Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Playing With Code: Big Ideas For Early Learners, Lindsey Herlehy, Cassandra Armstrong

Publications & Research

For young children growing in today’s digital world, the acquisition of coding and computer programming skills has become a popular and appropriate focus in education. Beyond engaging in technology and coding applications as consumers – the passive act of sitting in front of a screen and merely pressing buttons without a high level of thought – early childhood students are capable of high-quality programming tasks through play-based learning experiences. As producers, our youngest students may explore the open-ended nature of computer programming and coding through design, art, and innovation. Engaging in coding builds valuable and transferable practices such as problem …

Little Changes, Big Impact: Integrating Evolution In Science And Ela, Christine L. Moskalik, Nicole Ross

Publications & Research

No abstract provided.

A Summer Program Goes Online: How Beam Served Students From Marginalized Backgrounds During Covid, Ramya Ramaswamy, Javier Ronquillo Rivera

Journal of Math Circles

Most summers, BEAM runs free summer programs for mathematically talented middle school students from low income, historically marginalized communities. Our programs are designed to deepen students' problem solving and mathematical reasoning skills, to foster their love of math, and to build a community centered around peers all interested in mathematics.

This summer, in response to the pandemic, we made the decision to shift our summer programming online and operate virtually for the first time. We crafted a program that we hoped would sustain many of our original programming goals.

This paper outlines the decisions made, the variables that affected implementation, …

Online Undergraduate Research In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Courses, Emily K. Faulconer

Publications

What constitutes research can vary across fields. Even within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, the definition of research is flexible. For example, although science research and engineering research use similar methods and both produce valuable insights into the nature of our physical world, they have notably different focuses, with sciences aimed at expanding the outer edges of our knowledge and engineering fixed on systematic structuring of knowledge for application (National Academy of Engineering, 1995). Regardless of the STEM discipline, undergraduate research is a mentored experience in which students engage in original work, disseminating their outcomes to a larger …

Unpacking Efl Teachers’ Tpack Thru The Distance Education, Sofia Imania, Mirjam Anugerahwati, Sintha Tresnadewi

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The growth of distance education provides an accessibility of teaching-and-learning-process involving the use of ICT. Hence, teachers’ competencies regarding the integration of ICT also one of the key success of teaching. Through TPACK, this study aims at investigating EFL teachers’ skills on technology integration and their preferable ICT based learning system amidst distance education. Moreover, this study also intends to analyze whether EFL teachers’ TPACK are significantly different in terms of teaching categories and gender. This survey study implicated 139 in-service EFL teacher in the city of Malang, East Java, Indonesia. The data were collected through questionnaire and analyzed by …

Collaborative Project Based Learning Implementation During Covid-19 Outbreak, Soetam Rizky Wicaksono, Rudy Setiawan

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Covid-19 outbreak has already created such big changes in education all over the world. However, rapid response improvement is needed to overcome the reality. One of the improvements is using Project Based Learning (PBL) which ensured that students can still become active and enthusiastic during remote learning. PBL implementation can be done using collaborative technique, which empirically proven to have better result. This research took place in Information System Study Program at Universitas Ma Chung Malang, in course which includes laboratory activity (in this case is Programming Language course). This implementation then being measured using focus group discussion (FGD), which …

Kepemimpinan Pembelajaran Dalam Implementasi Kebijakan Digital School, Meila Hayudiyani, Ibrahim Bafadal, Raden Bambang Sumarsono

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The purpose of this study is to reveal the principal's learning leadership in implementing digital school policies. This study uses a qualitative approach with a constant comparative multi-site design to reveal the focus of the research at SMPN 1 Sumenep and SMPN 1 Ambunten. Data collection techniques used are observation, interviews, and documentation. The results show that the school principal is in the implementation of digital school policies at the planning, implementation, and evaluation stages. The orientation of the principal's behavior as a learning leader leads to technical, symbolic, human relations, and educational behavior. The principal's learning leadership is related …

Analisis Miskonsepsi Siswa Ma Menggunakan Metodethink Aloud Protocol (Tap), Erwinestri Hanidar Nur Afifi, Markus Diantoro, Wartono Wartono

