Digital Commons Network^™

Using Minecraft To Integrate Common Core Activities Across Elementary School Curriculum, William A J Couling

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Minecraft, an open world sandbox game rich with educational possibility, has been a growing sensation among elementary age children across the US. Though there has been some experimentation in a number of schools across the United States, there has been no mass movement to embracing Minecraft as a virtual learning environment. With advances in the fields of Virtual Learning Environments and the new wave of educational thinking known as the “Maker Movement,” the modern educational field has an opportunity for radical new ways of teaching. Using an elementary school as a model in the Monterey Bay area, I surveyed a …

The Development And Evaluation Of A Lean Six Sigma Advanced Manufacturing Methodologies Course For Aeronautical Engineering Technology Curriculum, John Michael Davis

Open Access Dissertations

Successful completion of the Lean Six Sigma advanced manufacturing methodologies practicum course provides undergraduate Aeronautical Engineering Technology (AET) students with the experience and knowledge appropriate to perform successfully in an advanced manufacturing environment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine (a) Did the knowledge level of AET students increase following exposure to Lean Six Sigma and completion of the advanced manufacturing methodologies course? and (b) Did the course meet the AET students’ expectations following participation in the Lean Six Sigma advanced manufacturing course? The expected outcomes of the course included:

1. AET students will have the competencies to …

Using Machine Learning To Predict Student Achievement On The State Of Texas Assessment Of Academic Readiness Examination In Charter Schools, Christopher D. Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to research and develop a way to use machine learning algorithms (MLAs) to predict student achievement on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR), specifically in the charter school setting. Charter schools have the disadvantage of a constant influx in students, so providing historical student data in order to analyze trends proves difficult. This study expands on previous research done on students in secondary and post-secondary school and determining features that indicate success in these settings. The data used is from the district of IDEA Public Schools who focuses on providing education …

Leveling The Playing Field: Teacher Perception Of Integrated Stem, Engineering, And Engineering Practices, Bridgette Fincher

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions and approaches of 14 third-through-fifth grade Arkansan elementary teachers towards integrative engineering and engineering practices during 80 hours of integrated STEM professional development training in the summer and fall of 2014. This training was known as Project Flight. The purpose of the professional development was to learn integrated STEM content related to aviation and to write grade level curriculum units using Wiggins and McTighe’s Understanding by Design curriculum framework. The current study builds upon on the original research.

Using a mixed method exploratory, embedded QUAL[quan] case study design and a …

An Analysis Of Secondary Integrated Stem Lesson Plans: Common Characteristics, Learning Expectations And The Impact From The Teacher's Definition Of I-Stem, Jacob Hayward

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated teachers’ understanding of their definition of I-STEM (Integrated STEM education), how those understandings manifested into lessons and associated lesson artifacts, how they assessed students in such lessons, and what factors or rationales supported their ability to conduct or not conduct I-STEM lessons. A survey was sent to the members of four professional organizations representing I-STEM disciplines to solicit their participation in this project. Ten teachers ranging from grades 9-12 participated in this study. Of those who responded, six teachers identified with National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), three teachers selected International Technology and Engineering Education Association (ITEEA), …

"That's Empowering!": The Influence Of Community Activism Curriculum On Gifted Adolescents' Self-Concepts, Ashley D. Beason-Manes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The first of the following manuscripts addresses the experiences of a group of gifted middle school students as they engaged in community action projects that provided them opportunity to become activists in their school, neighborhood, and larger community. This study pays special attention to participants’ self-concepts as measured by the Harter Self-Perception Profile for Children (2012) and through participant interviews. The study finds evidence of students’ co-cognitive components of giftedness when themes of courage, sensitivity to human concerns, and sense of destiny are applied. Main themes from Harter’s scale are also applied, and participant interviews reveal evidence of academic and …

