Science is a fundamental subject in Vietnamese primary education and provides an important context for developing students’ scientific literacy and competencies. Inquiry‐based science teaching (IBST) can support critical thinking, problem‐solving, and scientific reasoning when it is appropriately structured and scaffolded. However, evidence on the factors shaping teachers’ implementation of inquiry‐based science teaching in Vietnamese primary schools remains limited. This study therefore examined five factors including educational program (PR), approach to teaching methods (AM), student characteristics (ST), teaching resources (RE), and teaching application (AP), and their relationships with inquiry‐based teaching effectiveness (EF). Data from 306 primary teachers in Ho Chi Minh City were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability and exploratory factor analyses, multiple linear regression, and comparisons across grade level and teaching experience. The scales demonstrated acceptable‐to‐excellent internal consistency, and exploratory factor analysis supported a five‐factor structure for the independent variables and a distinct effectiveness construct. Regression analysis showed significant positive associations of AP, AM, and RE with EF and significant negative associations of PR and ST with EF. Grade‐level comparisons showed a significant difference for ST, while experience‐based comparisons indicated significant differences across the measured constructs. The findings indicate that teachers’ perceived effectiveness is associated not only with curriculum, student, and resource conditions but also with their capacity to orchestrate core scientific practices—questioning, investigation, evidence use, explanation, and communication. The study therefore contributes context‐specific evidence to primary natural science education and points to the need for science‐specific professional development and institutional support for inquiry‐based science teaching in Vietnamese primary schools.
Abstract Soil judging contests are an opportunity for undergraduate students to develop and apply soil science skills by describing soil profiles in the field followed by interpretation and classification of the observed morphology. We developed a series of Canvas quizzes to facilitate repeated exposure to taxonomic concepts that students completed before the contest using R and existing pedon lab data. As a result, students could classify and interpret the data without having to complete a morphological description. Following the soil judging contest, the participating students completed a 5 point Likert‐scale survey. Survey data demonstrated that the quizzes enhanced contest preparation efforts, specifically regarding skill development (4.6 0.5) and conceptual integration (4.2 0.6). Furthermore, student responses highlighted that the modules reinforced foundational knowledge and enabled skill transfer to unfamiliar soil profiles (4.1 1.0). Despite a limited survey sample size, the findings suggest that the quizzes complement field‐based teaching efforts. A key strength is the reproducibility of the rule‐based framework implemented here, though the technical skills required may not be introductory. Future work could introduce a database of validated pedons, as well as a standardized workflow adoptable by those with limited programming experience.
Abstract Residential youth programs provide a promising environment for delivering natural sciences and environmental education in socially rich, informal learning settings. The purpose of this study was to examine youths’ social and personal developmental outcomes and pro‐environmental attitudes and behaviors following participation in an environmental education experience embedded within a 4‐day Louisiana 4‐H residential Summer Camp Program. Using an ex post facto, quasi‐experimental design, camper responses to the American Camp Association's Camper Learning Scale (CLS) and the Children's Environmental Perceptions Scale were analyzed alongside selected demographic characteristics to address the study's four objectives. Descriptive analyses indicated that participants reported meaningful social–personal development and strong pro‐environmental orientations following completion of the wetland's environmental education track. Correlational and exploratory regression analyses indicated that gender was significantly associated with social–personal outcomes, with female participants reporting higher scores overall. Findings indicated that participants reported strong pro‐environmental orientations following completion of the environmental education track, alongside moderate overall scores in social and personal development, suggesting that structured environmental education delivered within residential youth settings can support both environmental and developmental learning outcomes. The results further demonstrated that most demographic characteristics played a limited role in explaining variation in environmental orientations, while gender was modestly associated with social–personal outcomes, highlighting the importance of instructional design and socially mediated learning conditions in supporting natural sciences education within nontraditional learning environments.
Abstract Engaging community in stakeholder processes is important to the future viability and benefit of society. Research suggests that situational awareness factors of problem‐solving and transferable skills are key processes needed for successful community engagement. This study examined undergraduate student situational awareness using problem‐solving capacity and level of transferable skills in combination with student academic performance outcomes to determine overall capacity for community engagement. The purpose of this research was to discern if there was a predictive effect between student situational awareness and the instructional outcomes of a community engagement course. A pre‐ and post‐test research design using an event‐contingent survey sampling approach was used to determine potential for community engagement. Results indicated that students that had cognitive components of situational awareness including perception, comprehension, and projection were also likely to have transferable skills including reflection (pre‐course M = 3.88 to post‐course M = 4.02) and communication skills (pre‐course M = 4.19 to post‐course M = 4.24). Results of this research provide key takeaways to enhance student learning in the context of problem‐solving within a community engagement context. Helping students develop capacities and to see themselves as engaged problem solvers can provide an important set of skills to future community engagement professionals.
Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI)‐based image recognition technology is reshaping the digital transformation of agricultural education by enhancing practical teaching, intelligent assessment, and personalized learning. This review examines the educational applications of AI image recognition technologies in agricultural training environments, including virtual simulation systems, intelligent pest and disease diagnosis, adaptive learning platforms, and smart field teaching. The study further discusses the pedagogical value of AI‐supported agricultural education from the perspectives of experiential learning, digital competence development, and instructional innovation. Major challenges, including teacher digital literacy, infrastructure limitations, data privacy, and educational equity in rural areas, are also analyzed. Finally, future directions for AI‐enabled agricultural education are proposed, emphasizing interdisciplinary curriculum reform, intelligent learning ecosystems, and sustainable educational development. This review provides a theoretical and practical reference for promoting the intelligent transformation of agricultural education.
