Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)

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Connectedness with nature and implications for science learning
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2022) Carter, Scott Andrew; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John Graves
Connectedness with nature is described as the subjective sense of relatedness one has with the natural environment. Individuals with high self-perceived connectedness with nature see themselves as part of, not separate from the natural world. Classroom observations and anecdotal evidence contributed to the hypothesis that connectedness with nature may impact science learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate connectedness with nature and its implications for science education. Identifying factors that influence connectedness with nature and investigating teaching strategies to enhance this characteristic in students were secondary goals of the study. The Nature Relatedness Scale (NRS) was employed in measuring the human-nature relationship through the course of the investigation. Other data sources included student interview, student achievement records, and student work samples. Satellite imagery was utilized in conducting greenspace assessments at sites surrounding each subject's home. A negative correlation between nature relatedness scores and science achievement was discovered, indicating a lack of association between the two variables in the sample (N=61). A relationship between tree canopy in the at-home environment and nature relatedness scores emerged, suggesting exposure to high-quality greenspace during childhood and adolescence may influence one's perception of nature. Finally, place-based learning strategies were shown to be successful in enhancing connectedness with nature in the study group of 12th grade environmental science students. Evidence compiled from the sample suggests students with high nature relatedness scores may differ from peers with lower values, particularly in what they bring to and take from science instruction.
Enhancing students' engineering identities and attitudes towards engineering and technology through place-conscious engineering activities
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2024) Moonga, Miracle; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Rebekah Hammack; Nick Lux (co-chair)
Students' engineering identities and attitudes toward engineering are important because they can determine if students will pursue engineering careers. However, a dearth of research focuses on how participating in place-conscious engineering affects students' engineering identities and attitudes towards engineering and technology. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study investigated the effect of engaging elementary students in place-conscious engineering activities on their engineering identities and attitudes towards engineering and technology. Students completed two place-conscious engineering activities: (1) following a local wildfire, students designed and built air filters to prevent smoke from entering the homes of affected families residing in a nearby community, and (2) after the state issued several warnings about eminent floods due to ice-jams on a local river, students designed flood prevention strategies. Quantitative data about students' engineering identities were collected using pre and post surveys of the two subscales of the Engineering Identity Development Scale (EIDS): (1) academic subscale and (2) engineering career subscale. Quantitative data regarding students' attitudes toward engineering and technology were collected using pre and post surveys of the engineering and technology subscale of the Students' Attitudes Toward Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM). Finally, to explain the trends observed in the quantitative data, qualitative data were collected through semi-structured focus group interviews. Findings suggested that students' academic identities and attitudes towards engineering and technology improved as a result of participating in place-conscious engineering activities. The study recommends exposing elementary students to place-conscious engineering activities to improve their engineering identities and attitudes towards engineering and technology.
Rural museums: harnessing the power of place to confront silences and revitalize communities
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Moore, Sabre Addington; Co-chairs, Graduate Committee: Alex Harmon and Robert Rydell
In the United States, 43 percent of all museums are in rural towns; in Montana, rural towns account for 56.5 percent of museums. Contemporary research has neglected museums based in rural communities. While scholarship on libraries and education in rural communities thrives, there is a gap in research on rural museums. This dissertation acknowledges that gap. It explores how rural museums, like the Carter County Museum in Ekalaka, Montana, can employ the Rural Social Space Model to identify and confront the usual silences about the land and its settlement and explore the ways that power is exercised in the practices of place. Using this framework, this dissertation draws connections between the museum and the areas of environment, social well-being, and economic development, which produce rural social space and contribute to community vitality. This strategy recognizes the value of a physical place, its unique and varied histories, and the diversity of people within and connected to that place, both past and present. Rural communities have distinctive histories embedded within the culture and historical context of a broader region. Rural museums foster the experience of these histories as meaningful and personal, nurturing identity and connection to local places. As such, museums play a vital role in rural community life and provide tools to address equity challenges facing rural places. These museums regularly engage in civic work and can leverage their positions as community congregant spaces and trusted institutions to further civic action, including fostering deliberate discussion, offering volunteer opportunities, hosting public meetings, and engaging visitors in exhibits that explore the connection of past history to present action.
