Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Pltl Develops Scholars For Majors In The Built-Environment​, Shpat Halili, Calvin O. Walters Jr.

Publications and Research

The National Science Foundation S-STEM program at NYC College of Technology (City Tech), Developing an Ecosystem of STEM success for Built Environment Scholars (Award Number 2150432), focuses on supporting and developing scholars in the majors relating to the Built Environment. The proposed project includes the expansion of Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) at City Tech. The PLTL model creates a supportive learning environment and supplements the faculty-centered classroom with student-led and student-oriented workshops. At City Tech, existing workshops provide curricular support in statics and mathematics. The PLTL program benefits promising first-year STEM students, and the S-STEM program utilizes the PLTL model …

Performance Outcomes In Introductory Statistics: R Vs. Spss Usage At A Community College, Venessa Singhroy Ph.D., Bianca Sosnovski

Publications and Research

This dataset corresponds to a study investigating the performance outcomes of students enrolled in two sections of an introductory statistics course at a community college in New York. The study, titled "Examining Differences in Performance Outcomes between Statistics Classes using High-coding vs. Low-coding Statistical Software Packages," explores the impact of utilizing different statistical software packages (R and SPSS) on student performance and motivation. The dataset comprises assessments administered to participants, including the Mathematics Motivation Questionnaire, Reading Comprehension Assessment, Algebra Assessment, Statistics Assessment, and Coding Assessment. Participants were divided into two sections: one utilizing R and the other utilizing SPSS for …

Using Smartphones To Innovate Laboratories In Introductory Physics Courses, E. Bernardini, M. Carli, M.Y. Elkhashab, Andrea Ferroglia, Miguel C. N. Fiolhais, L. Gabelli, H. Jessen Munch, Darya Krym, P. Mastrolia, Giovanni Ossola, O. Pantano, J. Postiglione, J.S. Poveda Correa, C. Sirignano, F. Soramel

Publications and Research

The SmartPhysics project involved two higher education institutions, one in Italy and one in the US, with the aim of exploring the use of smartphones for laboratory experiments in introductory Physics courses. Here we present and discuss two experiments that were developed in the project: the pendulum experiment, consisting in the measurement of the gravitational constant using a proximity stopwatch, and the ‘bouncing ball’ experiment, aimed at measuring the energy lost in inelastic collisions with a hard surface. Both experiments were tested with the students in the academic year 2021-22. Our results and didactical reflections contain suggestions for the use …

Teaching Engineering Design-Based Integrated Stem In Rural Contexts: Nurturing Future Designers, Jung Han, Euisuk Sung, Todd Kelley, John Geoffrey Knowles

Publications and Research

There is a notable shift towards prioritizing the teaching of engineering design within K-12 education, coupled with a strong recommendation for engineering design-based integrated STEM education. This approach underscores the sharing of science and engineering practices as a means to facilitate the learning of various STEM disciplines. Nonetheless, the implementation of integrated STEM education in rural schools poses challenges due to constrained resources and a shortage of high-quality programs. To present a tangible instance of design-based integrated STEM education within a rural setting, this study presents a model lesson that showcases the integration of interdisciplinary problem-solving skills within a genuine …

The Impact Of International Technology Education Standards On The Development Of A National Curriculum: A Case Study In Korea, Euisuk Sung, Yuhuyn Choi, Ji Suk Kim, Eunsang Lee, Yunjin Lim

Publications and Research

South Korea has mandated technology education as a general education subject since 1954. However, recent educational trends, such as the emergence of computer education; artificial intelligence; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); and K-12 engineering education call for considerable change in Korean technology education. The authors translated and published Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy (STEL) in Korean to introduce the new standards to Korean educators in response to these challenges. This case study will review the history of Korean technology education from its inception in the 1960s and discuss the potential impacts of STEL on the Korean technology education …

The Effects Of Isolated Affordances On Preschool Counting Improvement When Using A Digital Coloring App, Katherine Papazian

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Counting is an important preschool math skill that is necessary for building a strong foundation in mathematics. Previous research has demonstrated that guided counting activities can improve counting ability in preschoolers and that drawing on paper while learning can deepen processing, but research has not included digital drawing as a potential means of deepening processing while children count. This study developed a novel touch-screen app, which used a guided coloring activity to encourage effective counting skills and serve as a home numeracy tool that could be employed by all parents, including those with math anxiety. To evaluate the benefits of …

Retention Of Female Minority Students In Bachelor Stem Degree Programs: An Exploratory Study Of Five Cohorts, Elizabeth Milonas

Publications and Research

Minority female students are under-represented in computer-related fields such as computer science, information systems, and computer engineering. Yet, minority female students are also under-represented in computer-related degree programs (Botella et al. 2019). This group of students faces unique challenges that can discourage them from continuing with a computer-related degree (Varma 2003). These challenges include a lack of writing and degree readiness skills such as mathematical and computational thinking skills (Varma 2003). Minority female students are also faced with economic challenges and family commitments which can hinder or discourage them from continuing in a degree program (Varma 2003). In addition, minority …

