Buell Capstone Final Report - kelleyebguz.weebly.com · CAPSTONE Report Submitted in partial satisfaction of requirements of the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Instructional Science

Running head: INTRODUCTION TO SCIENTIFIC METHODS 1

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY MONTEREY BAY

Introduction to Scientific Methods: A Multimedia Course for Middle School ELL Students

CAPSTONE Report

Submitted in partial satisfaction of requirements of the degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE in

Instructional Science and Technology

Kelley E. Buell

December 16, 2014

Capstone Approvals: (At least one advisor and capstone instructor should approve) ___________________________ ___________________________ _____________ Advisor Name Signature Date ___________________________ ___________________________ _____________ Capstone Instructor Name Signature Date

INTRODUCTION TO SCIENTIFIC METHODS 2

Table of Contents

Abstract ...............................................................................................................................4

Introduction ......................................................................................................................5

Background ....................................................................................................................5

Problem ............................................................................................................................5

Target Audience and Context ..........................................................................................7

Literature Review .............................................................................................................9

Solution Description ........................................................................................................11

Proposed Solution .........................................................................................................11

Goals and Objectives .....................................................................................................12

Theoretical Framework ..................................................................................................15

Media Components ........................................................................................................19

Methods ...........................................................................................................................20

Instructional Design .......................................................................................................20

Development ..................................................................................................................22

Resources ..........................................................................................................................23

Technical Skills ..............................................................................................................23

Timeline ............................................................................................................................24

Evaluation .........................................................................................................................25

Formative Evaluation .....................................................................................................25

Summative Evaluation ...................................................................................................26


Conclusion ........................................................................................................................30

References .........................................................................................................................33

Appendix A .......................................................................................................................35

Appendix B .......................................................................................................................36

Appendix C .......................................................................................................................37

Appendix D .......................................................................................................................40

Appendix E .......................................................................................................................43

Appendix F .......................................................................................................................44

Appendix G .......................................................................................................................45


Abstract

The importance of scientific methods cannot be understated- especially when it

comes to teaching meaningful scientific inquiry to youth. This paper discusses the

Introduction to Scientific Methods interactive eLearning course, which introduces middle

school students to the scientific inquiry process, targeting English language learners

(ELLs) in Salinas Union High School District (SUHSD). The course includes strategies

that are specific to ELL content comprehension. The lessons are taught using an

interactive multimedia eLearning course, adhering to cognitive multimedia principles,

that was developed in Adobe Captivate.

A summative evaluation was administered to 67 ELL and 26 English only (EO)

middle school students from SUHSD. Students were given pre and post-course

assessments to determine whether they were able to achieve the objective of the course;

to identify and describe the fundamental concepts and academic vocabulary associated

with scientific inquiry. It was found that after completing the course, both ELL and EO

students’ proficiency in the stated objective improved at a statistically significant level.

However, the overall mean scores for the ELL and EO groups demonstrated 66%

and 70% proficiency respectively after the course was completed. This does not meet

SUHSD’s standard of 80% proficiency to be considered at a level of mastery. This shows

that, while the course did increase proficiency in both groups, it did not provide the

majority of students with sufficient instruction for mastery. Based on the results, it is

recommended that this course be used as an introduction to scientific inquiry, but not to

replace the hands-on authentic scientific experimentation and learning that must take

place in order to scaffold students the level of mastery of these concepts.


Introduction

Background

Scientific methods are processes for asking questions about any phenomena that

can be observed in the universe and following a procedure to test and prove or disprove

potential answers to those questions. Scientific methods are an integral part of learning

about the world around us. This is why the process of scientific inquiry is the focus of the

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The NGSS are the newly adopted national

science standards for science education and began the early stages of implementation in

California public schools during the 2014/2015 school year. According to the National

Research Council (2012), “Epistemic knowledge is knowledge of the constructs and

values that are intrinsic to science. Students need to understand what is meant, for

example, by an observation, a hypothesis, an inference, a model, a theory, or a claim and

be able to distinguish among them” (page 79). This idea is the foundation of the NGSS:

“One fundamental goal for K-12 science education is a scientifically literate person who

can understand the nature of scientific knowledge” (National Research Council, 2013,

page 2). It is therefore imperative that students have a comprehensive understanding of

scientific inquiry methods in order to successfully navigate the demands of the NGSS.

Problem

The NGSS are centered on meaningful and authentic scientific inquiry based

learning. The standards are designed to spiral disciplinary core concepts from

Kindergarten through 12th grade. The idea of spiraling content is not new and is the

current model for the K-12 California State Content Standards. Therein lies an


assumption that students are being taught the current California Content Standards each

year from Kindergarten through high school. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

The schools of the Salinas Valley in California have high English language learner (ELL)

populations. Due to the nature of this demographic, elementary education focuses heavily

on English Language Development and mathematics, making science and social science a

low priority. When the students from these schools arrive in middle school, many of then

have had very little exposure to any of the science content standards. This is problematic

for middle school science teachers who are expected to teach the grade-level standards

and prepare their students for grade-level state tests. There is a large performance gap

between where students actually are in their mastery of science standards and where they

are expected to be by the time they progress to middle school, especially for ELLs.

