective instruction in the Earth and space sciences, and to identify directions for future research, this systematic review of the literature explores research into instructional approaches designed to facilitate conceptual change. In total, 52 studies were identified and analyzed. Analysis focused on the general characteristics of the research, the conceptual change instructional approaches that were used, and the methods employed to evaluate the effectiveness of these approaches. The findings of this review support four assertions about the existing research: (1) astronomical phenomena have received greater attention than geological phenomena; (2) most studies have viewed conceptual change from a cognitive perspective only; (3) data about conceptual change were generated pre-and postintervention only; and (4) the interventions reviewed presented limited opportunities to involve students in the construction and manipulation of multiple representations of the phenomenon being investigated. Based upon these assertions, the authors recommend that new research in the Earth and space science disciplines challenges traditional notions of conceptual change by exploring the role of affective variables on learning, focuses on the learning of geological phenomena through the construction of multiple representations, and employs qualitative data collection throughout the implementation of an instructional approach.

Teaching Science, Jun 1, 2014

In 2012, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) piloted the Wond... more In 2012, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) piloted the Wonder of Science Challenge with a view to enhance school students' interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Students in 15 schools across northern Queensland were provided with an inquiry-based research problem and presented their findings at a regional competition. This paper explores the experiences of one primary school teacher and his students. Evidence drawn from the analysis of interview and survey data suggests that the key features of the Challenge - namely, open inquiry, engagement with practicing scientists, and the student presentations - had transformative outcomes for both teacher and students.

Environmental Education Research, 2015

The education for sustainability (EfS) literature espouses participatory, praxis-orientated, plac... more The education for sustainability (EfS) literature espouses participatory, praxis-orientated, place-based and holistic approaches to teaching and learning. The introduction of a first-year EfS unit for pre-service teachers at James Cook University provided an opportunity to explore their attitudes toward EfS and their perceptions of the relevant aspects of the unit to their learning. In this mixed-methods study, pre-service teachers (N = 100) completed a Likert-style survey at the beginning and end of the unit that examined their attitudes toward EfS. Three pre-service teachers were also interviewed to explore further their perceptions and experiences, one semester after completing the unit. Significant improvements were found in pre-service teachers’ EfS self-efficacy, and familiarity with and interest in sustainability issues. Participants also perceived EfS to be relevant to their learning, particularly the praxis-orientated pedagogies in which they engaged, as they believed it developed their knowledge, skills and confidence to teach sustainability in schools. For one pre-service teacher, her experiences of EfS during her practicum enhanced its relevance, as she was able to link theory and practice. The implications of these findings for both teacher education and pedagogical practice for EfS in higher education are also discussed.

Well-documented declines in student participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathema... more Well-documented declines in student participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in schools are regularly linked to perceived inadequacies in both the science curriculum and teachers' self-efficacy for teaching science inquiry. In 2012, the Australian Academy of Technological Science and Engineering (ATSE) Wonder of Science Challenge pilot focused on these concerns. Students in 15 schools across northern Queensland, Australia, were provided with a design- or inquiry-based research problem. The Challenge required student teams to conduct research and present their findings at a regional student forum. This paper presents a case study of the experiences of one primary teacher – Mr Matthews – and his students. Analysis of interview and survey data revealed improvements in students' attitudes towards science-related careers, increased motivation and ownership of the inquiry process, and developed depth of science knowledge and understanding. For Mr Ma...

Education for sustainable development (ESD) espouses student-centred, transformative pedagogies t... more Education for sustainable development (ESD) espouses student-centred, transformative pedagogies that promote learning through active, participa-tory and experiential learning. Yet, traditional lectures provide limited opportunities for engaging students in such pedagogies. This article reports on the inclusion of sustainability pedagogies within the constraints of a traditional lecture to investigate the effect on pre-service teachers' self-reported ESD self-efficacy. A quasi-experimental, pre–post test design with a non-randomized control group was applied whereby lectures in the treatment group adopted sustainability pedagogies, in addition to the more traditional teaching methods employed in both groups. While a significant improvement was observed in pre-service teachers' ESD self-efficacy in both groups, there is no evidence to suggest that the inclusion of sustainability pedagogies is more effective for enhancing pre-service teachers' ESD self-efficacy than traditional, teacher-centred pedagogies alone. Participants reported that an increase in their knowledge and understanding of sustainability concepts most strongly influenced their ESD self-efficacy.

Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 2015

Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 2015

ASTE Series in Science Education, 2015