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2025

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Full-Text Articles in Science and Mathematics Education

Embrace The Journey: Exploring Induction Experiences Of Teachers In Ohio Independent Stem Schools, Laura Sass Jan 2025

Embrace The Journey: Exploring Induction Experiences Of Teachers In Ohio Independent Stem Schools, Laura Sass

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The beginning years of a new teacher are a critical period. This study investigated perceptions of induction activities of new teachers in Ohio Independent STEM schools. STEM-based pedagogies such as problem-based learning and inquiry are core strategies in STEM schools but can be new for beginning teachers. Through a Q-sort, thirteen participants from three Independent STEM Schools ranked statements on a +5 to -5 scale of agreement. This along with a post-sort survey resulted in themes. Positive school culture and colleague collaboration and the impact of the mentoring were found to be the most impactful. This research aligns with literature …


Indiana Stem Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Shift From In-Person To Virtual Training During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Steve Heinold Jan 2025

Indiana Stem Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Shift From In-Person To Virtual Training During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Steve Heinold

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The COVID-19 pandemic brought uncertainty to Indiana teachers in 2020. School closings caused disruptions to teachers’ classroom settings, ongoing training, and social and mental well-being (Pozo-Rico et al., 2020). Indiana GEAR UP’s commitment to teacher professional development for STEM educators led to a shift from their in-person summer teacher training sessions to virtual, just months after the school shutdowns in spring 2020. Participant evaluations showed that teachers appreciated the virtual training options and were able to learn new strategies to apply to their new virtual learning spaces. The online training sessions also had drawbacks. This research brief describes recommendations to …


Spatio-Visual Reasoning And Teamwork Through Hands-On Stem Construction Activities, Comfort Temitope Aje, Maria Eloisa C. Nuguid, Melihan Ünlü, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor Jan 2025

Spatio-Visual Reasoning And Teamwork Through Hands-On Stem Construction Activities, Comfort Temitope Aje, Maria Eloisa C. Nuguid, Melihan Ünlü, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This study examined a STEM activity in which students in grades K-6 designed and built a model of Snoopy’s doghouse with considerations for constraints, teamwork, and iterative design. By combining spatial reasoning with imagination and visualization, students collaborated to create 3-D structures from 2-D plans, demonstrating enhanced spatial visualization and the ability to connect geometry to a tangible engineering task. The findings highlight the value of spatio-visual design activities in promoting skills like spatial reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving.


Supporting Black Math Educators: A Call To Action, Jonathan Dinkins Jan 2025

Supporting Black Math Educators: A Call To Action, Jonathan Dinkins

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Supporting Black math educators is crucial for fostering a more equitable and inclusive educational environment. Some research has shown that ongoing support from administration, various types of professional development (PD) opportunities, and mentoring equip Black math educators with the tools they need to be successful and grow with their educational pursuits (Frank et al., 2021; Moseley, 2018; Sun, 2018). This research brief will define the meaning of support for Black math educators, identify ways in which these supports can be effective, and suggest additional research necessary to continue to push the needle towards a more inclusive educational environment.


Leveraging Undergraduate Expertise For Effective Stem Instruction: Insights From A Forensic Science Teaching Partnership, Swagata Sarkar, Hui-Hui Wang, Austin R. Jenkins, Mariah K. Stollar Jan 2025

Leveraging Undergraduate Expertise For Effective Stem Instruction: Insights From A Forensic Science Teaching Partnership, Swagata Sarkar, Hui-Hui Wang, Austin R. Jenkins, Mariah K. Stollar

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Although integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instruction has been cited as a viable instructional approach to increasing the number of students interested and prepared to enter the STEM workforce, teacher content knowledge can be a limiting factor to effective implementation (Ejiwale, 2013). To address this limitation, college STEM majors can use their content expertise to support the development and implementation of integrated STEM experiences for K-12 students (Ferrara et al., 2018). This research brief reports on a university-high school partnership where undergraduate students in a university forensic science club created and implemented integrated STEM lessons in a local …


