Education Commons^™

Perceptions Of The Indonesia National Curriculum In Relation To Integrated Stem Education At The High School Level, Andinisa Rahmaniar

Theses and Dissertations

High school students need 21st-century skills to be competitive in the global economy. STEM education, coupled with problem-solving, critical thinking, innovation, and written and oral communication skills are essential for high school students. In Indonesia, STEM education is not as common as in the United States; some teachers in Indonesia use STEM as a learning method, but it is not included as a major component in the Indonesian curriculum. This study aimed to analyze (a) how teachers implement STEM-based lessons, including hands-on activities and project-based learning in relation to the Indonesian National Curriculum and (b) teachers’ prior knowledge about integrating …

A Holistic Approach To Developmental Mathematics, Leah M. Rineck

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a holistic course that meets the needs of students referred to multiple developmental mathematics courses. The study aimed to determine if the holistic design contributed to an increase in conceptual understanding of fractions, integers, and their operations. Additionally, the study analyzed the pass rates from the course design and compared these pass rates to historic versions of the course and current gateway courses. Last, the student’s perceptions of the course were analyzed to determine their perceptions of the design features of the course. The study took place at a large midwestern urban …

Development And Validation Of An Instrument For Measuring Instructor Satisfaction In Massive Open Online Courses (Moocs), Yahya Mathashi

Theses and Dissertations

To support the pursuit of quality in MOOCs, this study follows the Sloan Consortium online education quality framework. This framework includes five pillars of quality online education that need to be assessed on an ongoing basis: learning effectiveness, cost effectiveness, access, faculty satisfaction, and student satisfaction. At present, there is no measures for any of these five pillars. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a measure for one pillar, faculty satisfaction, the MOOC Instructor Satisfaction Measure (MISM). This was a quantitative study which used instrument development methods to develop the MISM and examine its validity and …

The Relationship Between Place Attachment And Socioscientific Reasoning Among High School Students In Puerto Rico After Negotiation With Local And Foreign Socioscientific Issues, Lorraine Judith Ramírez Villarín

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to explore the relationship between place attachment and socioscientific reasoning (SSR) of Puerto Rican high school students through debate and discourse of local and foreign socioscientific issues (SSI). The specific research questions were, (1) what is the extent of the participants’ place attachment to the island of Puerto Rico, (2) are there differences in SSR between groups working with local and foreign SSI, (3) is there a correlation between place attachment and SSR, (4) are there differences in SSR between scenarios after SSI negotiation, and (5) do negotiation and discourse improve after SSI …

Does Our Relationship With Nature Influence Our Argumentation Skills About Biodiversity Conservation?, Iresha Nadeeshani Jayasinghe

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding human treatment towards nature provides insight into mitigating human induced environmental issues. This study determines whether individuals’ relationships with nature (NR), emotions experienced during evidence evaluation, and conservation concern drive evaluation of arguments made about biodiversity conservation. Although we predicted that participants with strong NR would exhibit motivated reasoning, resulting in strong argument-evaluation skills as they evaluate an anti-conservation argument, we found that participants’ emotions during evidence evaluation were more predictive of their argument-evaluation skills. Further, participants with either low or high conservation concern demonstrated better argumentation skills. These findings suggest that while fostering strong relationships with nature may …

Reconsidering Undergraduate Anatomy And Physiology Curriculum, Eric Michael Walsh

Theses and Dissertations

In the past 50 years several convergent factors have spurred unprecedented change in anatomy and physiology (A&P) instruction. An explosion of biomedical knowledge, an increased demand for students well-versed in A&P, and decreased resources for the course has provoked a vast array of research. However, most studies employ one of three strategies to enact change: testing the effectiveness of new pedagogies, exploring the utility of new technologies, or documenting learning in new contexts. By comparison, a much smaller body of research focuses on changing the A&P curriculum to improve student learning. To address this gap, the musculoskeletal curriculum for an …

Visions For Mathematics Instruction, Instructional Practices, And Common Core: Individuality In Large-Scale Reform, Kelsey A. Clarkson

Theses and Dissertations

The Common Core content standards and standards for mathematical practice (SMP) have introduced an unprecedented opportunity in U.S. history to consider the implications of a national scale standards reform effort that provides teachers the individualistic opportunity to select instructional practices aimed at achieving the standards. The content standards and SMP specifically lay out what students should be able to do by the end of each grade but do not describe how teachers should support students through instructional practices in order to achieve these goals (CCSSI, “Myths About Implementation,” para. 1). Seemingly in contradiction to the Common Core State Standards Initiative’s …

Self-Efficacy Of Endorsed And Nonendorsed Elementary Teachers Of Gifted Students In Stem Education, Lianna L. Moss-Everhart

