Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Variations In Implementation Of Specifications Grading In Stem Courses, Mai Yin Tsoi, Mary E. Anzovino, Amy H. Lin Erickson, Edward R. Forringer, Emily Henary, Angela Lively, Michael S. Morton, Karen Perell-Gerson, Stan Perrine, Omar Villanueva, Marygeorge Whitney, Cynthia M. Woodbridge

Georgia Journal of Science

Specifications grading is an assessment strategy based on mastery learning, clear learning objectives, and frequent evaluations and feedback. Twelve instructors at a southeastern four-year public college implemented the specifications grading method across eight discrete courses in four STEM areas. In this modified assessment strategy, the students controlled their grades through multiple attempts, with limitations, on assessments of course objectives. The instructors designed and executed specifications grading in unique ways that aligned with their content areas, teaching beliefs, and individual teaching styles.

Preliminary observations suggest that, regardless of subject area, specifications grading can be used as an alternative to traditional assessment …

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.

English Learner Advancement In Avmr Structuring, Kristina Bradley

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Add+Vantage Math Recovery (AVMR) is an intensive remedial math program that involves diagnostic assessments and learning trajectories that help teachers identify and work with students who have been identified as having significant difficulties and specific learning gaps in early number learning. When analyzing the AVMR data to see if students can structure numbers as expected for their grade levels in the school district where this study takes place, teachers in the district noted that those who struggle the most are English learners (ELs) and students receiving special education services. While students receiving special education services will continue to experience specialized …

Mathamigos: A Community Mathematics Initiative, James C. Taylor, Delara Sharma, Shannon Rogers

Journal of Math Circles

We present a broad, and we think novel, community mathematics initiative in its early stages in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At every level, the program embraces community-wide collaboration—from the leadership team, to the elements of the mathematics being implemented (primarily math circles and the Global Math Project’s Exploding Dots), to the funding model. Our MathAmigos program falls within two categories of math circle-related programs: outreach and professional development (PD). In outreach, we work with the Santa Fe Public School district (administration, teachers, students, and parents) and the City of Santa Fe government (our funders via a two-year contract) in …

Connecting Mathematics And Community: Challenges, Successes, And Different Perspectives, Ariel Azbel, Margarita Azbel, Isabella F. Delbakhsh, Tami E. Heletz, Zeynep Teymuroglu

Journal of Math Circles

In this article, we summarize our personal journey to establish a successful math circle in a community that is not very familiar with such mathematics enrichment programs. We share the story of how our math circle began three years ago, as well as the lessons we learned and our organizational challenges and successes. Additionally, we outline three primary perspectives: the founder perspective, the student volunteer perspective, and the faculty volunteer perspective.

Distance And Its Effect On Betta Aggression, Sydnie Hanson

STAR Program Research Presentations

Betta Splendens are typically known to act very aggressive towards one another, especially between two males. These acts of aggression are shown through flaring of ones fins, chasing and striking opposing Bettas, biting, etc. This experiment shows how distance affects how aggressive male Bettas are with one another

Smaller Classes Promote Equitable Student Participation In Stem, Cissy J. Ballen, Stepfanie M. Aguillon, Azza Awwad, Anne E. Bjune, Daniel Challou, Abby Grace Drake, Michelle Driessen, Aziza Ellozy, Vivian E. Ferry, Emma E. Goldberg, William Harcombe, Steve Jensen, Christian Jørgensen, Zoe Koth, Suzanne Mcgaugh, Caroline Mitry, Bryan Mosher, Hoda Mostafa, Renee H. Petipas, Paula A.G. Soneral, Shana Watters, Deena Wassenberg, Stacey L. Weiss, Azariah Yonas, Kelly R. Zamudio, Sehoya Cotner

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

As science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms in higher education transition from lecturing to active learning, the frequency of student interactions in class increases. Previous research documents a gender bias in participation, with women participating less than would be expected on the basis of their numeric proportions. In the present study, we asked which attributes of the learning environment contribute to decreased female participation: The abundance of in-class interactions, the diversity of interactions, the proportion of women in class, the instructor's gender, the class size, and whether the course targeted lower division (first and second year) or upper division …

A Productive Math Struggle: Questions And Assessment, Jenni Harding

Colorado Mathematics Teacher

The focus is on productive math struggle questions. Questions given to pose during instruction, to have mathematical conversations, and to evaluate learning. A rubric is provided to evaluate student math conversations. An effective and efficient structure is created where students can delve deeper into mathematics through group discussions.

