Digital Commons Network^™

Ftc Titans #17576 Engineering Portfolio, Gautham Anne '23, Michael Meng '25, Ebba Kaulas '24, Jayant Kumar '23, Neev Patel '25, Ankit Walishetti '25, Shawn Crimmins '24

Distinguished Student Work

IMSA's FTC Robotics Team, the FTC TITANS, was recently recognized at an educational STEM conference presenting to the student body of Orrington Elementary and invited to present at professional meetings for Molex and Caterpillar/Trimble Connectivity to spread robotics to almost 100 engineers and STEM professionals, both at the student and professional levels.

We have used STEM education and robotics to inspire over 6300 people across the globe. The team was recently awarded the 1st Place Connect Award for professional outreach and 2nd Place Inspire (Championship) Award and is excited to be competing at the State Competition.

Middle Savannah River: An A/R/Tographic Ecopedagogical Ethnography Experimenting With Rhizomatic Perspectives, Lisa Augustine-Chizmar

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This research is an experiment in perspective. Using the four commonplaces (Schwab, 1978), I practiced letting the Savannah River teach me what there is to know about the water, the land, the people, and the other entities that depend on ki through artistic, ethnographic, and ecopedagogical lenses. The ethnographic findings describe the social actors that depend on ki and give a voice to the River. The a/r/tographic findings display the River on a canvas map through two hundred years using paint, clay, photography, video, abstract acrylics, and fabric. Together, these methods contribute to a unique ecopedagogical journey. This word cloud …

2023 Viewbook, Office Of Admissions

Viewbook

At IMSA, you will be part of a community of 652 diverse students passionate about learning. Located in suburban Aurora, IMSA’s campus consists of seven residence halls spread across 97 acres. While living and learning on campus, you’ll make new friends, encounter new ideas, and learn to live independently. You will also have the opportunity to explore over 85 clubs, organizations, and IHSAsponsored co-curricular and athletic programs. IMSA provides a safe, nurturing environment. Professional Resident Counselors (RCs) live in each hall and will help you navigate your home away from home through the Residential Life Curriculum.

The Proof Is In The Pudding – Using Perceived Stress To Measure Short-Term Impact In Initiatives To Enhance Gender Balance In Computing Education, Alina Berry, Sarah Jane Delany

Academic Posters Collection

The problem of gender imbalance in computing higher education has forced academics and professionals to implement a wide range of initiatives. Many initiatives use recruitment or retention numbers as their most obvious evidence of impact. This type of evidence of impact is, however, more resource heavy to obtain, as well as often requires a longitudinal approach. There are many shorter term initiatives that use other ways to measure their success.

First, this poster presents with a review of existing evaluation measures in interventions to recruit and retain women in computing education across the board. Three main groups of evaluation come …

Evaluation Of Gender-Based Differences In Primary School Maths Education: The Potential Of Digital Games, Maíra Amaral

Academic Posters Collection

Digital Game-Based Learning is shown to be a more effective instructional method than traditional instruction, however less effective than other technology-supported instruction according to Byun and Joung (2018). Regarding gender aspects, according to findings by Mclaren and colleagues in 2022, girls may learn more mathematics from digital learning games than boys. In their study, even reporting greater behavioural and cognitive engagement, boys did not learn more with the game than girls.

Computer Science Outreach To Inform Secondary School Students’ Perceptions Of Computer Science: Preliminary Findings, Karen Nolan, Roisin Faherty, Keith Quille, Keith Nolan, Amanda O'Farrell, Brett A. Becker

Academic Posters Collection

This poster describes a longitudinal K-12 outreach programme to promote Computer Science in Ireland, which ran over a three-year period from 2017- 2020. A pilot phase was conducted in the first year from 2017-2018 with 2900 students participating. The implementation phase began in 2018, when 7320 students participated across the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 academic years. The programme consisted of a free onsite school delivery of a two-hour camp that introduced students to a range of Computing topics: addressing computing perceptions, introduction to coding, and exploration of computational thinking. Schools self-selected, and the programme reached a large number of schools with …

