Scholarship & Research
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Item The relationship of formal reasoning, motivation, and conceptual change: a quantitative study of introductory biology students across the United States(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2018) Bernard, Romola Alaica; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Carrie B. Myers; Steven Kalinowski (co-chair)There is a noticeable disconnect between conceptual change research carried out in different domains of knowledge. This is starkly apparent in the divide between theoretical models of conceptual change stemming from cognitive and educational psychology, and empirical studies on conceptual change rooted in science education. This study operationalized models of conceptual change that accounted for the rational aspect of conceptual change that dominates in the natural sciences, and the extrarational aspects of conceptual change that are focal in the social sciences. Mixed effects models of conceptual change were investigated. In addition to prior knowledge, formal reasoning ability was incorporated as a critical rational aspect of conceptual change. Academic motivation, plus the teaching and learning environment students experience were included as essential extrarational aspects of conceptual change. The final operational model of conceptual change has post-instruction score as the response variable, and pre-instruction score, formal reasoning ability, intrinsic motivation, representation of racial group in science, teacher experience, and teaching practice as the most important predictors of conceptual change. Prior knowledge and formal reasoning ability are by far the strongest predictors of improving post-instruction conceptual understanding of evolution by natural selection for introductory biology students. There are two noteworthy findings. One, a crucial student characteristic, formal reasoning ability, has been ignored in conceptual change research. When formal reasoning ability is included as a predictor, self-efficacy is not at all important in predicting conceptual change. Two, another student characteristic, race, plays an important role in predicting conceptual change.Item The impact of learner generated drawings in the comprehension of earth science concepts(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) Temple, Thomas Allen; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisDrawing was an activity that was common in science classes in the early 20th century. The students of today live in a world where making an image can be done effortlessly with the cameras they have access to in their cell phones. Recently there has been renewed interest in the use of drawing to enhance memory and understanding of scientific phenomena. The purpose of this research study was to see how drawing impacted student comprehension of Earth science concepts. Sub-questions addressed by the study were if students could improve in creating scientific drawings, if their attitudes about using drawing to learn would change as a result of drawing treatment, and if their engagement and enjoyment of Earth science would increase. The study was conducted for a period of 10 weeks in a 9th-grade Earth science classroom. The population of students was split into two treatment groups. While in the treatment period students were asked to create drawings of selected Earth science topics before any reading assignments or class discussion. Students were then asked to create a second drawing after an assigned reading and discussion of the same topics. Students not in the treatment group were not required to draw and received direct instruction through presentation slides and discussion. Each group was exposed to two rounds of treatment and two periods of non-treatment. A variety of data collection instruments were used in this study to compare the two groups quantitatively, including pre- and post-test scores, quiz scores, and a standards-based drawing rubric. Qualitative measures used to assess student attitudes and enjoyment included surveys, student interviews, and a journal of observations kept by the instructor. Results of the study showed that drawing did impact comprehension of the selected Earth science topics positively. Although student attitudes about drawing remained mostly unchanged, many indicated that they planned on using drawing to help them study for tests in the future.Item Outdoor education and citizen science in a high school freshwater ecology science classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) Tierney, Sarah Martina; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisOutdoor education and citizen science practices were implemented into a high school freshwater ecology curriculum to assess student motivation, attitude, and in general their connection with the outside world. In this study students were exposed to various outdoor learning opportunities and citizen science activities. Pre and post treatment student surveys were conducted, student interviews, student journaling, and student engagement tally sheets were all recorded to assess student engagement. As a result of this study, a majority of students reported a benefit from lessons outside the classroom as well as indicating an increase of energy, pleasantness, and engagement.Item The effects of metacognition and standards-based grading on student achievement and perception in high school chemistry(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) Wunderlich, Katrina M.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisIn this study, students in a first-year high school chemistry class were introduced to assignments designed to increase metacognition. Students were also assessed using standards-based grades rather than a traditional system to better align course content to enhance metacognitive abilities. Student pre- and post-surveys, teacher and student reflections, and student interviews were used to analyze treatment. Results suggest that the majority of students experienced increased understanding of expectations, greater control over grades, and a stronger focus on learning.Item An analysis of hands-on medical experience and student engagement in the science classroom(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) Wood, Jerilyn J.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisOver a period of six months, students in the Chinook anatomy and physiology class learned EMT training skill and completed work-based learning experiences, such as job shadowing, in order to increase engagement in the science classroom. This project also looked at the impact that this hands-on learning had on students' confidence and feelings of preparedness as well as their desire to pursue a career in the medical field. Students completed a pre- and post-treatment engagement surveys and post-treatment interviews. From the surveys, it was found that there was no statistical difference between the pre- and post-treatment survey responses. The raw data showed some shifts in students' attitudes but there was not enough change to be statistically significant. From the post-treatment interviews, students reported feeling more engaged and better able to make connections between the material learned in class and the real-world. They also reported developing skills that would help them succeed beyond high school such as time management and responsibility for their own learning.Item The effect of integrated, cross-curricular co-teaching on student achievement, engagement, and high school completion at an alternative high school(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) Tonelli, Matthew Charles, Jr.