From turning away to listening in: instruction to facilitate civic dialogue through regional literature
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2022) Hall, Nicole JoAnna; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Allison Wynhoff Olsen
The purpose of this paper is to discuss how trauma-reducing student-centered instruction (TR-SCI) offers a solution to the cycle of traumatizing and retraumatizing student experiences within classroom environments. TR-SCI is a way to center the student experience and focuses on reducing trauma inducing practices in the classroom. I discuss what the classroom experience might entail then I explore why TR-SCI might allow for environments of trust and reciprocity which is needed to create civic dialogue. Civic dialogue consists of conversations built upon reciprocity and respect, while listening across conflict toward understanding differences. Civic dialogue provides opportunity for students to step outside echo chambers and has the potential to widen students' view of the experiences of others. Critically exploring regionally relevant literature is a way to begin civic dialogue and has potential for students to find connections and disconnections that are situated within the context of their regional experiences. I interject my own experiences as a mother, educator, student, community member, and researcher to explore why I think we need trauma-reducing classrooms that engage in civic dialogue by exemplifying, through writing and discussion, an attempt to connect personal and regional experience with author Ivan Doig's text and archives. I have written a series of letters to Ivan called 'Dear Ivan' that exemplify my work to build connection with the author and archives. My hope is that discussions on TR-SCI, civic dialogue through regional literature, and my explorations with connecting to Ivan help to facilitate further conversations in these fields. I see the connections with these concepts and methods as potential for teacher education workshops and further qualitative research studies in classroom environments. It is not my purpose here to propose a solution but simply to begin dialogue toward relatable ways to build equity and inclusion within the classroom.
Community, agency, and place: an instrumental case study of a relational partnership between rural museum and school stakeholders
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2022) Weikert, Angela Hewitt; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jayne Downey
In the discussion about the formation and function of partnerships between community anchor institutions (e.g., schools, communities, and museums), previous studies examining motivating reasons for partnerships have been primarily focused on urban settings. Next to no research has been conducted to understand the unique factors that support partnerships in rural communities. Therefore, the purpose of this instrumental case study was to examine the motivating reasons why stakeholders from community anchor institutions establish and sustain a partnership to design and implement a place-conscious approach to education in a rural context. Data were collected using field notes, documents, audiovisual digital materials, and semi-structured interviews with nine stakeholders representing a museum and a local school district. The findings from this study illuminated the importance of understanding the nature of partnerships in a rural context. They highlight a significant shift away from previous definitions of partnerships as transactional and elevate the importance of both the relational aspects of a partnership and the critical role that relationships play in everyday rural life. The results of this study revealed how rural community members are connected through multiple roles and intentionally build long-standing relationships to support students beyond the classroom. The results also extended the findings of previous studies regarding individuals' motivating reasons for partnerships, through articulating the multidimensional reasons why stakeholders in rural contexts participate in partnership activities. These reasons included: a vision for the whole community, beliefs about personal contributions, and the value of place. Finally, the participants in this study demonstrated solution-focused innovation in their approaches to prioritizing partnership activities. This new finding highlights the shortcomings of previous descriptions of the factors that shape partnership activities which reflect superficial understandings of partnerships through vocabulary choices such as constrain or promote. Notably, this study provided an example of rural education innovation modeling how new ideas developed with rural communities can build on and extend previous positive outcomes (White & Downey, 2021). Recommendations are made for future research to explore relational partnerships and anchor institutions in other communities, as well as studying how these relationships contribute to measures of community well-being, vitality, and student outcomes.
The impact of integrating Next Generation Science Standards and environmental literacy curriculum
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2021) Hill, Joyce Margaret; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francis
Next Generation Science Standards provide a framework to develop students' understandings of science ideas, using scientific practices to make sense of natural phenomena. The environment offers a meaningful context to develop these important ideas. However, there are few resources that effectively integrate both the science and environmental standards. This study was part of an ongoing initiative to develop lesson sequences that could be used K-12, created by teacher leaders and informal science educators. The research question focused on the impact of integrating curriculum on students' science understandings and attitudes about nature and environmental stewardship. During Spring 2021 the lessons were taught as part of a pilot. For this study, students participated in a pre and post survey. A sample of student work as well as student interviews were part of the data collected. Results indicated that the lessons supported students' science understandings and affected their attitude towards caring for the environment. Local environments can provide meaningful contexts for important science ideas and bring science alive for students. Increasingly, the environment and human activity will be an important issue to understand better.
