Currently, there is no standard protocol to identify students who are gifted in science. If students are identified as gifted early on in elementary school, teachers and parents can foster their interest, increasing the students’ knowledge, value, and affect as well as their willingness to re-engage science (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002; Gottfried & Gottfried, 1996; Häussler 1987; Neber & Schommer-Aikins, 2002; Osborne, 2003; Schunk, Pintrich, & Meece, 2008). In this study, a brief student identification form was developed for elementary school teachers to complete. The form was based on Hidi and Renninger’s (2006) four-phase model of interest development. The form was one piece of a more comprehensive identification protocol. Students in grades second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth from six Warren County elementary schools were asked to participate in this study. However, due to insufficient data, grades two and six were not used after collection. Few sixth grade teachers completed the forms and second graders did not take the ITBS. This study primarily focused on identifying students from underrepresented populations. These six schools, Cumberland Trace, Bristow, Lost River, Oakland, Richardsville, and North Warren, were chosen based on their larger population of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of East Tennessee State University's summer science institute training through the effect on mean Normal Curve Equivalent science test scores of students in a Northeast Tennessee school system whose teachers participated in the ETSU summer science institute training. Data analysis were compiled using students' science NCE scores to determine if there were significant differences in scores for those students whose teachers participated in the summer science institutes and those who did not participate. Students' NCE scores were compiled from the middle school setting over a 3-year academic period: 2004-2005, 2005-2006, and 2006-2007. Paired-samples t tests were used to analyze the effectiveness of teacher participation by comparing preparticipation and postparticipation students' science NCE scores for years 3 years. Independent-samples t tests were used to compare students' gender, socioeconomic status (free- and reduced-price meals), and NCE science scores (using 5th grade only) for 2 consecutive years of the study (2005-2006 through 2006-2007). Two analyses were used to determine teachers' participation and the effect on students' NCE science scores among two subgroups: gender and socioeconomic status. For research questions 4 and 5, a mean net gain and NCE raw scores average was performed. The findings from this study indicated significant differences in years 2004-2005 and 2006-2007 favoring students of teachers who participated in the summer science institutes However, the results from year 2005-2006 showed no significant differences in students' science NCE scores of teachers who participated or did not participate in summer science institutes. In the consecutive year (2005-2006 through 2006-2007) using 5th grade only comparisons, data analyses showed significant differences in students' science NCE scores when performing NCE raw scores comparisons for gender and socioeconomic status. The comparisons for gender showed male students' science NCE scores were higher than were females' science scores. The NCE raw scores comparisons for socioeconomic status showed those students on the meals program had higher science NCE scores than did those students not on the program. There was no significance in students' science NCE scores when using mean net gain scores comparison for gender and socioeconomic status.

This case study examined the perceptions of administrators, teachers and parents of the implementation of an elementary school science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) academy program that featured characteristics of both magnet school programs and schoolwithin-a-school programs. I conducted interviews of key personnel, informed by classroom observations and a survey of parents to determine how stakeholders perceived equity in the access and allocation of opportunities and resources. The STEM Academy selected students from neighboring elementary schools and was housed within a larger K-5 elementary school. I found the STEM Academy teachers were widely praised for their innovations and teaching excellence, and alignment with emerging best practices. However, there were perceptions that their curriculum was neither sufficiently documented nor aligned with school division priorities, and was insufficiently communicated with school division central office leaders Academy parents, teachers, and community partners praised the Academy’s approach to curriculum, instruction, and uncommon learning experiences; but resentment and perceptions of inequity and exclusivity among most other stakeholders compromised the program implementation, leading to administrative and political pressure that challenged the Academy’s sustainability. I provide discussion and recommendations concerning elementary STEM programs, highlighting the importance of stakeholder perceptions and program evaluation. I also provide several suggestions for further research. / Ed. D.

