This book is a compilation of papers from the inaugural International Science Education Conference held at the National Institute of Education (Singapore). The title, Science Education at the Nexus of Theory and Practice, reflects a pressing yet ongoing concern worldwide to integrate theory and practice in science education and the reader will find something of interest to both science education practitioners and researchers.

"Science Nexus: Bridging Theory and Practice" offers a comprehensive exploration of science education, blending theoretical insights with practical strategies. From understanding learner psychology to integrating advanced technologies, educators will find guidance on fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong love for science. With a focus on inquiry-based learning, hands-on experiments, and immersive simulations, this book equips educators to create engaging learning experiences that transcend traditional boundaries. Real-world examples and actionable advice from this book will empower educators to bridge theory with practice, cultivating a generation of curious minds prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.

Findings generated by recent research in science education, international debate on the guiding purposes of science education and the nature of scientific and technological literacy, official and semi-official reports on science education (including recommendations from prestigious organizations such as AAAS and UNESCO), and concerns expressed by scientists, environmentalists and engineers about current science education provision and the continuing low levels of scientific attainment among the general population, have led to some radical re-thinking of the nature of the science curriculum.

This collection presents an international perspective on issues of training and accreditation at the Master’s level of course provision in the initial and continuing professional development of teachers, coining the phrase ‘masterliness in education’. It provides a comparative background to inform the debate about the level at which teachers’ knowledge bases make them most effective in terms of both pedagogic expertise and pupils’ outcomes. The book examines and illustrates the relationship between master’s level education and professionalism through the lenses of reflective evaluation, narrative inquiry and critique. Discussion of issues of professionalism and acculturation of teachers exemplifies the tension that arises in modern educational systems across the world between teacher accountability and teacher autonomy and argues that masterliness in education can only be acquired through the professional freedom afforded by teacher autonomy within empowering frameworks of professional development. Several chapters deliberate the relationship between the roles of schools and higher education institutions in both initial and continuing teacher education at master’s level, providing argument and evidence to show that this partnership is crucial to the effectiveness of the professional development that supports improved outcomes for learners. This book demonstrates that masterliness in education, an aspiration of initial and continuing teacher education internationally, is a state of advanced professional critical thinking linked to action and informed by research and evidence. Through the exercise of this criticality teacher empowerment, expertise and autonomy increase as masterliness develops. There is considerable convergence in the provision of these elements of Masters’ level courses internationally, and this enables the debate to highlight good practice and to exemplify those essential characteristics of masterliness in teaching that lead to the continued improvement of learning in the world’s schools. This book was originally published as a special issue of Journal of Education for Teaching.

Teaching Secondary Science: Theory and Practice provides a dynamic approach to preparing preservice science teachers for practice. Divided into two parts - theory and practice - the text allows students to first become confident in the theory of teaching science before showing how this theory can be applied to practice through ideas for implementation, such as sample lesson plans. These examples span a variety of age levels and subject areas, allowing preservice teachers to adapt each exercise to suit their needs when they enter the classroom.Each chapter is supported by pedagogical features, including learning objectives, reflections, scenarios, key terms, questions, research topics and further readings. Written by leading science education researchers from universities across Australia, Teaching Secondary Science is a practical resource that will continue to inspire preservice teachers as they move from study into the classroom. This book includes a single-use twelve-month subscription to Cambridge Dynamic Science.

This book offers a detailed examination of reflective practice in teacher education. In the current educational context, where reflective practice has been mandated in professional standards for teachers in many countries, it analyses research-based evidence for the power of reflective practice to shape better educational outcomes. The book presents multiple theoretical and practical views of this often taken-for-granted practice, so that readers are challenged to consider how factors such as gender and race shape understandings of reflective practice. Documenting approaches that enhance learning, the contributions discuss reflective practice across the globe, with a focus on pre-service, in-service and university teachers. At a time when there is pressure to measure teachers’ work through standardised tests, the book highlights the professional thinking that is integral to teaching and demonstrates ways it can be encouraged in beginning teachers. Aimed at the international community of teacher educators in schools and universities, it also includes a critical examination of methodological issues in analysing and evaluating reflective practice and showcases the kind of reflective practice that empowers teachers and pre-service teachers to make a difference to students.

Science -- and the technology derived from it -- is having a dramatic impact on the quality of our personal lives and the environment around us. Science will have an even greater impact on the lives of our students. The lives of scientifically literate students will be enriched by their understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the natural world. To prosper in the near future, all students must become scientifically literate and embrace the notion of life-long learning in science. Without scientific literacy, it will become impossible for students to make informed decisions about the interrelated educational, scientific, and social issues that will confront them in the future. Intended for science teachers, teacher educators, researchers, and administrators, this volume is concerned with the innovative research that is reforming how science is learned in schools. The chapters provide overviews of current research and illustrate how the findings of this research are being applied in schools. This research-based knowledge is essential for effective science instruction. The contributors are leading authorities in science education and their chapters draw clear connections among research, theory, and classroom practice. They provide excellent examples from science classes in which their research has reformed practice. This book will help educators develop the scientific literacy of students. It bridges the gap between cutting-edge research and classroom practice to provide educators with the knowledge they need to foster students' scientific literacy.