A sample of 817 Grade 4-5 mathematics students in the diverse school district of Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS), Florida, USA was involved in an evaluation of the use of hands-on activities in terms of students' achievement, students' attitudes and students' perceptions of the mathematics classroom environment. Other aims included validating generally-applicable measures of classroom learning environments and students' attitudes to mathematics, and investigating associations between the classroom learning environment and the student outcomes of performance and attitudes. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 had a sample of 442 participants and classroom environment was assessed with scales selected from the My Class Inventory, Questionnaire on Teacher lnteraction and Science Laboratory Environment Inventory. Factor analysis provided a degree of support for the factorial validity and internal consistency reliability (using Cronbach's alpha coefficient) for each of five classroom environment scales. Because of the small number of items per scale (15 items in five scales for the My Class Inventory, 12 items in four scales for the Question on Teacher Interaction and 15 items in five scales for the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory) in Phase I, it was not possible to replicate the a priori factor structure of each instrument scale. Scale reliabilities generally were acceptable. Phase 2, involving a sample of 375 Grades 4 and 5 students in four elementary schools, was necessary because questionnaires in Phase 1 had too few items to enable the researcher to establish satisfactory levels of reliability and validity. / The What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) was modified to four scales and 29 questions for use in Phase 2. Factor analysis supported the structure of the WIHIC and internal consistency reliability was satisfactory for two units of analyses, namely, the individual and the class mean. In Phase 1 of the study, differences between an experimental group (that used manipulatives for 60% of the time) and a control group (that used manipulatives for less than 40% of the time), were described in terms of the effect size (magnitude of the difference in standard deviations) and statistical significance for each learning environment, attitude, and achievement scale. Differences between the pretest and posttest for the set of six dependent variables (Student Cohesiveness, Teacher Support, Task Orientation, Cooperation from the WIHIC and Adoption of Mathematical Attitudes and Enjoyment of Mathematics Lessons for the TOMRA) were analyzed in Phase 2 using a MANOVA for repeated measures. Effect sizes were used to describe the magnitude, as distinct from the statistical significance, of prepost changes. In Phase 2, associations between student attitudes and their perceptions of the learning environment were relatively weak for both pretest and posttest data with either the individual or the class mean as the as the unit of analysis. These results were unexpected and are inconsistent with past research, therefore highlighting the need for further research.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of using novel demonstrations and hands-on activities on promoting student interest and positive perception of learning environment. Thirty-six 8th graders participated in the experimental group in which they were involved in prediction-observation-explanation of discrepant events or novel hands-on activities for 14 weeks. Their interest of learning science and perception of learning environment were compared with that of a control group, which also consisted of 36 8th graders in the same school. The results of the analysis of covariance revealed that the experimental group outperformed the control group on both instruments documenting students¡¦ level of interest in learning science and their perception of learning environment. The post-treatment interview results further consolidated the quantitative finding of the experimental group students¡¦ significant progress on their emotions of learning science.

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of hands-on activity enriched instruction on sixth grade students&rsquo / achievement (on sense organs) and attitudes towards science. In this study, Science Achievement Test and Science Attitude Scale were used to assess students&rsquo / achievement on sense organs and students&rsquo / attitudes towards science, respectively. Also, hands-on activities about sense organs were prepared. This study was conducted with 2 teachers and 4 classes and total of 140 sixth grade students in the public elementary schools at Ke&ccedil / i&ouml / ren district of Ankara in the fall semester of 2002-2003 academic years. One class of each teacher was assigned as experimental group and treated with hands-on activity enriched instruction and other class was assigned as control group and treated with traditional instruction. At the beginning of the study, both teachers were trained for how to implement hands-on activity enriched instruction in the classrooms. The Science Achievement Test and The Science Attitude Scale were applied twice as pre-test and after three week treatment period as a post-test to both experimental and control groups to assess and compare the effectiveness of two different types of teaching utilized in science course. The data obtained from the administration of post-test were analyzed by statistical techniques of Multivariate Analyses of Covariance (MANCOVA). The statistical result indicates that hands-on activity enriched instruction was more effective than traditional instruction. However, the statistical results failed to show a significant difference between the experimental and control groups attitudes toward science.

Då jag tidigare besökt förskoleklasser i USA har jag förvånats över hur mycket tid som ägnats åt laborativ matematik. När nationella läroplanen i matematik i USA, Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, omarbetades blev fokus inom matematik att arbeta för att stärka elevers taluppfattning. Lockad av tidigare erfarenheter från det amerikanska skolsystemet beslutade jag mig därför för göra en deltagande observation med löpande protokoll för att se hur man arbetar med taluppfattning i en förskoleklass i Texas. Under observationen fokuserade jag på att se samband mellan undervisningen, läroplaner och teorier inom matematikundervisning. Resultatet av min undersökning visar att nittio minuter varje dag ägnades åt laborativa matematikaktiviteter anpassade för att hjälpa eleverna att uppnå läroplanens mål. Därtill fanns en tydlig anknytning till teorier inom matematikundervisning.Arbetet är skrivet på engelska. Detta för att termer, dialoger etc. inte ska översättas inkorrekt och för att skolan som observationen skedde på ska kunna ta del av resultatet. / As I earlier visited Kindergarten classes in the United States, I was surprised to see how much time that was set aside for mathematical activities in a hands-on fashion. In the reform of the United States Principle and Standards for School Mathematics, number sense was an essential outcome. Hence, the purpose of my study was to investigate, using participant observation with running records as a method, how number sense is taught in a Kindergarten class in Texas. During my observation, I especially looked at the educations connection to the guidelines and mathematics education theories. The result of my investigation shows that ninety minutes every day was set aside for mathematical activities in hands-on fashion, adapted to meet the guideline requirements and goals. In addition, the teaching observed in the class was closely associated with the mathematics educational theories.

