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Science and Mathematics Education Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2018

Illinois State University

Articles 1 - 10 of 10

Full-Text Articles in Science and Mathematics Education

Investigating Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Reasoning When Learning Trigonometry Using The Line Segment Approach, Lawrence Ssebaggala Oct 2018

Investigating Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Reasoning When Learning Trigonometry Using The Line Segment Approach, Lawrence Ssebaggala

Theses and Dissertations

Review of the history of trigonometry content and pedagogy indicates the necessity and importance of trigonometry in the school curriculum (e.g., van Brummelen, 2009; van Sickel, 2011). For example, understanding trigonometric functions is a requirement for understanding some other areas of science, such as Newtonian physics, architecture, surveying, and several branches of engineering. Research indicates that teachers have a narrow and inadequate understanding of trigonometry, researchers (e.g., Hertel, 2013; van Sickel, 2011; Weber, 2005) posited that learning trigonometry in a way that fosters and advances quantitative reasoning can help alleviate difficulties faced in the teaching of trigonometry. Examining participants’ reasoning …

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Tech And Anxiety: How Can Technology Be Used As A Tool In Teaching Quantitative Biology And Impact Teaching Anxieties?, Miranda Chen Oct 2018

Tech And Anxiety: How Can Technology Be Used As A Tool In Teaching Quantitative Biology And Impact Teaching Anxieties?, Miranda Chen

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

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How Does Training From A Stem Elementary Education Program Influence An Elementary Teacher’S Instruction And Experiences?, Courtney G. Mayakis, Jessica R. Robinson, John Williams Iii Jul 2018

How Does Training From A Stem Elementary Education Program Influence An Elementary Teacher’S Instruction And Experiences?, Courtney G. Mayakis, Jessica R. Robinson, John Williams Iii

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

In the United States, innovation and our economy seem to be lacking in comparison to other countries. Many cite the shortage of individuals interested in STEM careers as part of the problem. The following research article addresses how STEM programs may influence the efficacy and practice of curriculum integration as well as the mathematics and science instruction of teachers in elementary education. Data were collected using interviews and taped instruction from an elementary educator who graduated from a STEM-focused elementary program. This exploratory case study will aid in understanding how preservice programs focusing on STEM-integrated curriculum in elementary education can …

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Supporting Intermediate Teachers' Implementation Of The Ngss Through A Collaboration Based On Mutuality, Elisha Nichole Swanson Jun 2018

Supporting Intermediate Teachers' Implementation Of The Ngss Through A Collaboration Based On Mutuality, Elisha Nichole Swanson

Theses and Dissertations

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are based on a wealth of research on science education and student learning and written by a range of experts from relevant fields. This study is significant and timely, given the recent release of these standards which are designed to build a scientifically literate and productive society. The potential impact on K-12 students rests on the shoulders of educational professionals in the schools. The elementary level presents a unique set of challenges for quality science instruction, implicating a need for classroom support to address limiting factors. The scope of the study is narrow; a …

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Educators’ Perceptions Of Integrated Stem: A Phenomenological Study, Brian K. Sandall, Darrel L. Sandall, Abram L. J. Walton Apr 2018

Educators’ Perceptions Of Integrated Stem: A Phenomenological Study, Brian K. Sandall, Darrel L. Sandall, Abram L. J. Walton

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

The study utilized a semistructured interview approach to identify phenomena that are related to integrated STEM education by addressing the question: What are the critical components of an integrated STEM definition and what critical factors are necessary for an integrated STEM definition’s implementation? Thirteen expert practitioners were identified and interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed for content in three different ways: by person, by interview question, and across all interviews using exploratory data analysis methods. Ten identified phenomena were grouped into two classes: structural implementation phenomena and interpersonal implementation phenomena. The structural implementation phenomena were: subject integration, project-based learning, …

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Making Connections: Evaluation Of A Professional Development Program For Teachers Focused On Stem Integration, Judy Lambert, Carmen Cioc, Sorin Cioc, Dawn Sandt Apr 2018

