Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Creating A Masters In Numeracy Program, Eric Gaze

Numeracy

The Master of Science in Numeracy program at Alfred University received full approval from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) in May of 2007. This first-of-its-kind program seeks to provide teachers at all levels, from across the curriculum, the skills, and more importantly the confidence, to introduce relevant quantitative concepts in their own disciplines. Created to be a complement of the MS Ed. in Literacy, the 30-hour MS in Numeracy program consists of four required core courses (Teaching Numeracy, Teaching with Data, Assessment and Learning Theories in Numeracy, and Doing Science and Numeracy), five electives from a list of …

Reorganizing School Mathematics For Quantitative Literacy, Rick Gillman

Numeracy

This paper offers an alternative curriculum for high school mathematics. It proposes replacing the Algebra-Geometry-Algebra rush to calculus model with one which focuses on improving student problem-solving skills and general quantitative literacy skills while reinforcing basic manipulative skills. Most of these goals are gained by expanding the current single-year algebra-one course into two years. The model proposes moving “learning to write proofs” from the traditional geometry course into a separate discrete mathematics course. It requires statistics for every student, and requires a senior-level modeling course for every college-going student. In addition, the proposed model creates opportunities for students to move …

Spreadsheets Across The Curriculum, 1: The Idea And The Resource, H L Vacher, Emily Lardner

Numeracy

This paper introduces Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum, a workshop-based educational materials development project to build a resource to facilitate connecting mathematics and context in undergraduate college courses where mathematical problem solving is relevant. The central idea is “spreadsheet modules,” which, in essence, are elaborate word problems in the form of short PowerPoint presentations with embedded Excel spreadsheets. Students work through the presentations on their own, making and/or completing the spreadsheets displayed on the slides in order to perform calculations or draw graphs that address the issue (context) posed in the word problem. The end result of the project is the …

Quantitative Reasoning In The Contemporary World, 2: Focus Questions For The Numeracy Community, Bernard L. Madison, Shannon W. Dingman

Numeracy

Numerous questions about student learning of quantitative reasoning arose as we developed, taught and assessed the Quantitative Reasoning in the Contemporary World course described in the companion paper in this issue of Numeracy. In this paper, we present some of those questions and describe the context in which they arose. They fall into eight general problem areas: learning that is context-bound and does not easily transfer (i.e., situated learning); the need for a productive disposition regarding mathematics; the connection between QL and mathematical proficiency; the persistence of students, despite our efforts, for using the wrong base for percents; the inconsistent …

Quantitative Reasoning In The Contemporary World, 1: The Course And Its Challenges:, Shannon W. Dingman, Bernard L. Madison

Numeracy

The authors describe successes and challenges in developing a QL-friendly course at the University of Arkansas. This work is part of a three-year NSF project Quantitative Reasoning in the Contemporary World (QRCW) that supported the expansion of the course. The course, MATH 2183, began experimentally in Fall 2004 as a section of finite mathematics known informally as “News Math” for 26 students from arts and humanities disciplines. Over the past six years, the course has evolved and now MATH 2183 is approved to satisfy the College of Arts and Sciences mathematics requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree. In 2009-2010, …

Quantitative Literacy: Does It Work? Evaluation Of Student Outcomes At Colby-Sawyer College, Benjamin Steele, Semra Kilic-Bahi

Numeracy

Colby-Sawyer College has adopted a mission for quantitative literacy (QL) to give students the “necessary skills to understand and use quantitative information in their personal and professional lives.” We have implemented an across-the-curriculum approach to develop these skills. As part of this QL program, we administer two assessment tests, one in basic mathematical skills and one that applies those skills, plus an attitude survey to both freshmen and seniors. Three years of data show that seniors score about 10 percentage points higher than freshmen on these tests. However, seniors still scored below 55 percent on both tests, and many cannot …

Advancing Assessment Of Quantitative And Scientific Reasoning, Donna L. Sundre, Amy D. Thelk

Numeracy

Advancing Assessment of Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning is a four-year NSF Project (DUE-0618599) in part designed to evaluate the generalizability of quantitative (QR) and scientific reasoning (SR) assessment instruments created at James Madison University to four other four-year institutions with very distinct missions and student demographics. This article describes the methods, results, and findings we obtained in our studies. More specifically, we describe how to conduct content-alignment exercises in which faculty members map each item from a prospective test to the student learning objectives taught at the institution. Our results indicated that 92-100% of the QR and SR items were …

