Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Engaging Learners: Differential Equations In Today's World

CODEE Journal

Engaging Learners: Differential Equations in Today's World

CODEE Journal, Volume 14, Issue 1

Facing The Pandemic Together: Forming A Collaborative Research Group, Michael C. Barg

CODEE Journal

This is an account of how a reading and writing project in an introductory differential equations course was transitioned to a professor-student research group collaborative project, in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Adapting on the fly to the ever-evolving pandemic, we collected data, estimated parameters in our models, and computed numerical solutions to SIR-based systems of differential equations. This is a description of what we did and how we found comfort in the project in this time of great uncertainty. The collaboration yielded successes and more questions than we had answers for, but the situation provided an opportunity of …

Conceptual Metaphors For Isomorphism And Homomorphism: Instructors’ Descriptions For Themselves And When Teaching, Rachel Rupnow

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Group isomorphism and homomorphism are topics central to abstract algebra, yet research on instructors’ views of these concepts is limited. Based on interviews from two instructors as well as classroom video from eight class periods, this paper examines the language used to discuss isomorphism and homomorphism. Language used by instructors in interviews and classroom settings are identified and classified into four main categories: formal definition, mapping, sameness, and combinations of sameness and mapping language. How the two instructors drew on language classified into those four categories in the interview and instruction settings are examined for isomorphism and homomorphism. Similarities and …

Modeling The Ecological Dynamics Of A Three-Species Fish Population In The Chesapeake Bay, Iordanka N. Panayotova, Maila B. Hallare

CODEE Journal

We present an inquiry-based project that is designed for a mathematical modeling class of undergraduate junior or senior students. It discusses a three-species mathematical model that simulates the biological interactions among three important fish species in the Chesapeake Bay: the prey Atlantic menhaden and its two competing predators, the striped bass and the non-native blue catfish. The model also considers the following ecological issues related to these three species: the overfishing of menhaden, the invasiveness of the blue catfish, and the harvesting of blue catfish as a method to control the population. A series of modeling scenarios are considered based …

Qualitative Analysis Of A Resource Management Model And Its Application To The Past And Future Of Endangered Whale Populations, Glenn Ledder

CODEE Journal

Observed whale dynamics show drastic historical population declines, some of which have not been reversed in spite of restrictions on harvesting. This phenomenon is not explained by traditional predator prey models, but we can do better by using models that incorporate more sophisticated assumptions about consumer-resource interaction. To that end, we derive the Holling type 3 consumption rate model and use it in a one-variable differential equation obtained by treating the predator population in a predator-prey model as a parameter rather than a dynamic variable. The resulting model produces dynamics in which low and high consumption levels lead to single …

Epidemiology And The Sir Model: Historical Context To Modern Applications, Francesca Bernardi, Manuchehr Aminian

CODEE Journal

We suggest the use of historical documents and primary sources, as well as data and articles from recent events, to teach students about mathematical epidemiology. We propose a project suitable -- in different versions -- as part of a class syllabus, as an undergraduate research project, and as an extra credit assignment. Throughout this project, students explore mathematical, historical, and sociological aspects of the SIR model and approach data analysis and interpretation. Based on their work, students form opinions on public health decisions and related consequences. Feedback from students has been encouraging.

We begin our project by having students read …

Engaging Students Early By Internationalizing The Undergraduate Calculus Course, Chinenye Ofodile

CODEE Journal

Today's world is global. However, despite increasing numbers and diversity of participants in Study Abroad programs, only 10% of U. S. college students get that experience. There is an ever-growing need for students to become aware of and experience other cultures, to understand why others think and act differently. Internationalization is the conscious effort, begun nearly 40 years ago, to integrate an international, intercultural, and global dimension into the purpose, functions, and delivery of post-secondary education.

