Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Examining The Change In Preservice Mathematics Teachers’ Conceptions And Effectiveness Of Social Justice Content, Gregory A. Downing, Brittney L. Black

Journal of Research Initiatives

This study examined preservice teachers' perceptions of teaching mathematics using social justice topics to make mathematics accessible to all students. Situated at a large, public, predominantly White institution in the southeast United States, where preservice teachers are not required to take a course on teaching diverse populations, participants were asked to respond to questions surrounding their experience with a mathematical social justice activity adapted from Gutstein and Peterson (2005). Using a mixed methods approach in analyzing data from pre-and post-surveys, researchers could compare preservice mathematics teachers' initial views of teaching mathematics for social justice after participating in an intervention/activity on …

Development And Validation Of A Questionnaire To Explore Teachers’ Knowledge About The Nature Of Mathematics The Teaching And Learning Of Mathematics, Munira Amirali

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Investigating teachers’ knowledge about the nature of mathematics and their viewpoints about the teaching and learning of mathematics is important as it has a great influence on what they do in classrooms. This paper describes the two phases of the development and validation process of an instrument named as Mathematics Teacher Survey Questionnaire (MTSQ) developed to determine Pakistani teachers’ knowledge about the nature of mathematics, its influence on their viewpoints about the teaching and learning of mathematics. Phase one includes item writing, item analysis and item administration whereas phase two includes the tool validation process using Cronbach’s alpha and content …

Market Profanities In Sacral Academe: Privilege, Diversity, Representation, Incursion Of Market Forces, Nikhilesh Dholakia, Deniz Atik

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

No abstract provided.

Digital Game-Based Learning Activities In Primary Grade Mathematics Achievement, Chris Anderson

Graduate Teacher Education

The research paper has gathered and analyzed research from online databases to find how digital game-based learning activities were used in mathematics and how it influences the affective domains of academic engagement, motivation, and academic self-perception. The paper aims to inform primary educators of the benefits and limitations of digital game-based activities in primary mathematics. Digital game-based learning has positively influenced students' academic engagement through interaction, play, and effort, which had a positive effect on their mathematical achievement. Increased motivation felt by students when doing digital game-based activities resulted in higher mathematical achievement and an increase in learning more mathematics …

Game-Based Learning In Elementary Mathematics, Sophia Greenfield

Graduate Teacher Education

This paper analyzed 15 primary, peer-reviewed research articles about how to integrate game-based learning in elementary mathematics to increase conceptual understanding. The purpose of this paper was to inform teachers about how to integrate digital and traditional games, including factors to enhance effective implementation, in a way that increased conceptual understanding. Key factors were gleaned from the articles that had a significant impact on the effectiveness of game-based learning. In Chapter Two, traditional and digital games were divided into two sections to analyze the benefits and drawbacks of each method. These benefits and drawbacks were compared in the Appendices to …

Undetermined Coefficients With Hyperbolic Sines And Cosines, Laurie A. Florio, George L. Fischer

CODEE Journal

The method of undetermined coefficients is commonly applied to solve linear, constant coefficient, non-homogeneous ordinary differential equations when the forcing function is from a selected class of functions. Often the hyperbolic sine and cosine functions are not explicitly included in this list of functions. Through a set of guided examples, this work argues that the hyperbolic sine and cosine ought to be included in the select class of functions. Careful explanation is provided for the necessary treatment of the cases where the argument of the hyperbolic sine and/or cosine functions matches one or both of the roots of the characteristic …

The Effect Of Extended Reality On The Science Achievement Gap Between Students With And Without Disabilities, Shalece Kohnke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

A science achievement gap between students with disabilities (SWD) and students without disabilities continues to persist, impacting academic and occupational outcomes. Traditional science instruction and the abstract nature of science concepts are a barrier to science achievement for students with disabilities. The current research study examined the effect of extended reality (XR; Browser-based 360° virtual reality) on closing the science achievement gap between students with and without disabilities in inclusive biology classrooms using a one group pretest-posttest design. The researcher expands on existing research by utilizing a larger sample size, with free and easily accessible XR technology implemented in 9th …

