From Classroom To Field: Rural Teachers’ Integration Of Science And The Outdoors, Steph N. Dean, Julianne A. Wenner

The Rural Educator

This study explored how rural educators in the US use outdoor environments to enhance science instruction, addressing the educational marginalization of rural students. Using rural cultural wealth as a theoretical framework, we investigated how rural teachers integrate local nature-based resources and students’ out-of-school experiences into science learning. We conducted interviews and observations with rural teachers, using reflexive thematic analysis as our qualitative approach. Three key themes emerged that highlight the ways our participants use the outdoor environment to teach science: (a) harness rural community partnerships, (b) engage students through relational teaching, and (c) design learning opportunities that honor students as …

From Classroom To Field: Rural Teachers’ Integration Of Science And The Outdoors, Steph N. Dean, Julieanne A. Wenner

Publications

This study explored how rural educators in the US use outdoor environments to enhance science instruction, addressing the educational marginalization of rural students. Using rural cultural wealth as a theoretical framework, we investigated how rural teachers integrate local nature-based resources and students’ out-of-school experiences into science learning. We conducted interviews and observations with rural teachers, using reflexive thematic analysis as our qualitative approach. Three key themes emerged that highlight the ways our participants use the outdoor environment to teach science: (a) harness rural community partnerships, (b) engage students through relational teaching, and (c) design learning opportunities that honor students as …

Slow Education, Sit Spot, And Holistic Well-Being: A Narrative Case Study In Secondary Science Education, Steph Dean, Jim Lane, Paul Bocko, Albert Gilbert, Devan A. Jones

Publications

The demands of a test-dominant education system point towards the need for students to have opportunities for unhurried learning engagements, a movement known as slow education. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term influence of Sit Spot–a recurrent, structured time to reflect outdoors–on students’ holistic well-being. Using a narrative case study approach, we interviewed a secondary field ecology teacher and seven of his former students to understand the impact of high school Sit Spot experiences during a semester-long science class. Three primary outcomes emerged: (1) enduring impact on the whole person, (2) engagement with affect, and (3) …

The Math Teaching Atlas: Trails, Anchors, And Compass In Action, Ivan Z. Feng

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This paper advocates a shift grounded in mathematical reasoning: teach and write math through explicit routeways rather than narratives, anchor new ideas to familiar concepts on a roadmap, and use motivation and concrete examples as a compass and simulation for discovery.

Creating Art With The Generalized Pythagorean Theorem, Ángel Colín

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The Pythagorean Theorem and its generalizations have been widely studied. In this article we focus on one particular generalization that asserts that the area of a polygon with one side the hypotenuse of a right triangle is the sum of the areas of similar polygons whose corresponding sides are the other two sides [4]. Using this theorem together with interactive software or simply pencil and paper, we create some visually enticing artwork. This activity, we believe, can contribute positively to geometry teaching at all academic levels.

Let's Play Uno! Training Mathematical Thinking With An Inclusive Card Game, Thierry Meyrath, Clara-Ioana Mincu, Antonella Perucca

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

We explore probability exercises based on the game UNO. Excluding the Wild cards, the deck contains precisely 100 cards, which makes it convenient to express probabilities as percentages. We discuss the mathematical relation between cards that can be played after other cards. We also propose an algebraic exercise that relates several quantities, such as the number of cards left in the losing player’s hand. Finally, we argue that UNO is a very inclusive game: it is logistically easy to play, allows for players of different skill levels, and can be adapted to meet special needs. Beyond being playful exercises, our …

Invitations To Stem: Activities For Building Community And Enthusiasm From A First-Year Seminar, Dusty Grundmeier, Shanelle Davis

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

We reflect on and analyze a first-year seminar designed as an invitation to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. We present sample activities designed to develop mathematical and scientific problem-solving skills while also building community and enthusiasm. Through solving mathematical puzzles, project-based learning, and reflective activities, students develop a supportive and welcoming STEM-focused community and identity. Along with sample activities, we share our goals, challenges, and student feedback. Finally, we suggest some guiding principles for designing and choosing problems for similar STEM enrichment activities and seminars.