Process Development For The Fabrication Of Semiconductor Devices And Circuits Using Spin-On Dopant, Richard R. Ryan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Traditional approaches to semiconductor device fabrication are expensive and time consuming, making them out of reach for most universities and colleges. The objective of this thesis is to develop a process by which semiconductor devices and circuits can be implemented completely in-house using spin-on dopants (SODs), and low-cost transparency masks, to significantly reduce the lead time, complexity, and cost associated with device fabrication. This will allow hands on fabrication experience for students at universities and colleges without the traditional expensive device fabrication facilities. In addition, it will also allow students and professors to design, fabricate and test semiconductor devices and …

Mentoring Women In Stem: A Collegiate Investigation Of Mentors And Proteges, Nicole Jeanne Leavey

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in the United States lags behind that of other industrialized nations. Despite national efforts to enhance the quality of STEM education for students, progress remains elusive. Underperformance is evident in measures of outcomes, participation, and retention. In particular, inequity persists in the attraction and retention of women to STEM fields. Mentoring is heavily cited as a means to improve our national efforts to fortify STEM education. This research explores mentoring styles, gender preferences, and differential impact on outcomes. The results challenge conventional wisdom that women prefer and benefit from a style of mentoring …

Education Dynamics In A Developing Country: Evidence From Indonesia, Elif Deniz Sumengen

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

There is an urgent need for upper secondary-level and above educated people in Indonesia. According to a recent report, Indonesian companies cannot fill 50% of their entry level positions. To increase the educational attainment, government has been implementing various polices, such as school construction program, compulsory education and allocating 20% of its budget to education, but inadequate enrollment at upper secondary and tertiary levels and the quality of education still remain as big problems. To shed a light on these urgent and recent problems, I ask four questions: a) What is the effect of school quality on tertiary attainment? b) …

How Select Groups Of Preservice Science Teachers With Inquiry Orientations View Teaching And Learning Science Through Inquiry, Peggy Diana Ward

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although hailed as a powerful form of instruction, in most teaching and learning contexts, inquiry-based instruction is fraught with ambiguous and conflicting definitions and descriptions. Yet little has been written about the experiences preservice science teacher have regarding their learning to teach science through inquiry. This project sought to understand how select preservice secondary science teachers enrolled in three UTeach programs in Arkansas conceptualize inquiry instruction and how they rationalize its value in a teaching and learning context. The three teacher education programs investigated in this study are adoption sites aligned with the UTeach Program in Austin, TX that distinguishes …

Gathering Steam In Health Care: A Student History, Michael J. Leach

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

In this reflection, I demonstrate STEAM in health care by outlining my 15 years as a university student engaged in formal education, extracurricular learning, research, and employment.

Status Of Nuclear Security Education And Research In Bangladesh And Looking Forward, Md. Shafiqul Islam, Md. Mobasher Ahmed

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Bangladesh uses category I of nuclear materials and category 1-5 of radioactive materials in the field of research, medical and industries. The Government is going to implement its first nuclear power plant under an IGA between the Bangladesh and Russian Governments. With the emerging global nuclear and radiological terrorism by potential adversaries, enhancing nuclear security is the paramount importance for the country. The paper has found no established communication channels among stakeholders in order to work in a coordinated and collaborative manner for strengthening the nuclear security. This has resulted lacking importance of education, research, training and knowledge management initiatives …

Effectivity Of Foot Care Education Program In Improving Knowledge, Self-Efficacy And Foot Care Behavior Among Diabetes Mellitus Patients In Banjarbaru, Indonesia, Mahdalena Mahdalena, Endang Sri Purwanti Ningsih

