Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Using The Community Of Practice Framework To Examine Informal Science Educators' Epistemological And Pedagogical Beliefs In Informal Science, Monique Andrea Lester

Theses and Dissertations

When ranked and compared to students in other countries, students in the United States of America consistently rank below their peers in science knowledge. Among the many recommendations for increasing the science knowledge of students is a merge of informal science education (ISE) and public and private science classrooms. There is limited research focused on (1) the historical trends of research conducted in informal science education including the methodologies employed and pedagogical practices revealed and (2) the epistemological and pedagogical beliefs of formal science educators, who hold dual positions in the classroom and in an informal science setting. This dissertation …

Message From The President / 4.6.22, Evan M. Glazer

Message from the President

No abstract provided.

Using Small Uas For Stem Education: Introducing Robotics And Mechatronics With Drones, Christian Janke, Kimberly Luthi, Stefan Kleinke, Yuetong Lin

Publications

Several global developments point to importance of STEM-related education and studies. Every industry sector faces challenges in the recruiting of qualified personnel, due to retiring employees and general economic growth. Also, several domains, foremost automotive and aviation are undergoing a tremendous shift towards electrification to achieve sustainability. Hence, sparking the interest in STEM studies, education and vocational training cannot start early enough. This paper introduces the benefits of the educational use of sUAS by identifying core benefits in the three domains of learning – cognitive, affective, psycho-motor. Preliminary data and survey results from from several science, technology, engineering and math …

Service-Learning In Undergraduate General Chemistry: A Review, Emily Faulconer, C. J. Y. Kam

Publications

Background: Service-learning is gaining recognition as a valuable pedagogy for students to gain both academic and psychosocial benefits. This high-impact practice allows students to achieve course learning objectives while contributing to their community's needs. A review from 2007 revealed a lack of research focused on the topic in the prior decade, despite the interest that was shown by the American Chemical Society in 2000. Purpose: This review of recent case studies on the topic provides future researchers and practitioners with an understanding of the current state of service-learning in undergraduate chemistry courses. Methodology/Approach: To create a representative sample of recent …

Playing With Push Toys And Technology: Solving A System Of Linear Equations, Kelly W. Remijan

Publications & Research

When students are given the opportunity to utilize technology and engage in hands-on activities within a mathematics class, they can experience mathematics in action. Mathematical action technologies “offer students opportunities to interact...in ways that are not possible (alone) with paper and pencil” (McCullough et. al, 2021, p. 739). One such mathematical action technology, for instance, involves a calculator-based ranger (CBR) which collects and displays motion data in real-time. As CBR activities impact students’ abilities to interpret and model “physical phenomena” which enhances graphical understanding (Kwon, 2010), I have incorporated various CBR activities that involve students walking in front of a …

The Trigonometric Functions Through Their Origins: Regiomontanus And The Beginnings Of Modern Trigonometry, Danny Otero

Pre-calculus and Trigonometry

No abstract provided.

The Trigonometric Functions Through Their Origins: Hipparchus' Table Of Chords, Danny Otero

Pre-calculus and Trigonometry

No abstract provided.

Fourier’S Heat Equation And The Birth Of Fourier Series, Kenneth M. Monks

Differential Equations

No abstract provided.

The Trigonometric Functions Through Their Origins: Al-Biruni Does Trigonometry In The Shadows, Danny Otero

Pre-calculus and Trigonometry

No abstract provided.

The Trigonometric Functions Through Their Origins: Varahamihira And The Poetry Of Sines, Danny Otero

Pre-calculus and Trigonometry

No abstract provided.

The Trigonometric Functions Through Their Origins: Ptolemy Finds High Noon In Chords Of Circles, Danny Otero

Pre-calculus and Trigonometry

No abstract provided.

The Trigonometric Functions Through Their Origins: Babylonian Astronomy And Sexagesimal Numeration, Danny Otero

Pre-calculus and Trigonometry

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Role Of Science-Specific Literacy Strategies In Supporting Science Teaching And Student Learning: A Case Study Of Preservice Elementary Teachers In A Science Methods Course That Integrated A Disciplinary Literacy Framework, Su Gao, Jonathan L. Hall, Vassiliki Zygouris-Coe, Rebecca A. Grysko

Teacher Education and Technology Faculty Publications

The shift to student engagement in scientific and engineering practices to learn science provides opportunities for science learning and language learning to occur in tandem. These opportunities also pose new challenges for elementary pre-service teachers (PSTs) since literacy methods courses have been presented separately from science methods courses. We integrated a disciplinary literacy framework in a science methods course to help elementary PSTs understand the synergistic connections between literacy and science teaching. The purpose of this study was to examine elementary PSTs’ understanding of the use of science-specific literacy strategies to support science teaching and learning through three points of …

Ua64/2 The Challenge: Magazine For The Center For Gifted Studies (No. 52, Spring 2022), Western Kentucky University, Elizabeth Joyce Editor

Gifted Studies Publications

Magazine created by and about the WKU Center for Gifted Studies.

