Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Which Type Of Pressure Is Worse For Math Anxiety And Math Performance-Accuracy Or Time Pressure, Emma Huber

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Discovering New Tessellations Using Dynamic Geometry Software, Ma. Louise Antonette N. De Las Peñas, Eduard C. Taganap

Mathematics Faculty Publications

In this paper we use dynamic geometry software to investigate a class of tilings called k-uniform tilings or tessellations. A tiling consisting of regular polygons whose vertices belong to k-transitivity classes under the action of its symmetry group (vertex-k-transitive) is said to be k-uniform. We also present constructions of tilings consisting of irregular polygons that are vertex-k-transitive.

Relationship Between Active Learning Methodologies And Community College Students' Stem Course Grades, Cherish Christina Lesko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Active learning methodologies (ALM) are associated with student success, but little research on this topic has been pursued at the community college level. At a local community college, students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses exhibited lower than average grades. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the use of ALM predicted STEM course grades while controlling for academic discipline, course level, and class size. The theoretical framework was Vygotsky's social constructivism. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression were performed on data collected through an anonymous survey of 74 instructors of 272 courses during the 2016 …

Marine Science Summer Enrichment Camp's Impact Ocean Literacy For Middle School Students, Victoria Jewel Young

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics have expanded in the United States, science literacy skills for K-12 students have declined from 2001 to 2011. Limited research has been conducted on the impact of science enrichment programs on the science literacy skills of K-12 students, particularly in marine science. The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of a marine science summer enrichment camp located in the eastern region of the United States on the ocean literacy skills of middle school students who participated in this camp. Weimar's learner centered teaching approach and the definition and principles …

Where Science Intersects Pop Culture: An Informal Science Education Outreach Program, Raychelle Burks, Kiyomi D. Deards, Erica Defrain

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Attracting a general audience to STEM topics can be a challenge, and developing engaging and interactive instruction is important for educators in all fields. While many chemical educators have successfully used pop-culture themes to introduce their students to scientific concepts, these encounters are largely limited to formal classroom environments. Inspired by the successes of community science programs such as Science Café and Nerd Nite, science educators from two Nebraska campuses sought to broaden the exposure of their pop-culture themed class lectures, and created the SciPop Talks! program. Now entering its fifth year, this informal educational outreach program has become a …

“I Have A Hippopotamus!”: Preparing Effective Early Childhood Environmental Educators, Julia C. Torquati, Jennifer Leeper Miller, Erin Hamel, Soo-Young Hong, Susan Sarver, Michelle Rupiper

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This article describes an early childhood teacher-preparation program that infuses environmental education and nature experiences into courses, practicum, and student-teaching experiences. Program philosophy, pedagogy, materials, and methods are described and linked to the Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence, the Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators, and state-level early learning guidelines that focus on connecting young children with nature. Preservice teachers build knowledge, skills, and dispositions for effective environmental education beginning from an awareness level and progressing to application and refinement. The value of nature is communicated explicitly and implicitly throughout the program. Preliminary …

Student Buy-In Toward Formative Assessments: The Influence Of Student Factors And Importance For Course Success, Kathleen R. Brazeal, Brian A. Couch

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Formative assessment (FA) techniques, such as pre-class assignments, in-class activities, and post-class homework, have been shown to improve student learning. While many students find these techniques beneficial, some students may not understand how they support learning or may resist their implementation. Improving our understanding of FA buy-in has important implications, since buy-in can potentially affect whether students fully engage with and learn from FAs. We investigated FAs in 12 undergraduate biology courses to understand which student characteristics influenced buy-in toward FAs and whether FA buy-in predicted course success. We administered a mid-semester survey that probed student perceptions toward several different …

First-Year And Non-First-Year Student Expectations Regarding In-Class And Out-Of-Class Learning Activities In Introductory Biology, Tanya L. Brown, Brian A. Couch

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

National calls for teaching transformation build on a constructivist learning theory and propose that students learn by actively engaging in course activities and interacting with other students. While interactive pedagogies can improve learning, they also have the potential to challenge traditional norms regarding class participation and learning strategies. To better understand the potential openness of students to interactive teaching practices, we administered a survey during the first week of two sections of an introductory biology course to characterize how students envisioned spending time during class as well as what activities they expected to complete outside of class during non-exam weeks …

