Educational Methods Commons^™

Defining Effective Teaching In Environmental Education: A Georgia 4-H Case Study, Lillian G. Meighan, Nicholas E. Fuhrman

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Many studies have examined the positive learning outcomes of environmental education (EE), yet few have questioned the means for achieving such outcomes through non-formal teaching methods. Six interviews and four observations were conducted with 4-H environmental educators in Georgia. Study participants defined effective instruction in Georgia 4-H EE as novel and student-centered, where the educator utilizes their own distinct teaching styles, management of the learning environment, and extra resources while capitalizing on teachable moments. Educators worked to create both personal and environmental connections to inspire students to pursue science and environmental careers. EE trainings should prepare educators with either natural …

Middle School Natural Disaster Inquiry Unit With Scaffolding, Megan Mali Ireson-Janke

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Inquiry based learning is complex and challenging. In order to maximize its benefits, it is vital to understand what teaching methods and scaffolds best support different student populations as they are introduced to inquiry-based learning in different contexts. One major challenge of inquiry is organizational: planning the process and organizing the information. This project studied the effectiveness of using a particular scaffolding tool, an advanced organizer template, to support seventh grade science students in an introductory inquiry-based unit. One group of seventh grade students used the advanced organizer template and one group did not. Students chose the type of project …

The Utility Of Storytelling Strategies In The Biology Classroom, Elizabeth Csikar, Jill E. Stefaniak

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Conveying scientific information with high intrinsic cognitive load to students is a challenge. Often, students do not have the existing schema to incorporate the information in a comprehensive manner. One method that has shown promise is storytelling. Storytelling has been successfully used to convey public health information to non-experts. Therefore, it was of interest to determine whether storytelling could be used in the classroom to present information with high intrinsic load to students in a meaningful manner. This study used a post-test only quasi-experimental study design to explore the utility of storytelling as an instructional strategy in anatomy and physiology …

Sustainability Programs In Business, Universities, And K-12: Educating Students And Leaders Toward A Sustainability Mindset, Danielle J. Camacho, Jill M. Legare

Publications

The purpose of this article is to contribute to the growing body of research that focuses on best practices for environmental sustainability education in K-12 classrooms. A review of related literature included emerging trends, commitment by business leaders to engage in CSR activities in the community, and opportunities for education at the K-12 level. The review of existing literature provides examples as to how sustainability-based environmental programs may provide educational foundations for business leaders and educators. Adopting sustainability course work, programs and projects allows students and educators to acquire knowledge and the competencies necessary for the 21st century. Administrators, business …

A Study On Science Achievement And Motivation Using Computer-Based Simulations Compared To Traditional Hands-On Manipulation, Stacey L. Hannel, Joshua Cuevas

Georgia Educational Researcher

This study was conducted to investigate whether or not computer-based simulations had a greater impact on science achievement compared to traditional hands-on methods for middle school students in an on-level science course. The study also sought to determine if either method had an impact on retention as well as motivation. The participants in the study were 6^th grade students attending a public middle school in suburban metro-Atlanta. A variety of statistical analyses were utilized to measure science achievement, retention, and motivation. Results indicated that there was no significant difference on science achievement between the traditional hands-on method and the …

Descriptions Of Differentiated Instruction In Mathematics In A Title 1 School District, Sheril Bulley-Simpson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In an urban Title 1 school district, the average number of Grade 3-5 students who scored proficient or advanced on the state standardized assessment was 37.3% below Grade 3-5 students countywide and 19.4% below Grade 3-5 students statewide. Low mathematics scores may indicate a gap in practice that affects student achievement. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to examine teachers' descriptions of instructional strategies implemented to mediate instruction for students who struggle in mathematics. This study was based on the conceptual framework of Tomlinson's differentiated instruction (DI), a means of accommodating the varied ways that students learn. The …

Concepts In Animal Parasitology: Example Chapter Section, Manuscript Of The Aspidogastrea By Klaus Rohde, Klaus Rohde

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

This is an example chapter section for Concepts in Animal Parasitology. It is a manuscript of the section titled The Aspidogastrea, written by by Klaus Rohde. This is an example of a section written without using the optional template for Parts 2-5 of the textbook. The associated images are included in a supplemental file.

