Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Can CP Be Less Than CV?, Yingbin Ge, Samuel L. Montgomery, Gabriel L. Borrello

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Can C_P be less than C_V? This is a fundamental question in physics, chemistry, chemical engineering, and mechanical engineering. This question hangs in the minds of many students, instructors, and researchers. The first instinct is to answer “Yes, for water between 0 and 4 °C” if one knows that water expands as temperature decreases in this temperature range. The same question is asked in several Physical Chemistry and Physics textbooks. Students are supposed to answer that water contracts when heated at below 4 °C in an isobaric process. Because work is done to the contracting water, less …

Student Perceptions Of The Online Introductory Biology Laboratory Curriculum Using A Framework Of Vision And Change And Its Core Competencies, Erin Ulrich

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, an Introductory Biology course at a private university was reformatted to an online format. To examine student perceptions of the effectiveness of the laboratory portion of the course, a researcher designed questions based on the Vision and Change core competencies and presented them to a representative sample of students in virtual interviews. The themes which emerged from the student responses were that students had positive views of their comfort level with the scientific method, the virtual laboratory synchronous format, worksheet activities, breakout rooms, and lessons with social relevance to college-aged students.

Young Mathematicians: Stem Skills For Success, Lindsey Herlehy

Publications & Research

Our youngest STEAM learners are creative and curious but require support and foundational skills in math and science. Through play-based, open-ended explorations, young students can engage in STEAM-learning skills such as subitizing, sorting, drawing, and patterns. In this session, participants will actively take part in activities highlighting each of the mathematical foundations, examine STEAM-integrated tasks that support these concepts, and share resources to be used in the classroom.

Mindfulness & Mindset: The Winning Combination? The Exploration Of The Unstuck Method® On Developmental Math Students: A Mixed Methods Study, Edite Birnbaum, Edith L. Birnbaum

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

Many students enter colleges having to take non-credit-bearing courses, and many do not pass these courses due to numerous factors, including anxiety and stress, especially in mathematics. Current literature shows how mindfulness-based interventions (Bamber, & Schneider, 2016; Dvořáková et al., 2017; Hidman, 2013; Miller et al. 2019; Regehr et al., 2013) and a growth mindset (Blackwell et al., 2007; Boaler et al., 2018; May, 2009) have a positive effect on student stress, anxiety, and academic success. This mixed-method study focused on the unSTUCK strategy’s impact, a mindfulness-inspired tool, on foundation math students. The unSTUCK strategy is a mindfulness-inspired program. The …

Research-Practice Partnership Strategies To Conduct And Use Research To Inform Practice, Erin Henrick, Steven Mcgee, Lucia Dettori, Troy Williams, Andrew M. Rasmussen, Don Yanek, Ronald I. Greenberg, Dale Reed

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Given the complex challenges inherent in improving the quality of education, research-practice partnerships (RPPs) aim to bring together research and practice educators to conduct and use research to improve outcomes for students. This collaborative approach is challenging, and often requires members to adopt new ways of working (Coburn, Penuel, & Geil, 2013). RPPs have the potential to provide an infrastructure and mechanisms to integrate and unify research, policy, and practice, in contrast to traditional research processes in which research, policy, and practice can be in tension (Desimone, Wolford, Hill, 2016). The RPP literature is still young, and rich descriptions related …

Introducing Pre-Service Teachers To Computational Thinking At Scale, Aankit Patel, Ashleigh B. Thompson, Heidi Williams, Octavia Abell, Carolyn Sykora

Publications and Research

This paper describes a replicable partnership model developed by a graduate school of education that aims to improve elementary student performance in science and math through modifications to pre-service methods courses using computational thinking (CT) content and pedagogy. In collaboration with computational thinking subject matter experts at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), a team of childhood education faculty adapted methods courses and field seminars to integrate CT instruction and activities. Pre-service teachers (PSTs) were asked to draw on methods and seminar coursework to design and facilitate CT integrated lessons for grades 1-5 students during field work and …

Supporting Students In Elementary Statistics, J. Christopher Tweddle, Maxwell Luetkemeier

Research Days

General Education mathematics requirements can present a significant hurdle for student progress towards attaining a degree. Nationally, students enrolled in introductory college-level mathematics classes successfully earn credit towards a degree about 65% of attempts. GSU is no exception. Since we began admitting first-year undergraduate students in 2014, we have offered different support opportunities to promote student success. In this paper, we will provide an overview of the interventions and the data on student success in Elementary Statistics. Additionally, we'll provide preliminary information on pilot offering of a corequisite support model.