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This study aims to find out the misconceptions experienced by students during the learning process using think aloud protocol (TAP) and physics multiple choice tests (TPGF) on hydrostatic pressure materials. This research design uses mixed method design with embedded experimental design. Quantitative data is obtained through N-gain calculations that show a high category with a score of 0.7. This indicates that there is a significant change in the mastery of the student's hydrostatic pressure concept after learning activities. Qualitative data analysis based on the results of the think aloud protocol also shows how students experience misconceptions by pouring their thoughts …

A Preliminary Study: The Urgency Of Stem-Based Science Practicum Book For Secondary School, Rahmah Evita Putri, Skunda Diliarosta, Monica Prima Sari

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The research purpose is to analyse the needs of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematic (STEM)-based science practicum books for secondary school. This is descriptive qualitative research with questionnaire and interview methods. The sample of this research were secondary school science teacher and students. The data were analysed descriptively with the results of data processing in percent (%). The results showed that 98% of secondary school science teachers did not know that STEM-based practicum activities could train 21st century students' skills and 90% of secondary school students stated that they never carried out practicum activities other than laboratory activities. The results …

The Impact Of Personal And Service-Related Factors On The Perceived Academic Success Among College Students, Ronnie Davis, Geraldine Doucet, Terayana Lamb, Sonya Sneed, David Fletcher

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

In recent years, student completion of the first year and second-year college curriculum has become a significant barrier to student success and retention especially at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Despite low pass and retention rates, many degree programs in the U.S. require at least one college-level mathematics course, and the failure in this math course has contributed disproportionately to the failure to complete the first- and second-year curriculum.

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictability of the relationship between selected personal, academic, and service-related factors and the perceived academic success in mathematics among college students. Specifically, …

Incorporating Social Justice And Equity As Themes In Math Circles Online, Matthew Jones, Sharon Lanaghan, Carolyn Yarnall

Journal of Math Circles

The CSUDH Math Teachers' Circle chose a focus on equity and social justice in 2020. The national focus on social justice caused us to reflect on what we can do to affect change regarding issues of equity and social justice in our society. In addition, the global pandemic caused us to shift our circle online, which presented both obstacles and opportunities. In this paper, we expand upon how we addressed various challenges faced in facilitating an online Math Teachers’ Circle, focusing on our experience facilitating sessions focused on equity and social justice and participants' reactions to this experience.

Teaching Social Justice Issues Through Mathematics Curriculum, Lydia L. Butters

Research in the Capitol

I taught lessons from the textbook, High School Mathematics Lessons to Explore, Understand and Respond to Social Injustice (Berry et al., 2020) with revisions based on the interests and needs of the students(e.g. food deserts in the Midwest and ACT scores). Three lessons were taught in a statistics course at an urban school in the Midwest, while two other lessons were conducted in a geometry content course for pre-service K-8 teachers at a Midwestern University. Overall, high school students showed growth in their understandings of social justice issues and the uses of mathematics. While college students showed growth in their …

Professional Development For Early Career Dber Scholars Through In-Person And Virtual Career Panel Workshops, Miranda M. Chen Musgrove, Elizabeth Genné-Bacon, Kelsey Gray, Ashley B. Heim, Anupriya Karippadath, Rita Margarida Magalhães, Brie Tripp, Anna J. Zelaya

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

In discipline-based education research (DBER), early career scholars, such as graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, observe a slew of possible career pathways. Yet, there is a lack of opportunities to learn about such pathways, particularly when transitioning from traditional science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) disciplinary training into a DBER position. Thus, the DBER Scholars-in-Training Professional Development subcommittee was created within the Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research (SABER) community to develop a collection of workshops that would serve the greatest professional development needs of early career scholars entering DBER. Through a series of surveys disseminated over multiple …

Teaching Mathematics With Technology: Tpack And Effective Teaching Practices, Christopher R. Rakes, Michele L. Stites, Robert N. Ronau, Sarah B. Bush, Molly H. Fisher, Farshid Safi, Siddhi Desai, Ashley Schmidt, Janet B. Andreasen, Jon Saderholm, Lisa Amick, Margaret J. Mohr-Schroeder, Julian Viera

