Education Commons^™

Development Of An Experiential Learning Lab Activity On Skeletal Muscle Physiology In Undergraduate Md Pre-Clerkship Curriculum, Meyer B. Maddox, Angela Martinez, Daniel Salinas, Kelsey Potter-Baker, Amin Shah

Research Symposium

Background: Experiential learning is an important part of the medical education curriculum. Due to the clinical relevance of skeletal muscle strength in evaluating patients’ complaints of muscle weakness or imbalance, skeletal muscle physiology is an important concept with extensive potential for experiential learning opportunities. Our goal was to establish an experiential learning skeletal muscle physiology lab activity that would improve undergraduate MD pre-clerkship students’ skill to collect muscle force measurements using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD) and understanding of core physiological concepts.

Methods: As part of the Musculoskeletal and Dermatology (MSKD) Module in the undergraduate MD pre-clerkship curriculum, we developed a …

Elementary Preservice Teachers' Conceptions And Ability To Develop And Assess Integrated Stem Lessons, Jelena Byers, Selina Bartels

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Elementary teacher preparation programs prepare their pre-service teachers (PSTs) to teach STEM. In this study, two teacher educators in the disciplines of science and mathematics utilized a modified “Draw a Science Teacher” (DASTT-C) framework (Thomas et al., 2001) and the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) to understand PSTs' conceptions of integrated STEM and how they plan and assess their lessons. This research brief discusses some of the results of 16 PSTs’ pre- and post-DASTT-C results as well as analysis of STEM lesson plans written during their third-year pre-service program.

Harmonizing Stem And Social Justice Mathematics: A Path To Global Equity And Empowerment, Rose Mbewe

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This study delves into the interconnectedness of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and social justice mathematics (SJM) to address pressing equitable global sustainable development and social justice issues. The research aims to understand how educators can effectively use SJM in STEM teaching to empower students as change agents for global equity by aligning mathematical tasks with the United Nations' 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (UN, 2015) and using them to address real-world injustices. The study unveils educators' pedagogical strategies for creating supportive learning environments and nurturing students' emotional well-being in STEM subjects. Educators who are conscious of social …

Proceedings Of The Ninth Annual Indiana Stem Education Conference: Resourcing Stem Education, William S. Walker Iii, Lynn A. Bryan, S. Selcen Guzey

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The Proceedings of the Ninth Annual Indiana STEM Education Conference are edited by the Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM (CATALYST, https://www.education.purdue.edu/catalyst/) at Purdue University. The theme for the 2024 conference is Resourcing STEM Education. This year’s Indiana STEM Education Conference provides opportunities to learn about effective STEM education strategies, curriculum, and resources to engage students in integrated STEM learning opportunities and address the recently updated Indiana Academic Standards for Science and Computer Science, Indiana Academic Standards for Mathematics, and Indiana Academic Standards for Integrated STEM (https://www.in.gov/doe/students/indiana-academic-standards/).

The Impact Of Geospatial Contexts And Out-Of-School Experiences On Students' Stem Identity Formation, Hillary Ongoyo Omoze, Abigail Erskine, Asenath Odondi

Indiana STEM Education Conference

STEM teaching faces challenges in varied geospatial contexts (Mulvey et al., 2023), where place and space factors play a significant role. This research brief explores the influence of place and space in shaping students' STEM identities throughout their educational journey, with a specific emphasis on the role of out-of-school experiences in fostering student learning and interest in STEM careers, particularly among middle school students.

Applying A Sociopolitical Equity Framework To A Developmental Algebra Curriculum, Sarah Oppland-Cordell, Natalie Mcgathey, David Feikes, William S. Walker Iii, Brandon Sorge

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The Thinking With Algebra (TWA) curriculum, a National Science Foundation Project (DUE 2021414), applies a sociopolitical equity framework (Gutiérrez, 2012) to strengthen student participants’ mathematics achievement outcomes and mathematics identity development. Instructor and student data indicate improvements in these two dimensions. This project also expands knowledge about creating equitable math learning environments that support underrepresented students’ mathematical success.

The Future Of Future City: A Stem Program, Jeffrey A. Nowak, Shelby Werling

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The idea of integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is still an enigma for many educators (Dare et al, 2021). Recent academic standards favor curricula that interweave the principles of integrated STEM into all content areas. Finding a “one size fits all” curriculum is challenging, perhaps even impossible. Future City is a national program that specializes in hands-on cross-curricular STEM education. Students work collaboratively using an engineering and design process to showcase their solutions to citywide sustainability issues. This research brief examines how educators can utilize the Future City program as the cornerstone of their STEM curriculum.

Implementing Integrated Stem Forensic And Soil Sciences Lab Activities To Promote Interest In Stem Careers, Mariah K. Stollar Awan, Caroline J. Rakowski

Indiana STEM Education Conference

We implemented forensic and soil science integrated STEM lab activities with 11 middle school youth at a 4-H day camp at Purdue University. STEM perceived knowledge increased overall for participants. However, the pre- and post-assessments did not show a statistically significant difference. More students also indicated STEM career interest after participating. Because this study was exploratory and had a small sample size, more research on these integrated STEM lab activities should be conducted with larger samples.

Does Stem Integration In High School Mathematics Classes In Underserved Schools Benefit Students' Standardized Testing Outcomes?, Steve Heinold

Indiana STEM Education Conference

STEM education in Indiana has become increasingly popular with, among many other factors, the recent focus by the Indiana Department of Education on the STEM workforce pipeline and school STEM certification (IDoE, 2023b). Some previous research has shown that integrating STEM into science classes and afterschool spaces has helped students from low-income communities catch up to their higher-income peers on assessments like high-stakes standardized testing (Bartell et al., 2008; Hurley, 2001; Weissglass, 2011). However, regarding STEM integration into mathematics classes, it can be more challenging than integration into other classes like science (Walker, 2016) and large gaps remain in the …

The Multiple Usages Of Thinking With Algebra, David Feikes, Natalie Mcgathey, Sarah Oppland-Cordell, William S. Walker Iii, Brandon Sorge

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Thinking With Algebra (TWA) is a National Science Foundation Project (DUE 2021414) to develop a post-secondary curriculum for intermediate algebra. TWA focuses on six elements that align with building algebraic fluency with conceptual understanding, a mixed review approach, small-group work, and whole-class discussion (Feikes, et al., 2021). Using an equity lens (Oppland-Cordell et al., 2023), TWA is designed for students, including underrepresented students, who need additional mathematical supports at the college level. Seventeen college math instructors attended a workshop on the lessons and pedagogy in order to use TWA in their college courses. Feedback from instructors participating in the TWA …

Integrated Stem Education And Students' 21st Century Skills, Jung Han, Yunjin Lim, Woongbin Park, Kyongson Park

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This research investigates the impact of integrated STEM education on students' 21st century competencies, aiming to enhance science and engineering design teaching within a local design-based context. Specifically, the project targets high school students in a rural area and utilizes local contexts, including local rural knowledge and indigenous science knowledge, to facilitate STEM learning. The collaborative effort involves partnering high school environmental science and Technology and Engineering Educators, leveraging their diverse content expertise to teach students collaboratively as a science-technology and engineering teacher pair. Furthermore, university faculty members and industry partners provided support to create a STEM community of practice. …