Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Factors Impacting Students’ Perceptions Of Mathematics, Amber Souza

Honors Program Theses and Projects

I want to be able to present math in a positive light to all of my future students, regardless of race, gender, and math background. However, for teachers as a whole to be able to take this important step, they must first develop a deeper understanding of why math is a sore spot for many students.

Renewal Of An Information Systems Curriculum To Support Career Based Tracks: A Case Study, Swapna Gottipati, Venky Shankararaman, Kyong Jin Shim

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The pace at which technology redefines traditional job functions is picking up rapidly. This trend is triggered particularly by advances in analytics, security, cloud computing, Artificial Intelligence and big data. The purpose of this paper is to present a case study on our approach to renewing an undergraduate IS Major curriculum to align with the needs of the industry. We adopt a survey based approach to study Information Systems (IS) graduate skills requirements and re-design the curriculum framework for the IS program at our school. The paper describes in detail the process, the redesigned IS curriculum, the impact of the …

Topics And Challenges In Teaching Computer Science For Gifted And Talented Students, Tom Meyer, Namrata Pandya

Faculty Publications & Research

No abstract provided.

Student Preclass Preparation By Both Reading The Textbook And Watching Videos Online Improves Exam Performance In A Partially Flipped Course, Kaleb Bassett, Gayla R. Olbricht, Katie Shannon

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

The flipped classroom has the potential to improve student performance. Because flipping involves both preclass preparation and problem solving in the classroom, the means by which increased learning occurs and whether the method of delivering content matters is of interest. In a partially flipped cell biology course, students were assigned online videos before the flipped class and textbook reading before lectures. Low-stakes assessments were used to incentivize both types of preclass preparation. We hypothesized that more students would watch the videos than read the textbook and that both types of preparation would positively affect exam performance. A multiple linear regression …

Cross-Cultural Comparisons: The Art Of Computing The Greatest Common Divisor, Mary K. Flagg

Number Theory

No abstract provided.

Playfair's Introduction Of Time Series To Represent Data, Diana White, Joshua Eastes, Negar Janani, River Bond

Statistics and Probability

No abstract provided.

Playfair's Novel Visual Displays Of Data, Diana White, River Bond, Joshua Eastes, Negar Janani

Statistics and Probability

No abstract provided.

Physical Science - Under Pressure: Matter And Its Interactions, David Hernandez, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Air pressure, or atmospheric pressure, is the force exerted on objects by the atmosphere. Barometers are typically used to measure atmospheric pressure. Made of a liquid filled glass tube, the level of liquid will rise when the pressure increases and fall when the pressure drops. Lower barometric pressure tends to be associated with precipitation and cloudiness, while higher readings are related to sunshine and calmer weather. Air is made of invisible particles. The density of these particles is affected by atmospheric pressure. The greater the pressure, the more densely packed the particles are. In comparison, less pressure means a lower …

Physical Science - Gravity On Earth: Gravitational Force, Patrick Young

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Gravity is a curious property of our universe. Gravity causes objects to attract each other with a force. The strength of this force depends on the masses of the objects and their distance apart. The direction of the force is from the center of one object toward the center of the other. Although the force is invisible, we can observe its direction by watching how objects move in response to the force.

Physical Science - Railroad Rescue: Energy Conversion, Patrick Young

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

In January of 1952, the Sierra Nevada mountains of California were stuck by a record-breaking blizzard. Railroad tracks through the mountain passes were being blocked by avalanches and snowdrifts. The tracks were generally kept clear by powerful rotary snowplows, but this blizzard was like nothing the Southern Pacific Railroad had ever seen before.

Physical Science - Energy Transfer: Heat And Light, Patrick Young, Peg Steffen

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Energy is the ability to do work. Energy can be thought of as a currency which is universally accepted as the way to make things happen. Energy can be stored in many ways and transferred from place to place in many ways.

Some of the most frequently recognized types of energy are heat and light. These, along with others, can be classified as a phenomenon known as electromagnetic radiation (EM). Radiation is energy that travels and spreads out as it goes. The visible light that comes from a lamp in your house and the radio waves that come from a …

Physical Science - Classroom Detective Agency: Chemical Changes, Peg Steffen

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Students are introduced to the differences between physical and chemical changes in simple kitchen substances that react to water and indicators in characteristic ways. The observable clues that a physical change has occurred includes changes in state such as gas, liquid, or solid. The material itself is the same before and after the change. An ice cube melting is an example of a physical change.

Earth Science - Oil Spills And Dust Bowls: Earth's Systems, Cassandra Armstrong, Peg Steffen, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Earth is comprised of four interconnected systems: geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. All of Earth’s processes are due to energy and matter cycling within and among these four systems. Because these systems are so connected, it is important to understand both individual characteristics of each system independently as well as features of their interactions with each other.

Physical Science - Speed And Energy: Diving Energy And Speed, Patrick Young

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Energy is the ability to do work. Energy can be thought of as a currency which is universally accepted as the way to make things happen. All moving objects have energy. The amount of energy depends on their speed and mass. The faster an object moves, the more energy it has, and the more work it can do on other objects with which it interacts.

Physical Science - Supervillain Detention! Properties Of Matter, Patrick Young, Peg Steffen, Elizabeth Martinez

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Scientists and engineers need to understand the properties of the materials they use. They choose the best materials for specific projects based on the properties of the materials. For example, civil engineers must have a thorough understanding of the properties of materials that might be used to build roads, dams, or bridges and plan their designs around the materials that will be used.

