Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

How Students Investigate: Understanding Students’ Use Of Scientific Schemas In Open-Ended Labs, J. Alexander Wall

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Schema provides a theoretical framework for understanding the nature of science, inquiry, and open-ended labs. These topics have been emphasized in the state standards, especially in high school sciences. In this study the researcher took field notes, collected lab write ups, and conducted focus group interviews to understand students’ use of schema related to open-ended labs. These data were analyzed with the constant comparative method to generate themes. The author describes the major findings with parallel narratives, one focused on a student’s confusion and the other focused on a student’s understanding. The author concludes by advocating for science teachers to …

Riverology: Promoting Stewardship Of Rivers Through Youth Participation In Science And Art, Robin R. Dunbar

Institute for the Humanities Theses

This project focuses on mentoring children to help reduce marine debris in their local river by implementing one of ten lessons from an inquiry-based Riverology curriculum to empower youth voice, increase geo-literacy, and spatial thinking. Eighteen participants aged seven and eight, piloted Riverology Lesson 2: What Do I Know or Imagine about the Elizabeth River? that includes six steps: inquire, visualize, draw, share, act, and reflect. The children were asked to make drawings before and after viewing an Elizabeth River Story Map presentation (Dunbar, 2021a). The drawings were then compared to see if the participants included marine debris, stewardship solutions, …

Elementary Teachers’ Implementation Of Inquiry-Based Instruction, William P. Gray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A mid-Atlantic state has recently adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that require teachers to integrate inquiry-based instruction into the classroom. The problem at the local level is a new inquiry-based curriculum, based on the NGSS, is being mandated without identifying the instructional strategies teachers are using to implement the new standards. The purpose of this project study was to explore fourth- and fifth-grade science teachers’ inquiry-based instructional strategies, why the strategies were chosen, and teachers’ concerns about the implementation of the strategies. In this case study, the concern-based adoption model and self-efficacy were used as a conceptual framework …

Examining The Understanding Of Inquiry-Based Learning And Teaching Among Undergraduate Teachers And Students, Maren Hudson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the main aims of inquiry is to engage students as active, not passive, participants in science. The purpose of this study is to describe science educators’ and students’ views about inquiry-based instruction in order to better understand and improve implementation of evidence-based teaching strategies. Inquiry-based techniques have been shown to improve student understanding of scientific concepts, yet, there continue to be challenges in implementing these techniques. This research project utilizes Q Methodology, a research method that captures both common and disparate measures of subjectivity, to identify commonalities and defining viewpoints about inquiry-based teaching and learning. Three significantly different …

Enhancing And Evaluating Scientific Argumentation In The Inquiry-Oriented College Chemistry Classroom, Annabel D'Souza

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The research presented in chapters 2, 3, and 4 in this dissertation uses a sociocultural and sociohistorical lens, particularly around power, authority of knowledge and identity formation, to investigate the complexity of engaging in, supporting, and evaluating high-quality argumentation within a college biochemistry inquiry-oriented classroom.

Argumentation skills are essential to college and career (National Research Council, 2010) and for a democratic citizenry. It is central to science teaching and learning (Osborne et al., 2004a) and can deepen content knowledge (Jiménez-Aleixandre et al., 2000; Jiménez-Aleixandre & Pereiro-Munhoz, 2002). When students have opportunities to make claims and support it with evidence and …

Using Educative Assessment In A Science Classroom, Jordan Truitt

Honors Projects

The focus of this study is to consider educative assessment in the science classroom and its effectiveness in assessing student-centered learning. By using educative assessment to measure learning, student work can be evaluated by rubric in addition to a traditional summative assessment. In comparing the student learning measured using the rubric results and traditional results, there was no statistical difference between the two assessments. However, the educative assessment provided greater insight into higher levels of learning. Conversational data also showed evidence of skills-based learning in the field of science. Further research into the applications for ‘at-risk’ students is required.

A Study On The Effectiveness Of A Pilot Inquiry-Based Middle School Science Program On Non-Cognitive Outcomes And Academic Achievement, Rui Meira Dionisio

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The randomized research study assessed the effect of an inquiry-based science (IBS) program on non-cognitive outcomes and academic achievement. The study was the result of a grant that was awarded by Professional Resources in Science and Mathematics (PRISM), a program affiliated with Montclair State University in conjunction with Bristol-Myers Squibb, and part of the New Jersey Statewide Systemic Initiative (NJSSI). The NJSSI is a partnership of schools, districts, colleges and universities, science centers, businesses, and museums dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of science, mathematics, and technology in New Jersey. The quantitative research study utilized an IBS instructional program …

How Select Groups Of Preservice Science Teachers With Inquiry Orientations View Teaching And Learning Science Through Inquiry, Peggy Diana Ward

