Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Ancient Antimicrobials - An Inquiry-Based Look At The Social Context Behind Microbes, Akacia Halliday-Isaac, Brooke A. Whitworth

Publications

No abstract provided.

Hook, Line, And Sinker: How To Build Dei In Stem Focused Institutional Repositories By Putting Student Research First, Anne Marie Casey, Debra Rodensky

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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Scholarly Commons is an institutional repository on the bepress Digital Commons platform that highlights the intellectual output of the university’s faculty, staff, and students. Established in May 2013, Scholarly Commons has grown to include faculty, student, and staff research, instructional materials, journals, magazines, conferences, and research data. By August 2022, the collections consisted of more than 34,600 works downloaded nearly 4.9 million times. An important part of this collection is the research submitted by undergraduate students, which offers a variety of diverse voices.

Cognitive Load In Asynchronous Discussions Of An Online Undergraduate Stem Course, Emily Faulconer, Beverly Wood, Charlotte Bolch

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Purpose

As online course enrollments increase, it is important to understand how common course features influence students' behaviors and performance. Asynchronous online courses often include a discussion forum to promote community through interaction between students and instructors. Students interact both socially and cognitively; instructors' engagement often demonstrates social or teaching presence. Students' engagement in the discussions introduces both intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load. The purpose of this study is to validate an instrument for measuring cognitive load in asynchronous online discussions.

The Impact Of Pltl In Four Introductory Engineering Courses: Improving Access And Opportunity For Students Underrepresented In Stem Disciplines, Kimberly Luthi, Mohua Kar, Lisa Macon

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The performance assessment was a major component of the overall National Science Foundation-funded research project, Engagement in Engineering Pathways. The study examined underrepresented and female students’ abilities to translate cognitive knowledge into demonstrable performance-based proficiencies through engagement in Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) labs in post-secondary, undergraduate introductory engineering courses. Evidence from the study comes from 518 students enrolled in four engineering courses and PLTL labs. The research protocols, implementation process, and assessment of academic achievement of project participants are discussed. Data are analyzed across student demographics to identify performance indicators within PLTL activities that influenced students’ commitment and retention in …

How Education On Climate Change Affects Consumers' Willingness To Participate In Carbon Offsetting Programs?, Leila Halawi, Deanna Demattio

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If airlines could have a better understanding of how to induce sustainable behavior in their customers, they can use these methods when building sustainable initiatives such as voluntary carbon offsetting programs. The purpose of the study was to determine if education on the consequences of climate change affects how consumers behave related to their interaction with carbon offsetting programs. Regional Scenarios were introduced with a natural disaster comparable to the region under review. A multistage sampling technique was utilized in this study. Firstly, using a cluster sample, groups were used rather than individual units of the target population. The results …

Podcasts In Science Classrooms: Storytelling For All Ears!, Sumeet Kulkarni, Brooke A. Whitworth

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Podcasts offer a unique tool in making science learning informative, engaging, and entertaining. They provide an excellent way to incorporate storytelling in science instruction. Podcasts can be accessed easily and free of cost on any internet-enabled device. Recording podcasts is also easy and inexpensive, making them useful to record lesson summaries and other content for revision. This article outlines different ways of using podcasts in the teaching and learning process. To support informal learning, podcasts typically cover cross-disciplinary issues that are relevant to present times as well as those important to local communities. They also feature interviews with researchers who …

Women’S Perceptions Of Problem-Solving In A Virtual Learning Environment, Kimberly Luthi, Ernie Friend, Angelique Tucker-Blackmon

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Virtual learning opportunities in computing and information technology courses are designed to facilitate the development of critical thinking skills, positive learning outcomes and increased problem-solving abilities. However, before engaging students in activities to increase their problem-solving skills, researchers need to understand the influence of virtual courses on students’ problem-solving perceptions since perceptions influence performance. This study is an analysis of women’s perceptions of their problem solving confidence, style and personal control before and after their participation in online courses within the Network Enterprise Administration Certificate program that was embedded as a specialized track leading towards the Networking Systems Technology Associate …

