Scholarship & Research
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Item Learning through science field experiences: an evaluation of the effects of experiential learning in a fourth grade class(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2018) Machin, Jena; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Walter WoolbaughStudents are not always allowed the opportunity to gain real world science knowledge from field trips. This study analyzed students' performance on science based assessments before and after participating in hands-on science field trips. This study also analyzed how a field trip could affect the students and teachers attitudes toward learning. Students in a fourth grade class participated in three field trips throughout the school year. After each field trip students took a test to assess their learning, participated in student interviews, and recorded thoughts and feelings about the trips. The results of the study indicated positive gains in both students' conceptual knowledge and their attitudes towards learning. Participation in field trips had a positive impact on the studied students' content knowledge and attitudes, as well as a positive impact on the teacher's instruction.Item Addressing misconceptions through inquiry in first grade science(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2018) Jones, Cameron Cecil; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisInquiry-based teaching harnesses students' innate curiosity and ability to be natural scientists. Students have misconceptions that may interfere with learning about scientific concepts, whether learning through their own experiences or from friends, family, or school. Many students retain or revert back to their misconceptions, even after instruction designed to challenge old ideas and accept the new ideas. Although inquiry-based learning is recommended, it is far from the norm and many teachers show apprehension about teaching through inquiry. Different forms of inquiry may or may not be effective at repairing student misconceptions. This classroom research project analyzed the effectiveness of four types of inquiry-based instruction in repairing scientific misconceptions in a first grade class. A demonstrated inquiry unit was taught on the movements of the sun, moon, and Earth across the sky. The second unit was about the seasons and taught as structured inquiry. Then a 5E guided inquiry unit was taught about light. The last unit was an open inquiry on sound. At the beginning, the end, and one month following each unit, a series of misconception probes were administered. The probes measured nine targeted concepts along with student confidence in the concepts. Students' perception of their learning was measured using daily administered Likert surveys on engagement and control of learning. The results of the study indicated that students learned some of the new concepts, but they also retained many of the misconceptions. Some misconceptions were created or became more popular throughout the treatment. The results also indicated that many students had a better understanding of some of the topics a month after the unit was completed. Overall students perceived inquiry-based instruction to be engaging.Item Cultivating young minds and a sense of place through teacher professional development(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2016) Vercoe, Emily; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.This project is a professional development experience for educators at Colegio Monte Verde, a primary school serving students from ages three to twelve in Castro Chile. It addresses integrating agroecology, a form of place-based education, into the school curriculum for the 2016 school year, beginning in March. It consisted of four phases: educator curriculum and content development onsite at Centro de Education y Tecnologia Chiloe's experimental farm, summer on and off-site professional development for educators, modeling teaching strategies and content with students, and a presentation of learning in which teachers shared their own place-based lessons. The study is designed to explore how agroecology can be used as a teaching tool to help students better understand the world around them and look at their community as a living laboratory.Item The effects of increased science instructional class time on a second grade classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2016) Marshall, Angela; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.Science learning time has been on the decline because of increased time spent on language arts, reading and math. Lack of supplies, equipment and support from administrators are also contributing factors. Connections between math and science seem natural. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect that increased science class time, enriched with mathematically based skills, had on the students' understanding of content, as well as interest, motivation and confidence in math and science. Evaluations of scores, surveys, and interviews were performed to assess results.Item Outdoor education : the effects of outdoor learning on student success(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2016) Konopacki, Jennifer Ruth; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.This project focused on involving students more in the outdoors as part of their regular classroom curriculum. Outdoor educational activities, as well as guest speakers from the community were used to supplement current curriculum. The purpose was to investigate student motivation and attitude towards learning science, their opinions of being outdoors and outdoor learning, and level of concern for the environment. Students participated in water quality monitoring at a local stream, learned about native Montana wildlife in a greenhouse at our local community garden, went on a nature hike, and collected and identified macroinvertebrates at the Woodson Ranch in Laurin, Montana. Results showed that student interest and attitudes towards the outdoors, as well as test scores, increased significantly after being exposed to outdoor learning.Item Student collaboration on