School Library Advocacy: Enhancing Opportunities For All Learners, Elizabeth A. Burns

STEMPS Faculty Publications

There is a lack of consistency in how school librarians understand and engage in advocacy for their programs and the profession (Burns, 2015; Lance & Kachel, 2018). It is important that school librarians demonstrate the positive impact they contribute to improving instruction for student learners and advancing access so that all learners have equal opportunities. The school library and school librarian should be available to each student (Kachel, 2021). The School Library Manifesto (2021) includes language to support a strong school library with a qualified school librarian. Advocacy goals can be highlighted throughout this critical set of school library guidelines. …

How It Course Improves Digital Competencies: An Experimental Study In Science Education, Mustafa Tevfik Hebebci, Helen Crompton

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The rising significance of technology in society has caused a surge in the requirement of individuals possessing digital competencies. In the current era, digital skills are progressively vital for both personal and occupational growth. Governments have acknowledged the value of digital competencies and have incorporated them as part of fundamental proficiencies in numerous countries. Pre-service teachers have a paramount role in molding forthcoming generations, highlighting their necessity to possess robust digital competencies. This research centers on how an "Information Technologies in Science Education" course influences the digital competency progression in pre-service teachers. The study deployed a pre-test post-test experimental design …

Impact Of Designed Task-Based Interventions On K-8 Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge And Ability To Solve Measurement Unit Conversion Problems, Ha Nguyen, Tuyin An, Eryn Maher

Mathematical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Converting two-dimensional measurement units presents challenges for K-8 preservice teachers (PSTs) (e.g., 9 ft2 = __ yd2). Place value deficiency, lack of understanding of metric system measurement units, misconceptions about relationships between measurement units, and uncertain knowledge of ratios have been identified as causes of student error in one-dimensional analysis (e.g., Livy & Vale, 2011; Morris, 2001; Southwell & Penglase, 2005). However, PSTs’ strategies for solving two-dimensional measurement unit conversion problems (MUCPs) and possible interventions for improvement are rarely investigated in research. The purpose of this study is to design and test a set of tasks that may help students …

Mathematics Preparatory Workshops To Foster Student Success, Sandie Han, Diana Samaroo, Janet Liou-Mark, Lauri Aguirre

Publications and Research

Mathematics preparatory workshops were offered to college students at a diverse urban undergraduate institution. The goal was to prepare students for their mathematics course, by offering non-credit bearing and free preparatory workshops. The lack of adequate preparation for mathematics courses is a barrier for student engagement in future STEM courses. We believe that by providing preparatory workshops, we can improve not only the success but access for students in foundational mathematics courses. The workshops allowed students to engage with the course content in a rigorous and intensive manner prior to the start of the semester. Students who participated in the …

Flipping The Thinking On Equality, Diversity, And Inclusion. Why Edi Is Essential For The Development And Progression Of The Chemical Sciences: A Case Study Approach, M. Anwar H. Khan, Timothy G. Harrison, Magdalena Wajrak, Michele Grimshaw, Kathy G. Schofield, Alison J. Trew, Kulvinder Johal, Jeannette Morgan, Karen L. Shallcross, Joyce D. Sewry, Michael T. Davies-Coleman, Dudley E. Shallcross

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

All learners have a contribution to make to the development of the Chemical Sciences, be that in novel ways to teach, and their perspectives and contexts, but also in research, both in chemical education and the wider Chemical Sciences. Through four case studies, this paper explores interactions with diverse groups and how this has altered perspectives on both teaching and research. The case studies include work with visually impaired adults, a project bringing together First Peoples in Australia with academics to explore old ways (traditional science) and new ways (modern approaches), primary (elementary) school perspectives on teaching science, and a …

How Instructional Strategies Impact Mathematics Self-Efficacy And Learning: Middle School Student Perceptions, Roni R. Herndon

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on middle schools where more than 90% of the students are socioeconomically disadvantaged and where mathematics scores are below the state and national average. The study was conducted to better understand how students experience various instructional strategies and perceive these classroom practices to impact their learning and self-efficacy in mathematics. A hybrid mixed methods research design, with both embedded and explanatory sequential components, was employed. Quantitative results are based on survey responses from 94 seventh grade students. Qualitative results are based on five teacher and eight student interviews.

