Educational Methods Commons^™

Gauss And Cauchy On Complex Integration, Dave Ruch

Complex Variables

No abstract provided.

Riemann's Development Of The Cauchy-Riemann Equations, Dave Ruch

Complex Variables

No abstract provided.

Can Less Be More? Study Load And Its Effect On Science Achievement Among Chinese Eighth-Grade Students, Xian Wu

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The present study addressed a core research question of “Can less be more?” concerning study load, which has become increasingly worrisome and controversial around the world. This idea reflects the philosophy of pursuing efficiency and effectiveness on learning, namely that a lighter study load may result in more successful academic achievement. The study adopted the IPO (input-process-output) model to address five interrelated research questions: 1) What are the structural characteristics of study load? 2) Is there any individual difference in study load? 3) What are the characteristics of teachers and schools under which students tend to have a heavier study …

Student Retention In An Introductory Stem Course: A Mixed Methods Study Of Student Motivation And Teaching Approaches, Lina Wang

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is vital to all students. Student motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, have been found to be very influential in how successful a student is in a STEM classroom (Krapp, 2007; Lamb, Annetta, Meldrum, & Vallett, 2012; Schoon, Ross, & Martin, 2007; Skinner, Saxton, Currie, & Shuststerman, 2017). The current study examined what correlations, if any, we present between teaching approaches, intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic motivation of students in an undergraduate, non-major, introductory chemistry course at a mid-sized, four-year university in the Midwestern United States. In the focus groups, students were highly motivated by …

The Impact Of A Research Methods Course On Teacher Candidates’ Epistemological Beliefs, Menşure Alkiş Küçükaydin, Yasin Gökbulut

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The epistemological beliefs of teachers impact both their in-class practices and the perceptions and beliefs of the students whose learning is the responsibility of teachers. Therefore, this study aims to investigate and discuss the impact of a course entitled “research methods” which is taught in education faculties in Turkey, on the epistemological beliefs of teacher candidates. The study adopted the mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. Forty-three teacher candidates participated in the study. The data for the study were collected through the “Scientific Epistemological Beliefs Scale (SEBs)”, a semi-structured interview form, and another form that included the written opinions of teacher candidates. …

Improving Science Teaching Through The Use Of Video Reflection And A Pck-Based Teaching Framework, Dallas Bruce

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Effective teaching and teachers are vital for improved outcomes in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and scientific literacy. Supporting the goals of contemporary science education calls for constructivist learning approaches, with an emphasis on inquiry-based, student-centred learning, which demands that teachers develop a wider repertoire and more innovative pedagogical skills. Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) research was used to prepare a conceptual framework of effective teaching skills and knowledge areas which was used in a teacher professional development (PD) initiative. This qualitative study employed a case study methodology with a small group of experienced, secondary Science teachers. An ethnographic, …

Drama Applied To Content-Based Instruction In Elementary Education, A. Rocio Muhs

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Growing public interest in bilingual education has prompted many school districts to offer dual language models. Unaddressed challenges inherent in dual language immersion programs can compromise the quality of implementation, thus affecting student achievement and ultimately program sustainability. This study investigates how the integration of dramatic arts into core subject instruction in Spanish improves student learning and motivation among first grade second-language learners. Based on the existing challenges confronting a Dual Language Immersion Program in Western Montana, this study asks: What is the relationship between students’ attitudes about learning in a second language and the teacher’s pedagogical practices? In this …

Characteristics Of Critical Friendship That Transform Professional Identity, Signe E. Kastberg, Melva R. Grant

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

We met at CASTLE 2018, two trained mathematics teacher educators (MTEs), interested in mathematics, and teaching elementary mathematics methods to preservice teachers (PTs). Melva’s self-study research, focused on improving her online methods course, was approaching its second year and her second critical friend had lost interest in continuing. Melva invited Signe to be her critical friend (Schuck & Russell, 2005) and Signe agreed. Explicit expectations of our critical friendship included weekly meetings. Our critical friendship seemed to follow an expected trajectory for, “supporting/coaching the transformation of another’s teaching” (Stolle, et al., 2019, p. 20). However, there were implicit ways our …