A survey was conducted with a science teacher representative from each middle

school in the district. The teachers reported that they had very little time to teach

scientific methods on top of all the other standards they had to cover, but that they felt it

was highly important and would like to incorporate it more into their lessons (personal

communication, 2013). Students have very little background knowledge of the methods

and it takes time to teach about the fundamentals of these processes. There is a need for a

thorough but convenient tutorial that covers the essential vocabulary and basic processes

of scientific methods in order to close the performance gap for these students. The

tutorial needs to be engaging, teach application, and contain research-based ELL

strategies for language acquisition. An interactive eLearning module is proposed to help

fill this performance gap.


Target Audience and Context

The target audiences for this eLearning product are middle school students from

Salinas Unified School District (SUHSD). All middle school students can benefit from

this product, but the focus is in the use of strategies specific to ELL language acquisition.

Incoming seventh graders will benefit from this course the most, but it could act as a

comprehensive and convenient refresher course for 8th graders as well.

There are four middle schools in the district comprised of 7th and 8th graders,

totaling over 3,000 students (SUHSD, 2013). These students come from a variety of

socioeconomic backgrounds. Approximately 90% of the middle school students from

SUHSD identify themselves as being of Hispanic/Latino ethnic background (SUHSD,

2013). Approximately 30% of students are classified as ELLs, with Spanish being the

predominant native language (SUHSD, 2013). About 82% of students qualified for the

free or reduced-priced meal subsidy, which is an indicator of coming from low-income

families (SUHSD, 2013). Furthermore, about 13% of students’ parents report having

obtained a college degree (SUHSD, 2013). This information can help provide insight on

the literacy level of the middle school students at SUHSD and why it is imperative that a

learning product contains language and literacy development strategies.

It is assumed that students have been taught about scientific methods by the time

they begin middle school at SUHSD. However, this is rarely the case. Many have heard

of scientific methods, but few have actually participated in this important inquiry process.

Even fewer are able to distinguish the different practices associated with scientific

methods, let alone write a hypothesis. This makes it important to focus the eLearning


product on ELL strategies that will help build the basic vocabulary and principles

associated with the scientific inquiry model.

After completing the Scientific Methods eLearning course, students will be able

to identify and describe the fundamental concepts and academic vocabulary specific to

the scientific inquiry process. The course will be designed as an introduction to scientific

inquiry, but is not intended to replace the hands-on authentic scientific experimentation

and learning that must take place in order to scaffold students to higher cognitive levels

regarding the scientific inquiry model. The course will fill the gap of familiarity with

scientific vocabulary, especially for ELLs, so that teachers will have a more level playing

field from which to build students’ content knowledge.

Some factors may influence the implementation of the course as well as the

effectiveness for the students who use it. The greatest constraint is that the course is

delivered online, so each student will need to have access to a computer connected to the

Internet. SUHSD purchased seven class sets of ChromeBooks for each middle school in

the district. One teacher in each department has a class set in their room, which can be

rotated to the other teachers’ classrooms. Each classroom in the district is equipped with

Wi-Fi and bandwidth that can support the use of a classroom set of ChromeBooks.

Students must be able to use the ChromeBooks to access the course during their regular,

scheduled class time. Due to the fact that many students from this demographic do not

have access to a computer and/or Internet at home, it is recommended that course access

is not required outside of classroom instructional time.

Also, teachers and students have varying levels of comfort with the use of

technology. Some teachers may be hesitant to use this course because it requires they


divert form their traditional teaching practices and/or they are uncomfortable with

technology. Students may have trouble using and navigating the course due to the varying

levels of exposure to technology and computing skills that they come with.

Literature Review

Technology has become an integral element in the modern world. Public schools

and educators across the nation are looking for new and innovative trends in technology

that can be used to motivate students, enhance instruction, and prepare students to be

competitive in the 21st century global economy. According to the NMC Horizon Project

Short List: 2013 K-12 Edition, one of the trends expected to gain popularity by the end of

this year is online learning (NMC Horizon Project Short List, 2013). They believe, “At

many institutions, online learning is an area newly ripe for experimentation — some

would argue it is undergoing a sea change, with every dimension of the process open for

reconceptualization” (NMC Horizon Project Short List, 2013). Consequently, it makes

sense to embrace this trend by developing an online eLearning course that will expand

the horizons for scientific method teaching strategies.

Research has shown that the use of technology enhances student learning in

science. A study conducted by Bayraktar (2001) on the effectiveness of computer-

assisted instruction (CAI) in science, found that CAI is most effective when used for

tutorial and/or simulation purposes. The study also concluded that CAI was more

efficient when students used computers individually, as opposed to in groups, and that

teacher-developed programs were more successful than commercial software (Bayraktar,

2001). These findings were considered as the course was being developed. The course is

intended to be used as a tutorial, it includes scientific simulation as a means of applying


the knowledge, it is designed to be administered on a one-to-one student-computer ratio,

and it is developed by a teacher in the district who understands the learning environment

and curriculum first hand.

