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Full-Text Articles in Science and Mathematics Education

Organic Chemistry Ii Lab Manual, Caitlyn Bailey Oct 2019

Organic Chemistry Ii Lab Manual, Caitlyn Bailey

Senior Honors Theses

This project aims to supply a full lab manual and grading key for Organic Chemistry II, a class often taken by sophomores in Liberty University’s science degree programs. Properly applied laboratory experiments create a beneficial learning environment for science students by using hands-on procedures to transform intangible lecture concepts into concrete demonstrations. Lab work also fosters the development of problem-solving and critical-thinking skills that students need in research and the workplace. Thus, having a comprehensive lab manual is critical to students’ success and understanding in this upper-level class. This project adds to the experiments of Organic Chemistry II lab through …


How Participation In The Arts Impacts Learning Comprehension For High School Students During Stem Coursework At Two High Schools In Southwest Florida: A Case Study, Tiffany Lynn Jennings Apr 2019

How Participation In The Arts Impacts Learning Comprehension For High School Students During Stem Coursework At Two High Schools In Southwest Florida: A Case Study, Tiffany Lynn Jennings

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand how participation in the arts impacts Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) coursework for students at two Southwest Florida High Schools. Within the context of the study, the term “arts’ was used to collectively refer to all visual and performing arts courses, including painting, drawing, graphic arts, two-dimensional and three-dimensional, music, and theatre. Studies show that in order to be innovative, students need to have the experiences that the arts can foster in the right side of the brain, the side associated with creativity (Eisner, 2002). I chose a case study …


Christian High School Science Teachers' Perspective Transformation: The Journey From Evolution To Creation, Paul Leslie Thorpe Nov 2018

Christian High School Science Teachers' Perspective Transformation: The Journey From Evolution To Creation, Paul Leslie Thorpe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenology study was to explore and describe the perspective transformations of 11 science instructors teaching at Christian high schools. These science teachers previously believed the evolutionary paradigm of origins. However, they have all experienced a transformation and now hold a young-earth creation perspective and believe the literal six-day creation event in the book of Genesis is accurate and true. Transformation of perspective regarding origins is defined as a phenomenon of transformative faith accompanied by assimilation and accommodation of new knowledge as seen through the lens of Jack Mezirow’s (1991) transformative adult learning theory, and James …


A Causal Comparative Analysis Of Mathematics Self-Efficacy Of Face-To-Face And Online Quantitative Literacy Students, Laronda Lowery Jul 2018

A Causal Comparative Analysis Of Mathematics Self-Efficacy Of Face-To-Face And Online Quantitative Literacy Students, Laronda Lowery

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mathematics self-efficacy has been shown to be a strong predictor of mathematics performance and mixed results have been found when examining the mathematics self-efficacy of face-to-face students based on gender and age. However, there is a lack of research studies that examine if differences exist in the mathematics self-efficacy of face-to-face and online students. The purpose of this ex-post facto causal comparative quantitative study was to determine if differences existed in the mathematics self-efficacy of Quantitative Literacy students, as measured by the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale, based on their choice of delivery method (face-to-face or online). Participants for this research study …


The Effect Of Gender On Spatial Ability And Spatial Reasoning Among Students In Grades 2-8, Sharon W. Morris Jun 2018

The Effect Of Gender On Spatial Ability And Spatial Reasoning Among Students In Grades 2-8, Sharon W. Morris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences across three types of spatial ability; namely, spatial perception, spatial visualization, and mental rotation in conjunction with working memory. The study utilized a causal-comparative research design involving group comparisons. In this design researchers collect data about variables that they have conceptualized to be in a causal relationship to each other, but there is no intervention as in experimental research. Participants in this study included approximately 200 students in second through eighth grades at one public school and one public charter school, all located in the same school district/county. Spatial ability …


The Impact Of Computer-Based Programs On Middle School Math Achievement, Kenyatta Gilmore May 2018

The Impact Of Computer-Based Programs On Middle School Math Achievement, Kenyatta Gilmore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlation research study was to investigate the impact of computer-based learning on middle school math achievement of at-risk students. The participants for this study were drawn from a convenience sample of 83 middle school students located in southeastern Georgia. At-risk middle school students were achieving below their grade equivalent and failing to meet local and state proficiency standards. Computer-based instruction was implemented as an intervention to increase student achievement in mathematics. The study used a pretest-posttest control group design and used SPSS software to conduct the statistical analyses using an ANCOVA and t-test. The results indicated …