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Faculty Publications

This paper examines how 17 secondary mathematics teacher candidates (TCs) in four university teacher preparation programs implemented technology in their classrooms to teach for conceptual understanding in online, hybrid, and face to face classes during COVID-19. Using the Professional Development: Research, Implementation, and Evaluation (PrimeD) framework, TCs, classroom mentor teachers, field experience supervisors, and university faculty formed a Networked Improvement Community (NIC) to discuss a commonly agreed upon problem of practice and a change idea to implement in the classroom. Through Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, participants documented their improvement efforts and refinements to the change idea and then reported back to the …

How The Number Line Can Be Used To Promote Students' Understanding Of The Normal Distribution, Danri H. Delport

Numeracy

A strong foundation in early number concepts is crucial for students’ future success in statistics. Despite its importance in statistics, many first-year students struggle to comprehend the normal distribution due to a lack of basic number sense. Students get confused about the order and magnitude of negative z-scores on a standard normal curve or when problems about normally distributed random variables are presented in word questions which involve phrases that indicate inequalities. As a result, students shade wrong areas on the bell-shaped curve when they have to calculate probabilities for normally distributed variables. Visual representations such as the number …

Message From The President / 2.16.22, Evan M. Glazer

Message from the President

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Men’S Health Course For First-Year Undergraduates Using Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies, Ania A. Majewska, Johnasha D. Stuart, Kelsey M. Gray, Pearl V. Ryder, Ethell Vereen

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose

A novel first-year experience course was developed using culturally responsive teaching strategies at an undergraduate liberal arts college in the southeastern USA to promote health advocacy and to provide students with an overview of male health. The course focuses on the biological, sociocultural, economic and gender influences that shape men's health beliefs and practices. It also emphasizes health disparities in the USA among Black/African American men compared to other racial groups and intervention strategies to improve health outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The lecture and laboratory components of the course were designed as a blended learning environment with a modified flipped class …

Message From The President / 2.2.22, Evan M. Glazer

Message from the President

No abstract provided.

Playing With Math And Science In The Early Childhood Classroom, Cassandra Armstrong, Lindsey Herlehy

Publications & Research

Young students are equipped with the curiosity and creativity to be successful scientists and mathematicians. In today’s classrooms, strong foundational skills in STEM promote success for years to come. Through play, young students can subitize, sort, draw, recognize patterns, and explore loose parts. Participants will actively take part in several activities highlighting each of these skills.

Examination Of School Value-Added Growth By Student Population, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee, Charlene A. Reid

Policy Briefs

In this brief, we assess the relationship between Arkansas’ school-level value-added content growth scores for student racial and programmatic groups. We find that on average, African American students receive lower growth scores than other student groups, and that African American elementary students demonstrated large drops in growth since COVID

Analysis Of Skills Sought By Employers Of Bachelors-Level Geoscientists, Gregory Shafer, Karen Viskuptic, Anne E. Egger

Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

Bachelors-level geoscientists make up the majority of the geoscience workforce, and positions for entry-level geoscientists are expected to grow rapidly over the next decade, with some jobs anticipating upward of 10% growth (National Center for O*NET Development, 2021). Are geoscience departments adequately preparing undergraduate students to succeed in these positions?

How Female Stem Undergraduate Students Form Their Science Identity, Todd Martin Medovich

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative case study describes how female science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students choose their undergraduate major, the obstacles they faced when making that choice, and how they overcome gender-based obstacles. These descriptions illuminate the manner in which they form their science identity.

There is a gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines (Viadero, 2009). This has been attributed to both biological and sociocultural causes. The biological basis for this disparity includes evidence of physiological differences between females and males, as well as the microaggressions and sexual harassment stemming from these differences (Bottia et al., 2015). …

Talking Is Thinking: Supporting Student Sense-Making Through Discourse And Assessment, Whitney Jackson, Lauren A. Simpson, Brooke A. Whitworth

Publications

Learning in the classroom is highly influenced by the experiences a teacher plans for students. Concerned that students were not achieving adequate conceptual knowledge during traditional undergraduate physics courses, the authors used the Making Sense of SCIENCE curriculum to tailor a course for 21 pre-service elementary teachers at the University of Mississippi. The organization of instruction, facilitation practices, discussion opportunities, and assessment of content are all important aspects of the learning process. We found the changes we implemented significantly impacted the learning of students enrolled in this course.

