This study investigated the prevalence of transformative experiences, antecedents of transformative experience, and the relation between transformative experience and deep‐level learning (conceptual change and transfer) for high school biology students (N = 166). Results suggested that the high school students in our sample typically engaged in low levels of transformative experience with respect to biology, but those students who strongly identified with science and who endorsed a mastery goal orientation were more likely to report engagement in higher levels of transformative experience. Furthermore, a higher level of engagement in transformative experience was positively associated with (a) conceptual change in understanding the concept of natural selection, but not inheritance, at the post‐ and follow‐up assessments and (b) transfer at the follow‐up assessment. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 94:1–28, 2010

The Teaching for Transformative Experiences in Science (TTES) model was designed to facilitate the application of academic learning in students' everyday experiences. In the current study, we describe a 2-year design-based intervention that aimed to further develop and evaluate the TTES model. In the first year, a teacher implemented the TTES model in two of his four classes. The findings indicated enhanced engagement and learning, but primarily among students with higher prior engagement and learning. Insights led to revision of the TTES model. In the second year, the revised TTES model was implemented in all the teacher's classes, with another teacher's classes used for comparison. Intervention students demonstrated significantly greater learning and reported significantly higher levels of transformative experience than the comparison students.

Women are underrepresented in many undergraduate geoscience programs. Some departments are more successful at recruiting and retaining female students than others. To understand why, we investigated potential differences between more and less successful geoscience departments in terms of social support, institutional supports, institutional barriers, perceived connection to instructors, and transformative experiences. We collected data from 2,041 undergraduate geoscience students enrolled in six geoscience departments at public, four-year institutions across the United States. We recruited two departments that were successful at graduating a high percentage of female students compared to the national average (high-success sites), two departments with a moderate percentage (medium-success sites), and two with a low percentage (low-success sites). Students at high-success sites reported greater institutional supports, greater perceived connection to instructors, and lower institutional barriers than did students at medium- and low-success sites. Nonmajors at high-success sites reported higher levels of transformative experience than nonmajors at low-success sites. No significant differences were found between medium- and low-success sites. Across all sites, female students perceived less of a connection to their instructors and endorsed a lower level of transformative experience than did male students. We did not find gender differences in terms of the other factors. We also did not find gender by site interactions, suggesting that the success of high-success sites in recruiting and retaining women was associated with supporting all students. These results suggest departments can increase effectiveness in recruiting and retaining female student by increasing institutional supports, reducing institutional barriers, connecting with students, and fostering transformative experiences.