Education Commons^™

Gender Bias In It Hiring Practices: An Ethical Analysis, Harmony L. Alford

Student Scholarship – Computer Science

With the current movement to increase the number of women in STEM-related careers, modified IT hiring practices may be considered debatably unethical. Studies cited in this work have asserted that female representation in STEM fields is integral not only to encouraging continued progression toward gender equality in the workplace but also to creating more inclusive products. In turn, some argue that when faced with reasonably comparable female and male candidates, a hiring manager should select the female candidate in order to increase the female representation in the company and provide a female perspective. However, it is simultaneously debatably unethical and …

The Best Laid Plans: Educational Innovation In Elementary Teacher Generated Integrated Stem Lesson Plans, Christina M. Sias, Louis S. Nadelson, Stephanie M. Juth, Anne L. Seifert

Teacher Education and Leadership Student Research

Students need to be prepared for the 21st century by developing the literacy skills necessary for participating in the age of synthesis—an age that requires a progressive set of skills and knowledge. The authors identified nine educational innovations that are perceived to be effective for preparing students for the 21st century age of synthesis society. They coded a collection of 39 teacher-generated Grade 3–5 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) lesson plans to document the extent to which the teachers included these nine educational innovations their STEM lesson planning. The authors found practices such as project-based and student-centered learning (which …

20-Year Slide In Maths And Science Learning, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

With the release of results from the four-yearly Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Geoff Masters discusses what it will take to lift levels of mathematics and science learning in Australian schools.

1. Types Of Alignment: Presentations & Demos Assignment, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll

Sequence Alignments

Pairwise Alignment: DNA

Pairwise Alignment: Protein

Multiple Sequence Alignment: DNA

Multiple Sequence Alignment: Protein

Learning Opportunities 2016/2017, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

Course Catalogs

The graduation requirements of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy are in concert with those maintained by the State of Illinois with additional requirements as established by the IMSA Board of Trustees. Each semester students must take a minimum of 5 academic courses (2.5 credits) for a grade (not Pass/Fail). Fine Arts, Wellness, and Independent Study courses, or any course taken on a Pass/Fail basis do not count towards the 5 course (2.5 credits) minimum. Most students will take between 5 (2.5 credits) and 7 (3.5 credits) academic courses per semester. Only courses taken for a letter grade will count …

Patent Law, Copyright Law, And The Girl Germs Effect, Ann Bartow

Law Faculty Scholarship

[Excerpt] "Inventors pursue patents and authors receive copyrights.

No special education is required for either endeavor, and nothing

precludes a person from being both an author and an inventor.

Inventors working on patentable industrial projects geared

toward commercial exploitation tend to be scientists or engineers.

Authors, with the exception of those writing computer code, tend

to be educated or trained in the creative arts, such as visual art,

performance art, music, dance, acting, creative writing, film

making, and architectural drawing. There is a well-warranted

societal supposition that most of the inventors of patentable

inventions are male. Assumptions about the genders …

University Honors Program Newsletter, Honors College, Georgia Southern University

Honors College Newsletters (2014-2019)

• Jenny Shaffer Engineers a Third Trip to Germany
• Of Dogs and Doctors: Presenting Research in Dublin
• Summer Research Update
• Honors Students Cross the Equator

Building A Pathway To Engineering For Our Daughters – Brick By Brick, Ali P. Gordon

UCF Forum

As a father of young elementary and middle school-aged kids, I’m also curious to know exactly how my undergrad students came to be interested in mechanical engineering. An exchange with a UCF student might go like this: “You did a great job on the exam. Congrats! By the way, how did you get interested in mechanical engineering, anyway?” I mentally log the answers for my kids’ future benefit.

Cuny Summer Stem Institute: Experimental Research In Engineering For High School Students, Maribel Vazquez

Open Educational Resources

Summer HS students were engaged in hands-on experimental research in engineering laboratories in mentorship with CCNY Engineering Undergraduate Researchers. This course was part of the Summer STEM Institute directed by Dr. Joe Barba and Mr. Otto Marte.

Creating The Next Generation Of Innovators, Britta W. Mckenna, Lawrence Bergie

Publications & Research

Our educational system has been designed to test for knowledge and to teach to tests that measure said knowledge. We train our students for tests, but they crave applied learning opportunities to connect their knowledge to the real world. Employers are looking for talent that can problem-solve, work well in teams, ask good questions, communicate and apply knowledge and skills.

Traversing Stem: Creating Pathways For Social Justice In The United States, Remy Dou

Department of Teaching and Learning

The system that once motivated Americans to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers now presents obstacles to racial and ethnic minorities, women, and the poor. This paper highlights both the advantages and hindrances inherent in STEM professions while advocating for improved access to these pathways.

