Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

An Exploration Of The Math Names For Numbers: An Early Childhood Mathematics Intervention, Suzanne Magargee

Theses & Dissertations

A longitudinal study of the effects of an early childhood mathematics intervention was conducted in 2 private elementary schools in a large city in central Texas. The study included 377 participants in prekindergarten through fifth grades. Explicit non-inverted number names were taught in English and Spanish to prekindergarten and kindergarten students, with formative assessments conducted during this timeframe. Summative assessment results from standardized achievement tests were collected in grades 1 through 5 from 341 of the participants. Normal curve equivalent scores of total mathematics achievement, problem solving, and mathematics procedures were compared among groups of children with no or up …

21st Century Education: The Importance Of The Humanities In Primary Education In The Age Of Stem, Christine M. Reiter

Senior Theses

Taking into consideration the global shift towards innovation and technological development, the rapid changes in the global economy, and the United States Department of Education’s attempts to find a one-size-fits-all solution for America's education woes, our national focus has shifted towards the STEM subjects—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This shift to STEM-focused education has challenged the role of the Humanities in American education, introducing concerns that the overwhelming emphasis on STEM disciplines has pushed the arts, Humanities and human sciences off to the side or even completely out of the picture in American classrooms. In our everchanging technology-focused world, …

A Situated Perspective Of Rural Elementary School Mathematics Teachers’ Planning Practices, Ashley Paige Walther

Doctoral Dissertations

Rural areas are home to approximately 20% of the population in the United States. Schools that serve rural populations are geographically isolated and lack resources when compared to urban and suburban schools. Educators who serve students in rural schools are often born and raised in the same system in which they ultimately work. Elementary teachers are typically certified as generalists. As a result, many report a lack of confidence or proficiency in mathematics. This dissertation offers an analysis of the planning practices of rural elementary school mathematics teachers in a district located in the southeastern United States. The study sought …

Critical Reflections On Teacher Conceptions Of Race As Related To The Effectiveness Of Science Learning, Colby Tofel-Grehl, Kristin Searle

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

The Maker Movement’s current traction in education revolves around the notion that constructing artifacts improves student interest and engagement. Often touted as a new and important way for students to access STEM content, “making” activities offer a unique opportunity to disrupt the traditional perceptions of who can successfully “do” STEM. Blending familiar materials and practices (e.g. sewing with a needle and thread) with atypical materials (e.g., conductive thread and sewable LED bulbs), electronic textiles, or e-textiles, allow makers to create working circuits in ways that connect with their out-of-school lives, including heritage and vernacular cultural practices. This article describes the …

The Correlation Between Extracurricular Stem Activities And Students With Disabilities, Karin Fisher

Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference (2017-2019)

Students with disabilities perform below their non-disabled peers in science (National Science Foundation, 2015). The purpose of the exploratory research was to determine if informal science learning activities offered in Florida districts make a difference on the performance of students with disabilities (SWD) on the 2015 8th grade Florida science assessment using quasi-experimental research methods. After determining a statistically significant difference does exist on the difference between students with and without disabilities on the 8th Grade Florida Science Assessment, the researcher determined if STEM personnel track the number of students with disabilities who participate in STEM activities. The number and …

The Design And Enactment Of Modeling Tasks: A Study On The Development Of Modeling Abilities In A Secondary Mathematics Course, Danielle Buhrman

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study uses components of action and self-study research to examine the design and enactment of modeling tasks with the goal of developing student modeling abilities. The author, a secondary mathematics teacher, first closely examined the curriculum design and instructional decisions she made as she prepared for a unit on mathematical modeling in her precalculus course. Detailed descriptions of the timeline of events as this unit was enacted is then presented, providing insight into student and teacher interactions that occurred during an intense five weeks of modeling instruction. An analysis of these events identified ways in which students relearned how …

Natural Sciences At Parkland College -- Spring 2017, Parkland College Natural Sciences Department, David Wilson, Scott Siechen, Amy Nicely, Erik Johnson, Britt Carlson, Toni Burkhalter, Derrick Baker, Christina Beatty, Heidi Leuszler, David Leake

Department of Natural Sciences Newsletter

This issue of the Natural Sciences Newsletter features an article on the SciCommons, an open tutoring center for Natural Sciences students at Parkland, a report on the seventh annual Illinois Science Olympiad Regional Tournament, submissions from the Astronomy Club and Science Club, a summary of the Laboratory Skills Assessment Survey, an article on internationalizing curriculum, and an article on the local March for Science (April 22, 2017).