A Comparison Of Professional Development For Teachers Of Mathematics In Belize And The United States, David Feikes Jan 2025

A Comparison Of Professional Development For Teachers Of Mathematics In Belize And The United States, David Feikes

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This paper provides a limited comparison of professional development (PD) workshops conducted in Belize and in the United States (US). Three workshops were conducted in Belize; 2019, 2022, and 2024. Multiple workshops were conducted in the US between 2021 and 2023. All workshops in Belize and the US were one week in duration and covered similar topics. Although the working conditions in the schools and workshops were different in each country, data analysis found similar teacher satisfaction and growth results.


Supporting The Self-Confidence Of A Student With Mathematics Learning Disabilities Through The Engineering Design Process, Esra Yilmaz Bilir, Cetin Kursat Bilir, Danyal Soybas Jan 2025

Supporting The Self-Confidence Of A Student With Mathematics Learning Disabilities Through The Engineering Design Process, Esra Yilmaz Bilir, Cetin Kursat Bilir, Danyal Soybas

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Although STEM education has been widely studied, research on its application for students with Mathematics Learning Disabilities (MLDs) remains limited. One promising approach is using an engineering design process (EDP) (Yilmaz Bilir, 2021), which promotes hands-on problem-solving and fosters cognitive and emotional growth. This study explores the self-confidence of an MLD student during the preparation stage of an EDP. The results indicate that the student’s self-confidence in STEM subjects and social communication skills improved even at the preparation stage. These findings emphasize the value of the preparation stage of an EDP and offer insights for designing effective STEM learning modules.


Stem Education In Indiana: Analyzing The Availability Of Stem-Certified Schools For Underrepresented Communities, Bryan J. Duarte Jan 2025

Stem Education In Indiana: Analyzing The Availability Of Stem-Certified Schools For Underrepresented Communities, Bryan J. Duarte

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This study examines the equity of access to STEM-certified schools in Indiana, focusing on differences in student demographics between STEM-certified and non-STEM-certified schools. The results show no statistically significant differences in the percentage of female, non-White, or lower socio-economic students between the two groups. However, significant differences were found in the percentages of Latiné/a/o/x, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Asian students, with these groups being underrepresented in STEM-certified schools compared to non-STEM-certified schools.


Boosting Computational Thinking In Integrated Stem Education With Cad, Hyeong Kyun Park, Jung Han, Yunjin Lim Jan 2025

Boosting Computational Thinking In Integrated Stem Education With Cad, Hyeong Kyun Park, Jung Han, Yunjin Lim

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Integrated STEM education offers a powerful approach to enhancing students’ learning. By integrating science inquiry, technological literacy, engineering design, and mathematical thinking, integrated STEM fosters students’ 21st-century competencies, such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and computational thinking. Drawing from a national integrated STEM project, this research uses a classroom case study to investigate the integration of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and 3D printing into a STEM learning activity. It examines the use of mathematical computation to determine the best solution for a prototype that meet functional criteria. This research highlights how introducing CAD instruction enhances computational thinking within a conceptual framework …


The Power Of Our Words: Imperatives And Personal Pronouns In Written And Enacted Mathematics Curriculum, Amanda Huffman Hayes Jan 2025

The Power Of Our Words: Imperatives And Personal Pronouns In Written And Enacted Mathematics Curriculum, Amanda Huffman Hayes

Indiana STEM Education Conference

As teachers, our use of imperatives (e.g., find, explain) and personal pronouns (e.g., you, we, I) contribute to our students’ learning and the roles they take in class. Using an ethnographic case study design, I explored the language of the written and enacted curriculum in a fundamental algebra course. My analysis revealed the power of language in the relationship between the authors and readers and the teacher and students. Providing students with a share in authority can increase their engagement.


