Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Stem And Pre-Health Students’ Diminishing Online Conversation Volume Regarding Majors And Careers Within The Field: Why Higher Education Should Care, Susan Roh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the STEM and pre-health online mention volume change regarding STEM and pre-health majors, careers, and universities, with the data collection period encompassing August of 2018 through June of 2021. We evaluated if the mention sentiment shifted between academic year periods. The data gathered for this study was procured in collaboration with Campus Sonar and the social-listening tool of Brandwatch, which allowed for specifications of the data collected. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to determine the means of the majors, careers, and universities mentions and mean sentiment volumes. Changes in not only online conversation …

Development And Assessment Of Gamified Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning Activities In Undergraduate Large Lecture Chemistry Courses, Nathan Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students who take general chemistry and do not perform well are more likely to pursue an alternative degree or remove themselves from STEM curriculum entirely. Poor academic performance and high student attrition rates in general chemistry courses have resulted in the perception of chemistry courses being gatekeepers for students in pursuit of STEM degrees. Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) has shown promising results in both lecture and laboratory teaching on student performance in chemistry while gamification has been used to enhance student learning experiences to help students grasp chemistry concepts. The current project blends two student-centered approaches, gamification and POGIL, …

K-5 Teachers' Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Challenges In Mathematics, Nataine Latoya Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem for this study was that K-5 teachers in a northeastern school district were challenged to implement culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices in mathematics instruction. The purpose of this study was to explore K–5 teachers' perceptions about the challenges of using CRT practices in mathematics with culturally diverse students and to identify teacher suggestions for needed resources and training. Gay’s culturally responsive teaching theory formed the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research questions focused on providing K—5 teacher perceptions about their challenges of implementing CRT practices with culturally diverse students and about their suggestions for resources and …

Mathematics Teachers’ Use Of Assessment And Instructional Strategies, Bianca Croutch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. middle school teachers have struggled to meet the instructional needs of students in the area of mathematics. Teachers’ approaches to assessment and instructional strategies remain understudied; such knowledge could help educational leaders to devise strategies to boost student achievement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of assessment data usage and instructional strategies used in middle school mathematics. The conceptual framework was based on Fullan et al.’s three Ps (precision, personalization, and professional learning) framework. The guiding research questions for this study concerned teachers’ perceptions of assessment usage and instructional strategies and their considerations prior …

The Impact Of A Multidisciplinary Service-Learning Project On Engineering Knowledge And Professional Skills In Engineering In Engineering And Education Students, Stacie I. Ringleb, Pilar Pazos, Francisco Cima, Isaac Koduah Kumi, Orlando M. Ayala, Krishnanand Kaipa, Jennifer Jill Kidd, Kristie Gutierrez, Min Jung Lee

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

A multidisciplinary service-learning project that involved teaching engineering to fourth and fifth graders was implemented in three sets of engineering and education classes to determine if there was an impact on engineering knowledge and teamwork skills in both the engineering and education students as well as persistence in the engineering students. Collaboration 1 paired a 100-level engineering Information Literacy class in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering with a 300-level Educational Foundation class. Collaboration 2 combined a 300-level Electromechanical Systems class in Mechanical Engineering with a 400-level Educational Technology class. Collaboration 3 paired a 300-level Fluid Mechanics class in Mechanical Engineering Technology …

Nebraska Summary: S1256 Fendt 722 Vario Gen7, 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 …

How It Course Improves Digital Competencies: An Experimental Study In Science Education, Mustafa Tevfik Hebebci, Helen Crompton

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The rising significance of technology in society has caused a surge in the requirement of individuals possessing digital competencies. In the current era, digital skills are progressively vital for both personal and occupational growth. Governments have acknowledged the value of digital competencies and have incorporated them as part of fundamental proficiencies in numerous countries. Pre-service teachers have a paramount role in molding forthcoming generations, highlighting their necessity to possess robust digital competencies. This research centers on how an "Information Technologies in Science Education" course influences the digital competency progression in pre-service teachers. The study deployed a pre-test post-test experimental design …

How Does Working On An Interdisciplinary Service-Learning Project Vs. A Disciplinary Design Project Affect Peer Evaluators' Teamwork Skills, Isaac Koduah Kumi, Stacie I. Ringleb, Orlando M. Ayala, Pilar Pazos, Francisco Cima, Krishnanand Kaipa, Min Jung Lee, Kristie Gutierrez, Jennifer Jill Kidd