The use of multimedia has also been shown to assist ELLs in making content

vocabulary more attainable. Silverman & Hines (2009) conducted a study on the effects

of multimedia-enhanced vocabulary instruction for ELLs and non-ELLs. They found that

multimedia-enhanced interventions were able to accelerate the vocabulary acquisition of

ELLs to the effect that the gap between ELLs and Non-ELLs closed significantly

(Silverman & Hines, 2009). Therefore, multimedia enhanced instruction is an appropriate

intervention to aid ELLs in academic vocabulary comprehension.

An environmental scan was conducted in search of existing multimedia enhanced

eLearning modules for scientific methods that are publicly available on the Internet and

/or through scholastic resources. Several such resources were identified (See Appendix A)

and analyzed for adherence with ELL academic vocabulary acquisition strategies, as well

as interactive multimedia components. All of the resources failed to meet both criteria,

however, some did integrate interactivity and multimedia into the course design. Some

of the best examples of this were the Aspire Scientific Method Lab, the Maricopa Cricket

Demonstration, the UCONN Pellegra Story, the Biology Corner Plant Experiment, and

the Sumanasinc Meat Lab. Although these are all very different examples of how to use

multimedia to teach scientific methods, none used ELL language acquisition strategies

(discussed in the Theoretical Framework, SIOP Model section of this paper) in order to

do this. Therefore, while there are several multimedia examples that already exist, there is


a need for one that utilizes ELL language acquisition strategies and therefore appeal to

the demographic this course is intended.

Solution Description

Proposed Solution

The solution is to create an interactive online multimedia course that will teach

students the fundamental concepts and academic vocabulary associated with the scientific

inquiry model and provides them an opportunity to apply the content to interactive

experimental examples. The course is specifically designed for middle school ELL

students from SUHSD. Due to the high ELL population in this district, the lessons

contain research based language acquisition strategies (the SIOP Model) that are specific

to ELL content comprehension, specifically, the vocabulary necessary to grasp the

process of scientific inquiry.

The primary learning theory that is applied to the course is cognitive theory.

Vygotsky’s theory of social cognitive development and Mayer’s cognitive theory of

multimedia learning are used to formulate the overall design of the course. Gagne’s Nine

Events provides the instructional strategies that develop the framework of this course’s

instruction. These strategies are consistent with the SIOP Model, which has been shown

facilitate ELL content comprehension and academic language development.

The course will be made available online for any teacher or student who wishes to

use it. It can be used as an introduction to scientific methods for students who have little

to no experience with it, or as a review course for students who are already familiar with

the scientific inquiry process. There are interactive formative assessments throughout the

course to ensure students are progressing toward the goals of the course. The final


summative assessment for each part will involve students applying the fundamental

concepts and academic vocabulary to examples of experimental design.

The course will be broken into three modules so that students can access the

course materials at the instructor’s discretion. For example, the modules can be

completed all together, over two to four sequential class periods, dependent on the time it

takes each learner to complete the modules. Or, each module can be administered

individually, then reinforced with additional instructional activities over a longer period

of time. This is dependent on the instructor’s intent for the program as well as their

personal pedagogical preferences. Either way, it will be necessary for each student to

have access to a personal computer or tablet-computing device for the duration of the

course. The objective of the course is for students to identify and describe the

fundamental concepts and academic vocabulary associated with scientific methods.

Students will be able to work at their own pace using the ChromeBooks provided at

SUHSD middle schools.

Goals and Objectives

All objectives are in the Cognitive Domain.

1. Given a list of descriptions, students will be able to identify the purpose of scientific

methods with 100% accuracy, by selecting an appropriate description from a list.

Level: Knowledge

Assessment: Multiple-choice. Students will be given a multiple-choice question that asks,

“Why do people use scientific methods?” They must select an appropriate answer form a

list of potential reasons that one would use scientific methods.


2. Given a list of questions, students will be able to identify a scientific question or

problem with 100% accuracy, by selecting appropriate scientific questions from a list.

Level: Knowledge

Assessment: Multiple-choice. Several questions will be listed where students must select

which represents a good scientific question. Example: Why do crickets seem to chirp

more during the summer? (correct) Where do unicorns live? (incorrect).

3. Given a list of information sources, students will be able to identify which sources are

appropriate for researching a scientific question or problem with 100% accuracy, by

correctly selecting appropriate and credible scientific sources from a list.

Level: Knowledge

Assessment: Multiple-choice. Students will be presented with a list of potential sources

of information. They must select all the sources that would be appropriate for scientific

inquiry. Example: Science textbook. Non-example: Facebook.

4. Given a list of criteria, students will be able to identify the characteristics of a well-

written hypothesis with 100% accuracy, by determining whether or not a sample

hypothesis meets the criteria.

Level: Knowledge

Assessment: Multiple-choice. Students will be given a list of potential hypothesis and

determine if each is acceptable.

5. Given a hypothesis, students will be able to identify the independent, dependent, and

controlled variables in an experiment with 100% accuracy, by selecting the appropriate

example for each variable.

Level: Knowledge


Assessment: Matching. Students will be given a hypothesis and a set of variable

examples for that experiment. They will need to match the correct example to the

corresponding experimental variable.

