Scholarship & Research
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Item The impact of IB internal assessments on science practices and science identity in a high school science class(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2021) Housenga, Michelle Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francisprocess of completing the International Baccalaureate (IB) Internal Assessment for an IB science class pushes students to hone their mastery of the science practices. The science practices included in the Next Generation Science Standards provide skills that assist students in understanding the processes of scientific discovery and knowledge. This study examines the impact of completing the IB Internal Assessment on students' mastery of the science practices, their confidence in the science practices and their science identity. The data used in this study was collected from pre-assessments and post-assessments of the science practices, pre-survey and post-survey of student confidence in the science practices, pre-survey and post- survey of student science identity, student feedback, and anecdotal observations made by the teacher. The results of the study indicate that student mastery increases in two of the science practices and student science identity increases in a couple of areas.Item 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 FrancisNext 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.Item Designing, teaching, and assessing an innovative online science curriculum for effective student learning(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2021) Sussberg, David Alexander; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisMany educational institutions have transitioned to online learning, opening opportunities and demand for creative, innovative, effective, and engaging online environmental science curricula. Therefore, I designed and taught an online Brightspace (D2L) science course. Student and staff study population were affiliated with Blackfeet Community College in Browning, Montana. A mixed methods research design assessed the curriculum's effectiveness for student learning; results indicated that students were positively impacted, gaining a greater understanding of scientific theory and praxis. This study significantly empowered me as an educator and can serve as a resource to construct online science curricula.Item A study on shifting science curriculum toward inquiry based practices(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2021) Agee, Chelsea Mahota; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisThe goal of this study was to develop an effective method by which to transform cookbook style labs to include varying levels of inquiry. The study focused on the transformation process as well as on the personal impact of modifying curriculum. A peer-reviewed Inquiry Analysis checklist served as a template for incorporating core aspects of Science and Engineering Practices. Afterwards, three teachers used the checklist for each modified lab to determine the level of inquiry. Students were surveyed to determine their perceptions of learning through inquiry. The results showed that the checklist is an evidence-based aid for teachers to use when seeking to analyze an activity and is a useful guide to increase levels of inquiry. It is applicable to any topic and the process of modification is easily repeatable. Student preferences were mixed, showing most prefer some structure and guidance in labs (guided inquiry), while only a small number prefer cookbook style activities. All surveyed students prefer a science class with hands-on activities.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 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.Item Implementing independent data analysis into a physics-first modeling curriculum(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Gibson, Clint M.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisStudents in ninth-grade physics-first participated in a period of independent, individual data analysis following data collection in modeling laboratory exercises. Pre- and post-tests in kinematics and forces were used to determine normalized gains in experimental and control groups. Student surveys, engagement evaluations, and in-class observations were conducted periodically to measure student achievement and engagement. Results show no significant improvement in achievement or engagement. However, student feedback indicates there may be potential benefit in providing options to students for completing lab exercises.Item The effects of explicit math instruction before chemistry content instruction at the high school level(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) Lopreiato, Timothy; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisStudents struggle with the mathematical nature of chemistry coursework. This study looks to examine how the performance of high school students taking chemistry is affected by a curricular change to include mini math units between traditional chemistry units of study. Students were exposed to approximately a day and a half of explicit instruction on the mathematical concepts that would appear in the upcoming chemistry unit. Student confidence in mathematics, pre and post mathematics test scores, and chemistry unit test scores were analyzed to determine if the treatment improved student performance or not.Item Interpreting the impact of bioregional curriculum design: measuring sense of place in high school science students(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) Dille, Victoria Christine; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisThe purpose of this study was to gain insights into the relationship between bioregional curriculum design, place-attachment, and ecological awareness in high school science students. Research questions were as follows: (1) Does bioregional curriculum affect place-attachment in high school science students? (2) Does a bioregional approach to studying environmental issues affect local ecological literacy--including shifting ecological awareness and an understanding of local stewardship and conservation topics? (3) What attitudes do students have towards learning experiences informed by bioregional curriculum design? Pre- and post-semester surveys, interviews, performance assessments and a mapping exercise were used as data collection instruments. Data were processed using qualitative and quantitative analysis strategies. The results suggest that students made gains in place-attachment and ecological awareness and had formative learning experiences tied to the curriculum.Item Assessing the science faculty perspective about the need and use for curriculum mapping of an anatomy and physiology course at a community college(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2018) Rahschulte, Scott Michael; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Walter WoolbaughThe purpose of this research was to assess science faculty about the need for and use of curriculum mapping for anatomy and physiology courses at a community college. Questions to be answered included: How did faculty use the current learning objective for this lesson? How beneficial and appropriate was the current learning objective to faculty? How would a curriculum map be received and used by faculty? How would faculty feel about pairing up their lesson with nationwide standards? What were the differences between the interpretation and understanding of this learning objective between full-time and adjunct faculty? What content did faculty members currently cover in their anatomy and physiology course? How well did the material that instructor's teach match up with the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society Standards? After reviewing faculty course material, what amount of horizontal consistency was there between the faculty of this course?