Sample records for studies science math

  1. Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Efforts to Improve Math and Science Learning Opportunities in Early Childhood Classrooms.

    PubMed

    Piasta, Shayne B; Logan, Jessica A R; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Capps, Janet L; Petrill, Stephen A

    2015-05-01

    Because recent initiatives highlight the need to better support preschool-aged children's math and science learning, the present study investigated the impact of professional development in these domains for early childhood educators. Sixty-five educators were randomly assigned to experience 10.5 days (64 hours) of training on math and science or on an alternative topic. Educators' provision of math and science learning opportunities were documented, as were the fall-to-spring math and science learning gains of children ( n = 385) enrolled in their classrooms. Professional development significantly impacted provision of science, but not math, learning opportunities. Professional development did not directly impact children's math or science learning, although science learning was indirectly affected via the increase in science learning opportunities. Both math and science learning opportunities were positively associated with children's learning. Results suggest that substantive efforts are necessary to ensure that children have opportunities to learn math and science from a young age.

  2. Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Efforts to Improve Math and Science Learning Opportunities in Early Childhood Classrooms

    PubMed Central

    Piasta, Shayne B.; Logan, Jessica A. R.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Capps, Janet L.; Petrill, Stephen A.

    2014-01-01

    Because recent initiatives highlight the need to better support preschool-aged children’s math and science learning, the present study investigated the impact of professional development in these domains for early childhood educators. Sixty-five educators were randomly assigned to experience 10.5 days (64 hours) of training on math and science or on an alternative topic. Educators’ provision of math and science learning opportunities were documented, as were the fall-to-spring math and science learning gains of children (n = 385) enrolled in their classrooms. Professional development significantly impacted provision of science, but not math, learning opportunities. Professional development did not directly impact children’s math or science learning, although science learning was indirectly affected via the increase in science learning opportunities. Both math and science learning opportunities were positively associated with children’s learning. Results suggest that substantive efforts are necessary to ensure that children have opportunities to learn math and science from a young age. PMID:26257434

  3. Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Their Professional Teaching Competencies: Differences between Teachers of Math/Science Majors and Non-Math/Science Majors in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, Li-Chen; Chao, Li-ling; Cheng, Pi-Yun; Tuan, Hsiao-Lin; Guo, Chorng-Jee

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to probe the differences of perceived professional teaching competence between elementary school math/science teachers in Taiwan who are majored in math/science and those who are not. A researcher-developed Math/Science Teachers' Professional Development Questionnaire was used in a nationwide survey, using a two-stage…

  4. Social Cognitive Predictors of Mexican American High School Students' Math/Science Career Goals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garriott, Patton O.; Raque-Bogdan, Trisha L.; Zoma, Lorrine; Mackie-Hernandez, Dylan; Lavin, Kelly

    2017-01-01

    This study tested a social cognitive model of math/science career goals in a sample (N = 258) of Mexican American high school students. Familism and proximal family supports for math/science careers were examined as predictors of math/science: performance accomplishments, self-efficacy, interests, and goals. Results showed that the hypothesized…

  5. Examining Administrators' Instructional Feedback to High School Math and Science Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lochmiller, Chad R.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore high school administrators' instructional leadership in math and science. Specifically, the study explored the feedback administrators provided to math and science teachers as part of their instructional supervision. A central goal for this study was to determine how differences in these content…

  6. Science Fiction across the Curriculum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kay, Andrew L.; Golden, Michael

    1991-01-01

    Presents ideas on integrating science fiction into language arts, science, social studies, and math. Suggestions include an interstellar journey, imaginative language lessons, futuristic social studies, extraterrestrial life studies, intergalactic math, and science fiction story writing. (SM)

  7. The Responsive Classroom approach and fifth grade students' math and science anxiety and self-efficacy.

    PubMed

    Griggs, Marissa Swaim; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E; Merritt, Eileen G; Patton, Christine L

    2013-12-01

    Self-efficacy forecasts student persistence and achievement in challenging subjects. Thus, it is important to understand factors that contribute to students' self-efficacy, a key factor in their success in math and science. The current cross-sectional study examined the contribution of students' gender and math and science anxiety as well as schools' use of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) practices to students' math and science self-efficacy. Fifth graders (n = 1,561) completed questionnaires regarding their feelings about math and science. Approximately half of the students attended schools implementing the Responsive Classroom® (RC) approach, an SEL intervention, as part of a randomized controlled trial. Results suggested no difference in math and science self-efficacy between boys and girls. Students who self-reported higher math and science anxiety also reported less self-efficacy toward these subjects. However, the negative association between students' anxiety and self-efficacy was attenuated in schools using more RC practices compared with those using fewer RC practices. RC practices were associated with higher science self-efficacy. Results highlight anxiety as contributing to poor self-efficacy in math and science and suggest that RC practices create classroom conditions in which students' anxiety is less strongly associated with negative beliefs about their ability to be successful in math and science. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

  8. Engaging High School Students in Advanced Math and Science Courses for Success in College: Is Advanced Placement the Answer?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelley-Kemple, Thomas; Proger, Amy; Roderick, Melissa

    2011-01-01

    The current study provides an in-depth look at Advanced Placement (AP) math and science course-taking in one school district, the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Using quasi-experimental methods, this study examines the college outcomes of students who take AP math and science courses. Specifically, this study asks whether students who take AP math…

  9. Gender in STEM Education: An Exploratory Study of Student Perceptions of Math and Science Instructors in the United Arab Emirates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pasha-Zaidi, Nausheen; Afari, Ernest

    2016-01-01

    The current study addresses student perceptions of math and science professors in the Middle East. Gender disparity in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education continues to exist in higher education, with male professors holding a normative position. This disparity can also be seen in the United Arab Emirates. As female…

  10. Efficacy Expectations and Vocational Interests as Mediators between Sex and Choice of Math/Science College Majors: A Longitudinal Study

    PubMed

    Lapan; Shaughnessy; Boggs

    1996-12-01

    A longitudinal study was conducted to test the mediational role of efficacy expectations in relation to sex differences in the choice of a math/science college major. Data on 101 students were gathered prior to their entering college and then again after they had declared a major 3 years later. Path analytic results support the importance of both math self-efficacy beliefs and vocational interest in mathematics in predicting entry into math/science majors and mediating sex differences in these decisions. Also, students who described themselves as more extroverted were less likely to take additional math classes in high school. Students with stronger artistic vocational interests chose majors less related to math and science. School personnel are strongly encouraged to develop programs that challenge the crystallization of efficacy beliefs and vocational interest patterns before students enter college.

  11. Investigating the Relationship between STEM Learning Principles and Student Achievement in Math and Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hansen, Michael; Gonzalez, Thomas

    2014-01-01

    Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) advocates commonly emphasize an interdisciplinary, authentic, project-based, and technology-based approach to learning, though the strength of prior research varies. This study examines the association between a range of classroom activities and academic performance gains in math and science. Using…

  12. Science and Math in the Library Media Center Using GLOBE.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aquino, Teresa L.; Levine, Elissa R.

    2003-01-01

    Describes the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program which helps school library media specialists and science and math teachers bring earth science, math, information literacy, information technology, and student inquiry into the classroom. Discusses use of the Internet to create a global network to study the…

  13. Return of the Lambkins: Practice Makes Perfect at Colorado Science Bowl |

    Science.gov Websites

    study and potential careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). "Science Bowl school students to explore math and science. Now, the competition attracts approximately 15,000 students

  14. Academic and Nonacademic Validating Agents on Latinas Mathematics and Science Self Concept A Quantitative Study Utilizing the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garza, Jennifer M.

    The purpose of this study is to inform and further the discussion of academic (i.e. teachers and school counselors) and non-academic (i.e. parents, family, friends, etc.) validating agents on Latina students' mathematics and science self-concepts. This study found a relationship between Latina students' interactions with academic and non-academic validating agents and their math and science self-concept at the K-12 level. Through the review of the literature the researcher addresses identifiable factors and strategies that inform the field of education in the areas of validation theory, family characteristics, and access to STEM fields for Latina students. The researcher used an established instrument designed, administered, and validated through the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). For purposes of this study, a categorical subset of participants who self-identified as being a Latina student was used. As a result, the total subset number in this study was N=1,882. To determine if academic and non-academic validating agents had an observable statistically significant relationship with Latina students' math and science self-concept, a series of one-way ANOVAs were calculated to compare differences in students' math and science self-concept based on academic and non-academic validating agents for the weighted sample of Latinas for the HLS:09 survey. A path analysis was also employed to assess the factors involved in Latina students' math and science self-concepts. The findings are consistent with previous research involving the influence that academic and non-academic validating agents have on the math and science self-concept of Latina students. The results indicated that students who had teachers that believed in the students, regardless of family background, social economic status or home environment influences had higher math and science self concepts than those who did not. Similarly, it was found that students who had counselors that set high standards of learning and believed that all students could do well had higher math and science self concept than those who did not. Students who had parents that encouraged and discussed taking more math and science courses had higher math and science self concepts than those who did not.

  15. Effects of MyTeachingPartner-Math/Science on Teacher-Child Interactions in Prekindergarten Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whittaker, Jessica Vick; Kinzie, Mable B.; Williford, Amanda; DeCoster, Jamie

    2016-01-01

    Research Findings: This study examined the impact of MyTeachingPartner-Math/Science, a system of math and science curricula and professional development, on the quality of teachers' interactions with children in their classrooms. Schools were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 intervention conditions (Basic: curricula providing within-activity, embedded…

  16. The "Responsive Classroom" Approach and Fifth Grade Students' Math and Science Anxiety and Self-Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griggs, Marissa Swaim; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E.; Merritt, Eileen G.; Patton, Christine L.

    2013-01-01

    Self-efficacy forecasts student persistence and achievement in challenging subjects. Thus, it is important to understand factors that contribute to students' self-efficacy, a key factor in their success in math and science. The current cross-sectional study examined the contribution of students' gender and math and science anxiety as well as…

  17. The Effects of the Interactive Student Notebook on Fifth Grade Math and Science Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Timothy

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of using the interactive student notebook versus the use of traditional note-taking methods on math and science achievement for fifth grade students. The researcher hypothesized that the ISN would have a significant positive impact on math and science student achievement. Multiple regression…

  18. Increasing Latino/a Representation in Math and Science: An Insider's Look

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aguirre, Jarrad

    2009-01-01

    Recent Yale alumnus Jarrad Aguirre relates his experience creating MAS Familias, a campus organization that supports Latino/a undergraduates studying math and science. Alarmed by Latino/a students' academic struggles and the lack of Latino/a role models in the fields of math and science--and increasingly aware of the social benefits of a diverse…

  19. Math and science community college faculty: A culture apart

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bradley, Jane

    This is a quantitative, survey-based study of Iowa community college faculty members. The survey was administered in the spring of 2011 to all faculty members identified by their colleges as being employed full time. This study compares the demographics of math and science faculty members to faculty within the arts and sciences who do not teach math or science. Comparisons of how the two groups interact with students and what they identify as barriers to student success are included, as well as their attitudes about mentoring, encouraging students, and their roles in student recruitment and student retention. Highly correlated variables are grouped as factors and used in the construction of prediction models for faculty engagement in student recruitment and student retention efforts. A contrast in the cultures of the math/science faculty members as compared to the non-math/science faculty is considered for its impact on faculty engagement with students and those variables believed to support undergraduate student success.

  20. Family Factors Associated with Sixth-Grade Adolescents' Math and Science Career Interests

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Turner, Sherri L.; Steward, Jason C.; Lapan, Richard T.

    2004-01-01

    This study tested a causal model, based on social cognitive career theory (SCCT; R. W. Lent, S. D. Brown, & G. Hackett, 1994, 2000), of math and science career interests among 6th-grade adolescents (N = 318). Consistent with SCCT, it was found that career gender-typing, mother's and father's support for pursuing math and science careers, as well…

  1. Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Efforts to Improve Math and Science Learning Opportunities in Early Childhood Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Piasta, Shayne B.; Logan, Jessica A. R.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Capps, Janet L.; Petrill, Stephen A.

    2015-01-01

    Because recent initiatives highlight the need to better support preschool-aged children's math and science learning, the present study investigated the impact of professional development in these domains for early childhood educators. Sixty-five educators were randomly assigned to experience 10.5 days (64 hr) of training on math and science or on…

  2. Analyses of Trends in High School Students' Math-Science Course Credit Attainment and Registrations in Texas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zeng, Liang; Poelzer, G. Herold

    2016-01-01

    This study describes the trends in course credit attainment (CCA) of high school students in required and non-required science and math courses and trends in registration in non-required science and math courses in Texas between 1997 and 2009. Using Texas Public Education Information Management System data between 1997 and 2009, it presents…

  3. "Luchando y Logrando"/Struggling and Achieving: Resilience of Latina/o Math and Science Teacher Candidates at California Hispanic-Serving Institutions: A Critical Race Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalez, Laura

    2013-01-01

    Latin@ math and science students represent a resilient, determined, and encouraging group of high achievers. This qualitative study presents the narratives of 10 Latin@ science and math teacher candidates currently attending Hispanic-Serving Institutions in California. Semi structured, in-depth interviews were conducted, where participants shared…

  4. Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and Gendered Math Teaching in Kuwait

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahmad, Fatimah; Greenhalgh-Spencer, Heather

    2017-01-01

    This paper argues for a more complex literature around gender and math performance. In order to argue for this complexity, we present a small portion of data from a case study examining the performance of Kuwaiti students on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and on Kuwait national math tests. Westernized discourses suggest…

  5. Where Can We Find Future K-12 Science and Math Teachers? A Search by Academic Year, Discipline, and Academic Performance Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moin, Laura J.; Dorfield, Jennifer K.; Schunn, Christian D.

    2005-01-01

    Responding to the increasing math and science teacher shortage in the United States, this study intended to determine which science, engineering, and math (SEM) majors during which years in their undergraduate education and from which academic performance levels are most interested in K-12 teaching. Results may aid policymakers and practitioners…

  6. Encouraging Minority Students to Pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Careers. A Briefing before the United States Commission on Civil Rights Held in Washington, D.C. Briefing Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Commission on Civil Rights, 2010

    2010-01-01

    The Commission held a briefing entitled, "Encouraging Minority Students to Pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Careers." In particular, the Commission examined why minority college students who begin their college studies intending to major in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) leave these disciplines in disproportionate…

  7. The Impacts of Upward Bound Math-Science on Postsecondary Outcomes 7-9 Years after Scheduled High School Graduation: Final Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seftor, Neil S.; Calcagno, Juan Carlos

    2010-01-01

    This final report updates the report "Upward Bound Math-Science: Program Description and Interim Impact Estimates" published in 2007 (Olsen et al. 2007). The 2007 interim report contained descriptive findings from a survey of Upward Bound Math-Science (UBMS) grantees from the late 1990s at the time of the study's initiation and impact estimates…

  8. The influence of female social models in corporate STEM initiatives on girls' math and science attitudes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Medeiros, Donald J.

    The United States' Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce is growing slower than in the past, in comparison to demand, and in comparison to other countries. Competitive talent conditions require the United States to develop a strong pipeline of STEM talent within its own citizens. Given the number of female college graduates and their underrepresentation in the STEM workforce, women provide the greatest opportunity for fulfilling this need. The term social model represents the individuals and media that shape children's self-perceptions. Social models have been shown to positively influence girl's perceptions of the value of math and science as well as their expectations of success. This study examined differences in attitudes towards math and science among student participants in corporate STEM programs. Differences were measured based on participant gender and ethnicity, their mentor's gender and ethnicity, and program design differences. The research purpose was to inform the design of corporate STEM programs to improve female participants' attitudes towards math and science and eventually increase the number of women in the STEM workforce. Over three hundred students in differing corporate STEM programs completed math and science attitudinal scales at the start and end of their programs. Study results revealed, prior to program start, female participants had a better attitude towards math and science than male participants. Analysis of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study data showed similar results. Overall program results demonstrated higher post program math and science attitudes with no differences based on gender, age, or ethnicity of the participant or mentor. Participants with high program or mentor satisfaction were found to have higher attitudes towards math and science. These results may suggest improving female academic choice requires more focus on their expectations of success than perceived task value. Male attitudes towards women's role in STEM fields may also require attention. Increasing attitudes seems best achieved through ensuring a highly satisfying experience with the program and their mentor. Study results suggest this requires more considerations than simply matching mentor and mentee race or gender. Reliability results of attitudinal scales provided guidance on assessment strategies.

  9. The Attitudes of First Year Senior Secondary School Students toward Their Science Classes in the Sudan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lado, Longun Moses

    This study examined the influence of a set of relevant independent variables on students' decision to major in math or science disciplines, on the one hand, or arts or humanities disciplines, on the other. The independent variables of interest in the study were students' attitudes toward science, their gender, their socioeconomic status, their age, and the strength and direction of parents' and peers' influences on their academic decisions. The study answered five research questions that concerned students' intention in math or science, the association between students' attitudes and their choice to major in math or science, the extent to which parents' and peers' perspectives influence students' choice of major, and the influence of a combination of relevant variables on students' choice of major. The scholarly context for the study was literature relating to students' attitudes toward science and math, their likelihood of taking courses or majoring in science or math and various conditions influencing their attitudes and actions with respect to enrollment in science or math disciplines. This literature suggested that students' experiences, their gender, parents' and peers' influence, their socio-economic status, teachers' treatment of them, school curricula, school culture, and other variables may influence students' attitudes toward science and math and their decision regarding the study of these subjects. The study used a questionnaire comprised of 28 items to elicit information from students. Based upon cluster sampling of secondary schools, the researcher surveyed 1000 students from 10 secondary schools and received 987 responses. The researcher used SPSS to analyze students' responses. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and multiple regression analyses to provide findings that address the study's research questions. The following are the major findings from the study: (1) The instrument used to measure students' attitudes toward science and mathematics was not highly reliable, perhaps contributing to an attenuation of the relationship between attitude toward science and mathematics and choice of a science or mathematics major (rather than an arts or humanities major). (2) Far more students than the researcher had anticipated provided responses indicating that they planned to major in a science or mathematics discipline rather than an arts or humanities discipline. (3) Students' attitudes towards math and science were more favorable than the researcher anticipated based on findings from previous related studies. This result suggests the possibility of social desirability bias in students' responses. (4) Three significant predicator variables contributed to a significant logistic regression equation in which choice of science or mathematics major was the dependent variable: gender (negative association), attitude toward science and math (positive association), and peer influence 1 (positive association). Gender was the strongest predictor. (5) Five significant predictor variables contributed to a significant multiple linear regression equation in which attitude toward science and mathematics was the dependent variable: peer influence 1 (positive association), parent influence 1 (positive association), parent influence 2 (positive association), books in home (positive association), and peer influence 2 (positive association). The results reveal that among the targeted variables (gender, attitude, peer influence 1, peer influence 2, parent influence 1, parent influence 2, books in home, and age) only gender, peer influence 1, and attitude were significant predictors of students' major in math or science.

  10. Math and Science Are America's Future. National Math and Science Initiative Annual Report, 2008

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Math and Science Initiative, 2008

    2008-01-01

    This paper presents the annual report of the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) for 2008. Eighteen months ago, the National Math and Science Initiative did not exist. Today NMSI is helping lead the country forward in math and science. In just 18 months, NMSI has rolled out the first round of grants and has implemented programs in 14…

  11. Making the case for STEM integration at the upper elementary level: A mixed methods exploration of opportunity to learn math and science, teachers' efficacy and students' attitudes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Brianna M.

    Student achievement in science and math has been linked to per capita gross domestic product (GDP) growth propagating the belief that science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is an important factor in economic prosperity. However, The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), favors math over science, positioning the subjects as competitors rather than collaborators. Additionally, NCLB focuses almost exclusively on the cognitive outcome of students' achievement with the affective outcome of students' attitudes being nearly ignored. Positive attitudes toward science and math early on are essential for subsequent and cumulative decisions students make in taking courses, choosing majors, and pursuing careers. Positioning students' attitudes as a desirable educational outcome comparable to students' achievement is an emerging goal in the literature. Using the case of one school district in south-central Pennsylvania with three elementary schools, 15 upper elementary teachers, and 361 students, the purpose of this study was to better understand influences on upper elementary students' attitudes toward STEM (SA) subjects and careers. The study aimed to explore two influences on SA, opportunity to learn (OTL) and teacher's efficacy (TE), in the comparative contexts of math and science. The studied employed a mixed methods convergent design in which five data sets from four sources were collected over three phases to triangulate three constructs: OTL, TE, and SA. The goal of the study was to offer recommendations to the case school district for enhancing OTL, TE, and thus SA. Findings regarding OTL revealed that the opportunity to learn science was lower than math. Finding regarding TE revealed that outcome expectancy was lower than personal teaching efficacy in both science and math; and, teachers had low STEM career awareness, STEM integration, and technology use. Findings regarding SA revealed a lower perceived usefulness of science compared to math and a high interest in engineering careers, especially among girls. Based on these findings it was recommended that the school district utilize its District Level Plan and the pre-existing structures of Career Day and the Science Fair to integrate STEM education as a means of improving OTL, TE, and thus SA.

  12. Mix It Up

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vasquez-Mireles, Selina; West, Sandra

    2007-01-01

    A correlated science lesson is characterized as an integrated science lesson in that it may incorporate traditionally integrated activities and use math as a tool. However, a correlated math-science lesson also: (1) has the pertinent math and science objectives aligned with state standards; and (2) teaches parallel science and math ideas equally.…

  13. Smith college secondary math and science outreach program

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Powell, J.A.; Clark, C.

    1994-12-31

    The Smith College Secondary Math and Science Outreach Program works collaboratively with front-line educators to encourage young women students of all abilities, especially underrepresented and underserved minorities, to continue studying math and science throughout high school. The program includes three main components: (1) Twenty-five to thirty teams of math/science teachers and guidance counselors participate in a year-long program which begins with a three-day Current Students/Future Scientists and Engineering Workshop. This event includes a keynote address, presentations and workshops by successful women in science and engineering, and hands-on laboratory sessions. Each participant receives a stipend and free room and board. Returningmore » to their schools, the teacher-counselor teams implement ongoing plans designed to counteract gender bias in the sciences and to alert female students to the broad range of math, science, and engineering career choices open to them. A follow-up session in the spring allows the teams to present and discuss their year-long activities. (2) TRI-ON, a day of science for 120 ninth- and tenth- grade girls from schools with a large underserved and underrepresented population, is held in early spring. Girls discover the excitement of laboratory investigation and interact with female college science and math majors. (3) Teaching Internships, initiated in 1991, involve ten to fifteen Smith College math and science majors in teaching in public schools. The teaching interns experience the rewards and challenges of classroom teaching, and they also serve as role models for younger students.« less

  14. Inhibitory control and counterintuitive science and maths reasoning in adolescence.

    PubMed

    Brookman-Byrne, Annie; Mareschal, Denis; Tolmie, Andrew K; Dumontheil, Iroise

    2018-01-01

    Existing concepts can be a major barrier to learning new counterintuitive concepts that contradict pre-existing experience-based beliefs or misleading perceptual cues. When reasoning about counterintuitive concepts, inhibitory control is thought to enable the suppression of incorrect concepts. This study investigated the association between inhibitory control and counterintuitive science and maths reasoning in adolescents (N = 90, 11-15 years). Both response and semantic inhibition were associated with counterintuitive science and maths reasoning, when controlling for age, general cognitive ability, and performance in control science and maths trials. Better response inhibition was associated with longer reaction times in counterintuitive trials, while better semantic inhibition was associated with higher accuracy in counterintuitive trials. This novel finding suggests that different aspects of inhibitory control may offer unique contributions to counterintuitive reasoning during adolescence and provides further support for the hypothesis that inhibitory control plays a role in science and maths reasoning.

  15. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Readiness: Ethno-linguistic and gender differences in high-school course selection patterns

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adamuti-Trache, Maria; Sweet, Robert

    2014-03-01

    The study examines science-related course choices of high-school students in the culturally diverse schools of the province of British Columbia, Canada. The analysis employs K-12 provincial data and includes over 44,000 students born in 1990 who graduated from high school by 2009. The research sample reflects the presence of about 27% of students for whom English is not a first language. We construct an empirical model that examines ethno-linguistic and gender differences in Grade 12 course choices while accounting for personal and situational differences among students. The study employs a course selection typology that emphasizes readiness for science, technology, engineering and math fields of study. Findings indicate that math- and science-related course selection patterns are strongly associated with ethnicity, qualified not only by gender and prior math and science achievement but also by the individual's grade level at entry to the system and enrollment in English as a Second Language program. Students who are more likely to engage in math and science courses belong to Asian ethno-linguistic groups and entered the provincial school system during the senior high-school years. We suggest that ethnic diversity and broader academic exposure may play a crucial role in changing the gender composition of science classrooms, university fields of study and science-related occupations.

  16. A Study of the Level of Math Preparedness of Manufacturing Sciences Students in the Fall Semester of 2005

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henning, Mark C.

    2007-01-01

    The main objective of this study was to gauge preparedness in math with achievement in first semester math for the fall 2005 intake of Manufacturing Sciences Division post-secondary program students. The data used to measure this level of preparedness was gleaned from students' high school Grade 12 (new and old curriculum) or Ontario Academic…

  17. 10 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in Middle School

    MedlinePlus

    ... dog (dinner) study for social studies test finish math worksheet read over science class notes put clothes ... number of tries to remember something correctly. In math or science, doing practice problems is a great ...

  18. Integrating Quantitative Reasoning into STEM Courses Using an Energy and Environment Context

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Myers, J. D.; Lyford, M. E.; Mayes, R. L.

    2010-12-01

    Many secondary and post-secondary science classes do not integrate math into their curriculum, while math classes commonly teach concepts without meaningful context. Consequently, students lack basic quantitative skills and the ability to apply them in real-world contexts. For the past three years, a Wyoming Department of Education funded Math Science Partnership at the University of Wyoming (UW) has brought together middle and high school science and math teachers to model how math and science can be taught together in a meaningful way. The UW QR-STEM project emphasizes the importance of Quantitative Reasoning (QR) to student success in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). To provide a social context, QR-STEM has focused on energy and the environment. In particular, the project has examined how QR and STEM concepts play critical roles in many of the current global challenges of energy and environment. During four 3-day workshops each summer and over several virtual and short face-to-face meetings during the academic year, UW and community college science and math faculty work with math and science teachers from middle and high schools across the state to improve QR instruction in math and science classes. During the summer workshops, faculty from chemistry, physics, earth sciences, biology and math lead sessions to: 1) improve the basic science content knowledge of teachers; 2) improve teacher understanding of math and statistical concepts, 3) model how QR can be taught by engaging teachers in sessions that integrate math and science in an energy and environment context; and 4) focus curricula using Understanding by Design to identify enduring understandings on which to center instructional strategies and assessment. In addition to presenting content, faculty work with teachers as they develop classroom lessons and larger units to be implemented during the school year. Teachers form interdisciplinary groups which often consist of math and science teachers from the same school or district. By jointly developing units focused on energy and environment, math and science curricula can be coordinated during the school year. During development, teams present their curricular ideas for peer-review. Throughout the school year, teachers implement their units and collect pre-post data on student learning. Ultimately, science teachers integrate math into their science courses, and math teachers integrate science content in their math courses. Following implementation, participants share their experiences with their peers and faculty. Of central interest during these presentations are: 1) How did the QR-STEM experience change teacher practices in the classroom?; and 2) How did the modification of their teaching practices impact student learning and their ability to successfully master QR? The UW QR-STEM has worked with Wyoming science and math teachers from across the state over the three year grant period.

  19. Videoconferencing in Math and Science Preservice Elementary Teachers' Field Placements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Plonczak, Irene

    2010-03-01

    This study was designed to examine benefits and challenges of teaching through videoconferencing in the context of students’ field placement experiences, particularly as it relates to an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning math and science. In the context of mathematics and science methods courses, preservice teachers, with the supervision of professors, field placement supervisors and cooperating teachers, taught a series of math and science lessons via video conferencing to 5th grade classes in a major urban public school. Two major results of this study indicate that: (1) teaching through videoconferencing highlights strengths and weaknesses in questioning skill techniques that are at the heart of an inquiry-based approach; (2) teaching through videoconferencing raises the intellectual challenge of teaching and allows preservice teachers to look face to face into their limited understanding of the content matter in math and science.

  20. Gender Compatibility, Math-Gender Stereotypes, and Self-Concepts in Math and Physics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koul, Ravinder; Lerdpornkulrat, Thanita; Poondej, Chanut

    2016-01-01

    Positive self-assessment of ability in the quantitative domains is considered critical for student participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics field studies. The present study investigated associations of gender compatibility (gender typicality and contentedness) and math-gender stereotypes with self-concepts in math and…

  1. Crossing the Gender Gap: A Study of Female Participation and Performance in Advanced Maths and Sciences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haseltine, Jessica

    2006-10-01

    A statistical analysis of enrollment in AP maths and sciences in the Abilene Independent School District, between 2000 and 2005, studied the relationship between gender, enrollment, and performance. Data suggested that mid-scoring females were less likely than their male counterparts to enroll in AP-level courses. AISD showed higher female : male score ratios than national and state averages but no improvement in enrollment comparisons. Several programs are suggested to improve both participation and performance of females in upper-level math and science courses.

  2. An investigation of the impact of science course sequencing on student performance in high school science and math

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mary, Michael Todd

    High school students in the United States for the past century have typically taken science courses in a sequence of biology followed by chemistry and concluding with physics. An alternative sequence, typically referred to as "physics first" inverts the traditional sequence by having students begin with physics and end with biology. Proponents of physics first cite advances in biological sciences that have dramatically changed the nature of high school biology and the potential benefit to student learning in math that would accompany taking an algebra-based physics course in the early years of high school to support changing the sequence. Using a quasi-experimental, quantitative research design, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of science course sequencing on student achievement in math and science at a school district that offered both course sequences. The Texas state end-of-course exams in biology, chemistry, physics, algebra I and geometry were used as the instruments measuring student achievement in math and science at the end of each academic year. Various statistical models were used to analyze these achievement data. The conclusion was, for students in this study, the sequence in which students took biology, chemistry, and physics had little or no impact on performance on the end-of-course assessments in each of these courses. Additionally there was only a minimal effect found with respect to math performance, leading to the conclusion that neither the traditional or "physics first" science course sequence presented an advantage for student achievement in math or science.

  3. A Case Study of Coaching in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeChenne, Sue Ellen; Nugent, Gwen; Kunz, Gina; Luo, Linlin; Berry, Brandi; Craven, Katherine; Riggs, April

    2012-01-01

    A professional development experience for science and mathematics teachers that included coaches was provided for ten science and math teachers. This professional development experience had the teachers develop a lesson that utilized the engineering context to teach a science or mathematics concept through guided inquiry as an instructional…

  4. Upward Bound Math-Science: Program Description and Interim Impact Estimates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olsen, Robert; Seftor, Neil; Silva, Tim; Myers, David; DesRoches, David; Young, Julie

    2007-01-01

    To help address continuing disparities in academic achievement and under-representation of disadvantaged groups in math and science majors and careers, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) established a math and science initiative in 1990 within Upward Bound, a federal grant program known as Upward Bound Math-Science (UBMS) designed to provide…

  5. A case study of undergraduate female students majoring in math, science and engineering: An analysis of persistence and success

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hyde, Michelle Smoot

    This dissertation provides information concerning the educational experience of females studying in undergraduate fields of math, engineering and science at a large research institution in the West. The majority of the participants were Project Access students, chosen because of their high achievements in science and mathematics during their secondary education. The study identifies and attempts to understand critical factors within the academic environment of science that contribute to female persistence in math, engineering and science (MES) disciplines. The study postulates that universities can make a difference in the education of women by providing programs that assure quality education and the fostering of female interest in science domains. The study recommends the incorporation of collaborative learning processes and teaching methods, cohort involvement and the fostering of study groups, encouragement of professorial associations with students, and internship and lab programs in an attempt to provide a more holistic and less fragmented education, thus benefiting women seeking MES degrees. Also, the research presented in this paper determined that the formation of positive associations and support networks was crucial to college female population studied. The interpretive study's aim is to enhance persistence rates among undergraduate students studying in math, engineering and science fields.

  6. Who Chooses STEM Careers? Using A Relative Cognitive Strength and Interest Model to Predict Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ming-Te; Ye, Feifei; Degol, Jessica Lauren

    2017-08-01

    Career aspirations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are formulated in adolescence, making the high school years a critical time period for identifying the cognitive and motivational factors that increase the likelihood of future STEM employment. While past research has mainly focused on absolute cognitive ability levels in math and verbal domains, the current study tested whether relative cognitive strengths and interests in math, science, and verbal domains in high school were more accurate predictors of STEM career decisions. Data were drawn from a national longitudinal study in the United States (N = 1762; 48 % female; the first wave during ninth grade and the last wave at age 33). Results revealed that in the high-verbal/high-math/high-science ability group, individuals with higher science task values and lower orientation toward altruism were more likely to select STEM occupations. In the low-verbal/moderate-math/moderate-science ability group, individuals with higher math ability and higher math task values were more likely to select STEM occupations. The findings suggest that youth with asymmetrical cognitive ability profiles are more likely to select careers that utilize their cognitive strengths rather than their weaknesses, while symmetrical cognitive ability profiles may grant youth more flexibility in their options, allowing their interests and values to guide their career decisions.

  7. The role of social support in students' perceived abilities and attitudes toward math and science.

    PubMed

    Rice, Lindsay; Barth, Joan M; Guadagno, Rosanna E; Smith, Gabrielle P A; McCallum, Debra M

    2013-07-01

    Social cognitive models examining academic and career outcomes emphasize constructs such as attitude, interest, and self-efficacy as key factors affecting students' pursuit of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses and careers. The current research examines another under-researched component of social cognitive models: social support, and the relationship between this component and attitude and self-efficacy in math and science. A large cross-sectional design was used gathering data from 1,552 participants in four adolescent school settings from 5th grade to early college (41 % female, 80 % white). Students completed measures of perceived social support from parents, teachers and friends as well as their perceived ability and attitudes toward math and science. Fifth grade and college students reported higher levels of support from teachers and friends when compared to students at other grade levels. In addition, students who perceived greater social support for math and science from parents, teachers, and friends reported better attitudes and had higher perceptions of their abilities in math and science. Lastly, structural equation modeling revealed that social support had both a direct effect on math and science perceived abilities and an indirect effect mediated through math and science attitudes. Findings suggest that students who perceive greater social support for math and science from parents, teachers, and friends have more positive attitudes toward math and science and a higher sense of their own competence in these subjects.

  8. Gender compatibility, math-gender stereotypes, and self-concepts in math and physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koul, Ravinder; Lerdpornkulrat, Thanita; Poondej, Chanut

    2016-12-01

    [This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Gender in Physics.] Positive self-assessment of ability in the quantitative domains is considered critical for student participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics field studies. The present study investigated associations of gender compatibility (gender typicality and contentedness) and math-gender stereotypes with self-concepts in math and physics. Statistical analysis of survey data was based on a sample of 170 male and female high school science students matched on propensity scores based on age and past GPA scores in math. Results of MANCOVA analyses indicated that the combination of high personal gender compatibility with low endorsement of math-gender stereotypes was associated with low gender differentials in math and physics self-concepts whereas the combination of high personal gender compatibility with high endorsement of math-gender stereotypes was associated with high gender differentials in math and physics self-concepts. These results contribute to the recent theoretical and empirical work on antecedents to the math and physics identities critical to achieving gender equity in STEM fields.

