Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
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Item Effects of using nearpod in a high school biology classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2017) Wojtaszek, Cynthia; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisThe purpose of this study was to investigate how effective mobile presentation applications are for increasing student engagement and achievement in a high school biology course. In the spring of 2017, the Nearpod application was incorporated and used to present lectures in a section of 11th grade biology class that was one-to-one with iPads. Embedded in each Nearpod presentation were multiple choice and free response questions that periodically checked for student understanding. Students answered these questions directly on their devices before proceeding to the next part of the lecture. Scores on chapter tests were compared to the previous year's class, which did not have iPad technology. It was found that the use of Nearpod did not have any significant impact on student test scores or levels of engagement in class.Item Blended learning in the science classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2017) Cornett, Johnnie Lynn; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisThis investigation utilized a blended learning environment with technologically enhanced curriculum via G Suite for Education, Schoology, and GradeSpeed to enhance classroom instruction and analyzed their effects on student communication and academic success. Students were provided individual accounts for G Suite and those accounts were enrolled in Schoology Learning Management System. These platforms allowed 103 students to discuss the class content with their peers, turn in assignments online, and have access to online textbooks, test preparation material, videos, and supplemental science information. In addition, students participated in technology enhanced and non-technology enhanced lessons to compare engagement behaviors and academic accomplishment in both settings. At the conclusion of the research, student academic performance improved with the blended learning environment.Item Chromebooks as learning tools in the science classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2017) Bostic, Lenora Ann; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Walter WoolbaughThis action research study explored elements of interest during the implementation of a one-to-one Chromebook program in a 425 student public high school. In particular, student interest and perceptions of the program, gains in learning during usage of a flipped classroom format, digital homework submission relevant to assigned due dates and student distraction during class were evaluated. Teacher ability to provide adequate feedback in a timely manner to students was also evaluated. Student interest and perceptions were positive, while gains in learning were minimal overall with unproven indications that females benefitted more than males from the flipped format. Worsening of homework submission was noted, with implications that factors other than digital submission were the cause. Students being distracted by the devices during class was noted with no definitive indicator being identified. However, improved teacher satisfaction was noted in the areas of providing feedback to students and usage of the devices for learning.Item The use of computer-based and inquiry-based learning activities to differentiate instruction for high school chemistry(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2016) Good, R. Brian; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.Annville-Cleona High School is a small school located in southeastern Pennsylvania. The school only offers one chemistry course: 'College Prep Chemistry'. Students' abilities in science vary greatly within each section of this course. Scores on the Pennsylvania, high-stakes biology exam range from below basic to advanced. Students' math abilities also vary as some are enrolled in AP Calculus, while others are enrolled in Algebra II. It is challenging to meet the needs of these diverse learners in a single classroom. In this research project, self-paced learning activities were created to teach advanced students challenging topics that were not part of the core curriculum and to provide remediation for students who were struggling with core topics. Video lessons and guided inquiries were used to teach the advanced topics, and video lessons alone were used as remediation. Instantaneous feedback via formative assessments was a key component of these learning activities. The research was conducted during the unit on molecules and compounds. Two of the four sections served as the treatment group and the other two sections served as the comparison group. Most students in the treatment group and all the students in the comparison group received the core curriculum. Formative assessments were given after each topic was taught to identify students who did not master the topic. Students in the treatment group who scored poorly on a formative assessment were assigned the remediation video lesson. Twelve advanced students in the treatment group learned three challenging topics in addition to the core topics. The results showed that computer-based and inquiry-based learning activities were effective tools for differentiating instruction. About three-fourths of the time advanced students mastered the additional, challenging topics. Over two-thirds of the struggling students were able to improve their understanding of a topic from basic to proficient or advanced after completing the remedial video lesson. Furthermore, students had favorable attitudes about video lessons. Student surveys showed that almost two-thirds of the students liked video lessons and more than 80% of them liked the instantaneous feedback they received from these lessons.Item The effect of supplemental online tutorials on chemistry comprehension in students diagnosed with ADHD(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2016) Burgess, Megan Annette; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy TaylorStudents who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) have difficulty concentrating for extended periods. This population is predisposed to a host of comorbidities with other academically debilitating disorders such as anxiety and daytime drowsiness. This project was designed in order to assist this population of learners in a high school chemistry course. For the first treatment, students watched daily tutorial videos in order to improve comprehension, while also increasing confidence levels and decreasing anxiety. The tutorials explained chemistry