Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Gateway Scholarships In Biological Sciences: Year 3 Annual Report, Vicki Stieha, Julia Oxford, Amy Ulappa, Brittnee Earl, Jennifer Forbey, Laura Bond, Kevin Feris, Jocelyn Cullers

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report summarizes grant activities, progress toward goals, and broader impacts of the Gateway Scholars Program in the Boise State Department of Biological Sciences during the 2019-20 academic year.

Obituary: Thomas Henry Kunz (1938–2020), Allen Kurta, Winifred F. Frick, M. Brock Fenton, Polly Campbell, Gary F. Mccracken, Robert M. Timm, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Dr. Thomas Henry Kunz, an internationally recognized expert on the ecology and behavior of bats and Professor at Boston University, passed away on April 13, 2020 in Dedham, Massachusetts, at the age of 81 as the result of complications from COVID-19. “Tom,” to his many friends and colleagues, was born on June 11, 1938 in Independence, Missouri, to William H. and Edna F. (Dornfeld) Kunz. He married Margaret Louise Brown on December 27, 1962 in Faucett, Missouri, Margaret’s hometown. Two children were born to Margaret and Tom—Pamela Kunz (Jeffrey Kwan) and David Kunz (Nicole, née D’Angelo), and five grandchildren.

As …

Engaging Secondary Math Teachers In Breaking Down Barriers For English Learners, Julie M. Kane

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This study used mixed methods to examine middle school mathematics teachers’ beliefs about English Learners’ ability to participate in rigorous, grade-level math instruction as well as beliefs about their own capacity for teaching English Learners. Additionally, the study investigated the influence of teachers’ beliefs on their instructional practices and identified the types of support teachers need to develop as culturally and linguistically responsive educators. Findings revealed some dissonance between teachers’ explicit beliefs about teaching English Learners and their implicit beliefs illustrated through instructional decisions made, as well as previously unrecognized gaps in teachers’ ability to identify and differentiate the needs …

Introduction And Remembrance, Amanda Wall

Becoming: Journal of the Georgia Association for Middle Level Education

Introduction to the issue and remembrance for Dr. Lounsbury

Quaranteaching In The Time Of Covid-19: Exemplar From A Middle Grades Virtual Classroom, Amanda Woods, Stacie K. Pettit, Christi Pace

Becoming: Journal of the Georgia Association for Middle Level Education

The COVID-19 pandemic dropped educators across the world straight into remote learning with little time to prepare. As some have inevitably struggled, other middle grades educators have overcome beginning hurdles to not only survive, but thrive amidst this new challenge. One teacher in particular, despite being in her first year, has found innovative ways to connect and motivate her middle grades students in a virtual environment. This article extends the steps, tips, and resources article (Author 3, Author 2, & Barker, K. S. also in this issue?) to provide a personal example of the successes (and yet still challenges) that …

Fostering Physics Content And Pedagogy Learning By Future Physics Teachers Via Student Authored Youtube Video Projects, David Abbott, Dan L. Macisaac, Brad Gearhart, Kathleen Falconer, Florian Genz, Andre Bresges, Stefan Hoffmann, Jeremias Weber

Videos for Physics Teaching

We describe a curricular innovation for STEM teacher preparation -- the use of video projects in undergraduate and graduate physics courses for future physics teachers at SUNY Buffalo State. US courses were adapted under the guidance of our colleagues’ similar work at Universität zu Köln [1]. Our students prepared end of course short “proof of concept” rough video vignettes of 5-10min addressing both physics content and physics pedagogical topics. YouTube [2] example videos are provided, and insights are shared.

Reflection And Inquiry-Based Teaching: Exploring Reflective Practices In Beginning Secondary Science Teachers, Ana Rivero, Elizabeth B. Lewis

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Science teachers’ reflections can be used as an opportunity to improve teaching through inquiry-based instruction (White, Frederiksen, & Collins, 2009), especially during their first years as teachers. Yet more work is still needed to support the development of beginning teachers’ reflective practices (Russell & Martin, 2014). The purpose of this exploratory multi-methods study was to describe: (a) beginning secondary science teachers’ reflective practices up to 4 years after completing their teacher education program, (b) the factors that might have an effect on these practices for participants, and (c) the connection (if any) between their inquiry-based instruction and reflective practices. We …

New Working Group: Teaching Mathematics For Social Justice In The Context Of University Mathematics Content And Methods Courses, Eva Thanheiser, Frances K. Harper, Christa Jackson, Naomi Jessup, Crystal Kalinec-Craig, Cathery Yeh, Amanda Sugimoto

Education Faculty Articles and Research

"There are three goals for this new working group: 1) To create a community of mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) who are (or are interested in) collaboratively teaching mathematics for social justice (TMfSJ) in their university content and/or methods classes. 2) To collaboratively select/develop/modify TMfSJ tasks and implement those in mathematics content/methods classes. 3) To research the implementation of TMfSJ tasks in content and methods classes."

