Many problems related to synthesis with intelligent tutoring may be phrased as program synthesis problems using AI-style search and formal reasoning techniques. The _x000C_first two results in this dissertation focus on problem synthesis as an aspect of intelligent tutoring systems applied to STEM-based education frameworks, specifically high…

The research presented in chapters 2, 3, and 4 in this dissertation uses a sociocultural and sociohistorical lens, particularly around power, authority of knowledge and identity formation, to investigate the complexity of engaging in, supporting, and evaluating high-quality argumentation within a college biochemistry inquiry-oriented classroom.…

Serving approximately 80% of the one million college students taking pre-college-level mathematics classes, community colleges perform an important function in providing access to advanced coursework and degrees. Low success rates in these classes has led mathematics educators to consider alternative forms of curriculum and instruction for these…

Despite the growing attention being paid to teaching mathematics for students with disabilities, the existing research tends to focus on mathematical skill acquisition, but not on skill maintenance. Maintenance of mathematical skills is especially important as mathematics has applications in daily life and is directly related to important life…

Mathematics classrooms have reflected little change over the past century, consisting of the learning of inert, disjoint procedures with few connections between mathematics concepts and students' everyday experiences. However, problem posing, that is, the reformatting of existing problems and the generation of new ones, has been promoted by the…

The construction industry has undergone significant changes in recent decades: new project delivery methods, cyber-trek projects, increased complexity of buildings and systems, increased prefabrication, advancing technology and new types of teams and organizations (Brandt, 1993; Farrow & Mouton, 2010; Spence, 2006; Sznewajs & Moore, 2013).…

This study investigates predictors of school counselors' technology use and acceptance. Two linear regression models were explored, one to assess the predictive power of a set of characteristics of school counselors (age, sex, race, years of experience and leadership) on technology use and acceptance. A second model explored whether individual…

Quality learning and high student achievement are primary goals of K-12 public school education. Superintendent-School Board teams can have a positive impact on both. Collaboration is critical to these teams' effectiveness and efficiency. Research has suggested conflict can have a negative impact on collaboration and may be related to the…

Human-centered design requires thorough understanding of people (e.g. customers, designers, engineers) in order to better satisfy the needs and expectations of all stakeholders in the design process. Designers are able to create better products by incorporating customers' subjective evaluations on products. Engineers can also build better tools…

Student reasoning on physics problems is often context dependent. A possible explanation is that salient distracting features (SDFs) in physics problems may cue students' "spontaneous" reasoning. This cued reasoning is often accepted without question, even though it may be unproductive and may even preclude the use of relevant knowledge.…

A longitudinal study of the effects of an early childhood mathematics intervention was conducted in 2 private elementary schools in a large city in central Texas. The study included 377 participants in prekindergarten through fifth grades. Explicit non-inverted number names were taught in English and Spanish to prekindergarten and kindergarten…

In today's technology enriched schools and workforces, creative problem-solving is involved in many aspects of a person's life. The educational systems of developed nations are designed to raise students who are creative and skillful in solving complex problems. Technology and the age of information require nations to develop generations of…

There is a growing call for enhancing creativity in engineering education. However, research indicates that most higher education institutions still lack the needed criteria for providing students with real-world experience that will hone their creative problem solving skills. Creating such environments requires a deeper understanding of different…

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to determine if specific interpersonal skills (trustworthiness, communication, empathy, and problem-solving) possessed by principals, as perceived by teachers, are important characteristics in creating and maintaining a positive school climate, increasing student learning, and retaining teachers in the…

Higher order thinking skills have been embedded into state teaching standards, including Standard 9 of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (NJCCCS) for 21st Century Life and Careers. These standards aim to encourage problem solving, critical thinking, reasoning, and real-world application in order to prepare students for the workplace…