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared elementary endorsed and nonendorsed teachers of gifted students in science, mathematics, and STEM self-efficacy as well as self-reported use of STEM instructional strategies in central Virginia. The survey, adapted from the T-STEM survey by the Friday Institute at NC State University, focused on self-efficacy and use of STEM instructional strategies. ANOVAs, univariate linear analyses, were conducted on 39 responses to compare teachers’ self-efficacy and use of STEM instructional strategies. ANCOVA and moderated regressions were used to compare the groups of teachers while controlling for the variables of grade level, years of experience, and recent STEM training. Multiple …

An Investigation Of The Adoption Of Social Media Applications By Faculty Members At A Prominent University In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Saad Alshalawi

Theses and Dissertations

A report by Hootsuite (2018) stated that the average time of daily use of social media applications by Saudis in 2017 was two hours and 34 minutes. Even though statistics show that social media applications are very widespread among students, they also suggest that these media are not being utilized by many faculty members for teaching and learning purposes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that influence the adoption of social media applications for teaching and learning purposes by faculty members at a prominent university in Saudi Arabia. The Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB) was …

Demographic Factors Affecting Freshman Engineering Students’ Attitudes Toward Mathematics At A University In Saudi Arabia, Essa Abdullah Alibraheim

Theses and Dissertations

This study of freshman engineering students enrolled at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU) in Saudi Arabia investigated the relationship between the students’ attitudes and their demographic characteristics. Specifically, the study assessed the relationship between students’ demographic characteristics and how the characteristics related to five variables associated with attitudes toward mathematics: attitude toward success in mathematics, confidence in learning mathematics, mathematics anxiety, awareness of the usefulness of mathematics, and effectance motivation in mathematics. A total number of 157 male students enrolled in Calculus 1 participated in the survey. Findings revealed that the freshman engineering students had positive attitudes toward mathematics; …

Prospective Early Childhood Teachers’ Evolving Conceptions Of Using A Mathematics Learning Trajectory To Guide Intentional Teaching, Melissa E. Hedges

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, phenomenological study investigated how fifteen early childhood

preservice teachers’ (PSTs) mathematical knowledge needed for teaching and early mathematics

learning trajectory knowledge impacted the intentionality of instructional decision-making. The

central research question asked: In what ways do early mathematics learning trajectories inform

prospective early childhood teachers’ instructional decisions in ways that are likely to advance

student learning on the subitizing trajectory? The literature review revealed numerous studies

focused on the usefulness of learning trajectory knowledge on prospective elementary and

inservice teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching, lesson planning, instruction, and

assessment, but no studies were found regarding early childhood pre-service …

An Assessment Of Environmental Literacy And Investigation Of The Predictors Of Environmentally Responsible Behavior Among Secondary-School Students, Adel Rezq Allah Althubyan

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to: (a) determine the level of environmental literacy (EL) of secondary school students in Saudi Arabia with regard to selected factors in the domains of environmental knowledge, affective dispositions, cognitive skills, and environmentally responsible behavior; (b) explore the relationship of EL components among each other; and (c) identify some selected factors that may predict the environmental responsible behavior. The researcher selected the targeted variables (i.e., environmental knowledge, cognitive skills, environmental sensitivity, willingness to act, and environmentally responsible behavior) based on the definitions and frameworks of environmental literacy, prior research and, the results of the …

Effects Of Differentiating Instruction Through Tiered Lessons In Special Education Secondary Mathematics, Katlyn Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of differentiating instructing through tiered lessons to see if it would improve students' success in high school special education classes. The study was done in two Algebra II secondary special education classrooms including 17 students in total. There were 5 females and 12 males, all students were juniors in high school and aged 16 or 17 years old. All of the students were classified as either specific learning disabilities, other health impaired, or multiple disabilities including anxiety and depression. The students were enrolled in resources classes for all of their major academic subjects and inclusive …

The Effectiveness Of A Digital Ipad Curriculum In The Classroom, Erin Marie Warantz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if utilizing a digital iPad curriculum increases academic achievement in students in a middle school inclusive mathematics classroom. Twenty eighth-grade students participated in the study. The research was conducted using a group design methodology. Ten students in the experimental group used the digital iPad curriculum throughout instruction. The remaining ten students in the control group used traditional paper materials. A baseline was found prior to instruction using pre-tests. While the instruction was the same for all students, the methods of note-taking, practice of skills, and assignment completion and submission varied between the …

Effects Of Using Google Classroom On Teaching Math Students With Learning Disabilities, Margaret Cacace

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Google Classroom on the outcomes of students with learning disabilities in the mathematics classroom. Specifically, the study evaluated students' organizational skills, student achievement, and student satisfaction. The study included 7 high school students, 4 males and 3 females, in an Algebra 2 resource class. A single-subject ABAB design was used. During the baseline phases, students received Algebra 2 instruction as usual. During the intervention, Google Classroom was implemented to assign, complete, and manage all assignments. Homework and classwork assignments were used to measure student organization while quiz and test …

