Education Commons^™

The Evolution Of Science Education In High School And Undergraduate Institutions, Sanda Lalicic

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

This literature review paper discusses the history, evolution, and current learning trends related to teaching biology in a 9-12 classroom, along with the history and evolution and suggestions for improvement and implementation. Science education has changed rapidly over the past few decades, and with modern technology and research available, the curriculum is ever-changing. With the medical and STEM fields growing at high rates, the focus on student comprehension and retention of science education is at an all-time high. This has caused a shift from a traditional classroom to a more modern, natural learning environment in schools. This paper reviews three …

A Case Study On Professional Development: Improving Stem Teaching In K-12 Education, Roshani Rajbanshi, Susan Brown, Gaspard Mucundanyi, Mehmet Ali Ozer, Nicole Delgardo

The Qualitative Report

STEM Outreach Center is a non-profit educational center in southern New Mexico that supports K-12 STEM teachers and students by providing professional development, after school programs, summer camps, and field visits. This center has been organizing the Summer Institute Professional Development (SIPD) for more than ten years. The purpose of this research is to understand the effect of SIPD on teachers’ pedagogy to excite and engage students in STEM learning. This study contributes to the program evaluation by analyzing the experiences of teachers who participated in SIPD. This qualitative study uses the open-ended questionnaire as a method of data collection. …

Effecting Epiphanous Change In Teacher Practice: A Teacher’S Autoethnography, Karen D. Barley Ms, Jane Southcott

The Qualitative Report

This study comprises of a series of autoethnographic vignettes stemming from Karen’s life experiences that provide a snapshot of her quest for equality and fairness in her personal life, as well as her professional life as a primary school and special education educator. Karen later became a teacher of teachers, keen to share what she had learned with her peers. It was when she began educating other teachers that she became even more self-reflective with the most poignant question being, what causes one to change their beliefs, attitude, or way of thinking? The included vignettes encapsulate significant stories, starting from …

Critical Reflections In International Contexts: Polyethnographic Accounts Of An International Doctoral Research Seminar, Lisa Fedoruk, Jon Woodend, Janet Groen, Avis Beek, Sylvie Roy, Xueqin Wu, Xiang Li

The Qualitative Report

As the world becomes more globally interconnected, international partnerships, including those within higher education, have increased. In an exemplar of these international partnerships from an academic standpoint, selected doctoral students and faculty from Australian, Chinese, and Canadian universities participated in an International Doctoral Research Seminar held in China in December 2015. The objective of this seminar was to have academic debate regarding educational reform. A critical by-product of this seminar was the meaning made by the participants from this experience. This paper reviews the critical polyethnographic reflections of the Canadian participants for three salient and influential topics including the role …

Experiential Learning In Action: A Collaborative Inquiry, Alexios Brailas, Stella-Maria Avani, Christina Gkini, Maria-Afroditi Deilogkou, Konstantinos Koskinas, Georgios Alexias

The Qualitative Report

In this paper, we describe a case study of an undergraduate course on research methodology, in which lecture was reduced to a minimum and replaced with experiential learning activities. The course design was project-based and spiraled through four phases: a mini-lecture on a given research method, an “early practice” activity, and “reflection on practice” tutor-guided small group collaborations which led to deeper understanding of the given research method. This particular course design constitutes a paradigm shift in comparison to the predominant in Greek higher education didactic pedagogical model. How this paradigm shift was received and experienced by the participating students? …

Motivation And Learning Of Non-Traditional Computing Education Students In A Web-Based Combined Laboratory, Michael Jesse Green

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Hands-on experiential learning activities are an important component of computing education disciplines. Laboratory environments provide learner access to real world equipment for completing experiments. Local campus facilities are commonly used to host laboratory classes. While campus facilities afford hands-on experience with real equipment high maintenance costs, restricted access, and limited flexibility diminish laboratory effectiveness. Web-based simulation and remote laboratory formats have emerged as low cost options, which allow open access and learner control. Simulation lacks fidelity and remote laboratories are considered too complex for novice learners.

A web-based combined laboratory format incorporates the benefits of each format while mitigating the …

Increasing Levels Of Abstract Reasoning Ability In First And Second Graders Through Instruction In Inferential Thinking And Analogical Reasoning, Shelley Cindy Obrand

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The ability of first and second graders to use reasoning skills was addressed by the implementation of strategies to develop inferential thinking and analogical reasoning. Piagetian theory was researched in reference to expected levels of cognitive development. The target group of students received instruction in problem-solving to enable them to make inferences. They also received instruction in determining relationships to enable them to solve analogies. Instructional strategies included: modeling, verbal rehearsal, metacognition, peer tutoring, manipulative learning, and discovery learning. The students' progress was measured by Precision Teaching (a monitoring system involving charting to document growth). Inservice training was provided by …