The Impact Of Make-A-Ten Strategy On Student Addition Fact Fluency, Jennifer Van Wyk

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project is to determine if the Make-a-Ten strategy has a correlation to increased addition fact fluency. With small group interventions, which included subitizing and number decomposition, students were exposed to various models that showed how to make a ten with multiple numbers when adding them together. Data was collected through pre and post assessments and measured quantitatively to compare fluency scores. Student fluency interviews were also given to mark what level of fact understanding they had. Analysis of the data collected suggests that making tens increases student fluency and allows for more flexibility when …

Development Of An Active-Learning Lesson That Targets Student Understanding Of Population Growth In Ecology, Elizabeth Trenckmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Integrating quantitative literacy skills into the undergraduate biology curriculum has been advocated as a way to better reflect the tools and practices used by scientists. One area where students often need and can develop quantitative skills is population ecology, and previous studies have shown that students often have conceptual difficulties in this area. The focus of this thesis project was to explore student thinking about population ecology and develop an in-class active-learning lesson that incorporates quantitative skills for use in large-enrollment undergraduate biology courses. The development of this lesson was guided by in depth reviews of literature, textbooks, and online …

Claim, Evidence, And Reasoning: Evaluation Of The Use Of Scientific Inquiry To Support Argumentative Writing In The Middle School Science Classroom, Gabriela Mastro

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

In light of the essential science and engineering practices identified by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), this study focuses on the specific science and engineering practice, "engage in argument from evidence," and how classroom practices can serve to strengthen this skill (National Research Council, 2012, p. 71). The NGSS focus on inquiry necessitates students’ use of argument, particularly in writing, to communicate their knowledge and scientific findings and to develop an understanding of scientific practice. The purpose of this teacher action research study is to evaluate the influence of inquiry-based argumentative writing exercises, based on the Argument Driven Inquiry …

High School Student Concussion Recovery Program: Teacher Involvement In Student Academic Transitions To Classroom And To Sports, Brittany Diego

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Many symptoms of concussions can substantially interfere with the cognitive abilities, and skills students use in school. Although students may have similar symptoms, they experience concussions differently. Students returning to the classroom from a concussion often have different needs and abilities.

Research shows that a formal, individualized protocol to treat suspected concussions, both academically and physically, is vital to the successful recovery of each student. Much research is available on concussions for professional athletes, specifically related to recovery and returning to their sport. However, there is little research about high school students regarding concussions. Concussion recovery programs for high school …

A Study Of The Effect Of Using Simulations On Students' Learning Of Inferential Statistics In The Elementary Statistics Classes In The Mathematics Department Of The University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Alexa Schut

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports the results of a studying into the use of simulation-based teaching in Introductory Statistics Class to analyze the effectiveness of this teaching strategy. We give a brief overview of the more recent research into the impact of using computer simulations in an introductory statistics course in order to deepen student understanding of inferential statistics along with the a look at a similar study recently conducted at another university. We then give a review of our study conducted in Math Stat 215 classes at UW-Milwaukee to evaluate whether or not the use of simulations in this introductory statistics …

Elementary Teachers' Participation In Edmodo As A Community Of Practice: A Phenomenology, Cynthia Reasoner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the shared, lived experience of elementary teachers’ participation in Edmodo as a community of practice. The theoretical framework guiding this research included Lave and Wenger’s (1991) community of practice theory and Bandura’s social learning theory (1977, 1984) which explained how learning through participation and observation occurs among teachers involved in learning communities. Social constructivism (Bruner, 1996; Piaget, 1971; Vygotsky, 1978) and adult learning theories (Mezirow, 1991, 1995; Knowles, 1984) also provided understanding as to how adults learn and create knowledge. This study described the lived experience of 10 elementary teachers and …

The Importance Of Extracurricular Stem Activities For Students With Disabilities, Karin Fisher

Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference (2017-2019)

Students with disabilities are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers (National Science Foundation, 2015). The underrepresentation is a problem because the nation’s competitiveness depends on diverse individuals with STEM knowledge, skills, and abilities to drive innovation that will need to new products and economic growth (Business higher Education Forum/A Policy Brief, 2014; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2016; National Science Board, 2016). The author discusses the importance of engaging students with disabilities in informal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics activities.

