Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
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Item Two-year community college students' understanding of rational expressions(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Kong, Chor Wan Amy; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jennifer Luebeck; Megan Wickstrom (co-chair)This research study investigated the gaps in knowledge held by two-year community college students in simplifying and operating with rational expressions and how these gaps affect their learning. The study employed multiple methods, including completion of a Diagnostic Problem Set, participating in collaborative and exploratory activities, and attending task-based interviews, to elicit and assess students' understanding of rational expressions. The study analyzed and categorized participants' responses based on the participants' different perspectives and learning processes. The research also explored how collaborative and exploratory learning, as well as the use of Knowledge-Eliciting Tasks, can help identify and address students' misconceptions. Qualitative analysis of the findings identified potential causes of the learning gaps and generated recommendations for instructional strategies that can bridge these gaps and improve students' understanding of rational expressions, which is crucial to student success in algebraic subjects and college academic achievement.Item Oregon promise: a look at institutions and decisions made as a result of Oregon Promise Policy(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2020) Rivenes, Teresa Renee; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Carrie B. MyersHow do free college initiatives, such as the Oregon Promise, impact decision-making at mid-sized community colleges? How have community colleges leveraged free college initiatives to increase and provide systemic support to vulnerable students? The purpose of this multiple case study was to understand the decision-making process as expressed by community college leadership and to explore the process of change. The study examined four mid-sized Oregon community colleges which constituted the entire population of mid-sized community colleges per the Carnegie classification system of size, in the state of Oregon. The participants in the study included seasoned Vice Presidents whose primary role was to implement initiatives, policies, procedures and oversee student success at their campus. The information provided serves to inform change in higher education. Attention was given to Neo-Institutionalism and Tierney's Decision-making theories as well as social-constructionist and critical social frameworks. The results indicate that system change is far more difficult than one might imagine given the multiple stakeholders, vision of shared governance, and competing interests. This study concludes with suggestions for implementing system change and the need for further research.Item Assessing the science faculty perspective about the need and use for curriculum mapping of an anatomy and physiology course at a community college(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2018) Rahschulte, Scott Michael; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Walter WoolbaughThe purpose of this research was to assess science faculty about the need for and use of curriculum mapping for anatomy and physiology courses at a community college. Questions to be answered included: How did faculty use the current learning objective for this lesson? How beneficial and appropriate was the current learning objective to faculty? How would a curriculum map be received and used by faculty? How would faculty feel about pairing up their lesson with nationwide standards? What were the differences between the interpretation and understanding of this learning objective between full-time and adjunct faculty? What content did faculty members currently cover in their anatomy and physiology course? How well did the material that instructor's teach match up with the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society Standards? After reviewing faculty course material, what amount of horizontal consistency was there between the faculty of this course?Item Self-efficacy, student engagement, and student learning in introductory statistics(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2017) Lindsey, Heidi L.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Arthur W. BangertClose to half of undergraduate students in the United States are served by community colleges. Minority, low income, and first-generation postsecondary education students utilize community colleges as a gateway to postsecondary education. Additionally, these institutions provide access to higher education for many nontraditional students, such as adults who work full time while enrolled. This study used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS SEM) to investigate and explore the relationship between community college student self-efficacy, engagement, and statistics conceptual understanding in the non-mathematical introductory statistics course and is based on Linninbrink & Pintrich's (2003) model for conceptual understanding. There is much research regarding statistics anxiety, statistics attitude, learning behavior, and statistics achievement where students at four year institutions or graduate students were studied, but few if any studies exist that investigate these same factors with community college students. Data for this study was collected from n=161 student volunteers at three different time points during the semester using all or a subset of the following instruments: Current Statistics Self Efficacy (CSSE) (Finney & Schraw, 2003), Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics (SATS) (Schau, Steven, Sauphinee, & Del Vecchio, 2995), Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, & McKeachie, 1993), and Comprehensive Assessment of Outcomes in Statistics (CAOS) (delMas, Garfield, Ooms, & Chance, 2007). Problems with missing data were resolved with multiple imputation methods to preserve power and sample size and prevent introducing bias into the analysis. Overall, the relationships of self-efficacy and engagement explained R2=7.6% of the variance in conceptual understanding of statistics. This study found positive relationships between student conceptual understanding of statistics, selfefficacy to learn statistics and student engagement. Behavioral and cognitive engagement did not appear to mediate the influence of self-efficacy but motivational engagement was found to mediate this effect. Additionally, it was found that self-efficacy to learn statistics had a medium effect on statistical understanding at course end. Suggestions for future research are given.Item Analysis of computer curricula at community colleges in Western States(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1995) King, Debra Jean; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Norman L. MillikinItem The current status of institutional research in northwest community colleges(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1981) Oberlander, Dale EugeneItem Integrating office systems technology into the business education curriculum at the two-year postsecondary level(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1984) Jimeno, Cheri AnnetteItem Integrating laboratory experience with lecture content through the use of cognitive and cooperative learning strategies in a community college introduction to chemistry course(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2015) Gassner, Suzanne Shifra; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.This study investigated the effects of cooperative learning groups in conjunction with cognitive learning strategies for the understanding of chemistry concepts for 23 Introduction to General Chemistry students at the community college level. Students trained in cooperative learning groups. These groups served as the traditional lab group in the laboratory and small discussion groups in the lecture. Various data collection instruments, including a survey, interviews, observations, student self-reflections, formative assessments, and summative assessments were used to determine the effect of the treatment of on student understanding of chemistry concepts, motivation and attitude, and metacognitive abilities.Item The Tribally Controlled Community Colleges Act of 1978 : an expansion of federal Indian trust responsibility(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1994) Pease-Windy Boy, JanineItem The role of the community college athletic director as perceived by athletic directors, deans, and presidents in California community colleges(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1977) Fields, Max Eugene