Informed by teacher interviews, the Instructional Strategies Impact Survey …

Exemplary High School Teachers’ Practice Of Embedding Career Exploration In Stem Curricula, Cara Pekarcik

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of individuals entering the workforce with an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers is low across the United States. Although exposure to STEM careers through the intentional integration of career exploration can positively influence career choice, most student exposure to STEM career exploration occurs in after-school programs and dedicated summer programs but is limited in the general education curricula. The purpose of this study was to understand how and why high school STEM teachers embed career exploration into curricula even though local and national standards do not include these objectives. The conceptual framework for this …

Integrating The Pedagogy Of United States’ Fourth-Grade Math Teachers With International Approaches, Dennis Francis Tierney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Standardized testing results in fourth-grade math have shown that students in the United States continually score below students in many other nations, despite funding education at levels well above the global average. The problem addressed in this study was that fourth-grade math students in the United States were not performing as well on standardized tests as students of other nations and international cities. Guided by Vygotsky’s social learning theory, the purpose of this qualitative, exploratory case study was to investigate the perceptions of teachers from U.S. and international settings about different approaches to effective fourth-grade math instruction, inherent obstacles to …

How Elementary Teachers Implement The Eureka Mathematics Curriculum To Improve Mathematics Outcomes, Shannell A. Swan-Clarke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many states use research-based mathematics curricula as an instructional tool to improve mathematics performance outcomes on state assessment scores. The problem was that despite the implementation of a research-based curriculum, students at XYZ Elementary School (pseudonym) had underperformed on the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers standardized mathematics tests since 2018. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to discover the implementation practices of teachers using the Eureka Mathematics Curriculum to improve student outcomes at XYZ Elementary School. Dewey’s experiential learning theory was used to support and explore ideas involving the influences of curriculum implementation on …

The Alignment Between The Algebra Curriculum At A Texas High School And The Mathematics Section Of The Texas Success Initiative Assessment, Kathryn Kober

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the Algebra I and Algebra II mathematics course curriculum documents at a local high school to determine alignment to the mathematics section of the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) and to identify content necessary for students to demonstrate college readiness in mathematics on the TSIA. Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (RBT) was used to analyze the curriculum documents for alignment to the TSIA content and answer the research question that look for alignment between the Algebra I and Algebra II curriculum documents and the TSIA for mathematics. This study used a qualitative …

Integrating The Pedagogy Of United States’ Fourth-Grade Math Teachers With International Approaches, Dennis Francis Tierney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Standardized testing results in fourth-grade math have shown that students in the United States continually score below students in many other nations, despite funding education at levels well above the global average. The problem addressed in this study was that fourth-grade math students in the United States were not performing as well on standardized tests as students of other nations and international cities. Guided by Vygotsky’s social learning theory, the purpose of this qualitative, exploratory case study was to investigate the perceptions of teachers from U.S. and international settings about different approaches to effective fourth-grade math instruction, inherent obstacles to …

Discoverinsects.Com: An Interactive Tool To Introduce Younger Audiences To Entomology, Ian Eldred

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Early in life, children’s views towards arthropods can be tainted by many things. One major way is through the views held and expressed by those that surround them, especially their caregivers. Tools are needed to reach children during these crucial developmental ages and expose them to all of the wonderful things arthropods do and educate them on how big of a role arthropods play in the lives of every human around the globe. As digital technology in households is becoming more apparent and accessible, new ways to engage these audiences need to be developed and utilized. This creates a unique …