The Relationship Between Elementary Teachers' Background In Mathematics, Teaching Self-Efficacy, And Teaching Outcome Expectancy When Implementing The Common Core State Standards, Jennifer Stuart Apr 2017

The Relationship Between Elementary Teachers' Background In Mathematics, Teaching Self-Efficacy, And Teaching Outcome Expectancy When Implementing The Common Core State Standards, Jennifer Stuart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlation study was to identify a possible relationship between elementary teacher background in mathematics as measured by completed college math credit hours, district-provided professional development hours of training in Common Core math standards, and years of teaching experience, and teacher efficacy in math as measured by personal teaching self efficacy and outcome expectancy. The sample in the present study consisted of 69 elementary (K-5) math teachers in a medium-sized semi-rural district located within a southern state. The data was collected using the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI), an online survey that was sent to the …


The Effects Of Contract Activity Packages On Boredom In A Sixth-Grade Accelerated Math Class, Joanna Bartlett Apr 2017

The Effects Of Contract Activity Packages On Boredom In A Sixth-Grade Accelerated Math Class, Joanna Bartlett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is currently a lack of research aimed at determining the boredom level experienced by sixth grade students participating in an accelerated math class, as well as suitable strategies aimed at helping students avoid it. This quantitative quasi-experimental static-group comparison study investigated boredom levels with the implementation of Contract Activity Packages (CAPs), a strategy specifically related to combatting boredom for gifted and talented students, into a sixth-grade accelerated math class. Data were collected from 138 sixth-grade students participating in an accelerated math class via the boredom scale of the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire – Mathematics (AEQ-M) and analyzed using a two-way …


The Effects Of Desmos And Ti-83 Plus Graphing Calculators On The Problem-Solving Confidence Of Middle And High School Mathematics Students, Edwin Montijo Apr 2017

The Effects Of Desmos And Ti-83 Plus Graphing Calculators On The Problem-Solving Confidence Of Middle And High School Mathematics Students, Edwin Montijo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As technology in education continues to improve, research is necessary to assess the impact it is having on students’ confidence in the way students solve mathematics problems. The purpose of this quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control-group comparison study is to examine the impact the Desmos graphing calculator has on the problem-solving confidence of middle school and high school students as compared to students who use a TI-83 Plus graphing calculator while controlling for students’ math achievement scores. The students (N = 146) participating in this study were learning their respective mathematics material for an equivalent period of 12 weeks in order to …


Teachers' Perceptions Of Assessment Practices In Mathematics: Comparing Rural And Urban Secondary Schools In England, Michael Jarrett Aug 2016

Teachers' Perceptions Of Assessment Practices In Mathematics: Comparing Rural And Urban Secondary Schools In England, Michael Jarrett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This causal-comparative study compared the mean scores on the measures to determine if there were differences in perceived frequency of usage and perceived skill in usage of classroom assessment practices between mathematics teachers in urban secondary schools and mathematics teachers in rural secondary schools in England. The study comprised 109 participants selected by a random sampling method. The sample consisted of 53 mathematics teachers from urban secondary schools and 56 mathematics teachers from rural secondary schools drawn from a population of secondary school mathematics teachers in England. The Assessment Practices Inventory (API) was used to collect data from the participants …


Comparing The Effects Of Elementary Music And Visual Arts Lessons On Standardized Mathematics Test Scores, Molly King May 2016

Comparing The Effects Of Elementary Music And Visual Arts Lessons On Standardized Mathematics Test Scores, Molly King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to compare the effect elementary music and visual arts lessons had on third through sixth grade standardized mathematics test scores. Inferential statistics were used to compare the differences between test scores of students who took in-school, elementary, music instruction during the same semester state standardized mathematics tests were administered and those who took in-school, elementary visual arts instruction during the same semester standardized mathematics tests were administered. The students attended seven elementary schools in the same North Alabama school district. The research questions were: (a) Does participation in elementary school music lessons …


Academic Intervention: Acceleration And Remediation, Barbara Franklin May 2016

Academic Intervention: Acceleration And Remediation, Barbara Franklin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Eighth grade math students must pass a standards based test to be promoted to the next grade. Students who were at risk of failing the state’s annual test faced impending retention. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to see if an intensive nine-week (55 min per day) remedial Math Connection (MC) class for 67 suburban, eighth grade students identified as at risk of failing, could significantly increase the scores; concurrently, at this Title I school, they were compared with 122 eighth grade students who were not identified as at risk of failing. The dependent variable was measured using the …