The current investigation supports the objectives of Project GEMS (Roberts, 2008), a grant funded program whose objectives include the development and validation of a protocol to identify students from underrepresented and diverse populations as gifted in the content areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Identification of students from low-income and diverse populations as gifted has been a struggle with current assessment techniques (Baldwin, 2005). Project GEMS aims to address this problem through development of interest measures specific to the STEM areas for use within an identification protocol. The current project developed a measure to assess interest in mathematics. The construct of interest was targeted as it is correlated with many positive factors in education that lead to increased academic performance (Schunk, Pintrich, & Meece, 2008). Existing math interest inventories are designed for older populations, lack good psychometric properties and are atheoretical. To improve upon existing interest measures, Hidi and Renninger’s (2006) four-phase model of interest served as the theoretical basis to inform and guide the process of development and validation of a math interest inventory. A twenty-seven item self-report math interest measure was designed to assess the four phases of Hidi and Renninger’s interest model (emotion, value, knowledge, and engagement; 2006). Pilot and field testing of the measure were conducted in elementary schools selected on the basis of a high proportion of low-income students in a south central Kentucky school district. The sample consists of 1,429,429 students in grades two through six. The measure was hypothesized to evidence good internal consistency, a four-factor structure, and a significant and positive correlations between the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the composite and subscales of the math interest inventory. The first hypothesis found support with an internal consistency reliability coefficient of .916 for the overall score. Results of confirmatory factor analysis supported a four-factor structure resembling Hidi and Renninger’s (2006) four phase model of interest and including the four components emotion, value, knowledge, and engagement. The correlations between the math scores from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the math interest inventory total score and scales partially supported the last hypothesis. The correlations were small and positive for the Values and Knowledge scales but small and negative for the Emotion and Engagement scales. The correlations for the total score of the math interest inventory were significant; however, their values had little practical significance. While the math interest measure evidences good reliability and support for the structure of the scales through confirmatory factor analysis, the current study did not provide evidence for a significant relationship with math achievement as measured by a standardized group administered math achievement test. These results are discussed in relation to limitations of the current study and recommendations for further investigation.

Submitted by SBI Biblioteca Digital (sbi.bibliotecadigital@puc-campinas.edu.br) on 2017-10-09T12:27:42Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DIEGO DA SILVA GALLET.pdf: 1982736 bytes, checksum: d1ffb496444286bd49dddcb131e654ef (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-09T12:27:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DIEGO DA SILVA GALLET.pdf: 1982736 bytes, checksum: d1ffb496444286bd49dddcb131e654ef (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-07 / This research investigates how Math and Science textbooks from 4th and 5th years of Elementary School address interdisciplinary study between these two subjects. It aims to identify whether and how interdisciplinary proposals are implemented using what nowadays are inside these materials. We show theoretical aspects that bring interdisciplinary concept and reflect about the textbooks importance as a teaching support inside classroom, within a perspective that students who learn through textbook scan have different dimensions? approaches that pervade their historical and cultural nature. The methodology used was documental analysis of some selected works, as four Math and Science textbooks from 4th and 5th year of elementary school - two collections of each subject -, with also theoretical background on interdisciplinary studies for Math and Science teaching. Interdisciplinary method is a term still under construction, which deserves further studies. There are paradigmatic barriers that still make school education persisting in strict disciplinary model, fragmented and decontextualized. As research results, we bring that educational resources such as textbooks can break this actual model, but also can establish disciplinary strictness. Our textbooks analysis, those most widely distributed in 2016 at national level also showed a weak action on interdisciplinary approaches for Math and Science subjects, both in the collections of one and other