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Pre-Algebra 1 Mini-Camp Summer Intervention Program For Rising Seventh-Grade Algebra 1 Honors Students, Deanna Haught

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a summer intervention program for middle school Algebra 1 Honors students. The intervention program, Pre-Algebra 1 Mini-Camp, was offered for rising seventh grade students at a middle school prior to them entering Algebra 1 in the Fall semester. The literature review and analysis of data from school districts in Central Florida showed that the increase in middle grade students enrollment in Algebra 1 has coincided with a decrease in the passing rate among those students on the Florida Algebra 1 End of Course exam and the course. The intervention program and this study were …

Evidence Of Science Of Instruction Principles And Mathematics Teaching Practices In Undergraduate Elementary Education Mathematics Methods Courses' Coverage Of Geometry And Measurement In The State University System Of Florida, Rachel Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study investigated the extent to which elementary education mathematics methods courses exposed preservice teachers to research-based pedagogical practices grounded in cognitive science as well as best practices for mathematics instruction. A line-by-line content analysis of textbooks and course syllabi from ten teacher education programs within the State University System SUS) of Florida was completed. Evidence of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCTM) eight high leverage Mathematics Teaching Practices (MTPs) was documented on the © Scoring Rubric for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Mathematics Teaching Practices (MTPs), and Mayer's (2009) Science of Instruction Principles (SOIPs) were …

Shared Responsibility Of Highly Effective Co-Teachers In Middle School Mathematics Classrooms, Ann Hembrook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Currently, most students with disabilities (SWDs) receive a majority of their education in the general education classroom (U.S. Department of Education, 2019). This inclusive practice reflects educational and accountability requirements described in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015). To address these requirements, schools seek service delivery models that support SWDs and close achievement gaps (Murawski & Goodwin, 2014). In this study, the researcher investigated the lived experiences of highly effective middle school teachers using co-teaching as a service delivery model to support SWDs in the general education classroom. The researcher used …

Using Project-Based Learning As A Tool For Teaching Mathematics In Urban Elementary Schools, Bernadette Jaster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the lived experiences and views of fourth- and fifth-grade math teachers who implemented project-based learning (PBL) addressed the needs of their at-risk students in urban schools. The researcher examined the use of PBL in mathematics-impacted instruction, seeking to understand teacher beliefs related to the influence of exposure to PBL experiences on students' academic outcomes. When deliberately planned and embedded into teaching, the implementation of PBL helps students retain content, improve attitudes about learning, and improve their ability to collaborate with others (Cervantes et al., 2015). A literature review was conducted to …

Disability- And Mathematics-Related Outcomes Of Adolescents Born Late-Preterm: An Examination Of Eighth-Grade Ecls-K Participants, Annette Romualdo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

To capture a snapshot of the late-preterm academic phenotype in adolescence, and to address a research gap in empirical investigation, the researcher in the present study compared disability- and mathematics-related eighth-grade age outcomes of those born late-preterm (n = 330), to full-term (n = 5434) peers. Through an analysis of Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K) the researcher in the present study examined the impact of late-preterm birth on disability-related school outcomes in adolescent-age, as measured by (1) presence of special education services; (2) presence of learning disability or other disability; (3) and presence of increased behavioral …

Combined Cognitive-Motivational Modules Delivered Via An Lms Increase Undergraduate Biology Grades, Jennifer Cromley, Tony Perez, Avi Kaplan, Ting Dai, Kyle Mara, Michael J. Balsai

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Students’ success in undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses requires effective studying behavior, but also the motivation to enact it. Promoting students’ achievement in STEM has commonly focused on either study strategies (cognitive) or motivational interventions; we hypothesized that combinations of these would be more effective. Using a learning management system (LMS) for delivery, we iteratively developed and tested the effect of different combinations of one of the four cognition-focused with one of the three motivation-focused intervention modules. Participants were 3,092 undergraduate introductory biology students tested in 10 studies at three universities over 4 years. They were randomly …

Elementary Principals’ Constraints And Considerations When Hiring And Assigning Mathematics Teachers, Kathleen Schofield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Quality issues existed in mathematics instruction in elementary classrooms in a region in Florida. As a possible contributor to that problem, principals were hiring and assigning mathematics teachers who may have possessed insufficient content knowledge. Elementary teachers are frequently teamed in the region, with 1 teacher assigned to provide instruction in mathematics and the other to provide literacy instruction. The purpose of this study was to understand factors elementary school principals considered when hiring and assigning mathematics teachers as well as possible budgetary and other constraints that may have affected the depth of the applicant pool and related staffing decisions. …

Preparing New Jersey Community College Students For The Mathematics Placement Tests, Charles Edward Haas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although most new college students had to demonstrate algebraic and basic mathematics mastery to earn a high school diploma or the equivalent, the majority of incoming New Jersey community college students are not showing this knowledge on the mathematics placement tests, thus placing into developmental courses, which must be successfully completed before students can attempt any college-level mathematics courses. Guided by Knowles’ theory of andragogy and developmental mathematics as a core concept, the purpose of this study was to determine ways to help incoming New Jersey community college students prepare for the ACCUPLACER mathematics tests. The research questions addressed testing …