Integrating Turtle Graphics And Engineering Design: Enhancing Problem-Solving And Critical Thinking Through Digital And Physical Prototyping, Abigail Erskine Jan 2025

Integrating Turtle Graphics And Engineering Design: Enhancing Problem-Solving And Critical Thinking Through Digital And Physical Prototyping, Abigail Erskine

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This research brief is a review of literature on integrating Turtle Graphics and engineering design to enhance students' problem-solving and critical thinking through prototyping. Integrating Turtle Graphics with digital and physical prototyping engages students in the engineering design process, helping them bridge abstract mathematical concepts with real-world applications. By combining programming and engineering design, Turtle Graphics supports complex tasks like visualization and design modeling, which improves students’ critical thinking, design thinking, and problem-solving skills. Through iterative testing and refinement, students gain practical insights into engineering concepts such as modeling and creating prototypes.


Proceedings Of The Tenth Annual Indiana Stem Education Conference: Generational Advances Through Stem Education, William S. Walker Iii, Lynn A. Bryan, S Selcen Guzey Jan 2025

Proceedings Of The Tenth Annual Indiana Stem Education Conference: Generational Advances Through Stem Education, William S. Walker Iii, Lynn A. Bryan, S Selcen Guzey

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Indiana STEM Education Conference are edited by the Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM (CATALYST, https://www.education.purdue.edu/catalyst/) at Purdue University. The theme for the 2025 conference is Generational Advances through STEM Education. This year’s conference provides opportunities to learn about effective STEM education strategies, curriculum, and resources to engage students by considering the advances and impact of STEM.


Ginger: The Effect Of Illustrated Storybooks On Children’S Response And Teachers’ Facilitation In Stem Education, Defne Yabas, Tugba Abanoz, M. Sencer Corlu Jan 2025

Ginger: The Effect Of Illustrated Storybooks On Children’S Response And Teachers’ Facilitation In Stem Education, Defne Yabas, Tugba Abanoz, M. Sencer Corlu

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This study aims to explore children’s and teachers’ responses to the integration of illustrated storybook content into STEM activities in early childhood. The correlation between STEM content and illustrations in children's storybooks conveying scientific information is a crucial aspect that can impact children's learning of STEM. Studies have reported the utilization of storybooks in STEM education for young children (Abanoz & Yabaş, 2022; Pantoya et al., 2015), yet an absence of research has been noted regarding the impact of illustrated storybooks on children's engagement in STEM education. There is substantial research evidence that early childhood teachers have low self-efficacy beliefs …


Informal Education Experiences: Why Stem Camps Matter, Jeffrey A. Nowak, Dale Ruppert Jan 2025

Informal Education Experiences: Why Stem Camps Matter, Jeffrey A. Nowak, Dale Ruppert

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This research brief details some of the positive impacts of student participation in after-school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) camps provided by universities and informal education centers as described in published literature. In addition, the authors reviewed 2,841 anonymous participant surveys of 1st-12th grade students involved in nineteen STEM camps held at Purdue University Fort Wayne from 2019-2024 for related findings. Findings indicate that providing an enjoyable and enriching learning environment for STEM camps can foster a mindset of curiosity and a love for learning. Students who attend STEM camps likewise often experience a range of …


Mathematical Modeling For Interdisciplinary Stem Problem-Solving, Dayat Hidayat, Signe Kastberg Jan 2025

Mathematical Modeling For Interdisciplinary Stem Problem-Solving, Dayat Hidayat, Signe Kastberg

Indiana STEM Education Conference

STEM education supports students’ real-world problem solving by utilizing connections between STEM disciplines. Yet teachers have questions about how to provide such support. Mathematical modeling involves the use of mathematics content and processes to solve problems in integrated STEM contexts. In this research brief we illustrate how mathematical modeling can support students’ integrated STEM problem solving.