assessment of writing in preparation for the next generation science standards(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2015) Zaback, Stacey; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.Elementary students are often assessed by standards that they do not understand or have no vested interest in. Conversely, student involvement in the assessment process has been shown to increase metacognition and critical thinking skills. The main focus of this research project was to investigate the connection between student involvement in creating an assessment rubric for writing, and increased writing proficiency in compositions.Item Differentiated instruction in the science classroom : student perception, engagement, and learning(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2015) White, Dwayne Matthew; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.Students have varying backgrounds and learning abilities. One philosophy of education, differentiated instruction, seeks to meet this diversity of student needs by offering a variety of learning tasks. In this article, the author examines what differentiated instruction is, how it may be incorporated, and reflects on the data gathered from an elementary school classroom -- primarily looking for impacts on student perceptions, engagement, and learning.Item Using the Van Andel Education Institute's model of scientific inquiry in the fourth-grade classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2015) Staggs, Brian; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.Teaching science through inquiry is a goal of science education. The definition of inquiry is quite varied, and its implementation is hindered by a number of well-documented factors. The literature describes scaffolded inquiry instruction as a successful method for incorporating inquiry in the classroom. In this action research project, one model of an inquiry scaffold called QPOE2 was introduced to a fourth-grade classroom. Through unit assessments, concept mapping, student interviews, student surveys, and teacher observations, data was compiled to measure its effectiveness on student scientific understandings, engagement in scientific argumentation, and motivation for science in the classroom. While unit assessments indicate student scientific understandings did not improve as significantly following treatment with this model of inquiry, concept-mapping data indicate that students did make similar gains in scientific understanding following instruction with the QPOE2 model. Data indicates that following instruction with the QPOE2 model, students' understanding and ability to engage in scientific argumentation and student motivation improved. Implications of this project highlight the powerful motivational effects experienced by students when engaging in science through a scaffolded inquiry approach.Item iPads in the elementary math classroom : what is their effect on student learning?(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2015) Stattel, Andrew Willis; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy Taylor.This study investigated the effects of iPads on second grade students' understanding of math concepts and the students' attitudes toward using iPads in math class. For five units, one second grade class alternated by unit between iPad and non-iPad activities to practice math skills. During the final unit of the study each student chose whether or not to use the iPad. To understand the iPad's effect on student learning, the following data was gathered: scores of unit pretests and posttests, student confidence surveys, tracking of on task/off task behavior, teacher field notes, and student interviews. To understand students' attitudes toward iPads, the following data was gathered: pre- and post-treatment attitude surveys, teacher field notes, and student interviews. Results from the study indicated that iPads did not have a greater effect on posttest scores than more traditional methods of practicing math skills. Results also indicate that iPads do not have a stronger effect on students' confidence levels in math. However the data indicated that students were more engaged in math activities when using iPads than when not using iPads. Additionally, when given the choice between using the iPad and non-iPad activities, students more frequently chose the iPad to practice math skills. Students reported positive attitudes toward using the iPad in math class at the conclusion of the study.Item How formative assessment supports student centered learning in a flipped science classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, Graduate School, 2015) Vandehey, Amelia Margiree; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Peggy TaylorStudents in a flipped classroom environment use a variety of technology to access content information outside of the classroom and develop the skills while in the classroom with the teacher. Studies on new teaching methodologies are show that this classroom design promotes the student's ability to monitor their own progress and feel centered with their learning and not detached. My research reiterated common accounts of student classroom learning and unveiled important information about how well students understood how standards are aligned. The first implementation goal was to use a formative assessment to gather pre and posttest information for the teacher and student. The assessment is a professionally designed and aligned product that gives accurate information on where students are in the skills they have been assessed on. My goal was to see how well students would respond to using the assessment to gather information about their own learning, independent of a structured and timed assessment event. Results showed that the participant students (N=35) who took assessments and tutorials gained 1.6 years in science. Student levels averaged a science mastery of third grade and six months and after the treatment the students averaged at fifth grade and two months. Additional information related to student behaviors and attitudes on learning, assessments and curriculum were brought up through the course of working with the students.