6. Given a scientific experiment, students will be able to identify the control and

experimental groups with 100% accuracy, by selecting the variables that represent the

control and experimental groups from list of variables.

Level: Knowledge

Assessment: Matching. List of variables and the terms control group and experimental

group will be given. Students must match the correct term to the variable it describes.

7. Given a scientific experiment, students will be able to identify the difference between

the quantitative and qualitative data within that experiment with 100% accuracy, by

selecting the from a list of data examples and matching it to the type of data (quantitative

or qualitative) the examples represent.

Level: Knowledge

Assessment: Matching. A list of data examples and the terms quantitative and qualitative

data will be given. Students must match the correct example to the type of data it

describes.

8. Given a scientific experiment and a set of data, students will be able to identify an

appropriate analysis of data for that experiment with 100% accuracy, by selecting the

data analyses that would be best suited for the described experiment.

Level: Knowledge


Assessment: Multiple-choice. An experimental description will be given and several

potential data analyses will be provided as answer choices. Students must select the

appropriate data analyses for that experiment.

9. Given an experimental analysis and the hypothesis for that experiment, students will

be able to identify whether or not the data supports the hypothesis with 100% accuracy,

by selecting the correct conclusion statement for that hypothesis.

Level: Knowledge

Assessment: True or False. An experimental analysis and hypothesis will be given along

with a statement defining whether or not the data supports the hypothesis. Students must

determine whether the statement is true of false.

10. Given an experimental conclusion that states whether or not the hypothesis was

supported by the data, students will be able to identify the next steps for further

experimentation with 100% accuracy, by selecting the statements that best describe the

next steps for that conclusion from a set of answer choices.

Level: Knowledge

Assessment: Multiple-choice. An experimental conclusion will be given and students will

need to identify the next steps for that experiment by selecting the correct statements

from the answer choices.

Theoretical Framework

Cognitive Strategies: Cognitive principles can be exemplified in a classroom setting by

creating meaningful and authentic learning experiences. It is imperative for the instructor

to consider learner characteristics and the appropriate tasks needed to promote the

processing of information (McLeod, 2003). Instruction should include illustrative


examples, demonstrations, and constructive feedback in order to provide a mental model

for students (Yilmaz, 2011). The following strategies embody constructivist principles:

organized instruction, link new material to prior knowledge, analyze the attention

demands of instruction, recognize the limits of attention and short term memory, arrange

for a variety of practice opportunities, and eliminate redundancy (Yilmaz, 2011). All of

these elements are designed to work with the internal cognitive processes of the learner.

Robert Gagne’s conditions of learning consider the internal cognitive processes

that guide learning. According to Gagne, the goal of instruction should be to activate

executive control processes that modify the information flow and set processing priorities

(Driscoll, 2000). Because of this reasoning, Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction embodies

cognitive instructional strategies. His strategies include: (1) Gaining attention, relating

the internal process of reception; (2) Informing learners of the objective, creating

expectancy; (3) Stimulating recall of prior learning, retrieval to working memory; (4)

Presenting the content, selective perception; (5) Providing learning guidance, semantic

encoding; (6) Eliciting performance, practice opportunity; (7) Providing feedback,

creating a mental model; (8) Assessing performance, retrieval and reinforcement; and (9)

Enhancing retention and transfer, provides a variety of practice opportunities (Driscoll,

2000). Although these events are sequential, Gagne realized that they are not absolute

(Driscoll, 2000). Gagne’s strategies provide the framework to make content meaningful,

organize instruction, and provide multiple opportunities to practice, which are important

tenants of constructivist theory.

Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Design: Richard Mayer (2002) argues that, “There is a

reciprocal relation between cognitive design and educational practice- a relation that


benefits both fields” (p.55). He embodies this belief in a cognitive theory of multimedia

learning. There are three assumptions that are addressed in this theory: (1) The Dual

Channel Assumption, which asserts that a visual-pictorial channel and an auditory-verbal

channel are responsible for representing and manipulating knowledge; (2) The Limited

Capacity Assumption, which states that the human cognitive system can only process a

limited volume of new knowledge; and (3) An Active Processing Assumption, which

emphasizes that meaningful learning occurs best when both the visual-pictorial and

auditory-verbal channels are actively engaged simultaneously (Mayer, 2002). These

assumptions validate the design principles that are currently accepted as best practices in

cognitive multimedia design.

Cognitive multimedia theory contributes eight main multimedia design principles.

The Multimedia Principle specifies that deep and meaningful understanding occur when

the learner can connect pictorial and verbal representations of an explanation (Mayer,

2002). The Contiguity Principle requires that animation and narration be presented

simultaneously, rather than successively, in order to maximize learning (Mayer, 2002).