The Relationship Between Using Study Island Supplemental Math Software And Third, Fourth, And Fifth Grade Students' Mathematics Achievement, Michael Rich Apr 2016

The Relationship Between Using Study Island Supplemental Math Software And Third, Fourth, And Fifth Grade Students' Mathematics Achievement, Michael Rich

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The ex post facto study investigated the relationship between the use of Study Island supplemental math software and students’ math achievement in a Title I public elementary school in Georgia during the 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and the 2013-2014 school years. Data from the school was collected regarding the use of a supplemental math software program called Study Island during the 2012-2013 and the 2013-2014 school years. Data on students’ math achievement test scores was collected from school level reports for the 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and the 2013-2014 school years. Data was analyzed using a two-tailed t test to investigate the possible relationship …


The Inclusion Of False, Falsified, And Falsifiable Data That Favor An Evolutionary Worldview In The High School Science Curriculum Of Public And Private Schools In The Philippines, Jerry F. Smith Dec 2015

The Inclusion Of False, Falsified, And Falsifiable Data That Favor An Evolutionary Worldview In The High School Science Curriculum Of Public And Private Schools In The Philippines, Jerry F. Smith

Christian Perspectives in Education

This paper examines a curricular issue in general within public and private high schools in the Philippines. This paper presents six known and documented errant points found in textbooks that promote an evolutionary worldview and are commonly found in local high school biology textbooks. The proposed solutions present several questions designed to facilitate formation of the readers’ own views regarding this phenomenon.


How Science Teachers Balance Religion And Evolution In The Science Classroom: A Case Study Of Science Classes In A Florida Public School District, Pierre Willems Nov 2015

How Science Teachers Balance Religion And Evolution In The Science Classroom: A Case Study Of Science Classes In A Florida Public School District, Pierre Willems

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to research how science teachers balance both religion and evolution in the science classroom with as little controversy as possible. In this study I attempted to provide some insight on how teachers are currently teaching evolution in their science classes in light of the religious beliefs of the students as well as their own. The case study was conducted in a school district in Florida where I attempted to answer the following questions: (a) How do science teachers in the Florida School District (FSD) approach the religion–evolution issue in preparing students for a …


A Phenomenological Study Of Differentiated Instruction For Fifth Grade Gifted And High Ability Learners Through Math In Focus, Elizabeth Keithley Sizemore Oct 2015

A Phenomenological Study Of Differentiated Instruction For Fifth Grade Gifted And High Ability Learners Through Math In Focus, Elizabeth Keithley Sizemore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

his phenomenological study investigated the differentiation techniques implemented for gifted and high ability learners by fifth grade general classroom mathematics instructors utilizing the Math in Focus (Great Source/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009) Singapore Mathematics program in a suburban school district. To provide an understanding of the differentiation process currently being implemented by general classroom mathematics teachers, six participants completed an open-ended questionnaire and two representative participants were interviewed, observed, and asked to provide artifacts for analysis in the study. Data analysis using transcendental phenomenological reduction, including bracketing and horizonalization, revealed several overarching lessons. Participants analyzed multiple student data sources throughout the …


The Effect Of Video Interviews With Stem Professionals On Stem-Subject Attitude And Stem-Career Interest Of Middle School Students In Conservative Protestant Christian Schools, Philip Alsup Apr 2015

The Effect Of Video Interviews With Stem Professionals On Stem-Subject Attitude And Stem-Career Interest Of Middle School Students In Conservative Protestant Christian Schools, Philip Alsup

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Inspiring learners toward career options available in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is important not only for economic development but also for maintaining creative thinking and innovation. Limited amounts of research in STEM education have focused on the population of students enrolled in religious and parochial schools, and given the historic conflict between religion and science, this sector of American education is worthy of examination. The purpose of this quantitative study is to extend Gottfredson's (1981) Theory of Circumscription and Compromise as it relates to occupational aspirations. Bem's (1981) Gender Schema Theory is examined as it relates to …


A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Developmental Math Students' Experiences And Perceptions, Megan Cordes Nov 2014

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Developmental Math Students' Experiences And Perceptions, Megan Cordes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Current literature suggests the rise of enrollment among United States (U.S.) postsecondary institutions but the decline in graduation rates. While there is extensive quantitative data examining course redesigns and increasing student achievement in developmental math courses, there is limited research examining students' experiences and perceptions within these courses. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the experiences and perceptions of developmental math students. This study utilized the theoretical framework of Bandura's (1997) social cognitive theory and Tinto's (2012a) retention theory. Research questions focused on the lived experience of struggling within a developmental math course, past math experiences …