Cultural Sensitivity In The Performance-Based Learning Environment, Monique Matleen Hazzard-Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Georgia Department of Education requires students to earn 4 course credits in the area of mathematics in order to graduate from high school. Academic success for mathematics students in a school district in southern Georgia has been encumbered because teachers lack cultural competency in mathematics instruction, which has hindered minority students from developing reasoning, critical analysis, and problem-solving skills needed to earn these required math credits. The purpose of this project study was to examine teachers' perceptions of using culturally relevant teaching strategies to influence the academic performance of minority students in the mathematics classroom. The conceptual framework was …

Predicting Success Of Developmental Math Students, Isaac Martinez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Addressing the needs of developmental math students has been one of the most challenging problems in higher education. Administrators at a private university were concerned about poor academic performance of math-deficient students and sought to identify factors that influenced students' successful progression from developmental to college-level coursework. The purpose of this retrospective prediction study was to determine which of 7 variables (enrollment in a college success course, math placement results, frequency of use of the developmental resource center, source of tuition payment, student's age, gender, and race/ethnicity) would be predictive of success in developmental math as defined by a final …

Implementing Elementary School Next Generation Science Standards, Kathy Kennedy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards requires developing elementary teacher content and pedagogical content knowledge of science and engineering concepts. Teacher preparation for this undertaking appears inadequate with little known about how in-service Mid-Atlantic urban elementary science teachers approach this task. The purpose of this basic qualitative interview study was to explore the research questions related to perceived learning needs of 8 elementary science teachers and 5 of their administrators serving as instructional leaders. Strategies needed for professional growth to support learning and barriers that hamper it at both building and district levels were included. These questions were considered …

Impacts Of Effective Temperature On Sectional View Drawing Ability And Implications For Engineering And Technology Education Students, Petros J. Katsioloudis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Temperature can influence thermal comfort, working performance, and social behavior. In a classroom that is slightly cool, an assumption can be made that learning could be affected in a negative way. Considering this, a quasi-experimental study was done to determine if a significant difference of effective temperature have an effect on students’: a) spatial visualization ability, as measured by the MCT and b) ability to sketch a sectional view drawing. While not statistically significant, the students who received treatment using warm water outperformed their peers who received treatment using cold and hot water temperatures, respectively.

Establishing A Virtual Makerspace For An Online Graduate Course: A Design Case, Kevin M. Oliver, Robert L. Moore, Michael A. Evans

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This design case discusses key steps taken to establish a virtual makerspace for students enrolled in an online graduate course on informal learning. Two key design decisions are elaborated around (a) the selection of appropriate projects and packaged materials that distance education students can receive by mail to participate in making, and (b) the choice of an online platform for distance education students to document their design processes for assessment purposes and peer interaction and learning. This design case is relevant to a variety of online communities who may wish to engage in maker activities as well as isolated face-to-face …

Toys Redesigned: The Intersection Of Industrial Technology And Service-Learning Principles, Jill Stefaniak, Petros Katsioloudis, Basim Matrood

STEMPS Faculty Publications

To provide students with a situated learning experience that encouraged them to develop creative design solutions, the authors created a service-learning activity that required industrial technology students to apply design principles and procedures to design and develop toys to be given to pediatric patients at a local children's hospital. The following are excerpts from student reflections addressing the technological skills used and key takeaways from the project: * "I was able to use my mechanical skills in this project by knowing how to operate the drill press and by cutting all the pieces that were needed and assembling them." * …

Using Extremophile Bacteriophage Discovery In A Stem Education Professional Development Partnership To Explore Model Classroom Research Experiences Integrating The Three Dimentions Of The Next Generation Science Standards, Carrie L. Boudreau Ms

All Student Scholarship

The National Research Council’s (NRC) A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas describes a vision of what it means to be proficient in science. The project discussed in this thesis was developed with a NIH SEPA Grant 8R25OD010937 to the Virology and Electron Microscopy Laboratory at the University of Southern Maine (USM) under the direction of Dr. S. Monroe Duboise. The goal of the project was to explore using discovery of extreme environment bacteria and their bacteriophages as a model for using the three dimensions of learning to teach Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Specifically, …

Connections Between Science Teachers' Professional Development Preferences And Their Teaching Practices And Beliefs, Jessica Marie Wayson

Honors Program Theses

The effect of professional development preference, in relation to its effect on teacher practices and beliefs, has not been well studied. In order to better understand this dynamic, a nationwide online survey was developed and sent to secondary science teachers. The findings of this survey indicate a relationship does exist, but only within specific practices. During analysis, teachers were grouped by preference of professional development type including collaboration, reflection, conducting research, and professional development (such as conferences and workshops). Significant differences emerged from each group and implications for effective professional development practices will be addressed.

