This study aimed to explore Cooperative Learning theories and practice by examining the relationships among three aspects: Experience, Practice and Perceptions. The data were from interview records from eight science teachers. As a student-centered active pedagogical trend, cooperative learning has become part of one of the most effective and…

This study examined the early implementation stages of the Modeling Method of Instruction (MMI) in the science classroom to find the most valuable strategies for effective implementation. In this qualitative study, eleven teachers were interviewed to uncover effective implementation strategies. Interview data were analyzed using the constant…

This study investigates the instructional practices of a chemistry professor during an immersion summer program, with a focus on employing multimodal discourse within a studio-based learning environment. For this study, multimodal discourse includes natural language, gestures, mathematical expressions, symbolic visual representations, and manual…

The threat of climate change makes it increasingly important for biologists and the public to understand how organisms respond to temperature. The Metabolic Theory of Ecology (MTE) predicts that temperature should affect organism performance, with implications for species interactions and ecosystems that span disciplines including mathematics,…

My thesis work is focused on conceptual and epistemic learning and characterizing the environments in which this learning takes place. Earlier studies conducted by the Stowe group explored how instructional practices, instructional emphasis, and assessment emphasis relate to student outcomes in general and organic chemistry courses. Student…

As educators, our goal is to help our students be successful, but in order to accomplish this, we need to understand what factors contribute to student success. One factor, small-group active learning, has been correlated to improved academic outcomes; however, the magnitude of this improvement can vary across different courses, different types of…

The five chapters of this dissertation are anchored around the theme of supporting teachers in making inclusive instructional decisions in science to facilitate active student participation and engagement in science learning for students with complex support needs (CSN). Chapter 1 describes the benefits of inclusive education for students with…

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of course modality on the academic achievement of students enrolled in majors and nonmajors biology courses at an open-enrollment community college in the Southeastern United States. Results from a Kruskal Wallis H test indicated a significant difference in final grades between face-to-face,…

Having discussions and working together in groups with other learners is the indicator of the collaboration aspect of engagement. Collaborative engagement can be fostered through active learning approaches, since they provide more opportunities for interaction among learners. In Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) classrooms, small…

The paper describes the intent, process, and findings in implementing an online Indigenous People's Social Studies curriculum that incorporates what local cultural institutions have to offer. Constructivism is the main theory embedded with Community of Inquiry, New Museum Theory, and Indigenous New Museum Theory. Subsequent pages describe planning…

Title I middle schools face challenges delivering effective inquiry-based science instruction within the framework of Title I requirements. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Title I middle school teacher and principal perspectives on and experiences with the challenges of delivering inquiry-based science instruction within…

When instructing very large groups of students in science, it can be difficult to engage all students in the content and measure their understanding. A major unaddressed challenge in science instruction is how specifically to design and implement strategies that engender active learning particularly in high-enrollment undergraduate courses. Active…

Embodied cognition posits that physical interactions with the environment play a crucial role in learning, including complex, abstract concepts in STEM disciplines. This is relevant for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) learners who often utilize sign language, which is a naturally embodied, visuospatial mode of communication. My dissertation…

Faculty are central to higher education and workforce development. Recent significant disruptions including the pandemic, student demographic shifts, and technology advancements in artificial intelligence are challenging faculty member's status quo in their teaching and research practices. Faculty members will need to actively engage in…

Biology and biotechnology are increasingly ubiquitous and genome research will define the 21st century as the century of biology (Venter & Cohen, 2004). Comprehension of biology is needed to engage with major public policy issues and to make informed decisions (Barton & Uphadyay, 2010; Ladson-Billings, 2003; NRC, 2012; Walker, 2021).…