Earth/Space Science - Earth's Place In Space: Seasonal Change, Elizabeth Martinez, Peg Steffen

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

A key Disciplinary Core Idea for understanding our place in space is that the orbits of Earth and the sun and of the moon around Earth cause observable patterns. These include day and night; daily changes in the length of shadows; and different positions of the sun, moon, and stars at different times. There are many misconceptions about earth’s orbit but it is important to remember and to convey to students that Earth is moving around the Sun and the Moon is moving around us. What we see each day with the motion of the Sun moving across the sky …

Physical And Life Science - Food And Energy: Animal And Plant Energy, Cassandra Armstrong

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Energy exists in many forms and is constantly being transferred between forms. All energy types can be sorted into two main categories: potential and kinetic. Potential energy is stored energy. Chemical energy, nuclear energy, stored mechanical energy, and gravitational energy are all examples of potential energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. Radiant (light) energy, thermal energy, sound energy, and electrical energy are all examples of kinetic energy. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred between the types of energy. Most energy we use on Earth stems from the nuclear energy from within the sun.

Engagement And Computational Thinking Through Creative Coding, Dana Hoppe

Honors Theses

Rising enrollments in Computer Science pose an opportunity to engage students from diverse backgrounds and interests; and a challenge to deliver on positive learning outcomes. While student engagement is the driving factor for increased learning performance and retention, it has been declining to new lows for Computer Science students in recent years. In order to further explore the potential of contextualized computing as a tool for increasing engagement in computing and developing Computational Thinking aptitude in students, we have developed an introductory computing course contextualized with Art and Design with modules centered around guiding pedagogical principles and aimed at middle …

Teaching And Learning Of Fluid Mechanics, Ashwin Vaidya

Department of Mathematics Facuty Scholarship and Creative Works

Fluid mechanics occupies a privileged position in the sciences; it is taught in various science departments including physics, mathematics, environmental sciences and mechanical, chemical and civil engineering, with each highlighting a different aspect or interpretation of the foundation and applications of fluids. Doll’s fluid analogy [5] for this idea is especially relevant to this issue: “Emergence of creativity from complex flow of knowledge—example of Benard convection pattern as an analogy—dissipation or dispersal of knowledge (complex knowledge) results in emergent structures, i.e., creativity which in the context of education should be thought of as a unique way to arrange information so …

Investigations Into D'Alembert's Definition Of Limit (Real Analysis Version), Dave Ruch

Analysis

No abstract provided.

Investigations Into Bolzano's Bounded Set Theorem, Dave Ruch

Analysis

No abstract provided.

Written Reflections And Discussion Forums-- Math For Elementary School Teachers (Q2s-Ep: Math 301aqbr And Math 301bqbr ), Stephanie Creswell

Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy

Preparing for the transition from quarters to semesters, instructors of the mathematics sequence for future elementary teachers (Math 301ABC, Math 308 and their semester equivalents 3011, 3012 and 3013) applied research about best practices for online learning in mathematics to the quarter bridge courses Math 301AQBR and 301BQBR that each include 0.5 units of online activities. Successful activities piloted in the quarter bridge courses may be implemented in the 3011-3012-3013 semester sequence and their associated lab courses 3011L-3012L-3013L. This paper focuses on written reflections and group discussion forums associated with the class textbook Powerful Problem Solving by Max Ray.

Streamlining Time Spent In Alternative Developmental Mathematics Pathways: Increasing Access To College-Level Mathematics Courses By Altering Placement Procedures, Marla A. Sole

Publications and Research

Developmental mathematics, which is designed to prepare students for college-level mathematics courses, can be a barrier to students’ success. In the United States, the majority of students placed into developmental mathematics courses fail to complete the developmental sequence. Alternative mathematics pathways offer some benefits when integrated with “just-in- time support” or expedited instruction on specific prerequisite concepts needed solely for the current lesson. This study compares two statistics courses taught at a public community college: a complete course taught in one semester and a two-semester version with just-in-time developmental content integrated into the course. The study found that students placed …

Periodic Table Club, Makayla Gill, Kailynn Jensen

Honors Expanded Learning Clubs

This club is dedicated to teaching the generation of future scientists the periodic table. This is designed to be a unique take on a STEM club that uses the periodic table as a backbone for a solid foundation in chemistry.

A Learning Culture For The Digital World – Something To Learn From Moscow?, Andreas Schleicher

Teacher India

While people have different views on the role that digital technology can and should play in schools, we cannot ignore how digital tools have so fundamentally transformed the world outside of school. Andreas Schleicher looks at how schools in Moscow use digital technology in their classrooms.

Designing Writing Intensive Upper Division Laboratories In Physics, Sara Callori

Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy

California State University San Bernardino is currently transitioning from quarters to semesters, starting in Fall 2020. As part of this transition, the Department of Physics has transformed its curriculum to better suit the needs of its students. One major facet of this redesign has been the creation of two writing intensive, upper division laboratory courses. From a practical standpoint, under the revamped general education program, we are able to incorporate upper division writing into the major. More importantly, there are many benefits where having a writing-intensive major course aligns with program goals and professional organization recommendations. This includes designing activities …

The Mobius Function And Mobius Inversion, Carl Lienert

Number Theory

No abstract provided.

Playfair's Introduction Of Bar And Pie Charts To Represent Data, Diana White, River Bond, Joshua Eastes, Negar Janani

Statistics and Probability

No abstract provided.

Representing And Interpreting Data From Playfair, Diana White, River Bond, Joshua Eastes, Negar Janani

Statistics and Probability

No abstract provided.