Place-based and student-led climate change instruction in the science classroom
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2021) Rendla, Elexa Deidre; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francis
Climate change is a global problem affecting everyone living on Earth. In Florida specifically, intense hurricanes are becoming a familiar event. In response to this phenomenon, I designed hurricane lessons to help students understand the link between climate change and increased hurricane intensity. I used place-based and student-led lessons. During these lessons, 14 students attended in-person and 16 students attended online, which was an option for students during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the Hurricane Webquest, students learned about the structure of hurricanes, tracked Hurricane Irma and read about the link between rising sea-surface temperatures and hurricane intensity. For the Thermodynamics PhET Labs, students investigated the links between climate and heat, and energy transfer. In the Thermodynamics Mini-Project, students looked at how thermal energy can be converted into kinetic energy in hurricanes. Finally, in the Hurricane Building Codes Assignment, students investigated local buildings and how they met the Florida hurricane building codes. Both before and after the hurricane lessons, students participated in the Hurricane Likert Survey and took a Hurricane Knowledge Test. Some students also participated in final interview questions once the lessons were concluded. Students indicated in both pre- and post-surveys that they were aware of climate change. After the hurricane lessons, students reported a greater understanding of the relationship between climate change and hurricanes. After students completed the Hurricane Building Codes Assignment, they were better able to articulate their reasons for evacuating or staying during a hurricane. When in-person and online students were compared, their greatest difference was in-class participation. Students attending in-person participated in classroom discussion, and those who attended from home stayed silent.
The effect of place-based experiences on science identity, attitude, and achievement in a remote learning advanced placement environmental science classroom
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2021) Faxon, Briana Leigh; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francis
Students in science courses are routinely consumers of science and are less often producers of scientific work. In this action research project, Advanced Placement Environmental Science students engaged in place-based lessons remotely while asynchronously developing authentic research projects that impacted their local ecosystems. This work was delivered to stakeholders within the community. Scientific questioning, graphing, and explanations, as well as surveys and interviews were used as data collection instruments throughout remote learning. The results suggested that place-based learning experiences helped students increase their skills in scientific questioning and explanations, their science identity, and their attitudes towards science. Students' sense of place was minimally changed. Results indicate the need for place-based and hands-on learning to increase students' attitude, aptitude, and identity, especially during stressful pandemic remote learning situations.
Studying science in the outdoors influences student interest, engagement, and cognition
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2021) Dean, Kimberly Jane; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francis
Lack of motivation and engagement are common problems among middle school students. In addition, I am often shocked to hear how many of my students have never visited any of the six ski resorts less than an hour's drive away, never gone canoeing, no time spent hiking, camping or participating in the kinds of outdoor activities that our state, Utah, is famous for. The lack of time spent in the natural world can inhibit students' understanding of their local environments and their ability to connect what they are learning in science classes with outdoor and relatively natural ecosystems. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of streamside field experiences on the engagement of middle school students. Sub questions investigated if studying Utah's watersheds and water quality issues in the field and the classroom helped students increase their knowledge and awareness of water quality and water science and whether time spent in nature impacted students' attitudes about protecting streams. The research followed eighth grade students through three field trips, one snowshoeing at a local mountain campground, and two monitoring water quality and canoeing at a local river. Data collection included pre and posttests, science motivation questionnaire, science attitude survey, student interviews, and a teacher's journal. Data collection was collected before and after treatments to monitor changes throughout the process. The research indicated that there was a positive relationship between my response variables: student interest, engagement, and achievement and my intervention variable of: time spent learning science outdoors.
In their own words and actions: a case study of STEM interest among rural youth in an informal program
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2021) Westbrook, Elaine Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jayne Downey
In order to develop science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) knowledge and solutions that address global concerns, there is a need to develop pathways to strengthen STEM interest among rural youth, especially girls. Previous research suggests that informal STEM programs can stimulate participant interest due to the absence of pressures from external assessment (Rogoff, et al, 2016). However, little is known about which instructional methods in an informal STEM program focused on place-conscious programming in a rural community will support the development of youth STEM interest. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of three instructional methods (hands-on, role models, and culminating projects) on STEM interest development for rural youth, ages eight to twelve, in an informal place-conscious STEM program. Data were collected through observations, focus group interviews, and STEM interest surveys. Participants included youth (N=26) in grades 3rd through 5th grades attending two local schools in one rural community. Results indicated STEM interest increased through collaborative work, new knowledge, and action research. Results also showed gender differences in STEM interest development. Girls' STEM interest was heightened through seeing the personal relevance to their community, whereas boys' STEM interest was heightened through actively working together. This study contributes to the empirical literature regarding STEM interest, informal education, and instructional methods for rural youth. Recommendations are made for future studies.

Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)

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