Kesmas

Masalah kaki diabetik di Indonesia masih merupakan masalah besar dan masih memerlukan perhatian yang optimal. Edukasi perawatan kaki adalah salah satu upaya yang harus dilakukan dalam mencegah masalah kaki untuk pasien diabetes melitus. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis efektivitas program pendidikan perawatan kaki dalam meningkatkan pengetahuan, efikasi diri, dan perilaku perawatan kaki pasien diabetes di wilayah Banjarbaru. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah quasi experimental dengan prepost test, dilakukan di puskesmas wilayah Banjarbaru tahun 2013. Kelompok intervensi diberikan program pendidikan perawatan kaki. Sampel berjumlah 48 pasien (32 orang kelompok intervensi dan 16 orang kelompok kontrol) menggunakan teknik purposive sampling. Variabel yang …

Motivation Variables To Use Contraceptive Among Male In Yogyakarta, Susiana Sariyati, Febrina Suci Hati, Fatimah Fatimah

Kesmas

Program Keluarga Berencana (KB) merupakan salah satu program pembangunan nasional yang sangat penting dalam rangka mewujudkan keluarga Indonesia yang sejahtera. Peran program KB sangat besar pengaruhnya terhadap kesehatan reproduksi seseorang, baik untuk kesehatan reproduksi perempuan maupun kesehatan reproduksi laki-laki. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor-faktor yang berhubungan dengan motivasi laki-laki pasangan usia subur dalam menggunakan kontrasepsi di Desa Bumijo, Kecamatan Jetis, Kota Yogyakarta. Jenis penelitian ini bersifat kuantitatif dengan analisis regresi logistik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan hubungan pengetahuan dengan motivasi yaitu nilai p = 0,368. Hubungan sosial budaya dengan motivasi yaitu nilai p = 0,147. Hubungan pendidikan dengan motivasi yaitu nilai …

Family Planning Information, Education And Communication With Contaceptive Use, Endah Winarni, Muhammad Dawam

Kesmas

Komunikasi Informasi dan Edukasi (KIE) berperan penting dalam meningkatkan pencapaian prevalensi kesertaan Keluarga Berencana (KB). Namun, prevalensi KB di Indonesia selama satu dekade terakhir (2002-2012) tidak meningkat secara signifikan, walaupun pelbagai kegiatan KIE KB telah dilaksanakan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor sosio ekonomi demografi yang berkaitan dengan KIE KB, pelbagai unsur KIE yang berkaitan dengan pemakaian KB, dan unsur KIE yang berpengaruh terhadap pemakaian KB. Analisis menggunakan sumber data Survei Demografi dan Kesehatan Indonesia 2012 dengan unit analisis perempuan berstatus kawin usia 15-49 tahun. Jumlah sampel yang dianalisis 33.465 perempuan berstatus kawin. Analisis menggunakan odds ratio atau rasio kecenderungan …

Stem Education Discrepancy In The United States And Singapore, Elizabeth K. Worsham, Aaron Clevenger, Kelly A. Whealan-George

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

One of the hottest topics over the past several years has been science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The United States is lagging behind in the STEM education rankings as compared to its counterparts in Europe and Asia, including Singapore, ranked second overall in math and science based on the Program of International Student Assessment. Even as such a small country, Singapore has one of the best education systems in the world, one of the busiest ports, and is a leader in the science and technology market. One factor of this is the family life and the culture that …

From The Voices Of California Female Superintendents: Examining Barriers And Support Systems In A New Era Of Educational Reform Through The Lens Of Activity Theory, Jennifer L. Martin

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to examine the barriers and support systems female California public school superintendents experienced while attaining and serving in their current position in a new era of educational reform in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

Methodology: This qualitative study examined 12 female California public school superintendents’ experienced barriers and support systems. Convenience sampling was applied to identify participants of specific criteria. The researcher collected and coded data from in depth interviews; interview protocol directly correlated with the research questions of this study. A variety of related artifacts were additionally gathered and analyzed …

Building The Education And Training Pillar Of The University Of Tennessee’S Institute For Nuclear Security, Howard Lewis Hall

International Journal of Nuclear Security

The University of Tennessee (UT) developed its first formal and coordinated efforts in nuclear security education in 2008-2009 with its graduate certificate program in nuclear security in the Department of Nuclear Engineering. Building on this work, in 2011 UT established the UT Institute for Nuclear Security (INS) as a collaborative center at the university to expand its curricular impact as well as foster research and partnerships with nearby major governmental facilities engaged in nuclear security work. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12), and Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) have joined with UT as charter members …

Nuclear Security Education At Pakistan Institute Of Engineering And Applied Sciences (Pieas): Current Status, Future Prospects And The Lessons Learnt, Tariq Majeed Dr.