Student Perceptions On The Innovative Use Of Technology In Iowa Classrooms, Preston Vorthmann

Honors Program Theses

According to information from AEA 267 and the Annual Report on the Condition of Education 2016 by Iowa’s Department of Education (IDOE), 198 school districts out of 336 in Iowa (about 58%) have implemented a form of 1:1 programs, giving their students access to a tablet or laptop computer. This trend in education falls in line with the increased technology expenditures observed by the state in the past 10 years (Figure 1). These expenditures also relate to increased spending per pupil, which further supports that this increase is due primarily to the adoption of 1:1 and not, for example, a …

Developing A Faculty Learning Community To Support Writing Across Different Stem Disciplines, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Denise Tombolato-Terzic, Daniel P. Richards, Pilar Pazos, Megan Mckittrick, Julia Romberger, Otilia Popescu

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Writing to learn is one of the very important pedagogical strategies in a variety of disciplines. This concept is not specifically addressed in the majority of engineering courses. Hence, university initiatives such as the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), emerging out of accreditation and institutional assessments, are focusing on infusing scholarship from other disciplines (in this case English) for the purpose of student learning improvement. Engineering and Science programs do include various courses in English Composition as the part of the curriculum; however, writing is not embedded in all discipline-specific courses at the upper-division level. The program outlined here focuses on …

Unite 3d Rover Summer Workshop: An Overview And Assessment, Steve C. Hsiung, Walter F. Deal, Francis Tuluri

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The article offers information about UNITE, a program sponsored by the U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP, 2015). It mentions that the STEM Enrichment Activities of AEOP are designed to spark student interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) especially among the underserved and those in earlier grades and educators by providing exciting, engaging, interactive, hands-on STEM experiences (USAEOP).

Mom, Dad, Help Please: The Home Environment’S Influences On A Child’S Math Ability, Nicole Kerkhof

CMC Senior Theses

Recently, there has been a big surge of research and public interest in increasing the math capabilities and skills of American children. This paper serves as a literature review examining how the home environment, specifically parents, can help with that. This meta-analysis delves into the factors of maternal math talk, a parent’s own math anxiety, and the relationship between a parent and child in the context of a parent’s gender stereotypes and a parent’s perception on his or her child’s math abilities. Interventions, suggestions, and future implications are also discussed. This paper will hopefully bring needed awareness to parents about …

“I’M Not Good At Math”: Mathematical Illiteracy And Innummeracy In The United States, G. Wesley Rogers

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Why do we view mathematics the way we do in the United States and how have these views created an environment where we consider mathematical illiteracy and innumeracy socially and culturally acceptable when a lack of this knowledge and ability can function to enslave, exploit, restrict, and oppress. Throughout this investigation, I have explored some of the possible reasons for why we view education, mathematics, and the learning of mathematics the way we do and the impact of these views on our motivation and desire to learn mathematics. Using my over 20 years of teaching experience and the review of …

Writing-To-Learn In High-School Chemistry: The Effects Of Using The Science Writing Heuristic To Increase Scientific Literacy, Denae Nurnberg

Doctoral Dissertations

Writing-to-Learn in High-School Chemistry: The Effects of Using the Science Writing Heuristic to Increase Scientific Literacy

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) as an instructional tool to improve academic achievement and writing in the context of scientific literacy. This quasi-experimental study compared the effects of using the SWH in five laboratory settings over a 16-week span. The SWH was administered to a treatment group (n=63), whereas the comparison group (n=67) received laboratory sessions using a traditional laboratory report format.

There were four classes (n=130) of general chemistry enrolled in …

Research Trends In The Use Of Mobile Learning In Mathematics, Helen Crompton, Diane Burke

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The use of mobile learning in education is growing at an exponential rate. To best understand how mobile learning is being used, it is crucial to gain a collective understanding of the research that has taken place. This research was a systematic review of 36 studies in mobile learning in mathematics from the year 2000 onward. Eight new findings emerged: (1) The primary purpose of most studies was to focus on evaluating mobile learning. (2) Case studies and experimental design were the main research methods. (3) Most studies report positive learning outcomes; (4) Mobile phones were the mobile device used …

Using Precision In Stem Language: A Qualitative Look, Mary M. Capraro, Ali Bricer, Melva R. Grant, Yvonna S. Lincoln