Conceptions And Practices Of Divergent Thinking Among Form Two Science Teachers, Krishnan Kutty Lakshmi Nair

Student Works (2020-2029)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the conceptions and practices of Divergent Thinking among Form Two Science Teachers. Divergent thinking is integral to creativity which comprises four components, namely Fluency, Flexibility, Originality and Elaboration. Divergent thinking is important because it is the thought process that allows students to think outside the norm and to create many, original solutions for new problems. In our education system, it is the teachers’ responsibility to foster divergent thinking in classroom as teachers are the main mediators between the curriculum and classroom practices. If the teachers lack conceptions on divergent thinking, they might …

The Stained Glass Of Knowledge: On Understanding Novice Mental Models Of Computing, Briana Christina Bettin

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Learning to program can be a novel experience. The rigidity of programming can be at odds with beginning programmer's existing perceptions, and the concepts can feel entirely unfamiliar. These observations motivated this research, which explores two major questions: What factors influence how novices learn programming? and How can analogy by more appropriately leveraged in programming education?

This dissertation investigates the factors influencing novice programming through multiple methods. The CS1 classroom is observed as a "whole system", with consideration to the factors present in it that can influence the learning process. Learning's cognitive processes are elaborated to ground exploration into specifically …

An Investigation Of Problem-Based Learning On The Advanced Placement Exam Scores And Interest Of Ap Biology Students, Tia Hohler

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This study reports the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) on the interest and Advanced Placement (AP) Biology exam scores of high school students. The experimental group was exposed to a constructivist PBL environment using an overarching unit problem, inquiry style lab investigations and white board discussions while the comparison group received direct instruction in the same curriculum. AP Biology exam scores were collected for two years with direct instruction and two years with PBL instruction. An interest survey was given to a subset of the experimental group and included students enrolled in the course during the 2019-2020 school year. Analysis …

Escapando Las Trampas: Teacher Preparation For Mexicanas, Larissa Perez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Developing Maestras face and overcome linguistic, academic and cultural forms of gatekeeping while trying to navigate through our current education system. For this Capstone Project, the impact that gatekeeping has on developing Maestras and how it affects their academic and professional aspirations was investigated. This is an important issue for developing Maestras, the University of Gringolandia as well as for the education system of Nepantla county. The success of developing Maestras Mexicanas closes the racial gap and directly impacts the student success rate within Nepantla county. The literature and data results analysis indicate that the gatekeeping practices that keep Mexicanas …

The Impact Of Structural Supports On The Success Of Students Of Color In The K-16 Educational System, Brandis Jones, Sherry Holmes

Dissertations

Collective Abstract

This collective dissertation contains the efforts of two practitioners in the field of education who possess a shared vision for designing student experiences with the mission of preparing all students for success in secondary and post-secondary education. The researchers believed that by creating structural supports for students in underserved populations, these same students will increase their educational attainment and access to long-term career opportunities. With successful completion of postsecondary education and with increased career opportunities, students can improve their lives, their families’ lives and the lives of members of their community.

Many students struggled on their educational journeys …

Grading For Growth: Using Sliding Scale Rubrics To Motivate Struggling Learners, Dina Mahmood, Hugo Jacobo

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

In an effort to adopt more equitable and humanizing grading practices, this teacher inquiry explores how educators attempted to improve students’ views of learning and assessments by utilizing rubrics on a sliding scale. Using the sliding scale rubric approach to grading provided an opportunity for students and educators to rethink how learning is evaluated. The authors found that the logistics of using sliding scale rubrics as a grading tool does need to be refined and further evaluated; however, the belief that a student can receive a grade based on her or his individual starting point did have some positive implications …

Argand's Development Of The Complex Plane, Nicholas A. Scoville, Diana White

Complex Variables

No abstract provided.

Completing The Square: From The Roots Of Algebra, Danny Otero

Pre-calculus and Trigonometry

No abstract provided.

