Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
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Item A review and analysis of MSSE capstone papers to determine the impact of the 5E learning model on secondary education science classrooms(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Woods, Makala Nikkole; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesThe purpose of this review was to investigate how the 5E Instructional Model impacts student performance, student engagement, and student interest in science within secondary science classrooms compared to traditional teaching methods. A review and analysis of Capstone papers from the past ten years from the MSSE program at Montana State University was completed to draw a conclusion. The Capstone papers were organized by focus questions, methodologies, and results to identify commonalities and differences within the research. It is suggested that even through various methodologies, class sizes, and class demographics, the 5E Model has a positive influence on student performance, student engagement, and student interest in science.Item Scientific literacy and argumentation in the secondary science classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Wolfe, Amanda Lee; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesThe purpose of this study is to determine how increasing students' proficiency of argumentation through the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) format affects their ability to ask questions, analyze data and evidence, and justify a claim. During the study, students were instructed on traditional data analysis techniques and given a pre- and post-test to determine growth in analysis and argumentation. During the treatment, students were given weekly instruction and practice on CER and given pre- and post-tests that were a follow up to the first. Throughout the study, students were given surveys inquiring about their interest and attitudes of science. Student responses were analyzed to determine if there was a change in these perceptions over time. The results of the study showed that direct instruction on CER did not significantly improve student scores on the assessments. Students consistently identified the importance of science for their lives, even though they did not report high scores in enjoying school or studying science. Students did show growth in both their data analysis and argumentation skills despite the assessment results showing low growth.Item Authentic science research in the classroom: does it promote science-related affective growth?(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Shulstad, Andrew Michael; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisThe purpose of this concurrent mixed methods study was to investigate the effects of middle school science students' participation in authentic science research on their science-related affective characteristics. The affective characteristics considered for this study were those that have been repeatedly shown to be associated with student cognitive growth and academic achievement. These included science identity, science self-efficacy, interest and enjoyment of science, perceived relevance of science, and intrinsic motivation for science learning. Four authentic science treatments involving eight different classes and 166 total participants (120 unique) were administered. Data collection methods included novel Likert scales based on a novel student survey instrument, a naturalistic observation instrument, student interviews, and various formative assessments. Data were collected before, during, and after each treatment with the primary purpose of supporting a before versus after comparative research design. Data analysis strategies included validation and reliability analysis of the student survey instrument and Likert scales and a triangulated complex of inferential comparative quantitative analysis and thematic qualitative analysis. While effect size was small, student affective domain growth was determined to have taken place. Affective characteristics that were shown to be strengthened in a statistically significant way (p<0.05) include science identity, interest and enjoyment of science, and intrinsic motivation for science learning. Though it has some limitations, such as a significant time requirement, authentic science research in the classroom should be considered an effective way to promote student science-related affective growth.Item Impact of claim, evidence, reasoning instruction in the English classroom on argumentative writing in science and across the curriculum(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Platt, Michelle L.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisEngaging in argumentation from evidence is a critical skill for participation as productive citizens in the 21st century enabling us to access the evidence in the world around us to make well-reasoned decisions about our lives, and the future of our country and world. The purpose of this study was to improve written explanations in the science classroom and other content areas by engaging the students' reasoning capabilities and improving student confidence in answering short answer questions. Instruction included introduction of the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) framework in the English language arts classroom to promotes mastery of argumentative writing in the science classroom and other content areas through the use of graphic organizers and accessible non-content-based lessons. To assess the impact of the instructional treatment, student writing samples were collected during traditional instruction pre, and post-treatment and evaluated by rubric as measurement of skill growth. Pre and post-treatment, students were asked interview questions and given a self-confidence survey to determine student confidence, attitudes, and motivation regarding writing short answer explanations. The results indicated that instruction with the CER framework in the English classroom significantly impacted the frequency of writing well-reasoned arguments in science and other subject areas while maintaining student confidence in writing.Item Concept maps in middle school science(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Johnson, Trevor Adam; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisThe focus question for this study was, How does the use of concept maps impact the learning of science content? Concept mapping is a strategy used by students to visually represent their learning and understanding through a detailed, hierarchical map. Early learners, such as middle school students, need a way to connect their prior knowledge with newly learned material. Ninety students participated in the study which included treatment and nontreatment subgroups. During treatment units, students were explicitly taught concept mapping to support science content. Pre and post unit tests, surveys, and interviews were processed via quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Results suggested that concept maps increased students' unit test scores, with an average normalized gain of .58 across all treatment groups. Survey questions showed mixed results, with increases and decreases for selected question groups. Concept maps were seen by students to be beneficial to learning science content.Item What effect does the claim-evidence-reasoning framework have on teaching and learning in a middle school classroom?