Entomology Outreach Presentations To Four Audiences, Michael Goldman

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

I proposed that my master’s Project would be outreach on Entomology at four levels: School aged children, laymen, non-entomologists in a technical field, and entomologists. The idea here is basically how to talk about entomology to varying levels of expertise, from first graders to experts in both entomology and occupational health and safety. Presentations were given to audiences at each of the four levels. The specific topics varied for each audience. The determination was made by the inviting audience in the cases of school aged children and adult laymen and by me in the cases of Occupational Safety and Health …

The Effect Of An Afterschool Makerspace Program On Academic Achievement Of Sixth-Eighth Grade Students, Teresa Lampe

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This quasi-experimental study investigated the effect of participation in an afterschool makerspace program on middle school students' academic achievement, grades, and school attendance. An experimental group of 237 sixth-eighth grade students participated in an afterschool makerspace program during the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 school years. A control group was selected using stratified random sampling of students from the same schools, grades, and special education designation who did not participate. The data included science and math NWEA scores, science and math grades, program attendance, school attendance, and gender. The data were analyzed using an independent t test with a 95% confidence …

Examining The Mathematical Education Gaps During The Transition From Middle School To High School, Theresa Graben

All Student Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the transition from middle school to high school and the effects that this transition has on a student’s mathematical gains. PSAT 8/9 test scores and NWEA MAP scores were collected for a unified district and paired T hypothesis tests were utilized to examine the change in test scores throughout the transition from eighth grade to freshmen year. This data shows that overall, there was an increase in the mean score for each test from the end of eighth grade to the end of freshmen year and there was an increase in the number of students meeting the …

What Do Mathematics Lessons Look Like? Analyses Of Primary Students’ Drawings, Benjamin Rott, Laura Barton, Vesife Hatisaru

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The use of student drawings to assess their experiences and beliefs about teaching and learning of mathematics has become almost a regular research method – especially when working with young students who may not express themselves well, for example, in self-report questionnaires. These methods, nevertheless, need to be improved regarding their objectivity and validity. By building on the existing research, in this study, we focus on objectivity and validity issues in drawing-based methods. We use a drawing-based instrument: Draw A Mathematics Classroom (DAMC) and present 104 fourth-grade students to draw a picture of their regular mathematics lessons. We especially aim …

“Should Wellbeing Be The Same As Perfection?” A Case Study On Student Wellbeing In Higher Mathematics Education, Marcelo Alonso Almora Rios

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Previous research has given the impression that reticent is our hunt for optimal teaching practices, educational goals, and nature of mathematical workings. In this regard, we have (seemingly) ended up with the following inquiries:

• What could the math classroom be for? and
• What has the math classroom been for?

These two questions touch on the scary horns of two other charged philosophical dandruffs. Namely:“What are the aims of teaching mathematics?” and “What should be our objectives in learning it?”

The term ‘positive education’ refers to an educational system engendering both the skills of positive wellbeing and traditional, academic achievement (Seligman …

Development And Assessment Of Gamified Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning Activities In Undergraduate Large Lecture Chemistry Courses, Nathan Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students who take general chemistry and do not perform well are more likely to pursue an alternative degree or remove themselves from STEM curriculum entirely. Poor academic performance and high student attrition rates in general chemistry courses have resulted in the perception of chemistry courses being gatekeepers for students in pursuit of STEM degrees. Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) has shown promising results in both lecture and laboratory teaching on student performance in chemistry while gamification has been used to enhance student learning experiences to help students grasp chemistry concepts. The current project blends two student-centered approaches, gamification and POGIL, …