Gaining Access To The Language Of Science: A Research Partnership For Disciplined, Discursive Ways To Select And Assess Vocabulary Knowledge, H. Emily Hayden, Anupma Singh, Michelle Eades Baird

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

To equalize access to science learning across genders and demographic groups, access to the disciplinary language of science is one place to start. The language of science is highly challenging and specialized, and difficulties acquiring this language contribute to disparities in science achievement across diverse student groups. This study used a pre-post design to analyze effectiveness of a brief classroom science vocabulary assessment designed to assess receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge across multiple sections of one 7^th grade science teacher’s class. Vocabulary was selected and analysis conducted by an interdisciplinary research partnership including the science teacher, a literacy specialist, …

Documenting Undocumented Motives Influencing The Career Choice Of The First-Year Science And Math Student Teachers In Indonesia, Amirul Mukminin, Masbirorotni Masbirorotni, Lenny Marzulina, Dian Erlina, Akhmad Habibi, Fridiyanto Fridiyanto, Mia Aina, Nunung Fajaryani, Nurulanningsih Nurulanningsih

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The aim of this study was to investigate the motives that were instrumental in driving the first-year science and math student teachers to be a teacher at one public university in Sumatra, Indonesia. A questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. 378 participants completed questionnaires consisting of 318 females and 60 males while the interview data were collected from voluntary participants. The data of the fulfilled questionnaires were calculated as percentage of their whole results while the data of the interviews were carefully analysed by looking at the responses from all interviewees. Our results indicated that there …

Seeing And Understanding Data, Beverly Wood, Charlotte Bolch

Publications

Visual displays of data are commonly used today in media reports online or in print. For example, data visualizations are sometimes used as a marketing tool to convince people to purchase a certain product, or they are displayed in articles or magazines as a way to graphically display data to emphasize a certain point. In general, it is hard to imagine the majority of disciplines in science and mathematics not using data visualizations. However, before standard data visualization techniques were developed (and accepted by the community), mathematicians and scientists very rarely used graphical displays or pictures to represent empirical data.

Multiple Levels Of Metacognition: Circumstances Interfering With Students’ Spontaneous Metacognitive Activities, Young Rae Kim, Tamara J. Moore

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

A theoretical model of metacognition in complex modeling activities has been developed based on existing frameworks, by synthesizing the reconceptualization of metacognition at multiple levels by looking at the three sources that trigger metacognition. Using the theoretical model as a framework, this multiple-case study explores students’ spontaneous metacognitive activities while they collaboratively solve complex mathematical modeling tasks. This study used a series of model-eliciting activities—a type of problem-solving activity in which participants are required to verbalize their thoughts while working within a group—as an authentic method for analyzing verbal metacognitive actions. This study identified the circumstances facilitating or interfering with …

Tools Enabling A Student Who Is Blind In A Liberal Arts Chemistry Laboratory Course, Jessica Michael, H. David Wohlers

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Chemistry laboratories ordinarily involve a number of visual observations and require qualitative and quantitative explanations of these observations. A student with blindness at Truman State University successfully completed the laboratory portion of the nonmajors liberal arts chemistry course with the assistance of a senior undergraduate chemistry education major, the guidance of a chemistry professor with blindness, and a variety of alternative laboratory methods. Volumes were measured using a notched syringe or the graduated cylinder pipet technique. Changes in color were measured by a Color Analysis Laboratory Sensor (CALS) and a Submersible Audio Light Sensor (SALS). Balance and Vernier probe measurements …

Assessment Of Climate Science Knowledge And Perceptions Of Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Students, Annemarie Ross, Kyle Edenzon, Susan Smith Pagano, Randy Yerrick, Todd Pagano

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Curricula related to sustainability and climate science are being integrated into academic science courses and programs. We set out to assess the knowledge of some of these environmental concepts among a group of Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing (D/d/HH) postsecondary students. A survey that attempted to gauge student understanding and perceptions of climate science was developed, administered to D/d/HH and hearing college students, and analyzed. Preliminary results showed that there could be some gaps in related knowledge among the D/d/HH group. Rasch analysis was then used to assess the quality of the survey for the intended outcomes and improved iterations of the survey were …

Wcag 2.1 Meets Stem: Application, Interpretation, And Opportunities For Further Standard Development, Jason White

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This paper offers an overview of changes introduced in the recent Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standard that have implications for the accessibility of content in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. In reviewing new provisions of WCAG 2.1, interpretive questions are raised regarding their application to mathematical and scientific materials. The paper is concluded with a brief discussion of opportunities for further enhancing accessibility of STEM materials in future revisions of the Guidelines.