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although hailed as a powerful form of instruction, in most teaching and learning contexts, inquiry-based instruction is fraught with ambiguous and conflicting definitions and descriptions. Yet little has been written about the experiences preservice science teacher have regarding their learning to teach science through inquiry. This project sought to understand how select preservice secondary science teachers enrolled in three UTeach programs in Arkansas conceptualize inquiry instruction and how they rationalize its value in a teaching and learning context. The three teacher education programs investigated in this study are adoption sites aligned with the UTeach Program in Austin, TX that distinguishes …

A Statistically Significant Determination From Pretest To Posttest In Knowledge Of Electrophoresis Concepts, Parker Megehee Nelson

Dissertations

The statistical significance from pretest to posttest of 109 high students constructing an electrophoresis chamber or not was explored. The students tested were from six intact biology classrooms. Three classes were treatment groups and three were control groups. The three biology teachers each taught a control and treatment group classroom. Except for building the electrophoresis chamber, students in both groups received identical instruction and testing. Pre- and posttest data was examined by means of a content valid test constructed by the researcher and biology teachers. In order to examine the statistical significance from pretest to posttest in knowledge of electrophoresis …

The Experience Of Teaching Online Secondary Science, Cynthia Ann Clark

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The experience of teaching online secondary science was investigated through the lens of developmental phenomenography. Recorded phenomenographic interviews were conducted with thirteen secondary science teachers who were teaching online in two countries and four states. After analyzing the transcripts individually and as a whole, seven themes were identified: (1) Virtual Labs and Learning, (2) Student Learning and Factors Involved, (3) Communication and Instruction, (4) Teaching as Collaboration/Social Aspect, (5) Teaching and Learning as Assessment, (6) Curriculum Effects on Teaching and Learning, and (7) Online Structure Effects on Teaching and Learning. The structures of awareness of these seven themes formed the …

Mathematical Telling In The Context Of Teacher Interventions With Collaborative Groups, Brandon Kyle Singleton

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher telling is underrepresented in the mathematics education reform literature and deserves additional scrutiny. This case study examined a skilled teacher's telling practices during a university mathematics content course for pre-service elementary teachers. I identified telling practices through discourse analysis, attending to the presence of mathematics and the contribution of new structure or ideas from the teacher. The teacher utilized seven unique types of mathematical telling while supporting collaborative group work on tasks. The study identified subtle telling, implicit telling, and explicit telling. The results suggest that mathematical telling is an integral part of the teacher's role in inquiry-based instruction …

Active Learning In The Science Classroom, Amber Mathias

Honors Projects

This study focused on at active learning and how it affects student attitude and achievement in college level biology courses. A Biology Attitude Survey was administered at the beginning and middle of the semester to determine if student’s attitude towards biology improved from the active learning setting. The student’s attitude was also assessed from a classroom format survey containing questions about the benefits of undergraduate Learning Assistants and the active learning classroom format. These attitudinal measures were then compared with student’s achievement in biology by looking at their midterm grade, pre-test and post-test assessment scores. The ANOVA revealed that students …

Factors That Affect The Ability Of Novice Science Teachers To Teach For Nos Understanding, Bennett Alexander Adkinson

Doctoral Dissertations

Novice science teachers face a multitude of instructional, curricular, and institutional constraints that affect their classroom decisions. Emphases from their teacher training programs interact with and compete against the realities of professional teaching. This qualitative comparative case study attempts to look at the interactions of novice science teachers with the reform-based practice of nature of science (NOS) instruction. Teacher training programs teach their pre-service science teachers about NOS and try to emphasize the importance of NOS understanding on student scientific literacy, but little is known about how science teachers view and approach NOS once they are free from the constraints …

Inquiry, Efficacy, And Science Education, Heather Christa Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Developing learners who are equipped to think critically about the vast information circulating around them is essential in their preparation for a role in society today. The use of effective inquiry-based instruction is not a widespread practice among K-12 classrooms. Many secondary and post-secondary science instructors see the valuable link between students asking questions and the development of critical thinking. Inquiry-based instruction provides student opportunities to ask questions, design methods of investigation, gather information, and finally reach conclusions based on evidence. However, this instruction style is rarely used in the classroom, particularly in elementary classrooms. This study examines the relationships …

Influencing Students To Become Stewards Of The Earth's Ocean, Jenifer Trimble

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to document 8th grade students' experiences at a residential marine learning facility as they discovered the interconnections between life on Earth and its dependency on ocean health. My goal was for students to take their new knowledge and share it with others in a quest to become educated and caring stewards of the Earth's ocean. Students in this study participated in open peer and instructor discussions, performed full and guided inquiry activities, and snorkeled among the shallow water habitats that transition from mangroves toward coral reefs to discover the interconnections among shallow …

The Inquiry Learning Model As An Approach To Mathematics Instruction, Michael C. Brune

