Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Performance In First Year Mathematics And Science Subjects In Australian Universities: Does Senior Secondary Mathematics Background Matter? Final Report, Julie Mcmillan, Daniel Edwards

Higher education research

This study explores the extent to which study of mathematics in senior secondary school is a predictor of success in core mathematics and science subjects in the first year of university. The study looked at 16,436 first year students in biology chemistry mathematics and physics from twelve universities covering a range of types. It looked at their pass rates against the level of mathematics that they studied in year 12, including whether they had studied any mathematics of significance to a science degree. The study findings show that, in general, those who study higher levels of mathematics at year 12 …

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 Van Hiele Analysis Of Curricular Materials: A Comparative Study, Vinay Kumar Kalyankar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is to investigate K-8 geometry curriculum standards and textbooks for their effectiveness in preparing students for high school geometry. The basis for the study is van Hiele theory pioneered by the Dutch educators and researchers of geometric understanding in adolescents, Dina van Hiele Geldof and Pierre van Hiele. Another driving force for this dissertation is research into mathematics textbooks and curriculum standards of school mathematics as seen in CCSSM and state specific standards documents, both of which influence the mathematics students have the opportunity to learn.

The K-8 geometry curriculum standards and textbook instructional segments …

The Pedagogical Impact Of Secondary Science Teacher Efficacy On Blended Learning Implementation: A Phenomenological Study, Allison Willemin

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

As new pedagogical approaches, such as blended learning, are implemented in classrooms, it is important to properly prepare the teachers to ensure fidelity of implementation. The descriptive phenomenological study examined the influence of secondary science teacher efficacy on overcoming obstacles and sustaining the Blended Learning pedagogical approach at a high school in the southern United States. Using purposeful sampling based on specific criteria nine teachers were selected to participate in the study. Through two interviews and a focus group, the researcher collected data based on the participants’ shared experience of implementing the flipped classroom instructional model. The data was themed …

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 Impact Of Structural Supports On The Success Of Students Of Color In The K-16 Educational System, Brandis Jones, Sherry Holmes

Dissertations

Collective Abstract

This collective dissertation contains the efforts of two practitioners in the field of education who possess a shared vision for designing student experiences with the mission of preparing all students for success in secondary and post-secondary education. The researchers believed that by creating structural supports for students in underserved populations, these same students will increase their educational attainment and access to long-term career opportunities. With successful completion of postsecondary education and with increased career opportunities, students can improve their lives, their families’ lives and the lives of members of their community.

Many students struggled on their educational journeys …

Argument-Driven Engineering In Middle School Science: An Exploratory Study Of Changes In Engineering Identity Over An Academic Year, Lawrence Chu, Victor Sampson, Todd L. Hutner, Stephanie Rivale, Richard H. Crawford, Christina L. Baze, Hannah S. Brooks

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

The goal of this study was to examine how the use of a new instructional model is related to changes in middle school students’ engineering identity. The intent of this instructional model, which is called argument-driven engineering (ADE), is to give students opportunities to design and critique solutions to meaningful problems using the core ideas and practices of science and engineering. The model also reflects current recommendations found in the literature for supporting the development or maintenance of engineering identity. This study took place in the context of an eighth-grade science classroom in order to explore how middle school students’ …

Multidisciplinary Education And Research In Biomathematics For Solving Global Challenges, Padmanabhan Seshaiyer

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Design Of An Aesthetic Mathematical Experience, Maryam Koozehkanani

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In this thesis, I am going to share my analysis of an aesthetic mathematical experience which happened while I designed and created a pop-up math story. My aim in analyzing this experience is to better understand it and to make a model for other educators who are seeking to design aesthetic mathematical experiences. My research question is: What factors come into play when an educator immerses herself in the process of designing an aesthetic mathematical experience? My research uses qualitative analysis with a focus on narrative inquiry. My focus is on my personal experience designing a mathematics curriculum experience for …

Robotics In Japan: A Program Design For The Experiment In International Living, Allison Barnes

Capstone Collection

“Robotics in Japan” is a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) based program design for The Experiment in International Living (The Experiment). This design is for a four-week program for high school students. It is grounded in The Experiment’s mission and basic program structure. The purpose of Robotics in Japan is to add a STEM-based program to The Experiment’s portfolio in one of The Experiment’s most popular and marketable countries. In addition, this design adds a computer and technology theme, an area within STEM that has even less representation in The Experiment’s portfolio. In this paper, all necessary aspects to …

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.