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Over the course of several semesters, two different project-based learning approaches were used in two undergraduate engineering courses–a 100-level introductory course that covered a general education requirement on information literacy and a 300-level fluid mechanics course. One project (treatment) was an interdisciplinary service-learning project, implemented with undergraduate engineering and education students who collaborated to develop and deliver engineering lessons to fourth and fifth-grade students in a field trip model. The other projects (comparison) involved a team-based design project contained within each class. In the 100-level course, students selected their project based on personal interests and followed the engineering design process …

Arts-Based Interdisciplinary Music And Mathematics Tasks: Exploring Conceptualizations Of Equitable Creative Learning In Teacher Education, Alesia Mickle Moldavan, Graham Johnson

Georgia Educational Researcher

Preservice teachers need opportunities in teacher education courses to explore arts-based interdisciplinary learning that can inspire connections between communities of practice and allow learners to integrate concepts and imagine creative possibilities. This study reports on preservice teachers engaged in a workshop on arts-based interdisciplinary music and mathematics tasks. Data included surveys, task-related artifacts, and participant observations to examine how preservice teachers conceptualize and engage in such tasks. Three resonating themes were identified, revealing that preservice teachers generally thought (a) music and mathematics are more engaging and relatable in interdisciplinary contexts than when taught alone, (b) interdisciplinary music and mathematics tasks …

Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Framing Of Mathematical Discussions After Problem-Solving Through Mursion™ Simulation, Sezai Kocabas, Melva Grant, Signe Kastberg, Hanan Alyami

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Research on pre-service teachers' discussion practices has focused on decompositions of practice into subskills, while acknowledging the importance of the role of context, identity, and relationships between interactive moves. We focused on 66 elementary preservice teachers' (PSTs') framing-launching moves in discussions after problem-solving in a MursionTM custom simulation. PSTs used five moves: gathering information about student processes, focusing on problem features, task and non-task oriented social interactions, and partner talk. Empirical findings of PSTs' intentions and tacit actions coupled with study findings of the diversity in PSTs' framing moves, highlight the complexity of teacher decision making involved in discussion subsills …

“Should Wellbeing Be The Same As Perfection?” A Case Study On Student Wellbeing In Higher Mathematics Education, Marcelo Alonso Almora Rios

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Previous research has given the impression that reticent is our hunt for optimal teaching practices, educational goals, and nature of mathematical workings. In this regard, we have (seemingly) ended up with the following inquiries:

• What could the math classroom be for? and
• What has the math classroom been for?

These two questions touch on the scary horns of two other charged philosophical dandruffs. Namely:“What are the aims of teaching mathematics?” and “What should be our objectives in learning it?”

The term ‘positive education’ refers to an educational system engendering both the skills of positive wellbeing and traditional, academic achievement (Seligman …

Development Of A Data Science Curriculum For An Engineering Technology Program, Salih Sarp, Murat Kuzlu, Otilia Popescu, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Zafer Acar

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Data science has gained the attention of various industries, educators, parents, and students thinking about their future careers. Statistics departments have traditionally offered data science courses for a long time. The main objective of these courses is to examine the fundamental concepts and theories. However, teaching data science courses has also expanded to other disciplines due to the vast amount of data being collected by numerous modern applications. Also, someone needs to learn how to collect and process data, especially from industrial devices, because of the recent development of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Hence, integrating data science into the …

One In Every Twenty-Six, Rey'na Riggans

Capstone Showcase

There is a disorder that is rather common within the world and yet is not well known. It is a something that affects one in every twenty-six individuals. It is called epilepsy. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which a person to experience bursts of random electrical activity within their brains, these bursts being called "seizures." This article discusses this disorder and goes into detail about the forms of it, procedures that are done to try and help those living with epilepsy, and artwork that is inspired by this disorder.

What Is Active Learning? Perspectives From Five Stem Professors' Teaching Practices In Their Classrooms, Iliana Correa

Capstone Showcase

This senior thesis investigated what ways, if any, STEM professors incorporated active learning pedagogy in their undergraduate classroom in a small private university in the northeast USA. STEM pedagogy was investigated because of the increasing prominence of active learning methods in the classroom compared to the didactic type of teaching that was prominent in the past (Eichler, 2020). A qualitative case study of five STEM professors was conducted and involved collecting data from biographical questions, a one-hour interview, and the analysis of a document provided by the professor that could have been a lesson plan, an assignment, or an activity …

Bibliography, Anne Heintzman

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Bibliography of publications by Anne Heintzman.