Science Literacy: Hand In Glove With Numeracy, Gerry G. Meisels

Numeracy

Science Literacy requires numeracy as part of its foundation, and much of Numeracy draws on examples and applications from the sciences. They share the goal of creating a society that is mathematics numerate and science literate, and are interrelated. National priorities to strengthen both among all our students are driven by practical considerations of economic competitiveness that increasingly depend on technological innovation. It is also critical to each individual for long-term job opportunities and for informed citizenship. With up to 80% of 21st century jobs requiring mathematics and science skills, a large majority of the 2,900,000 students who graduate from …

Ua64/2 The Challenge: Magazine Of The Center For Gifted Studies (No. 25, Summer 2010), Center For Gifted Studies, Tracy Inman Editor

Gifted Studies Publications

No abstract provided.

Iowa Academy Of Science: The New Bulletin, V06n2-3, Summer-Fall 2010, Iowa Academy Of Science

New Bulletin

Inside This Issue:

--Message from the Executive Director

--Meet Iowa Department of Education Science Consultant Yvette McCulley

--2010 Iowa AmJAS Delegate, McKenna Templeton shares her experiences at AmJAS

--2011-2012 AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships

--Environmental Literacy Needs and Partnerships Survey

--Experience Three Weeks in India: University of Iowa Winterim in India Program

--Academy awarded REAP-CEP Grants

--Announcements, Events & Deadlines

--Support The Academy

Pairing Educational Robotics With Geospatial Technologies In Informal Learning Environments, Bradley S. Barker, Neal Grandgenett, Gwen Nugent, Viacheslav I. Adamchuk

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Educational robotics, when paired with geospatial technologies and taught in an informal educational environment, can be an innovative strategy to teach youth about science, technology, engineering, and mathematic (STEM) concepts. However, little is known about the true effects on conceptual knowledge and associated attitudes. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the shortterm effects of a series of five-day summer robotics/geospatial camps held in Nebraska. The study was conducted at six diverse locations and consisted of a five-day 4-H camp experience. The study examined the experiences of 147 youth between the ages of 10 and 15. A pretestposttest quasi-experimental design …

A Longitudinal Study Of Cultural Competence Among Health Science Faculty, Astrid H. Wilson, Susan Sanner, Lydia E. Mcallister

Faculty Articles

The purpose of this study was to measure the process of cultural competence over time in a group of Health Science Faculty teaching nursing and other allied health students. Faculty (n=28) were administered the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals (IAPCC) prior to a cultural competence workshop, immediately after the workshop, and again at three months, six months and 12 months. The mean scores increased significantly with each administration of the IAPCC from the pretest administration (52.17) to the 12 month administration (59.71) demonstrating new knowledge related to cultural competence as a process.

The Greenprint: Nevada’S Environmental Literacy Plan, Part 1, Education About The Environment

Education about the Environment

President Obama’s “Blueprint for Reform” includes environmental education in part because research has demonstrated significant benefits from environmental education, including impacting student test scores in science, reading, math, and social studies. Additionally, studies have shown that environmental education can reduce discipline problems, increase attendance, and develop leadership and other social skills. Other important benefits include increased engagement, motivation, and enthusiasm for learning. The National Science Board of the National Science Foundation recognizes the importance of environmental education to student learning in their 2000 report, Environmental Science and Engineering for the 21st Century.

The need for environmental literacy arises from the …

A Study Of The Relationships Between Epistemological Beliefs And Self-Regulated Learning Among Advanced Placement Calculus Students In The Context Of Mathematical Problem Solving, James Clinton Stockton

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Secondary mathematics educators advocating constructivist-oriented instruction face the dilemma of developing students’ problem-solving skills. Students’ epistemological beliefs and self-regulated learning (SRL) processing capacity influence mathematical problem-solving prowess. This multiple-case study explored the relationships between epistemological beliefs and SRL processing while advanced mathematics students engaged in problem-solving tasks and investigated students’ SRL strategy use, heuristic strategy use, and problem-solving performance. Data sources included think-aloud and interview transcriptions, student work, and classroom observation protocols. Validity and reliability were enhanced via member-checking interviews, triangulation, peer review, and completion of a case study database. Five major findings emerged from the data: (1) participants’ unique/arbitrary …

Teaching Inquiry-Based Stem In The Elementary Grades Using Manipulatives: A Systemic Solution Report, Louis S. Nadelson, Anne Hay, Pat Pyke, Janet Callahan, Cheryl Schrader

