Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Qualitative Analysis Of Corequisite Instruction In A Quantitative Reasoning Course, Zachary Beamer

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

In corequisite models of instruction, marginally prepared students are placed directly into college-level coursework, taught with a paired support course. Initial research suggests that such models yield significant improvements in the number of students passing credit-level mathematics when compared to previous models of prerequisite remediation. The present study employs qualitative methods to investigate methods of instruction at one community colleges to understand how instructors identify and respond to student needs. It concludes with recommendations for practice and highlights advantages of small format corequisite classes taught by the same instructor.

“Math Talks Are Like An Alarm Clock Waking You Up”: Language’S Crucial Role In Mathematics, Ella Wasser

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Whole group math talks, or number talks, are a common practice to get students talking about their own understanding of mathematical concepts. The purpose of this study was to implement math talks in small group settings to see what would happen, specifically to students’ conceptual understanding as well their general perceptions of math talks. This study took place in a fourth-grade math classroom, and math talks were implemented with the whole class for a week and then moved to small groups for the remaining three weeks of the study. During the study, a pre-and post-assessment was given, field notes were …

Covid-19 Impact On Radiology Students’ Distance Learning (Spring 2021), Mary Lee, Jason Chan, Cherylann Jackson-Holmes, Renzo Marmolejo, Zoya Vinokur

Publications and Research

Radiologic Technology students are well into a full year of distance learning. The Juniors are utilizing a hybrid mode, where they continue to have laboratory classes on campus at half capacity and every other week. The Senior students are completely learning through distance learning and focusing their efforts on reviewing for their licensing exams. Both cohorts are in clinical rotation with COVID-19, a smaller threat to their schooling, but still a hazard that can impact their personal and educational lives. With the use of surveys that are distributed during online classes, we hope to evaluate how a full semester of …

What’S The Buzz? A Hands-On, Interdisciplinary, And Fun Way To Learn About Circuits, Energy, Engineering, Bee Communication, And Pollination, Christine L. Moskalik

Publications & Research

How can a simple toothbrush- bot be used to model honey bee communication as well as the role of such communication in pollination? Learners explore basic circuitry through the popular tooth- brush-bot activity, with a spin.

Implementing Instructional Scaffolding To Support Secondary Students' Abilities To Write Mathematical Explanations, Camry J. Cowan

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This study examined the implementation of an instructional scaffolding teaching strategy in the secondary mathematics classroom. An iterative process was used to implement an initial design of instructional scaffolding, reflect on its efficacy, and adjust the design as needed. The goal was to assist students in learning to write responses of high epistemic complexity, which is an indicator of the degree of conceptual understanding. A total of 94 responses written by 35 students in two high school Algebra 2 courses were analyzed for epistemic complexity. Across three iterations of the implementation of instructional scaffolding, students wrote at the highest levels …

The Relationship Between I-Ready Intervention And Grade 8 Mathematical Achievement, Kenyatta Shanta Aldridge

Theses and Dissertations

A problem exists in using educational software as an intervention for middle grades mathematics. The rural middle school used an educational program to improve mathematical achievement; however, the effectiveness of this program was not evaluated. The e-learning theory served as the theoretical framework for this study. The purpose of this explanatory, sequential mixed methods design was to examine the relationship between the i-Ready intervention program and students’ mathematical achievement and to explore teachers’ perceptions of implementing the i-Ready intervention program. The participants included 48 Grade 8 students from one middle school. A series of bivariate correlations was conducted using the …

An Analysis Of Ubiquitous Learning Environments And Stem Confidence Building Among Hispanic Students, Torrence G. Temple

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The fastest-growing demographic in the United States is also the one with the biggest struggle with academic success, particularly in STEM-related subjects. Pre-study research observed that one of the most significant factors facing Hispanics is their set of psycho-social behaviors influenced by cultural heritage. In a response to this challenge a solution was developed and over the two years of its implementation failure rates among Hispanic students dropped from department-wide chemistry class average of 40% down to under 10% in the treatment population. The purpose of this study was to identify a theory that identifies the relationship between individual factors …

