Scholarship & Research
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Item The effects of guiding climate change education through a social justice lens(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Arnold, John Francis; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesClimate change is one of the largest environmental and justice issues facing our world. Many young people are listening to the science and taking action, but many more are not. This project addressed climate change through exploring consequences on society, addressing public health, and impacts on societal infrastructure and stability. The social inequality of climate impacts was highlighted throughout to better engage students. Baseline, survey data was collected before we addressed climate change. After learning about public health concerns, students took the survey again and completed a short reflection. Students finished the study, after learning about impacts on societal infrastructure by taking a third survey, completing a second reflection, and with an interview. Results varied due to inconsistent participation throughout the study. Many students demonstrated an increase in understanding of climate change, but evidence to demonstrate their depth of understanding examples of people most disproportionately affected by climate change was inconsistent. Finally, students underreported eco-anxiety in survey results compared to interview results.Item The impact of teaching growth mindset to biology students at Sentinel high school(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Dixon, Samuel Eugene; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesThis classroom research project investigated the impact of teaching growth vs fixed mindset lessons twice a month for four months to nine and tenth grade biology students and eleventh and twelfth grade AP biology students. Mindset has been shown in many studies to have a large impact on student learning and future success. This project was conducted to try and shift a student mindset towards the growth and away from the fixed side on the mindset spectrum. In addition, to try and improve student mindsets, I also wanted to see if there was a correlation to student learning and growth, as well as overall student wellness. I collected data from student mindset survey and a student wellness survey before and then after administering the treatment. The treatment was a series of mini lessons that were taught to the students twice a month for four months. Student interviews were conducted after the treatment as well. The students' overall grades from quarter 1 and quarter 2 were used as a metric to measure academic growth. Results showed growth in student mindsets and various aspects of wellness from pre to post assessments. Out of all students that completed the pre and post mindset assessment nearly 90% of them increased their mindset score. Every class period showed an increase of average mindset score. There was no correlation between student mindsets and academic achievement or academic growth. There were some categories of student wellness that were unchanged, but there were many aspects of student wellness that showed improvement from pre to post assessment. The students verbal and written responses to prompts about mindset and wellness support these findings. In conclusion, students who were exposed to a treatment of mindset lessons showed increases in both their mindset score and overall wellness.Item The impact of project based learning on student engagement and motivation(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Johnson, Katrina Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesThe purpose of this study was to determine the effect that a project based instructional method would have on student achievement and attitude towards science. Students were given a pre-unit survey regarding attitude and confidence in science as well as a pre-test to gauge content knowledge. During the study, the treatment group received instruction based heavily around projects, with students constructing model atoms and alternate periodic tables. The non-treatment group received instruction in a traditional format of lecture and class discussion. Throughout the study, both groups of students were given Claim, Evidence, Reasoning prompts to evaluate their understanding of concepts relating to atoms and the periodic table. Students were given the same survey and pre-test questions at the end of the unit to determine if project based learning had an effect. Students in the non-treatment group showed a greater improvement in confidence and post-test scores whereas students in the treatment group improved more in their critical thinking and reasoning skills.Item Standards-based single-point rubrics in advanced placement environmental science(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Beckman, John Bradley; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesRubrics that link specific standards to assessment items offer educators a way to communicate with students about understandings and abilities and how to improve them. Single-point rubrics list a single, target performance expectation and leave open spaces for targeted feedback to encourage growth and creativity. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of standards-based single-point rubric use on learning attitudes and student perception of meaning from grades among students in Advanced Placement Environmental Science classes. Before the intervention, surveys were administered to two sections of Advanced Placement Environmental Science classes to gather information about students' initial learning attitudes and perceptions of grades. For two units of study, standards-based single-point rubrics were implemented for feedback and assessment of student learning. During these units, rubric scores and student re-assessment attempts were recorded as evidence of student motivation. Traditional, percentage grades were calculated from standards-based single-point rubric scores for the units of study during intervention. After the two units of study, student learning attitudes and grades surveys were administered again, along with student interviews to determine if students' views about learning and grades had changed. Student learning attitudes and perceptions of grades generally agreed with 'expert' responses leading into the intervention. Quantitative and qualitative data suggested overall notable gains in students' problem-solving strategies learning attitudes and in students' perceptions of grade validity.Item Formative assessment to teach math concepts in high school chemistry(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Bay, Clarissa Kristine; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesCalculations relating to unit conversions in high school chemistry typically pose difficulty for students. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of using consistent methods of formative assessment as daily check-ins to improve student success on this type of work as well as improve the overall score on the related college level unit exam. At the beginning of the unit students in the treatment group completed a pretest and survey to determine their skill level and comfort with unit conversions in chemistry. During the unit, these students completed a different type of formative assessment after each lesson to assist the instructor for how to prepare for the following lesson. After six lessons, students completed a posttest, survey, and college level unit exam. Students in the non-treatment group did not receive consistent formative assessment during the unit. From gathered data, students' comfort levels improved over the course of the study. Student achievement on the posttest was significantly greater than on the pretest and there was a noticeable increase in the overall percentage of students that earned a C or better on their college level unit exam. Where the non-treatment group had 70% of students score a C or better on the college exam, the treatment group percentage rose to a 76% of students earning a C or better on the same exam. This shows that intentional formative assessment does prove to be a useful tool to increase student performance on math-based topics in chemistry.Item The effect of inquiry-based learning in high school physics(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Feldbruegge, Adam Frank; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesThe purpose of this action research was to analyze the effect of inquiry-based learning in the high school physics classroom. Specifically, this research analyzed the impact of inquiry-based learning on student ability to scientific reasoning and concept mastery within the units of motion, force, energy, and momentum. The non-treatment group received instruction with a partially flipped classroom approach, with assigned pre-lecture videos and lectures focused on direct application of the content; whereas the treatment group learned through inquiry and following the experiments, were guided with questioning and further labs to fill in conceptual gaps in the content. Pre- and post-test results were analyzed to measure normalized gains in both scientific reasoning and conceptual understanding. Surveys and interviews were analyzed to measure student interest and attitude. The results of this study revealed that the non-treatment group achieved higher normalized gains in conceptual understanding in the areas of force, motion, energy, and momentum; whereas the treatment group achieved higher normalized gains in their ability to reason scientifically. While the theory-practice gap is a real inhibitor to inquiry-based learning in the physics classroom, students were able to connect course content with real-life scenarios, resulting in an overall positive experience for students.Item Model-based inquiry in the high school chemistry classroom: how does model-based inquiry affect learning retention?(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Carson, Christa Eleanor; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesModel-based inquiry is a style of pedagogy that involves the creation and analysis of physical, conceptual, and mathematical models as a means of teaching and learning science. This study aimed to ascertain the capacity of model-based inquiry (MBI) to impact learning retention in students of a 9th and 10th-grade chemistry course. Over the course of two introductory chemistry units, students used MBI-styled activities and unit storylines to uncover essential ideas. The fundamental concepts of each unit were assessed using a pre-test and post-test (Post I), with an additional post-test (Post II) administered several weeks after the culmination of that unit. Students were also prompted for their confidence level on these assessments. To analyze the interplay between MBI, attitudes about science, and comprehension, students were surveyed using the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey before and after the research period. Additionally, a sample of students was interviewed about their knowledge and experience using scientific models. Analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data from this study has revealed that a guided approach to MBI has some positive effect on learning retention. This study's use of MBI was found to have a moderate impact on student attitudes about learning chemistry, and a limited impact on student understanding of scientific modeling.Item Comparison of emotional engagement in online learning environments: an online classroom investigation(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Ryan, Katie Elizabeth; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesAfter the COVID-19 pandemic, there were more online educational opportunities for both families and teachers. Each unique opportunity varied in the amount of emotional engagement for students, specifically social engagement, and teacher presence. The purpose of this study was to look at the effects on emotional engagement of students between synchronous and asynchronous online education. Situation A had a virtual teacher interact with a classroom of students on a daily basis, where Situation B had an asynchronous class structure with the option for teacher interaction. At the end of first semester, Likert-Scale and free response survey questions were distributed to students, and teacher reflections were collected for a month. From the data collected, it was seen that students in a synchronous format did not believe their online education was supporting them, while students in the asynchronous did. It was also seen that when students felt that their ideas were being valued in a class, they were more likely to feel comfortable asking for help. Based on limited participation numbers, it was hard to make stronger claims about which situation supports students more successfully. It seems that although a synchronous situation lends itself to more student/teacher interactions, students still show variation in their perceptions of connection and support.Item Stream ecology as place-based education(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Schlobohm, Jennifer; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesMuch of modern-day education is not related the lives of students. Place-based education has been noted to increase academic performance, and students' connection to the place they live. This study used the local stream to investigate the impact of place-based education in an Earth and Space science class. Student summative assessment scores and Likert-style surveys were used in both treatment and non-treatment units to analyze academic growth, sense of place, and self-efficacy regarding scientific skills. A questionnaire was given at the end of the treatment unit and used to collect qualitative data to support the conclusions. Normalized gains and percentages of summative assessment scores identified student growth in all areas studied.Item Next Generation Science Standards and phenomenon-driven storylining in high school biology(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Morgan, Julia Ann; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John GravesThe purpose of this study was to determine if the use of an NGSS centered, phenomenon-driven storylining curriculum would increase student development of scientific literacy and skills as well as student engagement within the classroom. The treatment group received an NGSS driven, phenomenon-based, student-centered curriculum which was grounded in the Africa storyline. The non-treatment group received a teacher led, direct instruction biology curriculum. The treatment group (n=47), had a mean post test score that was 7.5% higher than the control group (n=26). Teacher observations, student surveys, as well as pre and post test results were analyzed. The data supported higher levels of content knowledge retainment, skill development, and engagement within the treatment group.