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Young learners come to school holding myriad conceptions about how the world works, particularly in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM.^1-3 Further, young students' conceptions are commonly based on fragmented knowledge or naïve perspectives that contribute to the importance of early exposure to and practice with scrutinizing situations scientifically.^1,3 An important part of helping children gain the skills necessary to approach situations scientifically involves preparing them to conduct scientific inquiry.³ The development of critical thinking skills and scientific approaches to problem solving should begin early in education.⁴ However, lack of elementary …

The Use Of Horticulture And Gardening As A Special Education Tool At The High School Level, Krysta Marie Johnson

Horticulture and Crop Science

THIS REPORT CONTAINS PLANNING METHODS AND INSTALLATION PROCEDURE FOR A RAISED VEGETABLE GARDEN FOR WILSONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, IN WILSONVILLE, OREGON. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE GARDEN WAS TO USE IT AS A LEARNING TOOL FOR THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AT WILSONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL. UPON DOING MORE RESEARCH IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE GARDEN CAN ALSO BE USED AS A HEALING TOOL FOR STUDENTS WHO SUFFER FROM ATTENTION DISORDERS AND WHO HAVE EMOTIONAL AND LEARNING DISABILITIES. THE STUDENTS HAVE BECOME INVESTED IN THE GARDEN PROJECT AND LOOK FORWARD TO DOING MORE PROJECTS WITH THEIR CLASS.

Chemistry Spanish Supplemental Resources For English Language Learners In A 9th Grade Bilingual Physical Science Class, Rebecca Minerva Guerrero

All Graduate Projects

Minority high school students in the state of Washington find themselves under a variety of intense pressures: the pressure to learn English quickly, the pressure to pass the High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE) in order to graduate, and lastly the pressure to be an academic leader for that minority. In 2013, the state will add the science portion to the HSPE. The challenges that teachers face when working with English language learners (ELL) is having the adequate training, necessary tools, and resources needed to increase student achievement. This project is designed to provide Spanish supplemental resources for ELL students in …

Students’ Conceptions Of The Nature Of Mathematics And Attitudes Towards Mathematics Learning, Munira Amirali

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Students’ conceptions of the nature of mathematics have a great influence towards mathematics learning. In order to understand gender-wise students’ conceptions and attitudes towards mathematics this study has been conducted in Karachi, Pakistan. This paper examines patterns in students’ conception and attitude towards mathematics by analyzing survey data obtained from 82 students studying in grade eight in a private school context. The survey was conducted using a five-point Likert scale ranging from ‘strongly agree’ through ‘neutral’ to ‘strongly disagree’. The survey findings illustrate that students consider mathematics as a useful subject which is used in daily life routines and facilitates …

Climate Literacy In California K-12 Schools, Candice Maree Nosworthy

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Influences Of Environmental Education Programs On The Participant's Affinity For Nature, Justin Alan Schmillen

Master's Theses

This study was conducted to determine the change, and the factors influencing the change, in the participant’s affinity for nature resulting from an environmental education experience. In addition, this study also examined the change and factors of change in aspects of the participant’s affinity for nature that directly relate to marine and coastal resources and environments. An adapted version of the Affinity for Nature scale, an outcome measuring instrument used by the American Camp Association was used to collect data from participants (n=529) at Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School and Camp Ocean Pines, whose experience included an overnight component and …

Education In The Environment: A Strategy For Continued Interagency Outdoor Education Programming: Fourth Quarter Progress Report With Annual Report: Period Ending May 31, 2010, Margaret N. Rees

Reports (PLI Education)

Highlights of the university’s focused efforts during the past three months include the following:

• An Evaluation Report was produced for the Families in Nature program.
• The report “Reaching SNAP Audiences: Documenting the number of people reached through environmental education and interpretation programs and activities has been produced.
• Two Families in Nature field trips benefitted 85 people.
• Exhibit IQ, an exhibit design company, has been retained to develop an exhibit design plan, prepare the RV, and fabricate and install exhibits.
• Forever Earth was scheduled on 49 days involving 1639 individuals.
• Discover Mojave Outdoor World conducted 16 events for 333 participants.

Wind Energy Workforce Development: A Roadmap To A Sustainable Wind Industry, Ian Baring-Gould, Marguerite Kelly

Publications (E)

As the United States moves toward greatly expanded wind energy use, the need for skilled workers at all industry levels has been repeatedly identified as a critical issue. Additionally, if the industry and nation wish to capitalize on this rapid industry growth by becoming a major international green technology exporter, reversing current educational trends away from science, engineering, and technical skills must be achieved.