Aligning Prisms Plus With Ngss And Physics Education Research, Juliana Huegerich, Lawrence Escalada

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Since the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) have been adopted by Iowa, the changing expectations for high school physics students means that preexisting curricula like PRISMS PLUS need to be brought into alignment with the NGSS. Before revising PRISMS PLUS, other aligned curricula were consulted, as well as many sources of physics education research. A revised PRISMS PLUS template aligned with the NGSS and physics education research was made, which can be applied to each of the learning cycles in PRISMS PLUS. One learning cycle was revised in full, as an example.

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 …

A First-Year Teacher’S Implementation Of Short-Cycle Formative Assessment Through The Use Of A Classroom Response System And Flexible Grouping, Adrienne Irving Dumas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As teachers, we are tasked with ensuring that our students are equipped with the skills necessary to not only perform with proficiency on local, state and national assessments, but also to provide our students with opportunities to develop confidence and competence as learners of mathematics through meaningful, challenging and worthwhile activities. As such, many teachers have turned to technology and cooperative groups as staples in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to understand how one first-year teacher implemented what she was taught in her undergraduate coursework in teaching two specific units of instruction in two sections of high …

Comparing Nebraskan And Finnish Education Policy And Its Impacts On Mathematics Teaching, Elizabeth Tyler

Honors Theses

For two decades, Finland has been in the education spotlight as they consistently receive high international exam scores while spending less money, less time teaching, and putting students through fewer hours of school. This study aims to investigate the related policy that may help explain these seemingly paradoxical findings in the education sector. More specifically, this study examines how related policy impacts math teachers in their day to day work. This research includes an extensive literature review that explores several facets of the education system in both Nebraska and Finland in order to better understand existing policies. This background is …

Designing Visually Interactive Learning Modules To Promote Students' Critical Thinking In Mathematics, Linda Vu, Ying Xie

Master of Science in Computer Science Theses

This Innovative Practice Full Paper presents our study of promoting critical thinking and achievement in mathematics with the use of technology via easily accessible resources. We believe that creating easy-to-use learning modules that are accessible for students everywhere is a great way to help students comprehend abstract logic process in problem solving. More specifically, we developed a series of learning modules that interactively visualize and illustrate the steps of Geometry proofs by using GeoGebra, a dynamic learning platform for mathematics [5, 10]. Survey study shows that our interactive learning modules are beneficial in promoting students’ learning interests and ability of …

A Student Research Manual: Helping Students Help Themselves Identifying And Addressing Challenges Facing Prospective Undergraduate Researchers, Landon Rohrer, Karen L. Sirum

Honors Projects

Undergraduate research does not only help equip STEM majors to be better researchers and employees but increases retention of students to graduate school in needed scientific fields. However, while resources are being produced for undergraduates like Undergraduate Research Experiences (UREs), Centers for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (CURS), and Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs), undergraduate involvement and awareness about these resources, and the value of undergraduate research in general, does not seem to be improving. Therefore, it would be valuable to figure out why undergraduates aren't autonomously seeking out undergraduate research during their studies. To investigate why, a two-part survey was …

Graduate Internship Report - Hanford Agriculture Program, Dominica L. Clisso

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This internship and project report includes validation documents required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of the Hanford Agriculture Program and the community.

Graduate Internship Report Aged 539 - Volunteer Mah & Answer Key, Rachel E. Drisdelle

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This internship and project report includes validation documents required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. This is a volunteer workbook intended for high school students looking to observe at a veterinary hospital. It is written for volunteers at Mission Animal Hospital in San Luis Obispo, CA, but can be adapted for other veterinary hospitals if needed.

Ap Stem Course-Taking And College Stem Major Selection: An Examination Of The Relationship And How It Differs By Gender And Race/Ethnicity, Elizabeth C. Jewett

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The United States must expand the STEM pipeline in order to meet the growing demand of the STEM workforce and maintain our nation’s prosperity and competitiveness in the global economy. The urgency of this need has been proclaimed by policymakers, business leaders, politicians, and educators. Despite the growing demand for STEM professionals, women and minorities are an underutilized source of intellectual capital that can and should be tapped into to meet the demand. Doing so creates equity across genders and racial/ethnic groups as well as fosters inclusion of more diverse perspectives to enhance STEM innovations. Efforts to expand the number …

Recycling Aluminum, Steffani Burwitz, Kristin M. Roe, Matthew L. Miller, Madhav P. Nepal, Larry B. Browning, P. Troy White

Madhav Nepal

Students will investigate and compare the energy cost to produce aluminum products from aluminum ore and recycled aluminum. Students will perform an electrolysis activity to reinforce the idea that recycling metal requires less energy than mining and refining metals from their original source in the earth.

