Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

An Equity-Based And Culturally Responsive Bill Of Rights For Early Childhood Students Of Color With Exceptionalities, Evette Simmons-Reed, Michelle Frazier Trotman Scott, Gloria Tardash, Mildred Boveda, Donna Y. Ford

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing disparities in early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education (ECSE) services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) disabled children, exposing critical gaps in access, services and support. systemic inconsistencies in implementation, training, and funding, remain barriers limit opportunities for CLD students to benefit, despite the aims of the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEA). To address these inequities, this manuscript proposes an expanded and updated Culturally Responsive Equity-Based Bill of Rights for EI and ECSE. Building upon Ford and colleagues' (2018) work, this revised document extends protections to children aged zero to five, emphasizing …

Guest Editor's Introduction: Methodological Innovations For Advancing Early Childhood Educational And Psychological Research, Anthony Mangino Ph.D.

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

The goal of this special issue is to provide you, the inquisitive reader and developmental scientist, with some of the methodological tools to aid in augmenting your analytic capacity.

Virtualizing Practical Science Education: A Sociological Analysis Of Undergraduate Teaching And Learning, Sina J. Fakoyede, Femi E. Babalola, Oluwatoyin T. Obateru, Oluwayemisi D. Akomolafe, Deborah O. Alabi, Stella K. Ekundayo

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The study aims to investigate the perspectives of university teachers and students on integrating practical science teaching with virtual learning in a multicultural and diverse society, specifically within the context of southwestern Nigeria.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving data collection from 100 university lecturers and 400 undergraduate students across 10 universities. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with lecturers and focus group discussions with students. Quantitative data were obtained via structured questionnaires, allowing for triangulation and comprehensive analysis.

Results: Findings revealed that certain lecturers showed preferential support influenced by students’ cultural backgrounds or academic behavior during …

Exploring Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Building Thinking Classrooms In Secondary Mathematics, Savanna Wolff

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

This action research study examined the perceived impact of a Building Thinking Classrooms framework on student engagement and participation in small-group discussion. The guiding research question explored both student and teacher perceptions of how the framework influenced classroom engagement. Data was collected through surveys, one-on-one interviews, focus group interviews, and classroom observations over a four-week period. Qualitative analysis identified four key themes: student agency and mathematical identity; mathematical communication and thinking; collaboration and group dynamics; and learning environment, structure, and engagement. Findings suggest that both students and the teacher perceived an increase through Building Thinking Classrooms in student engagement by …

The One-Shot Ceiling: Comparing Rag And Fine-Tuning Architectures For Ai-Assisted Math Mentoring, Michael J. Cummins

Computer Science Honors Papers

Providing individualized feedback to math students is a resource-intensive bottleneck in STEM education. We present Mentir-AI, a tool designed to elevate teacher capacity by generating high-quality mathematical feedback using the Mathforum's "Problem of the Week" archive. By analyzing a corpus of nearly one million interactions, we compare the efficacy of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and Fine-Tuning (FT) architectures. This study details the development of an automated grading pipeline, the evolution of a multi-component system prompt, and the implementation of an automated mentor grading system in AI-led evaluation. While Fine-Tuning demonstrates superior instructional judgement, our results identify persistent failure modes in mathematical …

An Analysis Of Web-Based Languange Learning On Students Speaking Anxiety, Alfi Syahrina, Zarfina Yenti, Monalisa Monalisa

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This study explores the use of Duolingo as a web-based language learning tool and its influence on students’ speaking anxiety at MTs Nurul Falah Kota Jambi. Speaking anxiety remains a significant affective barrier in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning, particularly in traditional classroom settings where students often experience communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, and test anxiety. Employing a qualitative case study design, this research involved approximately 15 students who had used Duolingo for at least six weeks, along with one English teacher for triangulation. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations and analyzed using thematic …

Nature Writing As A Bridge To Student Scientific Interest, Christine Mcgrail, John Kudukey, Colette Smith, Fnu Dharma