Advancement Experiences Of Women In Academic Senior Leadership Positions In Stem Disciplines: A Delphi Analysis, Kimberly Luthi, Mickey Kosloski

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This article explores structural support systems that lead to women's advancement and hindrance factors that either catalyze or delay women's career acceleration in higher education, specifically within STEM-related and workforce education disciplines. Through a consensus building approach, a four-round Delphi analysis explored the experiences and perceptions of 17 panelists who currently or formerly served in a senior-ranked position within a higher education setting at five institutions in the Southeast United States. The panel included women who met the eligibility criteria as subject matter experts and held positions as deans in a STEM discipline, principal investigators over federally funded STEM and …

Particulate Matters - Water Filtration And Solar Disinfection, Shelby A. Watson, Brooke A. Whitworth

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Those of us in the United States often take for granted that the water coming out of our faucets will be safe for drinking, cleaning, or brushing our teeth. Despite this, each year nearly half a million people visit emergency rooms because of waterborne diseases, resulting in over 100,000 hospital stays and thousands of deaths (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] 2020). In fact, the CDC estimated that in 2017 people in the United States spent $3.8 billion on emergency room visits for waterborne illnesses.

Career Advancement Of Women In Engineering Disciplines At Two-Year Degree Institutions: Documenting Challenges And Potential Solutions To Raise Inclusivity, Kimberly Luthi

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Institutions of higher education that offer two-year degrees have student-centered missions with support structures to address the unique needs of a diverse student body [14]. Many two-year degree institution types are open access and have institutional priorities focused on increasing diversity and inclusive practices among both the students and faculty [1]. Although the inclusion of women traditionally underrepresented in STEM disciplines in higher education settings is a national concern, the advancement of women at institutions that offer support networks and institutional practices such as two-year degree institutions contribute to women’s advancement and diversity in the talent pipeline. This research study …

Equity In Engineering Education: The Experiences Of Non-Traditional Students In Introductory Engineering Courses With Peer Learning Support, Kimberly T. Luthi, Mohua Kar

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This paper seeks to examine one aspect of the pilot research study entitled, “Engagement in Engineering Pathways: An Initiative to Retain Non-Traditional Students in Engineering” funded by the National Science Foundation Improving Undergraduate STEM Education grant program (Award No. 1712008). This three-year study examines the effect of the use of Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) on students’ academic performance, STEM experiences, and persistence in engineering programs [2]. The data collected is from May 2018- May 2020. The present study population is undergraduate engineering students at a multi-campus, federally designated Hispanic-serving, public, two-year college in the southeastern U.S. This paper will specifically …

Building Undergraduate Research In A Fully Online Engineering Program, Robert Deters, Brent Terwilliger, Emily Faulconer, Kelly A. George

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This paper describes the creation and implementation of the support network of the Research Scholars Program at the Worldwide campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Funded by an NSF IUSE grant, the purpose of this new program is to increase the opportunity for online engineering and engineering technology students to participate in undergraduate research. Studies have shown that participation in research can have an important impact on students, though online students are likely underrepresented in undergraduate research. The Research Scholars Program uses existing support systems of the campus while also building new components. These new components developed for this project are …

Using Small Uas For Stem Education: Introducing Robotics And Mechatronics With Drones, Christian Janke, Kimberly Luthi, Stefan Kleinke, Yuetong Lin

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Several global developments point to importance of STEM-related education and studies. Every industry sector faces challenges in the recruiting of qualified personnel, due to retiring employees and general economic growth. Also, several domains, foremost automotive and aviation are undergoing a tremendous shift towards electrification to achieve sustainability. Hence, sparking the interest in STEM studies, education and vocational training cannot start early enough. This paper introduces the benefits of the educational use of sUAS by identifying core benefits in the three domains of learning – cognitive, affective, psycho-motor. Preliminary data and survey results from from several science, technology, engineering and math …