  9. College and Career Readiness: Course Taking Of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Secondary School Students.

    PubMed

    Nagle, Katherine; Newman, Lynn A; Shaver, Debra M; Marschark, Marc

    2016-01-01

    Research shows that deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students frequently enter college and the workplace relatively unprepared for success in math, science, and reading. Based on data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), the present study focused on DHH students' college and career readiness by investigating their opportunities in secondary school to acquire college and career skills. DHH students earned more credits overall than hearing peers; both groups earned a similar number of credits in academic courses. However, DHH students took more vocational and nonacademic courses and fewer courses in science, social science, and foreign languages. There was evidence that DHH students' academic courses in math lacked the rigor of those taken by hearing peers, as DHH students earned more credits in basic math and fewer credits in midlevel math courses, and even fewer in advanced math courses, than hearing peers.

  10. Factors that Influence Participation of Students in Secondary Science and Mathematics Subjects in IB Schools Outside of the United States and Canada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Straffon, Elizabeth

    The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that affect the extent of international secondary students' participation in International Baccalaureate science and mathematics courses. The factors examined were gender, home region, size, percent host culture and age of the program, and coeducational and legal status of the school. Participation in math and science subjects was determined by analyzing the level and number of courses taken by students taking International Baccalaureate exams in 2010. Chi-Square and Cramer's V analysis were used to measure the effect of categorical variables on student participation and One-Way ANOVA and Bonferroni comparison of means were used to analyze the quantitative variables. All categorical variables were statistically significant (p<.01). Home region was the most important factor affecting participation in both math and science. Students from East, Southeast and South-Central Asia; and Eastern Europe have greater participation in math. The highest science participation came from students in East, Southern and Western Africa; and Southeast Asia. Top participators in science came from Australia/New Zealand, Northern Europe, East Africa and South-Central and Western Asia. State schools showed higher math and science participation. Science and math participation was also greater in all-male schools though associations were weak. Boys participated more than girls, especially in math. All quantitative variables were statistically significant. The program size had the largest effect size for both math and science with larger programs showing more participation at the higher level. A decreasing trend for age of the program and percent host culture was found for math participation. Three years of participation data were collected from an international school in Western Europe (n = 194). Variables included the influence of parent occupation, math preparedness (PSAT-Math), student achievement (GPA), and the importance of significant others in career and academic decisions. Findings indicate that performance on the PSAT- Math was the most important predictor of both science and mathematics participation. Twenty students were also interviewed. Results showed the importance of several key factors. These include the role of parents in student academic and career decisions, the importance of personal interest, and the contribution of early decisions in confidence-building.

  11. Physics First: Impact on SAT Math Scores

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bouma, Craig E.

    Improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has become a national priority and the call to modernize secondary science has been heard. A Physics First (PF) program with the curriculum sequence of physics, chemistry, and biology (PCB) driven by inquiry- and project-based learning offers a viable alternative to the traditional curricular sequence (BCP) and methods of teaching, but requires more empirical evidence. This study determined impact of a PF program (PF-PCB) on math achievement (SAT math scores) after the first two cohorts of students completed the PF-PCB program at Matteo Ricci High School (MRHS) and provided more quantitative data to inform the PF debate and advance secondary science education. Statistical analysis (ANCOVA) determined the influence of covariates and revealed that PF-PCB program had a significant (p < .05) impact on SAT math scores in the second cohort at MRHS. Statistically adjusted, the SAT math means for PF students were 21.4 points higher than their non-PF counterparts when controlling for prior math achievement (HSTP math), socioeconomic status (SES), and ethnicity/race.

  12. Developing Science and Mathematics Teacher Leaders through a Math, Science & Technology Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, André M.; Kent, Andrea M.

    2016-01-01

    This study explores the effects of a professional development teacher leadership training program on the pedagogical and content development of math and science teacher leaders at the elementary level. The study is qualitative in nature, and the authors collected data using the online survey instrument Survey Monkey. The major implications of the…

  13. Mathematics and Science Teachers' Perceptions about Using Drama during the Digital Story Creation Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yuksekyalcin, Gozen; Tanriseven, Isil; Sancar-Tokmak, Hatice

    2016-01-01

    This case study investigated math and science teachers' perceptions about the use of creative drama during a digital story (DS) creation process for educational purposes. A total of 25 secondary science and math teachers were selected according to criterion sampling strategy to participate in the study. Data were collected through an open-ended…

  14. Alternative Certification and Retention of Secondary Math and Science Teachers: A Study Based on "SASS/TFS"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tai, Robert H.; Liu, Christine Qi; Fan, Xiato

    2006-01-01

    In light of shortages of mathematics and science teachers, alternative certification was introduced in the mid-1980s. This study examined the effect of alternative certification among math and science teachers who moved to a different school or left the profession. This was accomplished using the national "SASS" and "TFS"…

  15. An Exploratory Study of the Relationship between Learners' Attitudes towards Learning Science and Characteristics of an Afterschool Science Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agunbiade, Esther; Ngcoza, Kenneth; Jawahar, Kavish; Sewry, Joyce

    2017-01-01

    The Khanya Maths and Science Club (KMSC) is an afterschool science/maths enrichment programme for learners in Grades 7-12 supported by postgraduate students and academic staff volunteers. This research seeks to explore the relationship between participating learners' attitude toward learning science and the characteristics of this afterschool…

  16. Multilevel Structural Equation Models for Investigating the Effects of Computer-Based Learning in Math Classrooms on Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Major Selection in 4-Year Postsecondary Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Ahlam

    2017-01-01

    Background/Context: Because of the growing concern over the decline of bachelor degree recipients in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the U.S., several studies have been devoted to identifying the factors that affect students' STEM major choices. A majority of these studies have focused on factors relevant to…

  17. National Science Bowl | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    and high school student teams on science and math topics. The National Science Bowl provides an opportunity for students to develop science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills in a non tournament challenges students' knowledge of science. Student teams are questioned on life science, math

  18. Do Biology Students Really Hate Math? Empirical Insights into Undergraduate Life Science Majors’ Emotions about Mathematics

    PubMed Central

    Wachsmuth, Lucas P.; Runyon, Christopher R.; Drake, John M.; Dolan, Erin L.

    2017-01-01

    Undergraduate life science majors are reputed to have negative emotions toward mathematics, yet little empirical evidence supports this. We sought to compare emotions of majors in the life sciences versus other natural sciences and math. We adapted the Attitudes toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory to create an Attitudes toward the Subject of Mathematics Inventory (ASMI). We collected data from 359 science and math majors at two research universities and conducted a series of statistical tests that indicated that four AMSI items comprised a reasonable measure of students’ emotional satisfaction with math. We then compared life science and non–life science majors and found that major had a small to moderate relationship with students’ responses. Gender also had a small relationship with students’ responses, while students’ race, ethnicity, and year in school had no observable relationship. Using latent profile analysis, we identified three groups—students who were emotionally satisfied with math, emotionally dissatisfied with math, and neutral. These results and the emotional satisfaction with math scale should be useful for identifying differences in other undergraduate populations, determining the malleability of undergraduates’ emotional satisfaction with math, and testing effects of interventions aimed at improving life science majors’ attitudes toward math. PMID:28798211

  19. Advanced placement math and science courses: Influential factors and predictors for success in college STEM majors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoepner, Cynthia Colon

    President Obama has recently raised awareness on the need for our nation to grow a larger pool of students with knowledge in science mathematics, engineering, and technology (STEM). Currently, while the number of women pursuing college degrees continues to rise, there remains an under-representation of women in STEM majors across the country. Although research studies offer several contributing factors that point to a higher attrition rate of women in STEM than their male counterparts, no study has investigated the role that high school advanced placement (AP) math and science courses play in preparing students for the challenges of college STEM courses. The purpose of this study was to discover which AP math and science courses and/or influential factors could encourage more students, particularly females, to consider pursuing STEM fields in college. Further, this study examined which, if any, AP math or science courses positively contribute to a student's overall preparation for college STEM courses. This retrospective study combined quantitative and qualitative research methods. The survey sample consisted of 881 UCLA female and male students pursuing STEM majors. Qualitative data was gathered from four single-gender student focus groups, two female groups (15 females) and two male groups (16 males). This study examined which AP math and science courses students took in high school, who or what influenced them to take those courses, and which particular courses influenced student's choice of STEM major and/or best prepared her/him for the challenges of STEM courses. Findings reveal that while AP math and science course-taking patterns are similar of female and male STEM students, a significant gender-gap remains in five of the eleven AP courses. Students report four main influences on their choice of AP courses; self, desire for math/science major, higher grade point average or class rank, and college admissions. Further, three AP math and science courses were highlighted throughout the study. First, AP Chemistry was described as a foundational course necessary for the challenges of STEM courses. AP Calculus was considered a course with practical benefits across STEM majors. Finally, AP Biology was found to be a gateway course, which inspired students to continue to pursue STEM majors in college. All three courses were strongly recommended to high school students considering a STEM major. The findings will help grow a larger and equally prepared pool of females and males and help sustain a more even distribution of women across STEM fields.

  20. Effects of everyday romantic goal pursuit on women's attitudes toward math and science.

    PubMed

    Park, Lora E; Young, Ariana F; Troisi, Jordan D; Pinkus, Rebecca T

    2011-09-01

    The present research examined the impact of everyday romantic goal strivings on women's attitudes toward science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). It was hypothesized that women may distance themselves from STEM when the goal to be romantically desirable is activated because pursuing intelligence goals in masculine domains (i.e., STEM) conflicts with pursuing romantic goals associated with traditional romantic scripts and gender norms. Consistent with hypotheses, women, but not men, who viewed images (Study 1) or overheard conversations (Studies 2a-2b) related to romantic goals reported less positive attitudes toward STEM and less preference for majoring in math/science compared to other disciplines. On days when women pursued romantic goals, the more romantic activities they engaged in and the more desirable they felt, but the fewer math activities they engaged in. Furthermore, women's previous day romantic goal strivings predicted feeling more desirable but being less invested in math on the following day (Study 3).

  1. The Impact of MOVE IT Math(TM) and Traditional Textbook Instruction on Math Achievement Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Angela Stephens

    2010-01-01

    One recommendation of government, education, and business leaders is an increased emphasis on math and science instruction in public schools. The purpose of this quantitative study using a posttest, quasi-experimental design was to determine if the Math Opportunities, Valuable Experiences, and Innovative Teaching (MOVE IT Math(TM)) program…

  2. Differentiated Instruction for K-8 Math and Science: Activities and Lesson Plans

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamm, Mary; Adams, Dennis

    2008-01-01

    This book offers practical recommendations to reach every student in a K-8 classroom. Research-based and written in a teacher-friendly style, it will help teachers with classroom organization and lesson planning in math and science. Included are math and science games, activities, ideas, and lesson plans based on the math and science standards.…

  3. Sandia National Laboratories: About Sandia: Community Involvement:

    Science.gov Websites

    DOE Regional Science Bowls - New Mexico DOE Regional Science Bowls - California Family Math Night Family Science Night Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Programs About Education Programs a national concern. Encouraging students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM

  4. Preventing the storm from gathering? A case study of the California State University Math and Science Teacher Initiative

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moss, Kirran Jane

    This study was performed on the initial systemwide response by the California State University (CSU) to California's Math and Science Teacher Initiative (CMSTI). The data collected tracked, measured, and reported the scope and range of recruitment and programmatic strategies developed and implemented among the first cohort of campuses funded with MSTI dollars with the intent to attract and increase the number of mathematic and science teachers produced. These findings suggest that the California State University Math and Science Teacher Initiative displays early signs of system effectiveness. These data collected indicate that MSTI funds have resulted in an increased number of diverse credentialing pathways being introduced that may operate to attract and recruit increased numbers of candidates into the math and science credentialing programs. Additionally, findings produced indicate that MSTI funds have resulted in new relationships being established with local Community Colleges, an increase in hybrid online subject-matter courses being offered, and new strategies that expedite the credentialing process.

  5. Multiply Your Child's Success: Math and Science Can Make Dreams Come True. A Parent's Guide

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Math and Science Initiative, 2012

    2012-01-01

    In today's high-tech world, math and science matter. Of the 10 fastest growing occupations, eight are science, math or technology-related. Whatever a child wants to do--join the military, join the workforce, or go on to college--math and science skills will be important. Become part of the equation to help one's child succeed now and in the…

  6. Academic Mentoring and Dropout Prevention for Students in Math, Science and Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larose, Simon; Cyrenne, Diane; Garceau, Odette; Harvey, Marylou; Guay, Frederic; Godin, Fanny; Tarabulsy, George M; Deschenes, Claire

    2011-01-01

    In this study, we examined the impact of a new academic mentoring program aimed at preventing student dropout in math, science and technology. The MIRES program entails bimonthly meetings between students entering college and university students completing their undergraduate degree in science and engineering. A randomized pretest-posttest control…

  7. Recruitment to Physics and Mathematics Teaching: A Personality Problem?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smithers, Alan; Hill, Susan

    1989-01-01

    Results of a British study indicate that, among potential applicants (N=177), a small demand exists for a proposed science education degree program. Findings suggest that recruitment of science and math teachers may be hampered because the satisfactions provided by teaching are unlike those sought by science and math specialists. (IAH)

  8. Informal Learning in Science, Math, and Engineering Majors for African American Female Undergraduates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McPherson, Ezella

    2014-01-01

    This research investigates how eight undergraduate African American women in science, math, and engineering (SME) majors accessed cultural capital and informal science learning opportunities from preschool to college. It uses the multiple case study methodological approach and cultural capital as frameworks to better understand the participants'…

  9. 77 FR 37016 - Applications for New Awards: Upward Bound Math and Science Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-20

    ... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Applications for New Awards: Upward Bound Math and Science Program AGENCY... Bound Math and Science Program. Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2012.... There are three types of grants under the UB Program: regular UB grants, Veterans UB grants, and UB Math...

  10. 78 FR 18326 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-26

    ...; Comment Request; Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math Science Annual Performance Report AGENCY: The Office... considered public records. Title of Collection: Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math Science Annual Performance...) and Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) Programs. The Department is requesting a new APR because of...

  11. Task value profiles across subjects and aspirations to physical and IT-related sciences in the United States and Finland.

    PubMed

    Chow, Angela; Eccles, Jacquelynne S; Salmela-Aro, Katariina

    2012-11-01

    Two independent studies were conducted to extend previous research by examining the associations between task value priority patterns across school subjects and aspirations toward the physical and information technology- (IT-) related sciences. Study 1 measured task values of a sample of 10th graders in the United States (N = 249) across (a) physics and chemistry, (b) math, and (c) English. Study 2 measured task values of a sample of students in the second year of high school in Finland (N = 351) across (a) math and science, (b) Finnish, and (c) the arts and physical education. In both studies, students were classified into groups according to how they ranked math and science in relation to the other subjects. Regression analyses indicated that task value group membership significantly predicted subsequent aspirations toward physical and IT-related sciences measured 1-2 years later. The task value groups who placed the highest priority on math and science were significantly more likely to aspire to physical and IT-related sciences than were the other groups. These findings provide support for the theoretical assumption regarding the predictive role of intraindividual hierarchical patterns of task values for subsequent preferences and choices suggested by the Eccles [Parsons] (1983) expectancy-value model.

  12. The Effect of a Zoo-Based Experiential Academic Science Program on High School Students' Math and Science Achievement and Perceptions of School Climate

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mulkerrin, Elizabeth A.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an 11th-grade and 12th-grade zoo-based academic high school experiential science program compared to a same school-district school-based academic high school experiential science program on students' pretest and posttest science, math, and reading achievement, and student perceptions of…

  13. Materials Science & Engineering | Classification | College of Engineering &

    Science.gov Websites

    ChairMaterials Science and Engineering(414) 229-2668nidal@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences E351 profile photo (414) 229-2615jhchen@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences 1225 profile photo Benjamin Church, Ph.D.Associate ProfessorMaterials Science & Engineering(414) 229-2825church@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences EMS 1175 profile

  14. Teacher Factors Associated with Innovative Curriculum Goals and Pedagogical Practices: Differences between Extensive and Non-Extensive ICT-Using Science Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Voogt, J.

    2010-01-01

    Second Information Technology in Education Study (SITES) 2006 was an international study about pedagogical practices and the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in math and science classrooms. One of the findings of SITES 2006 was that--across educational systems--a proportion of the math and science teachers in the 22 countries…

  15. Math and Science. IDRA Focus.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    IDRA Newsletter, 1998

    1998-01-01

    This newsletter theme issue includes six articles on improving math and science education, particularly for poor, Limited-English-Proficient (LEP), and female students. "Effective Math and Science Instruction--The Project Approach for LEP Students" (Joseph Vigil) describes how hands-on science projects can increase student motivation,…

  16. Our Practice, Their Readiness: Teacher Educators Collaborate to Explore and Improve Preservice Teacher Readiness for Science and Math Instruction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Steele, Astrid; Brew, Christine; Rees, Carol; Ibrahim-Khan, Sheliza

    2013-02-01

    Since many preservice teachers (PTs) display anxiety over teaching math and science, four PT educators collaborated to better understand the PTs' background experiences and attitudes toward those subjects. The research project provided two avenues for professional learning: the data collected from the PTs and the opportunity for collaborative action research. The mixed method study focused on: the relationship between gender and undergraduate major (science versus non-science) with respect to previous and current engagement in science and math, understanding the processes of inquiry, and learning outside the classroom. A field trip to a science center provided the setting for the data collection. From a sample of 132 PTs, a multivariate analysis showed that the science major of PTs explained most of the gender differences with respect to the PTs' attitudes toward science and mathematics. The process of inquiry is generally poorly interpreted by PTs, and non-science majors prefer a more social approach in their learning to teach science and math. The four educators/collaborators reflect on the impacts of the research on their individual practices, for example, the need to: include place-based learning, attend to the different learning strategies taken by non-science majors, emphasize social and environmental contexts for learning science and math, be more explicit regarding the processes of science inquiry, and provide out-of-classroom experiences for PTs. They conclude that the collaboration, though difficult at times, provided powerful opportunities for examining individual praxis.

  17. National Geographic Society Kids Network: Report on 1994 teacher participants

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    In 1994, National Geographic Society Kids Network, a computer/telecommunications-based science curriculum, was presented to elementary and middle school teachers through summer programs sponsored by NGS and US DOE. The network program assists teachers in understanding the process of doing science; understanding the role of computers and telecommunications in the study of science, math, and engineering; and utilizing computers and telecommunications appropriately in the classroom. The program enables teacher to integrate science, math, and technology with other subjects with the ultimate goal of encouraging students of all abilities to pursue careers in science/math/engineering. This report assesses the impact of the networkmore » program on participating teachers.« less

  18. Computer Science | Classification | College of Engineering & Applied

    Science.gov Websites

    EMS 1011 profile photo Adrian Dumitrescu, Ph.D.ProfessorComputer Science(414) 229-4265Eng & Math @uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences 919 profile photo Hossein Hosseini, Ph.D.ProfessorComputer Science(414) 229 -5184hosseini@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences 1091 profile photo Amol Mali, Ph.D.Associate ProfessorComputer

  19. 77 FR 21089 - Notice of Submission for OMB Review; Application for Grants Under the Upward Bound Math and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-04-09

    ... Upward Bound Math and Science Program AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education. SUMMARY: The Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) program provides grants to institutions of higher... for success in a program of postsecondary education that lead to careers in math and science. DATES...

  20. Factorial, Convergent, and Discriminant Validity of TIMSS Math and Science Motivation Measures: A Comparison of Arab and Anglo-Saxon Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marsh, Herbert W.; Abduljabbar, Adel Salah; Abu-Hilal, Maher M.; Morin, Alexandre J. S.; Abdelfattah, Faisal; Leung, Kim Chau; Xu, Man K.; Nagengast, Benjamin; Parker, Philip

    2013-01-01

    For the international Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS2007) math and science motivation scales (self-concept, positive affect, and value), we evaluated the psychometric properties (factor structure, method effects, gender differences, and convergent and discriminant validity) in 4 Arab-speaking countries (Saudi Arabia,…

  1. Adolescent Girls' Experiences and Gender-Related Beliefs in Relation to Their Motivation in Math/Science and English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leaper, Campbell; Farkas, Timea; Brown, Christia Spears

    2012-01-01

    Although the gender gap has dramatically narrowed in recent decades, women remain underrepresented in many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This study examined social and personal factors in relation to adolescent girls' motivation in STEM (math/science) versus non-STEM (English) subjects. An ethnically diverse…

  2. Adding Life to Social Studies, Language Arts, Math and Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dobson, Dorothy Tousley; Archer, Sally

    This booklet is designed to use the newspaper in the teaching of social studies, language arts, math, and science. Each of these major areas is divided into several topics. Each topic is defined, followed by a list of activities using newspaper articles or pictures to develop the topic. The seven topics for social studies are sociology;…

  3. Gender roles and science beliefs and their relationship to science interest

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paolucci, Judith Jean

    This study investigated adolescents' views about the nature of science (NOS) and conceptions of their gender identities, and revealed whether these conceptions and views are related to their science interest. Participants were 566 high school students enrolled in chemistry courses at three high schools in a New England state. A questionnaire was used to assess participants' science interest, gender role perceptions, and views about science, as well as to provide background and math and science achievement data. The study found that while student scores of NOS understanding did not differ by gender, some significant differences were noted on the student responses to statements about science. Students with higher-than-average science interest scores responded to these statements differently than students with lower science interest scores; their responses tended to more closely match statements about NOS taken from current reform documents. The study also found that math and science achievement, masculinity scores, and NOS scores accounted for a greater variance of science interest for girls than for boys, though all three also contributed significantly and positively to the regression equation for boys. These predictor variables predicted membership to the lower or higher science interest groups, but could not predict students' career aspiration groups. Thus, other mediating factors not considered in this study may translate high science interest to science career aspiration. The results of this study coed prior research, which found that science and math achievement and masculinity are positively and significantly related to science interest for boy boys and girls. Moreover, the study found that achievement in math and science courses is a greater predictor of science interest for girls than for boys. The results of this study provide a rationale for incorporating the nature of science into the science curriculum. Moreover, since the science interest of boys was also found to be related to NOS understanding, these curricular changes may positively affect all students.

  4. Quinceaneras and Quadratics: Experiences of Latinas in State-Supported Residential Schools of Science and Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sayman, Donna M.

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative study sought to understand the experiences of Latinas enrolled in residential state schools of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Goals of the study focused on understanding experiences and identifying factors such as decisions to enroll, barriers and supports, and issues contributing to retention. These schools…

  5. Persistence Motivations of Chinese Doctoral Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhou, Ji

    2014-01-01

    This study explored what motivated 6 Chinese international students to complete a PhD in science, technology, engineering, and math fields in the United States despite perceived dissatisfaction. This study was grounded in the value-expectancy achievement motivation theory and incorporated a Confucian cultural lens to understand motivation. Four…

  6. Students with Disabilities Choosing Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Majors in Postsecondary Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Ahlam

    2014-01-01

    Many science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) studies have focused on issues related to underrepresented groups' participation in STEM disciplines. Most of these studies have targeted women and individuals from racial minorities as the underrepresented groups of interest, while little attention has been paid to people with disabilities.…

  7. The World Needs a New Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prensky, Marc

    2014-01-01

    The author proposes that today's existing, world-wide curriculum--based on offering roughly the same math, language arts, science, and social studies to all--is not what is required for the future, and is hurting rather than helping the world's students. Math, language arts, science, and social studies, he argues, are really "proxies"…

  8. Building Links between Early Socioeconomic Status, Cognitive Ability, and Math and Science Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blums, Angela; Belsky, Jay; Grimm, Kevin; Chen, Zhe

    2017-01-01

    The present study examined whether and how socioeconomic status (SES) predicts school achievement in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) using structural equation modeling and data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Child Care and Youth Development. The present inquiry addresses gaps in…

  9. Rural School Math and Science Teachers' Technology Integration Familiarization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kalonde, Gilbert

    2017-01-01

    This study explored the significance of technology integration familiarization and the subsequent PD provided to rural middle school teachers with several opportunities to gain technological skills for technology use in rural middle school math and science classrooms. In order to explore the use of technology in rural schools, this study surveyed…

  10. Students Who Choose to Enroll in STEM Electives and Those Who Do Not: An Ex Post Facto Study on Math Self-Efficacy at a High School in Germany

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Udoaka, Vicky L.

    2017-01-01

    School systems across the United States have launched the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math recruitment initiatives to interest students in related majors and careers. While an overall interest of high school students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math majors and careers has increased by over twenty-five percent in the past two…

  11. Do Biology Students Really Hate Math? Empirical Insights into Undergraduate Life Science Majors' Emotions about Mathematics.

    PubMed

    Wachsmuth, Lucas P; Runyon, Christopher R; Drake, John M; Dolan, Erin L

    2017-01-01

    Undergraduate life science majors are reputed to have negative emotions toward mathematics, yet little empirical evidence supports this. We sought to compare emotions of majors in the life sciences versus other natural sciences and math. We adapted the Attitudes toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory to create an Attitudes toward the Subject of Mathematics Inventory (ASMI). We collected data from 359 science and math majors at two research universities and conducted a series of statistical tests that indicated that four AMSI items comprised a reasonable measure of students' emotional satisfaction with math. We then compared life science and non-life science majors and found that major had a small to moderate relationship with students' responses. Gender also had a small relationship with students' responses, while students' race, ethnicity, and year in school had no observable relationship. Using latent profile analysis, we identified three groups-students who were emotionally satisfied with math, emotionally dissatisfied with math, and neutral. These results and the emotional satisfaction with math scale should be useful for identifying differences in other undergraduate populations, determining the malleability of undergraduates' emotional satisfaction with math, and testing effects of interventions aimed at improving life science majors' attitudes toward math. © 2017 L.P. Wachsmuth et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  12. 75 FR 69135 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-11-10

    ...: Title of Collection: Evaluation of the National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnership (MSP...- year clearance for an evaluation of the Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program. The MSP program is..., especially disciplinary faculty in math, sciences, and engineering, with that of K-12 communities in order to...

  13. Atlas 1.1: An Update to the Theory of Effective Systems Engineers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-01-16

    Proficiency Model ........................................................................................................... 21 5.1.1 Area 1: Math ... Math /Science/General Engineering: Foundational concepts from mathematics, physical sciences, and general engineering; 2. System’s Domain...Table 5. Atlas Proficiency Areas, Categories, and Topics Area Category Topic 1. Math / Science / General Engineering 1.1. Natural Science

  14. Mini-Portfolio on Math and Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Teaching PreK-8, 1996

    1996-01-01

    Presents six articles dealing with math and science education: "Sneaker Geometry" (Jack George), "Fairs with a Flair" (Diane McCarty), "Generating Excitement with Math Projects" (Jeffrey Kostecky and Louis Roe), "Playing with Numbers" (Diana Smith), "When Student Teachers Want to Do Hands-On Science" (Betsy Feldkamp-Price), and "Science ala Carte"…

  15. Making the Math/Science Connection.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sherman, Laurel Galbraith

    1989-01-01

    Suggestions are made for activities that combine the teaching of math and science. Math concepts include: graphing, estimating, measurement, statistics, geometry, and logic. Science topics include: plant reproduction, solar system, forces, longitude and latitude, Earth's magnetic field, nutrition, and heat. (IAH)

  16. Studying Gender and Ethnic Differences in Participation in Math, Physical Science, and Information Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eccles, Jacquelynne S.

    2005-01-01

    This chapter describes the history of the Eccles et al. Expectancy Value Model and research on the influence of social and psychological factors on gender and ethnic differences in math, science, and information technology choices. (Contains 1 figure.)

  17. Perspectives of teachers regarding the integration of mathematics and science at the secondary school level

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zolnierczyk, Joanna Asia

    The integration of mathematics and science in secondary schools in the 21st century continues to be an important topic of practice and research. The purpose of my research study, which builds on studies by Frykholm and Glasson (2005) and Berlin and White (2010), is to explore the potential constraints and benefits of integrating mathematics and science in Ontario secondary schools based on the perspectives of in-service and pre-service teachers with various math and/or science backgrounds. A qualitative and quantitative research design with an exploratory approach was used. The qualitative data was collected from a sample of 12 in-service teachers with various math and/or science backgrounds recruited from two school boards in Eastern Ontario. The quantitative and some qualitative data was collected from a sample of 81 pre-service teachers from the Queen's University Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) program. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the in-service teachers while a survey and a focus group was conducted with the pre-service teachers. Once the data was collected, the qualitative data were abductively analyzed. For the quantitative data, descriptive and inferential statistics (one-way ANOVAs and Pearson Chi Square analyses) were calculated to examine perspectives of teachers regardless of teaching background and to compare groups of teachers based on teaching background. The findings of this study suggest that in-service and pre-service teachers have a positive attitude towards the integration of math and science and view it as valuable to student learning and success. The pre-service teachers viewed the integration as easy and did not express concerns to this integration. On the other hand, the in-service teachers highlighted concerns and challenges such as resources, scheduling, and time constraints. My results illustrate when teachers perceive it is valuable to integrate math and science and which aspects of the classroom benefit best from the integration. Furthermore, the results highlight barriers and possible solutions to better the integration of math and science. In addition to the benefits and constraints of integration, my results illustrate why some teachers may opt out of integrating math and science and the different strategies teachers have incorporated to integrate math and science in their classroom.

  18. Atlas Career Path Guidebook: Patterns and Common Practices in Systems Engineers’ Development

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-01-16

    Overview of Atlas Proficiency Model .............................................................................. 68 5.1.2. Math /Science/General... Math /Science/General Engineering ................................ 72 Figure 42. Distribution for individuals with highest proficiency self...assessment in Math /Science/General Engineering ..................................................................................... 73 Figure 43

  19. Math and Movement: Practical Ways to Incorporate Math into Physical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wade, Marcia

    2016-01-01

    Each year, physical educators are asked to incorporate even more math, language arts, science and social studies into their curriculum. The challenge is how to do this without sacrificing the essential health and life skills provided by a quality physical education program. One program, Math & Movement, is a great aid for physical educators to…

  20. Who Will Do Science? Trends, and Their Causes in Minority and Female Representation among Holders of Advanced Degrees in Science and Mathematics. A Special Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berryman, Sue E.

    This paper describes trends in and causes of minority and female representation among holders of advanced science and math degrees. The minority groups studied are Blacks, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, and Asian Americans, all of whom are compared with Whites. The degrees looked at include those in math, the computer sciences, physical…

  1. Study of Gender Differences in Performance at the U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Coast Guard Academy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-06-01

    teacher preparation. By using both qualitative and quantitative methods for pre-service teachers, Kelly concludes that most teachers could not identify...Engineering MATH/SCIENCE Marine and Environmental Sciences Math and Computer Science Operations Research SOCIAL SCIENCE Government...Tabachnik and Findell, 2001). Correlational research is often a good precursor to answering other questions by empirical methods . Correlations measure the

  2. Negotiating the integration of new literacies in math and science content: The lived experience of classroom teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wimmer, Jennifer Joy

    The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experience of integrating new literacies in math and science content by upper elementary and middle school teachers. This study highlights the lived experience of six teachers including two elementary math teachers, two middle school math teachers, and two middle school science teachers. Data sources included five in-depth interviews, teachers' weekly reflection journals, weekly classroom observations, and one principal interview at each of the three high-needs schools. Data were analyzed through an analytic and thematic approach. A reconstructed story was created for each teacher which provides insight into the teacher as an individual. Additionally, a thematic analysis resulted in the identification of five essential themes across all six stories which included: technology exclusively, rethinking who they are as teachers, stabilizing rather than challenging content, rethinking student learning, circumstances, and futures, and serving official context and discourse. The findings indicate that the teachers' lived experience of integrating new literacies in math and science content was filled with uncertainty and a search for stability. A key implication of this study is the need for quality professional development that provides teachers with the opportunity to learn about, question, and rethink the intersection of new literacies, content area literacy, and teacher knowledge.

  3. 34 CFR 645.13 - What additional services do Upward Bound Math and Science Centers provide and how are they...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What additional services do Upward Bound Math and... Program? § 645.13 What additional services do Upward Bound Math and Science Centers provide and how are... provided under § 645.11(b), an Upward Bound Math and Science Center must provide— (1) Intensive instruction...

  4. 34 CFR 645.14 - What additional services do Upward Bound Math and Science Centers provide and how are they...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What additional services do Upward Bound Math and... Program? § 645.14 What additional services do Upward Bound Math and Science Centers provide and how are... provided under § 645.11(b), an Upward Bound Math and Science Center must provide— (1) Intensive instruction...

  5. 34 CFR 645.14 - What additional services do Upward Bound Math and Science Centers provide and how are they...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What additional services do Upward Bound Math and... Program? § 645.14 What additional services do Upward Bound Math and Science Centers provide and how are... provided under § 645.11(b), an Upward Bound Math and Science Center must provide— (1) Intensive instruction...

  6. 34 CFR 645.14 - What additional services do Upward Bound Math and Science Centers provide and how are they...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What additional services do Upward Bound Math and... Program? § 645.14 What additional services do Upward Bound Math and Science Centers provide and how are... provided under § 645.11(b), an Upward Bound Math and Science Center must provide— (1) Intensive instruction...

  7. 34 CFR 645.14 - What additional services do Upward Bound Math and Science Centers provide and how are they...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What additional services do Upward Bound Math and... Program? § 645.14 What additional services do Upward Bound Math and Science Centers provide and how are... provided under § 645.11(b), an Upward Bound Math and Science Center must provide— (1) Intensive instruction...

  8. Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania: Measuring Progress toward Goals. Monograph

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pane, John F.; Williams, Valerie L.; Olmsted, Stuart S.; Yuan, Kun; Spindler, Eleanor; Slaughter, Mary Ellen

    2009-01-01

    In 2003, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit received a grant under the National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnership program to establish the Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania (MSP). The MSP brings together regional K-12 school districts, institutions of higher education, and intermediate units with the goals of…

  9. "MyTeachingPartner--Math/Science" Pre-Kindergarten Curricula and Teacher Supports: Associations with Children's Mathematics and Science Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kinzie, Mable B.; Whittaker, Jessica Vick; Williford, Amanda P.; DeCoster, Jamie; McGuire, Patrick; Lee, Youngju; Kilday, Carolyn R.

    2014-01-01

    "MyTeachingPartner--Math/Science" ("MTP-MS") is a system of two curricula (math and science) plus teacher supports designed to improve the quality of instructional interactions in pre-kindergarten classrooms and to scaffold children's development in mathematics and science. The program includes year-long curricula in these…

  10. Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI). Final Report. NCEE 2012-4008

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newman, Denis; Finney, Pamela B.; Bell, Steve; Turner, Herb; Jaciw, Andrew P.; Zacamy, Jenna L.; Gould, Laura Feagans

    2012-01-01

    This report presents the results of an experiment conducted in Alabama beginning in the 2006/07 school year, to determine the effectiveness of the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI), which aims to improve mathematics and science achievement in the state's K-12 schools. This study is the first randomized controlled trial…

  11. The American Math and Science Student Support Act. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Science of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. House of Representatives, One Hundred Second Congress, Second Session.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.

    This document presents the transcript of a congressional hearing to consider the American Math and Science Student Support Act, H.R. 4595. The legislation is designed to address the issue of attracting a greater proportion of U.S. citizens to graduate study in science, mathematics, and engineering. The hearings include testimony and prepared…

  12. An Exploration of the Ways that Parents Can Influence African American Girls Interest in Achieving in Math and Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alexander, Lori L.