A Discourse Analysis Of Student-To-Student Conversations In A Secondary School Physical Science Laboratory Setting, Jennifer Faith Oramous

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative grounded theory study applies Discourse Analysis (DA) to focus on the student-to-student (SS) “productive conversation” occurring within groups engaged in several activities in a physical science laboratory with a goal to identify aspects and patterns of such conversation. In this study, Student-to-Student Productive Talk (SSPT) stated in relation to the accepted definitions of classroom productive talk. SSPT is on-topic discussion between students that meet the requirements of productive conversation such as visible thinking and argumentation. The form of analysis applied in this study was derived from Classroom Discourse Analysis by Cazden (2001), Gee (2014a; 2014b), and Rymes (2016). …

Overview Of The Proceedings Of The 2020 Inclusion In Science, Learning A New Direction, Conference On Disability (Island), Cary Supalo, Jasodhara Bhattacharya, Daniel Steinberg

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Making Environmental Education Accessible For All Students: Inclusion Of Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disabilities, Juliann Dupuis, Dawn Jacobs

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

One of the most difficult tasks of an educator is engaging students in rigorous learning opportunities. A greater challenge is finding ways in which environmental education can be accessible to all students, especially those with emotional and behavioral disabilities. This article and lesson provides best practices for engaging students with high incidence disabilities in environmental concepts through varied representations and expressions of content. In addition, teaching collaborative protocols to fully engage students with social skills challenges within the local environment are discussed. The instructional approaches are aligned to increasing academic discourse, building positive peer-peer relationships, and observation using multiple modalities.

Elevating The Voices For All Learners Through Shared Stories Of Science Learning, Lauren Madden, Stuart Z. Carroll, Amy K. Schuler

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This study examines the science learning experiences across the lifespan of two groups of college students: adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in a post-secondary inclusive program, and adults in a preservice secondary education teacher candidate program. Data, in the form of personal narrative science stories were collected using a paired-interview approach in which students from each group interviewed one another about their science learning across their lifespans, and recorded responses using an online form. Across the stories, several clear themes emerged. Similarities and differences were found across and within the groups and are shared in a narrative format. Trends …

Publishing Successful Practitioner (Teaching Techniques) Manuscripts For The Journal Of Science Education For Students With Disabilities, Jonte C. Taylor

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

The Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities (JSESD)d is the premier journal focusing on the intersections of science education for students with disabilities. JSESD provides valuable content and context for teachers and researchers on what works in advancing science access, practices, and knowledge for all students across settings, grades, ages, and exceptionality. One way in which JSESD supports teachers and researchers is through publication of practitioner manuscripts also referred to as Teaching Techniques. These manuscripts focus on the how-to portion of science education. That is, JSESD practitioner publications give detailed information on how-to provide science instruction or how-to …

Young Mathematicians: Stem Skills For Success, Lindsey Herlehy

Publications & Research

Our youngest STEAM learners are creative and curious but require support and foundational skills in math and science. Through play-based, open-ended explorations, young students can engage in STEAM-learning skills such as subitizing, sorting, drawing, and patterns. In this session, participants will actively take part in activities highlighting each of the mathematical foundations, examine STEAM-integrated tasks that support these concepts, and share resources to be used in the classroom.

Mindfulness & Mindset: The Winning Combination? The Exploration Of The Unstuck Method® On Developmental Math Students: A Mixed Methods Study, Edite Birnbaum, Edith L. Birnbaum

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

Many students enter colleges having to take non-credit-bearing courses, and many do not pass these courses due to numerous factors, including anxiety and stress, especially in mathematics. Current literature shows how mindfulness-based interventions (Bamber, & Schneider, 2016; Dvořáková et al., 2017; Hidman, 2013; Miller et al. 2019; Regehr et al., 2013) and a growth mindset (Blackwell et al., 2007; Boaler et al., 2018; May, 2009) have a positive effect on student stress, anxiety, and academic success. This mixed-method study focused on the unSTUCK strategy’s impact, a mindfulness-inspired tool, on foundation math students. The unSTUCK strategy is a mindfulness-inspired program. The …

