Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Losing The Lake: Designing An Educational Computer Game On Water Resources In Southern Nevada, Michael Nussbaum, Gale Sinatra, Frederick C. Harris, Sergiu Dascalu, Sajjad Ahmad, Kent J. Crippen, Marissa Owens

2010 Annual Nevada NSF EPSCoR Climate Change Conference

30 PowerPoint slides Convener: Nick Lancaster, DRI Session 6: Bridging the Gap- Interdisciplinary Science to Connect Biophysical and Social Dimensions of Climate Change Abstract: To design and test an educationally useful computer game to educate middle- and high-school students, and the general public, about water and sustainability + effect of climate change on those

Research Poster: Trends In Climate Change Education In Nevada's System Of Higher Education, Amy Northrup

2010 Annual Nevada NSF EPSCoR Climate Change Conference

Research poster

Climate Change Education For Nevada, David M. Hassenzahl, Michael Collopy, John W. Farley, Paul Buck, Jacque Ewing-Taylor, Shama Perveen

2010 Annual Nevada NSF EPSCoR Climate Change Conference

42 PowerPoint slides Session 1: Education Convener: David Hassenzahl, UNLV Abstract: -Five Year Strategic Plan -Goal 6 - Create a scholarly environment to promote research skills and intellectual development for Nevada educators and students (K-12, undergraduate undergraduate, and graduate) -Primary Strategy - Develop educational infrastructure to train students at all levels and provide public outreach in climate change issues

Nebraskamath February 2010 Newsletter

NebraskaMATH Materials

NebraskaMATH February 2010 Newsletter

Table of Contents:

Study advocates charter schools

Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806)

Confidence, not gender, affects math abilities

Girls affected by female teachers’ math anxiety

Highlight on Action Research

Resources: Faster Isn’t Smarter

NMSSI Web site updated

NebraskaMATH Summer Calendar

NCTM president advises math in early childhood

Two advisory board members visit campus

Switzerland's Nation Branding Initiative To Foster Science And Technology, Higher Education And Innovation: A Case Study, Marc Fetscherin, Pascal Marmier

Faculty Publications

This article presents a case study about Switzerland's initiative to promote its science and technology, higher education and innovation environment. This is accomplished through a worldwide network of science and technology outposts run by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education and Research in cooperation with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. In this article, we specifically discuss the outpost located in Boston. swissnex Boston acts as a physical and virtual environment to foster closer ties between Switzerland and the Boston region in various fields of interest to academia, industry, business and society. We present the history and mission of swissnex …

Robots, Gps/Gis, And Programming Technologies: The Power Of "Digital Manipulatives" In Youth Extension Experiences, Bradley S. Barker, Neal Grandgenett, Gwen Nugent, Viacheslav I. Adamchuk

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

The study reported here examined the effectiveness of educational robotics combined with GPS/GIS technologies used as "digital manipulatives" in the teaching of concepts in science, engineering, and technology. Based on the success of previous summer camps, the study also examined a scaling-up of the intervention from 38 participants to 147. The 147 youth (ages 10-15) participated in one of six summer camps held in Nebraska during 2008. Results indicate that participants scored higher on the content posttest than the pretest. The study further examined the differential results. The article makes recommendations for further studies, while acknowledging the potential power of …

Addressing Impulsive Disposition: Using Non-Proportional Problems To Overcome Overgeneralization Of Proportionality, Kien Lim, Osvaldo Morera

Departmental Papers (Math)

Impulsive disposition is an undesirable way of thinking where one spontaneously applies the first idea that comes to mind without checking its relevance. In this research, we explore (a) the possibility of helping pre-service teachers improve their disposition, from being impulsive to being analytic, in one semester, and (b) the effect of using non-proportional situations. This study involves two sections of a mathematics course for pre-service teachers for Grades 4-8. The lessons were designed whenever possible to elicit students’ impulsive disposition so that they could become cognizant of it and make conscious attempts to overcome it. Some test items were …

Ncuwm Poster Abstracts 2010

Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics

Twelfth Annual Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics

Poster Abstracts

January 29-31, 2010

Holly Arrowood, Furman University

Kristen Bretney, Loyola Marymount University

Suzanne Carter, University of Iowa

Nicole Casella, Ithaca College

Morgan Chatham, University of Montevallo

Lilith Ciccarelli, Bellarmine University

Amber Clinton, Clarkson University

Jalonda Coats, Tougaloo College

Natalie Coston, Northern Arizona University

Belinda Cruz, University of Texas Pan American

Anita Doerfler, Northern Arizona University

Clarice Dziak, Clarkson University

Terra Fox, Hope College

Samantha Fuller, Penn State University

April Harry, Xavier University of Louisiana

Anne Ho, Regis University

Rachel Keyser, Bellarmine University

Hannah Kolb, Illinois Institute of Technology

Lauren …

Ncuwm Talk Abstracts 2010

Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics

Dr. Bryna Kra, Northwestern University

“From Ramsey Theory to Dynamical

Systems and Back”

Dr. Karen Vogtmann, Cornell University

“Ping-Pong in Outer Space”