Service-Learning In Undergraduate General Chemistry: A Review, Emily Faulconer, C. J. Y. Kam

Publications

Background: Service-learning is gaining recognition as a valuable pedagogy for students to gain both academic and psychosocial benefits. This high-impact practice allows students to achieve course learning objectives while contributing to their community's needs. A review from 2007 revealed a lack of research focused on the topic in the prior decade, despite the interest that was shown by the American Chemical Society in 2000. Purpose: This review of recent case studies on the topic provides future researchers and practitioners with an understanding of the current state of service-learning in undergraduate chemistry courses. Methodology/Approach: To create a representative sample of recent …

Teacher Enactment Of The Geospatial Inquiry Cycle In Classrooms Following Scaled Up Professional Learning And Development, Brooke A. Whitworth, Lori Rubino-Hare, Francis Boateng, Anne Hamlin, Nena E. Bloom, Eric Nolan

Publications

The current study examined the effects of a nationally scaled up Professional Learning and Development (PLD) model on teachers’ classroom implementation of the Geospatial Inquiry instructional framework. Geospatial Inquiry is defined as: asking and answering a research question through the analysis and communication of data that is linked to a geographic location on, above, or near Earth. These data are often represented visually via maps and explored with geospatial technologies. It also examined the relationships between Geospatial Inquiry Teacher Workshop (GITW) implementation and teacher implementation of the Geospatial Inquiry Cycle. Situated cognition provided a theoretical framework for the design, development, …

Online Undergraduate Research In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Courses, Emily K. Faulconer

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What constitutes research can vary across fields. Even within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, the definition of research is flexible. For example, although science research and engineering research use similar methods and both produce valuable insights into the nature of our physical world, they have notably different focuses, with sciences aimed at expanding the outer edges of our knowledge and engineering fixed on systematic structuring of knowledge for application (National Academy of Engineering, 1995). Regardless of the STEM discipline, undergraduate research is a mentored experience in which students engage in original work, disseminating their outcomes to a larger …

Talking Is Thinking: Supporting Student Sense-Making Through Discourse And Assessment, Whitney Jackson, Lauren A. Simpson, Brooke A. Whitworth

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Learning in the classroom is highly influenced by the experiences a teacher plans for students. Concerned that students were not achieving adequate conceptual knowledge during traditional undergraduate physics courses, the authors used the Making Sense of SCIENCE curriculum to tailor a course for 21 pre-service elementary teachers at the University of Mississippi. The organization of instruction, facilitation practices, discussion opportunities, and assessment of content are all important aspects of the learning process. We found the changes we implemented significantly impacted the learning of students enrolled in this course.

Leveraging Interdisciplinary Expertise In Developing An Alternative Mathematics Pathway, Beverly Wood, Debra T. Bourdeau

Publications

How many instructors does it take for amazing course design? Or perhaps we should begin with “A mathematician, humanist, communication expert and statistician walk into a bar.” This unlikely team has co-developed a pair of courses, Learning to Reason I: Art and Quotient and Learning to Reason II: Commerce and Flux, that deeply investigate quantitative reasoning from multiple perspectives. Blending elements of rhetoric, logic, and history with mathematical computation, representation, and application breaks through the perceived barriers between the unyielding, obstinate world of mathematics and the ambiguous, equivocal world of the humanities. Developing the courses as an interdisciplinary team of …

Peer Learning In Introductory Engineering, Kimberly Luthi, Mohua Kar, Lisa Macon

Publications

Observed characteristics of non-traditional student populations: low retention, low grades, low participation, low confidence in mathematical and problem-solving abilities. Research question: Does participation in peer-led team-learning (PLTL) activities support underrepresented and female students’ performance in introductory engineering courses and retention in engineering pathways?

Peer Learning In Introductory Engineering, Kimberly Luthi, Mohua Kar, Lisa Macon

Publications

Observed characteristics of non-traditional student populations: low retention, low grades, low participation, low confidence in mathematical and problem-solving abilities. Research question: Does participation in peer-led team-learning (PLTL) activities support underrepresented and female students’ performance in introductory engineering courses and retention in engineering pathways?