The Role Of Cadherins And Ryk On Metastasis And Invasion In Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Model: Hs578t/Hs578ts(I)8, Ibis Iser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is a major cause of death among women in European and North American countries, even with improved methods for diagnosis and therapy. The mortality of breast cancer is mainly due to the migration of the primary tumor to distinct sites in the body and is very common in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). This type of breast cancer affects younger woman and has a high recurrence rate. Unfortunately, TNBC is extremely difficult to control because of the absence of specific targets for treatment. Therefore, our research aim is to discover new therapeutic targets and identify novel approaches for …

Surveillance And Monitoring Of Amphibian Pathogens And Evaluating The Impacts Of An Associated Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (Cure), Jennifer Perez

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Amphibians are a highly diverse class of vertebrates and crucial for natural ecosystems, inhabiting both aquatic and terrestrial environments at different life stages. However, amphibians are facing devastating declines largely due to the disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungal pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal). This disease can lead to population declines, biodiversity loss, and species extinction. However, resources to study and mitigate this disease are limited and an opportunity to assist in these efforts has been created in the form of a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE). Chapter 1 of my thesis used Roger's Diffusion of Innovations …

Metacognitive Skills Of Student In Solving Problems Of Two-Variable Linear Equation Systems In Terms Of Self-Regulated Learning, Erlina Zulva Rahmawati, Nining Setyaningsih

Jurnal Riset Pendidikan Matematika

It is empirically known that metacognitive skill contributes to self-regulated learning. This study aims to describe students' metacognitive skills in three levels of self-regulated learning, particularly in solving problems of a two-variable linear equation system. Three indicators were used in metacognition skills, namely planning indicators, monitoring indicators, and evaluation indicators. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach, this study involved All students of grade VIII A of the academic year 2021/2022 from a state junior school as subjects involving each category for high, medium, and low self-regulated learning. The data were collected using questionnaires, tests, interviews, documentation, and observation. A triangulation method, …

Determinant Factors Of Mathematics Achievement In Online Learning During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anwaril Hamidy, Kee-Fui Turner Lam

Jurnal Riset Pendidikan Matematika

Online learning has become more popular during the Covid-19 pandemic, including in mathematics. However, many educators have raised concerns whether there are critical factors determining the mathematics achievement during online learning. This study examines online learning readiness (OLR), math anxiety (MA), online platforms used in learning (Zoom Meeting and Google Classroom) and gender as determinants of mathematics achievement students in online learning. The participants in this study were 197 students of a private university in Samarinda, Indonesia. Online learning readiness and math anxiety were gathered by means of questionnaires. The questionnaires were deemed valid (> 0.500) and reliable (OLR = …

Development Of Trigonometry Module Based On Pbl That Oriented To High School Students' Concept Of Understanding, Ahmad Bazuri, Elly Arliani

Jurnal Riset Pendidikan Matematika

This study aims to produce a problem-based learning module on trigonometry oriented towards the ability to understand concepts for grade X high school students and to describe the quality of the validity, practicality, and effectiveness of the module. This is a research and development with the ADDIE model, which includes five stages: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The implementation of product development was conducted at the State Senior High School 1 Magelang, involving 36 students from class X MIPA 2. This research resulted in a trigonometry module based on problem-based learning syntax. The module is declared valid with an …

Analysis Of Critical Thinking And Communication Skills In Geometric Transformation Problem Solving Using Transgeo Application, Malika Kautsar Ilmi, Mohammad Syaifuddin, Reni Dwi Susanti, Siti Khoiruli Ummah

Jurnal Riset Pendidikan Matematika

The research aims to analyze narratively critical thinking and communication skills using the Android-based TransGeo application on geometry transformation in junior high school. This study uses a qualitative with a descriptive method obtained from tests and interviews. The test contains contextual problems in the android application, while the interviews are based on student test answers. Then, test results are adjusted descriptively by presenting the achievement of each student to be categorized based on critical thinking and communication scoring. Next, one student was randomly selected from each category as the interview subject. The indicator of critical thinking skills is the most …