Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
Browse
6 results
Search Results
Item Faculty collaborative dyads: profiles and productivity(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2016) Peters, Martha Cabell; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Carrie B. MyersCollaboration among faculty on research endeavors is becoming more common as the research problems being addressed are more complex and require differing skills and knowledge. Higher education institutions should be interested in understanding these collaborative relationship as a way to support and encourage them and to understand the culture and behavior of faculty. This study seeks to understand those collaborations by looking at the collaborative dyad of two faculty members as the unit of analysis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between research productivity and the demographic characteristics of faculty collaborative dyads. Using a survey methodology, data was gathered from tenured and tenure-track faculty at two research institutions about their primary research collaboration and the resultant productivity of this collaboration as measured by three outcome variables: (1) Intellectual Contributions - Published, (2) Presentations, and (3) Grants Awarded. The relationship between the demographic characteristics of gender, rank and discipline on the productivity of the dyad were studied with data gathered through an electronic survey to faculty at two institutions. A 34-item survey was distributed to 830 faculty and 207 usable surveys were received. Descriptive statistics and negative binomial regression were used to analyze the data. The results of negative binomial regression analysis of the data indicate that disciplinary homophily is significantly related to all measures of productivity while rank homophily is significantly related to Intellectual Contributions - Published and gender homophily is significantly related to Presentations. Overall, though the research supports the Similarity Attraction Paradigm theory in that homophilous dyads tend to be more productive than their heterophilous counterparts. This study adds to the growing body of knowledge about interdisciplinary collaboration, and specifically the micro-level characteristics of what productive collaborations look like. Recommendations for promoting such collaborations include mentoring of different ranks, and facilitating collaborations across disciplines that are more different from each other than would typically be found in a research collaboration.Item The current status of institutional research in northwest community colleges(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1981) Oberlander, Dale EugeneItem A comparison of three approaches to literacy acquisition : traditional phonics, whole language, and spelling before reading(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1998) Sporleder, Roxanne L.Item Montana State University's pursuit of prestige : research activity and its effects on graduate education(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2002) Junghans, Christopher JohnItem Science teachers' perspectives on their experiences in a graduate program in physics education and effects on their practice(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2011) Ketola, Randall Gordon; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Elisabeth SwansonPhysics education research is showing that programs for physics educators should look different than traditional physics programs designed for other majors, but how? In the literature review preceding this sequential, mixed methods study, three exemplary, research based physics programs for practicing teachers are examined with respect to physics education research, especially the five principles for effective physics teaching set forth by senior physicist and physics education researcher E. F. Redish. This study provides an in depth examination of a well-established physics graduate program for practicing teachers at a small, midwestern university that is also measured against these same five principles: Constructivist, Context, Conceptual Change, Individuality, and Social Learning. In this setting, information was gathered in the form of a teacher survey, as well as through case studies of selected participants. The results of this study affirm that graduate programs designed specifically for the development of physics teachers are, in fact, different. The data also indicates the value placed on, as well as the frequency with which the participants utilize these teaching approaches in their classrooms. Results showed that participants felt the program placed a higher emphasis on using multiple representations to convey information to students, as well as on teaching translational skills with respect to these representations. Smaller class sizes, more staff attention, and total immersion were cited as essential. Financial concerns with respect to some of the activities did occasionally arise. An area of concern was the lack of adherence to the Individuality principle, which states students have unique backgrounds and abilities that should be considered when designing a lesson. Assessing student prior knowledge when designing and implementing lesson plans also was not indicated as a frequent practice in the program, or in the teachers' own classrooms according to participant data. In summary, according to participants' reports, the graduate program investigated modeled four of the five the principles proposed by Redish to a great degree, the exception being the Individuality principle. Based on the data contained in the survey, interviews, and portfolio submissions, recommendations for designers of future graduate programs for physics teachers were also made.Item Best practices for building and maintaining university-industry research partnerships : a case study of two National Science Foundation engineering research centers(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2005) Boschi, Frank Carl; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Larry J. BakerTechnology transfer involves the transfer of knowledge and inventions to the corporate sector, and has contributed to an increase in university and industry partnerships. The passage of the Bahy-Dole Act in the early 1980s, greatly assisted university-industry partnerships, generated the use of knowledge and inventions that came out of government sponsored research, and allowed universities to retain the intellectual properties instead of the federal government. In 1985, the NSF initiated the Engineering Research Center (ERC) Program to develop additional university-industry partnerships. The NSF intention is that Engineering Research Centers will become self-sustaining after the eleven years of NSF funding with an increase of research partnerships with industry and other federal agencies. This dissertation is a comparative case study of two NSF Engineering Research Centers. The Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE), at Montana State University, that has graduated from NSF funding, and has become a self-sustaining research Center with 23 current industrial members. The second ERC is the University of Michigan, Center for Wireless Integrated MicroSystems, which is in the fourth year of NSF funding with 19 industrial members. The main question that was answered in the comparative case study is what are the best practices that resulted in building and maintaining industrial partnerships? Center faculty market the ERC through their publications, and presenting at conferences where industrial representatives are informed of Center research. Other methods are visiting company sites, producing quality research, inviting industrial personnel to the ERC to meet with faculty and to attend ERC workshops. The elicitation of the company research problem from industrial personnel by Center faculty is important for maintaining Center membership. Multiple champions within the company must be cultivated to insure against losing a champion to retirement or company transfer. The Center Director of the CBE publishes and travels extensively to conferences and provides the best leads, while the Center for WIMS faculty thrust leaders, and the UM Corporate Relations personnel provide the best leads for prospective new members. Industrial members mainly join an ERC for knowledge, to perform collaborative research with faculty, and to have access to faculty and students.