A Phenomenological Inquiry On How Social Markers Inform Preservice Elementary Teachers Science Teacher Identity Through The Lens Of Positionality, Katherine Cruz-Deiter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of preservice elementary teachers (PSETs) in a teacher preparation course and the factors that informed their science teacher identity. The theoretical framework used was phenomenology, and the study addresses under researched undergraduate preservice elementary teachers within teacher preparation courses with no teaching experience. Methods included participant survey, semi structured interviews, and a card sort activity. Analysis was conducted with basic statistical methods for the quantitative data, and coding followed by creating themes for the qualitative data. Findings reveal that the responses (n=28) to an open question survey report 21 PSETs did not identify …

Changes In Preservice Secondary Science Teachers' Views, Beliefs, And Their Nos Teaching During A Science Methods Course Guided By Rfn, Kelsey Beeghly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This multiple-case study investigated the changes in three secondary science preservice teachers' views of the nature of science (NOS), their beliefs about the importance of NOS, as well as how these changes relate to their NOS teaching at the end of a science methods course guided by the reconceptualized family resemblance approach (RFN). RFN is a conceptual framework that visualizes science as a cognitive-epistemic and socioinstitutional system, and its educational applications have recently begun to be explored. Data sources included the pre and post course RFN Questionnaire (Kaya et al., 2019) and individual interviews, as well as each preservice teachers' …

Math Proficiency And The Achievement Gap, Jamila A. Peterson

Masters Projects

Mathematical proficiency and the achievement gap have been central topics in educational research for decades. Academic experts from all areas have sought resolutions, especially in Michigan, which ranks relatively low in mathematical achievement; however, the problem persists. This project will investigate the history of the achievement gap, specifically in mathematics proficiency, and explore contributing factors and potential research resolutions. Mathematical proficiency is crucial in closing the achievement gap, as it has been a proven indicator of upward mobility. Proficiency not only negatively impacts the non-proficient student, but it also projects the country's economic future.

Analyzing The Impact Of Process-Oriented Technology In Programming Education, Kate Arendes

Theses

Currently, there exist several factors in programming education that deter novice programmers. Computer science students are often significantly penalized for programs that do not compile, reflecting how current teaching standards are focused on the product of the student’s efforts, rather than the independent pieces of code that would otherwise execute properly. Novice programmers struggle with interpreting error messages that identify where and why a program failed, but are written with the assumption that the author already has mastered the fundamental concepts that they are trying to implement. In the classroom, educators may show presentations with pre-written code or perform live …

Interventions To Increase Stem Retention Of Undergraduate Women: A Literature Review, Josie Braun, Sarah Pille, Majel Baker

Psychology Student Work

The lack of retention of women in STEM majors and careers has been an ongoing issue for years. With stunted percentages of women in participation, representation, interest, pay and more, resolving this problem is necessary. This systematic literature review focuses on interventions that are aiming to increase women’s STEM self-efficacy, performance, sense of belonging, identification, interest, retention, and positivity while decreasing STEM stereotypes and implicit gender biases. Studies were included if they used an experimental or quasi-experimental design in college students within the past 15 years. A total of 26 studies were included in this review. Across the research reviewed, …

Cumulative Advantage And Student Performance In General Chemistry: An Empirical Study At A Midwest Tier 1 University (2016-2019), Nicole Barvian

Dissertations

General chemistry (GC) plays a crucial role in the academic and career outcomes of students interested in postsecondary science, engineering and medicine. As a whole, chemistry education research literature has reported student attrition rates averaging from 25% to 35% for nearly a century. Student attrition rates can be attributed to a number of factors, including high school preparation (e.g. Tai et al. 2006), opportunity to learn (Carroll, 1989) and accumulated time and practice in a domain (e.g. Ericsson et al. 1993). The factors, in turn, are affected by mechanisms of social stratification, in particular, the social mechanism of cumulative advantage …