International Journal of Nuclear Security

In this paper, the details of nuclear security education at Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) have been discussed. Nuclear Security education was initiated at PIEAS as a sub-specialty of its MS Nuclear Engineering Program in October 2009. Two courses, Nuclear Security (NE-581) and Physical Protection Systems (NE-582) have been offered on regular basis in the 3^rd and 4^th semesters. To date, 72 students have been graduated with this sub-specialty. The most important lesson learnt is that introduction of nuclear security related courses in nuclear engineering program has opened up new venues of applications of nuclear …

What Kind Of Teacher For Our Citizens? A Book Review Of What Kind Of Citizen? Educating Our Children For The Common Good, Tony Decesare

Democracy & Education

Westheimer’s central argument in What Kind of Citizen? Educating our Children for the Common Good is that the current climate around public education—marked, in general, by standardization in our schools—is not conducive to the development of thoughtful and critically engaged public citizens. Westheimer demonstrated convincingly that schools—in response to recent education reform and, in some cases, pressure from parents and other education stakeholders—have increasingly emphasized individual goals at the expense of educating children for the common good. Furthermore and related, in this age of standardized testing, school curricula have become more narrowly focused on achievement in math and literacy at …

Media Literacy As Mindful Practice For Democratic Education. A Response To “Transaction Circles With Digital Texts As A Foundation For Democratic Practices”, Theresa Redmond

Democracy & Education

This essay is a response to Brown’s (2015) article describing her strategy of transaction circles as a student-centered, culturally responsive, and democratic literacy practice. In my response, I provide further evidence from the field of media literacy education (MLE) that serves to enhance Brown’s argument for using transaction circles in order to promote democratic discourse, specifically augmenting her ideas by connecting the purposes and processes of transaction circles with key implications of media literacy pedagogy. I invite Brown to consider how her concept of transaction circles may be extended in three ways: (a) through acknowledging the indispensable role of the …

The Cultural Contours Of Democracy: Indigenous Epistemologies Informing South African Citizenship, Patricia K. Kubow, Mina Min

Democracy & Education

Drawing upon the African concept of ubuntu, this article examines the epistemic orientations toward individual-society relations that inform democratic citizenship and identity in South Africa. Findings from focus group interviews conducted with 50 Xhosa teachers from all seven primary and intermediate schools in a township outside Cape Town depict the cultural contours of democracy and how the teachers reaffirm and question the dominant Western-oriented democratic narrative. Through ubuntu, defined as the virtue of being human premised upon respect, the Xhosa teachers interrupt the prevailing rights-and-responsibilities discourse to interpose a conception of democracy based on rights, responsibilities, and respect. …

Hb 801 - Postsecondary Education: Hope Scholarship, S. Umarah Ali, Sakinah N. Jones

Georgia State University Law Review

The Act amends provisions of the HOPE scholarship by allowing students who choose to take more rigorous courses to have a weighted grade point average for the evaluation of their HOPE scholarship disbursement.