Albany State University began a Global Program Initiative in the 1990s. In 2016, we extended into mathematics the curriculum innovations of this program. The …

Don't Run Out Of Steam! Barriers To A Transdisciplinary Learning Approach, Jennifer C. Caton

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

Reform-based instruction can maximize learning and provide equitable access for students in both mathematics and science. A proposal for change by national organizations shed light on the need for programs in integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or with the inclusion of the arts (STEAM). A balanced approach to integrated STEAM education uses real issues from around the world to challenge students to be innovative, creative, and think critically about ways they can provide solutions. The purpose of this article is to highlight the potential of a transdisciplinary STEAM instructional approach, while examining the barriers that teachers face in …

Preservice Science And Mathematics Teachers’ Acculturation Into Communities Of Practice: A Call For Undergraduate Research In Science And Mathematics Teacher Preparation, Kara Esther Baldwin, Rebekka Darner

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

Current mathematics and science standards, namely the Common Core State Standards of Mathematics (CCSSM) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), emphasize engaging students in mathematical and scientific practices. This review article is driven by the question: How can we expect science and mathematics teachers to appropriately engage students in the practices of the scientific and mathematical disciplines, when most teachers themselves lack experience practicing as scientists and mathematicians? To address this question, we review the literature on teachers’ understanding of their discipline’s practices, disciplinary practices as means to engage in inquiry, and how preservice teacher engagement in undergraduate research …

What Stem Teachers Need To Know And Do To Engage Families Of Emergent Multilingual Students (English Language Learners), Lisa Hoffman, Emily Suh, Alan Zollman

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

STEM teacher educators are aware that we teach far more than content-specific methodology. Educators need to guide STEM teachers in the knowledge and skills to support emergent multilingual students (English language learners, or ELLs) by simultaneously developing their STEM content learning and scaffolding their language acquisition (Hoffman & Zollman, 2016; Suh, Hoffman, & Zollman, 2020). Research identifies the family unit having a profound effect upon student learning and educational choices. Educators, educational researchers, and policymakers alike recognize the importance of family involvement in education (Grant & Ray, 2019). Although previous family engagement initiatives have focused on teaching families from a …

Unit #5: Buildings - Remote Learning Activities, Lindsey Herlehy, Cassandra Armstrong

Little STEAMers: Early Learning Program

No abstract provided.

Math Escape Rooms: A Novel Approach For Engaging Learners In Math Circles, Janice F. Rech, Paula Jakopovic, Hannah Seidl, Greg Lawson, Rachel Pugh

Journal of Math Circles

Engaging middle and high school students in Math Circles requires time, planning and creativity. Finding novel approaches to maintain the interest of a variety of learners can be challenging. This paper outlines a model for developing and implementing math escape rooms as a unique structure for facilitating collaborative problem solving in a Math Circle. These escape rooms were designed and hosted by undergraduate secondary mathematics education majors. We provide possible structures for hosting escape rooms that could translate to a range of settings, as well as reflections and lessons learned through our experiences that could inform practitioners in other settings.

Special Education Math Interventions: Meta-Analyses Quality Indicator Coding Protocol, Gena Nelson

Early and Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of document is to provide readers with the coding protocol that authors used to code 22 mathematics intervention meta-analyses focused on participants with or at-risk of disabilities. The author drafted this coding protocol based on the meta-analysis quality indicators recommended by Talbott et al. (2018, pp. 248–249); specifically, the author considered the variables presented in Table 1 of Talbott et al. and supplemented the information so that the variables and definitions were specific to the purpose of this systematic review. We coded each meta-analysis for 53 variables across eight categories, including: Quality of Clear Research Questions, Quality of …

Effects Of Creative Video Games On Creativity, Haiqal Sazalli, Sharil Sungkono, Mohammed Rashaun, Khalis Muzakir

Introduction to Research Methods RSCH 202

The purpose of this research is to find the effects of creative games on the Creativity Quotient of human beings. Assessing creativity is based on divergent thinking consisting of fluency, originality and uniqueness in thinking methods. The theoretical framework assesses the creative thinking of candidates through a 4-week gaming programme consists of a pre-and post-assessment of the Creativity Quotient Test which consists of 10 critical thinking questions. These questions will test the fluency, originality and uniqueness of the candidates. To provide a fair result, the same questions will be used for the pre-and post-assessment. Results will prove that games are …

Timss 2019 Australian Year 4 And Year 8 Data [Sas & Spss], Sue Thomson, Nicole Wernert, Sima Rodrigues, Elizabeth O'Grady

TIMSS 2019

This is a data source for the report TIMSS 2019 Australia. Volume I: Student performance. This dataset is available for download as a zipped file https://research.acer.edu.au/context/timss_2019/article/1002/type/native/viewcontent.