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisThis study examined the effect a cross-curricular, team-taught course had on student achievement and high school completion at an Alternative High School. Additional sub-questions included what was the effect on a student's engagement in coursework, what was the effect on student attendance, and what was the effect on a student's attitude towards school? Engagement, attendance, credit earned, attitude survey and interview data were used to identify this impact. Students from integrated courses were compared to courses that taught the same science content in a traditional classroom. Engagement, attendance, credit earning, and attitude experienced significant increases in the treatment group over the study period when compared to the control group. The study supports offering students course experiences that are integrated, co-taught, and project-based. The study showed this had a positive impact on engagement, student attendance, and attitude leading to improved course completion, outcomes for graduation and future success. This approach has significant implications in the alternative school setting where students are often at a deficit in credit earning in relationship to their age. In this scenario, opportunities for credit recovery and accelerated learning increase the likelihood of students completing high school.Item Using self-assessment rubrics in science(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) Suihkonen, Elizabeth Ann; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisThis study evaluated the use of self-assessment rubrics to encourage and motivate students in learning physical science. Students used rubrics, discussion questions, and exit slips to assess their understanding of the content learned. Rubrics were used ln alternating phases for students to self-assess on the unit objective. Confidence levels were measured with surveys, discussion questions, and interviews. The results from January-April 2019 indicated an increase in students advancing in the levels on the rubric. The use of self-assessment rubrics indicated a growth in students' confidence and desire to self-reflect on science concepts.Item Variety of strategies used to teach data analysis and conclusion writing in Freshmen Physics(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) Shaaban, Lori; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisDue to our data driven society, students should understand how to make sense of graphs and be able to apply them. Educators need to teach students how to analyze data, communicate that understanding, and pose new questions. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) places a heavy importance on analyzing and interpreting data, constructing explanations, and engaging in an argument from evidence due to an increasing need for this skill in the labor force. Two classes of freshmen physics learned techniques in reading, analyzing, and interpreting data to understand physics concepts. They were taught how to spot trends in data tables as well as graphs and used www.desmos.com to find lines of best fit equations. They tried to understand what the equation represented and why the phenomena occurred. Then using their equation, they made a prediction and explained the reasons for their confidence in that prediction. Lastly, they thought of new experiments they could do based on this latest information and how businesses could use data similar. This is a modified version of the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) conclusion in science classrooms. Since many of the lab reports were done as a group, the action research assessed in this document was not done from students' experiments, but data provided on students' individual tests. Pre- and post-tests, surveys, interviews, and group discussions were reviewed. It was found many students began the course with the ability to make a prediction based on an equation. They quickly figured out how to spot patterns in the data to make a claim. However, the most challenging for students was to explain the phenomena and provide confidence in their prediction. Students did not say any one component was much harder or important than another. Students were overconfident in their ability to explain their confidence scientifically throughout the year. In all, students found a variety of activities helpful as they continued to grow throughout the year.Item The use of writing portfolios in place of traditional exams in high school biology(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) Theroux, Brian Joseph; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg FrancisThe desire for metrics of student ability remains high even as emphasis changes from high-stakes, high-stress standardized assessments of content and memorization to procedural awareness and communication skills. This study investigated the effectiveness of writing portfolios in place of traditional exams. Classroom research checked for consistency between students of different incoming knowledge and ability levels, and for effects on student motivation and course engagement. Students' expression of core concept knowledge was assessed through writing portfolios in treatment groups and with short answer tests in comparison groups. Data collected from test scores, portfolios, surveys and teacher-student dialogues was triangulated using qualitative and quantitative analysis. Results suggested students' expression of core content knowledge and basic subject knowledge were equitable or improved, with notable alleviation of test grievances.Item The effects of formative feedback on student learning in science education(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) Schultz, Michael; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Walter WoolbaughEducators always strive to modify their instructional strategies in the hopes to improve student critical thinking skills and discover better teaching practices. As a teacher, one aspect that I have focused on is the feedback that students are provided on formative assessments. Current research indicates that students benefit from prompt, detailed feedback to improve their learning. For my action research, I investigated the effects of different feedback methods on formative assessments in a high school biology course. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between these different formative feedback models and the resulting summative assessment scores. This research also evaluated how these different methods impacted student engagement, student motivation, and efficiency for teachers. During three consecutive units of study, different methods of written feedback were administered to students on formative assessments. During the initial, baseline unit students were provided with simple, teacher-generated evaluative feedback. This include standard grading practices with answers being marked correct and a score. The first treatment method provided students with teacher-generated descriptive feedback. This feedback included comments or questions to elicit students to think and reflect on their answer. During the second treatment unit, students created their own, descriptive feedback. While a formative quiz was reviewed during class, students used a separate color pen to write their specific notes and details to self-assess and advance their learning. The data from summative scores for each unit was then analyzed and compared to identify relative student growth. Student surveys and interviews were conducted to gain additional perspectives on the topic. The results of this study qualitatively supports that students' benefit from detailed feedback to redirect their learning and address misconceptions. These comments can be teacher or student generated. It appears to be best practice employ a variety of feedback methods to increase student engagement in the feedback process. When students create their own feedback, it decreases the amount of time needed to return an assessment and saves the teacher countless hours of grading. This research has led to enriched educational practices and student learning in my classroom.