Undergraduate Research In A Fully Online Engineering Program: Building The Framework Of Support, Emily Faulconer, Robert Deters, Brent Terwilliger

Publications

Undergraduate engineering programs often face low persistence and retention.

• Females and ethnic minorities are underrepresented and show lower persistence
• Certain minorities may be less likely to enroll in online programs
• Lower persistence and retention in online students across disciplines

Undergraduate research may increase persistence and retention.

• Online students likely underrepresented due to access limitations

Identifying Sources Of Anxiety In An Introductory Online Undergraduate Chemistry Course, Emily Faulconer, John C. Griffith

Publications

Learning chemistry in an online environment may have multiple sources of anxiety for students, including chemistry anxiety, math anxiety, computer anxiety, and trait anxiety (personality attribute of proneness to experience anxiety). While previous research has explored relationships between math and chemistry anxiety in a traditional setting, no studies have explored these anxieties in the online modality. Survey data were collected using existing scales (some with minor modifications), with a response rate of 31%. The scales used in this study demonstrated strong reliability. Highest sources of anxiety for each scale were presented. The perceived ease of use scale score was used …

No Bones About Art, Lydia Lytal, Brooke A. Whitworth, Gail Morton

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No abstract provided.

Options And Experiences For Online Chemistry Laboratory Instruction, Emily Faulconer, Matt Morgan

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While online course offerings have been on the rise for many years, there was a rapid transition to online courses due to campus closures and social distancing protocols associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. This has caused significant disruption in traditional chemistry laboratory activities. In this chapter, features of various distance laboratory approaches options are presented, including wet chemistry and dry laboratory options. Because the existing research comparing effectiveness of these strategies is scarce, no attempt is made to argue the effectiveness of one modality over the other, but rather advantages and disadvantages of each method are presented and discussed. The …

Connected Design Rationale: A Model For Measuring Design Learning Using Epistemic Network Analysis, Golnaz Arastoopour Irgens

Publications

Virtual learning environments have the potential to support students’ development of design skills in engineering education. However, few approaches exist for modeling and measuring design learning as it emerges in authentic practices, which often includes collaboration. This study merges learning sciences research with engineering design education to develop an approach for modeling and measuring design thinking. I propose a connected design rationale model which identifies relationships among design moves and rationale. Results from a qualitative examination of how professional engineers make connections among moves and rationales were used as the foundation to examine students in virtual internships. Using digital collaborative …

The “Magic” Of Density - A Unique Take On The 5e Lesson, Jacquelyn J. Mosely, Brooke A. Whitworth

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No abstract provided.

Going Viral- Using Technology In The Classroom To Show The Spreading Of Viruses, Laura C. Todd, Brooke A. Whitworth

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No abstract provided.

Science Portfolios Embedding The Nature Of Science, Lauren Simpson, Brooke A. Whitworth

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No abstract provided.

Stem Education As A Vital Preventive Response To A Pandemic, Emily Faulconer, Katherine Baker, Oliver Grundmann, Sarah Haines, Tyra Hall-Pogar

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T he extraordinary work to develop feasible vaccines, effective medical treatments, and accurate epidemiological studies to alleviate the SARS-CoV2 pandemic would not have been possible without collaboration between academia, industry, government laboratories, and regulatory agencies that speak the common language researchers around the world know—science!

Airbags As Real-Life Applications For Science, Carly A. Rock, Brooke A. Whitworth

Publications

At the core of an effective model-based inquiry (MBI) unit is a scientifically rich, complex phenomenon that serves as the reason for engagement and drives student sensemaking and investigations throughout the unit. Engaging in iterative attempts to explain phenomena over the course of an MBI unit allows the opportunity for students to construct evidence-based explanations that are refined over time with various science practices. We provide an example of using MBI as an instructional model to facilitate students’ conceptual understanding of chemical reactions.