2021 Inaugural X-Dber Conference: Announcement & Plenary Speakers

X-DBER Conference: 1st (2021)

The discipline-based education research (DBER) community at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) hosted an online conference to discuss how theories, methods, and application of education research cross disciplinary boundaries. The X-DBER 2021 conference was held March 1-3, 2021. More than 550 people registered to attend the X-DBER 2021 conference; participants came from 11 countries and 41 states in the U.S.

The goal of this conference was to bring together DBER researchers from across disciplines (e.g., biology, chemistry, engineering, geoscience, math, physics) to learn about ongoing research and develop future directions. The conference opened with a welcome address from Chancellor Ronnie …

Lessons Learned From Creating Videos For Online Video-Based Instructional Modules In Mathematics Teacher Education, Patrick R. Lowenthal, Laurie O. Cavey

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Video can be a powerful tool, with a long history of use in teacher education. Despite the increased popularity of using video in teacher education over the years, questions remain about effective ways to create and use video in online video-based instructional modules. Given this, in this paper we describe some lessons learned creating videos for online video-based instructional modules for secondary mathematics teacher candidates, as a part of a National Science Foundation (NSF) IUSE program (Award No. 1726543) funded project. We specifically focus on how we recorded interviews with middle and high school students, and iteratively developed the online …

Airbags As Real-Life Applications For Science, Carly A. Rock, Brooke A. Whitworth

Publications

At the core of an effective model-based inquiry (MBI) unit is a scientifically rich, complex phenomenon that serves as the reason for engagement and drives student sensemaking and investigations throughout the unit. Engaging in iterative attempts to explain phenomena over the course of an MBI unit allows the opportunity for students to construct evidence-based explanations that are refined over time with various science practices. We provide an example of using MBI as an instructional model to facilitate students’ conceptual understanding of chemical reactions.

Problematizing Perceptions Of Stem Potential: Differences By Cognitive Disability Status In High School And Postsecondary Educational Outcomes, Dara Shifrer, Daniel Mackin Freeman

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) potential of youth with cognitive disabilities is often dismissed through problematic perceptions of STEM ability as natural and of youth with cognitive disabilities as unable. National data on more than 15,000 adolescents from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 first suggest that, among youth with disabilities, youth with medicated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have the highest levels of STEM achievement, and youth with learning or intellectual disabilities typically have the lowest. Undergraduates with medicated ADHD or autism appear to be more likely to major in STEM than youth without cognitive disabilities, and youth …

Word-Problem-Solving Interventions For Elementary Students With Learning Disabilities: A Selective Meta-Analysis Of The Literature, Jennifer E. Kong, Christy Yan, Allison Serceki, H. Lee Swanson

Education Faculty Articles and Research

This meta-analysis assessed the effect of word-problem-solving interventions on the word-problem-solving accuracy of students identified as having a learning disability (LD) or at risk for an LD in kindergarten to the sixth grade. Eighteen randomized control group designed studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, word-problem-solving interventions yielded a significant positive effect on the word-problem-solving accuracy of students in elementary grades with LD (effect size [ES] = 1.08). Instructional components that underlie effective studies were also identified. Results suggest that peer interaction and transfer instructions yielded large effects on treatment outcomes. Results also suggested that intensive interventions (50-min sessions, 34 total …

Developing Students’ Curiosity Through Chemistry Hands-On Activities: A Case Of Selected Community Secondary Schools In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Esther Kibga, Emmanuel Gakuba, John Sentongo

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Curiosity is the inner drive for learning or ‘hunger for learning’ which is among the twenty-firstcentury learning competencies. Students in their earliest stage ought to exhibit curiosity to stirup knowledge acquisition and exploration, yet the development of curiosity in the context of education is considered to be unusual. This research assesses how chemistry students develop and express curiosity in a hands-on learning environment. A sample of 169 senior three students from three community secondary schools in Dar es Salaam was involved in this study. Besides, the study examined how hands-on activities in chemistry lessons can be incorporated as a pedagogical …

Promoting Academic Integrity And Student Learning In Online Biology Courses, Jeremy L. Hsu

