Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Understanding College Students' Disconnections With Mathematics, Karen Jean Edwards

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study explores the disconnections introductory college mathematics students experience with mathematics. The experiences of six former mathematics students from their earliest memories forward to present day were explored. The study employed an interpretive case study and an action research methodology to present a detailed, historical record of the students' interactions and disconnections with learning quantitative material.

How Our Health Depends On Biodiversity, Eric Chivian M.D., Aaron Bernstein M.D., M.P.H.

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

The eminent Harvard biology Professor Edward O.Wilson once said about ants, “We need them to survive, but they don’t need us at all.” The same, in fact, could be said about countless other insects, bacteria, fungi, plankton, plants, and other organisms. This fundamental truth, however, is largely lost to many of us. Rather, we humans often act as if we are totally independent of Nature, as if our driving thousands of other species to extinction and disrupting the life-giving services they provide will have no effect on us whatsoever.

This summary, using concrete examples from our award-winning Oxford University Press …

Generativity: The New Frontier For Information And Communication Technology Literacy, Jorge Pérez, Meg C. Murray

Faculty Articles

Information and communication technology literacy is increasingly referred to as the fourth literacy. However, it is neither as well understood nor as readily assessed as reading, writing, and arithmetic. This paper argues that better understanding and more effective measurement of ICT literacy are needed to gauge readiness to both pursue higher education and enter the workforce. The paper builds on existing definitions of ICT literacy by introducing a model that extends the dimensionality of the construct. The model posits that skills and knowledge, along with attitudes toward IT, coalesce in the context of reflective self-awareness and purposeful intent to allow …

Research In Technology Education, Philip A. Reed (Editor), James E. Laporte (Editor)

STEMPS Faculty Books

Due to the laboratory-based nature of technology and engineering education programs, professionals in our field have often focused on the resources in our classrooms and laboratories and the instructional methodologies used to address specific concepts. Formal research into content and practice has often given way to “what seems right”. New curriculum is constantly being introduced (based on what is occurring in business and industry), yet the inclusion for those evolving concepts in courses and programs is typically not verified.

Hence, the importance of the 2010 CTTE yearbook and its focus on the dire need for an aggressive research agenda in …

Examining Sociocultural Contexts Of Classrooms To Foster Student Mathematical Discourse And Learning, Melva R. Grant

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Mathematics learning and teaching are optimized in classrooms when reform-oriented culture (ROC) is present. This report presents a case study that illustrates how ROC manifested and influenced mathematical Discourses in one sixth-grade classroom. The data was drawn from a study that addressed the question: How do classroom interactions influence mathematical Discourses? The study used interpretive methodology for analysis. One finding was that classroom boundary interactions either enhanced or hindered mathematical Discourses dependent upon sociocultural context alignments. An implication of this research is when “effective” learning and/or teaching strategies are identified, “effective” implementation may require paying close attention to sociocultural context …

Use Of Cognitive Constructs In Linear Algebra, Azucena Zamora

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Thesis analyzed the presence of two cognitive entities-- modes of thinking and metonymies and metaphors- in the reasoning of three students enrolled in a first year matrix algebra course at a southwest university via the responses given to a set of eight questions asked during one-on-one interviews. The findings of our analysis shed light on the cognitive constructs that students employ to form their understanding of linear algebra concepts. Furthermore, our findings provide clues about the ways in which students move from one mode of thinking to another in the context of varying levels of exposure to graphical, algebraic, and …

High School Teachers' Perspectives On Effective Approaches For Teaching Biology To Students With Special Needs, Agnieszka Kos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The demands of national educational reforms require high school biology teachers to provide high quality instruction to students with and without special needs. The reforms, however, do not provide teachers with adequate teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students in the same context. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand high school biology teachers' perspectives, practices, and challenges in relation to teaching students with special needs. This approach was used to develop a substantive model for high school biology teachers who are challenged with teaching students with and without special needs. Data were collected via …

Assessment Of Forever Earth Curriculum 2009-2010: Final Report, Lori Olafson, Gregory Schraw, Michelle L. Weibel

Reports (FE)

Forever Earth is a floating environmental laboratory and learning center at Lake Mead National Recreation Area that provides hands-on science experiences for students in the Clark County School District. The Forever Earth program was brought about through the efforts of numerous partners including Forever Resorts, a division of Forever Learning LLC, the National Park Service, Lake Mead National Recreation Area; Outside Las Vegas Foundation; and UNLV’s Public Lands Institute. In 2005, a formal written agreement was reached between Fun Country Marine Industries and UNLV’s Public Lands Institute to operate and manage the Forever Earth houseboat for the purpose of enhancing …