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Since current approaches to mathematical instruction fall short of the goals of NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) research was conducted in a small rural school district in the northwest United States evaluating inquiry based instruction. To complete the study two high school geometry classes were taught area formulation using a traditional lecture based approach to instruction. A third geometry class was taught area formulation utilizing inquiry-based instructional methods. Students in both groups took both a pre-test and post-test, filled out a questionnaire, and participated in a project designed to test their applications of mathematical understanding. Results indicated that …

Legitimate Peripheral Participation Of Secondary Educators In Scientific Research Experiences: Implications For Teachers' Understanding Of The Nature Of Science And Classroom Teaching, Matthew Phillip Perkins

Doctoral Dissertations

Both of the national reform efforts (AAAS, 1993; NRC, 1996) encouraged teachers to engage in professional development that included authentic scientific research experiences. The Department of Energy developed a program to match teachers with mentor scientists at national laboratories for three consecutive summers. Teachers produced and presented a poster summarizing their research at the conclusion of each summer.

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to better understand how scientific research experiences impacted teachers. Six dimensions were examined: trajectory of participation, content knowledge development, mentor relationships, beliefs about the nature of science, teacher confidence, and classroom practice. These …

Inquiry Based Mathematics Instruction Versus Traditional Mathematics Instruction: The Effect On Student Understanding And Comprehension In An Eighth Grade Pre-Algebra Classroom, Kyle Ferguson

Master of Education Research Theses

This quantitative study provides information obtained through the use of inquiry-based mathematics instruction verses traditional mathematics instruction. The use of each curriculum was implemented into two classrooms of eighth grade pre-algebra students. The study was based on data collected before and after each of the two units of study. Fifty-two suburban eighth grade students represented the sample population. Results of the SPSS analysis showed that both classes made improvement from their pre-test to their post-test for both units but students receiving instruction through inquiry-based instruction showed significantly more improvement on the second unit. These results can be useful for educators …

Science Inquiry Kits And Teacher Preparedness To Teach Science As Inquiry In Elementary Classrooms, Angela Clayton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The National Science Education Standards (1996) indicate that science education should include inquiry instruction. Many teachers still struggle with how to implement inquiry in their classrooms and a lack of high quality inquiry-based instructional materials has been posited as a hindrance. The purpose of this qualitative study was to observe the instructional practices of three elementary teachers when using an inquiry-based science kit program in their fourth grade classrooms. Teacher practices and their attitudes towards their preparedness to teach science with the support of the curricular program were examined. Data were collected through pre/post survey comparisons, observations, and a focus …

The Effects Of Science Inquiry In A Fourth Grade Classroom, Stephanie Luke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects that science inquiry would have on fourth grade students' ability to communicate about scientific concepts learned, their perceptions about science and scientists, and my role as a teacher. The study took place in an elementary school setting for twenty weeks. Fourteen fourth grade students participated. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather data for the study. Pre and post questionnaires and Draw a Scientist Tests were used, along with observations, field notes, videotaped lessons, and reflections. The data revealed that students' ability to communicate about science concepts improved during …

The Effects Of Inquiry And Single-Gender Grouping On Second Grade Girls' Attitudes And Participation In Science, Elsy Estrada

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Disparities between males and females in attitudes toward science have been the focus of extensive investigations. Studies have found that females feel intimidated by their male peers in science and mathematics classes, making girls less likely to participate. Their confidence in these areas decreases and they become less likely to follow related career paths. Researchers and educators are at task to find methods to provide equal learning opportunities for all students. The purpose of this action research was to investigate the effects of single-gender grouping and inquiry-based teaching on girls' participation and attitude in science class. This study took place …

Integrating Journal Writing With Inquiry Based Science Instruction In A Second Grade Classroom, Lauren Zissman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This action research study investigated the effects of using science journals to promote science writing and to investigate changes in student attitudes in a second grade inquiry-based science class. This was an action research study in which qualitative and quantitative data was collected. The data was collected using science journals, pre and post inventories, field notes, teacher observations, videotaped science inquiry lessons, and surveys. The students demonstrated a true fondness for journal writing and expressed interest in continued use. After concluding this action research study, I better understand the benefits of utilizing journal writing to enhance my teaching of the …

Coherence Properties Of Optical Near-Fields, Debbie Arthur

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The National Science Education Standards (1996) support inquiry-based instruction. According to the National Science Education Standards. When children or scientists inquire into the natural world they: ask questions, plan investigations and collect relevant data, and organize and analyze collected data. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of inquiry-based instruction on third-grade students' attitudes and participation in an elementary science classroom. Students were encouraged to ask and answer their own questions. In this study, analysis of data gathered form: pre and post survey, student journals, teacher field notes, and student interviews were triangulated to provide the support …