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an abrupt shift in biology courses, with many transitioning to online instruction. This has led to an increased concern about academic integrity and cheating in online courses. Here, I draw upon the peer-reviewed literature to provide evidence-based answers to four questions concerning cheating and online biology courses: (i) What types of cheating are prevalent with the shift to online instruction? (ii) Should instructors make assessments open book and open notes? (iii) How does cheating occur in biology lab courses? (iv) Finally, what strategies can biology instructors take to uphold academic integrity with online learning? I …

Instructor Strategies To Alleviate Stress And Anxiety Among College And University Stem Students, Jeremy L. Hsu, Gregory R. Goldsmith

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

While student stress and anxiety are frequently cited as having negative effects on students’ academic performance, the role that instructors can play in mitigating these challenges is often underappreciated. We provide summaries of different evidence-based strategies, ranging from changes in instructional strategies to specific classroom interventions, that instructors may employ to address and ameliorate student stress and anxiety. While we focus on students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the strategies we delineate may be more broadly applicable. We begin by highlighting ways in which instructors can learn about and prepare to act to alleviate stress and anxiety. We then …

Personal Reflections / 2.24.21, José M. Torres

Personal Reflections

No abstract provided.

Stem: Innovación Y Transformación Educativa, José M. Torres

Publications & Research

No abstract provided.

Participation In Open Up Resources By Gender And Family Income Level On Mathematics Achievement Of Grades 7 And 8 Students, Timothy Brister

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the effects by gender and by family-income level between students using Open Up Resources (OUR) curriculum (a Problem-Based Learning [PBL] curriculum) versus traditional curriculum on mathematics achievement of Grades 7 and 8 students. A stratified random sample of 320 students from four Central and Southeast Arkansas schools (n = 160 for Grades 7 and 8, respectively) was drawn for this study. Data analysis involved the use of 2 x 2 factorial ANOVAs. The key findings of the study were that the mathematics achievement of Grade 8 students using OUR was significantly higher …

An Investigation Of Pre-Service Elementary-School Teachers' Knowledge Of Properties Of Real Numbers, Okemwa Ogega Monandi

Theses and Dissertations

Current recommendations for school mathematics include teaching algebra as a K–12 content stranding beginning in the elementary-school grades. The focus of this study was on preservice elementary mathematics teachers’ knowledge of algebra content in the intended curriculum for K–8 mathematics. In the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM), great emphasis is placed on numerical structure, and the usefulness of number properties in algebraic manipulation. In this study, preservice teachers’ knowledge of structural properties was explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge that preservice elementary teachers have about number properties and whether they could apply these …

Teaching Inquiry-Based Science Through The Critical Lens Of Social Justice, Tonya D. Jeffery, Isaac Aldrich, Jordan Anderson, Bailey Bettencourt, Lucy Castillo, Lily Carriger, Tosha Hawkins

Diversity Conference

In this session, the first presenter who is a teacher educator from a historically marginalized group, share their own experiences about what led them to teach their science methods course through the critical lens of social justice and through the theoretical frameworks of culturally responsive education. In addition, the presenter will discuss the tools and strategies utilized for teaching this course and for creating a safe space for preservice teachers’ dialogue and critical reflections about their own lives and experiences, identity, racism, biases, and the systemic and structural oppression among various groups in K-12 education.

Six (6) preservice teachers participated …

Math For Emergent Bilinguals. As Easy As Uno, Dos, Tres, Jim Ewing

Diversity Conference

There's a myth that math is a universal language, and yet we struggle to meet the needs of emergent bilinguals (ELs). This motivating session focuses on Spanish—speaking emergent bilinguals. The author of a popular book for teachers will teach you strategies. You’ll learn as easy as uno, dos, tres!

A Composite Textual Phenomenological Approach To Cures Versus Traditional Laboratory Experiences, Amie S. Sommers, Dana Richter-Egger, Christine E. Cutucache

The Qualitative Report

Here we present unique perspectives from undergraduate students (n=3) in STEM who have taken both a traditional laboratory iteration and a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) iteration of the same introductory chemistry course. CUREs can be effective models for integrating research in courses and fostering student learning gains. Via phenomenological interviews, we asked students to describe the differences in their perspectives, feelings, and experiences between a traditional lab guided by a lab manual and a CURE. We found that (i.) critical thinking/problem solving, (ii.) group work/collaboration, (iii.) student-led research questions and activities, and (iv.) time management are the top four …