Dots Explode In HawaiʻI, Veny Liu, Laurie James

Journal of Math Circles

Teachers are wonderful advocates of mathematics for future generations, and they are continually looking for ways to get students more engaged in mathematics. Through visuals and hands-on activities, the Exploding Dots concept can help teachers and students understand many elementary arithmetic and algebra topics. The implemented tasks promote problem-solving by allowing multiple entry points and varied solution strategies. This paper explored this idea beyond drawing clusters of dots by Locking Legos activity. With a thorough understanding of math content, participants in multiple Math Teachers’ Circle of Hawai‘i (MaTCH) meetings expressed confidence in creating and developing meaningful and relevant differentiated learning …

Benefits Of The Virtual Platform For K-12 Stem Outreach, Melanie L. Villatoro, Laurin Moseley

Publications and Research

The number of students enrolling and graduating with STEM degrees in the Unites States must increase exponentially in order to meet the predicted job shortages in STEM. Perkins Peer Advisement is a grant funded program at College X committed to increasing enrollment and retention of female and nontraditional students in engineering technology programs. Program activities include professional development, mentoring, faculty development, and community outreach. Community outreach is a critical component of the program as it benefits the undergraduate students hosting the events as well as the K-12 students participating in them. Studies indicate that greater exposure to STEM at early …

Letter From The Co-Editors, Todd Pagano, Sami Kahn

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Personal Reflections / 4.6.21, José M. Torres

Personal Reflections

No abstract provided.

Netsci High: Bringing Agency To Diverse Teens Through The Science Of Connected Systems, Stephen M. Uzzo, Catherine B. Cramer, Hiroki Sayama, Russell Faux

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

This paper follows NetSci High, a decade-long initiative to inspire teams of teenage researchers to develop, execute and disseminate original research in network science. The project introduced high school students to the computer-based analysis of networks, and instilled in the participants the habits of mind to deepen inquiry in connected systems and statistics, and to sustain interest in continuing to study and pursue careers in fields involving network analysis. Goals of NetSci High ranged from proximal learning outcomes (e.g., increasing high school student competencies in computing and improving student attitudes toward computing) to highly distal (e.g., preparing students for 21st …

Faculty Attitudes Toward Technology-Driven Instruction In Developmental Mathematics, Jenna W. Kramer, Stephany Cuevas, Angela Boatman

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Innovation in instructional technology has contributed to the rapid implementation of technology-driven instructional platforms, particularly in developmental math coursework (Bickerstaff et al., 2016). In this phenomenological study, we investigate how faculty perceive and respond to a mandated, technology-driven instructional model for developmental math coursework at public colleges in Tennessee. Through interviews with faculty members across four colleges, we find that many faculty agreed that technology helped them to better track student performance, provide more targeted assistance, and communicate directly with students. Faculty also expressed concerns that technology provides the opportunity or temptation to game the system, interfering with true learning, …

Metacognition In A Mathematics Classroom, Paige Murta

Honors Projects

The purpose of this action research study is to explore the connections between students’ ability to engage in metacognitive methods, their understanding of mathematical content, and their mathematical performance. By having a group of students engage in a lesson about metacognition and a mathematical modeling problem then comparing their test scores to that of a control group a correlation can be found to analyze the effects of metacognition methods in a mathematics classroom.

What’S The Buzz?, Christine L. Moskalik

Teacher Resources

Read more: Moskalik, C. (2021). What’s the Buzz? A hands-on, interdisciplinary, & FUN way to learn about circuits, energy, engineering, bee communication and pollination. Science and Children. National Science Teaching Association. Volume 58 (Issue 5). May/June 2021.

Fourier’S Heat Equation And The Birth Of Modern Climate Science, Kenneth M. Monks

Differential Equations

No abstract provided.

Leonhard Euler And Johann Bernoulli Solving Homogenous Higher Order Linear Differential Equations With Constant Coefficients, Adam E. Parker

Differential Equations

No abstract provided.

Stitching Dedekind Cuts To Construct The Real Numbers, Michael P. Saclolo

Analysis

No abstract provided.

Instructional Strategies And Rigor: Private School Administrator And Teacher Perspectives On Improving Minnesota’S College Mathematic Readiness, Nichelle Guillaume

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Instructional Strategies and Rigor: Private School Administrator and Teacher Perspectives on Improving Minnesota’s College Mathematic Readiness (May 2021)

This qualitative study explored private high school administrator and teacher perspectives on instructional strategies and rigor to improve Minnesota’s college mathematic readiness. Data collection sources for the study included individual interviews, focus groups, and document review. The study produced four emergent themes from the data collected in the individual interviews and focus groups: (a) Importance of Productive Struggle in Mathematic Instruction; (b) Necessary Balance of Mathematical Conceptual Understanding with Skill Acquisition; (c) Connection of Continuous Assessment to Mathematic Content Mastery and (d) …

Modeling Through Model-Eliciting Activities: An Analysis Of Models, Elements, And Strategies In High School. The Cases Of Students With Different Level Of Achievement, Jair J. Aguilar