Using Drones For Precision Agriculture, Jiyul Chang, Madhav P. Nepal

Madhav Nepal

In this teaching module, students will learn what Precision Agriculture is and how to apply drone into Precision Agriculture practices. To use data (images) taken by drone, students will learn the basic theory of Remote Sensing. Using images, students learn how to make NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) maps and how to apply drone (remote sensing technique) in agriculture.

The High School To First-Year College Instructional Transition: An Investigation Of The Predictions And Perceptions Of Stem Students, Emma Toth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent national reports have cited ongoing issues in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Fewer than half of first-year undergraduate students who start in STEM fields graduate with a STEM degree six years later. Most of this attrition occurs between the first and second year of college, and students often cite instructional practices used in introductory college courses as a prominent reason for leaving. Furthermore, students from backgrounds that are underrepresented in STEM fields, including first-generation college students, leave STEM majors at higher rates than their classmates. Recent data show that the instructional practices used in introductory college …

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 …

The Correlation Between The Act, Inc. Explore Test And Student Success In High School Advanced And Advanced Placement Mathematics Courses, Virginia Story

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the relationship between the mathematics portion of the EXPLORE test with students successes in advanced and Advanced Placement(AP) mathematics courses in high school. The data was collected from a rural Tennessee school system consisting of five years of data among graduated seniors. Analysis was completed to determine the difference between the two county high schools in advanced coursework. The findings of this study concluded a positive correlation between EXPLORE scores and the frequency of students who took advanced mathematics courses. Positive correlation between EXPLORE scores and student successes in advanced courses was …

A Space To Learn, Amy R. Goods

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In this dissertation, I explore what it means to different people, in different places throughout life’s spectrum to create a space to learn. This dissertation is a collection of work that I have written throughout my time at the CUNY Graduate Center. The chapters herein represent an arch of my learning over the past five years. The title, A Space to Learn, has multiple meanings. For one, writing this dissertation has provided me a space to explore and reflect on a variety of topics, ranging from memory loss, to teacher preparation programs, to eugenics and special education, to tracking and …

The Role Of Knowledge And Noticing In Teacher Decision Making, Darl Rassi

Scholar Week 2016 - present

In this study, we examined the role that teacher knowledge and noticing played in the decision-making process of two in-service mathematics teachers. Differences between the two teachers and implications for the field will be presented.

Why Domain-Specific Science Knowledge Matters In Teacher Certification: Focusing On Evidence For Effective Science Teaching, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Lyrica L. Lucas, Amy Tankersley, Elizabeth Hasseler

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

The landscape of teacher preparation is complex. From a research perspective, how to prepare teachers presents as a multilevel, multivariable puzzle. For decades, federal and state policymakers, educational researchers, and administrators, along with teacher education institutions, school districts, and other stakeholders have tried to determine and measure the key malleable factors that result in effective teaching (NRC, 2010).

Periodically, state departments of education review secondary science teaching endorsement policy guidelines. As revisions occur, teacher educators in higher education and district administrators need to engage in a multidisciplinary discussion about:

1. the ways in which strong domain-specific science content knowledge contributes …

Does Teaching The History Of Mathematics In High School Aid In Student Understanding?, Anne Campbell

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

This research will study the effect teaching the history of mathematics in a high school classroom has on student understanding. To accomplish this, lessons both including and excluding historical background on different topics were taught in an Honors Algebra 2 class in the high school setting. This research aims to engage student learning and investigation of topics that normally do not draw a lot of student focus and spark a new or revived interest in mathematics for students by broadening lessons to include material of which students would not otherwise be exposed. The lessons themselves aim to engage other current …

The “Soft Bigotry Of Low Expectations” And Its Role In Maintaining White Supremacy Through Mathematics Education, Laurie Rubel, Andrea V. Mccloskey

Occasional Paper Series

In this study, we offer an analysis of the phrase the "soft bigotry of low expectations" and considers its role in rhetoric about U.S. mathematics education policy and practice, especially in regards to Critical Mathematical Inquiry. From the phrase’s origins in a speech given by President George W. Bush in 2000, to its current use on social media, this phrase offers a lens into white supremacy and "tools of whiteness" (Picower, 2009), and their persistence in U.S. schooling paradigms, especially about mathematics. We analyze specific, recent instantiations of the phrase on blogrolls and Twitter, in addition to more implicit …