Ripples Of Change: Middle School Students Navigating The Future Of Our Watershed Through Eco-Stem, Elizabeth Andrew Thiel Jan 2025

Ripples Of Change: Middle School Students Navigating The Future Of Our Watershed Through Eco-Stem, Elizabeth Andrew Thiel

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Ripples of Change is an eco-STEM unit designed to address Indiana’s environmental education goals by fostering environmental literacy and informed decision-making among middle school students. By engaging students in community-based learning activities that empower students to address watershed issues, this eco-STEM unit promotes culturally sustaining integrated STEM education. Preliminary findings indicate increased student awareness and responsibility for their impact on local ecosystems using evidence-based reasoning, highlighting the potential for Ripples of Change to inspire global citizenship in students and scalable eco-STEM approaches.


Leveraging Algebraic Thinking In Stem Education To Equip The Next Generation Of Problem Solvers, Asenath Odondi, Comfort Temitope Aje Jan 2025

Leveraging Algebraic Thinking In Stem Education To Equip The Next Generation Of Problem Solvers, Asenath Odondi, Comfort Temitope Aje

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Algebraic thinking is a critical skill in mathematics education, involving pattern recognition, generalization, symbolic manipulation, and problem-solving. It is essential for success in STEM fields and should be developed throughout education, starting in early grades. This literature review synthesizes research on algebraic thinking, focusing on problem-based learning. The review indicates that incorporating algebraic thinking into problem-based learning with non-routine activities enhances students' understanding and real-world problem-solving in STEM.


Observing Evidence Of Fixation During K-12 Engineering Design Challenges Using Variables Adapted From Post-Secondary Research, Sopheak Seng, William S. Walker Iii Jan 2025

Observing Evidence Of Fixation During K-12 Engineering Design Challenges Using Variables Adapted From Post-Secondary Research, Sopheak Seng, William S. Walker Iii

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Design fixation is a phenomenon impacting students when they generate ideas for an engineering challenge and subsequently hesitate to consider alternative ideas throughout the design activity. Research into fixation with post-secondary students has shown that fixation can limit the quantity and the quality of design solutions. This research brief will describe how fixation has been measured at the post-secondary level and suggest the need for complementing quantitative with qualitative analyses.


Impacts Of Informal Stem Summer Camps On Middle School Student Stem Identity, Austin R. Jenkins, Joshua Faith, Steve Heinold Jan 2025

Impacts Of Informal Stem Summer Camps On Middle School Student Stem Identity, Austin R. Jenkins, Joshua Faith, Steve Heinold

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Informal or out of school STEM spaces have been documented as sites of positive STEM identity development for youth historically marginalized in formal STEM spaces (Çolakoğlu et al., 2023). To increase the number of students who develop positive STEM identities during the critical juncture of middle school, Indiana GEAR UP offered summer camps to rising 7th and 8th grade students at selected middle schools across the state. Longitudinal interviews with students indicate the importance of informal STEM spaces, like summer camps, in fostering positive STEM identity development.


Innovative Stem Learning Through Solar Oven Design: Promoting Creativity And Teamwork In Stem Education, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor, Abigail Erskine, Comfort Temitope Aje Jan 2025

Innovative Stem Learning Through Solar Oven Design: Promoting Creativity And Teamwork In Stem Education, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor, Abigail Erskine, Comfort Temitope Aje

Indiana STEM Education Conference

STEM education benefits significantly from integrating design-based learning (DBL) which fosters student creativity and teamwork. This research brief examines how solar oven design projects for K-12 students that involve DBL promote students' creative skills and teamwork. A literature review was done to investigate how solar oven design activities impacted student learning. Research has shown that students improve creativity and teamwork when these activities are carried out using DBL strategies.