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

A mathematical client-driven task known as Model-Eliciting Activities was implemented with students of different levels of achievement (i.e., low, average, and high) at the high-school level. The study strived to prove that Model-Eliciting Activities can be solved by students at any achievement level and be used as an assessment tool. Students collaborated in teams of three to develop solutions that met the client’s needs. The model-solutions were compared and contrasted among several dimensions and achievement levels, considering the quality of the final product-solution based on the Quality Assessment Guide, the intermedia product composed of the type of models created, the …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 33, No. 1, April 2021

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

In This Issue of Hexapod Herald

• Student News - p. 2-3

• Alumni News - p. 4

• Faculty News - p. 5

• Dr. Scott Hutchins visits UNL campus - p. 6

• Publications - p. 6

Stop-Motion Animation To Model The Analemma, Leslie Atkins Elliott, Amanda Hunter, Carl Krutz, Shakayla Moran, Elliot Sherrow

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Sun does not return to the same position in the sky every 24 hours. At local noon, for example, the Sun will appear higher in the sky as we move from winter to summer solstice. In addition, and perhaps more surprisingly, solar days (the roughly 24 hours between subsequent local noons) vary in length, causing the Sun to be east or west of its location 24 hours prior. Over a year, this variation traces out a figure 8, known as an analemma, as shown in Fig.1. It can also be seen in the sundial in Fig. 2, where the …

Investigating Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Virginia Computer Science Standards Of Learning: A Qualitative Multiple Case Study, Valerie Sledd Taylor

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Computer science education is being recognized globally as necessary to better prepare students in all grade levels, K-12, for future success. As a result of this focus on computer science education in the United States and around the world, there is an increased demand for highly qualified teachers with content and pedagogical knowledge to successfully support student learning. As a result, there is a call to include and improve the computer science training offered to pre-service teachers in their educator preparation programs from methods courses to practicum and student teaching experiences. Thus, it is important to understand how pre-service teachers …

The Importance Of Using Manipulatives In Math Class, Jennifer Lange

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review synthesizes research on how the use of manipulatives in math class benefit the learner. The problem is that the students are not always given the opportunity to explore and learn through the use of math manipulatives in order to gain a strong foundation and understanding of mathematical concepts. The purpose of this literature review is to explore the benefits of using manipulatives in the classroom and the impact it has on student achievement levels. The literature review is made up of research studies published within the last 10 years and explores the different types of manipulatives, levels …

Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2021, 141st Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Thirty-First Annual Meeting, April 23-24, 2021

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Anthropology

Applied Science and Technology

Biological and Medical Sciences

Collegiate Academy: Biology

Collegiate Academy: Chemistry and Physics

Earth Sciences

Environmental Sciences

General Chemistry

General Physics

Teaching of Science and Mathematics

Friend of Science Award: Paul Karr

Standardized Tests: Effects On Science Education And Diversity In Science, Rachel A. Rucker

Honors Thesis

Standardized tests are ubiquitous in the American educational system. The excessive use of standardized tests has led to a decrease in taught content and has pushed teachers at the high school level to adopt less effective teaching styles that are also extremely common for introductory STEM courses at the undergraduate level. The heavy reliance on ACT and SAT scores for acceptance into college is misplaced, as the ACT/SAT are poor predictors of STEM college graduation. Also, underrepresented students (women, racial minorities, and lower socioeconomic groups) are disproportionately impacted by the heavy use of standardized tests. These students tend to score …

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

Publications

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!

Action Research Project: Using Mobymax To Increase Student's Fact Fluency, Brooke Faber

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research was pursued by the researcher's inquisitiveness about math fact fluency specifically using the technological platform MobyMax Fact Fluency to help boost student's fact fluency. The researcher is a first-grade teacher in her 8th year of teaching. The whole class of 17 students were a part of the class-wide research study. The five-week study examined the use of technology in the classroom. Specifically, the use of MobyMax Fact Fluency to determine if students showed growth in their fact fluency knowledge. Throughout the study, students were progress monitored every two weeks. The data suggests that with the implementation of …

Math Fact Fluency Instruction, Kelsey Nickel

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review investigates the purpose and importance of math facts instruction at the elementary level. Being able to know basic math facts both fluently and accurately is the foundation of mathematics education. There has been research showing the lack of math facts knowledge for the students in the United States compared to their peers in other countries. Math curriculum does not focus on math facts instruction enough to achieve mastery without the use of supplemental strategies. There has been research done on the strategies to study the effectiveness. These strategies include rote memorization strategies, computer assisted instruction, educational games, …

The Effect Of Interleaved Practice In A High School Chemistry Class, Alex Herrington

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Determining practices to produce optimal learning outcomes is a foundational objective for educators. Recent publications have identified the importance of practice sequencing structures (blocked vs interleaved) on learning. While this information has significant value for education, few studies have been conducted in authentic educational environments. This action research involved high school chemistry students (n=25) completing a practice assignment covering mole-mass conversions. One group practiced these problems in a blocked organization while the other was interleaved. Immediately following this assignment, students noted their completion time and rated their perceived difficulty. Three days later, students were given an unannounced interleaved assessment of …