    Math and science is the core of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. It is the staying power of economic growth, job opportunities, new technology, innovation and emerging research on a global spectrum in the 21st century. Data reports that African American women are underrepresented in the STEM career field. The focus of this project was to specifically address African American middle school girls achievement gap, awareness and interests in the STEM pipeline. Data for this research was gathered by using Action Research Methodology approach using journals, questionnaire survey and dialogue. Five parents/educators participated in this empirical research study by sharing their personal, lived and unapologetic experiences through eight weeks of action/reflection inquiry. The finding of this research is that parents need to be engaged about STEM and the importance for girls to do well academically early in school with math and science.

  13. Preparing Children for Success: Integrating Science, Math, and Technology in Early Childhood Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kermani, Hengameh; Aldemir, Jale

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to study if purposeful math, science, and technology curriculum projects and activities would support Pre-K children's performance in these subject matter areas. In this study, 58 Pre-K children from 4 Pre-K classrooms in a public Pre-K programme in North Carolina participated. Through a quasi-experimental,…

  14. The Student Voice: A Study of Learning Experiences Enriched by Mobile Technologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nelson, Laura L.

    2012-01-01

    This study reports the opinions of Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA) students to facilitate positive change in our educational system as we prepare our students for a competitive global economy. IMSA is a recognized leader in math and science education through exemplary inquiry-based methodologies. Students need new skills for citizenship,…

  15. Historical Thinking Ability among Talented Math and Science Students: An Exploratory Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fehn, Bruce

    This study sought to discern the extent to which a sample of talented math and science students displayed domain-relevant skills possessed by those expertly trained in history. Subjects' experiences varied in terms of their exposure to primary source materials. The students were presented with five different kinds of documents related to the…

  16. Service Learning within a Secondary Math and Science Teacher Education Program: Preservice MAT Teachers' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borgerding, Lisa A.; Caniglia, Joanne

    2017-01-01

    Previous literature suggests that service learning may offer new opportunities to support the development of preservice science and math teachers, but few studies examine service learning beyond isolated teaching events. In this qualitative study, we attempt to improve upon this literature by following Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) students'…

  17. Using Art to Enhance the Learning of Math and Science: Developing an Educational Art-Science Kit about Fractal Patterns in Nature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rao, Deepa

    This study documents the development of an educational art-science kit about natural fractals, whose aim is to unite artistic and scientific inquiry in the informal learning of science and math. Throughout this research, I argue that having an arts-integrated approach can enhance the learner of science and math concepts. A guiding metaphor in this thesis is the Enlightenment-era cabinet of curiosities that represents a time when art and science were unified in the process of inquiry about the natural world. Over time, increased specialization in the practice of arts and science led to a growing divergence between the disciplines in the educational system. Recently, initiatives like STEAM are underway at the national level to integrate "Arts and Design" into the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) formal education agenda. Learning artifacts like science kits present an opportunity to unite artistic and scientific inquiry in informal settings. Although science kits have been introduced to promote informal learning, presently, many science kits have a gap in their design, whereby the activities consist of recipe-like instructions that do not encourage further inquiry-based learning. In the spirit of the cabinet of curiosities, this study seeks to unify visual arts and science in the process of inquiry. Drawing from educational theories of Dewey, Piaget, and Papert, I developed a novel, prototype "art-science kit" that promotes experiential, hands-on, and active learning, and encourages inquiry, exploration, creativity, and reflection through a series of art-based activities to help users learn science and math concepts. In this study, I provide an overview of the design and development process of the arts-based educational activities. Furthermore, I present the results of a pilot usability study (n=10) conducted to receive user feedback on the designed materials for use in improving future iterations of the art-science fractal kit. The fractal kit booklet that I designed can be found in the supplemental materials to this thesis.

  18. Embedded Mathematics in Chemistry: A Case Study of Students' Attitudes and Mastery

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Preininger, Anita M.

    2017-01-01

    There are many factors that shape students' attitudes toward science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This exploratory study of high school students examined the effect of enriching chemistry with math on chemistry students' attitudes toward math and careers involving math. To measure student attitudes, a survey was administered before…

  19. Elementary Teachers' Past Experiences: A Narrative Study of the Past Personal and Professional Experiences of Elementary Teachers Who Use Science to Teach Math and Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Acre, Andrea M.

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative study investigated the experiences of four elementary teachers who have elected to use science to teach math and reading/language arts in an attempt to identify what motivates them to do so. Identifying what experiences have motivated these teachers to go against the gain and teach elementary science in this current era of…

  20. Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering | Classification | College of

    Science.gov Websites

    Engineering(414)229-6597msahmed@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences EMS W383 profile photo Dr. Onur AsanAdjunct Assistant ProfessorIndustrial & Manufacturing Engineeringoasan@mcw.eduEng & Math Sciences profile ChandlerAdjunct InstructorIndustrial & Manufacturing Engineeringchandlec@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences

  1. Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bramsen, Neil

    2014-01-01

    In March and April 2014, the author travelled overseas on a 2013 Churchill Fellowship to study education programs that successfully engage and enthuse primary and middle school students in maths, engineering and science (MES) or science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) learning in schools, universities and institutions in the United…

  2. Barriers to Student Success in Madagascar

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wills, Abigail R.; Reuter, Kim E.; Gudiel, Arleen A.; Hessert, Bryan P.; Sewall, Brent J.

    2014-01-01

    Various indicators suggest that math and science students in many developing countries are lagging behind their counterparts in other nations. Using Madagascar as a case study, we aimed to: (1) evaluate the effectiveness of education among those enrolled in science and math programs at primary, secondary, and university institutions; and, (2)…

  3. Longitudinal effects of college type and selectivity on degrees conferred upon undergraduate females in physical science, life science, math and computer science, and social science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stevens, Stacy Mckimm

    There has been much research to suggest that a single-sex college experience for female undergraduate students can increase self-confidence and leadership ability during the college years and beyond. The results of previous studies also suggest that these students achieve in the workforce and enter graduate school at higher rates than their female peers graduating from coeducational institutions. However, some researchers have questioned these findings, suggesting that it is the selectivity level of the colleges rather than the comprised gender of the students that causes these differences. The purpose of this study was to justify the continuation of single-sex educational opportunities for females at the post-secondary level by examining the effects that college selectivity, college type, and time have on the rate of undergraduate females pursuing majors in non-traditional fields. The study examined the percentage of physical science, life science, math and computer science, and social science degrees conferred upon females graduating from women's colleges from 1985-2001, as compared to those at comparable coeducational colleges. Sampling for this study consisted of 42 liberal arts women's (n = 21) and coeducational (n = 21) colleges. Variables included the type of college, the selectivity level of the college, and the effect of time on the percentage of female graduates. Doubly multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance testing revealed significant main effects for college selectivity on social science graduates, and time on both life science and math and computer science graduates. Significant interaction was also found between the college type and time on social science graduates, as well as the college type, selectivity level, and time on math and computer science graduates. Implications of the results and suggestions for further research are discussed.

  4. 34 CFR 645.31 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Upward Bound project, the Secretary reviews each type of project (Regular, Math and Science, or Veterans... need for an Upward Bound Math and Science Center in the proposed target area on the basis of— (i) The... careers in mathematics and science, and who could benefit from an Upward Bound Math and Science program...

  5. 34 CFR 645.31 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Upward Bound project, the Secretary reviews each type of project (Regular, Math and Science, or Veterans... need for an Upward Bound Math and Science Center in the proposed target area on the basis of— (i) The... careers in mathematics and science, and who could benefit from an Upward Bound Math and Science program...

  6. 34 CFR 645.31 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Upward Bound project, the Secretary reviews each type of project (Regular, Math and Science, or Veterans... need for an Upward Bound Math and Science Center in the proposed target area on the basis of— (i) The... careers in mathematics and science, and who could benefit from an Upward Bound Math and Science program...

  7. 34 CFR 645.31 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Upward Bound project, the Secretary reviews each type of project (Regular, Math and Science, or Veterans... need for an Upward Bound Math and Science Center in the proposed target area on the basis of— (i) The... careers in mathematics and science, and who could benefit from an Upward Bound Math and Science program...

  8. 34 CFR 645.31 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Upward Bound project, the Secretary reviews each type of project (Regular, Math and Science, or Veterans... need for an Upward Bound Math and Science Center in the proposed target area on the basis of— (i) The... careers in mathematics and science, and who could benefit from an Upward Bound Math and Science program...

  9. Hardly Rocket Science: Collaboration with Math and Science Teachers Doesn't Need to Be Complicated

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Minkel, Walter

    2004-01-01

    While librarians routinely collaborate with reading and humanities teachers, they rarely partner with teachers of math and science--to the loss of students. With the current emphasis on standardized testing and declining student performance in math and science, media specialists need to remedy this situation. Why don't librarians click with…

  10. Perceptions of Preparedness of LBS I Teachers in the State of Illinois and Graduates of Illinois State University's LBS I Program to Collaborate in Teaching Grade 7-12 Math, Science, and Social Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caldwell, Janet E.

    2011-01-01

    The expectations for no child to be left behind are leading to increased emphasis on teaching math, science, and social science effectively to students with disabilities. This study utilized information collected from online surveys to examine how current LBS I teachers and individuals graduating from the Illinois State University teacher…

  11. New Faces, New Places: A 4-H Science Learning Program in Urban Out-of-School Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barker, Walter A.; Killian, Eric; Evans, William P.

    2010-01-01

    Young people in the U.S. are falling behind their peers in the rest of the developed world in science, technology, engineering, and math. The Program for International Student Assessment study, conducted every three years, ranked the U.S. 24th in math and science out of 29 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development…

  12. Supporting Girls' and Boys' Engagement in Math and Science Learning: A Mixed Methods Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fredricks, Jennifer A.; Hofkens, Tara; Wang, Ming-Te; Mortenson, Elizabeth; Scott, Paul

    2018-01-01

    This study uses a mixed method sequential exploratory design to examine motivational and contextual influences on boys' and girls' engagement in math and science, paying particular attention to similarities and differences in the patterns by gender. First, interviews were conducted with 38 middle and high school students who varied in their level…

  13. Outside the Principal's Office: The Principal's Role in Implementing the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foster, Tara M.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine the connection between the principals' behaviors, especially their visibility, and the academic success of their schools while participating in the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI). The qualitative method of gathering and analyzing data was used, and the case study research design…

  14. Implications for School Leaders of the Impact of Math, Science, and Technology Magnet Programs on Middle School Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hinojosa, Lupita

    2012-01-01

    Although many national studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of magnet programs, there is limited research involving math, science, and technology magnet schools and their influence on student academic performance, especially at the middle school level. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a statistical difference existed…

  15. Embedded Mathematics in Chemistry: A Case Study of Students' Attitudes and Mastery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Preininger, Anita M.

    2017-02-01

    There are many factors that shape students' attitudes toward science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This exploratory study of high school students examined the effect of enriching chemistry with math on chemistry students' attitudes toward math and careers involving math. To measure student attitudes, a survey was administered before and after the 18-week chemistry class; results from the chemistry class were compared to survey results from students in an elective science class that did not emphasize mathematics. At the end of the 18-week period, only the chemistry students exhibited more positive views toward their abilities in mathematics and careers that involve mathematics, as compared to their views at the outset of the course. To ensure that chemistry mastery was not hindered by the additional emphasis on math, and that mastery on state end-of-course examinations reflected knowledge acquired during the math-intensive chemistry class, a chemistry progress test was administered at the start and end of the term. This exploratory study suggests that emphasizing mathematical approaches in chemistry may positively influence attitudes toward math in general, as well as foster mastery of chemistry content.

  16. 41 CFR 109-50.205 - Procedure.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.205 Procedure. (a) The DOE... math and science projects where the equipment would further enhance the progress of the project. (e... will be used to improve math and science curricula or in the conduct of technical and scientific...

  17. 41 CFR 109-50.4801 - Equipment Gift Agreement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... to eligible recipients under the Math and Science Equipment Gift Program (see subpart 109-50.2 of... referred to as the Recipient, for the purpose of improving the Recipient's math and science education... attached equipment gift list, as a gift for the purpose of improving the Recipient's math and science...

  18. Awards for the Particle Adventure

    Science.gov Websites

    National Clearinghouse (ENC) collects both physical and virtual resources useful to math and science sites include valuable math and/or science content, teacher appeal, clear navigational aids, and that to the best science and math sites on the Internet Magellan A must-have site for budding (and

  19. 41 CFR 109-50.205 - Procedure.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.205 Procedure. (a) The DOE... math and science projects where the equipment would further enhance the progress of the project. (e... will be used to improve math and science curricula or in the conduct of technical and scientific...

  20. 41 CFR 109-50.205 - Procedure.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.205 Procedure. (a) The DOE... math and science projects where the equipment would further enhance the progress of the project. (e... will be used to improve math and science curricula or in the conduct of technical and scientific...

  1. 41 CFR 109-50.4801 - Equipment Gift Agreement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... to eligible recipients under the Math and Science Equipment Gift Program (see subpart 109-50.2 of... referred to as the Recipient, for the purpose of improving the Recipient's math and science education... attached equipment gift list, as a gift for the purpose of improving the Recipient's math and science...

  2. 41 CFR 109-50.4801 - Equipment Gift Agreement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... to eligible recipients under the Math and Science Equipment Gift Program (see subpart 109-50.2 of... referred to as the Recipient, for the purpose of improving the Recipient's math and science education... attached equipment gift list, as a gift for the purpose of improving the Recipient's math and science...

  3. 41 CFR 109-50.4801 - Equipment Gift Agreement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... to eligible recipients under the Math and Science Equipment Gift Program (see subpart 109-50.2 of... referred to as the Recipient, for the purpose of improving the Recipient's math and science education... attached equipment gift list, as a gift for the purpose of improving the Recipient's math and science...

  4. 41 CFR 109-50.205 - Procedure.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.205 Procedure. (a) The DOE... math and science projects where the equipment would further enhance the progress of the project. (e... will be used to improve math and science curricula or in the conduct of technical and scientific...

  5. 41 CFR 109-50.205 - Procedure.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.205 Procedure. (a) The DOE... math and science projects where the equipment would further enhance the progress of the project. (e... will be used to improve math and science curricula or in the conduct of technical and scientific...

  6. 41 CFR 109-50.4801 - Equipment Gift Agreement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... to eligible recipients under the Math and Science Equipment Gift Program (see subpart 109-50.2 of... referred to as the Recipient, for the purpose of improving the Recipient's math and science education... attached equipment gift list, as a gift for the purpose of improving the Recipient's math and science...

  7. Enhanced Resource Descriptions Help Learning Matrix Users.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roempler, Kimberly S.

    2003-01-01

    Describes the Learning Matrix digital library which focuses on improving the preparation of math and science teachers by supporting faculty who teach introductory math and science courses in two- and four-year colleges. Suggests it is a valuable resource for school library media specialists to support new science and math teachers. (LRW)

  8. Home | Caltech

    Science.gov Websites

    & Planetary Sciences Humanities & Social Sciences Physics, Math & Astronomy Research Sciences Physics, Math & Astronomy Research Delve into Menu Centers & Institutes Student Research

  9. Effective STEM Programs for Adolescent Girls: Three Approaches and Many Lessons Learned

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mosatche, Harriet S.; Matloff-Nieves, Susan; Kekelis, Linda; Lawner, Elizabeth K.

    2013-01-01

    While women's participation in math and physical science continues to lag to some degree behind that of men, the disparity is much greater in engineering and computer science. Though boys may outperform girls at the highest levels on math and science standardized tests, girls tend to get better course grades in math and science than boys do.…

  10. Santa Fe Alliance for Science: The First Eight Years

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eisenstein, Robert A.

    2013-04-01

    The Santa Fe Alliance for Science (SFAFS) was founded in May, 2005. SFAFS exists to provide assistance in K-14 math and science education in the greater Santa Fe area. It does this via extensive programs (1) in math and science tutoring at Santa Fe High School, Santa Fe Community College and to a lesser degree at other schools, (2) science fair advising and judging, (3) its ``Santa Fe Science Cafe for Young Thinkers'' series, (4) a program of professional enrichment for K-12 math and science teachers, and (5) a fledging math intervention program in middle school math. Well over 150 STEM professionals, working mostly as volunteers, have contributed since our beginning. Participation by students, parents and teachers has increased dramatically over the years, leading to much more positive views of math and science, especially among elementary school students and teachers. Support from the community and from local school districts has been very strong. I will present a brief status report on SFAFS activities, discuss some of the lessons learned along the way and describe briefly some ideas for the future. More information can be found at the SFAFS website, www.sfafs.org.

  11. Latino Youth's Out-of-School Math and Science Experiences: Impact on Teacher Candidates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diaz, Maria E.; Bussert-Webb, Kathy

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study examines the learning and interaction processes between Latino/a teacher candidates (TCs) and youth during a community service-learning program involving science and math. Knowing and affirming nondominant youth's strengths are essential from funds of knowledge and Third Space perspectives. Participants were 11 TCs and their…

  12. "I Was Scared to Be the Stupid": Latinas in Residential Academies of Science and Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sayman, Donna

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the experiences of Latinas in state residential academies of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Goals of this project focused on understanding their experiences and identifying factors leading to the decision to enroll, along with issues contributing to retention. These schools represent powerful opportunities…

  13. The Relationship between Students' Exposure to Technology and Their Achievement in Science and Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Delen, Erhan; Bulut, Okan

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of information and communication technologies (ICT) on students' math and science achievement. Recently, ICT has been widely used in classrooms for teaching and learning purposes. Therefore, it is important to investigate how these technological developments affect students' performance at…

  14. The Social Competence of Highly Gifted Math and Science Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Seon-Young; Olszewski-Kubilius, Paula; Thomson, Dana

    2012-01-01

    Involving 740 highly gifted math and science students from two different countries, Korea and the United States, this study examined how these gifted adolescents perceived their interpersonal ability and peer relationships and whether there were differences between these two groups by demographic variables. Based on the survey data, results showed…

  15. Math Achievement: A Role Strain and Adaptation Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Krystal L.; Burt, Brian A.; Hilton, Adriel A.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to better understand how students' academic strains and multilevel strengths relate to their math achievement, with a particular emphasis on underrepresented students of color and girls given the need to broaden science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) participation for these groups. Design/methodology/approach:…

  16. 78 FR 16842 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-19

    ... of Math Professional Development AGENCY: Institute of Education Sciences (IES), Department of... to this notice will be considered public records. Title of Collection: Impact Evaluation of Math... of math professional development (PD). The study will provide important information about the...

  17. Mathematics Anxiety and Preservice Elementary Teachers' Confidence to Teach Mathematics and Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bursal, Murat; Paznokas, Lynda

    2006-01-01

    Sixty-five preservice elementary teachers' math anxiety levels and confidence levels to teach elementary mathematics and science were measured. The confidence scores of subjects in different math anxiety groups were compared and the relationships between their math anxiety levels and confidence levels to teach mathematics and science were…

  18. Electrical Engineering | Classification | College of Engineering & Applied

    Science.gov Websites

    ) 229-6916bsra@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences 995 profile photo Robert Cuzner, Ph.D.Assistant ChairDepartment Chair of Electrical Engineering(414) 229-3885george@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences 1245 profile photo Hossein Hosseini, Ph.D.ProfessorComputer Science(414) 229-5184hosseini@uwm.eduEng & Math

  19. 78 FR 54459 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-04

    ... Upward Bound Math Science Annual Performance Report AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE... Upward Bound Math Science Annual Performance Report. OMB Control Number: 1840-NEW. Type of Review: New... Upward Bound (UB) and Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) Programs. The Department is requesting a new...

  20. Explaining Variation in Student Efforts towards Using Math and Science Knowledge in Engineering Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berland, Leema K.; Steingut, Rebecca

    2016-01-01

    Previous research suggests that in classes that take an integrated approach to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, students tend to engage in fulfilling goals of their engineering design challenges, but only inconsistently engage with the related math and science content. The present research examines these inconsistencies…

  1. Expanding Girls' Horizons: Strengthening Persistence in the Early Math and Science Education Pipeline

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Virnoche, Mary E.

    Little longitudinal or follow-up data is available on the impact of Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) conferences. The purpose of the conferences is to encourage girls to take more math and science in high school by exposing them to hands-on activities and role models in math and science professions. This paper is based on 2005 and 2006 one-to-one and small-group interview data from 22 high school girls who attended an EYH conference during their middle school years. The data suggests that EYH strengthens girls' persistence in math and science pathways. Most girls came to the conferences already interested in math and science and at the urging of parents or teachers. Most felt empowered through the shared experience with hundreds of other girls and women, and relayed detailed and enthusiastic descriptions of hands-on activities. Many of the girls also drew connections between EYH and their course-taking actions and career goals. This paper highlights examples of these experiences and makes recommendations for future math and science early pipeline diversity work.

  2. It's Not Maths; It's Science: Exploring Thinking Dispositions, Learning Thresholds and Mindfulness in Science Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quinnell, R.; Thompson, R.; LeBard, R. J.

    2013-01-01

    Developing quantitative skills, or being academically numerate, is part of the curriculum agenda in science teaching and learning. For many of our students, being asked to "do maths" as part of "doing science" leads to disengagement from learning. Notions of "I can't do maths" speak of a rigidity of mind, a…

  3. The Effect of Using Mind Maps on the Development of Maths and Science Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Polat, Ozgul; Yavuz, Ezgi Aksin; Tunc, Ayse Betul Ozkarabak

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to examine the effect of mind mapping activities on the maths and science skills of children 48 to 60 months of age. The study was designed using an experimental model with a pre-test post-test and a control group. Accordingly, the hypotheses of the study was that there would be meaningful differences in the values…

  4. The Role of the National Science Foundation in K-12 Science and Math Education. Hearing before the Committee on Science, House of Representatives, One Hundred Ninth Congress, Second Session (May 3, 2006). Serial Number 109-46

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US House of Representatives, 2006

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this hearing was to review the effectiveness and value of the National Science Foundation's (NSF's) past and present programs in support of improvement of K-12 science and math education and to examine what role the Foundation should play in future federal initiatives for strengthening K-12 science and math education. This hearing…

  5. Promotive and Corrosive Factors in African American Students' Math Beliefs and Achievement.

    PubMed

    Diemer, Matthew A; Marchand, Aixa D; McKellar, Sarah E; Malanchuk, Oksana

    2016-06-01

    Framed by expectancy-value theory (which posits that beliefs about and the subjective valuation of a domain predict achievement and decision-making in that domain), this study examined the relationships among teacher differential treatment and relevant math instruction on African American students' self-concept of math ability, math task value, and math achievement. These questions were examined by applying structural equation modeling to 618 African American youth (45.6 % female) followed from 7th to 11th grade in the Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study. While controlling for gender and prior math achievement, relevant math instruction promoted and teacher differential treatment corroded students' math beliefs and achievement over time. Further, teacher discrimination undermined students' perceptions of their teachers, a mediating process under-examined in previous inquiry. These findings suggest policy and practice levers to narrow opportunity gaps, as well as foster math achievement and science, technology, engineering and math success.

  6. Mathematical learning instruction and teacher motivation factors affecting science technology engineering and math (STEM) major choices in 4-year colleges and universities: Multilevel structural equation modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Ahlam

    2011-12-01

    Using the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002/06, this study examined the effects of the selected mathematical learning and teacher motivation factors on graduates' science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related major choices in 4-year colleges and universities, as mediated by math performance and math self-efficacy. Using multilevel structural equation modeling, I analyzed: (1) the association between mathematical learning instruction factors (i.e., computer, individual, and lecture-based learning activities in mathematics) and students' STEM major choices in 4-year colleges and universities as mediated by math performance and math self-efficacy and (2) the association between school factor, teacher motivation and students' STEM major choices in 4-year colleges and universities via mediators of math performance and math self-efficacy. The results revealed that among the selected learning experience factors, computer-based learning activities in math classrooms yielded the most positive effects on math self-efficacy, which significantly predicted the increase in the proportion of students' STEM major choice as mediated by math self-efficacy. Further, when controlling for base-year math Item Response Theory (IRT) scores, a positive relationship between individual-based learning activities in math classrooms and the first follow-up math IRT scores emerged, which related to the high proportion of students' STEM major choices. The results also indicated that individual and lecture-based learning activities in math yielded positive effects on math self-efficacy, which related to STEM major choice. Concerning between-school levels, teacher motivation yielded positive effects on the first follow up math IRT score, when controlling for base year IRT score. The results from this study inform educators, parents, and policy makers on how mathematics instruction can improve student math performance and encourage more students to prepare for STEM careers. Students should receive all possible opportunities to use computers to enhance their math self-efficacy, be encouraged to review math materials, and concentrate on listening to math teachers' lectures. While all selected math-learning activities should be embraced in math instruction, computer and individual-based learning activities, which reflect student-driven learning, should be emphasized in the high school instruction. Likewise, students should be encouraged to frequently engage in individual-based learning activities to improve their math performance.

  7. Using TPCK as a Lens to Study the Practices of Math and Science Teachers Involved in a Year-Long Technology Integration Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dawson, Kara; Ritzhaupt, Albert; Liu, Feng; Rodriguez, Prisca; Frey, Christopher

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the ways teachers enact technological, pedagogical and content practices in math and science lessons and to document the change with teachers involved in a year-long technology integration initiative. Six hundred seventy-two lessons were analyzed in this research using Technological, Pedagogical Content…

  8. Effects of Teacher Professional Development on Gains in Student Achievement: How Meta Analysis Provides Scientific Evidence Useful to Education Leaders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blank, Rolf K.; de las Alas, Nina

    2010-01-01

    This meta analysis study focused on identifying and analyzing research studies that measured effects of teacher professional development with a content focus on math or science. This meta analysis was carried out to address two primary questions: (1) What are the effects of content-focused professional development for math and science teachers on…

  9. Underrepresented Entrepreneurship: A Mixed Method Study Evaluating Postsecondary Persistence Approaches for Minorities in Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) to Graduate Studies and STEM Entrepreneurship Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goodwyn, Kamela Joy

    2017-01-01

    Small businesses with emphasis in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) are catalytic in launching the United States' global presence and competitiveness into the twenty-first century through innovation and technology. The projected growth compared to non-STEM occupations, is almost twice as high for STEM occupations which further…

  10. Gender and Racial/Ethnic Differences in Self-Reported Levels of Engagement in High School Math and Science Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez, Sylvia; Guzman, Stephanie

    2013-01-01

    While gender and racial/ethnic performance gaps in math and science have been well documented, we know little about how students feel while they are in these courses. Using a sample of 793 high school students who participated in the Experience Sampling Method of the Study of Youth and Social Development, this study examines the gender and…

  11. Technology Use and Acceptance in the Classroom: Results from an Exploratory Survey Study among Secondary Education Teachers in the USA

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holden, Heather; Ozok, Ant; Rada, Roy

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the current usage and acceptance of classroom technologies by secondary math/science education teachers in one community. Design/methodology/approach: Forty-seven secondary education math and science teachers in one American city responded to a survey about their use and perceptions of technology in…

  12. The Science of Sex Differences in Science and Mathematics

    PubMed Central

    Halpern, Diane F.; Benbow, Camilla P.; Geary, David C.; Gur, Ruben C.; Hyde, Janet Shibley; Gernsbacher, Morton Ann

    2014-01-01

    Summary Amid ongoing public speculation about the reasons for sex differences in careers in science and mathematics, we present a consensus statement that is based on the best available scientific evidence. Sex differences in science and math achievement and ability are smaller for the mid-range of the abilities distribution than they are for those with the highest levels of achievement and ability. Males are more variable on most measures of quantitative and visuospatial ability, which necessarily results in more males at both high- and low-ability extremes; the reasons why males are often more variable remain elusive. Successful careers in math and science require many types of cognitive abilities. Females tend to excel in verbal abilities, with large differences between females and males found when assessments include writing samples. High-level achievement in science and math requires the ability to communicate effectively and comprehend abstract ideas, so the female advantage in writing should be helpful in all academic domains. Males outperform females on most measures of visuospatial abilities, which have been implicated as contributing to sex differences on standardized exams in mathematics and science. An evolutionary account of sex differences in mathematics and science supports the conclusion that, although sex differences in math and science performance have not directly evolved, they could be indirectly related to differences in interests and specific brain and cognitive systems. We review the brain basis for sex differences in science and mathematics, describe consistent effects, and identify numerous possible correlates. Experience alters brain structures and functioning, so causal statements about brain differences and success in math and science are circular. A wide range of sociocultural forces contribute to sex differences in mathematics and science achievement and ability—including the effects of family, neighborhood, peer, and school influences; training and experience; and cultural practices. We conclude that early experience, biological factors, educational policy, and cultural context affect the number of women and men who pursue advanced study in science and math and that these effects add and interact in complex ways. There are no single or simple answers to the complex questions about sex differences in science and mathematics. PMID:25530726

  13. How social networks influence female students' choices to major in engineering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weinland, Kathryn Ann

    Scope and Method of Study: This study examined how social influence plays a part in female students' choices of college major, specifically engineering instead of science, technology, and math. Social influence may show itself through peers, family members, and teachers and may encompass resources under the umbrella of social capital. The purpose of this study was to examine how female students' social networks, through the lens of social capital, influence her major choice of whether or not to study engineering. The variables of peer influence, parental influence, teacher/counselor influence, perception of engineering, and academic background were addressed in a 52 question, Likert scale survey. This survey has been modified from an instrument previously used by Reyer (2007) at Bradley University. Data collection was completed using the Dillman (2009) tailored design model. Responses were grouped into four main scales of the dependent variables of social influence, encouragement, perceptions of engineering and career motivation. A factor analysis was completed on the four factors as a whole, and individual questions were not be analyzed. Findings and Conclusions: This study addressed the differences in social network support for female freshmen majoring in engineering versus female freshmen majoring in science, technology, or math. Social network support, when working together from all angles of peers, teachers, parents, and teachers/counselors, transforms itself into a new force that is more powerful than the summation of the individual parts. Math and science preparation also contributed to female freshmen choosing to major in engineering instead of choosing to major in science, technology, or math. The STEM pipeline is still weak and ways in which to reinforce it should be examined. Social network support is crucial for female freshmen who are majoring in science, technology, engineering, and math.

  14. University-Urban High School Partnership: Math and Science Professional Learning Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    ndunda, mutindi; Van Sickle, Meta; Perry, Lindsay; Capelloni, Alison

    2017-01-01

    This study focused on science and math professional learning communities (PLCs) that were implemented through a university-urban high school partnership. These PLCs were part of mandated school-wide, content-based PLCs implemented as part of the reform efforts initiated in an urban school to address the school's failure to meet Adequate Yearly…

  15. Solving Math and Science Problems in the Real World with a Computational Mind

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olabe, Juan Carlos; Basogain, Xabier; Olabe, Miguel Ángel; Maíz, Inmaculada; Castaño, Carlos

    2014-01-01

    This article presents a new paradigm for the study of Math and Sciences curriculum during primary and secondary education. A workshop for Education undergraduates at four different campuses (n = 242) was designed to introduce participants to the new paradigm. In order to make a qualitative analysis of the current school methodologies in…

  16. Predicting Undergraduates' Persistence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Fields

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koch, Amanda Joy

    2013-01-01

    A national shortage of workers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations has led to efforts to identify why people leave these fields. Lower persistence rates in STEM for females than for males have also led to examinations of features that cause females to leave STEM fields. The current study examines individual- and…

  17. A Rural Math, Science, and Technology Elementary School Tangled up in Global Networks of Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carlone, Heidi B.; Kimmel, Sue; Tschida, Christina

    2010-01-01

    This is an ethnographic study of a newly created math, science, and technology elementary magnet school in a rural community fiercely committed to cultural preservation while facing unprecedented economic instability brought on by massive loss of manufacturing jobs. Our goal was to understand global- and community-level contexts that influenced…

  18. Using Games to Promote Girls' Positive Attitudes toward Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Eck, Richard

    2006-01-01

    Studies show that women make up only 35% of the IT workforce, and the schism between boys' and girls' interests in math and science is well documented. Richard Van Eck suggests that providing girls with more positive experiences with technology may impact their overall attitudes toward technology and perhaps even toward math and science. Van Eck…

  19. STEM the Tide: Reforming Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education in America

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Drew, David E.

    2011-01-01

    One study after another shows American students ranking behind their international counterparts in the STEM fields--science, technology, engineering, and math. Business people such as Bill Gates warn that this alarming situation puts the United States at a serious disadvantage in the high-tech global marketplace of the twenty-first century, and…

  20. The Relationship of Teacher-Facilitated, Inquiry-Based Instruction to Student Higher-Order Thinking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marshall, Jeff C.; Horton, Robert M.

    2011-01-01

    Commissions, studies, and reports continue to call for inquiry-based learning approaches in science and math that challenge students to think critically and deeply. While working with a group of middle school science and math teachers, we conducted more than 100 classroom observations, assessing several attributes of inquiry-based instruction. We…

  1. Elementary Teacher Perceptions of Principal Leadership, Teacher Self-Efficacy in Math and Science, and Their Relationships to Student Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richard, Bertha Cookie

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary teacher perceptions of elementary principal instructional leadership and elementary teacher evaluation of self-efficacy at low and high performing low socio-economic elementary schools. These variables were examined to determine whether relationships with math and science academic achievement…

  2. Math and Science Gateways to California's Fastest Growing Careers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    EdSource, 2008

    2008-01-01

    Some students--and parents--think math and science are not too important for their future. As everyday life becomes more dependent on technology, most people will need a better background in math and science to succeed in today's global economy. To get high-paying jobs in some of California's fastest-growing occupations, a strong background in…

  3. Shaping the Future with Math, Science, and Technology: Solutions and Lesson Plans to Prepare Tomorrow's Innovators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Dennis; Hamm, Mary

    2011-01-01

    "Shaping the Future with Math, Science, and Technology" examines how ingenuity, creativity, and teamwork skills are part of an intellectual toolbox associated with math, science, and technology. The book provides new ideas, proven processes, practical tools, and examples useful to educators who want to encourage students to solve problems and…

  4. EASI Street to Science and Math for K-12 Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cunningham, Carmela; Noble, Steve

    This paper discusses the poor preparation of children with disabilities in math and science fields, and the perception that students with disabilities are not capable of doing work in science and math, which is often reinforced by teachers and parents. It is argued that the low expectations and waived requirements for children with disabilities…

  5. Mission Engineering Competencies Technical Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-04-30

    generate a mission capability. Note that foundational skills – e.g. math , natural or social sciences, general engineering skills - are not listed in...basic understanding of math , sciences, and the fundamentals of engineering are assumed, the foundational building block for mission...April 30, 2018 69 The Helix model focuses on 6 proficiency areas (Hutchison et al. 2018): 1. Math /Science/General

  6. Mechanical Engineering | Classification | College of Engineering & Applied

    Science.gov Websites

    ProfessorMechanical Engineering(414) 229-6949avdeev@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences 975 profile photo Robert Balmer, Sc . D.Professor EmeritusMechanical Engineering(414) 229-3374balmer@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences E260 profile -6614wjchang@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences 1113 profile photo Junhong Chen Ph.D.UWM Distinguished

  7. 34 CFR 645.12 - What services may regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science projects provide?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What services may regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science projects provide? 645.12 Section 645.12 Education Regulations of the Offices of the... services may regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science projects provide? Any project assisted...

  8. 34 CFR 645.12 - What services may regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science projects provide?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What services may regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science projects provide? 645.12 Section 645.12 Education Regulations of the Offices of the... services may regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science projects provide? Any project assisted...