Rural Elementary Educator Perceptions About Mathematics Instructional Resources And Strategies, Kristina Gabrielle Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increasing number of students in a rural elementary school have not met the mathematics proficiency benchmark. Despite these changes made to mathematic curriculum and instruction, student data continued to indicate an increasing number of students in Grades 3–6 had not met the mathematics proficiency standard. The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of elementary mathematics teachers in Grades 3–6 and administrators regarding instructional resources, strategies used to teach mathematics, and professional development for teaching mathematics. Archer and Hughes’ concept of explicit instruction formed the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research questions for this study addressed …

Ionic Bonding Curriculum Unit: An Electrostatic Framework, Mary Frank Lamar

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

This mixed methods study compared two groups of high school students’ understanding of the ionic bond and the dissolving process. A 5 lesson curriculum unit was developed using Taber’s electrostatic framework (1997) focusing on the electrostatic forces between ions compared to a molecular framework (business-as-usual) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013). The lessons were developed to integrate spatially integrated experiences. Experimental (new curriculum unit) and business-as-usual (criss-cross method) students had their spatial skills tested before and after learning about the ionic bond using the Purdue Spatial Visualization-Rotations Test (PVST-Rot; Bodner & Guay, 1997). Students’ content was …

Can Less Be More? Study Load And Its Effect On Science Achievement Among Chinese Eighth-Grade Students, Xian Wu

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The present study addressed a core research question of “Can less be more?” concerning study load, which has become increasingly worrisome and controversial around the world. This idea reflects the philosophy of pursuing efficiency and effectiveness on learning, namely that a lighter study load may result in more successful academic achievement. The study adopted the IPO (input-process-output) model to address five interrelated research questions: 1) What are the structural characteristics of study load? 2) Is there any individual difference in study load? 3) What are the characteristics of teachers and schools under which students tend to have a heavier study …

Bridging The Gap: Effects Of Dual Credit College Algebra On Postsecondary Education Outcomes, Karen S. Heavin

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The contraction of the blue-collar economy is slowly rendering the high school diploma obsolete as an entry-level requirement for middle class employability. Over the last 40 years, jobs requiring some sort of postsecondary education or post-high school credential increased from 28% to 62%, while lower-skilled jobs, traditionally filled by high school graduates or those without a high school diploma, decreased from 72% to 38%. As automation slowly replaces the blue-collar workforce, it is critical that our educational system provides all students the necessary tools to successfully complete a postsecondary degree or credential.

This study examined two groups of graduating high …

A Case Study Of A Stem Specialist Co-Teaching Model, Kristen Lynn Witt

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

This research is focused on elementary science teaching and learning with support of a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) specialist because science tends to be nearly absent from self-contained classrooms in the primary grades. Research has established STEM education needs to increase, however, a key question for researchers remains who should teach science and how we can improve teacher efficacy for science education. The purpose of this study is to discover the impacts of a STEM specialist’s role on an elementary school’s daily science instruction. “Impact” refers to teachers, administrators, and student’s value in science education, teacher’s confidence in …

Test 2220: John Deere 7r 310, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Test 2221: John Deere 7r 330, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Test 2222: John Deere 8r 340, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Test 2223: John Deere 8r 370, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Test 2224: John Deere 8r 410, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Test 2228: John Deere 8rx 410, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Nebraska Summary 1194: John Deere 6145m Ft4, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

A History Of Fire At Hitchcock Nature Center, Western Iowa, Reconstructed Through An Analysis Of Macroscopic Charcoal And Soil-Magnetic Properties, Christoph E. Geiss, Nicole E. Towner

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

We analyzed soil-magnetic properties and macroscopic charcoal abundances for two soil profiles located in Hitchcock Nature Center (HNC), Honey Creek, Iowa. Both profiles are located on valley bottoms in the Loess Hills of western Iowa and developed in redeposited Peoria loess. Site HNC 15D is located on an elevated stream terrace and contains a moderately well-developed modern soil. Site HNC 15G is located on a valley floor and consists of a poorly developed modern soil and a series of buried soil horizons. Both sites record consistently low charcoal concentrations of 0.5 mm2 /g in prehistoric deposits. While site HNC 15D …

Her Voice: Engaging And Preparing Girls With Disabilities For Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math Careers, Amy Jane Griffiths, Angel Miles Nash, Zachary Maupin, Sneha Kohli Mathur

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related fields comprise the top 30 occupations expected to grow the fastest by 2026. This increase in job opportunities, coupled with the evolution of technology, is creating higher demands for diversity in the labor market. Currently all students require innovative training and support from a young age to pursue STEM careers successfully. However, women and girls with disabilities face unique barriers along the STEM education pipeline. In this paper, we report the current and projected labor market trends in the United States. We then consider how this labor market information can be used by …