Stem School Discourse Patterns, Colby Tofel-Grehl, Carolyn M. Callahan

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

In a cross case analysis of six specialized STEM schools across the United States selected on the basis of varied geographic location and school model type, the authors explore the ways in which classroom discursvive strutures established by teachers impact students' perceptions of their own agency and authority as relates to their science learning within specialized STEM schools. As national interest in specialized STEM schools grows, a deep need to understand the instructional practices that impact students motivation and interest has arisen. By better understanding how teachers drive classroom discourse through questioning techniques, student responses and reflections can be understood …

Uno Math Science Learning Center Program Of Excellence Report 2015-16, College Of Arts And Sciences, Math Science Learning Center

Student Support

Since its opening in the Fall of 2007, the UNO Math-Science Learning Center has 1) provided peer tutoring for 1000’s of UNO students studying math and science, 2) organized/offered a variety of STEM workshops and outreach events and 3) collaborated with STEM faculty across campus on a variety of grants, outreach, strategic planning and other activities.

The Effect Of Robotics On Test Scores And Involvement In Stem Fields, Nicole Costa

Undergraduate Research

There is an under-representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields that influences society’s perception of women’s abilities in mathematics and science. This study researches the implications of participation in robotics on girls’ achievement and perceptions. Specifically studying the population at the high school of Mount Saint Joseph Academy, it searches for a correlation between membership on the Firebirds Robotics Team and higher GPA scores, SAT scores, and likelihood of having a major in STEM. Data was collected on robotics and non-robotics alumni by using a survey. Various significance tests including t-tests, signed rank tests, and paired …

Let's Nurture Science, Math Talent, Darren B. Glass

Math Faculty Publications

I recently saw the film The Man Who Knew Infinity, which was released in many American cities this weekend, and was struck by the beautiful telling of an inspirational story. The film, which stars Jeremy Irons and Dev Patel, is a biography of the mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, who was born in India at the end of the 19th century. [excerpt]

Successful Female Students In Undergraduate Computer Science And Computer Engineering: Motivation, Self-Regulation, And Qualitative Characteristics, Melissa Patterson Hazley

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Computer Science (CS) and Computer Engineering (CE) fields typically have not been successful at recruiting or retaining women students. Research indicates several reasons for this shortage but mainly from three perspectives: social issues, exposure/prior knowledge and curriculum issues in K-12 settings. This mixed-methods research addresses a gap in the literature by investigating the motivation and self-regulation behaviors of successful female students who are studying computer science and computer engineering. The findings in phase one of this study indicated that learning and performance approach goals predicted adaptive strategic self-regulation behaviors including strategy use, knowledge building and engagement. Learning avoidance goals predicted …

The Research Express

Research Express Newsletter (2014-2016)

• Grant Recipients
• NIH Details Initiatives and Interest in Pursuing ‘Evidence ­Based Funding’
• NSF Launches ‘INCLUDES’ Initiative with New Website
• NIH­Wide Strategic Plan
• Rate my newsletter…

Weartec Students’ Preferences And Perceptions Of Formal Vs. Informal Education, Sarah Houston, Gwen Nugent

UCARE Research Products

This research investigated students’ preferences and perceptions between in-class instruction and informal instruction through the NSF-funded WearTec study, whose goal was to increase interest in STEM fields within 4^th-6^th graders through the use of wearable technologies, primarily girls. Students who participated in both the formal and informal education programs in the WearTec study were the students who were selected to participate in this research. A mixed method analysis was used with quantitative data from student surveys and qualitative data from student interviews that asked questions related to the student survey responses. Results showed that many of the …

Ne Stem 4u: An Out-Of-School Time Academic Program To Improve Achievement Of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Youth In Stem Areas, Christine E. Cutucache, Jamie L. Luhr, Kari L. Nelson, Neal Grandgenett, William E. Tapprich

Biology Faculty Publications

Background

The Nebraska Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 4U (NE STEM 4U) program was initiated at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) in 2013. NE STEM 4U is a student-run, faculty-led program facilitating problem-based learning (PBL) sessions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for socioeconomically disadvantaged kindergarten through grade 8 (K-8) students. PBL sessions are provided throughout the academic year in a twice-weekly, after-school, informal education program. The instructional material provided after school builds upon the curricula of the school day. Importantly, this program is a partnership between faculty members and administrators in higher education at UNO with …

The Need For Research In Broadening Participation, Tiffany Barnes, George K. Thiruvathukal

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Underrepresentation in computing is a global problem, marked by a disturbing lack of access to computing resources and education among people underrepresented by race, ethnicity, gender, income, disability, and sexual-orientation status. It is urgent that we address this divide between those with and without the knowledge to create computational artifacts or even basic functional literacy. Important alliances for broadening participation (BP) are catalyzing efforts to engage more people in computing, but they are not enough. We need solid research as well.