The Flipped Classroom: Its Effect On Student Academic Achievement And Critical Thinking Skills In High School Mathematics, Joranna Saunders Oct 2014

The Flipped Classroom: Its Effect On Student Academic Achievement And Critical Thinking Skills In High School Mathematics, Joranna Saunders

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the effect of the flipped classroom on academic achievement in high school mathematics. The purpose of this study was twofold. The immediate purpose was to determine if there was a statistical difference in student academic achievement in two high school mathematics classrooms once the flipped classroom concept was implemented. This study also examined the effect of the flipped classroom on students' critical thinking skills. This static-group comparison utilized a pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design and two null hypotheses were tested. The flipped curriculum was not a significant factor in increasing student academic achievement or in increasing student …


The Effect Of Inquiry-Based, Hands-On Labs On Achievement In Middle School Science, Donna Miller Jul 2014

The Effect Of Inquiry-Based, Hands-On Labs On Achievement In Middle School Science, Donna Miller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to measure the difference in science achievement between students who had been taught with an inquiry-based, hands-on pedagogical approach and those who had not. Improving student academic achievement and standardized test scores is the major objective of teachers, parents, school administrators, government entities, and students themselves. One major barrier to this academic success in Georgia, and the entire United States, has been the paucity of success in middle level science classes. Many studies have been conducted to determine the learning approaches that will best enable students to not only acquire a deeper understanding …


The Effects Of Teachers' Teaching Styles And Experience On Elementary Students' Mathematical Achievement, Angela Stanford Jul 2014

The Effects Of Teachers' Teaching Styles And Experience On Elementary Students' Mathematical Achievement, Angela Stanford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal comparative study was to determine if a statistically significant difference existed in the mathematical achievement of elementary students in classrooms led by teachers with different dominant teaching styles (Grasha, 1996) and varying years of teaching experience. Participants in this study included 29 upper elementary (grades 3-5) classroom teachers in an urban public school system located in Central Arkansas. Two one-way ANOVAs were used to compare the Arkansas Augmented Benchmark Examination's (AABE) mathematics scores of 855 students in upper elementary classrooms of teachers with varied teaching styles and years of teaching experience. A two-variable Chi-square analysis …


The Effects Of Reflex Math As A Response To Intervention Strategy To Improve Math Automaticity Among Male And Female At-Risk Middle School Students, Daphne Sarrell Jul 2014

The Effects Of Reflex Math As A Response To Intervention Strategy To Improve Math Automaticity Among Male And Female At-Risk Middle School Students, Daphne Sarrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The search for evidence-based math interventions that are easy to use and impact academic achievement are in demand, and the impact that these interventions can have on students who struggle with math achievement is of concern. In this study, the effects of Reflex math computerized intervention to improve the automaticity of basic math facts among male and female middle school students identified as at-risk for academic failure in mathematics was examined according to differences in mean scores and based on gender. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design was used for the purposes of the study. Convenience sampling among students …


The Effects Of A Direct-Instruction Math Intervention On Standardized Test Scores Of At-Risk Middle School Students, Charles Moore Jul 2014

The Effects Of A Direct-Instruction Math Intervention On Standardized Test Scores Of At-Risk Middle School Students, Charles Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Educators are seeking ways to improve student academic achievement in math and to increase math standardized test scores because of the requirements of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Race to the Top initiative (RTTT). One such intervention in middle school is a direct-instruction math program. This causal-comparative study examined the relationship between a direct-instruction math intervention and math achievement on standardized test scores of at-risk middle school students. This study compared the differences in the mean scale scores for at-risk …


A Study Comparing Fifth Grade Student Achievement In Mathematics In Departmentalized And Non-Departmentalized Settings, Karen Nelson Apr 2014

A Study Comparing Fifth Grade Student Achievement In Mathematics In Departmentalized And Non-Departmentalized Settings, Karen Nelson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to examine the application of the teaching and learning theory of social constructivism in order to determine if mathematics instruction provided in a departmentalized classroom setting at the fifth grade level resulted in a statistically significant difference in student achievement on the Virginia 2011 Grade 5 Mathematics Standards of Learning (SOL) Test when compared to the achievement of students in a non-departmentalized setting. Regular fifth grade education students, who attended non-Title 1, Pre-K through Grade 5 elementary schools in an urban eastern Virginia school district, participated in this study. A three-way between-groups …


