Virtual Events and Webinars

Virtual Events and Webinars

Scheduled and Recent Events

 

Inquiring into the School: Case Studies on Place-Based Education

October 13, 2026
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET

This session examines how the school itself can become a primary subject and dynamic field of scientific inquiry, rather than merely a physical venue for lessons. Drawing on five qualitative case studies of place-based education (PBE) in school science contexts, the presenter will demonstrate how investigating students' immediate living environments deepens their engagement with science and reshapes their understanding of school space.

The session introduces five case narratives constructed from students' essays and interview transcripts, followed by research conclusions and a discussion derived from a cross-case analysis.

To accommodate international participants, the session is structured asynchronously: it includes a 30-minute pre-recorded presentation (PPT with English narration) and an interactive online Q&A forum via Padlet, which will remain open throughout the event period.

Meet Your Speakers:
Solhee Lee, Seryun middle school 
Miyoun Lim, Ewha Womans University

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/InquiringIntoTheSchool-CaseStudies

Welcome To NARST Webinar

October 16, 2026
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET

The Graduate Student Committee invites you to the "Welcome to NARST" session, an orientation designed to introduce incoming graduate students and newly joined members to the resources, communities, and opportunities available through NARST.

This session is designed to clarify membership benefits, committee structures, and practical pathways for engagement within the NARST community. During the session, committee leaders will outline opportunities including awards and scholarships, the Graduate Student Forum, the Graduate Student Research Symposium, and regular networking and communications initiatives. The committee will propose conference sessions to attend, provide concrete guidance on how to get involved, how to submit and present research, and where to find mentoring and community support. The event concludes with a live Q&A.

Hosted by the Graduate Student Committee

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/WelcometoNARST

Pláticas: Knowledge construction through conversations to disrupt hegemonic practices in qualitative science education research

October 19 2026
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET

The Pláticas methodology arises from critical theories as a way to challenge hegemonic practices in qualitative research. To disrupt the extractive and inequitable power dynamic of research, the participant is positioned as a co-constructor of knowledge, creating awareness of the importance of their contributions to advancing the field of education. Pláticas, as its name implies, is a series of conversations in which participants are invited to contribute to answering research questions through story sharing and building bonds with other project contributors. Pláticas is an important methodology that centers participant contributions through a redistribution of power and affords often silenced voices and stories a space to be heard.

This session is designed to explore the Pláticas methodology, which centers Latinx participants using culturally relevant practices that are holistic and reflexive. The speakers will share examples from their research with undergraduate students to illustrate how Pláticas has been used across different research contexts. Katherine will share how she developed Pláticas in her doctoral research with undergraduate pre-med students and later adapted the methodology within an NSF-funded mixed-methods project. Maraliz will share how she is using Pláticas in her doctoral research with community college students, focusing on data collection. Together, their experiences will highlight how methodological tools can evolve in response to different research questions, participants, and contexts.

The audience is invited to join the presenters in recognizing the value in challenging traditional power dynamics in the researcher-participant roles. Disrupting the perceived objectivity of normative qualitative research methodologies can be beneficial to a growing number of students and researchers in science education.

Meet Your Speakers:
Katherine Arias Gracia, University of California San Diego School of Medicine
Maraliz Fischler-Barraza, University of California San Diego and San Diego State University

Hosted by: Contemporary Methods for Science Education Research RIG

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/events/event_list.asp

What Should RAISE Be? An Open Check-In on AI Research in Science Education

October 21 2026
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET

RAISE members told us in a survey what they value about the RIG, what they expect from it, and what they want it to achieve. This virtual event shares those results and hands the floor to the room. Everyone is welcome — members, prospective members, and anyone simply interested in research on AI in science education. We will discuss which activities deserve the RIG's attention and which gaps it should fill, and close by identifying a small set of priorities to pursue before the annual meeting. We open with a short presentation of the survey results where responses converge, and, more interestingly, where they pull apart. The bulk of the session then belongs to the room. In facilitated small-group discussion we will work through a few concrete questions: Which activities are worth the RIG's limited volunteer capacity? What do doctoral students and early-career researchers need that the RIG is not currently providing? Where does RAISE duplicate what NARST already offers, and where does it fill a genuine gap? Newcomers often see those gaps most clearly, so we are as interested in what brought you to the session as in what keeps existing members here.

