Published research on pre-college students’ and teachers’ nanoscale science, engineering, and technology learning

Abstract

By the end of the first decade of the 21st century, it was clear that nanotechnology was emerging as one of the most promising and rapidly expanding fields of research and development worldwide. It would not be long before scientists, science educators, engineers, and policy makers began advocating for nanoscience, engineering, and technology (NSET) related concepts to be introduced in K-12 classrooms. Indeed, there has been a surge in the development of pre-college NSET-related education programs over the last decade, as well as millions in funding to support the creation of these programs. In an effort to characterize the state of research to date on pre-college students' and teachers' learning of NSET content knowledge and related practices, we have conducted a systematic review of the peer-reviewed, published research studies to answer the following questions: What NSET content knowledge and practices in a pre-college context have been examined in empirical learning studies? What do these studies tell us about the NSET content knowledge and practices that pre-college students and teachers are learning? Implications and recommendations for future research are also discussed.

Interactive Visualization for Learning and Teaching Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

“…Finkelstein et al [2005]) in order to move the nano education agenda forward (e.g. Bryan et al [2015]). …”

Essential Concepts of Nanoscale Science and Technology for High School Students Based on a Delphi Study by the Expert Community

“…To properly prepare the next generation of scientists, engineers, and future NSTengaged citizens, effective educational programs in NST are needed and some efforts have been made (Bryan, Magana, & Sederberg, 2015;Jones et al, 2013). Most of these programs have focused on different developmental levels and aspects for teaching NST (Ambrogi, Caselli, Montaltic, & Venturic, 2008;Blonder, 2011;Blonder & Dinur, 2011;Blonder & Sakhnini, 2012Bryan et al, 2015;Dori, Dangur, Avargil, & Peskin, 2014;Jones et al, 2013;Jones, Gardner, Falvo, & Tayler, 2015;Samet, 2009;Walters & Bullen, 2008) Although NST is considered a motivating interdisciplinary scientific field, it cannot be easily dropped or integrated into an existing broad and condensed curriculum.…”

“…Most of these programs have focused on different developmental levels and aspects for teaching NST (Ambrogi, Caselli, Montaltic, & Venturic, 2008;Blonder, 2011;Blonder & Dinur, 2011;Blonder & Sakhnini, 2012Bryan et al, 2015;Dori, Dangur, Avargil, & Peskin, 2014;Jones et al, 2013;Jones, Gardner, Falvo, & Tayler, 2015;Samet, 2009;Walters & Bullen, 2008) Although NST is considered a motivating interdisciplinary scientific field, it cannot be easily dropped or integrated into an existing broad and condensed curriculum. In addition, the interdisciplinary nature of NST makes it difficult to determine (1) where and how NST should be integrated into the current curriculum in which scientific disciplines (e.g.…”

The making of nanotechnology: exposing high-school students to behind-the-scenes of nanotechnology by inviting them to a nanotechnology conference

“…Many educational nanotechnology programs have been developed for both formal and informal education settings around the world some of them were accompanied by educational research [4]. For example, an Australian secondary school program was developed [5] to create a passion for science.…”

“…The participants in the Delphi study, in which the concept "the making of nanotechnology" was raised, explained the meaning and importance of the concept [31]. 4 For example, the participants wrote: -"It is important to stress to the students that doing research in nanotechnology requires knowledge in a wide range of fields, from physics and chemistry to biology. No shortcuts!"…”