Learning From The Covid-19 Pandemic: How Faculty Experiences Can Prepare Us For Future System-Wide Disruption, Kathryn M. Bateman, Ellen Altermatt, Anne E. Egger, Ellen Iverson, Cathryn Manduca, Eric M. Riggs, Kristen St. John, Thomas F. Shipley

Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

The COVID-19 pandemic provided education researchers with a natural experiment: an opportunity to investigate the impacts of a system-wide, involuntary move to online teaching and to assess the characteristics of individuals who adapted more readily. To capture the impacts in real time, our team recruited college-level geoscience instructors through the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) and American Geophysical Union (AGU) communities to participate in our study in the spring of 2020. Each weekday for three successive weeks, participants (n = 262) were asked to rate their experienced disruption in four domains: teaching, research, ability to communicate with their …

Aviation Integration: Topics, Tech, & Career Connections For Enhancing Math Concepts, Kelly W. Remijan

Publications & Research

5th -12th grade teachers will: 1) discover how to incorporate aviation concepts, tech, & tools into math curriculum & 2) gain ideas, corresponding activities, & LOTS of resources to enhance the teaching & learning of math concepts. Aviation Topics: Forces of Flight, Time Zones, Drones, Satellite Imagery, GPS, CNC Programming... Math Concepts: Angles, Area, Coordinate Geometry, Intersecting Circles, Linear Functions, Shapes, ...

Connections Between Atmospheric Blocking, General Circulation, And Weather Extremes In A Hierarchy Of Models And Various Climates, Veeshan Narinesingh

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The field of geophysical fluid dynamics (GFD) includes the study of both the motion and thermodynamic aspects of the atmosphere. These properties are of particular importance because they directly influence both local and large-scale weather and climate and are associated with various phenomena. One phenomena that is particularly influential is atmospheric blocking. Atmospheric blocks are persistent, quasi-stationary anticyclones (a.k.a. high-pressure systems) that occur in the atmosphere and disrupt the flow. Blocks are known to induce heat extremes and cold spells, as well as steer storms and cause numerous types of hazards. Yet despite the hazards associated with blocks, our current …

An Urgent Plea For More Graduate Programs In Statistics Education, David Eli Drew, Sam Behseta, Cherie L. Ichinose

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Lately, much has been written about the importance of amplifying statistics-related content in the K-12 curricula. This can be viewed in parallel or as an addendum to the existing mathematics curricula in the United States. Nevertheless, a key component of this debate is the lack of robust and cutting-edge academic programs in statistics education. In this piece, we emphasize the urgent need for investing in creating strong statistics education programs, which would significantly contribute to nurturing quantitative literacy as well as preparing a more informed citizenry in the 21^st century.

In Search Of Star Clusters: An Introduction To The K-Means Algorithm, Marcio Nascimento

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This article is a gentle introduction to K-means, a mathematical technique of processing data for further classification. We begin with a brief historical introduction, where we find connections with Plato’s Timæus, von Linné’s binomial classification, and the star clustering concept of Mary Sommerville and collaborators. Artificial intelligence algorithms use K-means as a classification methodology to learn about data in a very accurate way, because it is a quantitative procedure based on similarities.

Teaching Preservice Teachers In The Time Of Covid: What’S Worth Keeping?, Kathy Liu Sun, Jennifer L. Ruef, Kathleen Jablon Stoehr, Madeline Ahearn

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

As we begin to transition from online instruction to in-person, we (four mathematics teacher educators) reflect on how COVID-19 impacted our instruction and address the question: what will we take back to in-person instruction? This article includes our individual reflections and an analytical synthesis of them. Findings reveal that there were unanticipated ways that human connection and consideration arose from teaching online, much of which we want to maintain in some form when returning to brick and mortar classrooms. We conclude by highlighting the value and importance of reflection for our own well-being.

Middle School Students Generating Mathematical Problems From A Real-Life Situation, David Coffland, Ying Xie

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In this study, we examined the effect of different presentation formats of a realistic situation on students’ mathematical problem-posing behavior. We divided thirty-six middle school students into two groups, gave them a pretest, and then showed them a realistic, problem-posing situation in Artifact or Video format. We used Silver’s core dimensions of creativity, namely fluency, flexibility, and originality, to measure participants’ problem-posing activity. The results for the fluency measures showed that the Artifact group wrote more questions than the Video group but the same number of mathematics problems. The Video group posed problems in more mathematical domains than the Artifact …