Using Primary Sources In Stem Education: An Example, Josh Pfiester

Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference (2017-2019)

Primary sources are original artifacts from the past that can used to understand an event or time period. They are customarily only thought of in the realm of historical thinking. That is unfortunate because they can also be considered in terms of scientific, economic, cultural, and mathematical thinking. While primary sources are increasingly taking more prominent roles in the social studies and history classrooms, they are still very rare in other disciplines. This paper describes how primary sources gathered from the Library of Congress were situated in a larger STEM lesson focusing on the challenges faced by WWI veteran amputees. …

Assessing Student Progress And Performance Across The Curriculum, Christopher G. Brown, Jennell M. Talley, Bekah Ward Dr., Christopher I. Brandon Jr., Jill Penn, Elisabeth Javazon

Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference (2017-2019)

Evaluation of student learning is of paramount importance to the educational community and allows reflection on program successes and weaknesses; however, best practices are hotly debated. This project designed and implemented an assessment system in which an identical, mixed-format assessment was given to all levels of students in the Georgia Gwinnett College biology program at the start of the semester for academic years 2014-15, 2015-16 and Fall of 2016. The assessment contained multiple choice and free-response questions, and evaluated lab reports from core courses in the biology program. This system allows for longitudinal assessment of students, provides quick results for …

Discovery Education Techbook Use As A Montessori Science Resource, Michelle S. Oliver

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study analyzed whether adding Discovery Education Techbook, as a resource for science research, would enhance students’ depth of exploration and increase their level of understanding of research topics. The study took place in a fourth and fifth grade Montessori classroom, part of a school within a school program, serving 13 fourth graders and 7 fifth graders. Data collection tools included a discussion accountability form and a science journal rubric. These displayed students’ research work and discussion participation. A student attitude scale and parent informational tool were used to record students’ feelings about science research and collect data on how …

Inclusive Teaching Strategies: An Evaluation Of Course Structure And Summative Assessment In Introductory Biology, Oluwaseun O. Agboola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Several active learning strategies have been used when increasing the structure of a course as increasing course structure has been known to improve student learning in introductory STEM courses. Much has been studied on the value of frequent formative assessment; however, few studies have evaluated the effective modes of delivering summative assessment. This study examines the use of summative assessment as an inclusive teaching practice to improve first generation college student success in introductory biology and also uses faculty surveys to find out how instructors structure their introductory biology course and why they are structured that way. Final exams were …

English Language Learners In The Mathematics Classroom, Julia Mccormick

Senior Honors Projects

Mathematics is often considered a universal language. Most of us have heard this statement from a math teacher at some point throughout our academic careers. However, for students moving to the United States from another country with minimal fluency in English, this is clearly not the case. They may walk into math class, a subject area in which they may have excelled in their native country, and see the words “polynomial”, “coefficient”, and “differentiate” on the board. Regardless of their experiences in their native language, there are disconnects and cultural differences between languages and skills emphasized that prevents mathematics from …

Enhancing Interdisciplinary Attitudes And Achievement Via Integrated Biology And Chemistry, Ying Guo, Pat Uelmen Huey Dr., David P. Pursell

Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference (2017-2019)

Success in undergraduate biology courses relies upon a firm grounding in chemical principles. We sought to raise students’ awareness of the connection between these two disciplines and to improve their understanding of each by carrying out a pilot project that integrated the curricula of Principles of Chemistry II (CHEM1212K) and Principles of Biology I (BIOL1107K) during the Fall 2016 semester. The study involved two course pairs: one section of each course delivered in the traditional non-integrated manner and a second pair of sections that were integrated across the chemistry and biology disciplines in both the scope and sequence of the …