How Did Cauchy Prove His Integral Theorem? A Historical Reconstruction For Education Research, José Gerardo Piña-Aguirre, Rosa María Farfán Márquez

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In his article “Mémoire sur les Intégrales Définies, prises entre des limites imaginaires” of 1825, Cauchy proves that the integral of a complex function f defined on complex numbers is independent of the path of integration if the function f remains finite and continuous along the chosen path. In contemporary literature that analyzes the mathematics of Cauchy, the specific mathematical process that allowed Cauchy to prove this result is not explicitly presented. The purpose of this manuscript is to communicate a symbolic-algebraic derivation that justifies the narrative argument used by Cauchy to support his proof, thus hopefully filling this gap. …

Emergent Collective Argumentation Types In A Socio-Critical Mathematical Modeling Activity, Ayse Ozturk, Ozgul Kartal

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Socio-critical mathematical modeling encourages students to employ mathematics as a tool for social inquiry and action, promoting critical thinking and social awareness. While research on collective argumentation in mathematical modeling exists, its connection to socio-critical modeling remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining the types of collective argumentation that emerge during small-group and whole-group discussions as students navigate different phases of the modeling process. Using an adapted version of Toulmin’s argumentation model and a framework for socio-critical modeling phases, this study analyzes classroom discussions in which high school students engage in a modeling task focused on fair raise …

Student-Faculty Partnerships In Mathematics Undergraduate Coursework, Alyssa G. Cavazos, Luis Miguel Fernández, Isabel Amaro, Elianna Olivo, Cristina Villalobos

Writing and Language Studies Faculty Publications

This study examines how student–faculty partnerships are experienced within undergraduate mathematics coursework at a majority Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Drawing on the Student as Partners (SaP) theoretical framework and using an interpretive phenomenological research design, we examined the lived experiences of student and faculty partners who participated in a series of professional development sessions on student-faculty partnerships and equitable teaching and learning practices in mathematics courses. Findings indicate that student partners’ lived experiences in the partnership program contributed to the development of sense of belonging, self-efficacy, and awareness of the need to link real-world and culturally responsive applications to mathematics …

The Role Of School Evaluation And Accreditation In The Professional Development Of Female Science Teachers In Al-Majma'ah Governorate, Asmaa Muhammad Alqutaim

International Journal for Research in Education

The study aims to explore the role of school evaluation and accreditation in the professional development of science teachers in Al-Majma'ah governorate. The sample consisted of (217) female science teachers in the governorate, and the study followed a descriptive survey methodology. The researcher designed a questionnaire comprising (41) statements across three domains: professional values and responsibilities, professional knowledge, and professional practice. The study reached several key findings, most notably: a high degree of agreement among participants on the role of school evaluation and accreditation in developing professional values and responsibilities, professional knowledge, and professional practice, from the perspective of science …

The Hidden Opportunities Within The Stem Workforce Pipeline, Brad Schenker

STEM for Success Showcase

_{Five Connections in STEM Education That Can Harmonize America's Workforce Pipeline}

The recent changes to our education system have created a state of uncertainty and instability, which presents a unique moment in time to change systemic design failures that can be accomplished within existing budget, people and resource constraints.

This analysis of research, mostly from 2015-2025, identifies five opportunities in the STEM workforce pipeline to create “Moments of Impact” that can change the direction of a student's STEM education pathway.

Multimedia-Based Interventions To Improve Science Learning Outcomes For Deaf Students At Wangsel Institute For The Deaf., Cheten Tshering Mr., Tshering Wangchuk

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Efforts have been made to ensure inclusive learning opportunities for all students, including those from diverse backgrounds. One key strategy to enhance children’s learning and academic performance involves the thoughtful selection and application of instructional tools tailored to meet learners' specific needs. This study examines the impact of multimedia-based instruction on science achievement among deaf students at Wangsel Institute for the Deaf in Bhutan. Using a quasi-experimental design, the research compared pretest and post-test results between a control group and an experimental group. Data analysis included descriptive statistics (t-test) and ANCOVA. The findings indicated a statistically significant differences (p = …

Electronic Encyclopedia Of Traditional Medicinal Plants At The Museum Pusaka Nias As Supporting Media For Students’ Plant Awareness, Ester Novi Kurnia Zebua, Siti Zubaidah, Sitoresmi Prabaningtyas