Zoo Education Efficacy In The Context Of The Modern-Day Zoo: A Study Of Aza-Accredited Zoos And Education Models, Taylor L. Ruscitti

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

Zoos have become a built-in component of society and play many roles. One of the roles includes being facilitators of education. Education serves to increase the positive public perception of zoos and works to continue to gain funds and support for a zoo’s overall purpose. Through a literature review and analysis, this thesis explores the modern-day context of zoos and analyzes how education can drive the zoo’s mission. The focus will be on Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) accredited zoos. While many other facilities that house an array of animals, AZA …

Evolution And Adaptations - Choose An Organism To Explore, Stephanie A. Rose

Open Educational Resources

Homework assignment for Principles of Environmental Science course for teachers.

To help students think about evolution and adaptations, and how organisms evolve to live in particular places and conditions.

A Technological Skills Gap: What Can We Do About It?, Will Moore

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

In the last thirty years, education has transformed faster than ever before. As a society we have developed new classroom technologies that allow for better communication and access to more information than ever before. However, at the same time, education seems rockier than ever before. Several major companies, including Tesla, Apple, Google and Netflix, no longer require a college degree for employment, and many companies, such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, have begun programs to train their own employees in skills and create their own certification programs to help employees learn necessary skills (Akhtar, O’Donnell). Why do these major corporations …

Open-Ended Problems: How Much Time Is Enough Time?, Kaitlyn Solymosi

Honors Projects

The purpose of this action research is to observe and analyze students’ responses to open-ended questions, examine student engagement in assessment, and to gauge a reasonable timetable of how long students are predicted to work through them. A great amount of research has been conducted regarding the benefits and impact of open-ended problems in K-12 classrooms, but very little research has focused on the proper amount of time that should be allotted for them. This action research aims to establish a general rule for determining the proper amount of time allotted for open-ended problems. Implications for mathematics teachers will be …

Does Guided Math Paired With Math Stations Result In More Student Mathematical Growth Than Traditional Whole Group Structure?, Abigail Eben

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research project was conducted to determine if guided math paired with math stations resulted in more student growth than a traditional, whole group classroom. The topic was chosen because of the researcher’s interest in elementary mathematics. Some teachers are implementing math stations and guided math in schools while other teachers believe in a whole group, traditional setting. The researcher has been teaching for five years, and her class of 5th grade students participated in the action research. This researcher and another 5th grade teacher implemented guided math paired with math stations for four weeks over a long division …

Early Childhood Math Strategies, Nicole Merchant

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research was led by the researcher’s interest in improving early learners’ academic mathematics achievement, specifically in oral counting, number identification, and counting 1:1 correspondence up to twenty, for targeted students. The researcher is in her 14th year of teaching, but 3rd year as an Early Childhood Special Education teacher, where her own students participated in a trial group intervention study. The four-week intervention was performed where students engaged in mathematics practice with implementation of five instructional practices and providing interactive engaging math games that specifically focused on skills including oral counting, number identification, and 1:1 correspondence. Throughout the …

Errorless Learning: An Effective Method For Teaching Math Fact Fluency, Lauryn Hilger

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to evaluate the errorless learning technique as a method of teaching middle school students with disabilities math fact fluency. The study included seven participants, all middle school-aged boys. The research was conducted in a rural middle school in Northwest Iowa. Quantitative data was collected and compared from the beginning of the study in the baseline collection to the post-test. Results suggest that the errorless learning technique is an effective method for teaching math fact fluency.