  9. 34 CFR 645.12 - What services may regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science projects provide?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What services may regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science projects provide? 645.12 Section 645.12 Education Regulations of the Offices of the... services may regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science projects provide? Any project assisted...

  10. 34 CFR 645.12 - What services may regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science projects provide?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What services may regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science projects provide? 645.12 Section 645.12 Education Regulations of the Offices of the... services may regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science projects provide? Any project assisted...

  11. The MESTEP Record: A Report on the First Six Years. Math English Science Technology Education Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Richard J.; And Others

    The Math English Science Technology Education Project (MESTEP) was established to recruit, select, prepare, support, and retain in teaching diverse and talented recent college graduates with strong academic majors in math, English, or a science. A collaborative partnership of the University of Massachusetts (Amherst), public schools, and private…

  12. The National Teacher Training Institute for Math, Science and Technology: Exemplary Practice in a Climate of Higher Standards.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donlevy, James G., Ed.; Donlevy, Tia Rice, Ed.

    1999-01-01

    Reviews the NTTI (National Teacher Training Institute) for Math, Science and Technology model that trains teachers to use video and Internet resources to enhance math and science instruction. Discusses multimedia methodology; standards-based training; program impact in schools; and lesson plans available on the NTTI Web site. (Author/LRW)

  13. Co-Teaching Math Content and Math Pedagogy for Elementary Pre-Service Teachers: A Pilot Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ford, Pari; Strawhecker, Jane

    2011-01-01

    With a national need to improve Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education (STEM), elementary pre-service teachers must be provided with ample opportunities to increase their own knowledge and confidence in STEM disciplines. This article describes a Math Block experience developed for a special population of non-traditional…

  14. Closing the Math Achievement Gap: Institutions Find Success with MyMathLab

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, Pearl

    2012-01-01

    Institutions find success with Pearson Education's MyMathLab. The Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Memphis (UM) reported a narrowing of the achievement gap between Black and White students. According to the study conducted by UM professors and titled "The Effectiveness of Blended Instruction in Postsecondary General…

  15. Your Teenager at School

    MedlinePlus

    ... his allaround development and future success as English, math, science and social studies, even if they don’ ... cognitive transitions extremely quickly. They go from, say, math to geography in the course of just a ...

  16. Enhancing the Math and Science Experiences of Latinas and Latinos: A Study of the Joaquin Bustoz Math-Science Honors Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Escontrias, Gabriel, Jr.

    Latinas and Latinos are currently underrepresented in terms of our 21 st century student academic attainment and workforce, compared to the total U.S. Hispanic population. In a field such as mathematical sciences, Hispanic or Latino U.S. citizenship doctoral recipients only accounted for 3.04% in 2009--2010. While there are various initiatives to engage underrepresented STEM populations through education, there is a need to give a voice to the experiences of Latinas and Latinos engaged in such programs. This study explored the experiences of seven Arizona State University undergraduate Latina and Latino Joaquin Bustoz Math-Science Honors Program (JBMSHP) participants as well as examined how the program enhanced their math and science learning experiences. Participants attended either a five-week or eight-week program and ranged in attendance from 2006 to 2011. Students were provided an opportunity to begin university mathematics and science studies before graduating high school. Through a demographic survey and one-on-one guided interview, participants shared their personal journey, their experience in the JBMSHP, and their goals. Using grounded theory, a qualitative research approach, this study focuses on the unique experiences of Latina and Latino participants. Four major themes emerged from the analysis of the data. Each participant applied to the program with a foundation in which they sought to challenge themselves academically through mathematics and/or science. Through their involvement it the JBMSHP, participants recognized benefits during and after the program. All participants recognized the value of these benefits and their participation and praised the program. Overall, the JBMSHP provided the students the resources to grow their academic capital and if they chose seek a STEM related bachelor degree. The results of this study emphasize the need to expand the JBMSHP both within Arizona and nationally. In addition, there is a need to explore the other components of their parent center, the Mathematical, Computational and Modeling Sciences Center (MCMSC), to determine if the suggested pipeline, MCMSC Model for Enhancing the Math and Science Experiences of Latinas and Latinos, can positively impact our 21st century workforce and the dire representational need of Latinas and Latinos in STEM fields.

  17. Math and science illiteracy: Social and economic impacts

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Williams, J.L.

    1994-05-01

    Today`s highly competitive global economy is being driven by increasingly rapid technological development. This paper explores the problems of math and science illiteracy in the United States and the potential impact on our economic survival in this environment during the next century. Established educational methods that reward task performance, emphasize passive lecture, and fail to demonstrate relevance to real life are partly to blame. Social norms, stereotypes, and race and gender bias also have an impact. To address this crisis, we need to question the philosophy of an educational system that values task over concept. Many schools have already initiatedmore » programs at all grade levels to make math and science learning more relevant, stimulating, and fun. Teaching methods that integrate math and science learning with teamwork, social context, and other academic subjects promote the development of higher-order thinking skills and help students see math and science as necessary skills.« less

  18. Evaluation of American Indian Science and Engineering Society Intertribal Middle School Science and Math Bowl Project

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    AISES, None

    The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) has been funded under a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant (Grant Award No. DE-SC0004058) to host an Intertribal Middle-School Science and Math Bowl (IMSSMB) comprised of teams made up of a majority of American Indian students from Bureau of Indian Education-funded schools and public schools. The intent of the AISES middle school science and math bowl is to increase participation of American Indian students at the DOE-sponsored National Science Bowl. Although national in its recruitment scope, the AISES Intertribal Science and Math Bowl is considered a “regional” science bowl, equivalent tomore » the other 50 regional science bowls which are geographically limited to states. Most regional bowls do not have American Indian student teams competing, hence the AISES bowl is meant to encourage American Indian student teams to increase their science knowledge in order to participate at the national level. The AISES competition brings together teams from various American Indian communities across the nation. Each team is provided with funds for travel to and from the event, as well as for lodging and meals. In 2011 and 2012, there were 10 teams participating; in 2013, the number of teams participating doubled to 20. Each Science and Math Bowl team is comprised of four middle school — grades 6 through 8 — students, one alternate, and a teacher who serves as advisor and coach — although in at least two cases, the coach was not a teacher, but was the Indian Education Coordinator. Each team member must have at least a 3.0 GPA. Furthermore, the majority of students in each team must be comprised of American Indian, Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian students. Under the current DOE grant, AISES sponsored three annual middle school science bowl competitions over the years 2011, 2012 and 2013. The science and math bowls have been held in late March concurrently with the National American Indian Science and Engineering Fair (NAISEF) and EXPO at the Albuquerque, NM Convention Center. Albuquerque is also the home of the AISES national office. The AISES staff also recruits volunteers to assist with implementation of the science and math bowl event. In 2011, there were 7 volunteers; in 2012, 15 volunteers, and in 2013, 19 volunteers. Volunteers are recruited from a variety of local sources, including Sandia Laboratories, Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute students, Department of Defense, as well as family members of AISES staff. For AISES, the goals of the Intertribal Middle School Science and Math Bowl project are to have more Native students learn science, for them to gain confidence in competing, and to reward their effort in order to motivate them to pursue studies in the sciences and engineering. For DOE, the goals of the project are to get more Native students to compete at the National Science Bowl, held in Washington, DC.« less

  19. Not lack of ability but more choice: individual and gender differences in choice of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ming-Te; Eccles, Jacquelynne S; Kenny, Sarah

    2013-05-01

    The pattern of gender differences in math and verbal ability may result in females having a wider choice of careers, in both science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM fields, compared with males. The current study tested whether individuals with high math and high verbal ability in 12th grade were more or less likely to choose STEM occupations than those with high math and moderate verbal ability. The 1,490 subjects participated in two waves of a national longitudinal study; one wave was when the subjects were in 12th grade, and the other was when they were 33 years old. Results revealed that mathematically capable individuals who also had high verbal skills were less likely to pursue STEM careers than were individuals who had high math skills but moderate verbal skills. One notable finding was that the group with high math and high verbal ability included more females than males.

  20. Careers and people

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2008-09-01

    Use your degree The UK's Training and Development Agency is seeking to persuade science and maths graduates who are unhappy in their current jobs to consider switching to teaching. According to their research, 75% of recent science and maths graduates expected to be able to use their degree in their profession, but 46% are dissatisfied because they cannot now use the knowledge and skills gained during their degree in their day-to-day work. This research, which comprised interviews with 200 maths and science graduates who graduated up to three years ago, forms part of a campaign to recruit up to 6000 science and maths teachers for the new school year.

  1. Love of Science Began at Early Age for Air Force Captain | DoDLive

    Science.gov Websites

    advice: "I emphasize early math, as much math as you can take." So what does the future hold avoidance technologies program, Capt. Heather Stickney, Force of the Future, math, science, STEM, Wright

  2. Math and Science Education. IDRA Focus.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    IDRA Newsletter, 1996

    1996-01-01

    This newsletter focuses on efforts to make math and science more attractive, relevant, and accessible to students, especially limited-English-proficient, minority, economically disadvantaged, female, and at-risk students. "TAAS Math Performance" (Linda Cantu) outlines recent statewide results for the controversial Texas Assessment of…

  3. Understanding decisions Latino students make regarding persistence in the science and math pipeline

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Munro, Janet Lynn

    This qualitative study focused on the knowledge and perceptions of Latino high school students, as well those of their parents and school personnel, at a southwestern, suburban high school regarding persistence in the math/science pipeline. In the context of the unique school and community setting these students experience, the decision-making process was examined with particular focus on characterizing the relationships that influence the process. While the theoretical framework that informs this study was that of social capital, its primary purpose was to inform the school's processes and policy in support of increased Latino participation in the math and science pipeline. Since course selection may be the most powerful factor affecting school achievement and college-preparedness, and since course selection is influenced by school policy, school personnel, students, parents, and teachers alike, it is important to understand the beliefs and perceptions that characterize the relationships among them. The qualitative research design involved a phenomenological study of nine Latino students, their parents, their teachers and counselors, and certain support personnel from the high school. The school's and community's environment in support of academic intensity served as context for the portrait that developed. Given rapidly changing demographics that bring more and more Latino students to suburban high schools, the persistent achievement gap experienced by Latino students, and the growing dependence of the world economy on a citizenry versed in the math- and science-related fields, a deeper understanding of the decision-making processes Latino 12 students experience can inform school policy as educators struggle to influence those decisions. This study revealed a striking lack of knowledge concerning the college-entrance ramifications of continued course work in math and science beyond that required for graduation, relationships among peers, parents, and school personnel that were markedly lacking in influence over the decision a student makes to continue, or not, course work beyond that required for graduation, and a general dismissal of the value of math- and science-related careers. Also lacking was any evidence of social capital within parental networks that reflected intergenerational closure.

  4. Conference Offers Girls Opportunity to Expand Career Horizons

    Science.gov Websites

    math, science, technology and non-traditional occupations. The conference will take place Saturday of computers, math, engineering, natural sciences, medical sciences, public service and the

  5. Friends and Family: A Literature Review on How High School Social Groups Influence Advanced Math and Science Coursetaking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gottfried, Michael; Owens, Ann; Williams, Darryl; Kim, Hui Yon; Musto, Michela

    2017-01-01

    In this study, we synthesized the literature on how informal contexts, namely friends and family social groups, shape high school students' likelihood of pursuing advanced math and science coursework. Extending scholarly understandings of STEM education, we turned to the body of literature with three guiding questions: (1) What influence do…

  6. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Academic Librarian Positions during 2013: What Carnegie Classifications Reveal about Desired STEM Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trei, Kelli

    2015-01-01

    This study analyzes the requirements and preferences of 171 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) academic librarian positions in the United States as advertised in 2013. This analysis compares the STEM background experience preferences with the Carnegie rankings of the employing institution. The research examines the extent to which…

  7. Combining Geography, Math, and Science to Teach Climate Change and Sea Level Rise

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oldakowski, Ray; Johnson, Ashley

    2018-01-01

    This study examines the effectiveness of integrating geography into existing math and science curriculum to teach climate change and sea level rise. The desired outcome is to improve student performance in all three subjects. A sample of 120 fifth graders from three schools were taught the integrated curriculum over a period of two to three weeks.…

  8. Urban Underrepresented Minority Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math: An Analysis of the Differences between Developmental Assets and Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wells, Jovan Grant

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the developmental assets and academic achievement of urban underrepresented minority male and female students in a specialized science, technology, engineering, and math program, and the developmental assets and academic achievement of urban underrepresented minority male and…

  9. World Class: The Massachusetts Agenda to Meet the International Challenge for Math- and Science-Educated Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fortmann, Thomas

    2005-01-01

    This report draws on the findings of nearly four dozen others: national and international studies that speak with a strong, collective voice about what it takes to improve math and science education. But the authors' intent with "World Class" is not simply to synthesize those reports. It is to establish a statewide, working agenda for…

  10. The perceptions and practices of selected high school teachers in special admission schools regarding writing across the curriculum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mitchell, Rebecca Hayward

    The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) measured the writing achievement of 55,000 American school children. The students performed at the basic or lower level. In 1988, "The Writing Report Card of the NAEP," and in 1996, the Pennsylvania Mathematics and Reading Assessment along with the Stanford 9 Exam concluded that students, of all racial/ethnic backgrounds, are unable to write well except in response to the simplest tasks. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions and practices of math, science, and social studies high school teachers in special admission schools regarding writing across the curriculum (WAC). Specifically, this study attempted to answer: (1) Do math, science, and social studies teachers differ in their perceptions and practices regarding student writing in their classrooms? (2) Are teacher characteristics related to the perceptions and practices of math, science, and social studies teachers regarding the need for student writing in their classrooms? The questions led to the following null hypotheses: (1) There is no significant difference among math, science, and social studies teachers regarding their perceptions and practices for student writing in their classrooms. (2) There is no significant relationship between the highest degree earned, the length of teaching experience, and the level of grades taught by math, science, and social studies teachers and their perceptions and practices regarding the need for student writing in their classrooms. A review of the literature since 1992 using ERIC and Dissertation Abstracts revealed that there were no studies concerned with the focus of this particular study. A cross sectional survey of School District of Philadelphia math, science, and social studies high school teachers in special admission schools was conducted. A questionnaire was developed to obtain the data. A panel of experts was selected to establish validity of the instrument. Thirty-two usable questionnaires were returned and used in testing the reliability of the instrument. Statistical analysis of the data examined the responses to the questionnaire relative to the hypotheses and research questions. It was discovered that social studies teachers used WAC strategies more than mathematics or science teachers. The following are the major implications of this research study: (1) Most non-English teachers do not follow WAC strategies. (2) Finally, if the writing achievement of the nation's students is to improve, WAC must be mandated by school district administrators and its usage must be monitored as on-going training and support is provided.

  11. Compact Information Representations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-08-02

    applied computer science, and applied math . Within the scope of this proposal, the focus is preliminarily on the fundamental, theoretical research...Science & Technology • Tung-Lung Wu, now Assistant Professor, Dept. of Math and Stat, Mississippi State Univ 2 Papers In this section, we list the papers...computer science, and applied math . Within the scope of this proposal, the focus is preliminarily on the fundamental, theoretical research which lies in

  12. NASA Lewis' IITA K-12 Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1996-01-01

    The NASA Lewis Research Center's Information Infrastructure Technology and Applications for Kindergarten to 12th Grade (IITA K-12) Program is designed to introduce into school systems computing and communications technology that benefits math and science studies. By incorporating this technology into K-12 curriculums, we hope to increase the proficiency and interest in math and science subjects by K-12 students so that they continue to study technical subjects after their high school careers are over.

  13. The Math-Biology Values Instrument: Development of a Tool to Measure Life Science Majors' Task Values of Using Math in the Context of Biology.

    PubMed

    Andrews, Sarah E; Runyon, Christopher; Aikens, Melissa L

    2017-01-01

    In response to calls to improve the quantitative training of undergraduate biology students, there have been increased efforts to better integrate math into biology curricula. One challenge of such efforts is negative student attitudes toward math, which are thought to be particularly prevalent among biology students. According to theory, students' personal values toward using math in a biological context will influence their achievement and behavioral outcomes, but a validated instrument is needed to determine this empirically. We developed the Math-Biology Values Instrument (MBVI), an 11-item college-level self--report instrument grounded in expectancy-value theory, to measure life science students' interest in using math to understand biology, the perceived usefulness of math to their life science career, and the cost of using math in biology courses. We used a process that integrates multiple forms of validity evidence to show that scores from the MBVI can be used as a valid measure of a student's value of math in the context of biology. The MBVI can be used by instructors and researchers to help identify instructional strategies that influence math-biology values and understand how math-biology values are related to students' achievement and decisions to pursue more advanced quantitative-based courses. © 2017 S. E. Andrews et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  14. Math and Science Pursuits: A Self-Efficacy Intervention Comparison Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cordero, Elizabeth D.; Porter, Sarah H.; Israel, Tania; Brown, Michael T.

    2010-01-01

    This study compared two interventions to increase math self-efficacy among undergraduate students. Ninety-nine first-year undergraduate students participated in an intervention involving performance accomplishment or an intervention combining performance accomplishment and belief-perseverance techniques in which participants constructed a…

  15. It's not maths; it's science: exploring thinking dispositions, learning thresholds and mindfulness in science learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quinnell, R.; Thompson, R.; LeBard, R. J.

    2013-09-01

    Developing quantitative skills, or being academically numerate, is part of the curriculum agenda in science teaching and learning. For many of our students, being asked to 'do maths' as part of 'doing science' leads to disengagement from learning. Notions of 'I can't do maths' speak of a rigidity of mind, a 'standoff', forming a barrier to learning in science that needs to be addressed if we, as science educators, are to offer solutions to the so-called 'maths problem' and to support students as they move from being novice to expert. Moving from novice to expert is complex and we lean on several theoretical frameworks (thinking dispositions, threshold concepts and mindfulness in learning) to characterize this pathway in science, with a focus on quantitative skills. Fluid thinking and application of numeracy skills are required to manipulate experimental data sets and are integral to our science practice; we need to stop students from seeing them as optional 'maths' or 'statistics' tasks within our discipline. Being explicit about the ways those in the discipline think, how quantitative data is processed, and allowing places for students to address their skills (including their confidence) offer some ways forward.

  16. NASA Space Science Days: An Out of School Program Using National Partnerships to Further Influence Future Scientists and Engineers.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Galindo, Charles; Allen, Jaclyn; Garcia, Javier; Hrrera, Stephanie

    2012-01-01

    The National Math and Science Initiative states that American students are falling behind in the essential subjects of math and science, putting our position in the global economy at risk a foreboding statement that has caused the U.S. to re-evaluate how we view STEM education. Developing science and engineering related out of school programs that expose middle school students to math and science in a nontraditional university environment has the potential to motivate young students to look at the physical sciences in an exciting out of the norm environment.

  17. Students from Pueblo Triumph in Colorado Science Bowl

    Science.gov Websites

    questions about physics, math, biology, astronomy, chemistry, computers and the earth sciences, students science and math. The competition has evolved into one of the Energy Department's premier educational

  18. High School Teams Compete in Science Bowl

    Science.gov Websites

    fire question and answer tournament which focuses on physics, math, biology, astronomy, chemistry National Science Bowl eight years ago to help stimulate interest in science and math. The competition has

  19. Students from Aurora Triumph in Denver Regional Science Bowl

    Science.gov Websites

    questions about physics, math, biology, astronomy, chemistry, computers and the earth sciences, students science and math. The competition has evolved into one of the Energy Department's premier educational

  20. Comparing Self-Regulatory and Early Academic Skills as Predictors of Later Math, Reading, and Science Elementary School Achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murrah, William M., III

    The achievement score gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged children at school entry is a major problem in education today. Identifying the skills critical for school readiness is an important step in developing interventions aimed at addressing these score gaps. The purpose of this study is to compare a number of school readiness skills with an eye toward finding out which are the best predictors of later academic achievement in math, reading, and science. The predictors were early reading, math, general knowledge, socioemotional skills, and motor skills. Data were obtained from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study of 1998 (NCES, 1998) database. While controlling for an extensive set of family characteristics, predictions were made across five years - from the end of kindergarten to the end of fifth grade. Consistent with current findings, reading and math skills predicted later achievement. Interestingly, general knowledge, attention, and fine motor skills also proved to be important predictors of later academic achievement, but socioemotional skills were not. The findings were interpreted from a neurobiological perspective involving the development of self-regulation. These school entry skills are used to predict later achievement in reading, math, and science. I argued that in addition to acquiring early academic knowledge, children need to regulate the use of this knowledge to meet academic goals.

  1. Students' confidence in the ability to transfer basic math skills in introductory physics and chemistry courses at a community college

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quinn, Reginald

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the confidence levels that community college students have in transferring basic math skills to science classes, as well as any factors that influence their confidence levels. This study was conducted with 196 students at a community college in central Mississippi. The study was conducted during the month of November after all of the students had taken their midterm exams and received midterm grades. The instrument used in this survey was developed and validated by the researcher. The instrument asks the students to rate how confident they were in working out specific math problems and how confident they were in working problems using those specific math skills in physics and chemistry. The instrument also provided an example problem for every confidence item. Results revealed that students' demographics were significant predictors in confidence scores. Students in the 18-22 year old range were less confident in solving math problems than others. Students who had retaken a math course were less confident than those who had not. Chemistry students were less confident in solving math problems than those in physics courses. Chemistry II students were less confident than those in Chemistry I and Principals of Chemistry. Students were least confident in solving problems involving logarithms and the most confident in solving algebra problems. In general, students felt that their math courses did not prepare them for the math problems encountered in science courses. There was no significant difference in confidence between students who had completed their math homework online and those who had completed their homework on paper. The researcher recommends that chemistry educators find ways of incorporating more mathematics in their courses especially logarithms and slope. Furthermore, math educators should incorporate more chemistry related applications to math class. Results of hypotheses testing, conclusions, discussions, and recommendations for future research are included.

  2. 78 FR 48472 - Notice of Entering into a Compact with Georgia

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-08-08

    ... assessments. The project consists of three activities, which were targeted to specifically improve math and... approximately 23,400 math, science, information and communications technology, and English teachers in grades 7... approximately six national assessments focused on math and science, and the development of a system of classroom...

  3. Atlas 1.1 Implementation Guide: Moving from Theory into Practice

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-01-16

    Math /Science/General Engienering...six proficiency areas based on the Helix interview data, as shown in Figure 6 below. Figure 6. Proficiency Areas for Systems Engineers 1. Math ...the problem domain and solution Math / Science / General Engineering System’s Domain & Opera:onal Context Systems Engineering

  4. From Skeletons to Bridges & Other STEM Enrichment Exercises for High School Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riechert, Susan E.; Post, Brian K.

    2010-01-01

    The national Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Initiative favors a curriculum shift from the compartmentalization of math and science classes into discrete subject areas to an integrated, multidisciplinary experience. Many states are currently implementing programs in high schools that provide greater integration of math,…

  5. When Is Homework Worth the Time?: Evaluating the Association between Homework and Achievement in High School Science and Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maltese, Adam V.; Tai, Robert H.; Fan, Xitao

    2012-01-01

    Even with the history of debate over the merits of homework, there are significant gaps in the research record regarding its benefit to students. The focus of this study is on the association between time spent on homework and academic performance in science and math by assessing survey and transcript data from two nationally representative…

  6. How Does ICT Use Influence Students' Achievements in Math and Science over Time? Evidence from PISA 2000 to 2012

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Danhui; Liu, Luman

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to investigate the impacts of information and communication technology (ICT) use on students' math and science achievements, with a special focus on examining the trends of these relationships over the past decade. Data from all five waves of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) from 2000 to 2012 were used.…

  7. The Association of Peer Academic Reputations in Math and Science with Achievement Beliefs and Behaviors during Early Adolescence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    North, Elizabeth A.; Ryan, Allison M.

    2018-01-01

    This study examines the nature and implications of peer academic reputations in math and science classes for early adolescents' achievement beliefs and behaviors. The sample was 840 students (51% girls; 36% African American, 47% European American, 7% Latino, 6% Asian American, and 3% Other). About half the sample (47%) was from 27 fifth-grade…

  8. Assessing College Student Interest in Math and/or Computer Science in a Cross-National Sample Using Classification and Regression Trees

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kitsantas, Anastasia; Kitsantas, Panagiota; Kitsantas, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this exploratory study was to assess the relative importance of a number of variables in predicting students' interest in math and/or computer science. Classification and regression trees (CART) were employed in the analysis of survey data collected from 276 college students enrolled in two U.S. and Greek universities. The results…

  9. An Analysis of the Cost Efficiency of the Math-Science Division Instructional Personnel at Gulf Coast Community College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Etheridge, Sandra Y.

    Prepared to provide a comprehensible and useable statement of the productivity of the members of the Math-Science Division at Gulf Coast Community College (GCCC), this report presents the methods and findings of a study of the income and expenditures related to each full- and part-time faculty member in the division. Following introductory…

  10. Comparing the Math Anxiety of Secondary School Female Students in Groups (Science and Mathematical Physics) Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vakili, Khatoon; Pourrazavy, Zinat alsadat

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is comparing math anxiety of secondary school female students in groups (Science and Mathematical Physics) Public Schools, district 2, city of Sari. The purpose of the research is applied research, it is a development branch, and in terms of the nature and method, it is a causal-comparative research. The statistical…

  11. Decide now, pay later: Early influences in math and science education

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Malcom, S.

    1995-12-31

    Who are the people deciding to major in science, math or engineering in college? The early interest in science and math education which can lead to science and engineering careers, is shaped as much by the encompassing world of the child as it is by formal education experiences. This paper documents what we know and what we need to know about the influences on children from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, including the home, pre-school groups, science and math programs in churches, community groups, the media, cultural institutions (museums, zoos, botanical gardens), libraries, and schools (curriculum, instruction, policies and assessment). Itmore » also covers the nature and quality of curricular and intervention programs, and identifies strategies that appear to be most effective for various groups.« less

  12. It's a Kid's Job: Playing Helps Kids Learn and Grow

    MedlinePlus

    ... and their colleagues found a link between preschoolers’ math skills and their ability to copy models of ... the later study of science, technology, engineering or math. “In a way, a child is becoming a ...

  13. Science, Math, and Technology. K-6 Science Curriculum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blueford, J. R.; And Others

    Science, Math and Technology is one of the units of a K-6 unified science curriculum program. The unit consists of four organizing sub-themes: (1) science (with activities on observation, comparisons, and the scientific method); (2) technology (examining simple machines, electricity, magnetism, waves and forces); (3) mathematics (addressing skill…

  14. 77 FR 38336 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-27

    ... of Collection: Monitoring for the National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnership (MSP... evaluation of the Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program. The goals for the program are to (1) Ensure...

  15. 77 FR 65908 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-10-31

    ...: Monitoring for the National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnership (MSP) Program. OMB Control No... instruments to be used in the evaluation of the Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program. The goals for the...

  16. Relationships Among Teacher Preparedness and Instructional Approaches to Secondary Student Achievement in STEM: A Secondary Analysis of TIMSS Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller-Ricks, Karen A.

    Educational reform efforts in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) place emphasis on teachers as conduits for student achievement. The purpose of this study was to use TIMSS 2011 data to examine relationships between Science-Technology-Society (STS) instructional practices (student-centered instruction established to promote learning through real-world applications) teacher preparedness, and student achievement and identify variations of achievement between and among eighth-grade science and math classes. The research was framed by both Harper's Anti-Deficit Achievement Theory and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory (BEST). 501 U.S. schools contributed to the TIMSS 2011 data from both the teacher questionnaires and student booklets. Chi-Square, Spearman Correlation, and 2-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) were used to analyze data about teachers' preparedness to teach science and math, frequency of using STS instructional practices, and student achievement. The chi-square null hypothesis for math teachers was rejected, providing the assumption that there was an association between the frequency of using STS instruction in math and teacher preparedness. However, the chi-square null hypothesis for science teachers failed to be rejected, providing the assumption that there was no significant association between the frequency of using STS instruction in science and science teacher preparedness. The Spearman Correlation revealed statistically positively significant differences between STS instruction and science achievement, as well as between teacher preparedness and science achievement. The HLM results suggested that 33% of the variance of mathematics achievement was at the individual level and 66% was at the group level. The results for science teachers suggested that 54% of the variance of science achievement was at the individual level and 46% of the variance was at the group level. The data findings support the conclusion that secondary STEM teachers who are more prepared to teach within the STEM content domains and implement STS instructional practices into lessons have higher achievement scores.

  17. In Brief: Improving science education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2010-09-01

    Over the course of the next decade, 100,000 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers should be recruited in the United States, and 1000 new STEM-focused schools should be created, according to a 16 September report, “Prepare and inspire: K-12 education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for America's future.” Noting that the United States lags behind other nations in STEM education at the elementary and secondary levels, the report, prepared by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, also recommends improving federal coordination and leadership on STEM education and supporting a state-led movement for shared standards in math and science. The release of the report coincides with President Barack Obama's announcement of the launch of Change the Equation, an organization that aims to help with math and science education. More information is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp and http://www.changetheequation.org/.

  18. Biomedical Engineering | Classification | College of Engineering & Applied

    Science.gov Websites

    Engineering, Biomedical Engineering(414) 229-6614wjchang@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences 1113 profile photo Malkoc, Ph.D.Visiting Assistant ProfessorBiomedical Engineering414-229-6919malkoc@uwm.eduEng & Math Engineering / Electrical Engineering(414) 229-3327misra@uwm.eduEng & Math Sciences E-314 profile photo

  19. Implicit Social Cognitions Predict Sex Differences in Math Engagement and Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nosek, Brian A.; Smyth, Frederick L.

    2011-01-01

    Gender stereotypes about math and science do not need to be endorsed, or even available to conscious introspection, to contribute to the sex gap in engagement and achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The authors examined implicit math attitudes and stereotypes among a heterogeneous sample of 5,139 participants.…

  20. Revising the economic imperative for US STEM education.

    PubMed

    Donovan, Brian M; Moreno Mateos, David; Osborne, Jonathan F; Bisaccio, Daniel J

    2014-01-01

    Over the last decade macroeconomic studies have established a clear link between student achievement on science and math tests and per capita gross domestic product (GDP) growth, supporting the widely held belief that science, technology, engineering, and math(STEM) education are important factors in the production of economic prosperity. We critique studies that use science and math tests to predict GDP growth, arguing that estimates of the future economic value of STEM education involve substantial speculation because they ignore the impacts of economic growth on biodiversity and ecosystem functionality, which, in the long-term, limit the potential for future economic growth. Furthermore, we argue that such ecological impacts can be enabled by STEM education. Therefore, we contend that the real economic imperative for the STEM pipeline is not just raising standardized test scores, but also empowering students to assess, preserve, and restore ecosystems in order to reduce ecological degradation and increase economic welfare.

  1. Using Bayesian Networks to Understand Relationships among Math Anxiety, Genders, Personality Types, and Study Habits at a University in Jordan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smail, Linda

    2017-01-01

    Mathematics is the foundation of all sciences, but most students have problems learning math. Although students' success in life related to their success in learning, many would not take a math course unless it is their university's core requirements. Multiple reasons exist for students' poor performance in mathematics, but one prevalent variable…

  2. The persistence of Black males in the STEM fields at Texas State University

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Day, Beverly Woodson

    For the past five years, enrollment in the College of Science and Engineering by first-time undergraduate students has steadily increased. However, retaining the students through their first-year and their persistence to their second year of college and beyond has been problematic. The purpose of this study is to add to the knowledge of why Black students, specifically Black men, are not persisting at Texas State University in the STEM majors. It will also determine if specific factors like the SAT scores, parent's education, high school rank, college GPA, college science and math courses (physics, math, biology and chemistry), college credits earned and average GPA in all science and math college courses predict college preparation and college performance for all students and for Black male students.

  3. High School Students Gear Up for Battle of the Brains

    Science.gov Websites

    tournament, which focuses on physics, math, biology, astronomy, chemistry, computers and the earth sciences competition. DOE began the National Science Bowl 11 years ago to help stimulate interest in science and math

  4. Students from Grand Junction High School Triumph in Colorado Science Bowl

    Science.gov Websites

    -fire questions about physics, math, biology, astronomy, chemistry, computers and the earth sciences years ago to help stimulate interest in science and math. The competition has evolved into one of the

  5. High School Students Gear Up for Battle of the Brains

    Science.gov Websites

    focuses on physics, math, biology, astronomy, chemistry, computers and the earth sciences. Each team is Science Bowl a decade ago to help stimulate interest in science and math. The competition has evolved into

  6. The characteristics of effective secondary math and science instructional facilitators and the necessary support structures as perceived by practitioners and principals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mahagan, Vikki Lynn

    Instructional facilitators are known by a variety of titles depending on the school district in which they are employed. They are sometimes called instructional coaches, teacher leaders, lead teachers, and instructional specialist (Denton & Hasbrouck, 2009). Throughout this study, the title instructional facilitator was used and will refer to secondary math or science instructional facilitators who are housed at least one day per week on a campus. This study is a mixed-methods descriptive study which has identified character traits, specials skill, and talents possessed by effective secondary math and science instructional facilitators as perceived by practicing facilitators and principals and assistant principals who work along side instructional facilitators. Specific job training to help ensure the success of a facilitator was identified as viewed by both facilitators and principals. Additionally, this study compared the perceptions of practicing facilitators and principals to determine if significant differences exist with respect to perceptions of staff development opportunities, support structures, and resources available for instructional facilitators.

  7. Status on Texas Secondary Science Teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mount, Jennifer; Fuller, Ed

    2009-10-01

    One of the most important challenges today facing public schools is the recruitment and retention of highly qualified science teachers. Policy makers in Texas adopted the 4x4 requirements for graduation, which will create an increase in the supply of science teachers. Dr. Fuller analyzed the topics concerning the shortage of secondary math and science teachers. Dr. Fuller's study clearly shows an acute shortage of well-qualified and adequately prepared secondary math and science teachers in Texas schools. The study also explains that schools serving large percentages of poor, minority, and/or low-achieving students have the least qualified teachers and the greatest shortages compared to other non-minority students. Recently, there has been a shift in teacher preparation programs. Most future teachers are being prepared by alternative certification programs and certification by exam. The attrition rates vary depending on teachers' route of certification. There is a shortage of math and science teachers in Texas, but is part of this shortage due to teacher migration? My research will expand on Dr. Fuller's study by looking at the attrition and migration rates on the subgroups of chemistry and physics teachers. Migration is typically overlooked in analytical studies because it does not change the overall supply of teachers. My study will investigate if science teachers are migrating to wealthier districts and/or higher achieving school. This presentation will summarize results found by Dr. Fuller's study as well as look at further research in science teacher attrition and migration rates.

  8. Profiles of State-Supported Residential Math and Science Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Brent M.

    2009-01-01

    Unless we sharply increase the training of homegrown math and science talents, we may suffer negative economic and technological consequences. One means of addressing this challenge has been through specialty schools devoted to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) training. In 1980, the North Carolina School of Science and…

  9. Academic performance: A case study of mathematics and science educators from rural Washington high schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hancock, Tira K.

