​Experiential learning involves educators teaching students by immersing them in an activity and asking them to apply concepts related to the subject. An August 2024 article in the Journal of Science Education Research reported on a study that found experiential learning facilitated learning in high school biology students.

In many cases, experiential learning helps students understand the material outside the study. It gives students insight into subjects that might interest them, allows students to collaborate with others, and can instill leadership skills.

The study focused on two research questions related to student attitudes toward biology after participating in research projects and elements of experiential learning. It included 45 high school students attending the Juaben Senior High School in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Researchers selected these students because they had some fundamental understanding of biology, as they had already passed their first year of biology. Further, they were not under pressure to pass final exams like students in their final year of school.

Students engaged in hands-on microscopy, observing and analyzing cell structures and analyzing the differences in these structures. Students also participated in experimental design, critical thinking, problem-solving, data analysis, collaborative learning, reflection, and evaluation.

A pre-and post-student questionnaire focused on whether students understood concepts they studied, could communicate and interpret concepts, and could relate them to life. The post-test results showed that 88 percent of students exhibited that they understood biological concepts, a higher percentage compared with the student pre-test.

More importantly, 91 percent of students reported more interest in the subject, again a higher percentage than in the pre-test. Ultimately, experiential learning in biology increases student outcomes while making the subject interesting.

​The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), an organization comprised of 35,000 science educators, works toward developing best practices in teaching this discipline. In a June 2024 press release, the NSTA published a book establishing guidelines for aligning to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

The book Creating and Using Instructional Supportive Assessments in NGSS Classrooms bases many of its step-by-step instructions on the information outlined in the NGSS. It aims to help students understand the scientific concepts that they study. The main components emphasize knowing, using, and interpreting scientific phenomena in the natural world, evaluating evidence, participating in scientific discussions, and understanding how scientific practice has evolved.

In addition, the book focuses on helping teachers educate students on the core scientific concepts, ideas, and engineering and science practices. It also encourages educators to be creative with their lessons while providing rubrics, assessments, and dimension maps (which help students organize information) to facilitate learning and track student progress.

NSTA Chief of Publications and Digital Products Cathy Lammartino stated that the book helps teachers encourage students to develop a love for the subject. Further, the book aligns with NSTA’s aims in empowering teachers to impart knowledge engagingly.

​Teaching chemistry poses challenges, especially when making complex concepts relatable to students. When textbooks fall short, teachers must figure out how to explain chemistry concepts to students, such as Avogadro’s number, Brownian motion, equilibrium, and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. Teachers can use microsteps and logic.

Using micro steps establishes how much information students get at every point during a class session or year. Breaking down topics into micro steps allows teachers to meet clear, manageable objectives, making it easy to revise when students need more help on certain parts.

Next, teachers should teach chemistry logically. Approaching chemistry from a perspective that makes sense to the teacher will help them. It does not require radical deviations from other curriculums. For example, start with topics that the teacher has mastered and enjoys. Their passion, enthusiasm, and knowledge become more practical, which tends to work better with students.

Lastly, like many other subjects, chemistry needs lots of examples. Every example becomes a template for students. Many examples with multiple variations of the same problem help students, showing students how to apply concepts in various scenarios.

​The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is a community of 40,000 science educators and professionals committed to advancing teaching science and STEM and improving student learning. To reach this goal, NSTA engages in partnerships with other organizations.

In April 2020, NSTA, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AAIA), and Estes Industries collaborated on a multiyear initiative to implement research-based aerospace education to students nationwide. Beginning in April, K-12 educators accessed free lesson plans and curriculum through Exploration Generation (ExGen). These lessons cover topics in aerospace, engineering, and rocketry.

NSTA Executive Director Erika Shugart, Ph.D., stated that students must have access to high-quality learning experiences in today's technology-driven world. Further, Aerospace and rocketry become opportunities to attract students to STEP concepts. The organization is excited about its partnership with AIAA to provide research-based instructional materials to educators.

In addition to the AIAA-Estes Industries collaboration, NSTA announced its partnership with the National Institute of Health's National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) to provide educators with resources and educational material related to teaching genetic and genomic science to attract students to these fields.

The initiative's name is Genome Unlocking Life's Code, and it provides educators with free lesson plans and storyline units that teachers can integrate into high school classrooms. The lessons culminate in students completing a do-it-yourself, a community-centered project at the end of the term.

Dr. Shugart stated that the influence of genetics and genome studies goes beyond academia to understanding how it applies to the human diet and life-saving vaccines. Through these lessons, educators can help students connect their studies of genetics and genomes to real-world applications. Furthermore, she expressed gratitude for partnering with the NIH to provide educators with these valuable lessons.

NSTA also partnered with the education publisher Routledge/Taylor & Francis to provide members with access to its five academic journals, according to an April 2023 press release. In January 2024, the educational publisher will publish Science & Children, The Science Teacher, Science Scope, Journal of College Science Teaching, and Connected Science Learning. The publishing house also began distributing these journals, and NSTA members have online access to them. This access will replace the NSTA library subscriptions as of October 1, 2023.

In October 2023, NSTA announced that it had also joined with Johns Hopkins University Press to provide teachers with STEM- and science-related lesson plans. The unit, called Johns Hopkins Wavelengths: Tuning in to Cutting Edge, will help educators teach middle and high school students about the pioneering innovations of the researchers at Johns Hopkins through lesson plans called Daily Do.

The lessons are team-based ones designed to encourage student curiosity and interests while also getting them to understand some of the world's most significant issues. Artificial intelligence, sustainable and equitable food systems, and the interior forces of the planets are a few of the curriculum's lessons. One of the newest lesson plans tackled the auroras and why observers can see them at the North and South Poles.

John Hopkins University's Assistant Vice Provost for Research Julie Messersmith asserted the importance of educators to connect academic research with what is happening in society for students. This collaboration does that by bringing the research done at the university into the classrooms. These lessons include companion resources, such as mentorship profile videos promoting career-connected learning and STEM pathways.