Publications by Colleges and Departments (MSU - Bozeman)
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Item The effect of model-based inquiry teaching on student engagement, and the NGSS science practices in high school biology(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2017) Van Loo, Brennan J.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Walter WoolbaughThe Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) have raised the bar of science education for teachers and students. The three stranded format of Disciplinary Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts, and Science Practices will require students to think and engage more deeply in the process of science. Achieving these rigorous standards for all students will require a greater level of motivation and engagement than I currently have in my classes. The purpose of this study is to investigate how model-based inquiry teaching, based on the framework of Ambitious Science Teaching, increases student motivation and engagement as well as how this framework improves student skills with the NGSS science practices. A model-based inquiry approach to science teaching emphasizes the skills and practices of scientists. During the treatment, students made an initial model to try to explain a scientific phenomenon. Classroom discourse and experiences formed the foundation of instruction, which was then used by students to revise their models. Data was collected through student surveys, and direct observations of student engagement and classroom discourse. Additionally, data was collected on students' ability to support a claim with evidence and reasoning. The results show that the treatment promoted engagement and that student skills in discourse and argumentation increased. However, students' perception of their motivation and engagement did not change with continued treatment. This study shows that model-based inquiry has significant value for students who have historic academic struggles as it moves science beyond the rote memorization that they struggle with, to explaining what is happening based on experimental evidence and personal experience.Item The effects of explicit science vocabulary instruction on vocabulary acquisition on the Flathead Indian Reservation(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2016) Stockton, William M.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.Explicit vocabulary instruction is a teaching strategy that involves a teacher selecting three to five vocabulary words and focusing instruction around those words. When working with students who are English Language Learners or struggle with vocabulary acquisition, this strategy is thought to be very successful. Students on the Flathead Indian Reservation often struggle with vocabulary acquisition. In addition to this, some Native American students are also labeled English Language Learners; thus, the amount of explicit instruction was increased over several units. Significant gains were observed in each of the three units, but because these gains did not correlate with the increase of instruction, the quantitative data was inconclusive. These gains do indicate that the baseline of 22% instructional time was an adequate amount of instruction to improve scientific vocabulary acquisition.Item The effects of cooperative learning on Native American students' understanding of environmental science(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2014) Whitmer, Clinton; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.This study investigated the effects of cooperative learning instruction on seven students' understanding of environmental science concepts. The students used in-class discussion, groups working together to perform lab activities, and students delivering the daily lesson. Various data collection instruments used included treatment and nontreatment testing, survey questions, and instructor observations, as well as motivation and attitude of the teacher. Results were mixed, as not all students agreed with its effectiveness on certain issues.Item Integrating Native American Mdewakantion Sioux culture with environmental science curriculum(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2014) Herdina, Kyle Lawrence; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.Native American students struggle to form a connection to science education due to a lack of culturally relevant material. While many state teaching standards require educators to attend a cultural awareness course as part of the licensure process, there is a lack of culturally relevant materials available to educators. The need to develop culturally relevant resources that is engaging to Native American students has driven many educators to develop their own material. In this study, educators spent time researching and developing a cultural plant field guide to use within their environmental education and outreach program on the reservation. Participants were given questionnaires, content knowledge self-assessments, and structured interviews in order to determine their knowledge of cultural plants before and after the activity, what resources they relied on when identifying and researching cultural plants, as well as their perspective on developing their own resources. The results from the data collection methods showed that educators had minimal knowledge of cultural plants as well as minimal knowledge on where to locate resources on this subject. Their frustration in finding appropriate resources to utilize was notable and brought awareness as to a void that needed to be filled. While the educators expressed their desire to utilize existing resources to teach with they did note that the process of developing their own material provided them with a better background knowledge and confidence of the material as well as a the likelihood that they would utilize the material they created in the future.Item Teaching science through native Crow culture : a placed-based experience(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2013) Plain Bull, Dorcella; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.This project was conducted to determine the affects of a culturally responsible placed-based experience for Native American elementary students. The students were exposed to two place-based experiences with the central theme of the traditional Crow uses of buffalo. The place-based experiences included a Tribal Elder guest speaker and a field trip to a battlefield museum and buffalo jump. The results indicated that both student and parents gained a greater appreciation for native Crow culture as a result of the place-based experiences.Item A forest for every classroom : place-based professional development through the seasons(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2013) Curtis, Janeen Suzanne; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.Educators from western Montana participated in a year-long series of place-based professional development workshops that aimed to give them the skills to more fully incorporate their local place into their teaching. Pre and post surveys and interviews were used to assess the effect of the program on the teachers' place based knowledge and teaching practices. Teachers were found to have greater knowledge of their local environment, to teach more lessons outside of the classroom, to more often use local themes to organize their teaching, to more often engage students in service learning, and to more often involve community members in their teaching as a result of their participation in the program. The relationships teachers built with each other and with the workshop organizers and presenters from their community were found to be the most valuable part of the program while the program assignments were found to be the most challenging piece.Item How does the use of science notebooks as formative assessment increase students' conceptual understandings in science?(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2012) Hughes, Jessica Rae; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.In this study, kindergarten students used science notebooks as formative assessment to deepen their understanding of science concepts. The class participated in four science units, two were taught as curriculum suggested and two were taught using science notebooks, with pre and post-tests to show growth. The result of this study showed positive effective use of formative assessments, such as journaling, helped students form strong conceptual ideas about science content.Item Culturally responsive formative assessment(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2012) Stevens, Lisa Russell; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.The purpose of this study was to measure teachers' comfort levels, and understanding of cultural responsiveness, formative assessment, and inquiry-based science and math instruction in a kindergarten through fifth grade school with a 100% population of Native American students. A group of five teachers accepted the invitation to explore culturally responsive formative instruction in math and science. Survey information, teacher observations, interviews, and a checklist of formative assessment methods used by teachers, were used to gather baseline data. The data was than used to determine levels of implementation of CRFA by teachers.Item Increasing interest in science and science careers through partnerships with science professionals(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2012) Lake, Charla Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.This action research-based classroom project was set into place to answer the question, "Do partnerships between science professionals and students increase opinion of learning, science in school, going to college, and students' interest in pursuing science related careers?" After six science professionals were invited to come into our classroom with a presentation of their choice, a positive increase in learning and interest related to science were confirmed by the results.Item Including parents in classroom science nights(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2012) Lozar, Hilary Rae; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.The purpose of this study was to engage parents within the classroom in order to minimize any discomfort parents feel when at or communicating with the school and staff. In order to do this, parents were invited to attend monthly classroom science nights with their families. Each night, a science expert presented to the families and followed the presentation up with some sort of hands-on learning experience. Parents as well as children were encouraged to participate in this treatment, and the resulting environment was informal. As more parents began to participate and word began to spread, I was approached by far more parents than ever before in my career, asking about the next science night. Parents seemed quite at ease when talking to me, and several still seek me out even after the treatment to say hello at school functions. I was able to determine that science nights do help contribute to parent comfort at school by comparing responses to several attitude survey questions from before the treatment to responses after. Most parents changed their answers to the survey item, "The school and staff are easy to talk to and knowledgeable regarding science," from neutral or agree on the pre-treatment survey to agree and strongly agree on the post-treatment survey. The key words in this survey item are "easy to talk to." If I have become easier to talk to as a teacher, the purpose of this study has been fulfilled.