More Than Free Textbooks: Labor And Pedagogy In Implementing Open Resources In A Trigonometry Course, Caleb Holloway

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This paper reports the implementation of open educational resources (OER) in a university trigonometry class, with an emphasis on the pedagogical considerations and academic labor involved. To date these two matters have been underreported in the literature on OER. I provide an account of the work involved both in choosing an open textbook and in creating hundreds of accompanying homework exercises for an online learning platform. I also present the pedagogical lens that informed this implementation, discuss how it informed my adoption of an open textbook, and provide specific examples of how it guided the creation of these exercises. Based …

Synesthesia: 3.1415... Orange.Whiteperiwinklewhiteblue..., Shelly Sheats Harkness, Bethany A. Noblitt, Nicole Giesbers

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In this paper we address the questions: What is synesthesia? What support(s) can teachers provide for their students who have synesthesia? Nicole, a future mathematics teacher who possesses this synesthesia “superpower”, describes how it impacted her learning. We collected data for this case study through an audio-recorded and transcribed interview, as well as from subsequent email correspondence between the three authors. We asked Nicole three kinds of questions: questions she is frequently asked, questions she would like to be asked, and questions teachers (like Shelly and Beth) might ask. Results indicate that synesthesia may have helped Nicole learn English as …

“I Got You”: Centering Identities And Humanness In Collaborations Between Mathematics Educators And Mathematicians, Anne M. Marshall, Sarah Sword, Mollie Applegate, Steven Greenstein, Terrance Pendleton, Kamuela E. Yong, Michael Young, Jennifer A. Wolfe, Theodore Chao, Pamela E. Harris

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Existing literature widely reports on the value of collaborations between mathematicians and mathematics educators, and also how complex those collaborations can be. In this paper, we report on four collaborations that sought to address what mathematics is and who gets to do it. Drawing on the literature and from the careful and intentional work of the collaborators, we offer a framework to capture the richness of those collaborations – one that acknowledges the importance of acknowledging and welcoming the extensive personal and professional experience of each person involved in the collaboration – and a look at how collaborations built with …

Just Mathematics: Getting Started Teaching Postsecondary Math For Social Justice, Kenan A. Ince

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Following the summer 2020 civil rights movement and increasing attention to the intersections of mathematics with politics and power, many math educators have reported a desire to implement an antiracist pedagogy and to examine the intersections of their subject with issues of equity, inclusion, and social justice. Many resources exist for K-12 math educators interested in incorporating social justice into their curricula, but resources are comparatively scarce for college and university instructors (though this is changing quickly!). We discuss why one may want to teach mathematics for social justice, how to begin to implement issues of social justice into postsecondary …

Impact Of Indicators On Hispanic Student Postsecondary Stem Success, Sandra Durden

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. My study seeks to explore the extent that select secondary and postsecondary indicators predict STEM student enrollment and persistence particularly for Hispanic students. Identifying postsecondary STEM success and college readiness indicators with special focus on malleable indicators that can assist educators, administrators, and policymakers in designing and implementing educational interventions targeted at improving representation of Hispanic students that receive postsecondary STEM degrees. Currently there are few studies that use data from nationally representative samples of students to research the relationship between predictiveness of indicators and postsecondary STEM success, in particular, studies that explore which indicators differentially predict postsecondary …

Exploring Culturally Responsive Equitable Problem-Solving Pedagogy: Theorizing, Developing & Teaching, Tisha Newton Jones

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Achievement gaps in mathematics between middle and high school Black students when compared to their white peers exist in part because of access, but also because Black learners’ brilliance is not recognized. Finding ways to help students, especially Black students, become successful mathematical problem solvers was a driving force behind this research. The purpose of this research is to explore ideas of how to improve Black students' opportunities to engage in effective mathematical problem solving to improve their mathematics understanding and achievement. This study introduces the Culturally Responsive Equitable Problem Solving (CREPS) pedagogy situated at the intersections of a conceptual …