Ancient Antimicrobials - An Inquiry-Based Look At The Social Context Behind Microbes, Akacia Halliday-Isaac, Brooke A. Whitworth

Publications

No abstract provided.

Elementary Teachers’ Experiences And Responses To Student Engagement While Teaching Eureka Math Virtually During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jamika D. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

The Covid-19 Pandemic shifted the structure of public education by forcing public schools in Georgia and across the world to shift from a traditional, face-to-face model to a virtual model. This study was conducted to explore elementary teachers’ experiences and responses to issues with student engagement in their virtual Eureka Math classrooms during the Covid-19 Pandemic. A qualitative research design was used to conduct a hermeneutic, phenomenological study that included a document analysis, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews using six elementary school teachers as participants. The resulting data was coded and triangulated using the thematic analysis of overarching themes, which …

Investigating The Influences Of Summer Experiences On Students' Self-Efficacy In Stem, Olivia Palicki

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Improving high school students’ interest and confidence in STEM is a national priority. Educators and stakeholders in educational policy have pressed for increasing opportunities to engage students in authentic science experiences and focus on teaching 21st century skills. The purpose of this case study was to investigate how a summer research experience may have influenced high school students’ self-efficacy and career interests in STEM subjects and practices as well as identifying what students learned from their experience in the program. Pre/post program surveys were analyzed to measure change in student attitudes towards STEM and to capture students learning outcomes from …

Teacher Perspectives On Engaging Sped Students In Stem, Matthew Ripple

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this research is to learn more about the teacher perception of student engagement during STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities, specifically for students with disabilities. Additionally, this research enhances the understanding of which accommodations teachers perceive to be beneficial for students with disabilities, specifically during STEM curricula with an engineering component. To accomplish this purpose, the results from eight teacher interviews were analyzed qualitatively, being treated as case studies. Each of the teachers currently teach a STEM class incorporates at least one unit with a design challenge. Seven themes from teacher interview data are identified as …

Growing In Stem: Hands-On Education Via Tower Gardening, Jeffrey A. Nowak, Shelby Johnston-Werling

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Sole use of a textbook as the primary source of learning in the middle school setting has been linked to potentially limit students’ conceptual understanding of complex content (Driscoll et al., 1994), while the positive impact of hands-on learning has been well documented (Ekwueme et al., 2015; Satterthwait, 2010). Ideally, when a textbook is used in conjunction with content applied in a hands-on manner, student engagement and understanding of standards-based content are increased. In a grant funded collaboration between the Northeast Indiana STEM Education Resource Center housed at Purdue University Fort Wayne and an East Allen Community Schools middle school …

Students' Perspectives Of Thinking With Algebra, David Feikes, William S. Walker Iii, Natalie Mcgathey, Bir Kafle, Brandon H. Sorge

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Thinking With Algebra (TWA) is a curriculum development project for college students needing introductory/intermediate algebra. Unique guiding principles of the project are a focus on algebraic structure, mixed review, equity, and a classroom approach emphasizing small-group work and whole-class discussion (Feikes et al., 2022). Results are derived from a survey given to one class of fifteen students taking an intermediate algebra summer course. The paper shares both Likert and open-ended responses. Data demonstrates that the students believed that the TWA curriculum was beneficial.

Teachers' Instructional Strategies In Integrated Stem Education, Yousef Alrashdi, Paul A. Asunda

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (iSTEM) education has been regarded as a model that provides students with skills necessary for future careers and enhances the economy of nations. Although there is a considerable body of research on the effective educational approaches in iSTEM education including problem-based and project-based learning, the ways teachers implement these approaches remain ambiguous due to a paucity of consensus about how to effectively use iSTEM approaches in classrooms (Thibaut et al., 2018). Additionally, there is a need for further investigation to understand teachers’ instructional strategies and practices in iSTEM education (Bush, 2019). To fulfill this …

Integrated Stem: Impact Of Engineering Design And Computer Science In Stem Labs, Jason Morphew, Ruben Lopez, Amir Bralin, Ravishankar Chatta Subramaniam, Sanjay Rebello, Carina Rebello

Indiana STEM Education Conference

By integrating physics laboratories with engineering design and computer science, students apply physics principles to ill-structured and complex problems, engage in knowledge transfer, and gain interest in STEM. The introductory physics labs at Purdue have been updated to include engineering design and computer science principles that ground physics in authentic problems. Integrated labs have been evaluated using student perception post-surveys, student course performance, interviews, and case-study observations. Preliminary results indicate that integrated physics labs promote transfer, enhanced metacognitive skills, student interest, and motivation.