Increasing underrepresented minority youth (URMY) engagement in STEM education remains at the forefront of our Nation's educational battle. The aim of this study was to create, implement, and evaluate the impact of innovative food science and technology (FST) lesson plans on URMY engagement in, and attitudes towards science, and their awareness of the field of FST. The 2011 United States census recalls that URMY make up only 13.3% of the STEM workforce. This study identifies URMY as individuals representing one or more of the following demographics: Low income, African American, Latino(a) American, and Indian American. Eight 5th-6th grade youth participated in a seven-week program, The Enliven Program (TEP), which is a STEM education program created for the purpose of this. The Enliven Program focuses on youth engagement in science learning through the implementation of a FST curriculum. The lessons delivered in TEP utilized the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) 5E instructional model as its foundation. This model focuses on five phases of student centered learning: engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation. Data was collected using a fixed-mixed methods design. A qual-quan approach was employed to measure youths' positive behavioral and cognitive engagement in science learning. Measures of positive behavioral and cognitive engagement demonstrated that youth were positively behaviorally and cognitively engaged in the science learning activities. Furthermore, relationship building played an instrumental role in maintaining youth participants' positive attitudes towards and engagement in TEP activities. The results display an overall increase in youth's desire to do science and self-concept in science. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / The aim of this interdisciplinary study was to create innovative teaching methods, based on existing food science and technology (FST) curricula, with a broader goal of increasing engagement in science among underrepresented minority youth (URMY). In this study, the sample of URMY were individuals, in the 5^th-6^th grade, representing one or more of the following demographics: Low income, African American, Latino(a) American, American Indian. Eight youth participated in a seven-week program, The Enliven Program (TEP), a STEM education program, which focused on implementing engaging science activities, with the purpose being to examine engagement of youth in science learning. This program utilized the Biological Science Curriculum Study (BSCS) 5E educational model as its foundation, forming each lesson using a 5E lesson plan template. This model focuses on five phases of student centered learning: engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation. Each lesson focused on the implementation of FST curriculum through the use of food and culinary arts techniques. In TEP, youth also had the opportunity to interact with professionals in the field of food science and technology. Measures of positive behavioral and cognitive engagement demonstrated that youth were positively behaviorally and cognitively engaged in the science learning activities. Furthermore, building rapport and a relationship with youth as a group, and on an individual level, was essential in maintaining youth participants’ positive attitudes towards and engagement in TEP activities. Results reveal an overall increase in youth’s desire to do science and self-concept in science.

The aim of this study is to prepare and verify a molecular biological teaching cycle. This cycle is focused on hands-on activities, critical thinking and student's activity. A total of 99 pupils from two elementary schools (9th grade) and one multi-year grammar school (equivalent to primary schools) participated in the verification. They helped to create an attractive learning cycle from molecular biology, which can be used directly without major modifications and low cost.

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This paper addresses folding the circle in half and discussing some of over one hundred different mathematical terms and functions generated in that one fold. The simplicity of process in understanding fundamentals of mathematics by folding circles and observing what is generated is unknown because we only draw pictures of circles. Examples are given about observing and exploring relationships in the circle that are appropriate for first, second, third grade level and beyond. The traditional educational ‘parts-towhole’ approach can only be fully realized through the comprehensive frame of Whole-to-parts by folding the circle. Wholemovement of the circle is not only direct; it is the only context inclusive to progressively understanding parts within unity of the Whole.

This paper addresses folding the circle in half and discussing some of over one hundred different mathematical terms and functions generated in that one fold. The simplicity of process in understanding fundamentals of mathematics by folding circles and observing what is generated is unknown because we only draw pictures of circles. Examples are given about observing and exploring relationships in the circle that are appropriate for first, second, third grade level and beyond. The traditional educational ‘parts-towhole’ approach can only be fully realized through the comprehensive frame of Whole-to-parts by folding the circle. Wholemovement of the circle is not only direct; it is the only context inclusive to progressively understanding parts within unity of the Whole.

This study attempted to design and implement an intervention programme to improve the self-concepts and attitudes of prospective primary school teachers. The possible effects of the programme were researched by means of a combined quantitative and qualitative approach. A questionnaire to determine the effectiveness of the programme was also designed. Important findings of this study are that: (a) the Cronbach Alpha Coefficient indicated a 0,9 reliability of the designed questionnaire; (b) the average self-concepts of prospective teachers improved after the intervention programme was implemented, though not significantly and (c) the self-concepts of prospective teachers not majoring in Mathematics also improved after the intervention, though not significantly. A focus group interview was conducted to improve the intervention programme. On the basis of the responses of the participants in the focus group interview as well as of the quantitative study and of the literature reviewed, an improved version of the intervention programme was designed. According to the research, the programme should include: cooperative learning; everyday life contexts; manipulatives; hands-on activities, encouraging the asking of questions; a positive relationship between lecturer and student; writing assignments before doing a new topic; content relevance; a positive communication of assessment; games; various approaches to solving problems; understandable language; gender sensitivity and positive role modeling. The intervention programme implemented in this study was tested over a period of three months; hence the recommendation in this research for the replication thereof over a longer period. The study further recommends that since the study was conducted in one college of education only, there is a need for it to be conducted in a number of colleges, in order to elicit a broader and more representative picture of the impact of the intervention programme. The findings of this study advocate the need to combine both quantitative and qualitative research in studies: the results of the quantitative research did not conclusively indicate a positive impact of the intervention programme. However, the qualitative research saw respondents expressing improved confidence and attitudes. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)