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Elizabeth City State University Undergraduate Research Experience 2016 - 2017 GLOBE Trainging for Preservice and Inservice Teacher Education at Elizabeth City State University Mentor: Dr. Darnell Johnson, ECSU ABSTRACT Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) is a K-12 environmental education program supported by National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and National Science Foundation (NSF). GLOBE is a powerful teaching tool that enables students to use hands-on, inquiry-based methods to gather and interpret scientific data. Pathways in Mathematics Education and Remote Sensing (PiMERS) represents a joint effort between Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) and NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) which held a hybrid regional teacher inservice and student preservice workshop on GLOBE Protocols at on the campus of ECSU located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina in the northeastern region of the state. A Protocol eTraining took place in January 2017 and the face-to-face workshop was held in February 2017. Over a two-week period, students and teachers learned basic GLOBE protocols and formed questions concerning each of the assigned GLOBE topics. During the face to face workshop participants collected data in the field, performed data/laboratory analyses, and compared data submitted by various schools around the world on the GLOBE website. The participants learned about remote sensing and viewed/manipulated images using image-processing software, and were introduced to the study of GLOBE Protocols as applied in northeastern North Carolina as well. Teachers and preservice students were excited about this hands-on experience in GLOBE and stated that this new learning prepared them to pass on this newly acquired knowledge. GLOBE protocols used in the workshop were recommended for incorporation into the current preservice teacher education program at ECSU. As a result of the GLOBE training, the 2017 PiMERS Mathematics Team at ECSU established three environmental sites on the campus of ECSU. With these three established sites, the research team conducted investigations for the following GLOBE protocols: Clouds, Air Temperature, and Surface Temperature. For atmosphere investigations of air and surface thermometers; minimum, and maximum temperatures were recorded from the area located near the front of the Dixon/Patterson Hall building and the softball field on the campus of Elizabeth City State University. With the newly installed weather station loaned by LaRC, IRT207 Infrared Thermometers and digital multi-day max/min/current thermometers were used to record measurements of air and soil temperatures. For cloud investigations, the total cloud/contrail cover, sky color and visibility, cloud levels: high, mid, and low, and surface conditions were observed and recorded from the open area located near the front of Burnim Fine Arts Complex on the campus of Elizabeth City State University. All cloud observations were done visually. The collection of environmental data from these three sites around the ECSU campus that encompass these protocols were conducted by four preservice mathematics education students and one university mathematics instructor from the General Studies Program. The team gained a better understanding of Earth System Science, its relationship to mathematics, and interrelated cycles which comprise an integrated system. The mathematics team uploaded the collected environmental data to the GLOBE website and provided environmental data that enabled scientists to help in the study the earth's system. The PiMERS Mathematics Team collected and evaluated obtained data, and created graphical models to express data quantitatively using the GLOBE website data resources. The PiMERS Mathematics Education Team members researched the relationship of GLOBE protocols curriculum to the North Carolina Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and Science (NCCCSS). North Carolina adopted the North Carolina Common Core State Standards (NCCCSS) in K-12 Mathematics and K-12 English Language Arts on June 2, 2010 that were released by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers. With the adoption of these state-led education standards, North Carolina was in the first group of states to embrace clear and consistent goals for learning to prepare children for success in college and work. The Mathematics Standards and Science Standards are considered the gatekeepers for students who are college or career ready. |
NASA Internships Fellowships and Scholarships (NIFS) Summer 2016 Facts and Fictions about Standardized Testing Mentor: Dr. Gamliel "Dan" Cherry, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) ABSTRACT During the summer, I interned at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) in Hampton, VA. My internship gave the opportunity to work with the Digital Learning Network™ (DLN™) in the Office of Education (OEd). My work with Mr. Michael Perri, involved documenting the location of audio and visual equipment throughout the video production area. This is done yearly as part of the DLN™ inventory process so that the DLN™ knows what equipment it has and where it is located. For Dr. Gamaliel Cherry, I worked on looking up different types of 360 degree video conferencing cameras. By using 360 degree cameras the DLN™ can effectively use one camera in the center of the room and do video conference calls without having to mount multiple cameras. My work with Dr. Erica Alston, included analysis of the STEM-E and EPD activates using excel and Google Maps. I created summary graphs that show the frequency of the activities by name, longitude, latitude, participation type for student, parent, teacher and public. Using this same data, I created a Google map that geographically displays STEM-E and EPD activities in the OEd 5-State region. These maps showed the range of times Dr. Kim Brush visited those areas, the number of participants, and what states were visited. The purpose was to see what locations were visited and how often. This allowed for Dr. Brush to know what areas to target in the future. My internship has sharpened my writing and helped me learn about different areas of the DLN™ and the OEd. I had the opportunity to see different aspects of studio production such as audio and video capabilities. I became familiar with statistical analysis in Excel, which will be helpful in pursuing my mathematics minor. This internship has shown me that there is a team of people to make things work; I am grateful for being a part of that team. |