contents. We also identified predominance of certain themes and few information about others, in interdisciplinary moments analyzed such as, for example, themes related to the environment. In the Teacher Manuals presented at the end of each work, we find a theoretical fragility related to interdisciplinary study, as well as a divergence of interdisciplinary approach between works by different authors, but from the same publisher. Finally, we consider interdisciplinary study must contemplate, rather than theories and terminologies, a paradigmatic transformation that respects its historical and dialectical movement, encompassing all subjects involved in the teaching-learning process: teachers, students, parents, editors and textbooks writers, textbooks evaluators, teacher trainers, among many others. / A presente pesquisa busca investigar como livros did?ticos de Matem?tica e Ci?ncias dos 4? e 5? anos do Ensino Fundamental abordam a interdisciplinaridade entre essas duas disciplinas. Tem por objetivo identificar se e como s?o tratadas propostas interdisciplinares que se fazem presentes no conte?do desse material. Apresentamos aspectos te?ricos que tratam o conceito de interdisciplinaridade e a reflex?o relacionada ? import?ncia do livro did?tico como suporte de ensino na sala de aula, dentro de uma perspectiva que compreende o aluno que aprende por meio do livro did?tico, como um ser integrado por diferentes dimens?es que perpassam sua natureza hist?rica e cultural. A metodologia utilizada foi a da an?lise documental das obras selecionadas, ou seja, quatro livros did?ticos de Matem?tica e Ci?ncias, do 4? e 5? ano do Ensino Fundamental ? duas cole??es de cada disciplina ?, tendo por embasamento te?rico estudos referentes ? interdisciplinaridade, livro did?tico, ensino de Matem?tica e ensino de Ci?ncias. A interdisciplinaridade ? um termo ainda em constru??o, que merece maiores estudos. H? barreiras paradigm?ticas que fazem com que o ensino escolar persista em um modelo disciplinar rigoroso, fragmentado e descontextualizado. Por resultados indicamos que recursos de ensino como o livro did?tico podem tanto favorecer com um rompimento para com esse modelo, quanto firmar a rigidez disciplinar. Nossas an?lises dos livros did?ticos, aqueles mais distribu?dos no ano de 2016 a n?vel nacional, evidenciaram ainda uma fr?gil a??o em rela??o ao tratamento interdisciplinar nas disciplinas de Ci?ncias e Matem?tica, tanto nas cole??es de um quanto de outro conte?do. Identificamos tamb?m a predomin?ncia de certas tem?ticas em detrimento de outras, nos momentos interdisciplinares analisados como, por exemplo, tem?ticas ligadas ao meio ambiente. Nos Manuais do Professor que est?o presentes ao final de cada obra encontramos uma fragilidade te?rica relacionada ? interdisciplinaridade, al?m de diverg?ncia de tratamento da interdisciplinaridade entre obras de autores diferentes, mas da mesma editora. Por fim, consideramos que para ser poss?vel a interdisciplinaridade ? preciso considerar, mais que teorias e terminologias, uma transforma??o paradigm?tica, que respeite seu movimento hist?rico e dial?tico, englobando todos os sujeitos que est?o envolvidos no processo de ensino-aprendizagem escolar: professores, alunos, pais e respons?veis, gestores, editores e escritores de livros did?ticos, avaliadores dos livros did?ticos, formadores de professores, dentre muitos outros.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Students frequently leave first-year physical science classes with a dual set of physical laws in mind- the equations to be applied to qualitative problems and the entrenched set of concepts, many erroneous, to be applied to qualitative, descriptive, or explanatory problems. It is in this sense that the emphasis of this study is on ‘change’ rather than acquisition. Thus, a blend of theoretical framework was considered according to the aim of the study. Of immediate relevance in this regard within the “constructivist paradigm” are: Posner, Strike, Hewson and Gertzog’s (1982) conceptual change theory and the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy. Moreover, the very shift or restructuring of existing knowledge, concepts or schemata is what distinguishes conceptual change from other types of learning, and provides students with a more fruitful conceptual framework to solve problems, explain phenomena, and function in the world (Biemans & Simons, 1999; Davis, 2011). A quasi-experimental design was adopted to explore pre-service teachers’ conceptual and procedural difficulties in solving mathematical problems in physical science. Sixteen second and third year pre-service teachers in one of the historically black universities in the Western Cape, South Africa, participated in the study. Two inseparable concepts of basic mechanics, work-energy concepts were taught and used for data collection. Data were collected using questionnaires, Physical Science Achievement Test (PSAT), Multiple Reflective Questions (MRQ) and an interview. An explicit problem solving strategy (IDEAL strategy versus maths-in-science instructional model) was taught in