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Barriers and best practices: teaching students with learning and cognitive disabilities in the general education science classroom
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Roll, Kari Elizabeth Hovden; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: C. John Graves
Inclusive education, where students with and without disabilities learn together in one space, has been a hallmark of U.S. education for several decades. Yet, students with disabilities are not achieving at the same level as their peers and teachers report feeling ill-equipped to teach a variety of learners. The purpose of this study was to determine the current best practices for teaching science to students with learning and cognitive disabilities in the general education science classroom, and to understand what is preventing teachers from meeting the learning needs of these students. First, surveys were collected from students and teachers addressing what strategies each group felt helped students with disabilities learn. Then, individual students and teachers were interviewed to gather a deeper understanding of what methods helped learning and discussed what they felt prevented teachers from helping their students with learning disabilities. From the data gathered, it became clear that individualized and small group focused strategies were seen as the most successful by staff and students. While barriers preventing teachers from meeting the needs of their disabled students mainly stemmed from issues outside of the teacher's control: (i.e., class sizes, testing requirements, mental health concerns, and curriculum rigidity), to make education equitable for our students with learning disabilities, professionals beyond the classroom need to make accessible science education a priority.
Mindfulness-based social emotional learning in the science classroom
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2021) Cochrum, Caleb Denver; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francis
This study evaluated the impact of implementing daily mindfulness and biweekly social emotional learning lessons into a sophomore level Physical Science classroom. Qualitative and quantitative data collected through student surveys, attendance data, content-based assessments, was analyzed to assess the overall impact on student learning, classroom culture, and student self-efficacy. Results indicate that the use of mindfulness and social emotional learning curricula significantly improves classroom culture, while also having a marginally positive impact on academic performance and student self-efficacy.
Implementing active learning in high school physical science
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Peters, Kurt; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francis
Active learning marries well with the contemporary NGSS and it is an exciting time to be a science teacher. However, implementing active learning is a difficult task, so much so that, during a recent school year, I found myself almost exclusively teaching through direct instruction. Notably and, perhaps consequently, my students' median national percentile on the Georgia Milestones Physical Science End of Course assessment dropped 34 points compared to the previous year's students. Direct instruction is a common name for passive learning, which involves students seated and subjected to a one-way delivery of information, usually from someone that has a much different 2 experience, perspective, and way of communicating. This method sharply contrast active learning and my desired mode of instruction. In this paper, I further describe active learning and relevant literature regarding the concept, the methods used to answer the research questions, and evaluate my instructional method based upon the body of collected data. Lastly, I discuss potential factors that influence the effectiveness of implementing active learning and the impact is has on my teaching.
The influence of project-based learning on student engagement and achievement
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Dose, Aaron William; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francis
This project exposed students to varying methods of project-based learning strategies throughout a specific unit. Quantitative assessments, surveys, student observations, and focus groups were used to collect data. The experimental group consisted of three class periods that were exposed to the project-based learning strategies, while the control group consisted of three other class periods that continued their traditional unit activities. The results suggested that more students score in the proficient range through project-based learning.
Bridging the gap between math and science: does the use of simple math instruction tools produce growth in the physical science classroom?
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Doyle, Irene Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francis
It was observed that students struggle with making connections between math and science, especially in a physical science class. Research shows that this is not a behavioral issue, but a cognitive one. This is very problematic because it has been shown that making cross curricular connections is the foundation to critical thinking, and critical thinking is a highly desired skill in any field of study or career. As a potential solution to this problem, three treatments were administered to two different advanced physical science classes with two different trials. The treatments included math warm-ups at the start of a lesson, scaffolded guided practice problems at the conclusion of a lesson, and the use of graphic organizers when new formulas were introduced. Most students claimed the treatments were helpful, and there was growth in students' assessment scores.
