Scholarly Work - Education
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/2974
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Item Elementary teachers' perceptions of K-5 engineering education and perceived barriers to implementation(2019-04) Hammack, Rebekah; Ivey, ToniBackground The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) call for the integration of engineering content and practices in elementary science curricula, yet little is known about elementary teachers' preparedness to do so or their views on teaching engineering. Purpose/Hypothesis The purpose of the current study was to explore K‐5 teachers' perceptions about incorporating engineering in their classrooms as well as the perceived barriers for doing so. Design/Method This study consisted of an online survey including a mix of selected response, Likert, and short answer items, followed by individual interviews and focus group sessions with a subset of survey participants. Descriptive statistics are reported for quantitative survey data. Open‐ended survey questions as well as interview and focus group transcripts were inductively coded to identify emergent themes. Results Many elementary teachers support the inclusion of engineering in the science standards for elementary grades. Teachers describe a lack of preservice and in‐service training, background knowledge, materials, time for planning and implementing lessons, and administrative support as barriers to implementing engineering activities within their classrooms. Conclusion While many elementary teachers support the use of engineering activities in their classrooms, there are numerous barriers preventing them from doing so. To ensure that NGSS are incorporated into elementary classrooms as they were intended, elementary teachers must be provided with the necessary training, resources, and support.Item Educating for Sustainability in Remote Locations(National Rural Education Association, 2019-07) Reading, Chris; Khupe, Constance; Redford, Morag; Wallin, Dawn; Versland, Tena; Taylor, Neil; Hampton, PatrickAt a time when social, economic and political decisions, along with environmental events, challenge the viability of remote communities, educators need to better prepare young people in these communities to work towards sustainability. Remote locations can be defined by their inaccessibility rather than just distance from the nearest services, while the sustainability construct encapsulates a range of community needs: environmental, social, cultural and economic. This paper describes experiences that involve innovative approaches towards educating for sustainability in remote locations in six diverse countries: South Africa, Scotland, Canada, United States of America, Pacific Island Nations, and Australia. For each, the nature of what constitutes a “remote” location, as well as the detail and challenges of the innovation are presented. Readers should consider how they might more suitably educate the next generation to protect, showcase and learn from/with the local knowledges and capacities of the people and environments in remote locations.Item Intercultural Comparison of E-Learning Behaviors of Chinese vs. American Students(2019) Brazill, Shihua ChenThis paper focuses on E-learning and intercultural studies of Chinese and American students. The paper is divided into six sections including Introduction, Intercultural Comparisons of Chinese and American Students, E-learning, Instructional Design for E-Learning, Cultural Theory for E-learning, and Conclusion. As a practical result, this paper is useful to researchers and practitioners who wish to know and understand cultural differences and E-Learning behaviors of Chinese and American students. This knowledge could enhance online teacher-student interactions, improve E-learning outcomes, and identify salient cultural communication differences.Item Factors that Predict ACT Science Scores from a Multicultural Perspective(2019) Brazill, Shihua ChenThis study investigated predictors for ACT Science scores, a test used by many universities to rank applicants. This study utilized quantitative research methods using the Montana Office of Public Instruction’s GEMS (Growth and Enhancement of Montana Students) data set. All advanced statistical analysis was conducted using Stata software IC/15. This research is significant for increasing the representation of under-represented groups in STEM education because it helps clarify three important relationships: (1) How well do gender, race, and meal status predict 11th grade ACT Science scores; (2) How well does school size predict 11th grade ACT Science scores while controlling for gender, race, and meal status; and (3) How well does high school GPA predict 11th grade ACT Science scores while controlling for gender, race, meal status, and school size.Item Educational Manifest Destiny: Exclusion, Role Allocation, and Functionalization in Reservation Bordertown District Admission Policies(2019-02) Stanton, Christine RogersTowns that border American Indian reservations provide important contexts for studying relationships between educational institutions and marginalized communities. This study applies critical discourse methodologies to evaluate policies from districts bordering reservations, districts geographically distant from reservations, and districts located on reservations. Broadly, the study addresses the question, How do school admission policies perpetuate settler-colonialism? Findings reveal bordertown discourse that excludes Indigenous epistemologies, restricts self-determination, and defines the function of knowledge and peoples to reinforce Eurocentric power structures. The study offers implications for policy makers, district leaders, and community members working to enhance equity, particularly given increased pressure for school choice expansion.Item Implications of Trauma-Sensitive Practices at the Middle Level(2019-01) Dotson Davis, LaurenThis essay provides a broad overview of adverse childhood experiences and their impact on the middle level learner. Through a literature review, the author finds points of intersection between current research on traumatized students, best practices for classroom and school-wide procedures, and tenets of the middle level philosophy.Item Enhancing engineering education in the elementary school(2019-04) Utley, Juliana; Ivey, Toni; Hammack, Rebekah; High, KarenThe Next Generation Science Standards emphasizes the inclusion of engineering practices throughout the K–12 science curriculum. Therefore, elementary educators need to be knowledgeable about engineering and engineering careers so that they can expose their students to engineering. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of engineering professional development on in‐service elementary teachers’: (a) knowledge and perceptions regarding engineering, and (b) self‐efficacy of teaching engineering. This quantitative study revealed that even one professional development opportunity can help to alleviate some misconceptions about the work of engineers and what constitutes technology, as well as increase teachers’ confidence to teach engineering concepts.Item The Digital Storywork Partnership: Community-centered social studies to revitalize Indigenous histories and cultural knowledges(2018-09) Stanton, Christine Rogers; Hall, Brad; Carjuzaa, JioannaIndigenous communities have always cultivated social studies learning that is interactive, dynamic, and integrated with traditional knowledges. To confront the assimilative and deculturalizing education that accompanied European settlement of the Americas, Montana has adopted Indian Education for All (IEFA). This case study evaluates the Digital Storywork Partnership (DSP), which strives to advance the goals of IEFA within and beyond the social studies classroom through community-centered research and filmmaking. Results demonstrate the potential for DSP projects to advance culturally revitalizing education, community connectedness, and identity-development. The DSP offers a model for social studies education that is not only culturally affirming and revitalizing for Indigenous communities, but also holds potential for use in all communities. We conclude with recommendations for educators, scholars, and community members engaged in similar efforts.Item Thinking about sexual orientation: College experiences that contribute to identity salience(2018-05) Hughes, Bryce E.; Hurtado, SylviaSexual orientation has been socially prominent in the national media lately, but little is known about how college creates opportunity for thinking about sexual orientation among individual students. Using data from the Diverse Learning Environments survey, administered by the Higher Education Research Institute, we compared samples of heterosexual, lesbian, gay, and bisexual students to determine experiences that predict sexual orientation salience for each group. An inclusive curriculum, cocurricular diversity activities, and bias experiences are all related to increased salience. Participation in an LGBT student organization mattered for LGB students, whereas campus-administered diversity activities were most important for heterosexual students' identity.Item College experiences that contribute to students’ thinking about their sexual orientation identity(2013-03) Hughes, Bryce E.; Hurtado, Sylvia