(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Reamy, Allyson Tiffany; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisA technique for evidence-based writing called claim, evidence, reasoning was integrated into a middle school science classroom to help students be able to gain the ability to explain not only what happened, but also why. This study analyzed the use of argumentation and the ability of students to make observations through their 9-week chemistry unit utilizing rubrics, student interviews, Likert surveys, and confidence surveys to gauge student success. The results indicated that students improved the quality of their responses on labs where they were prompted to write a claim, evidence and reasoning.Item How the amplify science curriculum impacts 4th grade students and the teacher(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Uppendahl, Kathryn Ann; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisIn this study, 4th graders at Benjamin Franklin Elementary in Kirkland, WA, were taught science using the newly adopted NGSS-aligned curriculum, Amplify. Throughout the Amplify Earth's Features unit, the author tracked student growth in the Science and Engineering Practice: engaging in arguments from evidence, measured student emotional and behavioral engagement, and measured student curiosity. Student pre-assessments and post-assessments, student surveys, short answer questions, teacher reflections, and video observed lessons were used to analyze the effects of the Amplify curriculum on students. While results suggest that insufficient opportunities for practice limited student growth, they also indicate that most students are both emotionally and behaviorally engaged. The study also found that while the Earth's Features unit fostered curiosity in the middle of the unit, students were less curious about the topics at the end of the unit.1Item Self-efficacy and science identify of second grade girls in STEM club(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Shaw, Kathryn Elisa; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisSecond grade girls were invited to participate in an after-school STEM club. These students were identified because they would benefit from a STEM program, by both their teacher and our STEAM teacher. Girls in STEM fields are severely lacking in today's job market, and many programs target girls who are in upper elementary or middle school. This program was designed to catch girls at a younger age and give them exposure to science-based fields, so that positive experiences with science could keep them engaged throughout their elementary science career. This STEM club was jobs-based (and included jobs such as microbiologist, coder, aerospace engineer, forensic scientist, and geologist) and included mentors. Mentors were women, chosen from the community who had a specific interest in that science topic. Girls met the mentors and asked them about their jobs, hobbies, and goals. Girls came for one hour after school, two times a week. Girls were asked to be present for most, if not all, the STEM club dates. Students were assessed on their feelings of science identify and self-efficacy twice, once before the program began and once after the program had ended. These girls' scores were then compared to one another as well as the whole of second grade (both boys and girls), to determine importance. Girls in the STEM club were more likely to think of themselves as scientists, more likely to love science, more likely to have a belief that they can do any science and were more likely to believe that science came easy to them. Girls in the STEM club were also more likely to be familiar with science jobs and what they were more likely to believe that both boys and girls were good at science, or even that girls were better than boys at science. The girls in the STEM club were equally likely to want to be a scientist when they grew up as other second grade students.Item The effect of meditation on mindfulness in the science classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Brandon, Meredith Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisHow does having mindfulness during classroom instruction contribute to student self-awareness and understanding of content? In this study, students participated in teacher-facilitated meditation as a means to focus and become more mindful in the classroom. Pre and post-treatment surveys, one-on-one interviews and assessment data was collected across one unit to measure the effectiveness of the meditation on student self-awareness and performance. Results showed improved self-awareness of distractors during class and a slight increase of scores on assessments.Item The effects of using a curriculum program with embedded literacy on middle school students' science performance and confidence(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Hunt, Erin Ransford; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisIncorporating disciplinary literacy into content area instruction has been a focus of the district for several years. General strategies such as annotating text and note-taking were implemented with little success. The purchase of a new science curriculum program, Amplify Science, with embedded literacy strategies gave teachers the opportunity to teach students science content through embedded literacy strategies that utilize reading, writing, and communicating in science. The effectiveness of this program was measured by comparing students' pre- and post-unit assessment scores, ability to write science arguments using Amplify and non-Amplify prompts, reading comprehension, ability to annotate text, self-assessment of their reading abilities, and a survey of students' confidence in science. Students and the collaborating teacher were also interviewed to discuss specific areas of growth. Results indicate that Amplify Science has made a very significant, positive impact on this group of 6th grade students' performance and confidence in science, as well as their ability to read and write in science.