The Cicadian

Nature writing is an important pathway for preservice teachers’ engagement with science that can help more students recognize themselves as knowers and doers of science and better connect them and their students to the world around them. Nature writing allows all students, including those from non-dominant cultural backgrounds, to include their experiences and backgrounds in their science education. Nature writing also affords all students an opportunity to better understand the natural world they are a part of. Nature writing is typically written in first person and characterized as scientific observation of the natural world through a personal reflective lens. In …

Developing Narrative-Based Stem Learning Tool For K-6 Visually Impaired Students, Daniel Tsivkovski, Dylan Ravel, Jeffrey Kraskouskas, Brandon Foley, Maryam Etezad, Franceli Cibrian, Rajeev Joshi, Ariel Han

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This research develops a free, accessible web application that enables K-6 students who are blind or visually impaired (BVI) to learn STEM concepts using refreshable braille displays. Currently, most online learning tools are not designed for BVI students, creating a significant educational barrier.

The application interfaces with commercial braille displays and uses narrative-based learning to make STEM content approachable and engaging. By presenting material as personalized interactive stories generated with the help of Artificial Intellligence (AI), students can connect with concepts while developing braille reading skills. The curriculum design prioritizes accessibility through the Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) standards and …

Implementation Of Wellness Activities In An Experiential Rotation To Promote Pharmacy Student Well-Being, Neeloufar Fakourfar, Brenda Kilzi, Reza Taheri, Richard Beuttler, Hindu Rao

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Educational activity

Challenging Stem Learning Spaces: The Paradigm Of Contemplative Traditions As The Bedrock Of Creativity And Healing, Raaghav Pandya, Christopher Emdin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

As the post-pandemic classroom and pedagogy evolve to remedy oppressive norms, young people’s mental health and alienation has taken front stage (Rahmani & Zitouni, 2022). Traditional STEM learning spaces often teach inquiry as a linear, non-deviated approach to problems about self and nature (Hrisa & Psillos, 2022). Furthermore, because our classrooms often strip students and educators of their inherent creative abilities through constant assessments, improvement scales, and market-driven expectations, classrooms cease to become places of healing (Pandya, 2021). Eastern wisdom traditions and their associated philosophies provide a unique pedagogical lens that emphasizes a deep inquiry into self, empathy, and creativity …

Enhancing Hope In Mathematics From An East African Perspective, Howard Omukami

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

No abstract provided.

Shooting For The Stars: Stem Outreach Strategies Between 2nd And 7th Grade, Paige Miller

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Engineering and planetary science outreach programs are increasingly important as industries and research organizations face growing demand for STEM professionals. Despite the importance of these fields, many students receive little exposure to engineering careers during their early educational experiences. This honors thesis examines the effectiveness of interactive STEM outreach presentations designed for elementary and middle school students. Specifically, this study evaluates outreach activities centered on chemical engineering applications and the NASA M2M CO₂ regeneration project for Martian environments.

Two student age groups participated in this study: 2nd grade students at Butterfield Elementary School and 7th grade students at Woodland Junior …

R Software Tutorials For Introductory Statistics Courses, Erica M. Hurst

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This project focused on creating online resources for using the statistical software package R in an introductory statistics course at Utah State University. The goal was to make R more accessible, user-friendly, and engaging for learners. To do this, existing written materials were moved to a new section of an online website called Stats Stuff. Then interactive features were added such as step-by-step video tutorials, real datasets, and an embedded coding tool. These resources have been in use for the past four years and have helped students build confidence and enhance their statistical learning experience.

Sense Of Belonging And Self-Efficacy Of Women In Stemm At The University Of South Alabama, Emilie Dedeaux

Honors Theses

Despite decades of calls and initiatives to diversify science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM) disciplines, females are still more likely to leave STEMM career paths compared to their male peers, which is often depicted as a 'leaky pipeline'. Females in STEMM often report greater social alienation, greater selfdoubt, lower sense of belonging and academic satisfaction due to a mismatch in values in STEMM disciplines. STEMM values have traditionally been normed by cisheteronormative, white, male ideologies . While extensive research has focused on the barriers females experience in STEMM that reduce sense of belonging , less research has focused on …

Evaluating The Impact Of Mysci On Student Outcomes In The St. Louis Region, Megumi Hine, Rachel Ruggirello, Jason Jabbari, Yung Chun, Maia Elkana

Institute for School Partnership: Research & Publications

mySci is a K-8 science curricular program widely used in the St. Louis region. Collaboratively developed by researchers and educators, mySci uses a hands-on, inquiry-centered approach to science instruction. This study investigates mySci’s impact on student science achievement at the school level.