NASA Internships Fellowships and Scholarships (NIFS) Spring 2016 Facts and Fictions about Standardized Testing Mentor: Dr. Gamliel "Dan" Cherry, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) ABSTRACT The world is slowly turning digital from social media to learning. Online learning is the new way of connecting students and teachers across the world to learn content. In this project I cooperatively taught science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) modules with the NASA Langley Research Center’s Digital Learning Network™ (LaRC DLN™) education specialist, Dr, Caryn Smith-Long. For these models, educators across the country registered for these events. The modules I worked with, Our Magnificent Sun and Our Planet Earth, are elementary level modules. In Our Magnificent Sun, students learned about the features of the Sun including, sunspots, solar flares, and solar winds. The module is designed for kindergarten through second grade audiences. Students interact with the DLN™ specialist through multiple question and answer sessions that engage them in learning different aspects about the Sun. In Our Planet Earth, students learn about the Earth with all its varied environments, how its systems interact, and how we gather and use information about the Earth from NASA satellites. This module is designed for kindergarten through sixth grade students. While learning and working with other teaching professionals, I was able to develop my teaching style as an elementary teacher. With the DLN™ mastered transitions with the Tricaster, a tool used for electronic transitions between the studio camera and PowerPoint presentations. Additionally I gained experience in using green screen technology for the DLN™ for presentations on the green screen. My internship helped me to sharpen my presentation skills, keep myself on a steady schedule and explain my project clearly. This experience influenced my view on what my career could be like. It makes me want to work harder in school, to graduate, and attend graduate school. Also this experience has matured me by facing my fears of presenting. This internship has opened the door to a world of opportunity, and has shown me that anything is possible. These experiences I will take with me for the rest of my life. |
Elizabeth City State University Undergraduate Research Experience 2015 - 2016 Facts and Fictions about Standardized Testing Mentor: Dr. Cheryl Lewis, ECSU ABSTRACT Criticism of standardized tests is nothing new [1]. Banesh Hoffman, professor of mathematics and former collaborator with Albert Einstein, made exactly this point in his 2003 book "The Tyranny of Testing". Some standardize test have been found to be culturally bias, and have not necessarily been an accurate predictor of student success in undergraduate or graduate school. This group of researchers examined various test-taking techniques and tips, as a means to identify, select, and/or reject "common" test-prep endorsements that will aid to the enhancement of one's success rate on test day. There has been a number of studies conducted that have been very effective in improving the test scores of individuals who are taking standardized testing (such as the SAT, ACT, PRAXIS, GMAT, and GRE). |
Elizabeth City State University Undergraduate Research Experience 2014 - 2015 Enhancing Parent Involvement in NC-CCSS for K-2 Mathematics at P. W. Moore Elementary School Mentor: Dr. Darnell Johnson, ECSU ABSTRACT In this study, the 2015 REU mathematics team from Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) extended on research done by the 2014 summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) mathematics team. A workshop was provided to assist parents to a better understanding of student homework assignments on the North Carolina Common Core State Standards for K-2 Mathematics. Parent involvement is defined as parent participation in the educational processes and experiences of their children. A chi-square analysis was used to analyze data collected from a pre survey and post survey administered to participants in the workshop. The study revealed all of the individual components of parent involvement were positively and significantly related to educational goals. The study identified various aspects of parent involvement that yielded statistically significant results in affirming that parent involvement attributed positively to urban student achievement. These findings were particularly helpful for indicating which kinds of parent involvement influenced academic success. Remarkably, parent expectations and styles demonstrated a strong relationship with scholastic outcomes. Parent expectations and styles created an educationally oriented ambience that established an understanding of certain level of support the child needed to succeed academically. The REU mathematics team focused on three essential questions in this study: (1) What practices will increase parent awareness of K-2 NC-CCSS for mathematics at P. W. Moore Elementary School? (2) What methods can be used to strengthen parent skills in assisting with mathematics homework assignments at P. W. Moore Elementary School? (3) What actions can be taken to motivate parent involvement in the school improvement process focusing on mathematics at P. W. Moore Elementary School? |