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Low student awareness of the existence, diversity, and importance of plants in daily life—referred to as plant awareness, which includes attention, attitudes, relative interest, and knowledge toward plants—remains a challenge in biology learning, partly due to the limited use of electronic learning media that integrate biodiversity with local wisdom or indigenous knowledge. Traditional medicinal plants from the Museum Pusaka Nias have strong potential as contextual learning resources; however, they have not been optimally developed in electronic form. This study aimed to develop an electronic encyclopedia of Nias traditional medicinal plants for high school biology learning and to examine students' plant …

Development Of A Structured Inquiry-Based Heat Transfer E-Module To Encourage Elementary School Students' Critical Thinking Skills, Chintia M. P Ati, Alvin J. Hano

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The study is undermanned by the students' lack of critical thinking skills and the lack of digital learning media. The purpose of the study is to produce credible, pragmatic, and effective e-modules to improve critical v-grade thinking skills. The study USES model development methods Lee and Owens, 2004. The 36 student classes vs. SDN oesapa small 2 mussels are traveling in kalor transfer content during the full term of year 2021-2022. Analysis shows that an e-module effectively enhances the student's critical thinking skills. Critical n-gain thinking skills by 0.7201. The conclusion that structured e-modules effectively promote critical thinking skills. This …

Analysis Of Students' Creativity Through Waste Recycling Activities Into Artistic Crafts In Grade V Of Sd Inpres Boyantongo, Yulvin Agnesia Metiro, Sarintan N Kaharu, Nuraini Nuraini, Yun Ratna Lagandesa, Kadek Hariana

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This study aims to analyze students’ creativity through waste recycling activities into art crafts in Grade V at SD Inpres Boyantongo. This research employs a descriptive method with a qualitative approach. The research subjects consisted of 18 students, including 11 boys and 7 girls in the 2024/2025 academic year. Data were collected through observation, interviews, questionnaires, and documentation, focusing on the four aspects of creativity proposed by Munandar: innovation, imagination, originality, and elaboration. The results show that students’ creativity is categorized as good, although not yet fully optimal. In terms of innovation, students tended to use easily obtained materials and …

Toilet Paper Olympics, Liza Bondurant

Publications

Toilet Paper Olympics includes three engaging embodied learning events designed to deepen conceptual understanding.

Quantitative Reasoning In Calculus Iii: Advancing Student Engagement, Confidence, And Aspirations At An Hsi, Tanvir Prince

Numeracy

This study examines the impact of integrating Quantitative Reasoning (QR) into a Calculus III course at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) on student engagement, confidence, and aspirations. The course is offered at Hostos Community College in the South Bronx. It incorporated QR-focused projects on economic inequality, environmental pollution, and access to healthcare. These projects allowed students to apply advanced calculus concepts to real-world social issues. A pre- and post-survey design was employed to assess changes in students’ mathematical confidence, perceptions of relevance, and career and educational goals. Results showed statistically significant gains in confidence and in the belief that advanced math …

Toward Fairer And More Equitable Numeracy Measurement: Improvements To The Quantitative Reasoning For College Science Assessment, Vonna L. Hemmler, Isaac Rosenthal, Kate Follette, Catherine Sarosi, Erin Galyen, Sanlyn Buxner, Jackson Carter, Samantha Maynard, Sarah Bunnell

Numeracy

Numeracy has become an increasingly important 21st-century skill that, due to the relationship between math and science, is often formally developed at the college level in general education science courses. These courses serve a diverse group of students, many of whom have historically experienced science teaching, curriculum, and assessment on the margins. The well-documented biases of assessments in particular against Individuals of Color (IoC) have inspired us to approach numeracy for social justice in our work from this angle, and in this paper, we detail our efforts to revise our validated numeracy assessment to ensure it more fairly and equitably …

The Impact And Legacy Of The Kaplans, Craig Daniels

Journal of Math Circles

As we conclude this special issue on the Kaplans, we want to leave you with some reflections on their legacy. Craig Daniels attended seven week-long Math Circle Institutes organized by Bob and Ellen Kaplan at Notre Dame between 2009 and 2016, and was inspired to lead his own Math Circles for many years. Craig collected comments from many people who knew the Kaplans.

