ScholarWorks

ScholarWorks is an open access repository for the capture of the intellectual work of Montana State University (MSU) in support of its teaching, research and service missions. MSU ScholarWorks is a central point of discovery for accessing, collecting, sharing, preserving, and distributing knowledge to the Montana State University community and the world.

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Scholarship & Research

Recent Submissions

Beyond the Lab Manual: Student-Led Experimental Design to Boost Content and Career Readiness in High School Biology
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2026-08)
Bodisch, Madelyn Rose
;
Christina Pavlovich
This action research sought to understand how incorporating student-led experimental design through a constructivist framework would impact learning in a high school biology classroom. Specifically, the impacts on content retention and career readiness skills of teamwork and problem solving were analyzed. Throughout the treatment period, students engaged with genetics content in a constructivist manner as suggested by Kolb’s 1984 theory and the Framework for K-12 Science Education (National Research Council, 2012). As a part of this learning process, students designed an experiment surrounding the genetic traits of corn seedlings. Pre- and post-content tests, surveys, interviews, and an observation rubric were used as data collection instruments. Data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively to understand the impact of the treatment on content retention and career readiness skills. Results suggested little impact on content retention and problem-solving skills but a positive impact on students’ teamwork skills. These results led the researcher to conclude that while there was no noticeable change in students’ problem-solving skills, the treatment period was valuable for student learning and the practice of leadership skills.
The Effectiveness of Structured Teaching and Modeling of Peer Editing on the Scientific Writing of High School Environmental Science Students
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2026-07)
Jones, Jennifer Marie
;
Robyn Gotz
The Next Generation Science Standards have shifted the focus of science instruction from rote memorization of facts to students engaging in science by discovering information, constructing explanations, engaging in arguments from evidence, and communicating ideas. One way for students to express their scientific knowledge and ideas is through writing. However, many high school students struggle with writing, and many science teachers lack the confidence and time to implement writing instruction into their curriculum. Peer review is an instructional strategy that can effectively support students as they develop their writing skills in science classrooms. This research examined the impact of structured teaching and modeling of peer editing on the scientific writing of 38 high school students in Advanced Placement Environmental Science. Treatment consisted of two peer editing lessons where students established feedback criteria, scored models with rubrics, and provided constructive feedback. Each lesson was followed by a peer editing exercise that allowed students to apply the knowledge gained. After peer editing, students read through peer feedback and made corrections to their writing. End of unit writing assessments were used to determine the impact of peer editing on student writing, and pretreatment and posttreatment surveys were used to gauge students’ familiarity with peer editing and their confidence to help their peers. In addition, a teacher journal was used to document observations during peer editing lessons, and student interviews provided insight into the perceived benefits and challenges of peer editing sessions. The results demonstrated that students felt more confident in their peer editing skills and believed the lessons improved their writing. In peer editing exercises, students asked more questions and were more engaged with their peers and the grading rubric. Although writing assessment scores did not significantly improve, both teacher and students found peer editing instruction useful.
Bridging Cultures and Conservation: A Curricular Framework for Integrating Indigenous Studies and Restoration Ecology
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2026-07)
Pacanins, Chelsey Cecilia
;
Christina Pavlovich
The integration of Western scientific inquiry and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) remains a significant gap in secondary education, often leading to the marginalization of traditional ways of knowing. This educational scholarship addresses the need for culturally responsive curricula that honor Tribal sovereignty and land stewardship while meeting rigorous state science standards. The curriculum involves a 5E instructional framework centered on the declining Washington prairies. Using the Two-Eyed Seeing methodology, this work weaves Western ecological principles with Indigenous anthropological relationships to the land. The resulting scholarship provides a structured pedagogical model that utilizes Totemic Species and the geomorphic mystery of the Mima Mounds as focal points for student inquiry. This design process demonstrates that centering culturally and ecologically important species creates an accessible pathway for students to engage with restoration principles and intergenerational knowledge transfer. This scholarship concludes that by bridging these distinct knowledge systems, educators can challenge traditional hierarchies of evidence and foster a more inclusive environmental literacy that prepares students to address ecological challenges.
The Effects of Implementing Science and Engineering Practices and Crosscutting Concepts on Student Science Achievement and Attitudes in a High School Chemistry Classroom
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2026-08)
Biela-Robinson, Anna Elizabeth
;
Robyn Gotz
The Next Generation Science Standards have been the foundation of science education since their adoption in 2014. These standards are unique in that they do not focus solely on the content, but they take an integrated approach by interweaving Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) alongside traditional content standards to immerse students in all of the practices scientists use. Although these standards have been around for over a decade, many science classrooms continue to focus mainly on content and labs to learn science. This project set out to answer the question, How will explicitly teaching the SEPs and CCCs of the NGSS impact student science achievement and perceptions in a high school chemistry course? To investigate this question, students were taught about each SEP and CCC over a two-week unit and then these practices were incorporated into a content unit over the periodic table and trends. Achievement was measured using a pretest and posttest as well as multiple Likert scale surveys to gauge student familiarity with the SEPs and CCCs. The data were analyzed using mean, median, normalized gains, and thematic analysis. The results showed which SEPs and CCCs students were most familiar with and growth in familiarity after being explicitly taught these practices. Most students demonstrated medium to high gains from pre-to-post treatment. This study led to the conclusion that it would be best advised to start the year by introducing the SEPs and CCCs and integrating them throughout each unit as some units match up better with certain SEPs and CCCs than others. This study also showed that students had some awareness of what scientists do, but they identified lab work and analyzing data as the primary components of scientific work. They did not always identify the communicative piece of scientific work or the steps of doing a lab investigation.
Effects of the Flipped Classroom Model on Student Achievement in Advanced Placement Physics C
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2026-07)
Schiller, Jeffery Michael
;
Robyn Gotz
In this action research study, a flipped classroom model was implemented in an AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism course to examine its effect on student achievement and perceptions of learning. The study compared two sequential units during Spring 2026: a nontreatment Gauss’ Law unit taught through traditional direct instruction and a flipped Electric Potential unit in which students viewed AP Classroom videos before class and used class time for guided problem solving and discussion. Student learning was measured using pre and post assessment free-response questions, with performance analyzed through score comparisons and normalized gains. Survey and interview data were also collected to examine student perceptions, and thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns in student responses. Results showed strong pretest-to-posttest growth and high normalized gains in both units, with the flipped treatment group showing greater variability in outcomes. Students reported benefits in preparation, use of class time, retention, and independence, while evidence related specifically to deeper understanding and transfer to unfamiliar College Board-style problems remained mixed. Overall, the findings suggest that the flipped classroom may be most effective as a structure for supporting active in-class learning rather than as a direct guarantee of improved transfer to novel problems.