Effects Of Actively Involving Students With Ieps In The Progress Monitoring Process, Kelly Adams

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Special education teachers are trying many ways to help students with IEPs achieve their goals. This action research study looks at one way educators might do that with the involvement of students with IEPs in the progress monitoring process, specifically students with math goals. Instead of having the progress monitoring process as something done to them, students with disabilities were encouraged to take an active role by goal setting, getting feedback, reflecting, and graphing their scores. The five fifth-grade students that this study followed showed signs of growth over the six weeks of this intervention. The findings of this action …

Implementing Number Talks In Classrooms, Stephanie Jindra

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to determine how participating in regular number talks would increase students' mental math computation abilities. It analyzed the effectiveness of implementing a six-week number talk intervention in a fourth-grade classroom. The study was conducted in a Dual-Language School where the majority of students are English Language learners. Throughout the six-weeks, thirteen persistently high-risk and some-risk participants were progress monitored using the FastBridge portal. This study explored the students' abilities to participate in collaborative discussions, gain fluency skills and have a better understanding of number sense. The goal of the intervention was to …

Remotely Close: An Investigation Of The Student Experience In First-Year Mathematics Courses During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sawyer Smith

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The realm of education was shaken by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It had drastic effects on the way that courses were delivered to students, and the way that students were getting their education at the collegiate level. At the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, the pandemic dramatically changed the way that first-year mathematics courses looked for students. By Spring 2021, students had the opportunity to take their first-year math courses either in-person or virtually. This project sought to identify differences between the two methods of course delivery during the Spring 2021 semester, regarding interaction with peers …

Reflection Types And Students’ Viewing Of Feedback In A First-Year Engineering Course Using Standards-Based Grading, Heidi A. Diefes-Dux, Laura M. Cruz Castro

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Background: Feedback is one of the most powerful and essential tools for learning and assessment, particularly when it provides the information necessary to close an existing gap between actual and reference levels of performance. The literature on feedback has primarily focused on addressing strategies for providing effective feedback rather than aspects of students’ readiness to engage with feedback. Purpose/Hypothesis: This study investigated whether reflection, as a routine pedagogical intervention grounded in self-regulated learning theory, promotes the frequency with which students view feedback. Design/Method: A quasi-experimental design was employed to examine the relationship between the use of four different reflection types, …

Examining Middle School Core Teacher Knowledge And Practices In Stem Education, Rachel Brill-Lee

All Theses And Dissertations

Many educational institutions reported challenges with achieving student success in STEM disciplines and attribute these challenges to the lack of knowledge and education among educators on how and what to teach regarding STEM education (Stehle & Peters-Burton, 2019). This qualitative case study explored how core subject teachers outside STEM/CTE education in one middle school in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States view, understand, and integrate STEM education and skills into their curriculum. The study used a combination of Likert surveys and semi-structured interviews to identify themes that may contribute to challenges many educational institutions are experiencing in regard to …

Uni Science Education Update Conference [Program] April 1, 2022, University Of Northern Iowa Science Education Program.

Science Education Update Conference Documents

The program for the Science Education Update Conference held on April 1, 2022 at the University of Northern Iowa.

St Math Student Outcomes: Response To Goal-Setting And Mathematical Supports When Applied To The St Math Problem-Solving Process, Sara Klein

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research study was to identify the impacts of goal setting and the use of mathematical tools on student performance while engaged in ST Math. The study was conducted in eight Kindergarten classrooms across eleven elementary schools in Northeast Iowa. Quantitative data was collected to monitor the following indicators: number of puzzles completed, average student velocity, and average percent journey completion at weekly intervals throughout the collection period. Those results were then analyzed to determine impacts based on the presence of the goal setting and mathematical tools innovations within individual classrooms compared to those that did …

Collaboratively Building A Teaching Model (Tttc) In A Doctoral Science Education Program: An Autoethnography, Alton George Declaire

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This autoethnography illustrates benefits of doctoral education consistent with the holistic paradigm underlying today’s society and development of a practice-research-practice cycle useful to science teacher educators. Emergent hypotheses indicate ways to increase a doctoral student’s well-being, intellectual risk taking, production of creative products, and expedite in-depth learning. The hypotheses were derived from the processes and pathways I used to make sense of the learning opportunities afforded me and features of my experience that led to my well-being and maintaining my enthusiasm despite the significant life challenges I encountered and the tedious parts of the doctoral process.The original research question was, …

Stem Education:An Examination Of School Leaders’ And Teachers’ Perceptions On Stem Implementation In Uae Schools, Sara Elkeir Hamad

Dissertations

STEM education in the UAE is currently receiving growing attention due to the massive economic growth, which created a need for STEM-qualified graduates. Accordingly, UAE educational policymakers and curriculum developers advocate developing and implementing STEM education at all educational levels. The research emphasized that STEM education positively affects students’ ability to solve problems, be innovative, think critically, and be technology literate. This study aims to examine school leaders’ and STEM teachers’ perceptions of STEM implementation practices in the UAE context. A sequential explanatory, mixed-method design was employed to collect the data from the school’s leaders and teachers, quantitively using a …