This poster provides an overview of the educational infrastructure and expected industry needs through a discussion of the activities to train workers while addressing issues for each of the education sectors, leading to the development of …

Perfect Numbers:, Diana French

Department of Mathematics: Master of Arts in Teaching, Exam Expository Papers

While this topic of “Perfect Numbers” was completely new to me (at least to the degree at which it is discussed within this paper,) I found it very intriguing and believe there is still much information and mathematical discovery in it for me. There were many historical points of interest, and I found it difficult to whittle them down to a manageable size for the intent of this paper. Likewise, there were many facts and peculiarities I found interesting and certainly worthy of consideration. However, to maintain anything close to a reasonable length of discussion as outlined in the guidelines …

Ists E-Newsletter, May 15, 2010, Iowa Academy Of Science

ISTS Newsletter

In this issue:

--Message from the ISTS Chair, Kathy Megivern

--Message from the Fall Conference Chair, De Anna Tibben

--Message from the Vice Chair, Adam Puderbaugh

--Announcements

--Opportunities

--News

--Your ISTS Leadership Team

Access To Algebra I, Gateway To Success: The Impact Of Eighth-Grade Algebra I., Emily Jean Skelton Darling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An understanding of Algebra I and the role that this foundational course plays as an entry to the college preparatory pathway in secondary education and its influence on mathematical achievement is an integral component for the education of American youth in the global world of science and technology. Achievements in high school curricula are cumulative; each course completed determines which paths will be open to the student and which postsecondary education options will be available. In today's world, these options are necessary for the competitive world market. Algebra I is the prerequisite course for subsequent high school math pathways. Students …

The Center For Stem Education And Outreach At James Madison University: A Case Study For Using System Dynamics And The Balanced Scorecard To Perform Strategic Planning, Bader Fazea

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Concern that the U.S. education system is unsuccessful in keeping the United States a competitive nation in global talent race has pushed policymakers to plan for improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the country. These are the disciplines that need to be fostered to supply the United States with talented graduates that can keep its economy competitive. Many major public and private organizations are investing significant resources to address this challenge. The Center for STEM Education and Outreach at James Madison University is among the parties working on promoting STEM education in the State of Virginia through …

Growth In Students' Conceptions Of Mathematical Induction, John David Gruver

Theses and Dissertations

While proof and reasoning lie at the core of mathematical practice, how students learn to reason formally and build convincing proofs continues to invite reflection and discussion. To add to this discussion I investigated how three students grew in their conceptions of mathematical induction. While each of the students in the study had different experiences and grew in different ways, the grounded axes (triggering events, personal questions about mathematics, and personal questions about a particular solution) highlighted patterns in the narratives and from these patterns a theoretical perspective emerged. Reflection, both on mathematics in general and …

Third Grade Hands On Science Curriculum, Douglas Ray Cornwell

All Graduate Projects

In 2009, Washington State issued a new set of science standards. These new standards focus on building scientific literacy. With the emphasis now on scientific literacy rather than the traditional emphasis on fact memorization, many teachers must now find new ways to teach their science programs that reinforce understanding in science concepts rather than simple fact recollection. A science program that focuses on the constructivist learning philosophy and that offers students "hands on" activities as well as teacher led demonstrations is offered here to fill the role as an example of one of these new programs.

Spanish Science Resources For A Kindergarten Dual Language Classroom, Carmen Lorena Yanez

All Graduate Projects

The high population of English Language Learners (ELL) in the United States has impacted the educational system. Accountability for meeting high stakes tests and state standards has been a constant pressure for many schools that have a high concentration of ELL. School districts have adopted different programs to meet the needs of ELL. These programs focus on making academic content more relevant and comprehensible so students can meet state standards. One of the programs that has proven to be successful in meeting ELL needs is dual language. However, a challenge for many dual language programs that target English and Spanish …

Using Homework To Support Standards, Socorro Yanez-Garcia

All Graduate Projects

Historically, homework has been a controversial issue that has impacted teachers, students, and parents (Gill & Schlossman, 1996, 2004). Opponents of homework are quick to talk about the hours of meaningless homework that students are required to complete and how homework detracts from family time (Kralovec & Buell, 2000). However, this is no reason to completely do away with homework. Teachers may lack access to meaningful homework that is aligned with what students are expected to know. Homework is an important part of a student's education (Cooper, 1989). Homework that has a defined purpose before it is assigned has been …