the intervention sessions for duration of three weeks to the experimental group (E-group). IDEAL strategy placed emphasis on drill and practice heuristics that helped the pre-service teachers’ (E-group) understanding of problem-solving. Reinforcing heuristics of this IDEAL strategy include breaking a complex problem into sub-problems. Defining and representing problem (e.g. devising a plan-using Free-Body-Diagram) was part of the exploring possible strategies of the IDEAL. More details on IDEAL strategy are discussed in Chapter 3. The same work-energy concepts were taught to the control group (C-group) using lecture-demonstration method. A technique (i.e. revised taxonomy table for knowledge and cognitive process dimension) was used to categorize and analyse the level of difficulties for each item tested (e.g. D1 = minor difficulty, D2 = major difficulty, and D3 = atypical difficulty

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Students frequently leave first-year physical science classes with a dual set of physical laws in mind- the equations to be applied to qualitative problems and the entrenched set of concepts, many erroneous, to be applied to qualitative, descriptive, or explanatory problems. It is in this sense that the emphasis of this study is on ‘change’ rather than acquisition. Thus, a blend of theoretical framework was considered according to the aim of the study. Of immediate relevance in this regard within the “constructivist paradigm” are: Posner, Strike, Hewson and Gertzog’s (1982) conceptual change theory and the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy. Moreover, the very shift or restructuring of existing knowledge, concepts or schemata is what distinguishes conceptual change from other types of learning, and provides students with a more fruitful conceptual framework to solve problems, explain phenomena, and function in the world (Biemans & Simons, 1999; Davis, 2011). A quasi-experimental design was adopted to explore pre-service teachers’ conceptual and procedural difficulties in solving mathematical problems in physical science. Sixteen second and third year pre-service teachers in one of the historically black universities in the Western Cape, South Africa, participated in the study. Two inseparable concepts of basic mechanics, work-energy concepts were taught and used for data collection. Data were collected using questionnaires, Physical Science Achievement Test (PSAT), Multiple Reflective Questions (MRQ) and an interview. An explicit problem solving strategy (IDEAL strategy versus maths-in-science instructional model) was taught in the intervention sessions for duration of three weeks to the experimental group (E-group). IDEAL strategy placed emphasis on drill and practice heuristics that helped the pre-service teachers’ (E-group) understanding of problem-solving. Reinforcing heuristics of this IDEAL strategy include breaking a complex problem into sub-problems. Defining and representing problem (e.g. devising a plan-using Free-Body-Diagram) was part of the exploring possible strategies of the IDEAL. More details on IDEAL strategy are discussed in Chapter 3. The same work-energy concepts were taught to the control group (C-group) using lecture-demonstration method

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The basic idea of this paper is to outline a cross-curricular approach between mathematics and science. The aim is to close the often perceived gap between formal maths and authentic experience and to increase the students’ versatility in the use of mathematical terms. Students are to experience maths as logical, interesting and relevant through extra-mathematical references. Concrete physical or biological correlations may initiate mathematical activities, and mathematical terms are to be understood in logical contexts. Examples: physical experiments can lead to a comprehensive understanding of the concept of functions and of the intersection of medians in triangles. Biological topics can lead to the concepts of similarity and proportion as well as to the construction of pie charts. In the European ScienceMath Project a variety of teaching modules was developed and tested in secondary schools.

The basic idea of this paper is to outline a cross-curricular approach between mathematics and science. The aim is to close the often perceived gap between formal maths and authentic experience and to increase the students’ versatility in the use of mathematical terms. Students are to experience maths as logical, interesting and relevant through extra-mathematical references. Concrete physical or biological correlations may initiate mathematical activities, and mathematical terms are to be understood in logical contexts. Examples: physical experiments can lead to a comprehensive understanding of the concept of functions and of the intersection of medians in triangles. Biological topics can lead to the concepts of similarity and proportion as well as to the construction of pie charts. In the European ScienceMath Project a variety of teaching modules was developed and tested in secondary schools.