NARST and NSTA have a shared mission to improve science education through research, that comes together around the Research Worth Reading joint initiative and recognition. Each year, JRST articles from every issue are nominated by the NARST Research Committee for their relevance and applicability to practitioners. Nominees are invited to submit an abstract of their work that highlights recommendations for educators. The abstracts are reviewed and several are selected for recognition by NARST and NSTA. This page features research by all Research Worth Reading nominees. Enjoy!

Original Articles Published in 2024

Making Science Relevant Through Family Engagement and Everyday Experiences

Idit Adler & Christopher Karam
Original Article: Adler, I., & Karam, C. (2024). Djaji mahsheye, moghrabeye, and labaneh: Making science relevant. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 61(1), 103-136.  https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21866

Students often see school science as abstract and disconnected from their daily lives. But new research shows that inviting families into the learning process through simple home experiments can help students see science as more meaningful - and more their own. That’s the key finding from a study by researchers at Tel Aviv University, who developed a program called Together with Science. 

Shaping ambitious science teaching to be culturally sustaining and productive in a rural context

Luehmann, A., Zhang, Y., Boyle, H., Tulbert, E., Merliss, G., & Sullivan, K.  
Original article: Luehmann, A., Zhang, Y., Boyle, H., Tulbert, E., Merliss, G., & Sullivan, K. (2024). Toward a justice‐centered ambitious teaching framework: Shaping ambitious science teaching to be culturally sustaining and productive in a rural context. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 61(2), 319-357. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21917

With many schools adopting the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and implementing Ambitious Science Teaching (AST), we have a real opportunity to shift science education toward deeper, more meaningful, and justice-oriented learning. However, NGSS and AST alone do not fully address equity and social justice—critical components for engaging all students, especially those from historically marginalized communities.

A framework for identifying how metadiscourse facilitates uncertainty navigation during knowledge building discussions

Ko, M.-L. M., & Luna, M. J. 
Original article: Ko, M.-L. M., & Luna, M. J. (2024). The glue that makes it “hang together”: A framework for identifying how metadiscourse facilitates uncertainty navigation during knowledge building discussions. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 61(2), 457–486. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21893

Classroom discussions are one of the most powerful tools for student engagement in science learning, but they can also be messy. Students often raise questions, share partial ideas, or express uncertainty as they work together to make sense of scientific concepts. This study introduces a framework that helps teachers recognize the “glue” that holds these discussions together: metadiscourse markers (MDMs)—the small but important words and phrases students and teachers use to manage uncertainty and build knowledge.

Latinx young women co‐construct science storylines in high school chemistry

Jasmine Nation & Hosun Kang

Original article: Nation, J., & Kang, H. (2024). “We need to step it up—We are basically the future”: Latinx young women co‐construct science storylines in high school chemistry. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 61(4), 873-904.  https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21921 

This article shows how co-constructed science storylines can create space for rich scientific thinking. “Co-constructed science storyline” refers to a storyline emerging from the classroom interactions driven by students’ identities, developing ideas, and concerns. Through co-constructing storylines, teachers can support equity and authentic scientific identity construction—especially for Latinx youth and other groups underrepresented in STEM.

Computational Thinking for Science: Positioning Coding as a Tool for Doing Science

Ari Krakowski, Eric Greenwald, Natalie Roman, Christina Morales, Suzanna Loper

Original article: Krakowski, A., Greenwald, E., Roman, N., Morales, C., & Loper, S. (2024). Computational Thinking for Science: Positioning coding as a tool for doing science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 61(7), 1574-1608. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21907

This study introduces the Computational Thinking for Science (CT+S) model, a powerful teaching approach designed to help students develop coding and computational thinking (CT) skills through science learning. The CT+S model offers a scalable, equity-driven approach to STEM education that connects classroom learning to future opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Persuasive Effects of Role Play on Students' Attitude and Behavior Regarding a Socioscientific Issue

Steube, M., Wilde, M., & Basten, M. 
Original article: Steube, M., Wilde, M., & Basten, M. (2024). Does role play manipulate students? Persuasive effects of role play on students' attitude and behavior regarding a socioscientific issue. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 61(7), 1609-1640. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21910

This study explored the use of role-playing to engage secondary school students in socioscientific issues (SSIs). These SSIs represent complex dilemmas that exist at the intersection of science and society, such as climate change, gene editing, or organ donation. Navigating SSIs requires students to weigh evidence, consider ethical perspectives, and practice informed decision-making. Role-playing offers a promising strategy because it allows students to take on different viewpoints, argue from multiple perspectives, and engage with real-world issues.

Exploring Science Teachers’ Efforts to Frame Phenomena in the Community

Clark, H. F., Gyles, S. A., Tieu, D., Venkatesh, S., & Sandoval, W. A. 
Original article: Clark, H. F., Gyles, S. A., Tieu, D., Venkatesh, S., & Sandoval, W. A. (2024). Exploring science teachers' efforts to frame phenomena in the community. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 61(9), 2104-2132.  https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21945

By using community-oriented framing, teachers can help students connect science learning to everyday life, social and political systems, and students’ diverse knowledge and experiences—making science meaningful and empowering for all learners.

A self-reported instrument to measure and foster students' science connection to life with the CARE-KNOW-DO model and open schooling for sustainability

Alexandra Okada 
Original article: Okada, Alexandra (2024). A self-reported instrument to measure and foster students’ science connection to life with the CARE-KNOW-DO model and open schooling for sustainability. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 61(10) pp. 2362–2404. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21964

Across the globe, many young people are losing interest in science, creating a barrier to building a future workforce ready to support sustainability, equity, and innovation. Students often struggle to see how science connects to their lives and communities—especially in underserved areas.