    A qualitative descriptive case study explored courses of action for educators and leaders of math and science educators to implement to help students achieve state assessment standard and postsecondary success. The problem focused on two demographically similar rural high schools in Southwest Washington that demonstrated inadequate rates of student achievement in mathematics and science. The research question investigated courses of action that may assist educators and leaders of secondary math and science educators to help students achieve WASL standards and postsecondary success in compliance with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. Senge's learning organization theory (1990, 2006) and Fullan's (2001) contributions to leading and learning in times of change provided the theoretical framework for the study. Twenty study participant responses analyzed with qualitative analysis software QSR NVivo 7 revealed six themes. Triangulation of responses with secondary data from WASL assessment scores and case study school assessment data identified 14 courses of action and three recommendations for educators and leaders of math and science educators to help students meet state standards and postsecondary success. Critical factors identified in the study as needed to assist educators to help students succeed included professional development, collaboration, teaching practices, funding, student accountability, and parental involvement.

  10. Influence of social cognitive and ethnic variables on academic goals of underrepresented students in science and engineering: a multiple-groups analysis.

    PubMed

    Byars-Winston, Angela; Estrada, Yannine; Howard, Christina; Davis, Dalelia; Zalapa, Juan

    2010-04-01

    This study investigated the academic interests and goals of 223 African American, Latino/a, Southeast Asian, and Native American undergraduate students in two groups: biological science and engineering (S/E) majors. Using social cognitive career theory (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994), we examined the relationships of social cognitive variables (math/science academic self-efficacy, math/science outcome expectations), along with the influence of ethnic variables (ethnic identity, other-group orientation) and perceptions of campus climate to their math/science interests and goal commitment to earn an S/E degree. Path analysis revealed that the hypothesized model provided good overall fit to the data, revealing significant relationships from outcome expectations to interests and to goals. Paths from academic self-efficacy to S/E goals and from interests to S/E goals varied for students in engineering and biological science. For both groups, other-group orientation was positively related to self-efficacy and support was found for an efficacy-mediated relationship between perceived campus climate and goals. Theoretical and practical implications of the study's findings are considered as well as future research directions.

  11. Improving Student Achievement in Math and Science

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sullivan, Nancy G.; Hamsa, Irene Schulz; Heath, Panagiota; Perry, Robert; White, Stacy J.

    1998-01-01

    As the new millennium approaches, a long anticipated reckoning for the education system of the United States is forthcoming, Years of school reform initiatives have not yielded the anticipated results. A particularly perplexing problem involves the lack of significant improvement of student achievement in math and science. Three "Partnership" projects represent collaborative efforts between Xavier University (XU) of Louisiana, Southern University of New Orleans (SUNO), Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Stennis Space Center (SSC), to enhance student achievement in math and science. These "Partnerships" are focused on students and teachers in federally designated rural and urban empowerment zones and enterprise communities. The major goals of the "Partnerships" include: (1) The identification and dissemination of key indices of success that account for high performance in math and science; (2) The education of pre-service and in-service secondary teachers in knowledge, skills, and competencies that enhance the instruction of high school math and science; (3) The development of faculty to enhance the quality of math and science courses in institutions of higher education; and (4) The incorporation of technology-based instruction in institutions of higher education. These goals will be achieved by the accomplishment of the following objectives: (1) Delineate significant ?best practices? that are responsible for enhancing student outcomes in math and science; (2) Recruit and retain pre-service teachers with undergraduate degrees in Biology, Math, Chemistry, or Physics in a graduate program, culminating with a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction; (3) Provide faculty workshops and opportunities for travel to professional meetings for dissemination of NASA resources information; (4) Implement methodologies and assessment procedures utilizing performance-based applications of higher order thinking via the incorporation of Global Learning Observations To Benefit the Environment (GLOBE), Mission to Planet Earth and the use of Geographic Imaging Systems into the K-12th grade curriculum.

  12. Girls in Engineering, Mathematics and Science, GEMS: A Science Outreach Program for Middle-School Female Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dubetz, Terry A.; Wilson, Jo Ann

    2013-01-01

    Girls in Engineering, Mathematics and Science (GEMS) is a science and math outreach program for middle-school female students. The program was developed to encourage interest in math and science in female students at an early age. Increased scientific familiarity may encourage girls to consider careers in science and mathematics and will also help…

  13. Internet Connections.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lindroth, Linda K.

    1996-01-01

    Annotates 16 World Wide Web (WWW) sites dealing with math and science education matters covered in feature articles for this journal issue. Topics include math fairs, classroom restructuring, and hands-on science. (JW)

  14. Math Avoidance: A Barrier to American Indian Science Education and Science Careers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Rayna

    1978-01-01

    For American Indian students, math anxiety and math avoidance are the most serious obstacles to general education and to the choice of scientific careers. Indian students interviewed generally exhibited fear and loathing of mathematics and a major lack of basic skills which were caused by a missing or negative impression of the mathematics…

  15. An Indigenous Framework for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Monette, G.

    2003-12-01

    The American Indian Higher Education Consortium, composed of 35 American Indian tribally-controlled Colleges and Universities in the U.S. and Canada, is leading a comprehensive effort to improve American Indian student achievement in STEM. A key component of this effort is the synthesis of indigenous ways of knowing and western education systems. This presentation will provide an overview of culturally responsive, place-based teaching, learning, and research and will discuss potential opportunities and strategies for helping to ensure that education systems and research programs reflect our diversity and respect our cultures. One example to be discussed is the NSF-funded "Tribal College Rural Systemic Initiative." Founded on the belief that all students can learn and should be given the opportunity to reach their full potential, Tribal Colleges are leading this effort to achieve successful and sustainable improvement of science, math, and technology education at the K-14 level in rural, economically disadvantaged, geographically challenged areas. Working with parents, tribal governments, schools and the private sector, the colleges are helping to implement math and science standards-based curriculum for students and standards-based assessment for schools; provide math and science standards-based professional development for teachers, administrators, and community leaders; and integrate local Native culture into math and science standards-based curriculum. The close working relationship between the Tribal Colleges and K-12 is paying off. According to the National Science Foundation, successful systemic reform has resulted in enhanced student achievement and participation in science and math; reductions in the achievement disparities among students that can be attributed to socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, gender, or learning styles; implementation of a comprehensive, standards-based curriculum aligned with instructions and assessment; development of a coherent, consistent set of policies that supports high quality math and science education for each student; convergence of science and math resource; and broad-based support from parents and the community.

  16. Great Explorations in Math and Science[R] (GEMS[R]) Space Science. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2012

    2012-01-01

    "Great Explorations in Math and Science[R] (GEMS[R]) Space Science" is an instructional sequence for grades 3-5 that covers fundamental concepts, including planetary sizes and distance, the Earth's shape and movement, gravity, and moon phases and eclipses. Part of the "GEMS"[R] core curriculum, "GEMS[R] Space Science"…

  17. 75 FR 48658 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-11

    ... individuals who teach science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). TEACH.gov is an essential component... among minority individuals, and particularly in teaching science, technology, engineering, and math...

  18. NREL Model Car Competitions | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    skills in both math and science. The goals of the competition include: Generating enthusiasm for science , technology, engineering, and math (STEM) Improving students' understanding of scientific concepts and

  19. Knowledge Integration and Wise Engineering

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chiu, Jennifer L.; Linn, M. C.

    2011-01-01

    Recent efforts in engineering education focus on introducing engineering into secondary math and science courses to improve science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education (NAS, 2010). Infusing engineering into secondary classrooms can increase awareness of and interest in STEM careers, help students see the relevance of science and…

  20. Luchando y logrando/struggling and achieving: Resilience of Latina/o math and science teacher candidates at California Hispanic-Serving Institutions: A critical race perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gonzalez, Laura

    Latin math and science students represent a resilient, determined, and encouraging group of high achievers. This qualitative study presents the narratives of 10 Latin science and math teacher candidates currently attending Hispanic-Serving Institutions in California. Semi structured, in-depth interviews were conducted, where participants shared the challenges they experienced and the factors that contributed to their resilience. The Connor Davidson Resilience Scale CD-RISC was used to present resilience measures for each participant. This score is compared to a group of college students throughout the nation. The findings provide insight into the critical need for universities to examine institutional practices and efforts to support these high achievers who have already beaten tremendous odds by entering the halls of higher education.

  1. Climate change in the classroom: Reaching out to middle school students through science and math suitcase lessons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jacobo, A. C.; Collay, R.; Harris, R. N.; de Silva, L.

    2011-12-01

    We have formed a link between the Increasing Diversity in Earth Sciences (IDES) program with the Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences (SMILE) program, both at Oregon State University. The IDES mission is to strengthen the understanding of Earth Sciences and their relevance to society among broad and diverse segments of the population and the SMILE mission is to provide science and math enrichment for underrepresented and other educationally underserved students in grades 4-12. Traditionally, underserved schools do not have enough time or resources to spend on science and mathematics. Furthermore, numerous budget cuts in many Oregon school districts have negatively impacted math and science cirriculum. To combat this trend we have designed suitcase lessons in climate change that can be carried to a number of classrooms. These lesson plans are scientifically rich and economically attractive. These lessons are designed to engage students in math and science through climate change presentations, group discussions, and hands-on activities. Over the past year we have familiarized ourselves with the academic ability of sixth and seventh graders through in-class observation in Salem Oregon. One of the suit case lessons we developed focuses on climate change by exploring the plight of polar bears in the face of diminishing sea ice. Our presentation will report the results of this activity.

  2. 41 CFR 109-50.202 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.202 Definitions. As used in this... improving math and science curricula or activities for elementary and secondary school education, or for the...

  3. National Science Bowl Competitors Win Trip to Colorado

    Science.gov Websites

    -elimination contests. Student teams faced off in a fast-paced match of questions about physics, math, biology stimulate students' interests in science and math. NR-02497 Follow NREL

  4. 41 CFR 109-50.202 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.202 Definitions. As used in this... improving math and science curricula or activities for elementary and secondary school education, or for the...

  5. 41 CFR 109-50.202 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.202 Definitions. As used in this... improving math and science curricula or activities for elementary and secondary school education, or for the...

  6. 41 CFR 109-50.202 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.202 Definitions. As used in this... improving math and science curricula or activities for elementary and secondary school education, or for the...

  7. 41 CFR 109-50.202 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.202 Definitions. As used in this... improving math and science curricula or activities for elementary and secondary school education, or for the...

  8. SKyTeach: Addressing the need for Science and Math Teachers in Kentucky

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bonham, Scott

    2008-10-01

    The shortage of good science and math teachers is a chronic problem that threatens to undermine the future of our profession and economy. While our world is becoming increasingly dependent on technology, many high schools do not even offer physics, in part due to of the unavailability of a qualified teacher. The entire state of Kentucky typically produces 0-2 new physics teachers per year, compared to 200+ elementary teachers per year from WKU alone. The picture is not much better in math and other sciences. SKyTeach is a new program at WKU to address this great need and is part of a national effort to replicate the successful UTeach program. The University of Texas UTeach program graduates 70-90 new math and science teachers a year, in the process providing them with a strong preparation based on current research on how people learn science and math, experience teaching in real classrooms from the start, and strong mentoring and support. UTeach graduates stay in the classroom at rates above the national average, and some fairly quickly move into leadership positions within their schools. A key element is good collaboration between the college of science, that of education, local P-12 schools, and others. Last year thirteen universities across the nation were selected as part of an effort to replicate the UTeach program nation-wide. This effort is supported by the National Science and Math Initiative in a partnership with the UTeach Institute. Our first cohort of students has started this fall, and we have had many successes and challenges as we move forward.

  9. The Math–Biology Values Instrument: Development of a Tool to Measure Life Science Majors’ Task Values of Using Math in the Context of Biology

    PubMed Central

    Andrews, Sarah E.; Runyon, Christopher; Aikens, Melissa L.

    2017-01-01

    In response to calls to improve the quantitative training of undergraduate biology students, there have been increased efforts to better integrate math into biology curricula. One challenge of such efforts is negative student attitudes toward math, which are thought to be particularly prevalent among biology students. According to theory, students’ personal values toward using math in a biological context will influence their achievement and behavioral outcomes, but a validated instrument is needed to determine this empirically. We developed the Math–Biology Values Instrument (MBVI), an 11-item college-level self-­report instrument grounded in expectancy-value theory, to measure life science students’ interest in using math to understand biology, the perceived usefulness of math to their life science career, and the cost of using math in biology courses. We used a process that integrates multiple forms of validity evidence to show that scores from the MBVI can be used as a valid measure of a student’s value of math in the context of biology. The MBVI can be used by instructors and researchers to help identify instructional strategies that influence math–biology values and understand how math–biology values are related to students’ achievement and decisions to pursue more advanced quantitative-based courses. PMID:28747355

  10. Trajectories of Math Achievement and Perceived Math Competence over High School and Postsecondary Education: Effects of an All-Girl Curriculum in High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shapka, Jennifer D.

    2009-01-01

    This study investigated the benefits of all-girls' classroom instruction in math and/or science during Grades 9 and/or 10, within the context of a public co-educational high school. There were 118 participants in this longitudinal investigation: 26 girls in the all-girl classes, as well as 42 girls and 50 boys in the regular co-educational…

  11. Think Scientifically: Hiding Science in a Storybook

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van Norden, W. M.; Wawro, M.

    2013-12-01

    The pressure to focus on math and reading at the elementary level has increased in recent years. As a result, science education has taken a back seat in elementary classrooms. The Think Scientifically book series provides a way for science to easily integrate with existing math and reading curriculum. This story-based science literature program integrates a classic storybook format with solid solar science, to make an educational product that meets state literacy standards. Each story is accompanied by hands-on labs and activities that teachers can easily conduct in their classrooms with minimal training and materials, as well as math and language arts extensions and assessment questions. These books are being distributed through teacher workshops and conferences.

  12. Implicit Gender Stereotypes and Essentialist Beliefs Predict Preservice Teachers' Tracking Recommendations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nürnberger, Miriam; Nerb, Josef; Schmitz, Florian; Keller, Johannes; Sütterlin, Stefan

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the extent to which differences in implicit and explicit math--language gender stereotypes, and essentialist beliefs among preservice teachers affect tracking recommendations for math/science versus language-oriented secondary schools. Consistent with expectations, the results suggest that student's gender influences…

  13. May/June Activity Notebook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clarke, Jacqueline, Ed.

    1999-01-01

    Presents hand-on, standards-based activities in language arts, math, science, and social studies, including a daily almanac; bookmark buddies; word palettes; bowling for numbers; math thought teasers; plant puzzles; fingerprint fun; a travel bureau; and an end-of-the-year bulletin board of people involved in interesting activities. Reproducible…

  14. Math Remediation for the College Bound: How Teachers Can Close the Gap, from the Basics through Algebra

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khatri, Daryao

    2011-01-01

    Algebra is the language that must be mastered for any course that uses math because it is the gateway for entry into any science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) discipline. This book fosters mastery of critical math and algebraic concepts and skills essential to all of the STEM disciplines and some of the social sciences. This…

  15. Math and Science Education for the California Workforce: It Starts with K-12

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    EdSource, 2008

    2008-01-01

    Workforce projections worldwide show a growing need for people with strong backgrounds in math and science. As the eighth largest economy in the world, California benefits particularly from enterprises in the "STEM" fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). How well California's current public school students are…

  16. Naval Medical R and D News, January 2018, Volume X, Issue 1

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-01-01

    high school science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers toured the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC), Jan. 12, to see a working...lab into the classroom to promote hands-on science education. The teachers, whose subjects ranged from math and chemistry to biomedical sciences, came

  17. The Science of Growth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fett, Paula

    2010-01-01

    In recent years, "math and science" has been the mantra for many educators and business leaders who warn of an urgent need to encourage the pursuit of these and other technological disciplines or risk losing ground in the global economy. Simply emphasizing the need for "math and science" expertise does not, however, encourage…

  18. Preparing Elementary Mathematics-Science Teaching Specialists.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, L. Diane

    1992-01-01

    Describes a professional development program to train math/science specialists for the upper elementary school grades. Using results from an interest survey, 30 teachers were chosen to participate in a 3-year program to become math/science specialists. Presents the teaching model used and the advantages for teachers and students in having subject…

  19. Colorado Students Head to National Science Competition

    Science.gov Websites

    question and answer tournament that focuses on physics, math, biology, astronomy, chemistry, computers and nine years ago to help stimulate interest in science and math. The competition has evolved into one of

  20. 41 CFR 109-50.200 - Scope of subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 50-SPECIAL DOE DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.200 Scope... organizations for the purpose of improving math and science curricula or conducting of technical and scientific...

  1. National Center for Mathematics and Science - publications

    Science.gov Websites

    Approach to Teaching Evolution Speaks to Debate (press release) Fourth Grade Math Makes the News: VIEW , Megan Loef Franke, Linda Levi Publisher: Heinemann, 2003 Transforming Teaching in Math and Science: How

  2. Students From Highlands Ranch Triumph in Colorado Science Bowl

    Science.gov Websites

    final round of rapid-fire questions about physics, math, biology, astronomy, chemistry, computers and interest in science and math. The competition has evolved into one of the Energy Department's premier

  3. 41 CFR 109-50.200 - Scope of subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 50-SPECIAL DOE DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.200 Scope... organizations for the purpose of improving math and science curricula or conducting of technical and scientific...

  4. 41 CFR 109-50.200 - Scope of subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 50-SPECIAL DOE DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.200 Scope... organizations for the purpose of improving math and science curricula or conducting of technical and scientific...

  5. 41 CFR 109-50.200 - Scope of subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 50-SPECIAL DOE DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.200 Scope... organizations for the purpose of improving math and science curricula or conducting of technical and scientific...

  6. 41 CFR 109-50.200 - Scope of subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 50-SPECIAL DOE DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.200 Scope... organizations for the purpose of improving math and science curricula or conducting of technical and scientific...

  7. Technology and Communications Coursework: Facilitating the Progression of Students with Learning Disabilities through High School Science and Math Coursework.

    PubMed

    Shifrer, Dara; Callahan, Rebecca

    2010-09-01

    Students identified with learning disabilities experience markedly lower levels of science and mathematics achievement than students who are not identified with a learning disability. Seemingly compounding their disadvantage, students with learning disabilities also complete more credits in non-core coursework-traditionally considered non-academic coursework-than students who are not identified with a learning disability. The Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, a large national dataset with both regular and special education high school students, is utilized to determine whether credit accumulation in certain types of non-core coursework, such as Technology and Communications courses, is associated with improved science and math course-taking outcomes for students with learning disabilities. Results show that credit accumulation in Technology and Communications coursework uniquely benefits the science course-taking, and comparably benefits the math course-taking, of students identified with learning disabilities in contrast to students who are not identified with a learning disability.

  8. Technology and Communications Coursework: Facilitating the Progression of Students with Learning Disabilities through High School Science and Math Coursework

    PubMed Central

    Shifrer, Dara; Callahan, Rebecca

    2016-01-01

    Students identified with learning disabilities experience markedly lower levels of science and mathematics achievement than students who are not identified with a learning disability. Seemingly compounding their disadvantage, students with learning disabilities also complete more credits in non-core coursework—traditionally considered non-academic coursework—than students who are not identified with a learning disability. The Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, a large national dataset with both regular and special education high school students, is utilized to determine whether credit accumulation in certain types of non-core coursework, such as Technology and Communications courses, is associated with improved science and math course-taking outcomes for students with learning disabilities. Results show that credit accumulation in Technology and Communications coursework uniquely benefits the science course-taking, and comparably benefits the math course-taking, of students identified with learning disabilities in contrast to students who are not identified with a learning disability. PMID:27695150

  9. Brain Development

    MedlinePlus

    ... All Early Learning Child Care Early Literacy Early Math and Science Language and Communication Play School Readiness ... Brain Development from Birth Series Let's Talk About Math: Early Math Video Series Resource | Disponible en español ...

  10. Examining Big-Fish-Little-Pond-Effects across 49 Countries: A Multilevel Latent Variable Modelling Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Ze

    2015-01-01

    Using data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007, this study examined the big-fish-little-pond-effects (BFLPEs) in 49 countries. In this study, the effect of math ability on math self-concept was decomposed into a within- and a between-level components using implicit mean centring and the complex data…

  11. The Prevalence or Absence of Attention to Adolescent Literature in the Initial Preparation of Secondary Content Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ruiz, Amanda M.; Many, Joyce E.; Aoulou, Eudes

    2011-01-01

    This study examined uses of adolescent literature included secondary teacher preparation in English, math, science, and social studies education at 12 institutions. Analyses revealed programs emphasized adolescent literature in a variety of ways and most often in courses for English majors. Only two institutions required that prospective math,…

  12. Bright THz Instrument and Nonlinear THz Science

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-10-30

    darkness” Princeton International School of Math and Sciences, Princeton, NY, May 12, 2017. 7. “THz: Imaging Beyond Light” Open Readings 2017, 60th...June  19,  2017.   6.   “Let  light  shine  out  of  darkness”  Princeton  International  School  of   Math  and  Sciences,  Princeton,   NY,  May...a  graduate   of  Ph.D.  in  science,   math ,  engineering,  or  technology  fields   0   Number  who  achieved  a  3.5  GPA  to  4.0  (4.0  max

  13. TEACHER TRAINING: How to Produce Better Math and Science Teachers.

    PubMed

    Mervis, J

    2000-09-01

    Two National Research Council panels have released new reports on improving science and math education in the United States. One panel says that the best way to improve teacher education is to make it a continuum, with school districts taking more responsibility for the initial preparation of new teachers and university faculty playing a bigger role in ongoing professional development. The other panel says that more recent science Ph.D.s would be willing to teach high school science and math if the government helped with the transition, if the certification process were compressed, and if they could retain ties to research.

  14. Do Biology Students Really Hate Math? Empirical Insights into Undergraduate Life Science Majors' Emotions about Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wachsmuth, Lucas P.; Runyon, Christopher R.; Drake, John M.; Dolan, Erin L.

    2017-01-01

    Undergraduate life science majors are reputed to have negative emotions toward mathematics, yet little empirical evidence supports this. We sought to compare emotions of majors in the life sciences versus other natural sciences and math. We adapted the Attitudes toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory to create an Attitudes toward the Subject of…

  15. Engineering Efforts and Opportunities in the National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnerships (MSP) Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Pamela; Borrego, Maura

    2013-01-01

    The National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program (NSF, 2012) supports partnerships between K-12 school districts and institutions of higher education (IHEs) and has been funding projects to improve STEM education in K-12 since 2002. As of 2011, a total of 178 MSP projects have received support as part of a STEM…

  16. Programs for Students and Teachers | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    competition that tests the brainpower of middle and high school teams on science and math topics. Model Car 8th grade students. Student teams apply math, science, and creativity to construct solar and battery

  17. National Science Bowl Second Place Winners Explore Colorado

    Science.gov Websites

    -elimination contests. Student teams faced off in a fast-paced match of questions about physics, math, biology stimulate students' interests in science and math. Media are invited to cover the trip. NR-03997

  18. 34 CFR 645.32 - How does the Secretary evaluate prior experience?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Centers PE criteria in paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this...) Regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Centers. (i) (3 points) Number of participants...

  19. 34 CFR 645.32 - How does the Secretary evaluate prior experience?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Centers PE criteria in paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this...) Regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Centers. (i) (3 points) Number of participants...

  20. 34 CFR 645.32 - How does the Secretary evaluate prior experience?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Centers PE criteria in paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this...) Regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Centers. (i) (3 points) Number of participants...

  1. 34 CFR 645.32 - How does the Secretary evaluate prior experience?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Centers PE criteria in paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this...) Regular Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Centers. (i) (3 points) Number of participants...

  2. Troubled Waters: where Multiple Streams of Inequality Converge in the Math and Science Experiences of Nonprivileged Girls

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parrott, Laurel; Spatig, Linda; Kusimo, Patricia S.; Carter, Carolyn C.; Keyes, Marian

    Water is often hardest to navigate at the confluence of individual streams. As they experience math and science, nonprivileged girls maneuver through roiling waters where the streams of gender, ethnicity, poverty, place, and teaching practices converge. Just as waters of separate streams blend, these issues - too often considered separate factors - become blended and difficult to isolate, and the resulting turbulence produces a bumpy ride. We draw on 3 years of qualitative data collected as part of an intervention program to explore the math and science experiences and perceptions of a group of ethnically diverse, low socioeconomic status rural and urban adolescent Appalachian girls. After describing program and community contexts, we explore "opportunity to leant" issues - specifically, expectations, access to content, and support networks - and examine their schooling experiences against visions of science and math reform and pressures for accountability. Data are discussed within a framework of critical educational theory.

  3. The trials, tribulations, and triumphs of black faculty in the math and science pipeline: A life history approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Williams, Lisa D.

    2000-12-01

    This study explores the career progression and life history of black mathematicians and scientists who teach on university faculties in the United States. It investigates the following questions: Why are there so few black mathematicians and scientists in colleges and universities in the United States? What is the experience of black students who express an interest in science and math? What barriers do black scientists and mathematicians face as they move through school towards their career in higher education? What factors facilitate their success? The current literature shows that there are few women and minorities teaching or working in math and science compared to white men, although reasons for this underrepresentation are still not well understood. I explored this phenomenon by conducting two sets of in-depth interviews with twelve black faculty, six women, six men, from both historically black and predominantly white higher educational institutions in the United States. My interviews were based upon a life history approach that identified the participants' perceptions of the barriers and obstacles, as well as the supports and facilitators encountered in their schooling and career progression. The findings from the study show the importance of a strong family, community, and teacher support for the participants throughout their schooling. Support systems continued to be important in their faculty positions. These support systems include extended family members, teachers, community members, supervisors, and classmates, who serve as role models and mentors. The life study interviews provide striking evidence of the discrimination, isolation, and harassment due to race and gender experienced by black male and female mathematicians and scientists. The racial discrimination and the compounding effect of racism and sexism play out differently for the male and female participants in this study. This study suggests directions for future research on the experiences of young black students who are currently in the math and science educational pipeline. It also offers recommendations for ways in which parents, teachers, administrators, faculty, advisors, and government officials can enhance the educational experiences of black students who express interest and have skills in math and science.

  4. Improving quantitative skills in introductory geoscience courses at a four-year public institution using online math modules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gordon, E. S.

    2011-12-01

    Fitchburg State University has a diverse student population comprised largely of students traditionally underrepresented in higher education, including first-generation, low-income, and/or students with disabilities. Approximately half of our incoming students require developmental math coursework, but often enroll in science classes prior to completing those courses. Since our introductory geoscience courses (Oceanography, Meteorology, Geology, Earth Systems Science) do not have prerequisites, many students who take them lack basic math skills, but are taking these courses alongside science majors. In order to provide supplemental math instruction without sacrificing time for content, "The Math You Need, When You Need It (TMYN), a set of online math tutorials placed in a geoscience context, will be implemented in three of our introductory courses (Oceanography, Meteorology, and Earth Systems Science) during Fall, 2011. Students will complete 5-6 modules asynchronously, the topics of which include graphing skills, calculating rates, unit conversions, and rearranging equations. Assessment of quantitative skills will be tracked with students' pre- and post-test results, as well as individual module quiz scores. In addition, student assessment results from Oceanography will be compared to student data from Academic Year 2010-11, during which quantitative skills were evaluated with pre- and post-test questions, but students did not receive online supplemental instruction.

  5. Fueling Interest in Science: An After-School Program Model that Works

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koenig, Kathleen; Hanson, Margaret

    2008-01-01

    As our society becomes more technologically advanced and jobs require additional related skills, it is important that all girls, not just those interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (commonly referred to as the STEM disciplines), take advanced levels of science and math in high school. Evidence suggests that intervention…

  6. Math and Science Teachers: Recruiting and Retaining California's Workforce. Policy Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    EdSource, 2008

    2008-01-01

    Middle and high school math and science teachers provide the foundation for education in the growing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. They are crucial to California's efforts to remain competitive in a global economy. This policy brief looks at the shortage and challenges involved in recruiting and retaining fully prepared…

  7. Teaching Minds, Healing Bodies: A Canadian College Encourages Students to Enter Health Careers by Emphasizing Math and Science Skills.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jalan, Rahael

    1992-01-01

    Describes Saskatchewan Indian Federated College's preprofessional, university-level science program and its focus on building math and science skills and on Indian culture, traditional medicine, current and future health care needs, and the goals of Indian people. Reports departmentwide enrollment increases. (DMM)

  8. Math-Science Bills Advance in Congress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoff, David J.; Cavanagh, Sean

    2007-01-01

    Improving K-12 instruction and student achievement in mathematics and science is at the heart of separate bills intended to bolster America's economic standing that won overwhelming approval in both houses of Congress last week. The House on April 24 approved the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act by a vote of…

  9. Math + Science + Technology = Vocational Preparation for Girls: A Difficult Equation to Balance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fear-Fenn, Marcia; Kapostasy, Kathy Karako

    1992-01-01

    Females are underrepresented in courses in mathematics, science, and computer and other high technology applications. Research in the last decade has identified a variety of factors that contribute to females' lack of participation in math, science, and technology. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following: stereotypic images…

  10. Do We Produce Enough Mathematics and Science Teachers?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingersoll, Richard M.

    2011-01-01

    Empirical research on the supply and demand of math and science teachers finds some surprising results. The employment of qualified math and science teachers has more than kept pace with the demand, and most schools find qualified teachers for those positions. However, about a third of public schools--particularly high-poverty, high-minority, and…

  11. Making Links between Maths and Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hiscock, Naomi

    2012-01-01

    For some children maths and science are exciting subjects that work side by side, one providing the opportunity to practise and hone skills and knowledge gained from the other. For other children the subjects are disjointed and seem to bear no relationship to each other. Science can provide a wonderful opportunity to practise a variety of math…

  12. A New Approach to Improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education. Backgrounder No. 2259

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lips, Dan; McNeill, Jena Baker

    2009-01-01

    The authors express reservations about additional federal funding for the National Science Foundation, including new funding for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education programs, provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. For more than 50 years, American political, business, military, and academic leaders…

  13. Students Designing Video Games about Immunology: Insights for Science Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khalili, Neda; Sheridan, Kimberly; Williams, Asia; Clark, Kevin; Stegman, Melanie

    2011-01-01

    Exposing American K-12 students to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) content is a national initiative. Game Design Through Mentoring and Collaboration targets students from underserved communities and uses their interest in video games as a way to introduce science, technology, engineering, and math topics. This article describes a…

  14. The Importance of Early Attitudes toward Mathematics and Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ing, Marsh; Nylund-Gibson, Karen

    2017-01-01

    Background/Context: Given the importance of increasing student participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), there is a need to understand how factors such as student's attitudes toward math and science in middle and high school are linked to their later college and career choices. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of…

  15. The Effects of Motivation on Student Performance on Science Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glenn, Tina Heard

    2013-01-01

    Academic achievement of public school students in the United States has significantly fallen behind other countries. Students' lack of knowledge of, or interest in, basic science and math has led to fewer graduates of science, technology, engineering, and math-related fields (STEM), a factor that may affect their career success and will certainly…

  16. Putting the spark into physical science and algebra

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pill, Bruce; Dagenais, Andre

    2007-06-01

    The presenters will describe a number of laboratory activities developed in collaboration with the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Delaware as part of their outreach program to help make math and science more authentic on the pre-college level. Lessons relating to electrical topics are often abstract and appropriate only for advanced students in math and science. We have devised lessons that rely on simple equipment. They promote skills that are included in National and State Standards. They emphasize the connections between math and science; they are appropriate for an algebra course, a physical science course, a PhysicsFirst course or a traditional physics course. Students benefit from seeing that what they learn in math and science courses can lead to cutting-edge work in areas such as passive wave imaging, photonics, wireless communication and high performance computing. The collaboration has been meaningful because it has motivated us to tailor our lessons to reflect what is happening in the research lab of our local university. Written materials for use in teacher training workshops will also be available.

  17. Think Scientifically: The NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory's Elementary Science Literacy Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van Norden, Wendy; Wawro, Martha

    2013-03-01

    The pressure to focus on math and reading at the elementary level has increased in recent years. As a result, science education has taken a back seat in elementary classrooms. The Think Scientifically book series provides a way for science to easily integrate with existing math and reading curriculum. This story-based science literature program integrates a classic storybook format with solid solar science, to make an educational product that meets state literacy standards. Each story is accompanied by hands-on labs and activities that teachers can easily conduct in their classrooms with minimal training and materials, as well as math and language arts extensions and assessment questions. These books are being distributed through teacher workshops and conferences.

  18. Think Scientifically: The Solar Dynamics Observatory's Elementary Science Literacy Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van Norden, Wendy; Wawro; Martha

    2012-03-01

    The pressure to focus on math and reading at the elementary level has increased in recent years. As a result, science education has taken a back seat in elementary classrooms. The Think Scientifically book series provides a way for science to easily integrate with existing math and reading curriculum. This story-based science literature program integrates a classic storybook format with solid solar science, to make an educational product that meets state literacy standards. Each story is accompanied by hands-on labs and activities that teachers can easily conduct in their classrooms with minimal training and materials, as well as math and language arts extensions and assessment questions. These books are being distributed through teacher workshops and conferences.

  19. e-Alert from Fermilab Education Office November 2014 - Spring 2015

    Science.gov Websites

    math enrichment classes. Fermilab Friends for Science Education offers scholarships for teachers to out our new space for curriculum committees to examine the breadth of up-to-date K-12 math and science

  20. Influence of Social Cognitive and Ethnic Variables on Academic Goals of Underrepresented Students in Science and Engineering: A Multiple-Groups Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Byars-Winston, Angela; Estrada, Yannine; Howard, Christina; Davis, Dalelia; Zalapa, Juan

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated the academic interests and goals of 223 African American, Latino/a, Southeast Asian, and Native American undergraduate students in two groups: biological science and engineering (S/E) majors. Using social cognitive career theory (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994), we examined the relationships of social cognitive variables (math/science academic self-efficacy, math/science outcome expectations), along with the influence of ethnic variables (ethnic identity, other-group orientation) and perceptions of campus climate to their math/science interests and goal commitment to earn an S/E degree. Path analysis revealed that the hypothesized model provided good overall fit to the data, revealing significant relationships from outcome expectations to interests and to goals. Paths from academic self-efficacy to S/E goals and from interests to S/E goals varied for students in engineering and biological science. For both groups, other-group orientation was positively related to self-efficacy and support was found for an efficacy-mediated relationship between perceived campus climate and goals. Theoretical and practical implications of the study’s findings are considered as well as future research directions. PMID:20495610

  1. Middle school students' attitudes toward math and STEM career interests: A 4-year follow-up study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schneider, Madalyn R.

    The purpose of the current study is to examine middle school students' attitudes toward math, intent to pursue STEM-related education and occupations, and STEM interest from middle school to high school. The data used in this study are from a larger, on-going National Science Foundation (NSF) grant-funded study that is investigating middle school students' disengagement while using the Assistments system (Baker, Heffernan & San Pedro, 2012), a computer-based math tutoring system. The NSF grant study aims to explore how disengagement with STEM material can aid in the prediction of students' college enrollment as well as how it may interact with other factors affecting students' career choices (San Pedro, Baker, Bowers, Heffernan, 2013). Participants are students from urban and suburban schools in Massachusetts measured first in middle school and again four years later. Measures at Time 1 included: various items related to attitudes toward mathematics, occupations they could see themselves doing as adults, and the Brief Self-Control Scale (Tangney, Baumeister, & Luzio Boone, 2004). Measures at Time 2 included: items requesting the students' current mathematics and science courses and intended majors or occupations following high school graduation. Exploratory factor analysis, multiple regression and logistic regression analyses were used to test the following four hypotheses: I. There will be several distinct factors that emerge to provide information about middle school students' attitudes toward math; II. Students' attitudes toward math will correlate positively and significantly with students' intent to pursue STEM-related careers at Time 1 with a medium effect; III. Middle school attitudes toward mathematics will relate positively and significantly to level of high school mathematics and science courses with a medium effect; IV. Middle school intent to pursue STEM will correlate positively and significantly with high school intent to pursue STEM majors/careers with a medium effect. Results supported a 2-factor model of Attitudes toward Mathematics consisting of Math Self-Concept and Attitudes toward Assistments. Other significant findings include: a positive relationship between students' Attitudes toward Assistments and level of math class taken in high school; a positive relationship between students' Math Self-Concept and Self Control; a positive relationship between Self Control and students' endorsement of STEM careers while in middle school, and discrepancy between male and female students' endorsement of STEM careers as early as middle school. Although many of the study's primary hypotheses were not supported, the present study provides a framework and baseline for several important considerations. Limitations, including those related to the present study's small sample size, and future implications of the present study, which add to career development literature in STEM, are discussed in regard to both research and practice. Keywords: career development, middle school, attitudes, math, STEM, self-concept

  2. Exploring the Technical Expression of Academic Knowledge: The Science-in-CTE Pilot Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pearson, Donna; Young, R. Brent; Richardson, George B.