Dr. Skateboard’S Action Science: Teaching Physics In Context, William Robertson

Selected Works Temporary Series

Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science, a curriculum supplement which consists of video instruction and classroom activities is an example that focuses on the physical science concepts found in the areas of forces, motion, Newton’s Laws of Motion, and simple machines. The use of familiar activities, situations and objects, such as skateboarding and bicycle motocross (BMX), around which students can explore and explain scientific concepts can be defined as action science. Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science is an example of transformative education, a student-centered curriculum supplement built around interesting content linked to specific physic knowledge and skills in science. The videos and classroom …

Dr. Skateboard’S Action Science: Teaching Physics In Context, William Robertson

Departmental Papers (TE)

Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science, a curriculum supplement which consists of video instruction and classroom activities is an example that focuses on the physical science concepts found in the areas of forces, motion, Newton’s Laws of Motion, and simple machines. The use of familiar activities, situations and objects, such as skateboarding and bicycle motocross (BMX), around which students can explore and explain scientific concepts can be defined as action science. Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science is an example of transformative education, a student-centered curriculum supplement built around interesting content linked to specific physic knowledge and skills in science. The videos and classroom …

Best Practices For Inclusive Science Instruction, Lucinda S. Spaulding, Jenny Sue Flannagan

Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of evidence based best practices for inclusive science instruction and to equip teachers with applicable strategies for scaffolding instruction and responding to learner needs based on research in special education and science instruction. As a result of this session, participants will learn strategies and methods for helping students learn to independently design experiments, use the scientific process, and develop critical thinking skills. There will also be an emphasis on effective co-teaching practices and employing instructional strategies for reinforcing skills and content knowledge across the curriculum, providing more time for instruction …

Manipulatives In Mathematics Instruction, Jessica Strom

Mathematics Graduate Theses

This paper is a review of research pertaining to the use of manipulatives in middle and secondary school mathematics instruction. It covers the research on the rationale for using manipulatives, the psychology behind learning with manipulatives, the common mistakes when teaching with manipulatives, and the suggested process to follow when using manipulatives in the classroom. There is a large amount of research and information on manipulatives in the classroom. One of the most prevalent topics addresses that the concrete characteristics of manipulatives allow students to progress through a natural learning process on their way to an abstract understanding of mathematical …

A Systemic Solution: Elementary Teacher Preparation In Stem Expertise And Engineering Awareness, Louis S. Nadelson, Janet Callahan, Pat Pyke, Anne Hay, Cheryl Schrader

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Research shows that most K-5 teachers are typically required to complete only minimal coursework in science and mathematics, which constrains their knowledge, efficacy, and confidence for teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) content. Additionally, elementary teachers, like much of the general public, have limited comprehension about the relationship between STEM concepts and engineering fields and the kind of work and societal contributions made by engineers. Yet, elementary school is a critical time in which students develop foundational understanding of STEM concepts, career options, and inquiry learning.

To address students' STEM needs and limited teacher preparation, the Idaho SySTEMic Solution …

An Assessment Of The Impact Of A Science Outreach Program, Science In Motion, On Student Achievement, Teacher Efficacy, And Teacher Perception, Phillip Allen Herring

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to analyze the science outreach program, Science In Motion (SIM), located in Mobile, Alabama. This research investigated what impact the SIM program has on student cognitive functioning and teacher efficacy and also investigated teacher perceptions and attitudes regarding the program.

To investigate student cognitive functioning, data were collected from the Mobile County Public School System based upon student performance on Criterion Referenced Tests (CRT's), consisting of the students' average score, percent of students passing the test (students scoring 60 percent or above), and the percent of students who were considered proficient, (students scoring 70 …

Are Developmental Math Courses Being Offered At The Appropriate Time Of Day To Optimize Student Success?, Ralph Cox

Mathematics Graduate Theses

This research paper will identify if a relationship exists between success in pre-requisite developmental math courses and the time of day that the course is offered for students enrolled at a rural community and technical college in northwestern Minnesota. The ACCUPLACER Arithmetic test was administered originally during new student orientation and then, again, at the completion of pre-requisite developmental Math Foundations courses. Paired Pre- and Post- Test data was gathered over seven years, from 2002 to 2009, for a total of 268 students (n=268). The data was then evaluated using one-tail two-sample T-tests assuming unequal variances to determine if a …