Creators For The Earth: The Academic Library’S Role In Supporting Sustainability Creators And Practitioners Across All Disciplines, Jennifer K. Embree, Neyda V. Gilman

Library Scholarship

The image of a creator often brings to mind individuals that can take an abstract or unique idea and transform it into an impressive, tangible creation. Whether it’s an architect crafting a new building design, an artist painting on canvas, or an interior designer mapping out a new room layout, creators are generally seen as those who can formulate conceptual ideas that are then realized to showcase amazing ingenuity. In the world of higher education, this type of work is often first associated with disciplines like art, design, architecture, and engineering—fields where acts of “making,” “creating,” or “building” are integral …

Exploring Undergraduate Research Experiences And Perceptions Of Responsible And Ethical Conduct Of Research (Recr) Education In The Biological Sciences And (Bio)Chemistry Disciplines, Bernice Justina Caad

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Increasing calls to reform undergraduate (UG) education within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines have emphasized the importance of early exposure to responsible and ethical conduct of research (RECR) education. Historically, RECR has primarily been presented at the post-baccalaureate level, leaving many students without a foundational understanding of what responsible research ethics entails during the course of their undergraduate experience. Over the last decade, course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have emerged as a promising platform to establish expectations of responsible and ethical conduct through greater accessibility and inclusivity, starting at the freshman level. Interestingly, few studies have examined how …

Positioning Undergraduate Learning Assistants In Instruction: A Case Study Of The La Role In Active Learning Mathematics Classrooms At The University Of Nebraska–Lincoln, Rachel Funk

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Research suggests learning assistant (LA) programs can be a change lever to support the institutionalization of active learning in postsecondary education. Some research suggests LAs offer unique benefits for STEM courses, independent from other change levers, but more research needs to be done to understand how LAs support active learning classrooms, specifically in mathematics. Research on mathematics instruction and the use of reform resources suggests that the successful implementation of reforms is impacted by perceptions individuals hold about that resource, such as the LA role. Yet, there is little research about the LA role in mathematics, particularly where the instructor …

Analyzing The Influence Of Mathematics Intervention Teacher Actions On Students' Mathematics Identities: An Examination Of Bipoc Student Perceptions And Past Learning Experiences., Sydni P. Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines mathematics education's past and present state in the United States, emphasizing mathematics intervention instruction. This dissertation includes a complex and critical analysis of intervention practices and historical and structural inequities based on race present in these interventions and mathematics education. In combination, it examines the construct of mathematics identities, their role in student success with mathematics, and trends surrounding mathematics education and its impact on populations of students of color. Using Critical Race Theory as an underlying framework and Critical Counter-Narrative as a methodology, it argues a need for marginalized student voices to be present in the …

Prairie Protector: Student Development Of Systems Thinking Habits In The Context Of Agroecosystems, Erin Ingram, Jennifer Keshwani

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Introduction: The Great Plains ecosystem offers an opportunity for young people to gain knowledge about intricate systems through practical learning. The spread of woody plants into grasslands, known as the “Green Glacier,” poses a risk to biodiversity and animal production. Although effective management strategies exist, some land managers are reluctant to use them. It is critical to cultivate a scientifically literate population that can think systematically and make informed decisions based on STEM principles to address such complex agroecosystem problems.