The Modality Principle also urges designers to use animation and narration, rather than

animation and on-screen text (Mayer, 2002). The Redundancy Principle suggests that

presenting animation, narration, and onscreen text is not as effective as just animation

and narration (Mayer, 2002). However, conditions that are enhanced by text and narration

are when there are no pictures, the pace of the presentation is slow, the learner may have

difficulty processing spoken words, and/or key words are selected next to the graphic

they describe (Clark and Mayer, 2012). The Coherence Principle involves the omission

of extraneous words, sounds, and video so that the learner’s processing channels don’t


get overloaded (Mayer, 2002). The Personalization Principle refers to the use of

narration in conversational style with a friendly voice and the use of an instructional

agent to make the author visible (Clark and Mayer, 2012). The Interactivity Principle

allows students to control the presentation rate of multimedia explanations (Mayer, 2002).

Finally, the Segmenting and Pretraining Principle requires that lessons are broken down

into manageable segments and the names and characteristics of key concepts are

pretrained (Clark and Mayer, 2012). All of these principles have been developed through

applied theory and research. However, multimedia design is a relatively new field and

will require further research to explore the nuances associated with real-world application

of these principles.

SIOP Model: A commonly used model for ELL instruction is the Sheltered Instruction

Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model. It consists of research-based strategies that make

content comprehensible for ELLs (Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2008). “The theoretical

underpinnings of the model is that language acquisition is enhanced through meaningful

use and interaction” (Echevarria, et al., 2008, p.16). Features of the SIOP Model are

consistent with the application of cognitive principles. For example, features that relate to

Gagne’s Nine Events are: Making content and language objective clearly defined,

displayed, and reviewed with students (state objectives); Explicitly linking concepts to

students backgrounds and past learning (gain attention and prior knowledge); Clear

explanations of academic tasks (presenting content); Using a variety of techniques to

make content concepts clear (guidance/ application); and Providing ample opportunities

for students to use learning strategies (guidance/ assessment/ application) (Echevarria, et

al., 2008). Other features of the SIOP Model link directly to Vygotsky’s ZPD: Content


concepts are appropriate for age and educational background; Scaffolding techniques are

consistently used to assist and support student understanding; and Meaningful activities

that integrate lesson concepts with practice opportunities (Echevarria, et al., 2008).

Finally, features of the model that support cognitive multimedia principles: Key

vocabulary is highlighted and explicitly taught (Pretraining Principle); Sufficient wait

time for student responses consistently provided and for students to clarify key concepts

(Interactivity Principle); and Using a variety of techniques to make content concepts clear

(Contiguity, Modality, and Redundancy Principles) (Echevarria, et al., 2008).

The SIOP Model clearly displays a connection between the many of the model’s

features and the cognitive theoretical strategies proposed to inform and design the

scientific methods eLearning course. Field studies have shown that, “… the SIOP is a

highly reliable and valid measure of sheltered instruction” (Echevarria, et al., 2008,

p.220). Due to the parallel between the SIOP features and the strategies proposed for the

course, it is apparent that cognitive strategies are both appropriate and applicable to make

scientific inquiry methods comprehensible for the intended target audience.

Media Components

The interactive modules and assessments will be designed using Adobe Captivate

and will adhere to cognitive multimedia theoretical practices. Pictorial images and sounds

are used that are relevant to the stated objectives and in accordance to the Coherence

Principle. An instructional agent narrates the modules in a friendly and conversational

tone, as the Personalization Principle suggests. Closed captioning is provided for those

who wish to read the modules in accordance to ADA guidelines. Pictures along with

narration are used to demonstrate the example experiments, as well as any relevant


portions of the instruction, satisfying the Contiguity and Modality Principles. On-screen

text is used at appropriate times, consistent with the Redundancy Principle.

Methods

Instructional Design

The scientific methods eLearning course provides instruction that scaffolds

students through Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The instructional

goal is that students will be able to identify and describe the basic concepts and academic

vocabulary specific to the scientific inquiry process. Cognitive multimedia theory was

applied to the overall design of the course, adhering to multimedia design principles.

The Segmenting and Pretraining Principle is used to chunk the course content so

that it is manageable for the middle school attention span. For example, the course

consists of three modules that will group the steps into 15 to 30-minute lessons. These

modules are broken down even further into smaller (5 to 10 minute) lessons with

opportunities to practice newly acquired knowledge and skills throughout. The

Interactivity Principle is applied by providing interactive “Next” and “Back” buttons

throughout the course that allows students to navigate so that they may review the

information as needed. An instructional agent, portrayed by a Bitstrips character, fulfills

the Personalization Principle by making the author visible and providing instruction in a

positive conversational voice. The instruction delivers animations and/or pictures

simultaneously with narration and written on-screen keywords, phrases and definitions,

when appropriate, to satisfy the Contiguity, Modality, and Redundancy Principles.

Finally, background music is not be used during instruction and only pictures relevant to

the instruction are used, adhering to the Coherence Principle.


Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction is applied to the instructional design of the

course in order to create relevance and organization to the content. Gaining attention &

activating prior knowledge - the course begins by showing a student dreaming of several

scientific questions that are relevant to middle school students. Scientific methods are

presented as a way to find the answers to all of these questions and more. State the

objectives- the learner is informed of the objectives of the module. Presenting Content-

the practices of scientific methods are presented in separate modules, adhering to the

multimedia principles. Relevant vocabulary terms are explicitly taught. Providing

guidance- the instructional agent delivers instruction to the learner using relevant

narration, pictures, and written cues when appropriate. Eliciting performance- the learner

is asked to apply new vocabulary and content to practice slides after every 3-5 minutes of

direct instruction. Providing feedback- the agent addresses whether or not the learner has

correctly answered/completed the practice slides. If incorrect choices are made, clues and

hints based on the delivered instruction will be provided in a red text caption box. Correct

choices will be confirmed using green text caption boxes. Assessing performance- there

is a mini quiz that allows the learner to apply the content to an experimental example at

the end of each module. The learner must pass the quiz to move on to the next module.

Retention and transfer- the final quiz includes experimental examples where the learner

will be required to apply the content and vocabulary they just learned.

These strategies adhere to cognitive theoretical applications by providing a

meaningful and authentic context for learning. Content is provided with multiple

modalities through visual-pictorial, narrated, and written instruction. The lessons are

organized, link new material to prior knowledge, recognize the limits of attention and


short term memory, provide a variety of practice opportunities, and eliminate redundancy,

as suggested by Yilmaz (2011). All of these strategies are also consistent with the SIOP

Model features that have been shown to enhance ELL language acquisition and retention.

Development

Prior to development, several environmental searches were conducted for

interactive online scientific method lessons/ modules to ensure that the product does not

already exist. Numerous sites with scientific method lessons have been identified (see

appendix A), but none that are designed using appropriate ELL academic language

acquisition strategies. Existing sites were used to help generate ideas for how to build and

improve the course.

Preliminary design was achieved by using the ADDIE instructional design model.

Instructional objectives were created and assessment items, both formative and

summative, were planned for each of the objectives. The cognitive theoretical strategies

discussed were applied to design the course content, providing scaffolding and guiding

students to achieve the instructional objectives. This was accomplished by combining

Cognitive Multimedia Principles, Gagne’s Nine Events, and the SIOP Model as the

instructional strategies that informed the course’s framework.

Next, the online multimedia design was developed. All multimedia design was

consistent with cognitive multimedia principles. Relevant visual media was the first

priority, beginning with the selection of the agent. Due to the age of the audience, the

cartoon-like Bitstrips character was deemed appropriate. The course was then designed in

the storyboard format first. Once that was accomplished and reviewed, the actual course


was designed using Adobe Captivate. Finally, the final assessment for the course was

developed and created using the districts online testing platform, Illuminate

Resources

The design and development was completed by May, 2015 and the course was tested by

SUHSD teachers as well as SUHSD middle school students in a classroom setting.

Budget:

Adobe Captivate: $300.00

Office 2011 for mac: $125

MacBook Air: $1100

Total Cost: $1525

Technical skills

The technical skills necessary to complete this project are fluency in Adobe

Captivate and in using the district’s testing platform, Illuminate. These skills, necessary

to create multimedia eLearning modules were acquired in the IST 526 Interactive

Multimedia class, as well as the IST 626 Advanced Instructional Design class at CSUMB.

These skills were fine-tuned and developed over the subsequent months, aiding in the

professionalism and effectiveness of the final product. Several trainings and hours of

practice were completed to achieve mastery of the district’s assessment platform,

Illuminate.


Timeline

Item: Date Completed

Research October 25, 2014

Complete IDD November 1, 2014

Find/ create relevant media (including agent- contact responsible parties) October 1, 2014

Develop storyboards October 10, 2014

Create/ develop modules in captivate May 1, 2015

SUHSD teacher evaluation May 7, 2015

Initial course revision May 10, 2015

Initial course implementation with SUHSD students May 13, 2015

Final course revision May 14, 2015

Final Product May 15, 2015

Complete Final Report May 16, 2015


Evaluation

Formative Evaluation

A usability test was conducted using a fully functioning pilot course on a group of

six teachers from SUHSD; three middle school science teachers, one middle school

special education teacher, one middle school art teacher, and one retired elementary

school teacher. The test subjects were all volunteers from a variety of educational

backgrounds to ensure that the course could be clearly understood and navigated by

experts as well as non-experts in the field of science. The pilot course was given to the

test subjects online; three subjects reported using a Chromebook to evaluate the course

while the others used a PC at home. They were then asked to rate the course on a Google

Form that evaluated the effectiveness of different elements of the instruction (see

Appendix B). The test subjects were asked to complete the course evaluation within a

five-day period of time. They were also asked to note the amount of time it took them to

complete each module to ensure that each section of the course could be completed

during a regular 53-minute classroom period.

Test subjects were asked to rate several aspects of the instruction on a scale of 1

to 5; where 1 represents poor or not present and 5 represents excellent. The results were

generally positive, rating all aspects of instruction at a 3 or higher (see Appendix C). The

highest rated aspects, receiving a 5 from all participants were; clear performance

objectives, clear instruction, and clear quiz questions that all participants reported being

able to answer correctly. One area that had a lower rating was the quiz feedback, with one

three and one four. Participant #5 clarified that he felt the students would not look at the

feedback, thus the lower rating. Another area that received a rating of three from


participant #2 was the overall effectiveness of the instructional materials. He clarified this

by stating there was, “A lot of content with minimal practice. Good depending on the

intent for using the tool” (Appendix C). In a follow up conversation, he reasoned that

this course would be great as an introduction to the vocabulary, or as a review of the

concepts, but could not replace authentic, hands-on labs and experiments. Some minor

spelling and grammatical errors were also noted and subsequently fixed.