Lindsay Baun, College of St. Benedict

Danica Belanus, University of North Dakota

Hayley Belli, University of Oregon

Tiffany Bradford, Saint Francis University

Kathryn Bryant, Northern Arizona University

Laura Buggy, College of St. Benedict

Katharina Carella, Ithaca College

Kathleen Carroll, Wheaton College

Elizabeth Collins-Wildman, Carleton College

Rebecca Dorff, Brigham Young University

Melisa Emory, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Avis Foster, George Mason University

Xiaojing Fu, Clarkson University

Jennifer Garbett, Kenyon College

Nicki Gaswick, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Rita Gnizak, Fort …

Ncuwm Abstracts Brochure

Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics

12th Annual

Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics

January 29-31, 2010

A national showcase for research projects of undergraduate women in the mathematical sciences

Cryptography: A History In Mathematics, An Application In The Classroom, Brian Olmanson

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

Evolution And The Second Law Of Thermodynamics: Effectively Communicating To Non-Technicians, Alexander Schreiber, Steven Gimbel

Philosophy Faculty Publications

Given the degree of disbelief in the theory of evolution by the wider public, scientists need to develop a collection of clear explanations and metaphors that demonstrate the working of the theory and the flaws in antievolutionist arguments. This paper presents tools of this sort for countering the anti-evolutionist claim that evolutionary mechanisms are inconsistent with the second law of thermodynamics. Images are provided to replace the traditional misunderstanding of the law, i.e., “everything always gets more disordered over time,” with a more clear sense of the way in which entropy tends to increase allowing a thermally isolated system access …

Re-Imagining Specialized Stem Academies: Igniting And Nurturing ‘Decidedly Different Minds,’ By Design, Stephanie Pace Marshall

Publications & Research

This article offers a personal vision and conceptual design for reimagining specialized science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) academies designed to nurture decidedly different STEM minds and ignite a new generation of global STEM talent, innovation, and entrepreneurial leadership. This design enables students to engage actively in the authentic work, modes of inquiry, and practices that distinguish four STEM learning cultures, environments, and communities: (a) Inquiry and Research Laboratory and Interdisciplinary Learning Center—develops disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and inquiry-based thinking; (b) Innovation Incubator and Design Studio—ignites innovative and design-based thinking; (c) Global Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship Institute—nurtures change leadership and systems-based thinking; …

Stem Talent: Moving Beyond Traditional Boundaries, Stephanie Pace Marshall

Publications & Research

The future well-being, prosperity and sustainability of our nation, the global community and our planet resides in igniting and nurturing decidedly different STEM minds that can advance both the new STEM frontier and the human future.

Existing Specialty Schools As Leverage For Behavioral Sciences Research On Teaching And Learning In Stem Fields, Christopher G. Kolar, Heather Sondel

Publications & Research

The National Science Foundation has requested comments and proposals that outline challenge questions for the next decade in behavioral sciences research. At the same time, the NSF has joined the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology as well as the National Academy of Sciences in issuing reports first identifying the need for specialized STEM education as a strategic necessity and then proposing the establishment of an additional 1000 specialized STEM schools. A common theme in these reports is that foundational work must be conducted to establish effective organizational and instructional practices for these schools. The authors of this …

Title Page - Table Of Contents

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

No abstract provided.

A Balancing Act: Helping Students Understand The Mole Relationship For Balancing Equations, Karl Goldsmith, Matt Jaschen

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Stoichiometry can be one of the more challenging topics to teach in high school chemistry. Students often struggle until they realize the ratio from the balanced chemical equation represents mole ratios rather than the mass of each component. The activity presented here provides students with an inquiry based experience with a chemical reaction. During the activity, students seek evidence as to what the coefficients in a balanced chemical equation mean. With teacher guidance, these activities help students (1) connect chemical equations to observations, (2) gain evidence that mass ratios are not useful, and (3) understand the relationship between moles and …

Exploring The Depths: Inquiry To Apply And Deepen Students’ Understanding Of Density, James M. Sleep, Lee Johnson

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

This activity is designed to deepen students' understanding of the concept of density through scientific inquiry. Students devise procedures to determine the relative and absolute (qualitative and quantitative) densities of several solutions of salt water, and establish a class consensus on their results. Students then apply their findings to estimate the density of an unknown solution. The targeted grade-level for this activity is 8 grade physical science. However, because we know students at all grade levels struggle to understand density, this activity could also be useful in high school Earth science and chemistry. This activity promotes National Science Education Content …

Keeping It Green: Using A Compost To Improve Student Learning, Spencer Mesick, Kayla Hendrix

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

This article discusses ways in which composting might be used to mentally engage students with science content. Incorporating a compost pile in the classroom provides ample connections to future science content (e.g., conditions necessary for the life of organisms in a well running aerobic compost, what decomposition means in a biological sense, aerobic vs. anaerobic decomposition, food webs, respiration, recycling of nutrients, landfill issues, etc.). Also, reflecting the complexities of effective science teaching, the article makes clear the crucial role of the teacher during the activity. The science content and activity addressed in this article are appropriate for 9th - …

Title Page - Table Of Contents

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

No abstract provided.