Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons^™

Exploring Student Engagement With A Nanotechnology Module For Middle School Developed Using The Model Of Educational Reconstruction, Martyna Laszcz

Graduate Masters Theses

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (NST) is a booming multi-disciplinary field, with significant implications towards scientific and technological innovation. The growing reach of NST has created a demand for a skilled and scientifically literate workforce. However, NST is typically inaccessible outside of specialized contexts. Therefore, there is a need for bringing NST into the K-12 classroom.

In this study, we explored the use of technology-based NST modules to introduce middle and high school students to the field, wherein students unpacked an NST tool, the atomic force microscope (AFM), to learn about basic NST-related science concepts. The module created for this study was …

Digital Tools In The Classroom: Measuring The Effectiveness, Jeff Carpenter

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

The purpose of the study is to determine if, compared to traditional practice, digital practice increases student measuring accuracy on an authentic task. Therefore the study explores the relative efficacy of digital versus traditional practice for increasing student measurement skills in applied situations. Research tells us that students’ poor performance with measuring skills is directly related to lack of practice. To increase the ability to accurately use a ruler, Junior High, Intermediate and Middle Schools students require more time on task than they typically spend practicing this skill. Since more time is hard to come by in the classroom, educators …