Methods: In this study, semi-structured focus group discussions with high school students were analyzed to determine whether Prairie …

Strategies To Increase Engagement In K-12 Stem Programs Among Bipoc Students Grades 3rd – 8th, Denisha C. Griffey

Dissertations

The WIRE Youth Development Programs, housed within the Lewis Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI foster two enrichment programs geared towards strengthening the gap in academic knowledge through STEM/STEAM activities. Since its inception, WIRE has impacted over 1,000 youth grades 3-8 among the BIPOC population through its programs, most notably the WIRE Math and Science Summer Camp and Saturday Academy. In 2020, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, many K-12 education school systems switched to remote learning. As a result of this transition, there was a decrease in access …

Exploring Transfer Students’ Perceptions Of Their Transition Experience In Calculus 2 At A Research Intensive Institution: A Schlossberg’S And Tinto’S Theory Approach, Steven Edalgo

All Dissertations

This study explored the lived experiences of eleven transfer students as they described their experiences in Calculus 2 at very high research land grant institutions (R1). This qualitative investigation focused on the psychological phenomenon of transition as the transfer students perceived, reflected, made sense, and understood their transition experience. Furthermore, this study explored transfer students’ understanding of how they perceive the attributes of their success or lack of success in Calculus 2.

Employing the use of Schlossberg’s Transition Framework along with Tinto’s Persistence/Departure Framework, the perceptions of the transition experience was analyzed through the lens of this conceptual framework. The …

Instructional Practices That Foster Argumentative Discourse In Secondary Science Classrooms, Alicia N. Herrera

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

To remain competitive in an innovative world, American classrooms are promoting careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by utilizing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Students are engaged in inquiry by applying scientific practices like argumentation. However, science teachers are finding it difficult to respond to, as well as deepen students’ argumentative conversations. Therefore, research must uncover what instructional practices (or combinations) are used to overcome classroom obstacles, along with fostering students’ discourse and sensemaking. A teacher research approach was taken to investigate how the researcher, a secondary science teacher herself, effectively combines three under-researched instructional practices for …

Pengaruh Pembelajaran Dengan Menggunakan Modul Berbantuan Simulasi Terhadap Peningkatan Penguasaan Konsep Mahasiswa Calon Guru Fisika Pada Materi Gelombang Mekanik, Widya Rohmawati, Sutopo Sutopo, Ahmad Taufiq, Zuerdiana Binti Manaf

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of simulation-assisted teaching materials in increasing conceptual understanding of prospective physics teacher students about mechanical waves. Research method is a one-group pretest-posttest design with subjects consisted of 25 physics education undergraduate students at Universitas Negeri Malang. Research instrument is a conceptual understanding test item of mechanical waves. The results showed that the acquisition of an increase in learning outcomes through the calculation of the normalized average gain is 0.77 was included in the "high" category so that the use of simulation-assisted teaching materials effective in improving students' conceptual understanding. Similar learning can be …

Materi Budaya Indonesia Sebagai Kebutuhan Pemelajar Bipa Dalam Program Immersion, Vania Maherani, Yulianeta Yulianeta, Nuny Sulistiany Idris, Nor Hasimah Ismail

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

In the immersion program, cultural introduction materials are needed to minimize the culture shock. This study aims to describe (1) the Indonesian cultural orientation sessions obtained and (2) Indonesian cultural materials needed by BIPA students prior to the immersion program. This study uses a qualitative approach. The results of this study indicate that (1) Indonesian cultural orientation sessions obtained by BIPA students can help them anticipate culture shock and (2) Indonesian cultural materials needed by BIPA students are material on how to dress, communicate, eat, use transportation, food information, and relations between women and men. The result of this research …

Development Of Bipa Teaching Materials Daily Communication Goals, Nonny Rulisty Putri Sutikno, Imam Suyitno, Roekhan Roekhan

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Teaching materials for daily communication purposes are needed by BIPA students at the beginner level so they can establish social contact and communicate with native speakers. The development model in this study is the 4D development model. Daily communication material focuses on the use of formal and informal language as a tool for verbal communication. Based on the validation test that has been carried out for the total results of BIPA material expert validation of 67.5%. Practitioners 67.1%, and 79.1% graphic experts. Therefore, this teaching material is quite feasible to use.