Lives And Lessons Of Zoo Animals, Nicole Emlen Jan 2025

Lives And Lessons Of Zoo Animals, Nicole Emlen

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This project was an interdisciplinary museum exhibit that was displayed at the Montana Natural History Center between April 4 and May 12, 2025. It displays my photographs that I took of some of the animals I worked with during my summer 2024 internship at ZooMontana. In this project, I educate the public about three main functions of zoos--rescue, conservation, and education--through the stories and lives of four species. These animals all have unique stories that are important to share to improve public knowledge of why zoos are important and how we can improve relationships between humans and wildlife. Photography is …


A Number Talk Informed By The Socio-Ecological, Elizabeth Suazo-Flores, Darian Sherva, Christine Mcgrail, Amber Adgerson Jan 2025

A Number Talk Informed By The Socio-Ecological, Elizabeth Suazo-Flores, Darian Sherva, Christine Mcgrail, Amber Adgerson

Teaching, Leadership & Professional Practice Faculty Publications

Fourth graders used a variety of strategies to identify the total number of objects buried in the soil.


Personalized Physics Learning Through Ai: Insights From Problem Generation, Chatbot Dialogues, And Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Atharva Dange Jan 2025

Personalized Physics Learning Through Ai: Insights From Problem Generation, Chatbot Dialogues, And Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Atharva Dange

Physics Dissertations - Archive

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform science education, yet questions remain on how best to integrate these technologies into teaching and learning. This dissertation investigates the use of AI-driven tools in university physics courses through three complementary studies. In the first study, a generative language model (ChatGPT) was used to create novel physics homework problems aligned with course objectives. Analysis showed that, after expert vetting, AI-generated questions can foster higher-order problem-solving and reduce student reliance on solution memorization, though careful instructor oversight is required to ensure accuracy. The second study embedded an AI chatbot as a learning aid in …


“Regression To The Mean”: The Confluence Of Eugenics And Statistics In The 19th And 20th Centuries, Emrys G. King Jan 2025

“Regression To The Mean”: The Confluence Of Eugenics And Statistics In The 19th And 20th Centuries, Emrys G. King

Pomona Senior Theses

The work of this thesis is twofold — first, qualitatively characterizing the confluence between the British eugenics and statistics movements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and second, quantitatively analyzing the effect of this foundation on pedagogical materials in the growing field of statistics between 1880 and 1970. Towards the first goal, the history of the method of least squares, state statistics, and positive and negative eugenics are outlined, followed by a close reading of the foundational texts authored by Francis Galton and Karl Pearson that introduced linear regression. Towards the latter goal, English-language statistics textbooks published between …


Greenhouse Management For The Smaller Structure--Educational And Hobby, Stacy A. Adams Jan 2025

Greenhouse Management For The Smaller Structure--Educational And Hobby, Stacy A. Adams

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Greenhouses used for teaching or by hobbyist are smaller than those used for commercial production or found in the retail environment. Structural materials, covering, mechanical equipment, and control systems often are packaged as a kit made available through greenhouse suppliers. Supplier construction services may not be available, in which buyers must use local contractors to complete the installation. Greenhouses are unique structures that differ greatly from sheds or other outbuildings. They have coverings that allow maximum light transmittance, protected from UV degradation, and can handle wide inside to outside temperature extremes. This extension circular provides valuable information on the character, …


Initial Growth Of Inclusive Knowledge And Leadership Practices By Science Education Teacher-Leaders, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Elizabeth Hasseler, Rachel Benzoni, Gina S. Matkin, Wendy Smith, Daniel R. Claes, David M. Harwood, L. J. Mcelravy, Dawn Jaramillo Jan 2025

Initial Growth Of Inclusive Knowledge And Leadership Practices By Science Education Teacher-Leaders, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Elizabeth Hasseler, Rachel Benzoni, Gina S. Matkin, Wendy Smith, Daniel R. Claes, David M. Harwood, L. J. Mcelravy, Dawn Jaramillo

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Presentations

Slies of a presentation given at the 2025 Annual International National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) Conference on the initial results from an iterative program design for educating science education leaders.