Elizabeth City State University Undergraduate Research Experience 2013-2014 Successful Transition from Math Eight to Math I Mentor: Dr. Darnell Johnson, ECSU ABSTRACT North Carolina adopted the North Carolina Common Core State Standards (NCCCSS) in K-12 Mathematics and K-12 English Language Arts on June 2, 2010 that were released by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers. With the adoption of these state-led education standards, North Carolina is in the first group of states to embrace clear and consistent goals for learning to prepare children for success in college and work. Under the Mathematics Standards, Math I, commonly known as Algebra I, is considered the gatekeeper for students who are college or career ready. There is a significant need to encourage and prepare a higher percentage of minority and non-traditional high school students to pursue careers in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) on a national level. High school freshman from schools the twenty-one county region that falls under the school divisions assigned to Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) consistently perform poorly in Math I on the End of Course (EOC) state test annually. This team will seek to examine the challenges to be overcome by eighth grade students to be successful on the Math I state assessment taken at the conclusion of their first semester in five high schools located in three selected school divisions that are in close proximity to ECSU. The Math Team will focus on the skills of North Carolina students that are required to successfully transition from Math 8 to Math I in the North Carolina Common Core Standards for Mathematics. |
Rearch Experience for Undergraduates in Ocean, Marine, and Polar Science Summer 2013 Using Common Core State Standards of Seventh Grade Mathematics in the Application of NXT LEGO® Robotics for CReSIS Middle School Students Mentor: Dr. Darnell Johnson, ECSU ABSTRACT In 2010 Common Core Standards included critical content for all students in American education for forty-five states. Previously, every state had its own set of academic standards and students in each state were learning at different levels. In the new global economy, all students must be prepared to compete on a global basis. Students are expected to develop a deeper mastery of content and demonstrate what they know through writing and other projects. The North Carolina Department of Instruction's current curriculum and instruction are more student-centered with greater focus on skills, abilities, and a shift towards more performance assessments. This research was designed to focus on mathematical processes of the Common Core Standard in mathematics lesson plans for seventh grade students. A group of seventh grade students from two middle schools of Elizabeth City Public Schools in northeastern North Carolina were selected for this research at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) for the Center of Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS). Pre and post test data were collected through student assessments and teaching observations to evaluate student growth in content knowledge, understanding and application. The REU Mathematics Teacher Team used mathematics strategies to teach various scientific, mathematical, and design concepts, through designing, by programming NXT LEGO® Robotics for the seventh grade level. The students received hands on experience for robotics construction and programming with application of mathematics, motion, and problem solving in a collaborative group setting. |
Watershed Watch Summer 2013 How Campus Development Affect Forest Growth Mentor: Dr. Annette Schloss, UNH ABSTRACT
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Elizabeth City State University Undergraduate Research Experience 2012-2013 The Impact of 2006-2012 CReSIS Summer Research Programs that Influence Student's Choice of a STEM Related Major in College Mentor: Dr. Darnell Johnson, ECSU ABSTRACT Researchers, policymakers, business, and industry have indicated that the United States will experience a future shortage of professionals in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Several strategies have been suggested to address this impending shortage, one of which includes increasing the representation of females and minorities in the STEM fields. In order to increase the representation of underrepresented students in the STEM fields, it is important to understand the motivational factors that impact underrepresented students' interest in STEM academics and extracurricular programs. Research indicates that greater confidence leads to greater interest and vice versa (Denissen et al., 2007). In this paper, the mathematics research team examined the role of practical research experience during the summer for talented minority secondary students studying in STEM fields. An undergraduate research mathematics team focused on the link between summer research and the choice of an undergraduate discipline. A Chi Square Statistical Test was used to examine Likert Scale results on the attitude of students participating in the 2006-2012 Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) Summer Research Programs for secondary students. This research was conducted at Elizabeth City State University located in northeastern North Carolina about the factors that impact underrepresented students' choices of STEM related majors in college. Results can be used to inform and guide educators, administrators, and policy makers in developing programs and policy that support and encourage the STEM development of underrepresented students. |
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