Using Mobile Devices To Facilitate Student Questioning In A Large Undergraduate Science Class, Helen Crompton, Stephen R. Burgin, Declan G. De Paor, Kristen Gregory

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Asking scientific questions is the first practice of science and engineering listed in the Next Generation Science Standards. However, getting students to ask unsolicited questions in a large class can be difficult. In this qualitative study, undergraduate students sent SMS text messages to the instructor who received them on his mobile phone and via Google Glass. Using observations, coding of texts, and interviews, the researchers investigated the types and level of questions students asked and the perceptions of the instructor and TAs on how the messages were received. From the findings of this study, it is evident that students asked …

Effects Of Applying Student-Centered Techniques In Mathematics Achievement: A Cameroon Case Study, Jomara Alexandra Laboy Rivera

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Effects of Applying Student-Centered Techniques in Mathematics Achievement: A Cameroon Case Study

By:

Jomara A. Laboy Rivera

This study investigated the effects of using student-centered techniques in math Form 2 (Eighth Grade) and the relationship among English literacy, Math Literacy, interest in math, study habits, home background and owning the Cameroonian math textbook with mathematical achievement. Data were collected from four different schools in the North West region of Cameroon. The experimental schools (GHS Shisong and GHS Kiyan) used student-centered techniques while the control schools (St. Peters and St. Francis) used teacher–centered techniques. Results showed that there was an improvement …

Stumbling Into The Spiral: A Serendipitous Steam Exploration, David Rufo

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

An artist-educator discovers how a STEAM-based approach to making art brings together a variety of subject areas in surprising ways.

Kids Inspire Kids For Steam, Kristof Fenyvesi, Tony Houghton, José Manuel Diego-Mantecón, Elizabeth Crilly, Adrian Oldknow, Zsolt Lavicza, Teresa F. Blanco

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

The goal of the Kids Inspiring Kids in STEAM (KIKS) project was to raise students’ awareness towards the multi- and transdisciplinary connections between the STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics), and make the learning about topics and phenomena from these fields more enjoyable. In order to achieve these goals, KIKS project has popularized the STEAM-concept by projects based on the students inspiring other students-approach and by utilizing new technologies, tools, open educational resources, and everyday items and materials. Through the students-inspiring-other-students-approach, we have aimed to get participating students developing STEAM activities for other students in their own local …

A Brief History Of Stem And Steam From An Inadvertent Insider, Lisa G. Catterall

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

This article traces a history of STEM and STEAM from the perspective of someone involved in arts integration research for the last 35 years, and proposes a vision for the next steps. It also provides an assessment of the risks inherent in current trends of STEAM roll-out in schools, from the lack of resources for professional development to the burgeoning market in STEAM kits and activity books that do not lead to the original learning goals of STEAM.

Can Addressing Language Skills For Fifth Grade Ells In A Multiplication Curriculum Help Address The Achievement Gap In Math? A Multiplication Workbook For Big Kids, Michelle Douglas

Master's Projects and Capstones

Currently, the state of California has 1,332,405 students from grades k-12 who speak a language other than English at home (Caledfacts, 2016). When I started my first year teaching fifth grade with 95% of my students being English language learners (ELLs), I was surprised to see an achievement gap of two to three years in my student’s reading and math skills. I found that my student’s developmental language and math skills contributed to a lack of engagement during math time. Upon further research, I found that these three factors play a role in the wide achievement gaps between ELLs and …

The Influence Of Previous Subject Experience On Interactions During Peer Instruction In An Introductory Physics Course: A Mixed Methods Analysis, Judy A. Vondruska

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

Over the past decade, peer instruction and the introduction of student response systems has provided a means of improving student engagement and achievement in large-lecture settings. While the nature of the student discourse occurring during peer instruction is less understood, existing studies have shown student ideas about the subject, extraneous cues, and confidence level appear to matter in the student-student discourse. Using a mixed methods research design, this study examined the influence of previous subject experience on peer instruction in an introductory, one-semester Survey of Physics course. Quantitative results indicated students in discussion pairs where both had previous subject experience …