Making Connections: Evaluation Of A Professional Development Program For Teachers Focused On Stem Integration, Judy Lambert, Carmen Cioc, Sorin Cioc, Dawn Sandt

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

This article reports on a 2-year evaluation of a STEM integration professional development (PD) program for 40 math, science, and special education teachers in Grades 5–9 from a large Midwestern public school district. The National Research Council’s framework for integrated STEM education (Honey, Pearson, & Schweingruber, 2014) was used to explain the goals, outcomes, nature and scope, and implementation of the program. Teachers were measured on their growth in STEM content knowledge, technology integration, teaching confidence, pedagogical beliefs, and impact of PD. Increases resulted in all these areas with statistically significant improvements in most of them, particularly in Year 2. …

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Preservice Teachers’ Creation Of And Beliefs About Culturally Responsive And Critical Mathematics Tasks, And Their Beliefs About The Students For Whom Their Tasks Were Intended, Tisa Trask Apr 2018

Preservice Teachers’ Creation Of And Beliefs About Culturally Responsive And Critical Mathematics Tasks, And Their Beliefs About The Students For Whom Their Tasks Were Intended, Tisa Trask

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, case study methodology was used to explore secondary mathematics preservice teachers (PSTs) attempts to construct tasks for lower income, predominantly African American students at a cultural immersion site who PSTs encountered frequently and interviewed. PST beliefs about their tasks and their students were also investigated. The first research aim of this study was to investigate PSTs’ attempts to create culturally responsive mathematics tasks for themselves and for the students. PSTs incorporated students’ personal and cultural details in tasks for the students. However, they had greater difficulty integrating cultural backdrops into the primary mathematics activities of tasks they …

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Changes In Teacher Thinking And Action In Response To The Next Generation Science Standards, Angela R. Bowden Mar 2018

Changes In Teacher Thinking And Action In Response To The Next Generation Science Standards, Angela R. Bowden

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the role of K-12 science teachers’ understandings and perceptions of the Next Generation Science Standards, implementation of the new standards in the classroom, and potential barriers to implementation as reform stakeholders had envisioned. Grounded in the relevant literature and working from the Teacher-Centered System Reform framework, this study employed a quantitative approach to data collection. The TCSR Model framed this study by linking teachers’ demographic and professional profile, teaching experience, professional development, district-level, school-level, and classroom-level contexts and illuminates the dynamic effect the factors have on teachers’ thinking and their practice. The study recognizes teachers’ knowledge and …

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Learning To See The Forest For The Corn: Establishing Sense Of Place And Community In A Field-Based Ecology Course For Pre-Service Educators, Michelle Edgcomb Friday Feb 2018

Learning To See The Forest For The Corn: Establishing Sense Of Place And Community In A Field-Based Ecology Course For Pre-Service Educators, Michelle Edgcomb Friday

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation grounded theory techniques were used to characterize pre-service educators’ experiences in a semester-long, field-based ecology course. Through participation in a citizen science project, participants formed a community of practice that extended their conceptions of themselves as ecology students and scientists. Extended field experiences in a variety of local ecosystems contributed to the development of a sense of place. Paired fieldwork with lecture aided their developing ecological literacy and their understanding of place-based pedagogy. All of these combined to support their growing understanding of their role in field-based ecology education. Lack of background in ecology and ecology pedagogy …

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The Look Of Pedagogical Content Knowledge In Middle School Statistics, Dhimitraq Duni Jan 2018

The Look Of Pedagogical Content Knowledge In Middle School Statistics, Dhimitraq Duni

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I attempt to examine the nature of pedagogical content knowledge (Shulman, 1986) that teachers exhibit while observing computer-animated animations that bring up pedagogical issues in the classroom. In-service teachers were asked to view different animations and react to different prompts about the animations. Later, teachers were interviewed to prompt more discussion of pedagogical issues with the intention of clarifying their stance and their knowledge of pedagogy. The computer animations were utilized as a surrogate for classroom teaching, highlighting issues that could be otherwise overlooked during live teaching observation.

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