“I’M Now Always Thinking About Math”: Exploring Mathematics Identities, Beliefs, And Lived Experiences Through Ypar, Maya A. Severns

Theses and Dissertations

This youth participatory action research (YPAR) study employing survey and case study design sought to explore and document the influence of YPAR participation on Black and Latine high school students’ perceptions of their mathematics identity development, what they learned about their peers’ and their own mathematics perceptions and lived experiences, and their recommendations for change in their own school and mathematics education in general. Eight high school participants were invited to engage in 12 YPAR study sessions that drew on the literature of mathematics identity, equity in mathematics education, and YPAR and were grounded in a theoretical framework including culturally …

The Connective Tissue Of Well-Developed Interests: A Case Study Of A Science Research Classroom, Deborah M. Brand

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine ways that long-term interests in high school students could be inspired and facilitated in educational contexts. In particular, it explored how a high school Science Research (SR) program cultivated belonging and supported autonomy in ways that inspired and promoted well-developed individual interests. This type of interest is characterized by an enduring desire to pursue learning out of an intellectual and emotional need to gain understanding; it drives behavior, motivation, and cognition toward particular activities and ideas. Classroom belonging is derived from this sense of connection and purpose a student feels from the …

Online Technological Stem Education Project Management, Fangyang Shen, Janine Roccosalvo, Jun Zhang, Yun Tian, Yang Yi

Publications and Research

With a strong demand for online education and project management in deeper scope and larger scale to better fit COVID-19 pandemic situation, exploring new knowledge of online education to make it more effective became vital with the new challenges of STEM education. To resolve the above problem, this paper focuses on various aspects of online STEM education project management where the Enhanced Noyce Explorers, Scholars, Teachers (E-NEST) three-tiered structure was implemented during the COVID-19 period. Two City University of New York (CUNY) institutions, New York City College of Technology (City Tech) and Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) used the …

How Do Classroom-Turnover Times Depend On Lecture-Hall Size?, Joseph Benson, Mariya Bessonov, Korana Burke, Simone Cassani, Maria-Veronica Ciocanel, Daniel B. Cooney, Alexandria Volkening

Publications and Research

Academic spaces in colleges and universities span classrooms for 10 students to lecture halls that hold over 600 people. During the break between consecutive classes, students from the first class must leave and the new class must find their desks, regardless of whether the room holds 10 or 600 people. Here we address the question of how the size of large lecture halls affects classroom-turnover times, focusing on non-emergency settings. By adapting the established social-force model, we treat students as individuals who interact and move through classrooms to reach their destinations. We find that social interactions and the separation time …

Orbital Decay In The Classroom, Miguel C. N. Fiolhais, Luis Gonzalez-Urbina, Tomasz Milewski, Carlos Chaparro, Andrea Ferroglia

Publications and Research

The objective of this paper is to provide a pedagogical framework for the phenomenon of orbital decay of satellites in low Earth orbit. The dynamics of orbital decay are derived considering atmospheric drag as the only dissipative mechanism and using an educational approach suitable for undergraduate calculus-based physics and engineering courses. The resulting nonlinear first-order differential equation for the altitude as a function of time is solved numerically for the isothermal-barotropic atmospheric model with a fixed scale height. The model is validated using the uncontrolled reentry data of the Chinese space station Tiangong-1.

Coloniality, Western Science, And Critical Ethnic Studies In Stem Education, Latoya M. Strong

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In this dissertation, I use a critical transdisciplinary approach to examine how the coloniality of Western Science impacts science education teaching, learning, and research. Weaving together Black geographies, settler colonialism, and decolonial theory, I illustrate how the historical, symbiotic relationship between colonization and Western Science created a culture that continues to shape modern science practices and science education. The coloniality of Western Science was codified into science education, resulting in three approaches to teaching, learning and research—the assimilationist model, the capitalist model, and the imperialist model. Moving from theory to research, I collaborated with STEM educators over six weeks to …

Unpacking Chemistry Teachers’ Pedagogical Reasoning And Decisions For A Phet Simulation: A Tpack Perspective, Xiaoyang Gong, Bing Wei, Bradley W. Bergey, Ebony Terrell Shockley

Publications and Research

Computer simulations hold great potential for enhancing chemistry instruction. However, effectively integrating simulations in instruction depends in part on teachers’ pedagogical reasoning about simulation affordances and instructional decisions within specific classroom contexts. The objective of this study was to investigate how two chemistry teachers evaluated an interactive simulation and determined pedagogical strategies for integrating the simulation into classroom instruction. Based on the TPACK framework, authors adopted a comparative case study approach to interpret qualitative data from three sources: screen-capture videos, interviews, and instructional plans. Results showed that pedagogical reasoning and decisions of the two participants reflected different TPACK components. One …