Bob And Ellen Kaplan's Brazilian Adventure: O Círculo Da Matemática Do Brasil, Angels Varea

Journal of Math Circles

Bob and Ellen Kaplan deployed their boundless energy to spread The Math Circle word in Brazil in what they called their “Brazilian adventure.” They are the inspiration for the project O Círculo da Matemática do Brasil and participated wholeheartedly in its implementation, travelling to Brazil six times over five years to train teams of young Math Circle leaders that taught over twenty-seven thousand underprivileged children within the framework of the project.

Can Physical Activity Improve Students' Stem Achievement? Results Of The Lithuanian Study Of Students In Grades 5–8, Agne Brandisauskiene, Julius Venskus, Egle Kemeryte-Ivanauskiene

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Abstract: Background: Recognising the importance of physical activity for students' overall well-being and cognitive functioning, this study aims to investigate the relationship between the achievement of students in grades 5–8 in STEM subjects and their non-formal physical activity. Materials and Methods: The data for this study were gathered from the Lithuanian school management system. To categorize the marks into STEM subjects and non-formal physical sport activities, a RoBeRTa pre-trained model, a tool based on Natural Language Processing (NLP), was utilized. For the hypothesis testing of non-normally distributed data, the Mann–Whitney U test was employed. Results: The results of study show …

Bringing Math Circles Into New Mexico Classrooms: An Interview With James Taylor, Amanda Serenevy

Journal of Math Circles

In this interview, conducted on December 14th, 2022, James described his math outreach journey and the many members of the Math Circle community who helped him along the way.

The Kaplans’ Influence On The History Of Math Circles In The Us: An Interview With Tatiana Shubin, Rodi Steinig

Journal of Math Circles

Tatiana Shubin [1] was among those who pioneered Math Circles on the West Coast of the United States in the 1990s. She continues to innovate and pivot to make the Math Circle message and experience accessible to all. At the 2021 Circle on the Road conference, Tatiana Shubin presented the talk “Math Circles: A Quick Early History,” and the recording is archived on the Math Circle Network webpage [2]. In the spring of 2022, Rodi Steinig interviewed Tatiana to discuss this talk through two lenses. First, the lens of the role the Kaplans played in the broader history of Math …

Corresponding With The Kaplans, Rodi Steinig

Journal of Math Circles

Readers of this journal have asked to hear the Kaplans’ voices: their tone, the way they were able to contextualize math questions, their generosity, and their joy. We think it’s important to share a few of these hundred-plus emails so that readers can feel that tone.

The Kaplans’ Math Circle Method, Amanda Serenevy

Journal of Math Circles

This essay explores what is meant by "The Socratic Method" in classical and modern times and examines the extent to which the Kaplans employed it in their Math Circles. We offer an imagined dialogue between the Kaplans and their students on the same mathematical subject explored by Socrates and the slave boy in Plato's dialogue \emph{Meno} to illustrate how the Kaplans might have handled that topic

The Joy Of Participatory Learning: The Math Circle, Peter Flom

Journal of Math Circles

Peter Flom was inspired to write this blog post after visiting the Kaplans' Math Circle in Boston.

The Pedagogical Lineage Of The Kaplans And Its Future, Taylor Yeracaris

Journal of Math Circles

This article describes the origins of Bob and Ellen Kaplan's Math Circle, one of the first Math Circles in the U.S. It covers Bob and Ellen's personal histories and some of the wide-ranging impact of their work and philosophy of teaching. It also discusses how the current form of their organization, The Global Math Circle, is working to carry forward their legacy, including building community and supporting Math Circle leaders with the Nexus project.

Introduction To The Special Issue Honoring Bob And Ellen Kaplan, Amanda Serenevy, Rodi Steinig

Journal of Math Circles

In 1994, Bob and Ellen Kaplan embarked together with other friends and colleagues on a wonderful adventure. Friends had lamented that there was a lack of high-quality math learning experiences for kids along the lines of the Math Circles offered in the former Soviet Union, so the Kaplans decided to do something about it. This special issue is dedicated to a remembrance of that adventure and its impact on the mathematical and personal development of many people.

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

Publications and Research

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 …