A Correlational Study On Critical Thinking In Nursing As An Outcome Variable For Success, Rebecca Porter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Critical thinking is a required curricular outcome for nursing education; however, the literature shows a gap related to valid and reliable tools to measure critical thinking specific to nursing and relating that critical thinking measurement to meaningful outcomes. This study examined critical thinking scores, as measured by Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) Critical Thinking Exam (CTE), to determine if a statistically significant predictive association existed between critical thinking scores, successful Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program completion, and National Certification Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®) pass rates. The research was conducted in a semi-urban, hospital-based, ASN program and included …

Oer Awareness, Advocacy, And Adoption: An Institutional Approach, Jaya Kannan, Chelsea Stone, Zachariah Claybaugh

Librarian Publications

Sacred Heart University’s Open Educational Resources (OER) Task Force, an entity composed of the Office of the Provost, the Office of Digital Learning (ODL), Sacred Heart University Library, and faculty from across campus, has worked for the past two years to integrate OER into the educational culture of the university. To accomplish this we’ve employed a process that focuses on building awareness, identifying campus units for building strategic partnerships, assisting faculty in locating relevant resources, and, through pilot programs, onboarding OER into courses for trial.

Apathy And Concern Over The Future Habitability Of Earth: An Introductory College Assignment Of Forecasting Co2 In The Earth’S Atmosphere, Benjamin J. Burger

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Non-science, first year regional undergraduate students from rural Utah communities participated in an online introductory geology course and were asked to forecast the rise of CO₂ in the Earth’s atmosphere. The majority of students predicted catastrophic rise to 5,000-ppm sometime over the next 3,100 years, resulting in an atmosphere nearly uninhabitable to human life. However, the level of concern the students exhibited in their answers was not directly proportional with their timing in their forecasted rise of CO₂. This study showcases the importance of presenting students with actual data and using data to develop student forecasted models. …

Eclipse Ballooning Stem Outreach For Elementary, Middle, And High School Education, Peter Henson, Fnu Anamika, Denise Buckner, Marissa Saad, Caitlin Nolby

2017 Academic High Altitude Conference

To promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education through ballooning, the North Dakota Space Grant Consortium (NDSGC) organizes an annual Near-Space Balloon Competition (NSBC) for students in grades 6 - 12. Students across the state of North Dakota have the opportunity to launch experiments into a near- space environment. The students learn how to write proposals, design payloads, and analyze data. They learn through an active, inquiry-based style that will prepare them for real-world engineering and critical thinking jobs. In 2016, NSBC proposed Great American Eclipse as the theme for the competition, thus the students were focused on designing …

The Roots Of Early Group Theory In The Works Of Lagrange, Janet Heine Barnett

Abstract Algebra

No abstract provided.

Generating Pythagorean Triples: A Gnomonic Exploration, Janet Heine Barnett

Number Theory

No abstract provided.

Stem Storytelling: Using Picture Books To Integrate Mathematics - "Who Lives Here?", Lindsey Herlehy, Karen Togliatti

Publications & Research

This series of activities invites students to explore animals and their habitats, classify “animal” figures by habitat, sort, represent, and analyze data. In the first activity, the picture book Listen to Our World by Bill Martin, Jr. and Michael Sampson will be used to discuss eleven different animals and their habitats. Questioning strategies will focus on student comprehension and inferential reasoning skills related to why each animal lives in a particular type of habitat. This book is utilized at all grade levels to introduce the subsequent activity.

The grade-level activities that follow integrate students’ knowledge of animals and their habitats …

Quantifying Certainty: The P-Value, Dominic Klyve

Statistics and Probability

No abstract provided.

The Pell Equation In India, Toke Knudsen, Keith Jones

Number Theory

No abstract provided.

Approaches To Integrating Engineering In Stem Units And Student Achievement Gains, Elizabeth A. Crotty, Selcen S. Guzey, Gillian H. Roehrig, Aran W. Glancy, Elizabeth A. Ring-Whalen, Tamara J. Moore

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

This study examined different approaches to integrating engineering practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum units. These various approaches were correlated with student outcomes on engineering assessment items. There are numerous reform documents in the USA and around the world that emphasize the need to incorporate engineering into science education. The authors of this study contend that different approaches to integrating engineering in STEM units correlate to larger student achievement gains in engineering, based on assessment items developed from the Framework for Quality K–12 Engineering Education (Moore, Glancy, Tank, Kersten, & Smith, 2014). The goal of this work …