Effective Model With Personalized Online Teaching And Learning Science, Kalani Hettiarachchilage, Neel Haldolaarachchige

Publications and Research

The recent development of science education leads educators to explore new teaching and learning methodologies and restructure classes and assignments to bring students' knowledge to the highest level of education by allowing learners to gain various skills that are reflected in their future. We are discussing how to develop and deliver effective online courses by personalizing the class and individualizing the assignments for learners to succeed in Physics. Various teaching and learning activities are aimed at effective learning and interaction to enhance student learning in this class structure. The students' performances and progress are analyzed in four large introductory Physics …

The Impact Of The Cuny Algebra For All Program On Teachers’ Beliefs And Practices About Teaching And Learning Mathematics, Celia C. Cruz, Rabab Abi-Hanna

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Gender Differences In High School Students’ Perceived Values And Costs Of Learning Chemistry, Xiaoyang Gong, Bradley W. Bergey, Ying Jin, Kexin Mao, Yan Cheng

Publications and Research

Students’ perceived values and costs of learning chemistry influence their performance and intentions of choosing chemistry-related majors or careers. Based on Situated Expectancy-Value Theory, this study adopted a mixed method approach to examine the conceptualization of values and costs among Chinese high school students and identify their relations with chemistry test performance across gender. Qualitative content analyses revealed that students’ perceived values for chemistry could be categorized into five broad categories: utility value, epistemic value, intrinsic value, aesthetic value, and social value. Chi-square tests and multidimensional scaling revealed that boys and girls perceived values and costs in different ways: relational …

Mathematics Preparatory Workshops To Foster Student Success, Sandie Han, Diana Samaroo, Janet Liou-Mark, Lauri Aguirre

Publications and Research

Mathematics preparatory workshops were offered to college students at a diverse urban undergraduate institution. The goal was to prepare students for their mathematics course, by offering non-credit bearing and free preparatory workshops. The lack of adequate preparation for mathematics courses is a barrier for student engagement in future STEM courses. We believe that by providing preparatory workshops, we can improve not only the success but access for students in foundational mathematics courses. The workshops allowed students to engage with the course content in a rigorous and intensive manner prior to the start of the semester. Students who participated in the …

Implementing Oer At Laguardia Community College: Three Case Studies, Ian Mcdermott, Joshua P. Tan, Alioune Khoule, Marta Kowalczyk, Emma Handte, Rena D. Grossman

Publications and Research

LaGuardia Community College, City University of New York (CUNY) began receiving funds from a New York State Open Educational Resources (OER) grant in 2017. Since then, several departments have made significant strides in the implementation of OER. We offer three case studies of putting OER into practice, in math, astronomy, and chemistry. Each case study presents the context for OER conversion, the steps taken, early results from OER implementation, and the main takeaways. A common feature across courses and departments is a process-oriented implementation of OER, namely, one that is constantly improving and moving towards the goal of openness and …

Computer Ethics In Curriculum, Tiya Williams

Publications and Research

Ethics specifically in Computer Curriculum is a growing problem that has yet to be widely addressed. Although, start of computer ethics being taught has been traced back to the early 1940’s it has not been standardized or implemented in all computer curriculum. The objective of this research is to diagnose the reasons why ethics is so crucial in computer curriculum at all levels. I used surveys to investigate whether students were taught ethics in their computer curriculum. I also conducted surveys for professors at universities and colleges if they were taught ethics while obtaining their degree, as well as if …

The Perceived Impact Of Project-Based Learning (Pbl) On Middle School Students’ Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem) Identity And Engagement, Jonathan Olivera

Theses and Dissertations

Despite multiple calls to action, the United States educational system is not producing enough viable contributors in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). These fields continue to grow, and the STEM workforce continues to expand. However, the pool of citizens prepared to enter these professions is not keeping up with the demand. Part of this issue can be attributed to a diminishing interest in STEM by students, particularly during their identity forming adolescent years. Active learning strategies have proven successful in preventing this decline with project-based learning (PBL) being one of the most successful active learning strategies. …

Computational Thinking And Coding For Young Children: A Hybrid Approach To Link Unplugged And Plugged Activities, Daisuke Akiba

Publications and Research

In our increasingly technology-dependent society, the importance of promoting digital literacy (e.g., computational thinking, coding, and programming) has become a critical focus in the field of childhood education. While young children these days are routinely and extensively exposed to digital devices and tools, the efficacy of the methods for fostering digital skills in the early childhood classroom has not always been closely considered. This is particularly true in settings where early childhood educators are not digital experts. Currently, most of the efforts in standard early childhood settings, taught by teachers who are not digital experts, appear to revolve around “unplugged” …