Traffic Noise And Sexual Selection: Studies Of Anthropogenic Impact On Bird Songs And Undergraduate Student Reasoning Of Evolutionary Mechanisms, Sarah Spier

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Humans have transformed much of the natural landscape and are continuing to do so at an accelerated rate, compromising natural areas that serve as important habitat for many species. Roads impact much of the environment as they fragment habitat and introduce traffic noise into the acoustic environment, deferentially affecting wildlife in roadside habitat. I explored how traffic noise affects the detection of birds based on whether their vocalizations were masked by traffic noise. Masked species detection was not affected by an increase in traffic noise amplitude, while there was a negative effect of traffic noise amplitude on unmasked species detection, …

Traffic Noise And Sexual Selection: Studies Of Anthropogenic Impact On Bird Songs And Undergraduate Student Reasoning Of Evolutionary Mechanisms, Sarah Spier

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Humans have transformed much of the natural landscape and are continuing to do so at an accelerated rate, compromising natural areas that serve as important habitat for many species. Roads impact much of the environment as they fragment habitat and introduce traffic noise into the acoustic environment, deferentially affecting wildlife in roadside habitat. I explored how traffic noise affects the detection of birds based on whether their vocalizations were masked by traffic noise. Masked species detection was not affected by an increase in traffic noise amplitude, while there was a negative effect of traffic noise amplitude on unmasked species detection, …

Developing An Interest In Stem Careers Through Integrated Stem Experiences, Megan Mullen

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

This study will investigate the effects of integrated STEM experiences on increasing student interest in STEM careers. A qualitative design was conducted. Two research questions were addressed in this study: What happens to students’ interest in STEM careers when I integrate STEM lessons into my classroom? What happens to students’ interest in STEM subjects when I integrate STEM lessons into my classroom? Participants included all students in grade 5 in a rural PK-12 school. Data were collected through student surveys conducted at the beginning and end of the study. Structured interviews were conducted of grade 5 students. Observations of STEM …

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 …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 31, No. 3, August 2019

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Welcome: Dr. Kyle Koch, Dr. Débora Montezano, Dr. Lise Pingault, Dr. Prince Zogli, Dr. Tobiasz Druciarek, Zuguo Guo, Vilma Montenegro, Sabrina Ongaratto, Emily Reinders, Otávio Silva Xavier, plus Online M.S. students for Fall 2019:

Faculty News: Dr. Jeff Bradshaw, Dr. Louise Lynch-O’Brien, Dr. Matthew Smart, Dr. Ana Vélez, Dr. Judy Wu-Smart

Publications

Congratulations

Student News

Grants

Inaugural 10 week NIFA-funded Beneficial Insects Research and Extension Ex-periences for Undergraduates (REEU) program

Insects and Murder: educational murder mystery game created by graduate student Justine LaViolette.

Predicting Third-Grade Mathematics Achievement: A Longitudinal Investigation Of The Role Of Early Numeracy Skills, Allyson J. Kiss, Gena Nelson, Theodore J. Christ

Early and Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite the vast research on the early predictors of mathematics achievement, little research has investigated the predictors of various domains of mathematics (e.g., geometry, statistics). The purpose of the present study was to examine the predictive relationship between first-grade early numeracy and computation skills and third-grade mathematics achievement as measured by a state test. Further, we explored the relations between these measures for students who were Below Proficient and Proficient. Findings suggest that proficiency level matters when examining the relation between mathematics skills. Also, there are different patterns of significant predictors depending on the domain of later mathematics achievement and …