The Impact Of Place-Based Education Professional Development On Faculty Identity And Perceptions Of Nature-Culture Dichotomies, Reyt Middleton

Master's Theses

This qualitative study analyzes how implementing place-based education (PBE) in undergraduate coursework shapes faculty identity narratives and nature–culture positionalities across conceptual lenses of past, present, and future. Three faculty members at a regional Mississippi university engaged in a PBE professional development program; narratively driven pre- and post-implementation interviews were given to participants, then examined via thematic analysis. Framed primarily through lenses of constructivism, with support from critical pedagogy of place, relational and ecological epistemologies, and scholarship on faculty identity, this study posits two research questions—1: How does teaching PBE influence faculty identity narratives across past, present, and future temporalities? 2: …

Examining Mathematics Identity And Student Capital In The United States And Norway: Comparative Insights From First-Generation College Students In First-Year Mathematics Courses, Margaret Ann Bolick

All Dissertations

First‑generation college students (FGCSs)—students whose parents did not complete a bachelor’s degree—are underrepresented in international research on first‑year mathematics course retention and are often compared to their continuing‑generation peers in ways that reinforce deficit narratives and skew perceptions of FGCSs. This study provides a descriptive comparison between FGCSs’ mathematics identity and forms of capital across the cultural contexts of Norway and the United States through four interconnected papers that address the overarching research question: How do cultural and educational contexts in Norway and the United States influence how FGCSs conceptualize and express forms of capital and mathematics identity in first-year …

Perceptions Of The Teacher Excellence And Accountability For Mathematics And Science Act On Rural Secondary Math Teachers' Practices, Motivation For Professional Development, Collaboration, And Job Satisfaction, Katina Stallworth

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The persistent shortage of qualified secondary mathematics and science teachers in rural schools has prompted states to adopt incentive-based policies aimed at improving teacher recruitment and retention. In Alabama, the Teacher Excellence and Accountability for Mathematics and Science (TEAMS) Act was enacted in 2021 to address these shortages through substantial salary supplements tied to professional development requirements and the relinquishment of tenure protections. While early reports indicate that the TEAMS program has increased the number of credentialed STEM teachers in classrooms, less is known about how participation in the program influences teachers' instructional practices, motivation for professional development, collaboration, and …

Perceptions And Practices: A Qualitative Study Of Middle Grades Physical Science Teachers’ Knowledge And Use Of Formative Assessment, Michelle Morgan

Dissertations

Declining content mastery scores in middle grades physical science across the River Valley School District, as reflected in College and Career Ready Performance Index data, have raised concerns about instructional practices and the use of formative assessment. Although formative assessment is widely recognized as a high-impact practice, limited research has examined how middle school physical science teachers’ conceptual knowledge aligns with their instructional planning and classroom practices. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore teachers’ knowledge of formative assessment and the relationship between their stated beliefs and instructional practices. Participants included five eighth-grade physical science teachers …

A Case Study Of Experiential Learning In A High-Poverty Middle School, Diona F. Brown

Dissertations

This study examined the impact of experiential learning on student achievement in a high-poverty Title I middle school and explored how school leaders perceive and support its implementation. Grounded in experiential learning, active learning, and social justice theories, this research aimed to better understand how instructional practices can improve outcomes for students facing economic and educational challenges. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used. Quantitative data were collected through pre- and post-assessments administered to two groups of eighth-grade mathematics students: one receiving experiential learning instruction and the other receiving traditional instruction. Qualitative data were collected through surveys of school administrators …