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Teachers need to develop a variety of pedagogical strategies that can encourage precise and accurate communication - an extremely important 21st century skill. Precision with STEM oral language is essential. Emphasizing oral communication with precise language in combination with increased spatial skills with modeling can improve the chances of success in STEM courses and later in making STEM career choices. The participants were 14 middle and high school teachers who participated in a week of professional development (PD). The Aural/Spatial Interactions and Invariant Components of Vocabulary for STEM Content Area Specialists (AS-STEM) was administered to teacher groups to examine how …

Measurement Instrument For Scientific Teaching (Mist): A Tool To Measure The Frequencies Of Research-Based Teaching Practices In Undergraduate Science Courses, Mary F. Durham, Jennifer K. Knight, Brian A. Couch

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The Scientific Teaching (ST) pedagogical framework provides various approaches for science instructors to teach in a way that more closely emulates how science is practiced by actively and inclusively engaging students in their own learning and by making instructional decisions based on student performance data. Fully understanding the impact of ST requires having mechanisms to quantify its implementation. While many useful instruments exist to document teaching practices, these instruments only partially align with the range of practices specified by ST, as described in a recently published taxonomy. Here, we describe the development, validation, and implementation of the Measurement Instrument for …

Analysis Of The Effects Of Formative Assessment In Promoting Transfer Of Learning In An Undergraduate General Microbiology Laboratory Course, Andrea Rediske

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The undergraduate microbiology lab serves an important role in establishing a foundation of best practices in aseptic technique and infection control for pre-medical, pre-nursing, pre-pharmacy, or pre-allied health students. The high incidence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in the US and evidence in the literature of less effective implementation of proper aseptic technique among apprentice doctors and nursing students suggests that more effective transfer of learning could improve implementation of these procedures in the clinical setting. The research described in this study aimed to assess learning transfer as it applied to aseptic techniques and infection control skills learned in the undergraduate …

Self-Efficacy: Understanding African American Male Students Pathways To Confidence In Mathematics, Lisa Ann Williams

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation is about the stories of African American male undergraduate students who have experienced success in mathematics. Bandura’s (1997) social cognitive theory and Tillman’s (2000) culturally sensitive research approach which promotes qualitative methods, recognizes ethnicity, and positions culture as central to the research were applied. Student interviews, parent interviews, teacher interviews, and mathematical autobiographies were used to investigate African American men self-efficacy, the sources of their beliefs, and societal factors that impacted their motivation and academic achievement in mathematics.

The descriptive portraits and the interviews revealed five broad themes: (1) college experiences, (2) K-12 experiences, (3) access and equity, …

Using Mobile Learning To Supports Students' Understanding In Geometry: A Design-Based Research Study, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The use of mobile learning offers new affordances to teaching and learning. In this study, students from two fourth grade classes used iPads in dyads and groups to learn about angle. Using a design-based research methodology, which included observations, video, researcher journals, and artefact collection, a local instruction theory was developed on how students can learn about angle concepts through mobile learning activities. The local instruction theory is comprised of two components: (a) a seven lesson curriculum for 4th grade students on developing an early understanding of angle utilizing a mobile learning approach, and (b) additions to the scholarly theories, …

Exploring The Effects Of Different Classroom Environments On The Learning Process. Synthesis Of Thiazole-Linked Porous Organic Polymers For Co2 Separation And Nitro-Aromatics Sensing., Davide D'Urbino

Theses and Dissertations

When attempting to study the learning process of undergraduate chemistry student, the classroom and any interaction that take place within it constitute the social context of interest. By studying how different approaches can foster different classroom environments, it is possible to approach course design from an informed and scientifically sound perspective. Thus, it becomes necessary to identify and quantify the factors that have a positive or negative effect on the classroom environment. Social comparison concerns, comfort levels and self-efficacy have been shown to be social factors that affect each other as well as the learning process and have therefore been …

Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs And Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching: How Teachers' Mkt Shifts In Planning And Impacts Their Beliefs And Instructional Practice, Paul Conley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to understand how a teacher developed Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching and how that knowledge can shift teacher's beliefs and instructional practice, I worked with a teacher to deeply plan and implement six mathematical lessons.

The research suggests that planning can be a vehicle to develop a teacher's Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching. In addition, as a teacher's Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching started to develop through lesson planning, the teacher's beliefs about her own knowledge of mathematics started to increase which started to shift the teacher's instructional practice.

This combination of a stronger Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching, self confidence …