Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
Browse
16 results
Search Results
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 Nurse willingness to implement iPad-based education in the care of heart-failure patients(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 2018) Phillips, Margaret Lynn; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jennifer SofieThe aim of this Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) scholarly project was to investigate nurse willingness to accept the use of technology for implementation of standardized heart-failure self-care education in an acute-care setting. Integrating iPads into the usual acute-care workflow presents challenges for nurses. A pre-implementation and post-implementation questionnaire, based on the Davis model (1989) of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of technology, were created to evaluate nurse willingness to adopt the technology. Both questionnaires include a section for comments. Nurse participants attended a competency skills day prior to implementation of iPad-based patient education. Participants completed the pre- questionnaire, reviewed a demonstration of iPad use, viewed an Agency for Healthcare Research teach-back video, and completed a nurse competency checklist. The checklist included a nurse demonstration of the use of the iPad-based education and verbal acknowledgement of how to use the teach-back method. The post- questionnaire was completed six months after implementation of the iPad-based patient education. Data from the pre- and post- questionnaires were evaluated and the nurse-written comments reviewed for the final analysis. Overall, nurses had high levels of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use with implementation of iPads for heart-failure self-care education, and the iPads will continue to be utilized in the acute-care setting.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.'Item A study to determine the level of computer literacy in secondary business, mathematics, and computer science teachers in the state of Idaho(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Business, 1990) Wasson, Karen Joy; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Norman L. MillikinCurrently, computer literacy is a term that has many people, professional and non-professional, at a point of confusion. Computer literacy can be defined in a variety of ways and is dependent on the definer's interpretation. All seem to agree, though, that some level of computer literacy is necessary to be successful in the working world. The question is, at what level of computer literacy or computer competence is an individual deemed successful. The major purpose of this study is to determine the level of computer literacy of secondary Business, Mathematics, Science and Computer Science teachers in the state of Idaho. In the normal course of this paper, the researcher hopes to answer the following questions: 1. What is computer literacy? 2. What level of education was attained by those teachers currently using computers in their classrooms? 3. Which teachers are teaching computer literacy and computer programming courses? 4. What high school courses are currently utilizing computers? 5. Are new teachers (1-5 years) using more computers than teachers who have taught for more than 5 years? 6. How important do teachers feel computer skills are with respect to their teaching?Item A survey of students at the Community Vocational Centre, Slave Lake, Alberta to determine relevancy of the microcomputer to required job skills(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Business, 1986) Eiserman, Annellen Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Norman L. MillikinAs the business world plays such a dominant role in the life of every individual, it is important that business education supply the computer literacy needed by all students. It is important to look at what students think is needed in the business world, what business education is actually teaching and do students have what is needed when they are actually out in the work force.Item A study to address the use of internet/technology in Montana high schools(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Business, 2000) Hossner, Karl; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Norman L. MillikinA connection to the Internet empowers students. It gives them a research advantage over students who do not have Internet skills or access. It generally gets them excited about learning. A change in student attitude is observed when surfing the net individually or in a small group setting. The traditional teacher-directed classroom changes to a space where students working with their peers in their own school or around the world begin to take responsibility for their own learning. (Cuban in Maskin 1996) This author and others say that student access to the Internet is very important in today's Information Age. In related readings, studies show that when these high school students continue their education, or go to the workplace, those with computer technology skills will have an advantage. This includes a knowledge of where to gain access to information, and better paying jobs. This study gathered information from a sample of the population of U.S. Government teachers in the State of Montana. From information gathered with a questionnaire, along with related readings from other authors, the question of whether students in Montana Schools are using the Internet as a research tool and other questions concerning the computer/Internet literacy of Montana U.S. Government teachers, will be answered.Item Are computer skills necessary for high school graduates entering the work force?(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Business, 1999) Powell, Martha Kathleen; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Norman L. MillikinThe major purpose of this study was to determine the importance of graduating students having computer skills as they enter the workforce in the Prescott area located in Arizona. This study focused on the populations of Prescott, Prescott Valley, and Chino Valley businesses and past Bradshaw Mountain High School graduates. Bradshaw Mountain High School is located in Prescott Valley. The procedure that the researcher used to collect data for the study was through survey instruments. Two survey instruments were developed and used. One survey was utilized for the business population and a different survey was used for the student population. A random sample collection was used to select the respondents and gather data. Approximately 110 businesses and 81 students returned usable surveys. Results indicated that both businesses and students feel that computer training should be a requirement for all high school students. Most businesses and half of the student respondents viewed favorably making computer training a high school graduation requirement. The computer training requirements ranged from basic or general knowledge of operating computers to operation of specific programs. Most of the business and student respondents viewed themselves as being proficient operating the computer. While about half of the businesses found their employees lacking in computer skills, most businesses did not offer any type of funds for computer training for their employees. Both the business and student respondents didn't see that lacking in computer skills would be a barrier to getting new employment or hiring new employees. The researcher concluded that high school students should be required to have computer training for at least a year before graduating. Most businesses and students used computers in their place of work. Those that did not use computers foresaw the computer becoming a part of future work operations. Lack of computer skills was not seen as a barrier to future employment prospects. This result is probably from students basing their know ledge on their short length of time in the employment force, and businesses not using computers in the capacity they could be used in. As most businesses do not provide funding for computer training, any new hires would have to obtain their own computer training if required for the position.Item Computer literacy level of seniors at Sidney Senior High School(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Business, 1987) Ackerman, Doris A.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Norman L. MillikinThis particular study will identify the computer literacy level for the senior class at Sidney Senior High School. It was the intent of this study to review and arrive at an acceptable definition of computer literacy, to adapt or develop an acceptable set of guidelines for obtaining computer literacy, and to develop or adapt an appropriate tool to measure the attained computer literacy level for high school seniors. Major questions to be answered by this study include: 1. What constitutes an acceptable definition of computer literacy for graduating seniors at Sidney Senior High School? 2. What information should be contained in acceptable guidelines for obtaining computer literacy at the high school level? 3. What constitutes an appropriate measuring tool to ascertain the computer literacy level for high school seniors?Item A needs assessment to determine certification requirements for computer educators in Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1990) Riebhoff, Jan Bruer