Transforming Middle School Science Education Through Action Science, William Robertson

Selected Works Temporary Series

Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science is a curriculum supplement for middle school students that is designed to address content and process objectives in physical science for both the National Science Standards and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). The video instruction and twenty classroom activities provide the teacher with a series of instructional tools and content information that can be used to explore and explain the concepts found in the areas of forces, motion, Newton’s Laws of Motion, and simple machines. Action Science can be defined as the use of familiar objects, circumstances and situations within the lives of students in …

Transforming Middle School Science Education Through Action Science, William Robertson

Departmental Papers (TE)

Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science is a curriculum supplement for middle school students that is designed to address content and process objectives in physical science for both the National Science Standards and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). The video instruction and twenty classroom activities provide the teacher with a series of instructional tools and content information that can be used to explore and explain the concepts found in the areas of forces, motion, Newton’s Laws of Motion, and simple machines. Action Science can be defined as the use of familiar objects, circumstances and situations within the lives of students in …

Afternoon Concurrent Track 1: Sustainability In The K-16 Classroom, Ellen Ebert, Rebecca Reichenbach, Nick Pretasky, Dale Walsh

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

AFTERNOON CONCURRENT TRACK 1: SUSTAINABILITY IN THE K-16 CLASSROOM Moderator Gale Sinatra Student Union Room 207 Ellen Ebert – Using the STS/EEE Model in 6-12 Curriculum to Understand the Sustainability Issues Related to the Colorado River System Abstract: Beginning in 1982, the National Science Teachers Association called for curriculum designers to develop materials that demonstrate the interconnectedness among science, technology and societal issues while presenting both positive and negative influences. This session will focus on using the STS/EEE learning model to design curriculum for secondary science that emphasizes sustainability issues focused on the Colorado River system. The presentation will outline …

Afternoon Concurrent Track 2: The "State" Of Climate Change Education, David M. Hassenzahl, Michael Collopy, Scott Mensing, Paul Buck, Donica Mensing, Hans-Peter Plag, Jen Huntleysmith

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

AFTERNOON CONCURRENT TRACK 2: THE “STATE” OF CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION Moderator Scott Mensing Student Union Room 211 David Hassenzahl, Michael Collopy, Scott Mensing – NSHE EPSCoR Climate Infrastructure Grant Education Component Abstract: The Nevada System of Higher Education has received funding from the National Science Foundation EPSCoR program to develop climate change research infrastructure. This session will present information on what the Education Component is doing and plans to do, and solicit ideas on future climate education efforts for NSHE. Education is one of six components of this grant, and will support NSHE efforts on: Undergraduate research. Each school year …

Keynote Address: Sustainability And Student Learning, Geoffrey Chase

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

Keynote address & Keynote speaker biography

Morning Concurrent Track 1: What Does It Mean For K-12 Students To Think About Sustainability In The Western U.S.?, Ellen Ebert, Rebecca Reichenbach, Allison Brody, Amy Page, Marcel Parent, Signa Gundlach

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

MORNING CONCURRENT TRACK 1: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR K-12 STUDENTS TO THINK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY IN THE WESTERN U.S.? Moderator Kent Crippen Student Union Room 207 Ellen Ebert - Using the STS/EEE Model in 6-12 Curriculum to Understand the Sustainability Issues Related to the Colorado River System (repeats Afternoon Concurrent Session #1) Abstract: Beginning in 1982, the National Science Teachers Association called for curriculum designers to develop materials that demonstrate the interconnectedness among science, technology and societal issues while presenting both positive and negative influences. This session will focus on using the STS/EEE learning model to design curriculum for secondary …

Morning Concurrent Track 3: Weathering Climate Change In The Curriculum, Andy Jorgensen, Amy Northrup, David M. Hassenzahl, David E. James, Thomas C. Piechota, Jeff Jablonski

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

MORNING CONCURRENT TRACK 3: WEATHERING CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE CURRICULUM Moderator Barbara St. Pierre Schneider Student Union Room 213 Andy Jorgensen – Creating a Learning Community for Solutions to Climate Change Abstract: The Climate Solutions Committee of the Council of Environmental Deans and Directors (CEDD) has proposed the creation of a learning community that will develop curricular content on solutions to anthropogenic climate change by drawing on the best available research on the phenomenon, coupled with the most effective pedagogical methods. The goal is to transform academic education about climate change from the current emphasis on physical and biological science …

Keynote Address: Climate Change And Sustainability: The Reality And Impacts Of Global Warming, Roberta M. Johnson

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

Keynote address & Keynote speaker biography Abstract: -What determines the Earth’s climate? -What’s happening to Earth’s climate today? -What do models tell us will happen in the future? -What is sustainability and why does it matter? -What’s happening nationally regarding K- 12 climate change and sustainability education?