Letter From The Co-Editors, Todd Pagano, Sami Kahn

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Faculty Attitudes Toward Technology-Driven Instruction In Developmental Mathematics, Jenna W. Kramer, Stephany Cuevas, Angela Boatman

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Innovation in instructional technology has contributed to the rapid implementation of technology-driven instructional platforms, particularly in developmental math coursework (Bickerstaff et al., 2016). In this phenomenological study, we investigate how faculty perceive and respond to a mandated, technology-driven instructional model for developmental math coursework at public colleges in Tennessee. Through interviews with faculty members across four colleges, we find that many faculty agreed that technology helped them to better track student performance, provide more targeted assistance, and communicate directly with students. Faculty also expressed concerns that technology provides the opportunity or temptation to game the system, interfering with true learning, …

What’S The Buzz?, Christine L. Moskalik

Teacher Resources

Read more: Moskalik, C. (2021). What’s the Buzz? A hands-on, interdisciplinary, & FUN way to learn about circuits, energy, engineering, bee communication and pollination. Science and Children. National Science Teaching Association. Volume 58 (Issue 5). May/June 2021.

Fourier’S Heat Equation And The Birth Of Modern Climate Science, Kenneth M. Monks

Differential Equations

No abstract provided.

Leonhard Euler And Johann Bernoulli Solving Homogenous Higher Order Linear Differential Equations With Constant Coefficients, Adam E. Parker

Differential Equations

No abstract provided.

Stitching Dedekind Cuts To Construct The Real Numbers, Michael P. Saclolo

Analysis

No abstract provided.

Instructional Strategies And Rigor: Private School Administrator And Teacher Perspectives On Improving Minnesota’S College Mathematic Readiness, Nichelle Guillaume

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Instructional Strategies and Rigor: Private School Administrator and Teacher Perspectives on Improving Minnesota’s College Mathematic Readiness (May 2021)

This qualitative study explored private high school administrator and teacher perspectives on instructional strategies and rigor to improve Minnesota’s college mathematic readiness. Data collection sources for the study included individual interviews, focus groups, and document review. The study produced four emergent themes from the data collected in the individual interviews and focus groups: (a) Importance of Productive Struggle in Mathematic Instruction; (b) Necessary Balance of Mathematical Conceptual Understanding with Skill Acquisition; (c) Connection of Continuous Assessment to Mathematic Content Mastery and (d) …

Stop-Motion Animation To Model The Analemma, Leslie Atkins Elliott, Amanda Hunter, Carl Krutz, Shakayla Moran, Elliot Sherrow

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Sun does not return to the same position in the sky every 24 hours. At local noon, for example, the Sun will appear higher in the sky as we move from winter to summer solstice. In addition, and perhaps more surprisingly, solar days (the roughly 24 hours between subsequent local noons) vary in length, causing the Sun to be east or west of its location 24 hours prior. Over a year, this variation traces out a figure 8, known as an analemma, as shown in Fig.1. It can also be seen in the sundial in Fig. 2, where the …

Standardized Tests: Effects On Science Education And Diversity In Science, Rachel A. Rucker

Honors Thesis

Standardized tests are ubiquitous in the American educational system. The excessive use of standardized tests has led to a decrease in taught content and has pushed teachers at the high school level to adopt less effective teaching styles that are also extremely common for introductory STEM courses at the undergraduate level. The heavy reliance on ACT and SAT scores for acceptance into college is misplaced, as the ACT/SAT are poor predictors of STEM college graduation. Also, underrepresented students (women, racial minorities, and lower socioeconomic groups) are disproportionately impacted by the heavy use of standardized tests. These students tend to score …

Teacher Perceptions Of Teaching Science Using The 5e Instructional Model, Erica Sheilasha Gaines

Theses and Dissertations

Changes made to science education on the national level caused many changes for state education systems. In the state of Georgia, science education instructional leaders also saw the need for a change in the way science needed to be taught to students. Due to the need to improve science teaching and learning and to increase interest in the STEM fields, Georgia Standards of Excellence for Science were released in 2016. Science teachers were required to shift their instructional practices to teach science as a practice by engaging students in specific tasks aligned to science and engineering practices. This study focused …