One major error was noted was in module 3, on the second “Conclusions Practice”

slide. Participant #2 pointed out that he had dragged the correct answers in the drop area

several times, but received the “incorrect answer” feedback message. When this issue

was investigated, it was found that the drop zone was a little too small for the drag items,

therefore, this issue was easily remedied by making the drop zone larger.

Overall, the test participants were pleased with the product, especially in the

delivery of instruction. As teachers, test participants were able to recognize that the

instructional design was clear and concise, appealing to visual and auditory learning

modalities, and provided ample opportunity for review. Participants reported spending

between 15 to 30 minutes on each module, therefore it was reasoned that students could

complete one to two modules within a normal class period of 53 minutes.

Summative Evaluation

A summative evaluation was conducted with 93 seventh grade participants from

SUHSD, representing the target audience in the district. Of this group, 67 are classified as

ELLs and 26 are classified as English only (EO). The students were given a pre-

assessment to evaluate their prior understanding of the scientific inquiry objectives (see

Appendix D). After completion of the course, the same assessment was administered to


measure their comprehension of the scientific inquiry objectives (See appendix D). In

addition, participants were asked to complete a voluntary opinion survey, administered

via Google Forms, that measured their impressions of the modules and how they felt the

learning went for them (see Appendix E). The pre and post-assessment were administered

using Illuminate, SUHSD’s online testing platform. Participants used Chromebooks in

the developer’s classroom to complete the pre-test, the three Scientific Methods online

modules, the post-test, and the opinion survey. The developer observed the participants

during this time, noting anything that was troublesome or confusing to them. Participants

were were able to work at their own pace and took an average three to four 53 minute

class periods to complete both the pre and post assessment, as well as the three online

learning modules and the survey. The scores from the pre and post assessments were

compared and analyzed for statistical significance.

For the purpose of analysis, the ELL participants were separated from the EO

participants as a means for comparison. The charts below compare the pre and post- test

results for each group:

42%

66%

Pre-‐test mean % Post-‐test mean %

ELL Results

38%

70%

Pre-‐test mean % Post-‐test mean %

EO Results


For the ELL group, the mean score on the pre-test was 42% and the mean score for the

post-test was 66%, making an average gain of 24% between the two tests. For the EO

group, the mean score on the pre-test was 38% and the mean score for the post-test was

70%, making an average gain of 32% between the two tests. This shows that, on average,

both groups increased their test scores after completing the “Introduction to Scientific

Methods” eLearning modules. However, the EO group showed greater gains in their

mean percentage scores than the ELL group by an average of 8% (see Appendix E).

The hypotheses are as follows; H0:µ1>=µ2 and H1:µ1<µ2, where µ1 and µ2 denote

respectively the population means for the pre-test and post-test score percentages for the

ELL group; and H0:µ3>=µ4 and H2:µ3<µ4, where µ3 and µ4 denote respectively the

population means for the pre-test and post-test score percentages for the EO group. The

test subjects are paired; therefore the t-Test for paired two sample means was used. The

null hypothesis is directional, so the one-tailed t-Test value calculation is observed. The

conventional alpha level is set at 0.01.

In comparing the absolute value of the t-stat with the one-tail t-critical value of

the ELL group it is apparent that the t-Stat result of |-8.70| is much larger than the one

tailed t-critical value of 2.38 (8.70 > 2.38). Therefore, the null hypothesis can be rejected

for the ELL group. In comparing the absolute value of the t-stat with the one-tail t-critical

value of the EO group it is apparent that the t-Stat result of |-8.11| is much larger than the

one tailed t-critical value of 2.49 (8.11 > 2.49). Therefore, the null hypothesis can be

rejected for the EO group.

After review of the statistical analysis, it can be concluded that µ2 is statistically

greater than µ1; therefore, the data does support the research hypothesis of µ1<µ2.


Furthermore, it can be concluded that µ4 is statistically greater than µ3; therefore, the data

does support the research hypothesis of µ3<µ4. Based on this result, it is concluded that

students did achieve higher proficiency on the post-test than the pre-test in both the ELL

and EO groups. In other words, after completing the “Introduction to Scientific Methods”

e-Learning modules, both ELL and EO students’ proficiency in the vocabulary and basic

concepts associated with scientific methods has improved significantly.

A total of 69 participants from both the ELL and EO groups completed the

opinion survey (Appendix G). The survey asked participants to rate their opinion on

several aspects of the instruction on a scale of 1 to 5; where 1 represents not at all and 5

represents very much. Overall, the participants’ responses to the questions were positive.