    2013-01-01

    The Science-in-CTE pilot study tested a curriculum integration model that enhanced the science that oc-curs in CTE curricula. The study replicated the National Research Center for Career and Technical Ed-ucation's (NRCCTE) Math-in-CTE experimental research design (Stone, Alfeld, & Pearson, 2008) with applied science in secondary agricultural…

  3. Classroom Learning Environment and Gender: Do They Explain Math Self-Efficacy, Math Outcome Expectations, and Math Interest during Early Adolescence?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deacon, Mary M.

    2011-01-01

    Despite initiatives to increase and broaden participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, women remain underrepresented in STEM. While U.S. girls and women perform as well as, if not better, than boys and men in math, research results indicate that there are significant declines in girls' math self-efficacy,…

  4. Students' Confidence in the Ability to Transfer Basic Math Skills in Introductory Physics and Chemistry Courses at a Community College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quinn, Reginald

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the confidence levels that community college students have in transferring basic math skills to science classes, as well as any factors that influence their confidence levels. This study was conducted with 196 students at a community college in central Mississippi. The study was conducted during the month…

  5. English Language Learners' (ELLs) Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) Course-Taking, Achievement and Attainment in College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shi, Qi

    2017-01-01

    Using data from the Educational Longitudinal Study: 2002, the present study examined the effects of demographic variables, high school math course-taking and high school GPA on ELL students' STEM course-taking, achievement and attainment in college. Regression analysis showed female ELL students were more likely to take more STEM courses and get…

  6. U.S. Poised to Sit Out TIMSS Test: Physics, Advanced Math Gauged in Global Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Viadero, Debra

    2007-01-01

    This article reports on reactions to the U.S. Department of Education's first time decision to sit out an international study designed to show how advanced high school students around the world measure up in math and science. Mark S. Schneider, the commissioner of the department's National Center for Education Statistics, which normally takes the…

  7. Examination of Science and Math Course Achievements of Vocational High School Students in the Scope of Self-Efficacy and Anxiety

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yüksel, Mehmet; Geban, Ömer

    2016-01-01

    This study attempted to predict physics, chemistry, and biology and math course achievements of vocational high school students according to the variables of student self-efficacy, academic self-efficacy, state anxiety and trait anxiety. Study data were collected using a questionnaire administered to the students of a vocational high school…

  8. An exploration of the gateway math and science course relationships in the Los Angeles Community College District

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buchanan, Donald G.

    This study evaluated selected demographic, pre-enrollment, and economic status variables in comparison to college-level performance factors of GPA and course completion ratios for gateway math and science courses. The Transfer and Retention of Urban Community College Students (TRUCCS) project team collected survey and enrollment data for this study in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD). The TRUCCS team surveyed over 5,000 students within the nine campus district beginning in the fall of 2000 and spring of 2001 with follow-up data for next several years. This study focused on the math and science courses; established background demographics; evaluated pre-enrollment high school self-reported grades; reviewed high school and college level math courses taken; investigated specific gateway courses of biology, chemistry and physics; and compared them to the overall GPAs and course completion ratios for 4,698 students. This involved the SPSS development of numerous statistical products including the data from frequency distributions, means, cross-tabulations, group statistics t-tests, independent samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVA. Findings revealed demographic and economic relationships of significance for students' performance factors of GPA and course completion ratios. Furthermore, findings revealed significant differences between the gender, age, ethnicity and economic employment relationships. Conclusions and implications for institutions of higher education were documented. Recommendations for dissemination, intervention programs, and future research were also discussed.

  9. Lambkins Roar as the Top High School in the 27th Colorado Science Bowl |

    Science.gov Websites

    round of the competition. As they readied to answer rapid-fire physics, math, biology, astronomy, energy group, which is an offshoot of his school's STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math

  10. NREL: News - High School Students Gear Up for Battle of the Brains

    Science.gov Websites

    compete in this rapid-fire question-and-answer tournament, which focuses on physics, math, biology competition. DOE began the National Science Bowl 12 years ago to help stimulate interest in science and math

  11. NREL Summer Interns Climb to New Heights | News | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    , Technology, Engineering, and Math teacher interns; six National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of , said, "As a kid, I loved making and taking things apart. I was best at science and math in school

  12. Differentiating Instruction with Menus Grades 3-5: Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Westphal, Laurie E.

    2007-01-01

    "Differentiating Instruction With Menus Grades 3-5" offers teachers everything they need to create a student-centered learning environment based on choice. Addressing the four main subject areas (language arts, math, science, and social studies) and the major concepts taught within these areas, these books provide a number of different types of…

  13. Issues in Education: Language Building Blocks for Climbing the Learning Tree

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pandey, Anita

    2012-01-01

    Language is the essence of humanity and the backbone of early childhood education. Academic content clusters on it. Math, science, and social studies, for instance, are best taught through "content area language." Critical thinking and other key math, listening, and reading comprehension skills are mirrored in language. Not surprisingly, spoken…

  14. QR-STEM: Energy and Environment as a Context for Improving QR and STEM Understandings of 6-12 Grade Teachers I. The Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lyford, M. E.; Myers, J. D.; Mayes, R. L.

    2009-12-01

    Numerous educational studies have documented serious shortcomings in student's quantitative reasoning (QR), understanding of science and ability to connect these to their daily lives. These have driven many reform efforts in teacher professional development. Historically, most of these efforts have focused on science or math and rarely on the science-society connection. For the past two years, a Wyoming Department of Education funded Math-Science Partnership (MSP) professional development program has created a collaboration of university and community college faculty and middle and high school teachers to address QR, science and social relevance in the context of energy and the environment. This professional development project is designed to: 1) improve teacher content knowledge (both in the sciences and math); 2) demonstrate the many social contexts in which science and QR are relevant and can be taught; 3) model effective science and QR classroom activities for teachers; 4) provide teachers with the opportunity to develop and test their own classroom materials; 5) foster the development of professional learning communities across the state; and 6) initiate discussions about curriculum across disciplinary boundaries. Over the course of four summer meetings, participants investigate a series of issues centered on energy and the environment, including transportation, electricity, biogeochemical cycles, Peak Oil, carbon sequestration and climate change. Each issue is approached in an interdisciplinary manner, where relevant aspects from the life sciences, earth sciences, chemistry and physics are addressed. An introductory presentation on the general theme kicks off each meeting to introduce the problem. Subsequent sessions are lead by faculty from the various scientific disciplines as well as math. During their sessions, university and community college faculty model active learning exercises for each issue. These activities weave together the relevant disciplinary scientific concepts, societal connections, and the quantitative skills students need to understand the issues from the perspective of an engaged but questioning citizen of a democracy. The project encourages multidisciplinary teams of teachers (science and math) from a school or district to work together to develop curricula that may span across courses and across grade levels within a school. During the meetings, teachers work in teams to develop activities tied to energy and the environment which they present to the entire group for feedback. During the course of the school year, teachers implement their activities and share their experiences with the whole group through online-meetings. To date, the program has worked with three teacher cohorts of 25-30 teachers each. Teachers in the program are drawn from both the math and science areas thereby initiating cross-disciplinary discourses that are rarely accommodated by current school organizational structures.

  15. America's Children: Providing Early Exposure to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Initiatives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeJarnette, Nancy K.

    2012-01-01

    Recent attention has been brought to light in the United States regarding low numbers of students pursing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) disciplines and degree programs (National Science Board, 2010). There is a great need in America for talented scientists and engineers. Numerous programs abound for high school and middle school…

  16. The Role of Informal Science in the State Education Agenda. Issue Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomasian, John

    2012-01-01

    Many governors have launched initiatives to raise student proficiency in math and science and encourage youth to pursue careers in STEM fields (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and math). Individuals with strong STEM skills play vital roles in technological innovation and economic growth and are rewarded with more secure jobs and higher…

  17. Staff Development for Pedagogues in Bilingual Math and Science Programs, 1993-94. Final Evaluation Report. OER Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roman, Elliott M.

    Staff Development for Pedagogues in Bilingual Math and Science provided two thematically-based workshops to 40 New York City science teachers who taught students of limited English proficiency (LEP) citywide. Workshops emphasized successful teaching strategies as well as psychological aspects involved in teaching LEP students. The project also…

  18. Women in Academic Science: A Changing Landscape.

    PubMed

    Ceci, Stephen J; Ginther, Donna K; Kahn, Shulamit; Williams, Wendy M

    2014-12-01

    Much has been written in the past two decades about women in academic science careers, but this literature is contradictory. Many analyses have revealed a level playing field, with men and women faring equally, whereas other analyses have suggested numerous areas in which the playing field is not level. The only widely-agreed-upon conclusion is that women are underrepresented in college majors, graduate school programs, and the professoriate in those fields that are the most mathematically intensive, such as geoscience, engineering, economics, mathematics/computer science, and the physical sciences. In other scientific fields (psychology, life science, social science), women are found in much higher percentages. In this monograph, we undertake extensive life-course analyses comparing the trajectories of women and men in math-intensive fields with those of their counterparts in non-math-intensive fields in which women are close to parity with or even exceed the number of men. We begin by examining early-childhood differences in spatial processing and follow this through quantitative performance in middle childhood and adolescence, including high school coursework. We then focus on the transition of the sexes from high school to college major, then to graduate school, and, finally, to careers in academic science. The results of our myriad analyses reveal that early sex differences in spatial and mathematical reasoning need not stem from biological bases, that the gap between average female and male math ability is narrowing (suggesting strong environmental influences), and that sex differences in math ability at the right tail show variation over time and across nationalities, ethnicities, and other factors, indicating that the ratio of males to females at the right tail can and does change. We find that gender differences in attitudes toward and expectations about math careers and ability (controlling for actual ability) are evident by kindergarten and increase thereafter, leading to lower female propensities to major in math-intensive subjects in college but higher female propensities to major in non-math-intensive sciences, with overall science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at 50% female for more than a decade. Post-college, although men with majors in math-intensive subjects have historically chosen and completed PhDs in these fields more often than women, the gap has recently narrowed by two thirds; among non-math-intensive STEM majors, women are more likely than men to go into health and other people-related occupations instead of pursuing PhDs. Importantly, of those who obtain doctorates in math-intensive fields, men and women entering the professoriate have equivalent access to tenure-track academic jobs in science, and they persist and are remunerated at comparable rates-with some caveats that we discuss. The transition from graduate programs to assistant professorships shows more pipeline leakage in the fields in which women are already very prevalent (psychology, life science, social science) than in the math-intensive fields in which they are underrepresented but in which the number of females holding assistant professorships is at least commensurate with (if not greater than) that of males. That is, invitations to interview for tenure-track positions in math-intensive fields-as well as actual employment offers-reveal that female PhD applicants fare at least as well as their male counterparts in math-intensive fields. Along these same lines, our analyses reveal that manuscript reviewing and grant funding are gender neutral: Male and female authors and principal investigators are equally likely to have their manuscripts accepted by journal editors and their grants funded, with only very occasional exceptions. There are no compelling sex differences in hours worked or average citations per publication, but there is an overall male advantage in productivity. We attempt to reconcile these results amid the disparate claims made regarding their causes, examining sex differences in citations, hours worked, and interests. We conclude by suggesting that although in the past, gender discrimination was an important cause of women's underrepresentation in scientific academic careers, this claim has continued to be invoked after it has ceased being a valid cause of women's underrepresentation in math-intensive fields. Consequently, current barriers to women's full participation in mathematically intensive academic science fields are rooted in pre-college factors and the subsequent likelihood of majoring in these fields, and future research should focus on these barriers rather than misdirecting attention toward historical barriers that no longer account for women's underrepresentation in academic science. © The Author(s) 2014.

  19. Math and Science. IDRA Focus.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    IDRA Newsletter, 1995

    1995-01-01

    This theme issue contains six articles on improving math and science education for minority group students, particularly language-minority students. "Accelerating Content Area Gains for English Language Learners" (Laura Chris Green) describes the Young Scientists Acquiring English project, which seeks to improve the content-area…

  20. 75 FR 36414 - American Indians Into Psychology; Notice of Competitive Grant Applications for American Indians...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-25

    ... subjects of math and science in order to pursue training in the health professions. f. Provide budget... enrichment in the subjects of math and science in order to pursue training in the health professions. f...

  1. 2018 WINTER TRI-Association Small Business Advisory Panel (TRIAD) Conference

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-01-30

    Senior Staff Officer, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Acquisition – SAF/ AQC, Pentagon; Branch Chief, Math & Science Division of the Air Force Office...encourage the pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). CAROL WOODEN Director of Supplier Diversity, Corporate Supply

  2. Striding through Time

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clary, Renee; Wandersee, James

    2014-01-01

    The "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS) focus attention on integrating engineering and math in science instruction. The dinosaur trackway project described in this article shows that it is possible to assign engineering applications to students in disciplines other than physics and to integrate math and engineering applications in…

  3. Think Scientifically: The NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory's Elementary Science Literacy Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van Norden, Wendy M.

    2013-07-01

    The pressure to focus on math and reading at the elementary level has increased in recent years. As a result, science education has taken a back seat in elementary classrooms. The Think Scientifically book series provides a way for science to easily integrate with existing math and reading curriculum. This story-based science literature program integrates a classic storybook format with solar science concepts, to make an educational product that meets state literacy standards. Each story is accompanied by hands-on labs and activities that teachers can easily conduct in their classrooms with minimal training and materials, as well as math and language arts extensions. These books are being distributed through teacher workshops and conferences, and are available free at http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/educators/thinkscientifically.php.

  4. The relationship between self-concept and achievement in TIMSS 2007: A comparison between American and Japanese students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoshino, Asako

    2012-04-01

    The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between eighth-grade students' maths-related self-concepts and their achievements in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007. The students' maths self-concept was compared with other variables, namely their mothers' education, their fathers' education and the amount of books held in the students' households. To investigate the potential role of culture, a comparison between American and Japanese students' scores was also included. The findings demonstrated that students' maths self-concept was positively associated with their achievement both in the United States and Japan, but Japanese students, while having higher achievement, had a lower maths self-concept than American students. Maternal education, paternal education and the number of books at home were also found to be positively related to achievement. Examining standardised coefficients, the study confirmed a strong interaction between maths self-concept and country, as well as a positive connection between maths self-concept as such (irrespective of the country) with maths achievement.

  5. An exploration of gender participation patterns in science competitions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arámbula Greenfield, Teresa

    This study investigated participation in a state-level science competition over most of its 35-year history. Issues examined included whether different gender patterns occurred with respect to entry rate, project topic (life science, physical science, earth science, and math), and project type (research or display). The study also examined to what extent the identified patterns reflected or contradicted nationwide patterns of girls' academic performance in science over roughly the same time period. It was found that although girls initially participated in the fair less frequently than boys, for the past 20 years their participation rate has been greater than that of boys. Examination of topic preferences over the years indicates that both girls and boys have traditionally favored life science; however, boys have been and continue to be more likely to prepare physical, earth, and math/computer science projects than girls. Another gender difference is that girls are generally less likely than boys to prepare projects based on experimental research as opposed to library research. The study provides some suggestions for teachers and teacher educators for addressing these disparities.Received: 4 February 1994; Revised: 12 January 1995;

  6. Progressing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in North Dakota with near-space ballooning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saad, Marissa Elizabeth

    The United States must provide quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in order to maintain a leading role in the global economy. Numerous initiatives have been established across the United States that promote and encourage STEM education within the middle school curriculum. Integrating active learning pedagogy into instructors' lesson plans will prepare the students to think critically - a necessary skill for the twenty first century. This study integrated a three-week long Near Space Balloon project into six eighth grade Earth Science classes from Valley Middle School in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was hypothesized that after the students designed, constructed, launched, and analyzed their payload experiments, they would have an increased affinity for high school science and math classes. A pre- and post-survey was distributed to the students (n=124), before and after the project to analyze how effective this engineering and space mission was regarding high school STEM interests. The surveys were statistically analyzed, comparing means by the Student's t-Test, specifically the Welch-Satterthwaite test. Female students displayed a 57.1% increase in math and a 63.6% increase in science; male students displayed a 46.6% increase in science and 0% increase in math. Most Likert-scale survey questions experienced no statistically significant change, supporting the null hypothesis. The only survey question that supported the hypothesis was, "I Think Engineers Work Alone," which experienced a 0.24% decrease in student understanding. The results suggest that integrating a three-week long Near Space Balloon project into middle school curricula will not directly influence the students' excitement to pursue STEM subjects and careers. An extensive, yearlong ballooning mission is recommended so that it can be integrated with multiple core subjects. Using such an innovative pedagogy method as with this balloon launch will help students master the scientific process and experience real team collaboration, as they did in this successful mission.

  7. STAR: Preparing future science and math teachers through authentic research experiences at national laboratories

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keller, John; Rebar, Bryan

    2012-11-01

    The STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Program provides 9-week paid summer research experiences at national research laboratories for future science and math teachers. The program, run by the Cal Poly Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education (CESaME) on behalf of the entire California State University (CSU) System, has arranged 290 research internships for 230 STEM undergraduates and credential candidates from 43 campuses over the past 6 years. The program has partnered with seven Department of Energy labs, four NASA centers, three NOAA facilities, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). Primary components of the summer experience include a) conducting research with a mentor or mentor team, b) participating in weekly 2-3 hour workshops focused on translating lessons learned from summer research into classroom practice, and c) presenting a research poster or oral presentation and providing a lesson plan linked to the summer research experience. The central premise behind the STAR Program is that future science and math teachers can more effectively prepare the next generation of science, math, and engineering students if they themselves have authentic experiences as researchers.

  8. MATH77, Version 4.0

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lawson, Charles L.; Krogh, Fred; Van Snyder, W.; Oken, Carol A.; Mccreary, Faith A.; Lieske, Jay H.; Perrine, Jack; Coffin, Ralph S.; Wayne, Warren J.

    1994-01-01

    MATH77 is high-quality library of ANSI FORTRAN 77 subprograms implementing contemporary algorithms for basic computational processes of science and engineering. Release 4.0 of MATH77 contains 454 user-callable and 136 lower-level subprograms. MATH77 release 4.0 subroutine library designed to be usable on any computer system supporting full ANSI standard FORTRAN 77 language.

  9. 78 FR 40167 - Notice of Change of Locations for Resource Advisory Council Meetings for the Dominguez-Escalante...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-03

    ... Convention Center, 159 Main Street, Grand Junction, CO to the John McConnell Math & Science Center, 2660... . ADDRESSES: The meeting on July 17 will be held at the John McConnell Math & Science Center, 2660 Unaweep...

  10. Bubble Babies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pike, Lisa; Rentsch, Jeremy

    2017-01-01

    This math activity focuses on experimental design while connecting math with life science. It is important that the science and engineering practices (SEPs) are not taught as a separate "unit" but integrated within the curriculum wherever possible. The focus is on experimental design to teach animal behavior. Students predict and test…

  11. STEM Comes to Preschool

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moomaw, Sally; Davis, Jaumall A.

    2010-01-01

    Math and science and the related technology and engineering are natural pairings. These four disciplines form the acronym STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and can be readily combined into an integrated curriculum for early childhood classrooms. Many educators believe that children learn best when disciplines are interconnected. An…

  12. Common Features of Professional Development Activities for Mathematics and Science Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moyer-Packenham, Patricia S.; Bolyard, Johnna J.; Oh, Hana; Cerar, Nancy Irby

    2011-01-01

    This study examines professional development activities provided for mathematics and science teachers in the National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnership Program by analyzing a cross-sectional sample of over 2000 professional development (PD) activities in the program. Data were gathered from secondary source documents and surveys to…

  13. Adolescents' and Emerging Adults' Implicit Attitudes about STEM Careers: "Science Is Not Creative"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valenti, S. S.; Masnick, A. M.; Cox, B. D.; Osman, C. J.

    2016-01-01

    Although interest in science and math is often high in the elementary grades, interest in choosing science and math careers drops off beginning in junior high school for both genders, but especially for girls. By high school, a shift towards increased rigor is often accompanied by a lack of creativity in the way that scientific disciplines are…

  14. The Blue Blazer Club: Masculine Hegemony in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Fields

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Page, Melanie C.; Bailey, Lucy E.; Van Delinder, Jean

    2009-01-01

    The under-representation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields is of continuing concern, as is the lack of women in senior positions and leadership roles. During a time of increasing demand for science and engineering enterprise, the lack of women and minorities in these academic disciplines needs to be addressed by…

  15. A Compendium of Math and Science Research Funded by NCER and NCSER: 2002-2013. NCER 2016-2000

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yamaguchi, Ryoko; Hall, Adam

    2016-01-01

    This compendium organizes information on the math and science projects sponsored by NCER and NCSER into two main sections: Mathematics and Science. Within each section, projects are sorted into chapters based on content area, grade level, and intended outcome. In determining the chapters, we considered the emerging college- and career-readiness…

  16. Intermediate Trends in Math and Science Partnership-Related Changes in Student Achievement with Management Information System Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dimitrov, Dimiter M.

    2009-01-01

    This substudy in the evaluation design of the Math and Science Partnership (MSP) Program Evaluation examines student proficiency in mathematics and science for the MSPs' schools in terms of changes across three years (2003/04, 2004/05, and 2005/06) and relationships with MSP-related variables using Management Information System data with the…

  17. International Space Station: K-5 Hands-on Science and Math Lesson Plans.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boeing Co., Huntsville, AL.

    The Space Station is already capturing the imaginations of American students, encouraging them to pursue careers in the sciences. The idea of living and working in space continues to spark this renewed interest. The material in this guide was developed to provide hands-on experiences in science and math in the context of an International Space…

  18. Putting the “Spark” into Physical Science and Algebra

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dagenais, Andre; Pill, B.

    2006-12-01

    The presenters will describe a number of laboratory activities developed in collaboration with the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Delaware as part of their outreach program to help make math and science more authentic on the pre-college level. Lessons relating to electrical topics are often abstract and appropriate only for advanced students in math and science. We have devised lessons that rely on simple equipment. They promote skills that are included in National and State Standards. They emphasize the connections between math and science; they are appropriate for an algebra course, a physical science course, a PhysicsFirst course or a traditional physics course. Students benefit from seeing that what they learn in math and science courses can lead to cutting-edge work in areas such as passive wave imaging, photonics, wireless communication and high performance computing. The collaboration has been meaningful because it has motivated us to tailor our lessons to reflect what is happening in the research lab of our local university. Written materials for use in teacher training workshops will also be available. Funded by NSF Research Experience for Teachers(RET #0322633) program under the direction of Dr. Dennis Prather, University of Delaware Electrical Engineering

  19. Developing Elementary Math and Science Process Skills Through Engineering Design Instruction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Strong, Matthew G.

    This paper examines how elementary students can develop math and science process skills through an engineering design approach to instruction. The performance and development of individual process skills overall and by gender were also examined. The study, preceded by a pilot, took place in a grade four extracurricular engineering design program in a public, suburban school district. Students worked in pairs and small groups to design and construct airplane models from styrofoam, paper clips, and toothpicks. The development and performance of process skills were assessed through a student survey of learning gains, an engineering design packet rubric (student work), observation field notes, and focus group notes. The results indicate that students can significantly develop process skills, that female students may develop process skills through engineering design better than male students, and that engineering design is most helpful for developing the measuring, suggesting improvements, and observing process skills. The study suggests that a more regular engineering design program or curriculum could be beneficial for students' math and science abilities both in this school and for the elementary field as a whole.

  20. The Relationship between Self-Concept and Achievement in TIMSS 2007: A Comparison between American and Japanese Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yoshino, Asako

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between eighth-grade students' maths-related self-concepts and their achievements in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007. The students' maths self-concept was compared with other variables, namely their mothers' education, their fathers' education…

  1. Effects of Professional Development on Infusing Engineering Design into High School Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Curricula

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Avery, Zanj Kano

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of professional development (PD) on the infusion of engineering design into high school curricula. Four inservice teachers with backgrounds in physics, chemistry, industrial education, math, and electrical engineering participated in the 2006 National Center of Engineering and Technology…

  2. Designing Studies to Test Causal Questions About Early Math: The Development of Making Pre-K Count.

    PubMed

    Mattera, Shira K; Morris, Pamela A; Jacob, Robin; Maier, Michelle; Rojas, Natalia

    2017-01-01

    A growing literature has demonstrated that early math skills are associated with later outcomes for children. This research has generated interest in improving children's early math competencies as a pathway to improved outcomes for children in elementary school. The Making Pre-K Count study was designed to test the effects of an early math intervention for preschoolers. Its design was unique in that, in addition to causally testing the effects of early math skills, it also allowed for the examination of a number of additional questions about scale-up, the influence of contextual factors and the counterfactual environment, the mechanism of long-term fade-out, and the role of measurement in early childhood intervention findings. This chapter outlines some of the design considerations and decisions put in place to create a rigorous test of the causal effects of early math skills that is also able to answer these questions in early childhood mathematics and intervention. The study serves as a potential model for how to advance science in the fields of preschool intervention and early mathematics. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. K-12 Science and Math Education across the Federal Agencies. Hearing before the Committee on Science, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Ninth Congress, Second Session (March 30, 2006). Serial Number 109-43

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US House of Representatives, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This document records testimony from a hearing held to examine how federal agencies can improve their individual and collective efforts to strengthen K-12 science and math education. Presenters and witnesses included: Representative Sherwood L. Boehlert, Chairman, Committee on Science, U.S. House of Representatives; Representative Bart Gordon,…

  4. Math and science technology access and use in South Dakota public schools grades three through five

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schwietert, Debra L.

    The development of K-12 technology standards, soon to be added to state testing of technology proficiency, and the increasing presence of computers in homes and classrooms reflects the growing importance of technology in current society. This study examined math and science teachers' responses on a survey of technology use in grades three through five in South Dakota. A researcher-developed survey instrument was used to collect data from a random sample of 100 public schools throughout the South Dakota. Forced choice and open-ended responses were recorded. Most teachers have access to computers, but they lack resources to purchase software for their content areas, especially in science areas. Three-fourths of teachers in this study reported multiple computers in their classrooms and 67% reported access to labs in other areas of the school building. These numbers are lower than the national average of 84% of teachers with computers in their classrooms and 95% with access to computers elsewhere in the building (USDOE, 2000). Almost eight out of 10 teachers noted time as a barrier to learning more about educational software. Additional barriers included lack of school funds (38%), access to relevant training (32%), personal funds (30%), and poor quality of training (7%). Teachers most often use math and science software as supplemental, with practice tutorials cited as another common use. The most common interest for software was math for both boys and girls. The second most common choice for boys was science and for girls, language arts. Teachers reported that there was no preference for either individual or group work on computers for girls or boys. Most teachers do not systematically evaluate software for gender preferences, but review software over subjectively.

  5. Foundation for the Future.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. Directorate for Education and Human Resources.

    This document describes some of the many programs sponsored by the National Science Foundation in its efforts to continue to promote systemic science and mathematics education reform. Brief descriptions of the following programs are included: (1) Interactive Math Program Restructures 9-12 Math Education; (2) Algebra I Project Sparks Citywide…

  6. The identification of Gender Bias in the U.S. Military

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-03-01

    Opinion Form SSA Social Security Administration STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math U.S. United States USN United States Navy xvi THIS...in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related fields, with lifestyle choice being cited by some as the reasoning for this disparity

  7. Math and Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Drum, Jean, Ed.

    1993-01-01

    This theme issue discusses education of gifted students in the areas of math and science. The issue contains several articles, an editorial, a program description, and a profile of an educator. "Our Most Important Investment for the Future: The Education of Our Youth" (Marian C. Diamond) describes educational programs of the Lawrence…

  8. UNCF, Thurgood Marshall Collaboration Encourages Teaching Careers in Math, Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Black Issues in Higher Education, 2005

    2005-01-01

    The Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, the United Negro College Fund, and the Siemens Foundation have collaborated to establish the Siemens Teacher Scholarships, aimed at encouraging minority students to pursue teaching careers in math and science. This brief article discusses the details of the new program.

  9. Longitudinal Study of Career Cluster Persistence from 8th Grade to 12th Grade with a Focus on the Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math Career Cluster

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wagner, Judson

    Today's technology driven global economy has put pressure on the American education system to produce more students who are prepared for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Adding to this pressure is the demand for a more diverse workforce that can stimulate the development of new ideas and innovation. This in turn requires more female and under represented minority groups to pursue future careers in STEM. Though STEM careers include many of the highest paid professionals, school systems are dealing with exceptionally high numbers of students, especially female and under represented minorities, who begin but do not persist to STEM degree completion. Using the Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT) framework that attributes student motivation to a combination of intrinsic, utility, and attainment values, this study analyzed readily available survey data to gauge students' career related values. These values were indirectly investigated through a longitudinal approach, spanning five years, on the predictive nature of 8 th grade survey-derived recommendations for students to pursue a future in a particular career cluster. Using logistic regression analysis, it was determined that this 8 th grade data, particularly in STEM, provides significantly high probabilities of a 12th grader's average grade, SAT-Math score, the math and science elective courses they take, and most importantly, interest in the same career cluster.

  10. STEAMakers- a global initiative to connect STEM career professionals with the public to inspire the next generation and nurture a creative approach to science, technology, maths & engineering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shaw, Niamh; Sorkhabi, Elburz; Gasquez, Oriol; Yajima, Saho

    2016-04-01

    STEAMakers is a global initiative founded by Niamh Shaw, Elburz Sorkhabi, Oriol Gasquez & Saho Yajima, four alumni of The International Space University's Space Studies Programme 2015 who each shared a vision to inspire the next generation to embrace science, technology, engineering & maths (STEM) in new ways, by embedding the Arts within STEM, putting the 'A' in STEAM. STEAMakers invited STEM professionals around the world to join their community, providing training and a suite of STEAM events, specially designed to encourage students to perceive science, technology, engineering & maths as a set of tools with which to create, design, troubleshoot, innovate, and imagine. The ultimate goal of STEAMakers is to grow this community and create a global culture of non-linear learning among the next generation, to nurture within them a new multidisciplinary mindset and incubate new forms of innovation and thought leadership required for the future through the power of inspiration and creativity.

  11. Math and the Mona Lisa

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Atalay, Bulent

    2004-05-03

    Bulent Atalay discusses content from his book entitled "Math and the Mona Lisa" which covers Leonardo Da Vinci and how he combined his love of science, math, and art to draw dramatic conclusions about the natural world. He also describes how mathematics influences art and architecture.

  12. The relationship between service-learning participation and high school students' achievement in math and science education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elliott, Eddie Brown

    This study examined a causal relationship between service-learning participation and academic achievement of 9th grade students in math and science courses. The central purpose of the study was to examine the impact of service-learning participation on students' academic outcomes, and to determine if this impact was consistent after controlling for the socioeconomic status (SES) of the student. The participants in this study were from the base year data of the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). For this study, 15,058 students identified as being enrolled in mathematics and science classes were selected. Quantitative methods were used to analyze cross-sectional data from the HSLS:09 study. The initial findings from this study suggest that service-learning participation was consistent in student's academic achievement of all students regardless of socioeconomic status.

  13. Are Psychology Students Getting Worse at Math?: Trends in the Math Skills of Psychology Statistics Students across 21 Years

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carpenter, Thomas P.; Kirk, Roger E.

    2017-01-01

    Statistics is an important subject in psychology and social science education. However, inadequate mathematical skills can pose a barrier to learning statistics. Some educators have suggested that students' math skills are declining. The present research examined trends in the math skills of psychology undergraduates across 21 years. Students…

  14. Conditions and Decisions of Urban Elementary Teachers Regarding Instruction of STEM Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Erica L.; Parker, Carolyn A.; McKinney, David; Grigg, Jeffrey

    2018-01-01

    The study was situated in a National Science Foundation supported Math Science Partnership between a private university and an urban school district. This study sought to understand the decision-making process of elementary teachers as they implement an integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum in their…

  15. Diagnosing Competency Mastery in Science: An Application of GDM to TIMSS 2011 Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kabiri, Masoud; Ghazi-Tabatabaei, Mahmood; Bazargan, Abbas; Shokoohi-Yekta, Mohsen; Kharrazi, Kamal

    2017-01-01

    Numerous diagnostic studies have been conducted on large-scale assessments to illustrate the students' mastery profile in the areas of math and reading; however, for science a limited number of investigations are reported. This study investigated Iranian eighth graders' competency mastery of science and examined the utility of the General…

  16. Final Report of the Impacts of the National Math + Science Initiative's (NMSI's) College Readiness Program on High School Students' Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sherman, Dan; Li, Yibing; Darwin, Marlene; Taylor, Suzanne; Song, Mengli

    2017-01-01

    The National Math + Science Initiative's (NMSI's) College Readiness Program (CRP) is an established program whose goal is to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education in high schools to improve students' readiness for college. It provides teacher, student, and school supports to promote high school students' success in…

  17. Gender Differences in Mathematics and Science: The Role of the Actiotope in Determining Individuals' Achievements and Confidence in Their Own Abilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ziegler, Albert; Stoeger, Heidrun; Harder, Bettina; Park, Kyungbin; Portešová, Šárka; Porath, Marion

    2014-01-01

    Despite changes, gender differences in math and science continue to exist in some countries. We examined whether the actiotopes of boys and girls at the high school level in math and science differed and the extent to which (a) their actiotope components, (b) the progressive development of their actiotopes (dynamic perspective), and (c) the…

  18. A Kit to Develop and Present a Math/Science Conference for Females in Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ongley, Betty Lee

    A workshop on mathematics and science careers for girls was part of an effort to remediate the effects of past sex bias on females' career and vocational choices. A model for organizing and conducting a conference with emphasis on careers for women in math and science is offered for educators in this publication. The guide includes: (1) planning…

  19. SCDC Spanish Curricula Units. Science/Math Strand, Unit 5, Grade 2, Teacher's Guide--Multi-Ethnic Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Operations Research Society of America, Arlington, VA.