concepts and demonstrated how to solve multistep chemistry problems. A second treatment was implemented in which multiple choice quizzes were interspersed throughout the tutorial videos in order to measure whether improved focus could be obtained. Data concluded that the tutorials were extremely successful. The population of ADHD students performed better on formative assessments in addition to increasing their confidence levels and decreasing anxiety levels surrounding the study of chemistry.Item Computer-assisted instruction : a strategy for teaching school teachers about diabetes(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 1996) Priest, Jeanette Louise; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Vonna KoehlerItem A comparison of achievement of students in industrial arts taught by computer-assisted instruction to those taught by lecture/discussion method(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1982) Benner, Darrell Fred; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Douglas PoletteThe purpose of the study was to investigate and compare educational achievements in selected industrial arts units between groups of students taught by the computer-assisted instruction (CAI) method and those taught by the traditional teaching (lecture/discussion) method. The specific objective for the study was to measure the difference in educational achievement between two groups of junior high students in the areas of lineal measurement and oxygen-acetylene welding resulting from the two teaching methods. Tests were developed to compare the differences in achievement between two types of teaching methods; these tests were validated by a jury of experts comprised of four Industrial Arts metal shop instructors. The tests were also tested for reliability by a split-half test and the Spearman - Brown prophecy formula. Conclusions indicate that even though there was a significant difference in oxygen-acetylene welding and not in lineal measurement; it may be due to the subject area. Recommendations suggest that other subject areas such as foundry, arc welding, sheetmetal, etc., be researched using these two methods of instruction.Item The effects of a paperless classroom on student achievement in the middle school science classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2015) Hults, Jason O.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a paperless classroom on student achievement in the middle school science classroom. Two sections of eight grade life science students were used in the study. Each section of students was exposed to a paperless, online format of instruction and assessment for two chapters during a four-chapter unit and was required to do two chapters in the traditional paper orientated format. Student achievement was measured by pre and post test assessments, with the treatment chapters compared to the non - treatment chapters to determine the overall effect of the paperless classroom on student achievement.Item Implementation of a 1-to-1 laptop initiative in a physical science classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2015) Dyk, Gregory M.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.In addition to cracking open a book, writing ideas down on paper, studying with flashcards, or openly discussing ideas around a table, how willing and motivated are students to actually using their computers to complete certain classroom requirements? There is no doubt students like the idea of having their own personal laptop; but how can a laptop change the way students learn? Being 1-to-1 does not mean the previously mentioned methods of student learning behaviors are no longer part of a classroom routine; however, with the addition of computers into the classroom, each teacher needs to ask themselves: What instructional changes can be made to best utilize student laptop use and how can students be motivated to use the laptop as a tool to meet the course requirements? The purpose of this paper is to highlight multiple ways of incorporating laptops into a physical science classroom. In the final analysis, twenty-three students used their laptops to study and learn individually as well as in a group setting. The majority of these students found laptops to be an effective tool in the learning process.Item A comparison of Saudi and United States faculty use of information and communication technology tools(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2015) Alshahri, Mabark; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Michael BrodyThe purpose of this descriptive and comparative study was to identify Information and Technology Communication (ICT) tools used by Saudi faculty and United States faculty, and to investigate relationships between their perceptions of ICT applications and ICT use. A questionnaire was sent to 292 Saudi faculty from six Saudi universities and 253 US faculty from five universities. The questionnaire gathered information about the use of and attitudes toward ICT applications. Results found that 65% of the United States faculty taught part or all of a course online as compared to only 26% of Saudi faculty. Saudi faculty used Social Media applications significantly more often than US faculty. Saudi faculty also reported using Google Documents, Photos and Website links significantly more often than US faculty while US faculty used podcasts and text documents significantly more often. Results from a path analysis of the relationships between ICT attitudes and actual ICT use based on Davis' (1993) TAM framework found that for Saudi faculty, system was the only variable significantly related to actual ICT Use. Ease of Use was significantly related to Perceived Value while Perceived Value was significantly related to Attitude Toward ICT Use. For US faculty, again, system was the only variable to have a significant relationship with Actual ICT use. Perceived Value was found to have a significant effect on Attitude Toward Use of ICT tools. The larger relationship between system use and actual ICT tool use for US faculty suggests that they had more access thus more experience using ICT tools than Saudi faculty. In addition, differences in attitudes toward ICT between Saudi and US faculty may be due Saudi faculty's primary use of social media and email applications as compared to US faculty's use a variety of more complex ICT applications including Audio. Overall results from this study suggest that Saudi faculty would benefit from training in the use of a variety of ICT application in addition to social media and email within the context of Learning Management Systems while US faculty would benefit from training in the use of social media applications as an instructional tool.