The effects of homework grades on the outcome of student assessment scores in high school physical science
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Bondy, Kaitlyn Elizabeth; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francis
Science education faces many challenges in engaging students based on many internal and external factors: academic ability, grit, and social-economical. Students want instant feedback; they want the fastest way to learn the material, and some do not find value in education. This study investigated the impact of grading homework and classwork and its effect on the overall understanding of the material. This study also investigated the impact of graded homework on the students' attitudes on science, work, and grit the student might have. Through multiple forms of formative and summative assessments, surveys, and interviews, students found that they learned and retained the most information using paper and pencil, and when work was graded for credit. Results showed that students need both an internal and external reward to want to learn. This action research project demonstrated that grading students' homework and classwork with positive feedback resulted in the highest scores on assessments causing a positive attitude in physical science.
The impact of process oriented guided inquiry learning on student understanding in ninth grade physical science
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) LaFond-Hudson, Zachary Michael; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francis
In this study the role of Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) on student understanding of chemistry topics was explored. In addition, the role of engagement and active participation in those activities was monitored. Student understanding was evaluated through pre and post unit quizzes for both control and intervention topics of study and through responses to a post unit survey and student interviews. It was found that POGIL activities contribute to a greater proportion of students achieving high growth in understanding. Students who described themselves as active participants in POGIL activities were significantly more likely to show high levels of understanding and confidence in their ability to answer questions related to the topic covered in the POGIL activity.
Formative assessment effect on freshmen honors science students
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2018) Brody, Stewart Preston; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francis
High achieving high school freshmen are self-reliant to a fault. They do not communicate very well with their teachers. Methods of evaluation designed to open up lines of communication between the student and teacher were used during this research. These methods were different from standard high stakes exams or finals. This action research project studied the effects of formative assessments on the communication between student and teacher, student positivity, and student collaboration. Data collected indicated that communication levels between student and teacher were more open and at a higher level than previously observed. This led to higher achievement by the student because of a more relaxed and motivated class room environment. The students' collaboration skills were elevated via communication and positivity but the acceptance for continued collaboration waned in some students.
Using menus as a differentiation technique in small multilevel life science and physical science classrooms
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2017) Martin, Diane Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Walter Woolbaugh
Differentiating instruction for classes that include a diverse group of learners can be challenging. In this research project, the use of menus as a differentiation method was studied with two classes at a small, rural school. The first class studied was a 7th-8th grade life science class of 11 students, the second was a 9th-grade physical science class of seven students. Each class was taught four separate units. In two of the units, students were given a list-style menu of activities from which they selected a certain number of their choice to demonstrate their mastery of the unit objectives. The other two were taught using a more traditional mixture of mini-lectures, labs, and written activities in which the entire class received the same assignment. Student mastery of unit objectives, student attitudes towards science in general and their class in particular, and the effects of this teaching method on the classroom teacher were investigated using a range of data collection methods including pre- and post-unit assessments, student written surveys, student oral interviews, and a teacher journal. Although no significant overall trends in student content mastery were observed during this research, the performances of some individual students in both classes were affected negatively by this technique, while others showed a slight improvement in mastery during the treatment units. The majority of students liked having the ability to choose activities and be responsible for their own learning. The researcher intends to use a modified form of the menu-style units in the future, perhaps with a more limited scope and shorter time frame.
Self-paced mastery learning in an academic physical science class and its effect on student achievement, engagement and self-efficacy
(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2017) Stone, Amanda Corinne; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Greg Francis
Research has shown that tiered instruction and self-paced activity progression improves student achievement and motivation. This study examined the use of self-paced mastery learning units in a high school academic physical science class. Following a grid of learning opportunities, students progressed to new learning objectives only after reaching 80% mastery on their current learning objectives. Data was collected to determine the interventions' effect on student achievement, engagement and self-efficacy. Medium to large academic learning gains were reported using the mastery learning interventions. Survey data indicated that students had a more difficult time paying attention while working through units with mastery learning grids, and that class was not as easy after the interventions. Some felt more challenged. Student self-efficacy increased, as they became more confident accessing resources for help. Implications for further research include testing the method at the beginning of the school year, adjusting the incorporation of hands-on activities in the mastery learning format, and using the strategy for a few select concepts as opposed to a full unit.

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