    Continuing the theme of the school as a community, the teacher's guide to the science/math strand of unit five presents both instructional and assessment activities for kits 17-20. Focus, materials and objective for each activity are in Spanish and English; teacher instructions are in Spanish only. In kit 17 the science activities deal with the…

  20. Invisible Thread: Pre-Service Success Indicators Among Marine General Officers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-12-01

    Science and Math Majors, Environment-Related Majors, Business Majors, Engineering & Technology Majors, Language, Literature & Social Science Majors...did get a chemistry set. So, you know, we were trying to mash up electronics and chemistry. So, yes so that was you know, my love for math and

  1. How to Start a STEM Team

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hughes, Bill

    2009-01-01

    The United States' poor performance in teaching math and science eliminates many of the best and brightest school children from the ranks of future scientists and engineers. With little chance to learn in school how science and math skills might translate into professionally useful knowledge, students are unable to make informed choices about…

  2. A Mohawk Vision of Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henderson, Mary

    1996-01-01

    Discusses the Ahkwesahsne Science and Math Project, a holistic bioregional curriculum designed to help students of the Mohawk culture in Canada. The program aimed to stress the local ecosystem and develop a curriculum based in Mohawk culture while encouraging the students to also pursue the advanced levels of math and science. (AIM)

  3. The Math, Science, & Manufacturing Collaborative.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abate, Ronald J.

    The concept of a collaborative math and science project grew out of the need expressed by Cleveland State University (Ohio) engineering faculty and junior and senior high school teachers. These groups sought to provide students with connections to "real world" situations that they will face as they transition into the workplace of the…

  4. An Analysis of Teachers' Perceptions through Metaphors: Prospective Turkish Teachers of Science, Math and Social Science in Secondary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akçay, Süleyman

    2016-01-01

    In this study, teachers' perceptions of prospective Turkish teachers (that is, those who have completed their undergraduate studies) in the fields of Science, Mathematics and Social Sciences are investigated through teacher metaphors. These perceptions were classified in accordance with their answers to two open-ended questions within a metaphoric…

  5. Math at home adds up to achievement in school.

    PubMed

    Berkowitz, Talia; Schaeffer, Marjorie W; Maloney, Erin A; Peterson, Lori; Gregor, Courtney; Levine, Susan C; Beilock, Sian L

    2015-10-09

    With a randomized field experiment of 587 first-graders, we tested an educational intervention designed to promote interactions between children and parents relating to math. We predicted that increasing math activities at home would increase children's math achievement at school. We tested this prediction by having children engage in math story time with their parents. The intervention, short numerical story problems delivered through an iPad app, significantly increased children's math achievement across the school year compared to a reading (control) group, especially for children whose parents are habitually anxious about math. Brief, high-quality parent-child interactions about math at home help break the intergenerational cycle of low math achievement. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  6. The Quantitative Reasoning for College Science (QuaRCS) Assessment in non-Astro 101 Courses II

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kirkman, Thomas W.; Jensen, Ellen

    2017-06-01

    The Quantitative Reasoning for College Science (QuaRCS) Assessment[1] aims to measure the pre-algebra mathematical skills that are often part of "general education" science courses like Astro 101. In four majors STEM classes, we report comparisons between QuaRCS metrics, ACT math, GPAO, and the course grade. In three of four classes QuaRCS QR score and ACT math were statistically significantly correlated (with r˜.6), however in the fourth course —a senior-level microbiology course— there was no statistically significantly correlation (in fact, r<0). In all courses —even in courses with seemingly little quantitative content— course grade was statistically significantly correlated to GPAO and QR. A QuaRCS metric aiming to report the students belief in the importance of math in science was seen to grow with the course level. Pre/post QuaRCS testing in Physics courses showed fractional sigma gains in QR, self-estimated math fluency and math importance, but not all of those increases were statistically significant. Using a QuaRCS map relating the questions to skill areas, we found graph reading, percentages, and proportional reasoning to be the most misunderstood skills in all four courses.[1] QuaRCS, Follette, et al.,2015, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1936-4660.8.2.2

  7. The aurora, Mars, and more! Increasing science content in elementary grades through art and literacy programs in earth and space science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Renfrow, S.; Wood, E. L.

    2011-12-01

    Although reading, writing, and math examinations are often conducted early in elementary school, science is not typically tested until 4th or 5th grade. The result is a refocus on the tested topics at the expense of the untested ones, despite that standards exist for each topic at all grades. On a national level, science instruction is relegated to a matter of a few hours per week. A 2007 Education Policy study states that elementary school students spend an average of 178 minutes a week on science while spending 500 minutes on literacy. A recent NSTA report in July of elementary and middle school teachers confirms that teachers feel pressured to teach math and literacy at the expense of other programs. One unintended result is that teachers in grades where science is tested must play catch-up with students for them to be successful on the assessment. A unique way to combat the lack of science instruction at elementary grades is to combine literacy, social studies, and math into an integrated science program, thereby increasing the number of science contact hours. The Dancing Lights program, developed at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, is a science, art, and literacy program about the aurora designed to easily fit into a typical 3rd-5th grade instructional day. It mirrors other successful literacy programs and will provide a basis for the literacy program being developed for the upcoming MAVEN mission to Mars. We will present early findings, as well as "lessons learned" during our development and implementation of the Dancing Lights program and will highlight our goals for the MAVEN mission literacy program.

  8. The effect of the Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program on increasing enrollment and performance on Advanced Placement science exams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramsey, Susan Brady

    The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of the National Math and Science Initiative's Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program (APTIP) on the number of students taking AP science courses and their performance. The study evaluated 39 schools over a six-year period in six states that participate in the APTIP. The National Math and Science Initiative provided data for cohort I. A general linear model for repeated measures was used to evaluate the data. Data was evaluated three years prior to the intervention and three years during the intervention, which will actually continue for two more years (2012 and 2013) since cohort I schools were awarded five years of support. Students in APTIP schools enrolled in more AP science exams (AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, and AP Physics-B) over the course of the intervention. The quantity of students earning qualifying scores increased during the intervention years. APTIP is a multi-tiered program that includes seven days of teacher training, three six-hour student prep sessions, school equipment, reduced exam fees, and monetary incentives for students and teachers. This program positively impacted the quantity of enrollment and qualifying scores during the three years evaluated in this study. Increases in the number of female and African American students' test takers their and qualifying scores were seen in all three years of the APTIP intervention. This study supports the premise that the first step to increasing the Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) pipeline is giving access to advanced courses to more students in high schools.

  9. In Brief: Revitalizing Earth science education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2008-12-01

    A 5-year, $3.9-million U.S. National Science Foundation Math Science Partnership grant to Michigan Technological University (MTU), in Houghton, aims to improve instruction in middle-school Earth and space science courses. The program will enable geoscience and education researchers to work with middle-school science teachers to test strategies designed to reform science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. Project lead researcher Bill Rose said the project could be a template for improvement in STEM throughout the United States. Rose, one of seven MTU faculty members involved with the Michigan Institute for Teaching Excellence Program (MITEP), said the project is ``trying to do something constructive to attract more talented young people to advanced science, math, and technology.'' The project includes data collection and analysis overseen by an evaluation team from the Colorado School of Mines. Also participating in the project are scientists from Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Mich.; the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Area Pre-College Engineering Program; the American Geological Institute; and the U.S. National Park Service.

  10. Exploring Gender Differences across Elementary, Middle, and High School Students' Science and Math Attitudes and Interest

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    LeGrand, Julie

    The issue of female underrespresentation in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology careers and courses has been well researched over the last several decades. However, as gender gaps in achievement close and representation becomes more equitable in certain academic domains, research has turned to social and cultural factors to explain why fewer women persist in STEM studies and careers than men. The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in science and math attitudes and interests from elementary school, to middle school, to high school. To examine possible gender-specific shifts in students' interest and attitudes in science and math, 136 students from a suburban, public school district were surveyed at the elementary school level (N=31), middle school level (N=54), and high school level (N=51) and various constructs were used to assess the responses in accordance with expectancy-value theory. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, a random sample of students from each grade level then participated in focus groups, and corollary themes were identified. Results from a logistical regression analysis and Mann-Whitney Test indicated that significant gender differences exist for interest, efficacy, expectancy, and value within science domains (p<.05), although these differences are not the same at each grade level or for each scientific discipline. Significant gender differences in mathematics are present only at the elementary school level.

  11. Miracle Math: A Successful Program from Singapore Tests the Limits of School Reform in the Suburbs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garelick, Barry

    2006-01-01

    In December of 2004, media outlets across the country were abuzz with news of the just-released results of the latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) tests. Once again despite highly publicized efforts to reform American math education over the past two decades, the United States did little better than average. Taken…

  12. The Relation between Students' Math and Reading Ability and Their Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Examination Grades in Secondary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Korpershoek, Hanke; Kuyper, Hans; van der Werf, Greetje

    2015-01-01

    Word problems are math- or science-related problems presented in the context of a story or real-life scenario. Literature suggests that, to solve these problems, advanced reading skills are required, in addition to content-related skills in, for example, mathematics. In the present study, we investigated the relation between students' reading…

  13. Understanding the factors that influence high science achievers' academic choices and intent to pursue or opt out of the hard sciences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quihuis, Gisell

    Drawing on Eccles and her colleagues' Expectancy-Value model of academic behavior and choice, this dissertation study set out to serve three purposes: (1) to understand how high achieving high school students who aspire to science college degrees compare, in terms of motivational beliefs and social experiences, with other high achievers who do not aspire to science college degrees; (2) to understand why some high school students who excel in the hard sciences are unsure about pursuing a science degree in college; and (3) to examine whether gender differences in motivational beliefs and social experiences found in previous research on math (see Eccles 1984) exist for science among high achieving high school students. Survey and interview data showed that gender differences previously found in Eccles' research on math exist for science among a select group of high achieving high school students. Yet, these gender differences did not explain students' aspirations for science. Motivation, classroom perceptions, science engagement, as well as other science-related experiences at home and school, including parent and teacher influences, were also important factors associated with students' aspirations for science. Results and implications for this study are encouraging because they suggest that both parents and educators can help more high achievers become interested in science. Parents can expose their children, male and female alike, to science at home early on in their childhood and teachers can help students sustain and further develop an interest in science at school. In this manner, both parents and teachers can work together as a team to encourage more high achievers to aspire to science degrees in their future. Lastly, it is important to note that this study found Eccles' model of motivation and choice helpful in understanding not only gender differences in math and the hard sciences, but also aspiration differences that cut across gender among students. Researchers interested in understanding students' motivation and academic-related choices may want to consider the applicability of Eccles' Expectancy-Value model to studies that do not focus on gender differences and that include academic domains aside from mathematics.

  14. G.E.M.S. event

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-03-08

    About 170 high school and elementary girls from area schools participated in a Girls Excited about Math and Science event at Stennis Space Center on March 8, 2012. The event was designed to promote studies in science and mathematics.

  15. PUMAS: The On-line journal of Math and Science Examples for Pre-College Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trainer, Melissa G.; Kahn, Ralph A.

    2015-11-01

    PUMAS - “Practical Uses of Math And Science” - is an on-line collection of brief examples showing how math and science topics taught in K-12 classes can be used in interesting settings, including every day life. The examples are written primarily by scientists, engineers, and other content experts having practical experience with the material. They are aimed mainly at classroom teachers to enrich their presentation of math and science topics. The goal of PUMAS is to capture, for the benefit of pre-college education, the flavor of the vast experience that working scientists have with interesting and practical uses of math and science. There are currently over 80 examples in the PUMAS collection, and they are organized by curriculum topics and tagged with relevant grade levels and curriculum topic benchmarks. The published examples cover a wide range of subject matter: from demonstrating why summer is hot, to describing the fluid dynamics of a lava lamp, to calculating the best age to collect Social Security Benefits. The examples are available to all interested parties via the PUMAS web site: http://pumas.nasa.gov/.We invite the community to participate in the PUMAS collection. We seek scientists and scientific thinkers to provide innovative examples of practical uses for teachers to use to enrich the classroom experience, and content experts to participate in peer-review. We also seek teachers to review examples for originality, accuracy of content, clarity of presentation, and grade-level appropriateness. Finally, we encourage teachers to mine this rich repository for real-world examples to demonstrate the value of math in science in everyday life.

  16. The Math-Biology Values Instrument: Development of a Tool to Measure Life Science Majors' Task Values of Using Math in the Context of Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrews, Sarah E.; Runyon, Christopher; Aikens, Melissa L.

    2017-01-01

    In response to calls to improve the quantitative training of undergraduate biology students, there have been increased efforts to better integrate math into biology curricula. One challenge of such efforts is negative student attitudes toward math, which are thought to be particularly prevalent among biology students. According to theory,…

  17. The Packing Property

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-11-01

    Discrete Math . 115, 141-152. [7] Edmonds J., Giles R. (1977) A Min-Max relation for submodular functions on graphs, Annals of Discrete Math . 1, 185...projective planes, handwritten man- uscript, published: (1990) Polyhedral Combinatorics (W. Cook, P.D. Seymour eds.), DIMACS Series in Discrete Math . and...Theoretical Computer Science 1, 101-105. [11] Lovasz L. (1972) Normal hypergraphs and the perfect graph conjecture, Discrete Math . 2, 253-267. [12

  18. From access to success in science: An academic-student affairs intervention for undergraduate freshmen biology students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aldridge, Jacqueline Nouvelle

    The first year experience is known to present an array of challenges for traditional college students. In particular, freshmen who major in a STEM discipline have their own unique set of challenges when they transition from high school science and math to college science and math; especially chemistry. As a result, students may encounter negative experiences which lower academic and social confidence. This project was designed as a pilot study intervention for a small group of freshmen biology students who were considered academically at-risk due their math SAT scores. The study occurred during the fall semester involving an enhanced active learning component based on the Peer-led Team Learning (PLTL) general chemistry supplemental pedagogy model, and a biology-focused First Year Experience (FYE). PLTL workshops took place in freshmen residence halls, creating a live-n-learn community environment. Mid-term and final chemistry grades and final math grades were collected to measure academic progress. Self-reporting surveys and journals were used to encourage participants to reconstruct their experiences and perceptions of the study. Descriptive analysis was performed to measure statistical significance between midterm and final grade performance, and a general inductive qualitative method was used to determine academic and social confidence as well as experiences and perceptions of the project. Findings of this project revealed a statistically significant improvement between chemistry midterm and final grades of the sample participants. Although academic confidence did not increase, results reveal that social confidence progressed as the majority of students developed a value for studying in groups.

  19. Reasoning About Nature: Graduate students and teachers integrating historic and modern science in high school math and science classes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davis, J. B.; Rigsby, C. A.; Muston, C.; Robinson, Z.; Morehead, A.; Stellwag, E. J.; Shinpaugh, J.; Thompson, A.; Teller, J.

    2010-12-01

    Graduate students and faculty at East Carolina University are working with area high schools to address the common science and mathematics deficiencies of many high school students. Project RaN (Reasoning about Nature), an interdisciplinary science/math/education research project, addresses these deficiencies by focusing on the history of science and the relationship between that history and modern scientific thought and practice. The geological sciences portion of project RaN has three specific goals: (1) to elucidate the relationships among the history of scientific discovery, the geological sciences, and modern scientific thought; (2) to develop, and utilize in the classroom, instructional modules that are relevant to the modern geological sciences curriculum and that relate fundamental scientific discoveries and principles to multiple disciplines and to modern societal issues; and (3) to use these activity-based modules to heighten students’ interest in science disciplines and to generate enthusiasm for doing science in both students and instructors. The educational modules that result from this linkage of modern and historical scientific thought are activity-based, directly related to the National Science Standards for the high school sciences curriculum, and adaptable to fit each state’s standard course of study for the sciences and math. They integrate historic sciences and mathematics with modern science, contain relevant background information on both the concept(s) and scientist(s) involved, present questions that compel students to think more deeply (both qualitatively and quantitatively) about the subject matter, and include threads that branch off to related topics. Modules on topics ranging from the density to cladistics to Kepler’s laws of planetary motion have been developed and tested. Pre- and post-module data suggest that both students and teachers benefit from these interdisciplinary historically based classroom experiences.

  20. Strengthening Higher Education: Simplify Student Aid & Emphasize Vital Science, Math, and Language Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berkowitz, Peter

    2007-01-01

    Higher education in America faces such formidable problems as unaffordable tuition, lack of accountability, students ill-prepared for college, declining enrollment in math and science, and too few graduates fluent in critical foreign languages. This Opportunity 08 position paper recommends that the next President should take the following steps to…

  1. Bolden STEM Event

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-01-28

    NASA Administrator Charles Bolden visits with students from Albert Hill Middle School during a visit to the MathScience Innovation Center, Friday, Jan. 28, 2011, in Richmond, Va. During his visit, Bolden highlighted the importance of science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, as he shared his life experiences with the students. Photo Credit:(NASA/Paul E. Alers)

  2. Bolden STEM Event

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-01-28

    NASA Administrator Charles Bolden speaks to students from Albert Hill Middle School during a visit to the MathScience Innovation Center, Friday, Jan. 28, 2011, in Richmond, Va. During his talk, Bolden highlighted the importance of science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, as he shared his life experiences with the students. Photo Credit (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

  3. Math, Science, and Technology in the Early Grades

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clements, Douglas H.; Sarama, Julie

    2016-01-01

    Do young children naturally develop the foundations of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)? And if so, should we build on these foundations by using STEM curricula in preschools? In this article, Douglas Clements and Julie Sarama argue that the answer to both these questions is yes. First, the authors show that young children possess…

  4. Does Autonomy over Teacher Hiring Affect Student Math and Science Achievement?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Youngran

    2017-01-01

    This paper examines the causal effects of autonomy over teacher hiring on student math and science achievement using the random student assignment policy implemented in Korea. Under this policy, students were randomly assigned to different schools within their school districts which equalized the compositions of student bodies across schools.…

  5. Building Interest in Math and Science for Rural and Underserved Elementary School Children Using Robots

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matson, Eric; DeLoach, Scott; Pauly, Robyn

    2004-01-01

    The "Robot Roadshow Program" is designed to increase the interest of elementary school children in technical disciplines, specifically math and science. The program focuses on children from schools categorized as rural or underserved, which often have limited access to advanced technical resources. We developed the program using robots…

  6. Preparing Leaders for Math and Science: Three Alternatives to Traditional Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lochmiller, Chad R.; Huggins, Kristin S.; Acker-Hocevar, Michele A.

    2012-01-01

    Improving student achievement in math and science has become a priority in the United States. As instructional leaders, principals can influence instruction in these vital subjects by working with classroom teachers to improve their instruction. Surprisingly, the research about the principal's role in supporting instruction in these subjects is…

  7. The SingAboutScience.org Database: An Educational Resource for Instructors and Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crowther, Gregory J.

    2012-01-01

    Potential benefits of incorporating music into science and math curricula include enhanced recall of information, counteraction of perceptions that the material is dull or impenetrable, and opportunities for active student engagement and creativity. To help instructors and others find songs suited to their needs, I created the "Math And Science…

  8. Algebra for All. Research Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bleyaert, Barbara

    2009-01-01

    The call for "algebra for all" is not a recent phenomenon. Concerns about the inadequacy of math (and science) preparation in America's high schools have been a steady drumbeat since the 1957 launch of Sputnik; a call for raising standards and the number of math (and science) courses required for graduation has been a part of countless…

  9. The Role of Social Support in Students' Perceived Abilities and Attitudes toward Math and Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rice, Lindsay; Barth, Joan M.; Guadagno, Rosanna E.; Smith, Gabrielle P. A.; McCallum, Debra M.

    2013-01-01

    Social cognitive models examining academic and career outcomes emphasize constructs such as attitude, interest, and self-efficacy as key factors affecting students' pursuit of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses and careers. The current research examines another under-researched component of social cognitive models: social…

  10. Integrating Literacy, Math, and Science to Make Learning Come Alive

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bintz, William P.; Moore, Sara D.; Hayhurst, Elaine; Jones, Rubin; Tuttle, Sherry

    2006-01-01

    In this article, the authors who are an interdisciplinary team of middle school educators collaboratively developed and implemented an interdisciplinary unit designed to help middle school students: (1) think like mathematicians and scientists; (2) develop specific areas of expertise in math and science; and (3) use literature as a tool to learn…

  11. An Analysis of the High Attrition Rates among First Year College Science, Math, and Engineering Majors.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daempfle, Peter A.

    2004-01-01

    Explores the empirical evidence that explains the increasing attrition rates of first year college science, math, and engineering (SME) majors. Results suggest that the interaction of instructional factors, differing high school and college faculty expectations for entering SME undergraduates, and epistemological considerations contribute to…

  12. TechXcite: Discover Engineering--A New STEM Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sallee, Jeff; Schmitt-McQuitty, Lynn; Swint, Sherry; Meek, Amanda; Ybarra, Gary; Dalton, Rodger

    2015-01-01

    TechXcite is an engineering-focused, discovery-based after-school science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) program. The free curriculum is downloadable from http://techxcite.pratt.duke.edu/ and is comprised of eight Modules, each with four to five 45-minute activities that exercise the science and math learned in school by using…

  13. The Numbers Gap.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaplan, Joel; Aronson, David

    1994-01-01

    This article discusses gender bias concerning girls in math and science classrooms and careers. It examines some of the reasons for this bias and its effects on self-esteem, and it provides examples of the preventive measures that are currently being used, including the use of girls-only math and science fairs. Gender equity legislation is also…

  14. Exploring Complex Engineering Learning over Time with Epistemic Network Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Svarovsky, Gina Navoa

    2011-01-01

    Recently, K-12 engineering education has received increased attention as a pathway to building stronger foundations in math and science and introducing young people to the profession. However, the National Academy of Engineering found that many K-12 engineering programs focus heavily on engineering design and science and math learning while…

  15. Enhanced learning of proportional math through music training and spatial-temporal training.

    PubMed

    Graziano, A B; Peterson, M; Shaw, G L

    1999-03-01

    It was predicted, based on a mathematical model of the cortex, that early music training would enhance spatial-temporal reasoning. We have demonstrated that preschool children given six months of piano keyboard lessons improved dramatically on spatial-temporal reasoning while children in appropriate control groups did not improve. It was then predicted that the enhanced spatial-temporal reasoning from piano keyboard training could lead to enhanced learning of specific math concepts, in particular proportional math, which is notoriously difficult to teach using the usual language-analytic methods. We report here the development of Spatial-Temporal Math Video Game software designed to teach fractions and proportional math, and its strikingly successful use in a study involving 237 second-grade children (age range six years eight months-eight years five months). Furthermore, as predicted, children given piano keyboard training along with the Math Video Game training scored significantly higher on proportional math and fractions than children given a control training along with the Math Video Game. These results were readily measured using the companion Math Video Game Evaluation Program. The training time necessary for children on the Math Video Game is very short, and they rapidly reach a high level of performance. This suggests that, as predicted, we are tapping into fundamental cortical processes of spatial-temporal reasoning. This spatial-temporal approach is easily generalized to teach other math and science concepts in a complementary manner to traditional language-analytic methods, and at a younger age. The neural mechanisms involved in thinking through fractions and proportional math during training with the Math Video Game might be investigated in EEG coherence studies along with priming by specific music.

  16. Math, Science, and Engineering Integration in a High School Engineering Course: A Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valtorta, Clara G.; Berland, Leema K.

    2015-01-01

    Engineering in K-12 classrooms has been receiving expanding emphasis in the United States. The integration of science, mathematics, and engineering is a benefit and goal of K-12 engineering; however, current empirical research on the efficacy of K-12 science, mathematics, and engineering integration is limited. This study adds to this growing…

  17. College Women Pursuing Careers in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering in the 1970s.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNamara, Patricia P.; Scherrei, Rita A.

    The characteristics and persistence of young women who entered college during the 1970s and expressed an interest in science, math, and engineering (SME) are examined. The study design includes: (1) trend analysis of changes in characteristics of the science-oriented freshman pool from 1971-1979; (2) a longitudinal study of the educational and…

  18. Students' Achievement in Math and Science: How Grit and Attitudes Influence?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Mutawah, Masooma Ali; Fateel, Moosa Jaafar

    2018-01-01

    Many recent studies in the field of mathematics and science education have been studying the effect of non-cognitive factors in students' achievement such as emotions, attitudes, values, beliefs, motivation, anxiety and grit. For example, attitude has been an important area in science education, and there have been many attempts to measure…

  19. Knowledge Construction in Computer Science and Engineering When Learning through Making

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Charlton, Patricia; Avramides, Katerina

    2016-01-01

    This paper focuses on a design based research study about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) learning by making through collaboration and production. This study examines learning by making by students to explore STEM using a constructionist approach with a particular focus on computer science and engineering. The use of IoT as a…

  20. Designing Creative Inter-Disciplinary Science and Art Interventions in Schools: The Case of Write a Science Opera (WASO)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ben-Horin, Oded; Chappell, Kerry A.; Halstead, Jill; Espeland, Magne

    2017-01-01

    The goal of this qualitative study is to provide theoretical knowledge and design principles for a creative educational environment characterized by simultaneous study and exploration of science or math, and the arts: Write a Science Opera (WASO). To do so, we used a theory of creativity in education which links collaborative co-creation in…

  1. Perceptions of preparedness of LBS I teachers in the state of Illinois and graduates of Illinois State University's LBS I program to collaborate in teaching grade 7--12 math, science, and social science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caldwell, Janet E.

    The expectations for no child to be left behind are leading to increased emphasis on teaching math, science, and social science effectively to students with disabilities. This study utilized information collected from online surveys to examine how current LBS I teachers and individuals graduating from the Illinois State University teacher certification program in LBS I perceive their preparedness to teach these subjects. Participants provided information about coursework and life experiences, and they made suggestions about teacher preparation and professional development programs. Six key items forming the composite variable focused on level of preparation in (a) best practices, (b) selecting materials, (c) selecting objectives, (d) adapting instructional strategies, (e) planning lessons, and (f) and evaluating outcomes. Only 30 LBS I teachers of the 282 contacted by e-mail completed surveys. Of 115 graduates contacted, 71 participated in the original survey and 23 participated in a follow-up survey. Data were analyzed to learn more about the teachers' self-perceptions regarding preparedness to teach math, science, or social science. There was a correlation between perceived level of knowledge and the composite preparation variable for all subjects, but no correlation with length of teaching. Both groups indicated high school content courses were important in preparation to teach. Teachers also indicated collaboration and graduates indicated grade school learning. The most frequent recommendation for both teacher preparation and professional development was additional methods courses. A survey distributed to math, science, and social science teachers of Grades 7--12 asked about their perceptions of the preparedness of LBS I teachers to teach their area of content. Few surveys were completed for each subject so they were examined qualitatively. There was variability among participants, but generally the content area teachers rated themselves as more prepared than the LBS I teachers.

  2. Careers in STEM Begin with Elementary Student Interest in Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brimmer, Linda Ertrachter

    2017-01-01

    I investigated why math capable students are not entering science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. To research the problem, I explored how highly effective elementary math teachers (HEMT) create student interest in mathematics using the self- efficacy (SE) theory and information and communication technology (ICT). The purpose of…

  3. Home | National Inventors Hall of Fame

    Science.gov Websites

    Math (STEM) based programming, connecting inquisitive minds with skills that will serve them for a , Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) thinking. REGISTER NOW "Camp Invention has been, and continues your child learns science, technology, engineering and math in a weeklong experience that taps into the

  4. Exploring the relationship between math anxiety and gender through implicit measurement

    PubMed Central

    Rubinsten, Orly; Bialik, Noam; Solar, Yael

    2012-01-01

    Math anxiety, defined as a negative affective response to mathematics, is suggested as a strong antecedent for the low visibility of women in the science and engineering workforce. However, the assumption of gender differences in math anxiety is still being studied and results are inconclusive, probably due to the use of explicit measures such as direct questionnaires. Thus, our primary objective was to investigate the effects of math anxiety on numerical processing in males and females by using a novel affective priming task as an indirect measure. Specifically, university students (23 males and 30 females) completed a priming task in which an arithmetic equation was preceded by one of four types of priming words (positive, neutral, negative, or related to mathematics). Participants were required to indicate whether the equation (simple math facts based on addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) was true or false. People are typically found to respond to target stimuli more rapidly after presentation of an affectively related prime than after an affectively unrelated one. In the current study, shorter response latencies for positive as compared to negative affective primes were found in the male group. An affective priming effect was found in the female group as well, but with a reversed pattern. That is, significantly shorter response latencies were observed in the female group for negative as compared to positive targets. That is, for females, negative affective primes act as affectively related to simple arithmetic problems. In contrast, males associated positive affect with simple arithmetic. In addition, only females with lower or insignificant negative affect toward arithmetic study at faculties of mathematics and science. We discuss the advantages of examining pure anxiety factors with implicit measures which are free of response factors. In addition it is suggested that environmental factors may enhance the association between math achievements and math anxiety in females. PMID:23087633

  5. Exploring the relationship between math anxiety and gender through implicit measurement.

    PubMed

    Rubinsten, Orly; Bialik, Noam; Solar, Yael

    2012-01-01

    Math anxiety, defined as a negative affective response to mathematics, is suggested as a strong antecedent for the low visibility of women in the science and engineering workforce. However, the assumption of gender differences in math anxiety is still being studied and results are inconclusive, probably due to the use of explicit measures such as direct questionnaires. Thus, our primary objective was to investigate the effects of math anxiety on numerical processing in males and females by using a novel affective priming task as an indirect measure. Specifically, university students (23 males and 30 females) completed a priming task in which an arithmetic equation was preceded by one of four types of priming words (positive, neutral, negative, or related to mathematics). Participants were required to indicate whether the equation (simple math facts based on addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) was true or false. People are typically found to respond to target stimuli more rapidly after presentation of an affectively related prime than after an affectively unrelated one. In the current study, shorter response latencies for positive as compared to negative affective primes were found in the male group. An affective priming effect was found in the female group as well, but with a reversed pattern. That is, significantly shorter response latencies were observed in the female group for negative as compared to positive targets. That is, for females, negative affective primes act as affectively related to simple arithmetic problems. In contrast, males associated positive affect with simple arithmetic. In addition, only females with lower or insignificant negative affect toward arithmetic study at faculties of mathematics and science. We discuss the advantages of examining pure anxiety factors with implicit measures which are free of response factors. In addition it is suggested that environmental factors may enhance the association between math achievements and math anxiety in females.

  6. The Magnitude, Destinations and Determinants of Mathematics and Science Teacher Turnover

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingersoll, Richard; May, Henry

    2010-01-01

    The objective of this study is to use nationally representative data to examine the rates, destinations and sources of math and science teacher turnover. There are four sets of research questions the authors address concerning the departure of mathematics and science teachers from their schools: (1) At what rates do mathematics/science teachers…

  7. Studies in Mathematics, Volume XV. Calculus and Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Twersky, Victor

    This book is designed to illustrate how one general method of calculus is used in many different sciences and how different methods of calculus have furthered the development of essentially one field of science. The material is written so that it could serve as a math-science supplement for many courses. Chapters included are: (1) Introduction;…

  8. An Assessment of Factors Relating to High School Students' Science Self-Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gibson, Jakeisha Jamice

    2017-01-01

    This mixed-methods case study examined two out-of-school (OST) Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs at a science-oriented high school on students' Self-Efficacy. Because STEM is a key for future innovation and economic growth, Americans have been developing a variety of approaches to increase student interest in science within…

  9. Positive Feedback From Male Authority Figures Boosts Women's Math Outcomes.

    PubMed

    Park, Lora E; Kondrak, Cheryl L; Ward, Deborah E; Streamer, Lindsey

    2018-03-01

    People often search for cues in the environment to determine whether or not they will be judged or treated negatively based on their social identities. Accordingly, feedback from gatekeepers-members of majority groups who hold authority and power in a field-may be an especially important cue for those at risk of experiencing social identity threat, such as women in math settings. Across a series of studies, women who received positive ("Good job!") versus objective (score only) feedback from a male (vs. female) authority figure in math reported greater confidence; belonging; self-efficacy; more favorable Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) attitudes/identification/interest; and greater implicit identification with math. Men were affected only by the type of math feedback they received, not by the source of feedback. A meta-analysis across studies confirmed results. Together, these findings suggest that positive feedback from gatekeepers is an important situational cue that can improve the outcomes of negatively stereotyped groups.

  10. Family-School Connections and the Transitions of Low-Income Youth and English Language Learners from Middle School into High School

    PubMed Central

    Crosnoe, Robert

    2010-01-01

    The theoretical and policy focus on parental involvement in education has evolved into a consideration of two-way connections between families and schools. Working from a social capital perspective emphasizing the importance of information in periods and domains of uncertainty, this study tested a specific application of this reconceptualization. Multilevel models of the National Education Longitudinal Study (n = 17,899) revealed that youth started high school in higher-level math when parents, middle school personnel, and high school personnel were in contact with each other and when middle school personnel bridged the other two. The observed effects of other family-school patterns on math and of all family-school patterns on science were driven by selection, including adolescents' characteristics selecting them into different family-school configurations. Importantly, multiple forms of family-school communication were related to reduced income and language disparities in math and science coursework, regardless of their associations with coursework in the general population. PMID:19586180

  11. The effects of calculator-based laboratories on standardized test scores

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stevens, Charlotte Bethany Rains

    Nationwide, the goal of providing a productive science and math education to our youth in today's educational institutions is centering itself around the technology being utilized in these classrooms. In this age of digital technology, educational software and calculator-based laboratories (CBL) have become significant devices in the teaching of science and math for many states across the United States. Among the technology, the Texas Instruments graphing calculator and Vernier Labpro interface, are among some of the calculator-based laboratories becoming increasingly popular among middle and high school science and math teachers in many school districts across this country. In Tennessee, however, it is reported that this type of technology is not regularly utilized at the student level in most high school science classrooms, especially in the area of Physical Science (Vernier, 2006). This research explored the effect of calculator based laboratory instruction on standardized test scores. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of traditional teaching methods versus graphing calculator teaching methods on the state mandated End-of-Course (EOC) Physical Science exam based on ability, gender, and ethnicity. The sample included 187 total tenth and eleventh grade physical science students, 101 of which belonged to a control group and 87 of which belonged to the experimental group. Physical Science End-of-Course scores obtained from the Tennessee Department of Education during the spring of 2005 and the spring of 2006 were used to examine the hypotheses. The findings of this research study suggested the type of teaching method, traditional or calculator based, did not have an effect on standardized test scores. However, the students' ability level, as demonstrated on the End-of-Course test, had a significant effect on End-of-Course test scores. This study focused on a limited population of high school physical science students in the middle Tennessee Putnam County area. The study should be reproduced in various school districts in the state of Tennessee to compare the findings.

  12. An Examination of the Promise of the NumberShire Level 1 Gaming Intervention for Improving Student Mathematics Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fien, Hank; Doabler, Christian T.; Nelson, Nancy J.; Kosty, Derek B.; Clarke, Ben; Baker, Scott K.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to test the promise of the NumberShire Level 1 Gaming Intervention (NS1) to accelerate math learning for first-grade students with or at risk for math difficulties. The NS1 intervention was developed through the Institute of Education Sciences, Small Business Innovation Research Program (Gause, Fien, Baker, &…

  13. KSC-2014-3653

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2014-08-29

    KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Guests at the Tom Joyner Family Reunion participate in "Learn and Spin Challenge," an opportunity to answer questions related to science, technology, engineering and math. Robert Smith asks a question as part of NASA’s educational theme during the five-day event. Behind Smith, to the left, is Debbie Houston who also supported the "Learn and Spin Challenge." The Tom Joyner Family Reunion is designed to present uplifting programs, entertainment and information about growing, diverse communities. An annual event of the nationally-syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show, the many exhibits included NASA's participation focusing on encouraging young people to consider studies and careers in STEM -- science, technology, engineering and math. NASA's Education Division promoted the benefits of math and scientific learning along with career opportunities offered by the space agency. The activities took place at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida, during the Labor Day weekend. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

  14. Fine motor skills and early comprehension of the world: two new school readiness indicators.

    PubMed

    Grissmer, David; Grimm, Kevin J; Aiyer, Sophie M; Murrah, William M; Steele, Joel S

    2010-09-01

    Duncan et al. (2007) presented a new methodology for identifying kindergarten readiness factors and quantifying their importance by determining which of children's developing skills measured around kindergarten entrance would predict later reading and math achievement. This article extends Duncan et al.'s work to identify kindergarten readiness factors with 6 longitudinal data sets. Their results identified kindergarten math and reading readiness and attention as the primary long-term predictors but found no effects from social skills or internalizing and externalizing behavior. We incorporated motor skills measures from 3 of the data sets and found that fine motor skills are an additional strong predictor of later achievement. Using one of the data sets, we also predicted later science scores and incorporated an additional early test of general knowledge of the social and physical world as a predictor. We found that the test of general knowledge was by far the strongest predictor of science and reading and also contributed significantly to predicting later math, making the content of this test another important kindergarten readiness indicator. Together, attention, fine motor skills, and general knowledge are much stronger overall predictors of later math, reading, and science scores than early math and reading scores alone.