The Impact Of Collective Teacher Efficacy On Student Achievement In High School Science, Mark W. Burcham

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the impact of collective teacher efficacy on high school science achievement by looking at relationships among collective teacher efficacy, its two constructs, group competence and group task analysis, and high school science achievement scores at four rural high schools in Northwestern North Carolina.

The researcher gathered historical test data from the testing coordinator from the school system and then administered the Collective Teacher Efficacy Instrument, developed by Goddard, Hoy, and Woolfolk Hoy (2000), to 24 science teachers from the four high schools. Using this information, the researcher conducted statistical analyses to determine the relationships …

Issues In-Depth: Advancing Understanding Of Drug Addiction And Treatment, Roxanne Greitz Miller

Education Faculty Articles and Research

While most school districts utilize a drug abuse resistance curriculum, as science teachers, it is our responsibility to understand the science behind drug addiction in order to most effectively educate our students against drug abuse. In the last two decades, increases in scientific technology have permitted significant discoveries surrounding the neurobiology, genetic components, and treatment of drug addition. This article addresses the latest scientific knowledge about drug addition and treatment with information that can be used in the middle school setting, focusing on cocaine addiction to illustrate the points discussed. (Contains 2 online resources.)

Bridging The Gap Between Real World Polar Science And The Classroom, William Robertson, Vanessa Lougheed, Craig Tweedie, Aaron Velasco, Claudia Garcia

Selected Works Temporary Series

The International Polar Year - Research and Educational Opportunities in Antarctica for Minorities (IPY-ROAM) program was designed to increase minority participation in polar science by immersing participants in an academic program that included a trip to Antarctica. The IPY-ROAM program was focused on increasing the public understanding of the Polar Regions and stimulating a new interest in polar science. This effort was coordinated by faculty from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and was implemented to positively contribute to the intense, internationally coordinated IPY scientific campaign. Through a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), a team of …

Dr. Skateboard’S Action Science: Transforming Science Education For Middle School Students, William Robertson

Selected Works Temporary Series

The main objective of this article is to describe an example of unique and creative classroom materials that are built around a real world interest of Middle School students. Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science is a curriculum supplement that integrates both skateboarding and BMX. As an example of transformative education, it is built around student interests with a direct link to specific science knowledge and skills that need to be learned. It incorporates a four part video series and twenty classroom activities for students and teachers to use in the classroom. The video and classroom materials focus on the physical science …

Skateboard: Ciencia De Acción De Doctor Skateboard: Educacion Transformativa En Física, William Robertson

Selected Works Temporary Series

This article, written in Spanish, describes a transformative process for teaching physics in the middle school science classroom through an analysis of the use of Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science. Additionally, the article attempts to bridge efforts in the US, specifically in El Paso, Texas to opportunities that exist in Spanish speaking countries, including Mexico and Chile. The provided abstracts, in Spanish and English, describe how “action science” can be used in presenting fundamental science concepts and that this approach can be expanded from Middle schools to high schools and universities. Action science is an active learning methodology for teaching physics …

Using Rubrics To Teach Science Writing, Paul E. Bennett Jr.

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

An often-stated goal of education in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields is to teach students to communicate like professionals. In the STEM fields, the single most important thing we can do to teach our students better communication skills is to teach them how to write a lab report. The reason a lab report is so important is not just because it is the end product of a research project, but because each section of a lab report has a particular function that often correlates with different types of communication that a STEM professional needs to use. For …

The Effects Of Block Scheduling On Ap Calculus Ab Student Achievement, Larry A. Lightner

Mathematics Graduate Theses

Student achievement on the AP Calculus AB Exam is always a concern for teachers and school districts that offer the exam. A factor of concern that also arises is a school’s schedule. A school’s schedule may have an affect on achievement. This study examines the comparison in achievement of students who take the AP Calculus AB Exam under a block schedule and a traditional schedule system. Block Scheduling is defined as a class period of 80-90 minutes with 4 periods each day, allowing a full year’s curriculum to be offered in one semester. Traditional scheduling is defined as a class …