Achieving Equity And Excellence: A Multilevel Modeling Of The Relationships Among School Climate, Students’ Motivation, And Achievement With Timss 2019, Yao Yang, Tugce Karatas, Tybresha Ebony Glass

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This study examined the effects of students’ motivational factors and school climate factors on eighth-grade math and science achievement in the U.S. using data from the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Two-level, cross-sectional hierarchical linear models were developed to analyze the data. The results showed that there was a significant variation in math and science achievement across schools. Only students’ confidence in math and school SES had statistically significant effects on students’ math achievement. School location and school SES had statistically significant effects on science achievement.

Innovation In Quantum Pedagogy, Application, And Its Relation To Culture (Iqparc), Zeynep Gonca Akdemir, Dongyang Li, Muhsin Menekse, Mahdi Hosseini, Erica W. Carlson, Nicholas Dang

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Innovation in Quantum Pedagogy, Application, and its Relation to Culture (IQ-PARC) is a team of Purdue faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students who collaborate and work for the National Defense Education Program (NDEP) for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, outreach, and workforce initiative programs. We promote a STEM-literate workforce by providing learning opportunities for youth to understand basic principles and applications of quantum concepts through a variety of both face-to-face and online activities. This research brief describes accomplished tasks in the K-12 education space (e.g., quantum-infused middle school curriculum unit) and shares upcoming plans within the project timeline.

Teachers' Beliefs As A Tool To Extend The Cognitive Equity Concept, Ana-Maria Haiduc, Rose Mbewe, Signe E. Kastberg

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This research aims to extend the framing of the cognitive equity concept in teaching mathematics during the enacted phase of the curriculum beyond race and culture. Cognitive equity characterizes actions of teachers and curricula makers toward valuing differences in cognitive processes. Since beliefs influence teachers' actions, we investigate their ideas about valuing students' unique mathematical cognitive processes. Framing cognitive equity in teaching mathematics contributes to discovering teachers' equitable practices, thus revealing teachers' ways of making more inclusive cognitive curricular decisions. Future research could focus on framing cognitive equity in learning mathematics within the intended and implemented phase of the curriculum.

Thinking With Algebra: Two Professors' Perspectives, Natalie Mcgathey, Bir Kafle, David Feikes

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This research brief will share insights from using the curriculum, Thinking With Algebra (TWA), a National Science Foundation Project (DUE 2021414). The focus will be on the value of using this curriculum when working specifically with students who have taken Algebra I and Algebra II in high school, but were not prepared for college algebra or precalculus. This curriculum is specifically designed for STEM-track students who place below the level of college algebra when they enter college. The authors have found that TWA helps instructors honor the mathematical knowledge and ideas that students bring into the classroom. The curriculum units …

Investigating Elementary Teachers’ Use Of Mathematics Curriculum Materials, Jueqing Li, Doris Fulwider, Jill Newton

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Investigating Elementary Teachers’ Use of Mathematics Curriculum Materials is a collaborative research project across four universities. The primary goal of the project is to explore teachers’ use of mathematics curricular materials in the context of the proliferation of online resources and the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on curricular coherence, teacher autonomy, and the use of teacher-developed curriculum from sites such as Teachers-Pay-Teachers and Pinterest. We used individual and focus group teacher interviews at several schools representing diverse curricular contexts to explore both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the teachers’ mathematics curricular decision making. Findings from this study highlight …

Developing Sustainability Related Attitudes And 21st Century Skills Through Informal Learning Opportunities, Shamila Janakiraman

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Informal learning environments, like libraries and museums, are known to improve student achievement and motivation (Bartels 2001). A meta-analysis reports on the strong positive effects of after-school programs on feelings and attitudes and school performance (Durlak et al, 2007). When working on after-school programs, middle and high school students may develop skills like communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, information literacy, and digital literacy. Such a program was offered by a 501c(3) organization as an informal learning opportunity. As part of this program, high school student volunteers living in the United States (US) designed and delivered learning experiences for elementary and …

How Rocks Rock: The Processes That Shape Our World, Jennifer Harrison

Lesson Plans

Have you ever thought about how the rocks in your driveway formed? Or the sand on your beach? How about the diamond in a ring or the charcoal in a grill?

All earthen material is subject to forces that impact its properties, from where we find it, how its structure is made and how it behaves under external pressures. Rocks are defined as any inorganic material found in the natural world (meaning not living material). There are 3 types of rock, and where and how they form is important in their classifications. They are subject to geological processes as well …