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- 2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences (1)
- Australian Journal of Teacher Education (1)
- Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research (1)
- Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications (1)
- Dissertations (1)
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- Doctoral Dissertations (1)
- Electronic Theses and Dissertations (1)
- FDLA Journal (1)
- Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship (1)
- Honors Undergraduate Theses (1)
- Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER) (1)
- Senior Honors Theses (1)
- Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects (1)
- World of Viruses (1)
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Articles 1 - 14 of 14
Full-Text Articles in Education
A Mixed-Methods Study Of Entomology Incorporation In U.S. Secondary Science Instruction, Erin M. Ingram
A Mixed-Methods Study Of Entomology Incorporation In U.S. Secondary Science Instruction, Erin M. Ingram
Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
To encourage understanding and appreciation of insects, entomology education advocates have supported and encouraged K-12 teachers to integrate insects and insect-related content into formal science instruction. However, research examining how and why science teachers incorporate entomology into secondary science courses is limited.
A sequential explanatory mixed-methods research study was conducted to address this gap. The study was conducted in two phases. During the first phase, quantitative survey research was conducted with a representative sample of 254 U.S. secondary life science teachers. During the subsequent qualitative phase, follow-up interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 18 survey participants and an …
The Impact Of Edwards V. Aguillard On Science Education In Louisiana Public Schools, Abigail Mcdonough
The Impact Of Edwards V. Aguillard On Science Education In Louisiana Public Schools, Abigail Mcdonough
Senior Honors Theses
The landmark Louisiana case Edwards v. Aguillard ushered in a new era of legislation in which certain ideas are discriminated against because of their religious basis. Due to the Court’s misinterpretation of evidence and employment of a faulty test for a secular purpose, the Court is responsible for disastrous and far-reaching implications. This thesis will examine how the 1987 Supreme Court case Aguillard shifted American science education away from the exploration of multiple competing theories of man’s origins in the classroom. Although America was founded on principles such as freedom of religion and thought which should be protected, the Aguillard …
The Role Of Introductory Geoscience Courses In Preparing Teachers—And All Students—For The Future: Are We Making The Grade?, Anne E. Egger
The Role Of Introductory Geoscience Courses In Preparing Teachers—And All Students—For The Future: Are We Making The Grade?, Anne E. Egger
Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship
Introductory geoscience courses enroll hundreds of thousands of students a year, most of whom do not major in the geosciences. For many, including future K–12 teachers, an introductory course is the only place they will encounter Earth science at the college level. New standards for K–12 science education have profound implications for teacher preparation, particularly in Earth science. The new standards call for taking a systems approach, highlighting how humans interact with Earth, making use of science and engineering practices, and engaging students in discourse. Analysis of responses to the National Geoscience Faculty Survey (n = 813 in 2004; …
A Model For How Students Choose Or Reject Subjects At School And What It Means For Science, Tracey-Ann Palmer
A Model For How Students Choose Or Reject Subjects At School And What It Means For Science, Tracey-Ann Palmer
2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences
There has been concern expressed by educators, researchers and policymakers that too few students are choosing science in their final years of school. Science study at school has been linked to the supply of a scientifically skilled and literate workforce necessary for Australia’s prosperity into the 21st century. This study breaks new ground in exploring how students choose subjects for their final years of school and applying this to the choice of science. Specific strategies are suggested to encourage students to continue studying science at the time subjects are chosen.
The Importance Of Practice: Learning To Teach Student-Centered Labs With Confidence, Linda Nix
The Importance Of Practice: Learning To Teach Student-Centered Labs With Confidence, Linda Nix
Dissertations
This quantitative research study examined the relationship between science teachers’ science education experiences (high school, undergraduate science courses, teacher education program science methods courses, in-service teaching, and professional development) regarding exposure to student-centered labs and science teacher self-efficacy in teaching student-centered labs. This research study also examined the relationship between science teachers’ opportunity to practice teaching student-centered labs during their science teacher experiences (teacher education program science methods course, in-service teaching, and professional development) and science teaching self-efficacy in teaching student-centered labs as they relate to the social constructivist and experiential learning theories.
A modified version of the Science Teaching …
Developing An After-School Program To Increase Stem Interest, Awareness And Knowledge Of Minority Females In A Title I Middle School, Steven R. Terrell Ph.D., Deirdre Krause Ph.D., Bruce G. Campbell Ed.D.
Developing An After-School Program To Increase Stem Interest, Awareness And Knowledge Of Minority Females In A Title I Middle School, Steven R. Terrell Ph.D., Deirdre Krause Ph.D., Bruce G. Campbell Ed.D.
FDLA Journal
Educators, politicians and industry professionals note that the number of opportunities for workers in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields grow exponentially over time. Accordingly, emphasis is placed on our schools to produce graduates capable of filling these positions. While these efforts are promising, there is a notable absence of females and minorities in the STEM professions. In an attempt to understand the reasons for this disparity, many educators believe a lack of interest in the STEM field begins at an early age, and disenfranchised students are not afforded the opportunities given to students in more affluent areas …
Assessing Quantitative Reasoning In A Ninth Grade Science Class Using Interdisciplinary Data Story Assignments, Bryn W. Keenhold
Assessing Quantitative Reasoning In A Ninth Grade Science Class Using Interdisciplinary Data Story Assignments, Bryn W. Keenhold
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In a data-driven world, it is necessary that students graduate from high school quantitatively literate, with the ability to interpret quantities within a context to make informed decisions for their lives. A critical component of science learning is developing the ability to make sense of data, critically evaluate it, and effectively communicate scientific ideas. The purpose of this study is two-fold: 1) to investigate how 9th grade students in an Earth Science class use quantitative reasoning (QR) skills when constructing evidence-based scientific explanations during Data Story assignments and 2) to provide teachers with supports to incorporate Data Stories into their …
Promoting Tolerance Through Learning About Human Evolution And Creation Myths, Afsoon Alishahi
Promoting Tolerance Through Learning About Human Evolution And Creation Myths, Afsoon Alishahi
Doctoral Dissertations
The role that religion plays in the lives of humans is complex, contradictory, and deeply impactful. According to Allport (1979), religion has a paradoxical function in that it can either combat or contribute to prejudice. A meta-analysis by Hall, Matz, and Wood (2010) found a significant correlation between being deeply religious and having racial prejudice. Similarly, many social scientific studies since 1940 have concluded that religious individuals are more prejudiced than less religious individuals (Hunsberger & Jackson, 2005).
Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether gaining knowledge about human evolution, creation myths, and their relationship to religious …
Disciplinary Learning From An Authentic Engineering Context, Catherine Langman, Judith Zawojewski, Patricia Mcnicholas, Ali Cinar, Eric Brey, Mustafa Bilgic, Hamidreza Mehdizadeh
Disciplinary Learning From An Authentic Engineering Context, Catherine Langman, Judith Zawojewski, Patricia Mcnicholas, Ali Cinar, Eric Brey, Mustafa Bilgic, Hamidreza Mehdizadeh
Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)
This small-scale design study describes disciplinary learning in mathematical modeling and science from an authentic engineeringthemed module. Current research in tissue engineering served as source material for the module, including science content for readings and a mathematical modeling activity in which students work in small teams to design a model in response to a problem from a client. The design of the module was guided by well-established principles of model-eliciting activities (a special class of problem-solving activities deeply studied in mathematics education) and recently published implementation design principles, which emphasize the portability of model-eliciting activities to many classroom settings.
Two …
Cross Faculty Collaboration In The Development Of An Integrated Mathematics And Science Initial Teacher Education Program, Sharon P. Fraser, Kim Beswick, Margaret Penson, Andrew Seen, Robert Whannell
Cross Faculty Collaboration In The Development Of An Integrated Mathematics And Science Initial Teacher Education Program, Sharon P. Fraser, Kim Beswick, Margaret Penson, Andrew Seen, Robert Whannell
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
This paper describes a collaborative project involving mathematicians, scientists and educators at an Australian university where an innovative initial teacher education (ITE) degree in mathematics/science was developed. The theoretical frameworks of identity theory and academic brokerage and their use in understanding the challenges associated with the early stages of collaborative projects is described. Data from reflections and interviews of the participants after involvement in the project from one to three years are presented to illustrate these challenges. The paper concludes with a description of the importance of the academic broker in overcoming identity challenges and facilitating cultural change for academics …
Supporting Representation-Rich Problem-Solving In High School Physics, Lyrica L. Lucas, Elizabeth B. Lewis
Supporting Representation-Rich Problem-Solving In High School Physics, Lyrica L. Lucas, Elizabeth B. Lewis
Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications
Findings from physics education research strongly point to the critical need for teachers’ use of multiple representations in their instructional practices such as pictures, diagrams, written explanations, and mathematical expressions to enhance students' problem‐solving ability. In this study, we explored use of problem‐solving tasks for generating multiple representations as a scaffolding strategy in a high school modeling physics class. Through problem‐solving cognitive interviews with students, we investigated how a group of students responded to the tasks and how their use of such strategies affected their problem‐solving performance and use of representations as compared to students who did not receive explicit, …
How Do Teachers Use Comics To Promote Engagement, Equity, And Diversity In Science Classrooms?, Camilla Matuk, Talia Hurwich, Amy Spiegel, Judy Diamond
How Do Teachers Use Comics To Promote Engagement, Equity, And Diversity In Science Classrooms?, Camilla Matuk, Talia Hurwich, Amy Spiegel, Judy Diamond
World of Viruses
Equitable learning opportunities are critical to the goals of science education. However, major curriculum standards are vague on how to achieve equity goals, and educators must often develop their own resources and strategies to achieve equity goals. This study examines how educators used a comic book series designed to interest youth in virology as a way to make science more broadly appealing to their diverse students. We begin with the notion of Pedagogical Design Capacity, which describes a dynamic relationship between teachers and their tools and the ability for teachers to perceive and leverage affordances of artifacts as tools in …
Application And Comparison Of Active Learning Implementation Methods In Biochemistry Education, Dylan Thibaut
Application And Comparison Of Active Learning Implementation Methods In Biochemistry Education, Dylan Thibaut
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Biochemistry has continued to be one of the most complex and important subjects in science education. The purpose of this research is to investigate active learning implementation methods in a Biochemistry I context to determine the most effective means of preparing current science undergraduates. Two Biochemistry I classes over two semesters were analyzed in this study, with class A using a variable active learning schedule and class B using a consistent active learning schedule. Four aspects were analyzed to determine active learning validity: perception of different active learning properties, standardized final exam grades, class grade, and teaching implementation. The consistent …
Chemical Kinetics Using A Smartphone Spectrometer, Mary Greggila
Chemical Kinetics Using A Smartphone Spectrometer, Mary Greggila
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
In a time where many high school science classes are lacking in quality laboratory education, there is a need for accessible chemical equipment that enhance teaching fundamental concepts of chemistry with ease and at a low cost. The DualSpec handheld smartphone spectrometer aims to be a quality open-source spectroscopic instrument that can easily be made and used at home by people of any scientific level. This research sought to show that the DualSpec could be used to teach higher level spectroscopic concepts such as those used in chemical kinetics. The DualSpec was compared to a commercial spectrometer using the commonly …