Importance And Value Of Hiv Education Amongst Dental Hygiene Student Providers, Shawndell Bowers

Dental Hygiene ETDs

Persons living with HIV have an increased risk of complications and manifestations that may include the oral cavity. They are also more susceptible to dental implications such as dental decay and periodontal disease. Their oral health management is dependent on capable dental providers that understand and comprehend their specific needs. Those providers must also demonstrate ethical and clinical competence in order to provide comprehensive care. Preparing capable dental hygiene providers is essential to their long-term management of their oral health. These foundational skills are developed during their academic years and therefore, this qualitative survey was aimed at gaining student perceived …

Culturally Responsive Teaching: Implications For Educational Justice, Magnus O. Bassey

Publications and Research

Educational justice is a major global challenge. In most underdeveloped countries, many students do not have access to education and in most advanced democracies, school attainment and success are still, to a large extent, dependent on a student’s social background. However, it has often been argued that social justice is an essential part of teachers’ work in a democracy. This article raises an important overriding question: how can we realize the goal of educational justice in the field of teaching? In this essay, I examine culturally responsive teaching as an educational practice and conclude that it is possible to realize …

An Evaluation Of A Support Program For First-Generation College Students, Aaron Krueger

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a support program for first-generation college students. A qualitative study was conducted evaluating the Young Scholars Program from the perspectives of program participants. Data was collected through interviews with eight current and former program participants. The following research questions informed this study: 1. How do students perceive the program to be impacting their academic experience? 2. How do students perceive the program to be impacting their social experience? 3. How do students perceive the program to be impacting their career development experience? Through analysis of the data, three major themes emerged: Relationships, …

Traditional Vs. Blended: The Effect Of Instruction Methods On Sixth Grade Pre-Algebra Students’ Performance And Perceptions, Lynn Marie Spady

Student Work

This study examined sixth grade students’ math performance under two models of instruction: traditional and blended. Blended instruction requires face-to-face learning with an instructor, but allows students to do a portion of the work independently online. Traditional instruction takes place with an instructor present at all times. One area of interest in this study was the level of procedural knowledge acquired under the two different models of instruction. Results from three different assessments indicated no significant difference between the two groups of students. An additional area of interest was students’ preferences in teaching strategies in math and approaches to learning. …

Traditional Mathematics And New Methods Of Teaching Through Programming Together With Students, Robert Kosova, Teuta Thanasi, Lindita Mukli, Loreta Nakuçi Pëllumbi

UBT International Conference

We are used to the traditional methods of teaching mathematics. The textbook, the blackboard and a chalk have been for centuries a wonderful part of teaching. And, they always will be. Traditional teaching methods of mathematics are a wonderful legacy of our educational system that have educated generations of teachers, engineers, administrators, managers, leaders, and economists. American universities websites, the video- lectures of the best professors of well-known disciplines such as statistics, operational research, number theory, algebra, game theory, show impressing large blackboards, all over the auditor's walls. We always will need and admire traditional mathematics. But, beyond the lessons, …

Some Issues In The Testing Of Computer Simulation Models, David J. Murray-Smith

UBT International Conference

The testing of simulation models has much in common with testing processes in other types of application involving software development. However, there are also important differences associated with the fact that simulation model testing involves two distinct aspects, which are known as verification and validation. Model validation is concerned with investigation of modelling errors and model limitations while verification involves checking that the simulation program is an accurate representation of the mathematical and logical structure of the underlying model. Success in model validation depends upon the availability of detailed information about all aspects of the system being modelled. It also …

Traditional Mathematics And New Methods Of Teaching Through Programming Together With Students, Robert Kosova, Teuta Thanasi, Lindita Mukli, Loreta Nakuçi Pëllumbi

UBT International Conference

We are used to the traditional methods of teaching mathematics. The textbook, the blackboard and a chalk have been for centuries a wonderful part of teaching. And, they always will be. Traditional teaching methods of mathematics are a wonderful legacy of our educational system that have educated generations of teachers, engineers, administrators, managers, leaders, and economists. American universities websites, the video- lectures of the best professors of well-known disciplines such as statistics, operational research, number theory, algebra, game theory, show impressing large blackboards, all over the auditor's walls. We always will need and admire traditional mathematics. But, beyond the lessons, …