Variations In Implementation Of Specifications Grading In Stem Courses, Mai Yin Tsoi, Mary E. Anzovino, Amy H. Lin Erickson, Edward R. Forringer, Emily Henary, Angela Lively, Michael S. Morton, Karen Perell-Gerson, Stan Perrine, Omar Villanueva, Marygeorge Whitney, Cynthia M. Woodbridge

Georgia Journal of Science

Specifications grading is an assessment strategy based on mastery learning, clear learning objectives, and frequent evaluations and feedback. Twelve instructors at a southeastern four-year public college implemented the specifications grading method across eight discrete courses in four STEM areas. In this modified assessment strategy, the students controlled their grades through multiple attempts, with limitations, on assessments of course objectives. The instructors designed and executed specifications grading in unique ways that aligned with their content areas, teaching beliefs, and individual teaching styles.

Preliminary observations suggest that, regardless of subject area, specifications grading can be used as an alternative to traditional assessment …

Hands-On, Guided Inquiry Science Investigation And Science Vocabulary Acquisition In A Rural Elementary School, Jennifer Mulder

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

Much research has been done to show how inquiry science instruction and inquiry student investigation provide students with hands-on experiences to effectively learn science content in the classroom. Additionally, many methods to efficaciously teach students vocabulary has been thoroughly investigated. However, not much research has been done to study what effect hands-on, guided inquiry science investigation has on student content vocabulary acquisition. Within one rural classroom, fourth graders engaged in hands-on, guided inquiry investigation, and then vocabulary words were explicitly taught and discussed. After that, students practiced the vocabulary words in a variety of ways in pairs and as a …

Mathematics Students As Artists: Broadening The Mathematics Curriculum, Marshall Gordon

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Mathematics has often been referred to as an art. For some it is “the purest of the arts”, where the mathematicians’ art is “asking simple and elegant questions about our imaginary creations, and crafting satisfying and beautiful explanations”. Yet with classroom time given primarily to “covering the curriculum”, testing, and practicing problem-solving procedures, students’ opportunities to appreciate the aesthetic dimension of mathematics are often limited. To promote a responsive environment in an effort to enable students to become artists of their own mathematics experience, I consider in this paper two facets of the mathematics classroom. Content-wise I make the argument …

Students With Visual Impairments' Access And Participation In The Science Curriculum: Views Of Teachers Of Students With Visual Impairments, Karen E. Koehler, Tiffany A. Wild

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Science is a core curricular area of instruction for all students and the federal mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) and No Child Left Behind (2001) require that students with disabilities are educated in the least restrictive environment and have access to general education science content, based upon rigorous standards. While, most students with visual impairments are educated in the general science classroom, few studies have been done to determine whether appropriate accommodations and modifications are being made in those classrooms to meet the specialized needs of these students. A 35 question survey instrument was disseminated to …

How Do We Change Statistical And Critical Thinking Attitudes In Young People?, Rhys C. Jones

Numeracy

A quasi-experimental design was used to measure the impacts on student attitudes in statistics, mathematics and critical thinking (16-18 years of age) on a group of students who received a 21-week-long contextualised statistics course (called the Pilot Scheme in Social Analytics), in South Wales. This paper will discuss the development and delivery stages of the course as well as the student recruitment strategies employed. This paper will also discuss the changes in attitudes observed after the course had finished. Results suggest the course did lead to changes in the students’ attitudes becoming more positive with respect to statistics, mathematics, and …

Solving Equations And Completing The Square: From The Roots Of Algebra, Danny Otero

Pre-calculus and Trigonometry

No abstract provided.

Regression To The Mean, Dominic Klyve

Statistics and Probability

No abstract provided.