Comparing Geosciences-Related Engagement Generated During And After The Use Of Multiple Pedagogical Approaches: Animated Videos, Youtube, Interactive Educational Games, Group Discussion And Powerpoint Presentations, Andrew M. Singh, Nazrul I. Khandaker, Ality Aghedo, Jasmin Budhan, Belal A. Sayeed, B'Jorn K. Forde, Krishna Mahabir

Publications and Research

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased educators’ reliance on online learning tools such as Blackboard Collaborate Ultra and Zoom meetings to deliver geoscience-related lessons in real-time. Assessments were conducted using introduction to geology, environmental geology, and oceanography - part of the City University of New York's (CUNY) newly implemented pathways curriculum. These general education courses belong to scientific world and life and physical sciences category and are intended for seamless transfer between CUNY campuses. Students, however, have the option to disengage from participation. Students are able to disable microphones and cameras, as well as rely entirely on text-chat if they choose. …

New Approaches To Peer Leader Training, Nadia Kennedy

Publications and Research

This paper describes a Peer Leader training course that has been modified to include innovative components focusing on developing content and pedagogical knowledge, practicing rehearsals, generating action research projects, doing poster presentations, and writing a reflective letter to new Peer Leaders. Through these innovations, four types of reflection–on relevant research and theory, on students’ experiences, on peer practice, and on one’s own practice–have been incorporated into the course. The new course components promise to offer more opportunities for trainees to practice peer leading in a structured and safe environment in which immediate and supportive feedback is available, and group practice …

Sustainability Matters: Advocating For The Establishment And Continuation Of Peer-Led Team Learning, A.E. Dreyfuss

Publications and Research

The successful dissemination of the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) model at multiple institutions of higher education, in the United States and other countries, is reflected in the number of publications (see www.pltlis.org). However, many PLTL campus programs are no longer active or exist. This may be due, more recently, to the COVID pandemic and its disruptions. Historically, programs no longer exist because grant funding that supported the initiative ended; other reasons include the promotion, retirement, or even death of the practitioners whose work championing their PLTL program ended. What can sustain a campus PLTL program so that its benefits …

Elementary Students' Engineering Design Process: How Young Students Solve Engineering Problems, Euisuk Sung, Todd R. Kelley

Publications and Research

With the increasing importance of teaching STEM to young students, the engineering design process (EDP) has become a popular learning platform in K-12 STEM education. The engineering design process guides students in solving engineering problems, but there is a lack of understanding of how students utilize this process. In this study, we explored how iterative design activities form procedural patterns of the engineering design process using sequential analysis. We videotaped 48 engineering design sessions via the Concurrent Think-Aloud (CTA) protocol from elementary students grades 3–6 in the USA. The data was coded using Halfn’s codes. The sequential analyses identified the …

The Persistence Of Exclusion In Developmental Math Courses In Community Colleges: The Search For Equity And Justice In Math Education, Dora P. Trujillo

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study examines how minoritized community college students taking developmental mathematics courses construct their math identities and how structures within academia affect this construction. It uses interviews and a focus group with open-ended questions to look beyond the quantitative studies examining the effectiveness of math developmental courses by exploring student narratives rather than statistical data. Both curricula and pedagogies need to be de-constructed so we may bring social change through diversity to the teaching and learning of mathematics at this level, as developmental math courses have become a systematized form of marginalization. In the process of de-constructing, we also need …

Learning Beyond Measure: Critical Numeracy And Resistance To Racial Capitalism, Atasi Das

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In this three-article dissertation, I connect with and expand from learning theories and mathematics and numeracy practices to reimagine numeracy as a potential tool towards liberation and human emancipation. Developing a framework and activity of critical numeracy, I explore the ways numbers and static categories have been used to “objectively” create, reproduce, and reify hierarchies within historical contexts and power relations. The core of this work examines, what do numbers and numeracy mean for us? Who are “the us” we can organize for? And for what purpose can and should we utilize, teach, and learn with numbers in and beyond …

Analyzing The Linguistic Features Of Standardized Math Items: A Text Mining Approach, Magdalen A. Beiting-Parrish

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The following is a five-chapter dissertation surrounding the use of text mining techniques for better understanding the language of mathematics items from standardized tests to improve linguistic equity of these items to support assessment of English Language Learners.

Introduction: The dissertation begins with an overview of the problem that English Language Learners are likely not able to demonstrate their full mathematical ability due to the construct irrelevant variance caused by these items being written in English. This introduction also introduces the idea of text mining as a methodology for use in exploring this test design issue.

Article 1: This article …

Curricular And Strategic Changes In Mathematics To Enhance Institutional Stem Education, Sandie Han, Boyan Kostadinov, Janet Liou-Mark, Johann Thiel

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.