The Corridor Of Shame: An Immersed Analysis Of South Carolina Schools, Darren R. Burton

Senior Theses

This research project discusses school funding instruments of rural and urban schools in South Carolina and uncovers its effect on student academic achievement. Educational achievement is assessed based on report card datasets between 2018 and 2019, containing South Carolina Assessment of State Standards (SCPASS) score data and South Carolina College and Career Ready Assessment (SCREADY) score data. This research project uses a comparative analysis to evaluate each group’s performance in the subjects of English Language Arts and science. The statistical analysis tools that this research project uses include analysis of variance (ANOVA), linear regression analysis, and Microsoft Power BI. The …

Math Fact Fluency Instruction, Kelsey Nickel

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review investigates the purpose and importance of math facts instruction at the elementary level. Being able to know basic math facts both fluently and accurately is the foundation of mathematics education. There has been research showing the lack of math facts knowledge for the students in the United States compared to their peers in other countries. Math curriculum does not focus on math facts instruction enough to achieve mastery without the use of supplemental strategies. There has been research done on the strategies to study the effectiveness. These strategies include rote memorization strategies, computer assisted instruction, educational games, …

The Pósa Method: Students' Perceptions Of Hungarian Mathematics Pedagogy, Lauren Seidl

Senior Theses

This study examines the reactions and experiences of students who are educated under the Pósa method, a Hungarian mathematics pedagogy previously employed in mathematics camps designed for gifted students. The focus of this research was to analyze the experiences of students in a Pósa method class in Budapest, Hungary. The holistic approach of gathering historical, qualitative, and analytical data pursued answers to the subsequent three research questions that guided the study: What do the students at Petrik School think about the Pósa method? What do the students in the Pósa method class think about math? What do the students’ and …

A Multi-Case Examination Of Training Of Self-Explanation When Combined With Worked Examples, Laura Leveridge Stapleton

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

As more students enter higher education unprepared for college level mathematics, amelioration of deficiencies may be a key barrier which, once faced, will increase overall college graduation rates (Attewell, Lavin, Domina, & Levey, 2006). Corequisite courses offer the opportunity for the underprepared learner to take the gateway mathematics course with support (Complete College America, 2012). Upon passing, mathematics and STEM courses will “unlock,” thus allowing the learner to successfully complete their degree requirements. Faculty are challenged to retain the rigor of college-level coursework while supporting learners who possess a wide range of mathematics levels (Daugherty, Gomez, Carew, Mendoza-Graf, & Miller, …

Empowering Elementary And Middle Level Science Educators: Keeping Pace With Instructional Trends In Science Education For The 21st Century, Julie E. Vowell, Marianne Phillips

MLET: The Journal of Middle Level Education in Texas

This article emphasizes current pedagogical themes that are important for elementary and middle school science instruction. Discussion topics include the following: (1) Integration (2) Differentiating for Young Learners (3 ) Creating a Balanced Classroom: Person-Centered Instruction (Freiberg, 2002) (4) Inquiry-Based Instruction (5) Maximizing the “Aha” Moment of Learning (6) Cognitive Benefits from Classroom Discourse (7) Including Purposeful Content (8) Integrating Technology (9) Standards-Based Instruction (10) Working Cooperatively in the Science Classroom (11) Authentic Science and (12) Understanding the Methods of Science.

Don't Run Out Of Steam! Barriers To A Transdisciplinary Learning Approach, Jennifer C. Caton

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

Reform-based instruction can maximize learning and provide equitable access for students in both mathematics and science. A proposal for change by national organizations shed light on the need for programs in integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or with the inclusion of the arts (STEAM). A balanced approach to integrated STEAM education uses real issues from around the world to challenge students to be innovative, creative, and think critically about ways they can provide solutions. The purpose of this article is to highlight the potential of a transdisciplinary STEAM instructional approach, while examining the barriers that teachers face in …