Implementation Of Literacy Strategies And The Impact On Word Problems, Lindsey R. Glick

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the implementation of literacy strategies in a fifth grade mathematics classroom would affect comprehension. The specific aim is to see what happens when students utilize literacy strategies when solving mathematical word problems. Three literacy topics were the focal point in this study: vocabulary, writing, and comprehension. Literacy strategies from each topic were introduced and applied during a mathematics class. Surveys, math journals, graphic organizers, classroom discussions, and interviews were analyzed. The limitations and implications for incorporating literacy instruction in a mathematics class are discussed.

The Effectiveness Of Google Classroom In The Self-Contained Chemistry Classroom, Steven J. Gross

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to ascertain the effectiveness of Google Classroom in the self-contained Chemistry classroom in terms of student turning in of assignments, student performance on summative assessment, student satisfaction with the use of Google Classroom, student contribution to class discussion in terms of frequency and quality, and the student acceptance of Google Classroom as a system of technology. Results suggest increased growth on summative assessments, turning in of assignments, and less regression in turning in of assignments with the implementation and use of Google Classroom. Results also suggest that the student population performs better through …

An Exploratory Investigation Of The Effect Of Reading Strategies On Science Assessment Scores, Suzanne K. Lynch

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of literacy strategies in a content area improves a summative assessment score. All of the students in this research had Individual Education Plans. Most of the students have specific learning disabilities that include reading comprehension, reading fluency, basic reading skills, and inferencing skills. Both pre-reading and during reading strategies were used for the study. Students were exposed to the use of graphic organizers and close reading strategies on given topics. Data gathered from the experiment showed that the use of a graphic organizer in addition to notes and labs …

Cooperative Grouping In The Inclusive Stem Classroom, Catherine M. Elsey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if using cooperative group role assignments impacted on-task behavior in an inclusive STEM classroom. This study investigated if students were positively engaged, remained on-task, and completed STEM challenges with their group. There were two 5th grade classes, each with sixteen participants, involved in the study. In the experimental class, students had role assignments in their cooperative group of four members. The other class, was a control group, and students did not have role assignments in their group of four members. Data was collected through observation procedures of on-task and off-task behaviors for …

The Effectiveness Of Growth Mindset Strategies On Off-Task Time In A Special Education Mathematics Classroom, Alisa Marie Ialacci

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of growth mindset strategies on off-task time and attitude in a special education classroom. This research was done using a two-group pretest-posttest design where students with IEPs will be compared to those who do not have IEPs. Student on-task time was monitored prior to the intervention to give a pre-assessment of each student's off-task time. During the intervention, the students' behaviors were observed for signs of improvement. Growth mindset strategies were implemented during each class as needed for improving the overall mood. Overall the results showed a decrease in off-task …

The Effectiveness Of The Question Formulation Technique On Open-Ended, Written Response Questions In Mathematics, Jessica M. Mannion

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) on students' open-ended, written response questions in mathematics in a 4th grade inclusion classroom. Four students, three male and one female, participated in the study. All students were classified with specific learning disabilities (SLD) or other health impaired (OHI). Experimental research design was used. A baseline was collected using students previous written response scores.

The QFT was implemented over the course of three math chapters. Students were assessed after each chapter with three open-ended, written response problems. The results show that each students average …

Socio-Critical Mathematical Modeling And The Role Of Mathematics In Society, Antonnette Marvlette Gibbs

Theses and Dissertations

Based on the socio-critical perspective of mathematical modeling this research investigated a tool termed MESH (Mathematics Expressing Society’s Hopes) designed to stimulate reflexive discussions about the role of mathematics in society. Constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz, 2014) methods were used to collect and analyze data from 27 students enrolled in two college algebra classes at a community college in the southernmost U.S. state. The research questions were: 1. How does the MESH tool stimulate reflexive discussions about the role of mathematics in society during and after the technological, mathematical, and reflection activities, respectively? 2. How do students understand the role of …

Effects Of Online Program Vs. Handheld Flashcards On Multiplication And Division Fact Knowledge Of 4th Grade Learners With Exceptional Needs, Lindsay M. Siegman

Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a time series design to investigate the effects of a computer-based math fact program called Xtramath.org vs. the use of traditional handheld flashcards. Students were given a baseline assessment before beginning the school district's method for learning basic math facts: Xtramath.org. They were tested again after 6 weeks and then began to use traditional handheld flashcards. Students were tested again to compare the results. Eight 4th grade students (5 male and 3 female) with special needs were included in this study. These students attend school in a wealthy, suburban area with a predominantly white population.