Switchonstem.Ie Resources To Support Higher Education Engagement Activities, Julie Dunne, Ciaran O'Leary, Cathy Mcfadden

Conference papers

This paper outlines the roll-out of a project called SwitchOnSTEM.ie that aims to enhance Irish Higher Education (HE) STEM engagement with second level pupils. Through providing freely available all-in-one resources for hands-on activities that can be used by HE staff and students at STEM events, it aims to remove barriers to participation in STEM engagement. The project was funded by Science Foundation Ireland’s SFI-Discover programme in 2015.

An interdisciplinary STEM team from five Higher Education Institutions in Ireland was formed and initially collaborated with a more experienced UK based HEA National STEM Project funded researcher. Together the team designed high …

Measuring The Effectiveness Of Software-Based Training To Improve The Spatial Visualization Skills Of Students In Stem Disciplines In Higher Education Institutions, Peter Cole

Dissertations

This research investigates how software can be used to teach spatial skills leading to greater success in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematical (STEM) fields. Existing research indicates that spatial skills can be taught and that good spatial skills are common to people who succeed in STEM fields. In this work, a software-only testing system with a direct targeted, training intervention module was implemented to measure and teach spatial skills using mental rotations, which are believed to be one of the most significant indicators of success in STEM fields. Spatial skills were tested using a standardized and validated test that measures …

1. "Investigating The Impact Of Changes In Carbon Dioxide Concentration On Ecosystems", Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

Question: Does the concentration of carbon dioxide affect air temperature in a closed environment?

2a: "Illinois Carbon Dioxide Emissions Activity", Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

Your goal for this activity is to compare the different sources of carbon dioxide emissions, stemming from the consumption of fossil fuels, in Illinois. To do this you will be working with data spanning from 1980 to 2012.

3: "The Current Extinction: Defaunation & Ecosystem Disruption", Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

Information taken from: Dirzo, R. et al (2014). Defaunation in the Anthropocene. Science, 345(401).

Scientists estimate, conservatively, that there are 5 to 9 million different animal species on the planet. But that number is continually changing, and unfortunately, dropping, as we are likely losing 11,000- 58,000 species annually, and evidence suggests that on average, there has been a decline of about 28% in terms of numbers of individuals within a species over the last four decades. Both of these statistics are vitally important. The critical nature of the first is perhaps more obvious, as total loss of a species is …

The Greenhouse Effect: Does The Concentration Of Carbon Dioxide Affect The Air Temperature In A Closed Environment?, Climate Science Investigations - Nasa

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

The purpose of this lesson is to investigate the effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration on air temperature in a closed environment.

Imsa360: 2016, Imsa Fund

IMSA Fund Reports

About ten years ago I tried to explain to my wife what made IMSA such an important, life-changing place for me. That explanation turned into a 329 page novel (my first published young adult novel), that I still think only scratched the surface of what makes IMSA such a wondrous, rare, and crucial place.

Excerpt: From the President

The Authentic Voice Of Gifted And Talented Black Males Regarding Their Motivation To Engage In Stem (Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics), Adrienne Coleman

Publications & Research

This study explored the factors motivating gifted and talented Black males to engage in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The specific problem addressed was the lack of motivation among Black males to engage in STEM education and STEM careers. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors motivating Black males engaged in STEM in an effort to inform administrators, educators, and programs seeking to increase Black males in STEM. Qualitative methodology was used to conduct focus groups with 20 gifted and talented Black males who currently attend the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA), as well as …

How Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (Stem) Project-Based Learning Improves Student Learning, Ho Yeung, Tommy Cheung, Man Hon Chow, Ping Kuen Chiu

Staff Publications

The purpose of this paper is to examine how extra-curricular and academic performance is affected by student participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) under project-based learning (PBL) activities. General observation and quantitative analysis was used to evaluate the two aspects. A solar car team project under the philosophy of STEM and PBL is developed and more than two hundred students from electrical and mechanical engineering field participated in the team project and learnt the STEM PBL core value. The team aims to develop a solar-powered vehicle to demonstrate the viability of a renewable energy through the use of …

Spatial Skills In Education: A National Study, Brian Bowe

Conference papers

It is widely accepted that spatial skills play an inherent role in educational success, especially in STEM disciples such as Engineering, Mathematics and Graphics. This paper presents an initial investigation into spatial skills in post-primary education where the aim is to generate a national spatial profile to assist in developing meaningful educational interventions. Psychometric tests of spatial ability were administered to a cohort of 1st year pupils (n = 451) in a variety of educational contexts. Findings suggest that this early stage in post-primary education may be an auspicious time to integrate spatial skill development into formal education and that …