  15. Differences between the Sexes among Protestant Christian Middle School Students and Their Attitudes toward Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Michael, Kurt Y.; Alsup, Philip R.

    2016-01-01

    Research focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education among conservative Protestant Christian school students is scarce. Crenshaw's intersectionality theory is examined as it pertains to religion as a group identifier. The STEM Semantic Survey was completed by 157 middle school students attending six different private…

  16. Evaluation of the Appalachian Regional Commission Oak Ridge National Laboratory Summer Institute for Math/Science/Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simkin, Linda S.; Futch, Valerie

    2006-01-01

    This report describes some of the key immediate and long-term outcomes achieved by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)-Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Summer Institute for Math/Science/Technology for student and teacher participants. This two-week summer program provides high school students and teachers from the Appalachian region the…

  17. Mathematics and Science Teachers Professional Development with Local Businesses to Introduce Middle and High School Students to Opportunities in STEM Careers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miles, Rhea; Slagter van Tryon, Patricia J.; Mensah, Felicia Moore

    2015-01-01

    TechMath is a professional development program that forms collaborations among businesses, colleges, and schools for the purpose of promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers. TechMath has provided strategies for creating highquality professional development by bringing together teachers, students, and business…

  18. Assessing the Workforce Outcomes of Maryland Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Postsecondary Graduates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zheng, Xiaying; Stapleton, Laura M.; Henneberger, Angela K.; Woolley, Michael E.

    2016-01-01

    The science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce, and therefore STEM education, has become increasingly central to the U.S. economic growth and competitiveness over the past five decades. Nationally, the number of STEM workforce positions and the number of STEM postsecondary graduates have increased over time, but there is…

  19. A Framework for Understanding Cross-National and Cross-Ethnic Gaps in Math and Science Achievement: The Case of the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guglielmi, R. Sergio; Brekke, Nancy

    2017-01-01

    Comparative international assessments of academic achievement consistently indicate that US students trail behind many peers, particularly those from east Asia, in math and science. Traditional efforts to explain this finding have focused on identifying characteristics that might differentiate the United States from top-performing countries.…

  20. How to Make STEM Education Cool for Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steel, David

    2012-01-01

    Of all U.S. high school students who graduated in 2011, only 45 percent were ready for college-level math and a mere 30 percent were ready for science, according to ACT, a college-entrance testing agency. These data reflect the great challenge facing the United States in preparing students for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)…

  1. The Pipeline and Student Perceptions of Schooling: Good News and Bad News.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moses, Michele S.; And Others

    The existence of a math/science "ipieline" in public schooling is well documented in which the number of female students, students with lower socioeconomic status, and students of color in proportion to white males in advanced math and science progressively shrinks during high school. As part of an ongoing gender equity project, separate versions…

  2. Active Learning Institute: Energizing Science and Math Education. A Compilation of Lesson Plans.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cuyahoga Community Coll. - East, Cleveland, OH.

    The middle school and high school lessons featured in this collection were crafted by science and math teachers who participated in a week-long seminar sponsored by the Eisenhower Professional Development Program administered by the Ohio Board of Regents. The lessons showcase a variety of active learning strategies from using hands-on, low-tech…

  3. ESL Mentoring for Secondary Rural Educators: Math and Science Teachers Become Second Language Specialists through Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hansen-Thomas, Holly; Grosso Richins, Liliana

    2015-01-01

    This article draws on data from the capstone graduate course in a specially designed professional development program for rural math and science teachers that describes how participant teachers translated their newly acquired knowledge about English as a second language (ESL) into a mentoring experience for their rural content specialist peers.…

  4. Making Sense of Principal Leadership in Content Areas: The Case of Secondary Math and Science Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lochmiller, Chad R.; Acker-Hocevar, Michele

    2016-01-01

    We drew upon sense making and leadership content knowledge to explore how high school administrators' understanding of content areas informed their leadership. We used math and science to illustrate our interpretations, noting that other content areas may pose different challenges. We found that principals' limited understanding of these content…

  5. Working Together: How Teachers Teach and Students Learn in Collaborative Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burns, Mary; Pierson, Elizabeth; Reddy, Shylaja

    2014-01-01

    Active Learning in Maths and Science (ALMS) was a six-month face-to-face professional development program for middle school maths and science teachers carried out between June and November, 2010 in two Indian states. ALMS's theory of action is grounded in the belief that collaborative learning serves as a "gateway" to learner-centered…

  6. SCDC Spanish Curricula Units. Science/Math Strand, Unit 7, Grade 3, Teacher's Guide--Multi-Ethnic Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spanish Curricula Development Center, Miami Beach, FL.

    Instructional and assessment activities for unit seven of a science/math strand for Spanish-speaking students in grade three focus on the extended community. Activities support four spiraling questions on the elements, wants and needs, change occurrence, and results of change. For each activity, the focus, objective, and materials needed are…

  7. SCDC Spanish Curricula Units. Science/Math, Unit 10, Grade 3, Teacher's Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spanish Curricula Development Center, Miami Beach, FL.

    Unit 10 of a Spanish science/math curriculum for grade three, composed of kits 37-40, has as its theme "communities around the world". The unit's teacher's guide contains both learning and assessment activities, with the focus, objective, and materials needed for each activity listed. Specific attention is placed on four spiraling questions…

  8. Reading First: Impact on Third Grade Student Performance in Reading, Math, Science Before, During, and after Implementation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Vikki Renee

    2012-01-01

    Critical issues are confronting educators regarding increasing student achievement levels in reading, math and science in United States' public schools. Educators and legislators are attempting to make radical changes in instructional methodology and to find viable and sustainable solutions to problems associated with poor student achievement.…

  9. Dale Chihuly: An Inspiration in Art, Science, and Math!

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hubbert, Beth

    2009-01-01

    Connecting students to the arts in a concrete way can be an effective teaching tool. In this article, the author describes how Dale Chihuly's "Hart Window," which features hand-blown glass disks affixed to the framework of the window, can be an inspiration for interdisciplinary connections in art, science and math. (Contains 4 online resources.)

  10. Development of Pre-Service Teachers' Teaching Self-Efficacy Beliefs through an Online Community of Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Inel Ekici, Didem

    2018-01-01

    This explanatory research uses a mixed method design to investigate the effect of using an online community of practice within teaching practices on science and math pre-service teachers' teaching self-efficacy beliefs. 102 science and math pre-service teachers participated in the research. "Teaching Self-Efficacy Belief Scale" and…

  11. Daughters with Disabilities: Reframing Science, Math, and Technology for Girls with Disabilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammrich, Penny L.; Price, Lynda; Nourse, Steven

    This report describes a new approach to teaching science, math, and technology to students, especially girls, with disabilities, who frequently do not have access to appropriate instruction in these critical areas for future academic success. Many specific suggestions, along with a sample lesson that can be used immediately, are presented as part…

  12. Women in Physics: A Comparison to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education over Four Decades

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sax, Linda J.; Lehman, Kathleen J.; Barthelemy, Ramón S.; Lim, Gloria

    2016-01-01

    The dearth of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields has been lamented by scholars, administrators, policymakers, and the general public for decades, and the STEM gender gap is particularly pronounced in physics. While previous research has demonstrated that this gap is largely attributable to a lack of women pursuing…

  13. Gender-Based Education: Why It Works at the Middle School Level.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perry, William C.

    1996-01-01

    To counter gender bias effects and improve student learning, staff at a Virginia middle school decided to group eighth-grade students by gender for math and science instruction. Girls felt freer to speak out. Grade point averages in gender-based science and math classes for both girls and boys were higher than in coeducational classes. (MLH)

  14. Applied Math & Science Levels Utilized in Selected Trade & Industrial Vocational Education. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gray, James R.

    Research identified and evaluated the level of applied mathematics and science used in selected trade and industrial (T&I) subjects taught in the Kentucky Vocational Education System. The random sample was composed of 52 programs: 21 carpentry, 20 electricity/electronics, and 11 machine shop. The 96 math content items that were identified as…

  15. A Latent Curve Model of Parental Motivational Practices and Developmental Decline in Math and Science Academic Intrinsic Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gottfried, Adele Eskeles; Marcoulides, George A.; Gottfried, Allen W.; Oliver, Pamella H.

    2009-01-01

    A longitudinal approach was used to examine the effects of parental task-intrinsic and task-extrinsic motivational practices on academic intrinsic motivation in the subject areas of math and science. Parental task-intrinsic practices comprise encouragement of children's pleasure and engagement in the learning process, whereas task-extrinsic…

  16. Exploring Preschool Children’s Science Content Knowledge

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Ying; Piasta, Shayne B.; Bowles, Ryan P.

    2014-01-01

    Research Findings The purpose of this study was to describe children’s science content knowledge and examine the early predictors of science content knowledge in a sample of 194 typically developing preschool children. Children’s science content knowledge was assessed in the fall (Time 1) and spring (Time 2) of the preschool year. Results showed that children exhibited significant gains in science content knowledge over the course of the preschool year. Hierarchical linear modeling results indicated that the level of maternal education (i.e., holding at least a bachelor’s degree) significantly predicted children’s Time 1 science content knowledge. Children’s cognitive, math, and language skills at Time 1 were all significant concurrent predictors of Time 1 science content knowledge. However, only Time 1 math skills significantly predicted residualized gains in science content knowledge (i.e., Time 2 scores with Time 1 scores as covariates). Practice or Policy Factors related to individual differences in young children’s science content knowledge may be important for early childhood educators to consider in their efforts to provide more support to children who may need help with science learning. PMID:25541574

  17. 76 FR 78621 - Applications for New Awards; Upward Bound Program (Regular Upward Bound (UB))

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-19

    ... high school who in the first year of postsecondary education placed into college-level math and English... education placed into college-level math and English or needed remediation in those subjects. The Department... grants; Veterans UB grants; and UB Math and Science grants. This notice only announces deadlines and...

  18. Math achievement is important, but task values are critical, too: examining the intellectual and motivational factors leading to gender disparities in STEM careers.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ming-Te; Degol, Jessica; Ye, Feifei

    2015-01-01

    Although young women now obtain higher course grades in math than boys and are just as likely to be enrolled in advanced math courses in high school, females continue to be underrepresented in some Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) occupations. This study drew on expectancy-value theory to assess (1) which intellectual and motivational factors in high school predict gender differences in career choices and (2) whether students' motivational beliefs mediated the pathway of gender on STEM career via math achievement by using a national longitudinal sample in the United States. We found that math achievement in 12th grade mediated the association between gender and attainment of a STEM career by the early to mid-thirties. However, math achievement was not the only factor distinguishing gender differences in STEM occupations. Even though math achievement explained career differences between men and women, math task value partially explained the gender differences in STEM career attainment that were attributed to math achievement. The identification of potential factors of women's underrepresentation in STEM will enhance our ability to design intervention programs that are optimally tailored to female needs to impact STEM achievement and occupational choices.

  19. Math achievement is important, but task values are critical, too: examining the intellectual and motivational factors leading to gender disparities in STEM careers

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Ming-Te; Degol, Jessica; Ye, Feifei

    2015-01-01

    Although young women now obtain higher course grades in math than boys and are just as likely to be enrolled in advanced math courses in high school, females continue to be underrepresented in some Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) occupations. This study drew on expectancy-value theory to assess (1) which intellectual and motivational factors in high school predict gender differences in career choices and (2) whether students’ motivational beliefs mediated the pathway of gender on STEM career via math achievement by using a national longitudinal sample in the United States. We found that math achievement in 12th grade mediated the association between gender and attainment of a STEM career by the early to mid-thirties. However, math achievement was not the only factor distinguishing gender differences in STEM occupations. Even though math achievement explained career differences between men and women, math task value partially explained the gender differences in STEM career attainment that were attributed to math achievement. The identification of potential factors of women’s underrepresentation in STEM will enhance our ability to design intervention programs that are optimally tailored to female needs to impact STEM achievement and occupational choices. PMID:25741292

  20. Minority Students Severely Underrepresented in Science, Technology Engineering and Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slovacek, Simeon P.; Whittinghill, Jonathan C.; Tucker, Susan; Rath, Kenneth A.; Peterfreund, Alan R.; Kuehn, Glenn D.; Reinke, Yvonne G.

    2011-01-01

    This study documents the system of funded interventions employed at three public universities to support minority students studying science and examines targeted students' career paths to discern the general efficacy of these interventions and other factors influencing success toward earning Ph.D.s. Interventions, including supplemental…

  1. Teacher Mentoring as a Community Effort

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bradley-Levine, Jill; Lee, Jean Sangmin; Mosier, Gina

    2016-01-01

    This article presents the findings from a study of a mentoring program for novice mathematics and science teachers, which was provided by their teacher education program. This study reports the findings of interviews with novice math and science teachers, their mentors, and the mentoring program administrators to explore stakeholder perceptions of…

  2. The Attitudes of First Year Senior Secondary School Students toward Their Science Classes in the Sudan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lado, Longun Moses

    2011-01-01

    This study examined the influence of a set of relevant independent variables on students' decision to major in math or science disciplines, on the one hand, or arts or humanities disciplines, on the other. The independent variables of interest in the study were students' attitudes toward science, their gender, their socioeconomic status, their…

  3. Critical thinking in higher education: The influence of teaching styles and peer collaboration on science and math learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quitadamo, Ian Joseph

    Many higher education faculty perceive a deficiency in students' ability to reason, evaluate, and make informed judgments, skills that are deemed necessary for academic and job success in science and math. These skills, often collected within a domain called critical thinking (CT), have been studied and are thought to be influenced by teaching styles (the combination of beliefs, behavior, and attitudes used when teaching) and small group collaborative learning (SGCL). However, no existing studies show teaching styles and SGCL cause changes in student CT performance. This study determined how combinations of teaching styles called clusters and peer-facilitated SGCL (a specific form of SGCL) affect changes in undergraduate student CT performance using a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test research design and valid and reliable CT performance indicators. Quantitative analyses of three teaching style cluster models (Grasha's cluster model, a weighted cluster model, and a student-centered/teacher-centered cluster model) and peer-facilitated SGCL were performed to evaluate their ability to cause measurable changes in student CT skills. Based on results that indicated weighted teaching style clusters and peer-facilitated SGCL are associated with significant changes in student CT, we conclude that teaching styles and peer-facilitated SGCL influence the development of undergraduate CT in higher education science and math.

  4. National IQs Predict Educational Attainment in Math, Reading and Science across 56 Nations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lynn, Richard; Mikk, Jaan

    2009-01-01

    The results of the 2006 PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) study of reading comprehension, mathematical ability, and science understanding administered to 15 year olds in 56 countries [OECD (2007). PISA 2006: Science Competencies for Tomorrow's World. Paris: OECD.] are examined to assess the predictive validity of the national IQs…

  5. Connecting Adolescent Girls of Color and Math/Science Interventions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murphy, Diane S.; Sullivan, Kathleen

    This paper describes a study of Project SPLASH!, a program for minority adolescent girls with high potential in mathematics and science. This paper aims to contribute to the knowledge base on characteristics of program interventions which may increase the representation of women and minorities in the fields of mathematics and science. Findings on…

  6. Examining the Relationship between Elementary Teachers' Science Self-Efficacy and Science Content Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wimsatt, Mary Jo

    2012-01-01

    Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education is currently commanding an ever-greater share of our national dialogue about education. Very few STEM initiatives focus on studies involving in-service teachers; most education research involves preservice teacher candidates. This researcher used a 54 question survey to examine in-service…

  7. Science Achievement in TIMSS Cognitive Domains Based on Learning Styles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kablan, Zeynel; Kaya, Sibel

    2013-01-01

    Problem Statement: The interest in raising levels of achievement in math and science has led to a focus on investigating the factors that shape achievement in these subjects. Understanding how different learning styles might influence science achievement may guide educators in their efforts to raise achievement. This study is an attempt to examine…

  8. Inquiry-Based Learning: A Framework for Assessing Science in the Early Years

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marian, Hazel; Jackson, Claire

    2017-01-01

    This article draws on current literature leading to the development of a holistic framework to support practitioners in observation and assessment of childrens evolving inquiry skills. Evidence from the 2011 Trends in International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS) in England identifies a decline of year five student achievement in science. A…

  9. Pre-Service Teachers' Beliefs about Knowledge, Mathematics, and Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cady, Jo Ann; Rearden, Kristin

    2007-01-01

    This study examines the beliefs of K-8 preservice teachers during a content methods course. The goals of this course included exposing the preservice teachers to student-centered instructional methods for math and science and encouraging the development of lessons that would integrate mathematics and science. Prior research suggested that one must…

  10. Sustaining Inquiry-Based Teaching Methods in the Middle School Science Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murphy, Amy Fowler

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation used a combination of case study and phenomenological research methods to investigate how individual teachers of middle school science in the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) program sustain their use of inquiry-based methods of teaching and learning. While the overall context for the cases was the AMSTI…

  11. Urban Town and Gown: Increasing Minority Participation in the Geosciences Through a College-High School Partnership in Hartford, CT

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    OConnell, S.; OConnell, S.; OConnell, S.; Osborn, J. L.; Osborn, J. L.

    2001-12-01

    Urban public schools are often poor and have a tremendous need for educational assistance. In many cities the population is dominated by ethnic minorities. Hartford, CT, is one of these cities. Only about 50% of the students entering high school graduate and approximately 50% of those go on to higher education. Of those students taking the SAT's the average verbal and math scores are below 400. Despite these statistics, many students do succeed and therein lies an opportunity for earth scientists. As individuals and as institutions we can partner with schools and students to involve them in and excite them about the earth sciences. In 1995 Trinity College, located in Hartford, CT, undertook a \\$175 m.d. neighborhood revitalization project with funds from the college, neighboring institutions, foundations, and city, state and federal governments. Central to the revitalization is the "Learning Corridor," an educational complex that includes a magnet Montessori School, a Math and Science Middle School, and a Math and Science Magnet High School (GHAMAS). GHAMAS has a three-fold mission: teaching math and science to high school students, professional development for all math and science teachers from participating school districts, and community outreach. The Learning Corridor is adjacent to the Trinity College campus and Trinity faculty work with GHAMAS faculty to fulfill all three missions. Trinity faculty teach several high school classes. During the summer 3 Trinity and 1 GHAMAS faculty participated as a group in a week long-long NSF-sponsored Environmental Science workshop. This fall over ten teacher workshops were co-taught by Trinity and GHAMAS faculty. Recent NSF funding will allow us to develop a collaborative education and research program focused on the Connecticut River.

  12. Stereotype Threat? Male and Female Students in Advanced High School Courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Corra, Mamadi

    Propositions of stereotype threat theory imply that the social consequences of academic distinction in advanced quantitative areas (such as math and the physical sciences) for women may promote the under representation of female students in advanced quantitative academic courses. The hypothesis that female students will be underrepresented in advanced quantitative (honors and advanced placement math and physical science) courses is tested using academic performance and enrollment data for high school students in a "Student/Parent Informed Choice" (open registration) school district in North Carolina. Results show female students to be overrepresented in both advanced verbal/writing intensive (honors and advanced placement English, foreign language, and social science) and advanced quantitative (honors and advanced placement math and physical science) courses compared to their proportion of the student body. More surprisingly, results also indicate female students (compared to male students) to be overrepresented in advanced courses compared to their proportion of high-performing students. Furthermore, as with patterns observed at the district level, additional analysis of enrollment data for the entire state reveals similar results. Taken together, the findings call into question the prevailing presumption that female students continue to be underrepresented in math and physical science courses. Instead, the changing social context within which females and males experience schooling may provide an explanation for the findings.

  13. The interdisciplinary effect of hands-on science as measured by the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cherry, Elvis H.

    This study examined the difference in scale scores from Tennessee's standardized test the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). Archival data from the years 2002 and 2005 were compared using ANOVA tests at < .01 and < .05 levels. TCAP/NCE Scale Scores for academic subjects of Science, Math, Social Studies and Reading were used. 3922 student test results were divided into groups based on the number of years the student had a trained hands-on science teacher. Trained hands-on science teachers were identified from Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Science Department inservice records, which gave information on the teacher's participation in The Hands-on Science Initiative, Biology Gateway and Physical Science training. This information included not only that the teacher had be trained but also the dates of training. The study revealed 1600 students who attended MNPS between the years 2002 and 2005; in grades five through seven that never had a hands-on science trained teacher. About 1600 students in those same years had a hands-on science teacher for only one year, and 588 students had a hands-on science teacher for two of the three years. Lastly of the 3922 students in the study there were 44 students who had a hands-on science teacher for all three years. The results of the ANOVA test showed statistically significant gains in science, math and social studies but not in reading for students who had trained hands-on science teachers for at least one year.

  14. Math-related career aspirations and choices within Eccles et al.'s expectancy-value theory of achievement-related behaviors.

    PubMed

    Lauermann, Fani; Tsai, Yi-Miau; Eccles, Jacquelynne S

    2017-08-01

    Which occupation to pursue is one of the more consequential decisions people make and represents a key developmental task. Yet the underlying developmental processes associated with either individual or group differences in occupational choices are still not well understood. This study contributes toward filling this gap, focusing in particular on the math domain. We examined two aspects of Eccles et al.'s (1983) expectancy-value theory of achievement-related behaviors: (a) the reciprocal associations between adolescents' expectancy and subjective task value beliefs and adolescents' career plans and (b) the multiplicative association between expectancies and values in predicting occupational outcomes in the math domain. Our analyses indicate that adolescents' expectancy and subjective task value beliefs about math and their math- or science-related career plans reported at the beginning and end of high school predict each other over time, with the exception of intrinsic interest in math. Furthermore, multiplicative associations between adolescents' expectancy and subjective task value beliefs about math predict math-related career attainment approximately 15 years after graduation from high school. Gender differences emerged regarding career-related beliefs and career attainment, with male students being more likely than female to both pursue and attain math-related careers. These gender differences could not be explained by differences in beliefs about math as an academic subject. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. Money, Math and Engineering: The Relationships between Community Economics, Math Preparation and the Graduation of Racially Underrepresented Engineers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freeman, Amy Louise

    2009-01-01

    A primary gateway to a career in engineering is the attainment of the bachelor of science degree in engineering. In contrast, a common barrier to becoming an engineer is failure to attain the degree. Those variables that are related to college graduation are often in place prior to college admission. The purpose of this study was to examine the…

  16. The impact of inquiry-based instructional professional development upon instructional practice: An action research study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Broom, Frances A.

    This mixed method case study employs action research, conducted over a three month period with 11 elementary math and science practitioners. Inquiry as an instructional practice is a vital component of math and science instruction and STEM teaching. Teachers examined their beliefs and teaching practices with regard to those instructional factors that influence inquiry instruction. Video-taped lessons were compared to a rubric and pre and post questionnaires along with two interviews which informed the study. The results showed that while most beliefs were maintained, teachers implemented inquiry at a more advanced level after examining their teaching and reflecting on ways to increase inquiry practices. Because instructional practices provide only one component of inquiry-based instruction, other components need to be examined in a future study.

  17. Addressing the STEM Challenge by Expanding Specialty Math and Science High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atkinson, Robert D.; Hugo, Janet; Lundgren, Dennis; Shapiro, Martin J.; Thomas, Jerald

    2007-01-01

    If America is to succeed in the innovation-powered global economy, boosting math and science skills will be critical. This is why a wide array of task forces and organizations has recently raised the clarion call for more and better scientists and engineers. While the policy proposals offered are wide ranging, one key policy innovation has…

  18. Touring Mars Online, Real-time, in 3D for Math and Science Educators and Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Greg; Kalinowski, Kevin

    2007-01-01

    This article discusses a project that placed over 97% of Mars' topography made available from NASA into an interactive 3D multi-user online learning environment beginning in 2003. In 2005 curriculum materials that were created to support middle school math and science education were developed. Research conducted at the University of North Texas…

  19. Associations between Predictive Indicators and Postsecondary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Success among Hispanic Students in Texas. REL 2018-279

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borman, Trisha; Margolin, Jonathan; Garland, Marshall; Rapaport, Amie; Park, So Jung; LiCalsi, Christina

    2017-01-01

    Nationwide, Hispanic students continue to be underrepresented among students who complete a four-year degree in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields (National Center for Education Statistics, 2016) and among workers in STEM fields. This discrepancy is a concern, especially in light of the projected growth in employment in STEM…

  20. SCDC Spanish Curricula Units. Science/Math Strand, Unit 6, Grade 2, Supplement & Ditto Packet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spanish Curricula Development Center, Miami Beach, FL.

    The supplement and ditto packet to the science-math strand of unit six for second graders features visual materials to help the teacher carry out the instructional and assessment activities for the unit's four kits. Illustrations are provided to help stimulate oral language and conceptual development. Some are designed to be cut out for…

  1. SCDC Spanish Curricula Units. Science/Math Strand, Unit 7, Grade 3, Supplement & Ditto Packet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spanish Curricula Development Center, Miami Beach, FL.

    Instructional aids for classroom use and worksheets which may be reproduced for individual seatwork are included in these support materials for unit seven of the science/math strand developed for Spanish-speaking students in grade three. They are designed to be used with the teacher's guide to the unit, which contains a timetable for their use.…

  2. Demystify Math, Science, and Technology: Creativity, Innovation, and Problem-Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Dennis; Hamm, Mary

    2010-01-01

    Technology is viewed as a powerful force both in and out of school and has long been linked with math and science. Although concepts and activities of this book apply to any grade, the primary focus is on the elementary and middle school levels. This book provides principles and practical strategies for promoting creative and innovative work in…

  3. SCDC Spanish Curricula Units. Science/Math Strand, Unit 4, Grade Two, Teacher's Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spanish Curricula Development Center, Miami Beach, FL.

    The teacher's guide for unit four of a Spanish science/math strand for second graders contains instructional and assessment activities for kits 13-16. Each designed for a two- to three-week teaching period, the kits' activities are geared toward guiding the child to discover correct answers through methods provided and, by putting materials in his…

  4. Take the S.M.I.L.E. Challenge: Indoor Air Quality and Your High School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deira, Maria-Isabel; Bloomfield, Molly

    1998-01-01

    The S.M.I.L.E. (Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences) Program is a partnership between Oregon State University and eight rural Oregon school districts to provide science and math opportunities for disadvantaged students. Students in this program work on a problem that involves them in a real-world environmental issue. Describes an…

  5. International Space Station: 6-8 Hands-on Science and Math Lesson Plans.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armstrong, Pat

    These lesson plans, designed for grades 6-8, have been developed to provide a guide to hands-on experience in science and math. They focus on an International Space Station and are designed for use with students working in groups. The three lesson plans highlighting the importance of the scientific method are: (1) International Space Station…

  6. Math and Science Academy: Year 4 Evaluation Report. CSE Technical Report 648

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osmundson, Ellen; Herman, Joan

    2005-01-01

    This evaluation report summarizes Year 4 of the Math and Science Academy (MSA), an initiative of the Northern New Mexico Council on Excellence in Education (NNMCEE). The report begins with an overview of the project and its objectives, and then outlines the research questions and methods used to carry out the evaluation. Findings from the Year 4…

  7. The Role of Applied Engineering and Computer Science Courses in the Production of Math Achievement in High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gottfried, Michael; Bozick, Robert

    2012-01-01

    Academic math and science courses have been long shown to increase learning and educational attainment, but are they sufficient on their own to prepare youth for the challenges and rigor of the STEM workforce? Or, are there distinctive benefits to complementing these traditional academic courses with applied ones? Answers to these questions are…

  8. SCDC Spanish Curricula Units. Science/Math Strand, Unit 4, Grade 2, Supplements & Ditto Packet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spanish Curricula Development Center, Miami Beach, FL.

    Designed for use with unit four of the science/math strand for second graders, the supplement and ditto packet contain visuals, worksheets, and instructional aids referred to in the teacher's guide corresponding to this unit. The brief introductions to kits 13-16 are written in both English and Spanish; all classroom materials for students are in…

  9. SCDC Spanish Curricula Units. Science/Math Strand, Unit 9, Grade 3, Teacher's Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spanish Curricula Development Center, Miami Beach, FL.

    Instructional and assessment activities in science and math for third graders are presented in this teacher's guide to unit nine. Focus, objectives and materials for each activity are in English and Spanish, while teacher instructions are only in Spanish. The unit's theme is "the nation as a community"; related to the theme are the four spiraling…

  10. A Systematic Review of Factors Linked to Poor Academic Performance of Disadvantaged Students in Science and Maths in Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Banerjee, Pallavi Amitava

    2016-01-01

    Socio-economic hardships put children in an underprivileged position. This systematic review was conducted to identify factors linked to underachievement of disadvantaged pupils in school science and maths. What could be done as evidence-based practice to make the lives of these young people better? The protocol from preferred reporting items for…

  11. Science and Math Assessment in K-6 Rural and Small Schools. Rural, Small Schools Network Information Exchange: Number 14, Spring 1993.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement of the Northeast & Islands, Andover, MA.

    This packet includes reprints of journal articles and other resources concerning the assessment of science and math in small, rural elementary schools. Articles include: (1) "Standards, Assessment, and Educational Quality" (Lauren B. Resnick); (2) "A True Test: Toward More Authentic and Equitable Assessment" (Grant Wiggins); (3) "How World-Class…

  12. Gender Gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Current Knowledge, Implications for Practice, Policy, and Future Directions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Ming-Te; Degol, Jessica L.

    2017-01-01

    Although the gender gap in math course-taking and performance has narrowed in recent decades, females continue to be underrepresented in math-intensive fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Career pathways encompass the ability to pursue a career as well as the motivation to employ that ability. Individual differences…

  13. Slow off the Mark: Elementary School Teachers and the Crisis in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Epstein, Diana; Miller, Raegen T.

    2011-01-01

    One can't throw a stone without hitting a STEM initiative these days, but most science, technology, engineering, and math initiatives--thus the STEM acronym--overlook a fundamental problem. In general, the workforce pipeline of elementary school teachers fails to ensure that the teachers who inform children's early academic trajectories have the…

  14. From the Voices of Kindergarten Teachers: Factors That Impact Decisions about When to Engage the Natural Curiosities of Their Students in Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamilton, Frances A.

    Students enter kindergarten as natural-born scientists, curious about the world around them. They enter middle school disliking science. Although implementing science in kindergarten has the potential to improve learning in other subjects in addition to science, it is not taught much in kindergarten. There are many reasons for this according to the literature. The purpose of the study is to gain insight into teachers' thinking as they decide when and how to engage their students in science, to better understand why student enjoyment of science fades in early grades; to contribute teachers' voices to the existing literature on teaching science in the early grades; and to investigate how teachers' science teaching methods align with current research regarding how students learn best. The key research question is "What are the factors that impact teachers' decisions about when to engage the natural curiosities of their students?" Broken down, the supporting research questions include: 1. What factors impact teacher decisions about when to teach science? 2. Under what conditions do teachers engage students' natural curiosities in science? 3. How do teachers describe engagement in their classrooms? This was a participatory action research study that used autoethnography, case studies, and grounded theory methods. Five co-researchers took part in the process. Purposeful sampling was used to select a range of kindergarten teachers in Tennessee and Alabama with different perspectives on teaching science--some from county systems and some from city systems; some using Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) kits and some not using kits. Co-researchers were selected during initial meetings, interviewed, collected journal entry data, and interviewed again at the culmination of the study. Interviews were transcribed and coded. Analysis included individual cases, each co-researcher, as well as across-case analysis. Results indicated that co-researchers did not have time to teach science many days due to requirements for teaching reading and math, and because of benchmark testing. Recommendations include integrating science concepts including hands-on explorations with reading and math. Ideas for future study include collecting data for a full year, as opposed to eight weeks, to see how factors change from beginning to end in one school year. The idea of learning during spontaneous interactions emerged from interviews with two co-researchers. Exploring spontaneous interactions is another area for future study.

  15. Problem Solving and the Use of Math in Physics Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Redish, Edward F.

    2006-01-01

    Mathematics is an essential element of physics problem solving, but experts often fail to appreciate exactly how they use it. Math may be the language of science, but math-in-physics is a distinct dialect of that language. Physicists tend to blend conceptual physics with mathematical symbolism in a way that profoundly affects the way equations are…

  16. I Heard This Great Math Story the Other Day!

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gadanidis, George

    2009-01-01

    In this article, the author declares that if a student is able to discuss school math with family and friends just like one would a new movie, then that student has experienced meaningful math learning and teaching. With the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the author is presently working in K-8 classrooms, offering…

  17. STEAM: A National Study of the Integration of the Arts Into STEM Instruction and its Impact on Student Achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rabalais, Mark E.

    The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between exposure to the arts and performance in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) subjects. STEAM, an integration of arts-based instruction into science and math related fields, is viewed as an alternative to traditional STEM academies. The literature briefly examines the current state of STEM programs and the deficiencies in graduate quality and quantity and the call from employers for a more innovative workforce. Advocates for STEAM argue for arts as a means to improve creativity, collaboration, risk-taking and exploration. Arguments against arts in STEM are grounded in political opinions concerning arts funding and logistical complications of implementing STEAM. However, some schools and STEM programs have embraced the STEAM premise and have begun to integrate arts into the traditional curriculum. The 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) dataset was utilized to determine a correlation between the number of arts credits earned and mathematics/science achievement. Results from the NAEP dataset indicated a correlation between the amount of arts credits and increased achievement scores in science and math. The same correlation was found when controlling for demographic factors such as gender, race, and socio-economic status (SES). Overall, the arts' greatest impact was on students identified as "at-risk" or underrepresented in STEM fields. Controlling for these variable groups, one can note the quantifiable differences in scores. Overall, findings of the study provide empirical support for the addition of arts in STEM.

  18. G.E.M.S. event

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-03-08

    About 170 high school and elementary girls from area schools participated in a Girls Excited about Math and Science event at Stennis Space Center on March 8, 2012. The event featured various workshops and presentations designed to promote studies in science and mathematics, as well as other activities.

  19. Do High School STEM Courses Prepare Non-College Bound Youth for Jobs in the STEM Economy?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bozick, Robert; Srinivasan, Sinduja; Gottfried, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Our study assesses whether high school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses provide non-college bound youth with the skills and training necessary to successfully transition from high school into the STEM economy. Specifically, our study estimates the effects that advanced math, advanced science, engineering, and…

  20. Parent Guidance of Young Children's Scientific and Mathematical Reasoning in a Science Museum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vandermaas-Peeler, Maureen; Massey, Katelyn; Kendall, Alyssa

    2016-01-01

    Despite increased attention to math and science education in the United States, relatively few studies have explored parent guidance of young children's mathematical and scientific reasoning in everyday activities. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of providing explicit guidance instructions on parent guidance and young…

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