Differences In Motivation For Biology Learning: A Measurement Invariance Testing And Latent Mean Comparison Approach, Ting Dai, Kuan Xing, Avi Kaplan, Jennifer G. Cromley, Kyle R. Mara, Tony Perez Jan 2025

Differences In Motivation For Biology Learning: A Measurement Invariance Testing And Latent Mean Comparison Approach, Ting Dai, Kuan Xing, Avi Kaplan, Jennifer G. Cromley, Kyle R. Mara, Tony Perez

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Educational and psychological research often involves comparing motivation across groups. It is critical to ensure that observed differences in motivation are true variations by group, not due to measurement biases. With a diverse sample of undergraduate students (N = 2200), this study measured internal consistency and gathered validity evidence based on the internal structure of five motivation scales. To compare motivation for biology between groups of undergraduate students, this study tested for measurement scalar invariance by group and, accordingly, conducted latent factor mean comparisons to understand true group differences. On average, female students held lower expectancy beliefs and self-efficacy …


Designing Tpack-Driven Mobile Learning With Digital Citizenship For Biology Education: Insights From Ngt And Ism Approaches, Cik Jamaliah Abd Manaf, Shakinaz Desa, Muhamad Ikhwan Mat Saad, Helen Crompton Jan 2025

Designing Tpack-Driven Mobile Learning With Digital Citizenship For Biology Education: Insights From Ngt And Ism Approaches, Cik Jamaliah Abd Manaf, Shakinaz Desa, Muhamad Ikhwan Mat Saad, Helen Crompton

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The rapid digitization of education and the complexity of scientific content demand the integration of digital citizenship in TPACK-based mobile learning for Biology. This study aimed to identify and prioritize relevant digital citizenship practices using a Design and Development Research approach. In Phase One, the Nominal Group Technique with 10 experts evaluated eight proposed practices. Phase Two employed Interpretive Structural Modeling with nine experts to structure hierarchical relationships. Seven practices were retained, with Ethical Use of Digital Resources as the top-level driver. The resulting framework supports ethical and discipline-specific mobile learning models, promoting responsible digital engagement in Biology education.


Using Abandoned Model Systems And Historical Literature To Teach Modern Concepts And Techniques In Cell Biology, Leocadia V. Paliulis, Gunar Fabig, Sandra Stein, Silke Tulok, Anja Nobst, Chukwuebuka William Okafornta, Thomas Kurth, Thomas Müller-Reichert Jan 2025

Using Abandoned Model Systems And Historical Literature To Teach Modern Concepts And Techniques In Cell Biology, Leocadia V. Paliulis, Gunar Fabig, Sandra Stein, Silke Tulok, Anja Nobst, Chukwuebuka William Okafornta, Thomas Kurth, Thomas Müller-Reichert

Faculty Journal Articles

The cell biology literature of the 19th and early-to-mid 20th centuries is full of the seminal works that were critical for the development of our current understanding of biology but were done using model systems that are no longer commonly used. We argue that these historical papers are ideal for the development of course-based research experiences, both because the background work is conceptually and technically straightforward, and because the study of the abandoned systems stopped prior to the availability of modern techniques. These abandoned systems offer outstanding opportunities for teaching modern light and electron microscopy techniques, thus providing students with …


Using Quanser Platform To Introduce Engineering Technology Students To Autonomous Vehicles, Otilia Popescu, Logan Beaver, Murat Kuzlu, Krishnanand Kaipa Jan 2025

Using Quanser Platform To Introduce Engineering Technology Students To Autonomous Vehicles, Otilia Popescu, Logan Beaver, Murat Kuzlu, Krishnanand Kaipa

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The area of autonomous vehicles is not new, but the latest advances in various technologies gave it a new boost in the last decade and it keeps growing in interest. However, undergraduate curricula rarely include courses specific to this area, which is considered mostly an interdisciplinary graduate field. While various programs introduce students to the background needed to understand and approach the field, specific work on autonomous vehicle projects is left for extra curriculum activities or student clubs, and eventually for senior (capstone) projects. This paper presents the work of a team of electrical engineering technology students on an autonomous …