Hands-On, Guided Inquiry Science Investigation And Science Vocabulary Acquisition In A Rural Elementary School, Jennifer Mulder

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

Much research has been done to show how inquiry science instruction and inquiry student investigation provide students with hands-on experiences to effectively learn science content in the classroom. Additionally, many methods to efficaciously teach students vocabulary has been thoroughly investigated. However, not much research has been done to study what effect hands-on, guided inquiry science investigation has on student content vocabulary acquisition. Within one rural classroom, fourth graders engaged in hands-on, guided inquiry investigation, and then vocabulary words were explicitly taught and discussed. After that, students practiced the vocabulary words in a variety of ways in pairs and as a …

The Impacts Of Family Stem Events For Young Children On Parents' Perceptions In A Rural Remote School, Cheyenne Jeffers

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

STEM education is an interdisciplinary approach to creating learning experiences, preparing the children of today to become the workforce and global citizens of a digital tomorrow. Young children are natural explorers of their world, participating in STEM learning through real world experiences. Public and parental misconceptions are hurdles to implementing STEM learning with young children. Many believe young children are not capable of participating in STEM learning and should be taught foundational skills first. On the contrary, STEM learning should be a priority in the educational environment of young children, most beneficially combining efforts at home as well as at …

Improving Kindergartener’S Initiative To Problem Solve Through Integrated Stem, Jessica Walston

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

Many teachers are familiar with students who are scared to try to solve a problem and instead look to adults for specific answers. Students need to be prepared to solve problems independently and collaboratively. One of the necessary skills to solve a problem is to first try, or take initiative. The purpose of this action research was to identify Kindergarten students’ initial initiative to problem solve by formal evaluation of student learning-related skills, taken from the Cooper-Farran Behavioral Rating Scale (1991). In this study, students were provided opportunities to take the initiative to problem solve through a series of integrated …

Protein Structure Analysis, Agnieszka Szarecka, Chris Dobson

Peer Reviewed Articles

We describe a series of engaging exercises in which students emulate the process that researchers use to efficiently develop new pharmaceutical drugs, that of rational drug design. The activities are taken from a three- to four-hour workshop regularly conducted with first-year college students and presented here to take place over three to four class periods. Although targeted at college students, these activities may be appropriate at the high school level as well, particularly in an AP Biology course. The exercises introduce students to the topics of bioinformatics and computer modeling, in the context of rational drug design, using free online …

Modeling Tropical Diversity In The Undergraduate Classroom: Novel Curriculum To Engage Students In Authentic Scientific Practicesum To Engage Students In Authentic Scientific Practices, Jana Bouwma-Gearhart, Sarah Adumat, Allyson Rogan-Klyve, Andrew M. Bouwma

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

A feature of science is its production of evidence-based explanations. Scientific models can both provide causal explanations and be predictive of natural phenomena. Modeling-based inquiry (MBI) is a pedagogical strategy that promotes students’ deep learning about phenomena via engagement in authentic scientific practices. Some university instructors have begun to facilitate MBI in their courses, notably those aimed at aspiring K–12 science educators who, per the Next Generation Science Standards, are encouraged to implement MBI. Yet exploration of curriculum and teaching with MBI in postsecondary environments is scarce. We detail a novel MBI curriculum implemented in a postsecondary ecology course that …

Strategies That Promote Elementary Student Stem Engagement, Jennifer Bauer

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

Collaboration, creativity, persistence, and critical thinking are all skills encompassed when integrating STEM into today’s classrooms. Empowering students in STEM related areas is essential for students’ future success in the 21^st century and educators must prepare citizens for these types of creative skills (Cook & Bush, 2018). Integrating STEM disciplines through project-based learning and providing real-world situations to solve problems enhances student engagement and achievement in STEM concepts (Cook & Bush, 2018; Hall & Miro, 2016). The topic defined in this research plan focuses on instructional strategies that make STEM more meaningful to science curriculum, as well as engaging …