Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 7 of 7

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Generations Of Stewards: Re-Indigenizing Youth Leadership, Learning, And Conservation Education, Drew Slaney Jan 2023

Generations Of Stewards: Re-Indigenizing Youth Leadership, Learning, And Conservation Education, Drew Slaney

WWU Graduate School Collection

My thesis is an exploratory case study into epistemologies (or worldviews) supported by organizations and agencies that develop outdoor conservation and education programs for Native youth called Native Youth Stewardship Programs (NYSPs). This subject relies on the content developed by Medin and Bang (2014) who state that an under-representation of Indigenous peoples in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields is largely the result of epistemological conflicts between educators and Indigenous students. I hypothesize that there is a considerable epistemological difference between the conservation entities developing programs to engage Native youth. These differences may create significant barriers with youth recruitment, …


More Than Meets The Eye; Accessibility Of Scientific Information Through Art, Rachael Barrows Jul 2021

More Than Meets The Eye; Accessibility Of Scientific Information Through Art, Rachael Barrows

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Science is inaccessible to learn in a myriad of ways. Financially it can be difficult to get information. It can also be hard to look up information on your own without knowing what to look for. Teaching science also involves a lot of reading that can be difficult for some disabilities. Through art, however, science can become more accessible, both to share and to learn. Visual learning benefits understanding and retention of information as well as creates clearer holistic concepts. Through paintings, this project shares some scientific information, exploring a way to share and teach science that is more accessible.


Toward A Framework For The Natures Of Proportional Reasoning In Introductory Physics, Andrew Boudreaux, Stephen E. Kanim, Alexis Olsho, Suzanne W. Brahmia, Charlotte Zimmerman, Trevor I. Smith Jul 2020

Toward A Framework For The Natures Of Proportional Reasoning In Introductory Physics, Andrew Boudreaux, Stephen E. Kanim, Alexis Olsho, Suzanne W. Brahmia, Charlotte Zimmerman, Trevor I. Smith

Physics & Astronomy

We present a set of modes of reasoning about ratio and proportion as a means of operationalizing expert practice in physics. These modes, or natures of proportional reasoning, stem from consideration of how physicists reason in context and are informed by prior work in physics and mathematics education. We frame the natures as the core of an emerging framework for proportional reasoning in introductory physics, that will categorize the uses of proportional reasoning in introductory physics contexts, and provide guidance for the development of reliable assessments. We share results from preliminary assessment items indicating that university physics students have difficulty …


Land, Body, Liberation: An Ecofeminist Pedagogical Approach To Place-Based Education, Amy L. Fitkin Jan 2020

Land, Body, Liberation: An Ecofeminist Pedagogical Approach To Place-Based Education, Amy L. Fitkin

WWU Graduate School Collection

Within this project I applied an ecofeminism framework to the tangible practices of place-based education regarding issues of social justice-based sustainability efforts. In order to recognize the impact of identity-based privileges, I explore how place-based education promotes the development of problem-solving skills, critical-thinking techniques and building meaningful relationships within a community. These goals were achieved by shifting the white settler colonist understanding of human conquest and subjugation over land and bodies from an anthropocentric lens to an androcentric lens. In other words, illuminating the oppressive role the patriarchy has continued to play in exploiting natural "resources" and the bodies of …


Experiential Education And Outreach Based On Nearshore Monitoring Of The Elwha River Restoration Project, Andrea S. Ogston, Ian M. Miller, Chloe Dawson, Emily F. Eidam, Nancy Elder, Hannah E. Glover, Steve P. Rubin, Melissa Williams Apr 2018

Experiential Education And Outreach Based On Nearshore Monitoring Of The Elwha River Restoration Project, Andrea S. Ogston, Ian M. Miller, Chloe Dawson, Emily F. Eidam, Nancy Elder, Hannah E. Glover, Steve P. Rubin, Melissa Williams

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Nearshore monitoring of benthic habitats and the coastal environment following the Elwha River Restoration project has engaged students and citizens with coastal science and management issues. In the post-dam-removal period, the lessons learned will continue to be disseminated via a UW undergraduate course and an interactive digital map, both designed to engage students and communities in restoration science. The research-focused course developed at the UW Friday Harbor Labs has allowed us to engage diverse undergraduate students (and graduate teaching assistants) in the research process. The course integrates interdisciplinary lectures and workshops on data analysis and laboratory methods, with the research …


Engaging Local Students And Aquarium Visitors Through Rov Technology, Jessica Lotz, Katy Kachmarik, Rus Higley Apr 2018

Engaging Local Students And Aquarium Visitors Through Rov Technology, Jessica Lotz, Katy Kachmarik, Rus Higley

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Highline Marine Science and Technology Center (MaST) is the marine biology and aquarium facility of Highline College in Des Moines, Washington, located on the south-central Puget Sound. Dedicated to expanding knowledge about Puget Sound, a central mission of the MaST Center is fostering a culture of marine stewardship by engaging the community through interactive learning, personal relations and exploration. The development of program curriculum designed around Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) targeted at elementary and middle school students, summer camp students, and aquarium guests exemplifies these efforts. The MaST Center has been hosting informal educational programs linked to National Science …


Change At The Core: An Initial Implementation Of Active Learning Strategies In Large, Lecture Science Courses, Travis Salmi May 2015

Change At The Core: An Initial Implementation Of Active Learning Strategies In Large, Lecture Science Courses, Travis Salmi

Scholars Week

Change at the Core (C-Core) is a faculty professional development program designed to investigate and employ the benefits of student focused learning in introductory science courses. It is a multidisciplinary effort among science educators at three higher education institutions to understand different possible learning strategy implementations. We are using case studies to investigate these implementations, the challenges involved, and the student responses to these approaches. Previous research has shown that students respond with greater learning outcomes towards alternatives to lectures. Data are being collected through classroom observations, student surveys, and faculty interviews. So far, we have observed a range of …