The Effectiness Of Using Graphic Organizers In Development Of Achievement, Reduction Of Cognitive Load Associated With Solving Algorithm Problems In Analytical Chemistry And Favored Learning Styles Among Female Secondary School Students In Saudi Arabia, Sahar M.Y. Ezzeldin

International Journal for Research in Education

The present study aimed to examine the impact of using graphic organizers in development of achievement, reduction of cognitive load associated with solving algorithm problems in analytical chemistry and favored learning styles among secondary school students in Saudi Arabia.It has been applied on the female students at secondary first grade ,which divided into two groups, experimental group ( 23 students) and a control group ( 22 students).To verify the impact of the graphic organizers, the study applied achievement test in analytical chemistry, the measure of NASA T-LX to measure cognitive load, problem-solving test in analytical chemistry, and Kolb and McCarthy …

Designing An Authentic Behavioral Research Experience In The Classroom Using Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta Splendens, Gianne Souza, Ronald M. Coleman

STAR Program Research Presentations

Recently there have been major shifts in biology education towards emphasizing the teaching of the scientific process to more closely reflect actual scientific practices. Authentic research experiences require the development of many higher order cognitive skills. Creating an authentic research experience that appropriately scaffolds the development of these complex skills while engaging individual student motivation remains challenging in classroom settings. Some common challenges include limited time available for working with large numbers of students, cramped working areas, and limited funding and materials resources. Using the Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta splendens, we have created an economically viable authentic animal behavioral …

How Do Former Undergraduate Mentors Evaluate Their Mentoring Experience 3-Years Post-Mentoring: A Phenomenological Study, Kari L. Nelson, Christine E. Cutucache

The Qualitative Report

This phenomenological study involves a unique, longitudinal assessment of the lived experiences of former undergraduate mentors (n=7) in light of their current experiences (i.e., career or advanced schooling). The objective of a phenomenological study is to engage in in-depth probing of a representative number of participants. Specifically, we followed up with graduates of the Nebraska STEM 4U (NE STEM 4U) intervention 3 years post-program, with the overall goal of describing the mentors’ experiences using the lens of their current experiences. This type of longitudinal perspective of mentoring is greatly lacking in the current literature. At the time of the interviews, …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Educational Games That Keep Score Of Cooperative Performances, Theodore Alden Wohlfarth

Dissertations

The scoring systems used in traditional sports and games are founded on the zero-sum premise that players are on opposite sides and one side can win only if the other side loses. These scoring systems may be effective at nurturing zero-sum mindsets and providing data for assessing performance in win-lose relationships. If so, games that use different scoring systems can be used to facilitate the development of collaborative mindsets, nurture win-win skills between diverse groups, and enable objective self-assessment of performances in non-zero-sum events when engaging with those on “other sides.” Although economic game theory has rich reservoirs of research …

Inquiry Based Learning From The Learner’S Point Of View: A Teacher Candidate’S Success Story, Caroline Johnson Caswell, Derek J. Labrie

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The goal of this paper is to review current research on Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) and shed some light, from a student's perspective, on the challenges and rewards of this pedagogy. The first part of the article provides an extensive review of the literature on IBL. The second part focuses on one student's experiences in an IBL classroom.

In particular, a graduate secondary mathematics student reflects upon his experiences in a college mathematics class where the instructor implemented an Inquiry Based Learning model. His experience is validated by current research on IBL educational methodology which structures the classroom environment for …

Forecasting The Air Race Classic: Lessons In Interdisciplinary Aviation Weather Support And Decision-Making, Shawn M. Milrad, Debbie Schaum

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

The Air Race Classic (ARC) is an all-female Visual Flight Rules air race held each June. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach (ERAU-DB) has had primarily student race teams participate and frequently place strongly in the ARC since 1996. The ERAU-DB Meteorology Program has provided successful weather support to ERAU-DB race team(s) for the past decade, including as the terminus host institution in 2016. In 2014, the weather support was formalized as a three-credit interdisciplinary summer course, incorporating a mix of aeronautical science (pilot), dispatch, and meteorology students. Using concepts of service and experiential learning, the ARC course has successfully integrated …