Fluency in …

Preservice Teachers Making Sense Of Fraction Concepts And Operations In A Mathematics Education Content Course, Deksiyos Demissie Desta

Theses and Dissertations

Twenty-five first-year preservice teachers attending a university in the Midwest of the United States of America participated in a whole-class-setting study aimed at investigating their knowledge of how they made sense of fraction concepts and operations, and how the development of this knowledge was facilitated during a mathematics education content course. Classroom mathematical practices of the content course that became “taken-as-shared” overtime were documented using the three-phase data analysis framework of Stephan and Rasmussen (2002, 2008). In the first phase of the analysis, whole-class discussion of fraction concepts and operations were transcribed and noted each time preservice teachers drew conclusions. …

Grado De Satisfacción De Estudiantes Con El Uso De Simulaciones Clínicas Y Su Percepción Sobre El Aprendizaje Logrado En Una Universidad Al Norte De Puerto Rico, Mónica Cerejido Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations

Esta investigación fue diseñada para medir el grado de satisfacción de estudiantes con el uso de simulaciones clínicas en una universidad al norte de Puerto Rico. Esta universidad adquirió dos tipos de simulaciones para los programas que ofrece de Sonografía Médica y Tecnología Radiológica. Sin embargo, hasta el momento que se hizo la investigación, no se conocía la opinión de los estudiantes usuarios sobre la utilización de estas tecnologías de enseñanza. El marco teórico de esta investigación fue la Teoría del aprendizaje experiencial de Kolb (1984) y la teoría de la Difusión de Innovaciones de Rogers (1983). Se plantearon tres …

Investigating The Improvement In Science Achievement Among Fifth Grade Science Students When Using The Instructional Design Model, Kisha J. Jarrett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if the Instructional Design Model will improve science achievement. The study addressed the problem of low science achievement among 93 Grade 5 students. The theoretical framework that was applied to this study was developed by Ralph Tyler in 1949. The researcher believed that Tyler’s four-process curriculum planning approach guided teachers to look differently at teaching and learning. This model assisted teachers in developing lessons that used the Instructional Design Model and produced objectives that reflect their classroom goals, impacted curriculum, and increased the understanding of science concepts. The school administered a multiple …

Mathematics Identity Construction In Successful African Americans: Reflections On Mathematics Experiences During Adolescence, Teri N. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This project used narrative inquiry to examine adolescent experiences that contributed to the development of positive mathematics identities in successful African Americans. Ten African Americans, who had worked in a STEM-related occupation for at least two years, were asked to reflect on in- and out-of-school experiences with mathematics during their middle and high school years. Data collection included individual interviews and one focus group discussion. A combination of internal and external factors emerged as contributors to participants’ adolescent mathematics identities. Internal factors included early career interest, finding enjoyment in the challenges associated with learning mathematics, or facing setbacks they were …

A Teacher’S Adoption Of Maker-Centered Learning: A Phenomenological Case Study, Michael L. Schad

Theses and Dissertations

The maker movement is a social movement which espouses the importance of artifact creation through physical and digital tools. As the maker movement moves into educational spaces, researchers and educators are exploring ways to integrate it alongside current classroom practices. A prevalent framework for maker integration is the maker-centered learning framework, which was used as part of the conceptual framework. Currently, more research is needed which justifies and analyzes maker-centered learning in an educational environment. This study aimed to use phenomenological methods to capture the lived experience of chemistry teacher as she integrated the maker-centered learning framework into her chemistry …

Elementary Teachers' Definitions And Usage Of Inquiry-Based Mathematics Instruction, Heather Nunnally

Theses and Dissertations

Current educational leaders call for students to build his or her own mathematical understanding from experiences, coupled with feedback from peers, teachers, and themselves and gain a conceptual understanding of mathematics. Researchers agree that inquiry in the elementary mathematics classroom can help increase conceptual understanding.

This case study focused on how elementary teachers define inquiry-based mathematics and implement it in their classrooms. Interviews, observations and lesson analysis were used to investigate what identities, relationships and activities look like in an elementary classroom that uses inquiry.

All of the participants felt "problem solving" and "working collaboratively" were essential for inquiry but …

A Mathematics Workshop For Parents: Exploring Content Knowledge And Perceptions Of Parental Involvement, Kristina C. Anthony

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored a mathematics workshop for parents and the impact on a parent’s mathematical content knowledge in rational numbers, perceptions of current instructional practices, and parental beliefs in supporting their children in learning mathematics. A 6-week parent workshop on rational numbers was offered in a rural middle school. Data sources included interviews and workshop audio transcriptions. This study concluded that a mathematics workshop supports parents in developing a conceptual understanding of rational numbers and rational number operations. Furthermore, parents recognized the importance of discourse, representation, and justification for building conceptual understanding in mathematics. Parents, who participated in the …