Education Commons^™

Invigorating Seventh-Day Adventist Science Education With Chemical Knowledge Of God's Creation, Ryan T. Hayes, D. David Nowack

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Understanding And Cultivating Mathematical Resilience In Students, Anthony Bosman, Adam Heck

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Of Mathematics Self-Efficacy, The Sources Of Mathematics Self-Efficacy, And Mathematics Achievement Among Primary School Students In Trinidad And Tobago, Ronald Sinanan

Dissertations

Purpose of the Study

This dissertation addressed two problems in the literature. Firstly, while many study findings have highlighted the critical role of self-efficacy in students' achievement, additional research was needed about the four hypothesized sources that influence the improvement of students' mathematics self-efficacy. Many studies on self-efficacy sources were conducted with measures not closely tied to social cognitive theory and have not demonstrated sufficient reliability. Using the Sources of Mathematics SelfEfficacy Scale, Usher and Pajares (2009) addressed this problem. They suggested several recommendations for future research (Usher & Pajares, 2008b, 2009), including exploring the validity of their scale in …

Design And Catastrophe: 51 Scientists Explore Evidence In Nature, Gordon J. Atkins

Faculty Publications

Review of

L. James Gibson, Ronny Nalin, and Humberto M. Rasi, eds. Design and Catastrophe: 51 Scientists Explore Evidence in Nature (Berrien Springs, Mich.: Andrews University Press, 2021). ISBN: 9781940980305 (Print). 240 pages (Hardback), US$24.99.

The Role Of Resilience In The Stem Identities Of Post-Secondary Students: A Qualitative Metasynthesis, Karen Benn Marshall, Sylvia M. James

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this qualitative metasynthesis is to explore the relationship between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) identity and resilience in racially and ethnically diverse post-secondary students. This study identifies experiences that impact STEM identity development in diverse undergraduate and graduate students. The results of a constant targeted comparison (an analytical technique not often used in educational studies) between STEM identity and student resilience suggests that STEM identity contributes to resilience in diverse students. Findings suggest that common adverse experiences that may impact racially and ethnically diverse students can be overcome in the presence of a well-developed STEM identity. …

Instructional Strategies Used By Effective Mathematics Teachers In Adventist Elementary Schools In Florida: An Mqi Analysis, Anna Adkins

Dissertations

The Problem

Teaching mathematics can be a difficult task. United States students on comparative international mathematics assessments consistently rank near the test averages. On a national assessment, commonly called the Nation’s Report Card, more than half of American students rank as ‘not proficient’ in mathematics. The purpose of this study was to describe the strategies used by teachers with at least average mathematical knowledge for teaching. This was evidenced by their scores on the Mathematical Knowledge Test for Teaching (MKT). In addition to teacher knowledge, the study sample was selected from among schools where the five-year average was above the …

When We Grade Students’ Proofs, Do They Understand Our Feedback?, Robert C. Moore, Martha Byrne, Sarah Hanusch, Timothy Fukawa-Connelly

Faculty Publications

Instructors often write feedback on students’ proofs even if there is no expectation for the students to revise and resubmit the work. It is not known, however, what students do with that feedback or if they understand the professor’s intentions. To this end, we asked eight advanced mathematics undergraduates to respond to professor comments on four written proofs by interpreting and implementing the comments. We analyzed the student’s responses using the categories of corrective feedback for language acquisition, viewing the language of mathematical proof as a register of academic English.

Under-Represented Students' Engagement In Secondary Science Learning: A Non-Equivalent Control Group Design, Joy J. Vann-Hamilton

Dissertations

Problem.

A significant segment of the U.S. population, under-represented students, is under-engaged or disengaged in secondary science education. International and national assessments and various research studies illuminate the problem and/or the disparity between students’ aspirations in science and the means they have to achieve them. To improve engagement and address inequities among these students, more contemporary and/or inclusive pedagogy is recommended. More specifically, multicultural science education has been suggested as a potential strategy for increased equity so that all learners have access to and are readily engaged in quality science education. While multicultural science education emphasizes the integration of students’ …

The Common Core State Standards' Mathematical Practices: What Do They Mean For The Adventist Mathematics Classroom?, Marion V. Prince

Faculty Publications

A nationwide state-sponsored curriculum for mathematics and language arts will soon be implemented in public schools across the United States. This will also include a new system for assessing students’ mastery of the curriculum. The main focus of this article is what mathematics teachers will need to do to adapt their instruction because of the coming changes.

Measuring A Circle: A Math Lesson For Grades 5-10, Robert C. Moore

Faculty Publications

This article is designed to promote teaching methods that engage students in active learning and result in deep conceptual understanding by offering a sample lesson to help students (grades 5-10, ages 10-15) answer questions about and gain a deeper understanding of how to measure the circumference and area of a circle.

Incorporating Case Studies Into An Undergraduate Genetics Course, Marlene Murray

Faculty Publications

Genetics is considered one of the most challenging courses in the biology curricula at both the secondary and post secondary levels. Case based teaching has been shown to improve student perception and performance outcomes in both non-science and science courses. Thus in an effort to improve outcomes, case studies were integrated into an undergraduate genetics course as a supplement to lecture and replacement to recitation. Student perception and performance when case studies were used was compared to two previous years before the incorporation of case studies. Student course evaluations, pre and post surveys of student knowledge, and exam scores indicated …

Cosmological Beliefs About Origins Related To Science Achievement Among Junior High-School Students In South Bend, Indiana, J. David Van Dyke

Dissertations

Problem. American high-school students score lower in science achievement tests than their peers in other developed nations. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ranked the scientific achievement of American high-school students as ―very low‖ in comparison to high-school students in other industrialized nations—only 29th out of 57 developed countries. Research has indicated that achievement declines as U.S. students progress to higher grades and take on more rigorous science courses. A variety of factors have been documented that may account for U.S. students‘ lower science achievement rankings. These include socioeconomic status, race, and gender. One area only marginally …

Doing Science Learning Life: Activities With Spiritual Lessons, Clifton Keller

All Books

Science Fun for You and Your Children

The author claims that many students are afraid of college level math and science courses and give up on lifelong dreams. However by getting involved with activities related to science, rather than memorizing facts, some decide to “bite the bullet” and take advanced studies. As a teacher, he learned the processes learned along the way are more important than the facts. For that reason, the book is centered on a dozen process skills such as Observing, Measuring, Classifying, Communicating, etc. Piaget assumed: “Children build on THEIR own knowledge based on THEIR own experiences.” …

Teacher Efficacy And The Use Of Specific Instructional Practices By Seventh- And Eighth-Grade Science Teachers In The United States, Larry Dale Burton

Dissertations

Problem. Current reform efforts in science education are constructivist in nature and call for major changes in the way science has been taught in the schools. Teacher efficacy, a measure of perceived instructional empowerment, is one variable which has been linked to teacher change and general classroom innovation. However, the specific relationship between efficacy and innovative science instruction had not been examined.

Method. This descriptive study employed a correlational design utilizing cross-sectional survey methodology. Data were collected via a three-part survey instrument. The purpose ofthis design was to gather descriptive data on science education in seventh- and eighth-grade classes in …