Mathematics Achievement With Digital Game-Based Learning In High School Algebra 1 Classes, Terri Ferguson Feb 2014

Mathematics Achievement With Digital Game-Based Learning In High School Algebra 1 Classes, Terri Ferguson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of digital game-based learning (DGBL) on mathematics achievement in a rural high school setting in North Carolina. A causal comparative research design was used in this study to collect data to determine the effectiveness of DGBL in high school Algebra 1 classes. Data were collected from the North Carolina End-of-Course (EOC) Test for high school Algebra 1. The data collection was broken down by comparison groups based on academic achievement as measured by the North Carolina EOC Test for Algebra 1. The comparison groups were student participants who received digital game-based instruction and tradition instruction …


Differences In Math Achievement: Utilizing Supplemental Computer-Based Instruction And Traditional Instruction, Todd Clark Feb 2014

Differences In Math Achievement: Utilizing Supplemental Computer-Based Instruction And Traditional Instruction, Todd Clark

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mathematics achievement has become vitally important in public education, obligating students to meet and exceed higher standards in spite of ability and knowledge level. This causal-comparative study sought to establish the achievement of the Classworks® supplemental math program with seventh grade students from two public schools in Georgia. The national Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) scores in math were used to compare 129 seventh grade students (control group) who used traditional instruction and 129 students (experimental group) who used traditional instruction along with the supplemental Classworks® software program. In addition, the study analyzed the relationships between gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. …


Development Of An Instrument To Measure Student Attitudes Toward Science Fairs, Claudia Huddleston Jan 2014

Development Of An Instrument To Measure Student Attitudes Toward Science Fairs, Claudia Huddleston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Science fairs are woven into the very fabric of science instruction in the United States and in other countries. Even though thousands of students participate in science fairs every year, no instrument to measure student attitudes toward partaking in this hands-on learning experience has been fully developed and available for school administrators and teachers to assess the perceived value that current students attribute to participation in science fairs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to continue the development and refinement of an instrument that measured student attitudes towards science fairs based on an unpublished instrument created by Michael (2005). …


The Effects Of A Technology-Driven Science Application On Postsecondary Chemistry Student Achievement And Self-Efficacy, Darrell Byrum Jan 2014

The Effects Of A Technology-Driven Science Application On Postsecondary Chemistry Student Achievement And Self-Efficacy, Darrell Byrum

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to establish if distinction exists in both student achievement and self-efficacy through the application of technology-based instructional approach in the laboratory environment of undergraduate chemistry courses. The achievement of 52 college students in the southeastern region of the United States was measured through one posttest assessment. Following this assessment, students were examined through a self-efficacy scale to determine preexisting thoughts of working in an undergraduate chemistry laboratory environment, as well as peer interaction. Accordingly, three separate college chemistry I courses were used to generate data via a nonequivalent control group design. From the three …


Mathematics Interventions: A Correlational Study Of The Relationship Between Level Of Implementation Of The Accelerated Math Program And Student Achievement, Deborah Walker Driesel Dec 2013

Mathematics Interventions: A Correlational Study Of The Relationship Between Level Of Implementation Of The Accelerated Math Program And Student Achievement, Deborah Walker Driesel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Current legislation, such as No Child Left Behind (2001) or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004), has increased accountability for schools for the education of all students. These laws require schools to provide interventions for struggling learners, as part of the Response to Intervention process (IDEA, 2004). Accelerated Math (AM), published by Renaissance Learning, is a scientifically based program designed to supplement quality instruction as part of the RtI process. This correlational study examined ex post facto data using pre and posttest scores on the STAR Math Test in relation to amount of classroom time dedicated to AM instruction …


A Phenomenological Investigation Of Experience In Middle School Honors Math And Language Arts Courses And Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Preparedness For Similar High School Honors And Advanced Placement Courses, Melissa Butler Aug 2013

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Experience In Middle School Honors Math And Language Arts Courses And Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Preparedness For Similar High School Honors And Advanced Placement Courses, Melissa Butler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to investigate student and teacher perceptions concerning the impact of honors middle school language arts and mathematics courses on preparedness for similar ninth through twelfth grade classes at a high school in northwest Georgia. The questions that guided the study focused on examining the perceptions of students and teachers who had experienced this phenomenon and their notions of the impact that participation in middle school honors mathematics and language arts courses had on preparedness for non-gifted students enrolled in similar accelerated high school courses. A transcendental phenomenological design was used to discover …