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Full-Text Articles in Education

Mathematical Identities And Tracking: An Exploration Of Efficacy In Children And Women, Emma Hagan Jul 2023

Mathematical Identities And Tracking: An Exploration Of Efficacy In Children And Women, Emma Hagan

Education | Master's Theses

This study seeks to understand the impact of elementary school mathematical identities and mathematics tracking on the identities of women and girls. “Tracking” is an institutionalized education method developed in the 1960s and 1970s in which schools sort their students into smaller class-sized groups based on their observed achievement (Domina et al., 2016). Too often, when students test onto the lower track, they are confronted with a sense of futility and a lack of self-efficacy (Domina, Hanselman, Hwang & McEachin, 2016; Houtte & Stevens, 2015). Further, in STEM disciplines, students who identify as female report lower self-efficacy rates than those …


The Role Of Science In Elementary Education, Emily Moran May 2022

The Role Of Science In Elementary Education, Emily Moran

Education | Master's Theses

The role of Science in education has evolved over the years. Although it is currently considered an important subject, there is a gap in knowledge involving the level at which Science is incorporated in elementary education and how teachers view the subject. Since the introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards, there has been a shift towards creating more equitable learning opportunities that include inquiry based and three-dimensional instruction (Britton, Iveland, Schneider, Tyler, & Valcarcel, 2016). Recent studies show that many teachers struggle to incorporate science standards and concepts and lack confidence in cohesively integrating science into their lessons (Nadelson …


Stem Education In The Elementary School Classroom, Kendal C. Carter May 2020

Stem Education In The Elementary School Classroom, Kendal C. Carter

Education | Master's Theses

There is a disparity in research conducted for STEM education across elementary, middle, high school, and college. STEM learning teaches students to ask questions, look at a problem through multiple lenses, work collaboratively with others, plan carefully, become flexible, embrace change, improve upon their idea, persevere through challenges, and open themselves up to discussing new ideas and differing points of view. The literature review revealed the differing schools of thought regarding STEM education, a variety of implementation methods, and the changes seen in classrooms detailing how students connect in class curricula to real world examples. The literature also highlighted a …


21st Century Education: The Importance Of The Humanities In Primary Education In The Age Of Stem, Christine M. Reiter May 2017

21st Century Education: The Importance Of The Humanities In Primary Education In The Age Of Stem, Christine M. Reiter

Senior Theses

Taking into consideration the global shift towards innovation and technological development, the rapid changes in the global economy, and the United States Department of Education’s attempts to find a one-size-fits-all solution for America's education woes, our national focus has shifted towards the STEM subjects—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This shift to STEM-focused education has challenged the role of the Humanities in American education, introducing concerns that the overwhelming emphasis on STEM disciplines has pushed the arts, Humanities and human sciences off to the side or even completely out of the picture in American classrooms. In our everchanging technology-focused world, …


Guiding Sixth Grade Language Development In Mathematical Content Acquisition Through Student Centered Siop Instruction, Leah Callister May 2016

Guiding Sixth Grade Language Development In Mathematical Content Acquisition Through Student Centered Siop Instruction, Leah Callister

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Mathematics is considered a universal language for students. However, now common core standards require students to explain their conceptual understanding through words, numbers, and verbal explanations. Student proficiency in the universal language is impeded when they do not speak the primary language. It is difficult for the teacher to teach both the academic language and mathematical concepts, when the vocabulary is not accessible to all students. Conversely it is difficult for students to follow the pacing of the class while having to translate and gain a conceptual understanding of the subject. The purpose of this study is to increase student …


Effective Practices In Science Instruction In An All Girls School, Holly Hoyt Posner May 2013

Effective Practices In Science Instruction In An All Girls School, Holly Hoyt Posner

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Girls can be successful in science education depending on their learning environment. This paper studies factors such as curriculum and instructional strategies that facilitate student success in learning science. The problem is that as girls get older, they shy away from science instruction. They allow boys to monopolize the science activities, and they appear to lose interest in science. Their grades slip, and they tend not to pursue science in higher education or in their career. The purpose of this research is to explore factors that can lead to girls’ success in learning science. Teachers were interviewed at a school …


Enhancing Self Efficacy In The Hispanic High School Biology Student: Getting Students To Believe In Their Ability To Master Science Curriculum, Ashley Marie Merian May 2011

Enhancing Self Efficacy In The Hispanic High School Biology Student: Getting Students To Believe In Their Ability To Master Science Curriculum, Ashley Marie Merian

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Many high school Hispanic students display passivity and a lack of confidence with regards to their abilities to master science curriculum, setting them up for failure with both current course grades and future success in a healthcare field. The purpose of this study is to determine more effective techniques a high school biology teacher could use to eliminate passivity and establish self confidence in Hispanic student's abilities to master science curriculum. Literature overwhelmingly suggests that incorporating Hispanic culture into the science curriculum and having more cooperative learning activities in class will help to improve the confidence of Hispanic students. Experimental …


Identifying Obstacles To Incorporating Ocean Content Into California Secondary Classrooms, Jennifer Stock May 2010

Identifying Obstacles To Incorporating Ocean Content Into California Secondary Classrooms, Jennifer Stock

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The ocean is the dominant feature on this planet that makes all life on Earth possible. Marine educators and scientists across the country have identified essential principles and concepts that define what an “ocean literate” person should know, but there is a lack of comprehensive ocean content coverage in secondary classrooms across the United States. In California, limited ocean content standards exist in the primary grades, and diminish in the secondary grades. The main purpose of this study was to examine obstacles for secondary (grades 6-12) teachers to teach about the ocean in California public schools. Interviews were conducted with …


Preparing California Public Middle School Students For Scientific Inquiry Into Environmental Issues, Gretchen L. Thompson May 2010

Preparing California Public Middle School Students For Scientific Inquiry Into Environmental Issues, Gretchen L. Thompson

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Skilled scientists in all fields of study are critically needed to begin resolving ecological problems resulting from human impact. Time is an essential element in creating a proper conceptual foundation and training should begin early in a student’s education. As of 2010, the California State Standards for Science for grades six through eight do not sufficiently address the importance of inquiry-based studies, limiting the scope of possibilities in public education. Studies show that middle school students build a deeper understanding of conceptual science and its application if they have opportunities to apply their knowledge through empirical activities. Multiple benefits, both …