Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
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Item Assessing the use of citizen science projects to improve high school student data literacy skills and engagement(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2022) Roeder, Grace Elizabeth; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesStudents are exposed to various interdisciplinary concepts in a science classroom including how to work with and understand data. Data literacy is becoming an ever more important skill employers look for. However, most high school students are lacking proficient data literacy skills. Data literacy involves basic statistical calculations such as mean, median, and mode as well as cleaning and organizing data into graphs and tables for analysis. The purpose of this action research project was to try to address the lack of data literacy skills in high school students by integrating a year-long citizen science project. Citizen science is an opportunity for ordinary people to contribute to the world of science through collecting data or observations for practicing scientists. Thirty-four environmental students at MHSS in Middletown NJ took a pre survey to assess student confidence levels in data skills, science activities, and citizen science. They also took a data skills pretest to assess actual student skill levels. Next, students took part in a yearlong citizen science project where they took photos and IDed observations using the iNaturalist citizen science platform. At the end of the year, students cleaned, organized, and manipulated their data into graphs for analysis. After completing the project, students took post tests and surveys to assess any changes in skill or confidence levels. The teacher recorded student progress in personal notes as well as conducted exit interviews to obtain qualitative results. It was found that in the beginning, most students had high confidence in their skills, but performed poorly on the pretest. After the duration of the project, all but four students out of 34 improved in their post test scores. The number of poor skill level individuals dropped from 60% to 29%. Data confidence levels increased slightly and student confidence in science activities improved. Exposure to raw and messy data through citizen science projects is a valuable tool that science teachers can and should be using to improve data literacy skill in high school students.Item The paperless classroom in high school physics(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2017) Pascual, Catherine Anona; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisAt my high school, many of the classrooms have class sets of devices, such as laptops, Chromebooks, or iPads. As the school purchased more and more technology, the administration also cut back on our paper availability and began to limit our copies. Due to the influx of technology and the decrease in paper availability, I decided to study the efficiency and effectiveness of a paperless classroom. In my high school physics class I taught one unit traditionally, all on paper, the next unit was taught nearly paperless, with work being distributed and turned in electronically. I surveyed students about their feelings towards paper versus paperless assignments, notes, and exams. Classwork completion rates were compared between the two units. I gave a pre-test and post-test for each unit to compare achievement. I also kept a time log and teacher journal each day. Many students did not have positive attitudes towards going paperless in the beginning, but by the end, most students had a positive attitude towards the paperless classroom. The classwork completion rates showed a gain from the paper unit to the paperless unit. The test results were also better in the paperless unit. The time log showed that time spent taking out and putting away devices was saved by not having to pass out papers and transitions were quicker. The journals showed that making the switch to paperless was frustrating for both the teacher and the students at first, but the experience became more and more positive as the unit progressed. This project had a positive outcome and I will continue to head towards a nearly paperless high school physics classroom.Item The effects of a digital learning environment on the work flow of students and teacher in a language-based learning difference science classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2016) Cannici, Stephen Joseph; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.Students at Middlebridge High School typically have challenges sorting and organizing their work in binders as well as completing multistep tasks. In other words, their executive functioning ability is often impaired. When attempting to complete something like a lab, or even something as simple as a small homework assignment, some of the assignment can easily go missing in the shuffle of the school day. Technology can often be sold as a 'silver bullet' to solve many of these issues. But, how well can technology really help these students? Is the current state of technology in education robust enough to handle the day-to-day issues of a pupil who is susceptible to misplacing parts, or the whole of, an assignment? Students in a chemistry class were cycled through four phases where they alternately used completely digital methods of managing a workflow to complete homework and lab assignments, and analog methods such as traditional paper with a writing implement and a physical binder organization system. As these phases were cycled through, data was collected to see how well they kept track of artifacts (items of school work) and how efficiently they completed their work. Some of the technology solutions employed were Google Drive, Google Classroom, Google Docs, GoodReader, and DocHub. In addition, the effect of these technology solutions were measured for the teacher. For these students, it turned out that technology hindered more than it helped. Some of the technology was very frustrating to use by the students, since a single bug in the software, or one user-unfriendly feature, could stop a student working in his or her tracks. Students kept track of assignments less efficiently when using digital methods of work management, evidenced by longer times of retrieval to find assignments and a lower completion rate of assignments. However, there were some promising results for the teacher's use of these digital methods. Some of the methods made it easier and faster for the teacher to grade and return work for students. The technology solutions utilized seemed immature and too fragmented for efficient use by students, seemingly turning a workflow into a 'workslow.'