Hosted by: NARST RAISE RIG

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/What_Should_RAISE_Be

Award Talk: The Evolution of a Socio-Scientific Issues Research Agenda: Evidence for Teaching and Learning Science with Complex Societal Issues

October 22 2026
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET

Education ought to help prepare students for reasoning about complex problems, exploring the intersections of their own values with scientific ideas and principles, and considering evidence from science as they make decisions. Socio-scientific issues (SSI) based teaching is an approach to science education aligned with this progressive set of goals. For the past 25 years, my colleagues and I have explored how students think about SSI, how to teach with SSI, and how to improve SSI teaching and learning. This presentation traces some of the insights gained through these research efforts. Findings from this work include student reasoning patterns when confronted with ethically challenging SSI, how teachers approach SSI education, what students can learn through SSI-based experiences, and how students can engage in science practices as they explore SSI. Implications and applications from this body of research include frameworks for 1) SSI teaching, 2) development of curriculum for SSI learning, and 3) conceptualizing and assessing the reasoning skills, that students can develop through SSI learning experiences, and apply as they confront issues beyond school. The presentation describes the evolution of an SSI research agenda with an eye toward where science education research can go in the future.

Meet Your Speaker:
Troy Sadler, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/AwardTalk

The Web of Intersectionality: A reflective tool for exploring identity - Part One

October 23 2026
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM ET (2 hrs)

This two-part virtual workshop explores identity formation, intersectionality, and the impacts of structural power on research and practice through creative expression. Participants will move from abstract theory into something more tangible. Through physical crafting and collaborative inquiry, participants will investigate how privileged and marginalized identities manifest in their practice as a researcher or educator.

Attendees will be guided through four phases across the two sessions: contextualizing intersectional frameworks, grounding identity through hands-on creative expression, navigating critical interruptions, and synthesizing practical applications. By the end of the two-part workshop, attendees will be able to: (1) deconstruct traditional identity models by weaving a multi-dimensional identity web; (2) analyze how shifting environments or policies alter identity relationships over time; (3) evaluate dimensions of privilege and marginalization in daily professional practice; and (4) adapt the framework to facilitate critical identity dialogues at their home institutions.

Meet Your Speakers:
Alisa H. Chung, Purdue University
Kaley Mumma, Purdue University
Catlin M. Goodwin, University of Arkansas
Tiffany A. Marzolino, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/The_Web_of_Intersectionality-pt1

Behind the Editor's Desk: Learning to Publish and Review for JRST

October 29 2026
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET (2 hrs)

Learn how to publish and review for JRST!

Meet Your Speakers:
Dana Vedder-Weiss, JRST
Edna Tan, JRST
Matt Kloser, JRST
Elif Ozulku, JRST
Gur Arie Livni Alcasid, JRST

Hosted by: JRST Editorial Team

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/Behind_the_Editors_Desk

The Web of Intersectionality: A reflective tool for exploring identity - Part Two

October 30 2026
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM ET (2 hrs)

This two-part virtual workshop explores identity formation, intersectionality, and the impacts of structural power on research and practice through creative expression. Participants will move from abstract theory into something more tangible. Through physical crafting and collaborative inquiry, participants will investigate how privileged and marginalized identities manifest in their practice as a researcher or educator.

Attendees will be guided through four phases across the two sessions: contextualizing intersectional frameworks, grounding identity through hands-on creative expression, navigating critical interruptions, and synthesizing practical applications. By the end of the two-part workshop, attendees will be able to: (1) deconstruct traditional identity models by weaving a multi-dimensional identity web; (2) analyze how shifting environments or policies alter identity relationships over time; (3) evaluate dimensions of privilege and marginalization in daily professional practice; and (4) adapt the framework to facilitate critical identity dialogues at their home institutions.

Meet Your Speakers:
Alisa H. Chung, Purdue University
Kaley Mumma, Purdue University
Catlin M. Goodwin, University of Arkansas
Tiffany A. Marzolino, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/Web_Of_Intersectionality_Part_Two

Career Steps Webinar Series #16

October 30 2026
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET

Navigating the transition from graduate studies to a fulfilling career can feel overwhelming. With countless possibilities - academia, industry, government, non-profits, and beyond - graduate students often find themselves uncertain about which path to pursue or how to begin.

The Graduate Student Committee recognizes this challenge and organizes the Career Steps Webinar Series, an engaging, monthly webinar series designed to illuminate multiple career trajectories, offer practical guidance, and foster meaningful connections within the NARST community.

Each session features accomplished professionals who share their academic and career journeys, offering practical advice, personal insights, and lessons learned along the way. Beyond providing career information, the series creates an opportunity for students to explore future possibilities, connect with experienced professionals, and gain the confidence and inspiration to pursue their own career goals.

Meet Your Speaker:
Charlton McIlwain, NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development; Vice Provost for Faculty Engagement and Development; Professor of Media, Culture, and Communication

Hosted by: Graduate Student Committee

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/Graduate_Student_Career_Steps_16