Over 75% gave a rating of four or five for; how much they liked the online lessons, that

the lessons were easy to understand, and that the written instruction, spoken instruction,

and pictures helped them understand the lessons. Most students also reported they felt

that the lessons helped them to get a better grade on the post-test. The “additional

comments” question had overwhelmingly positive responses as well. As one student

stated, “If we keep on using lessons like this, then i [sic] believe i [sic] will always get

good grades, because this helps me understand more about science” (Appendix G). This

is an example of a well-written hypothesis from the models provided in the lessons,

demonstrating that this student not only liked the lessons, but also was also able to apply

the concept in a creative way.


Conclusion

Although the statistical analysis showed that the ELL and EO groups’ proficiency

levels both improved significantly after using the “Introduction to Scientific Methods”

online modules, their respective mean scores of 66% and 70% correctly answered

questions translate to a D or C- on a standard grading scale. SUHSD generally considers

mastery of a standard or objective to be at an 80% proficiency level. The mean scores of

both groups demonstrate that the majority of participants in this study did not exhibit

mastery of the scientific inquiry objectives after completing the eLearning course alone.

The following charts provide a visual representation of this information:

Mastery is defined as a score of 80% or better. The ELL group increased mastery in its

population by 13% and the EO group by 35% (it should be noted that the EO group’s

population size is significantly smaller than the ELL group). These observations show

that, while the “Introduction to Scientific Methods” eLearning modules are effective tools

for increasing mastery the levels of the stated objectives within a population, they are not

effective by themselves to increase mastery for the majority of students.

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While most students reported that they liked the online lessons, there are many

limitations to eLearning. For example, students come with a wide knowledge base and

skill set in the use of computers and technology. Also, because eLearning is somewhat

self-paced, students must be intrinsically motivated to ensure they truly understand a

concept before moving forward. This becomes an especially important consideration with

early-adolescent youth. In fact, several of the usability test participants brought up this

notion, expressing concern with accountability issues, such as students being able to skip

through the lessons and just guess at the quizzes (see Appendix C). Some students were

in fact observed exhibiting these behaviors during the summative testing. Conversely,

other students who are typically unmotivated and rarely engaged in “traditional”

classroom learning were completely engrossed in the online lessons.

In order to ensure all students have access to mastery of scientific inquiry

concepts, it is recommended that this product be used as one of the many ways an

educator appeals to the multiple modalities of their learners. Due to the nature of science

and scientific inquiry, this eLearning product was never intended to be the only method

used for teaching these concepts. It is a tool that can be used to introduce or reinforce the

fundamental vocabulary and concepts associated with scientific inquiry. These are huge

ideas and are best supported with repetition and hands-on activities, labs, and

experiments.

The next stages for this product will be to fix some minor errors in the

programming and then to share it with the other middle and high school science teachers

at SUHSD. There is already interest in several of the middle schools and two high school

teachers have already asked if they can use it for their remedial Life Science courses. One


of the usability test subjects expressed interest in working collaboratively to develop the

content a bit further and then potentially expanding the use beyond SUHSD. As for now,

the product will be made available for free on the web to anyone who would like to use it.

As SUHSD science begins to adopt the NGSS, it will become imperative that students

have exposure to scientific inquiry concepts; teachers will be required to increase the use

technology in the classroom as well. Therefore, it is expected that this product and others

like it will be in high demand in the years to come.


References

Bayraktar, S. (2001). A Meta-analysis of the Effectiveness of Computer-Assisted

Instruction in Science Education. Journal Of Research On Technology In

Education (International Society For Technology In Education), 34(2), 173-188.

Clark, R., & Mayer, R. (2012). e-Learning and the Science of Instruction: Proven

Guidelines for Consumers and Designers of Multimedia Learning. San Francisco,

CA. Pfeiffer.

Driscoll, M.P. (2000). Gagne’s theory of instruction. Chapter 10. Psychology of Learning

for Instruction. Allyn and Bacon.

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. (2008). Making content comprehensible for English

learners: The SIOP model. Boston: Pearson.

Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Estrada V., Freeman, A., and Ludgate, H.

(2013). NMC Horizon Project Short List: 2013 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The

New Media Consortium.

McLeod, G. (2003). Learning theory and instructional design. Learning Matters, 2(2003),

35-43.

Meyer, R. E. (2002). Cognitive theory and the design of multimedia instruction: An

example of the two-way street between cognition and instruction. New Directions

For Teaching & Learning, 2002(89), 55.

National Research Council (2012). A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices,

Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. Washington, DC. The National Academy

Press.


National Research Council. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By

States. Washington, DC. The National Academies Press.

Salinas Union High School District website. (2013). School Facts and Accountability

Information, 2012–2013. Retrieved from

http://salinas.schoolwisepress.com/home/

Silverman, R., & Hines, S. (2009). The effects of multimedia-enhanced instruction on the

vocabulary of English-language learners and non-English-language learners in

pre-kindergarten through second grade. Journal of Educational Psychology,

101(2), 305.

Yilmaz, K. (2011). The cognitive perspective on learning: Its theoretical underpinnings

and implications for classroom practices. Clearing House, 84(5), 204-212.


Appendix A

Scientific Modules Research: Cricket Lab- Most comprehensive found http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/biology/glacier/scientific_method/ Second best (created for middle school) http://panpipes.net/edit6200/ Others: Berkeley Science Method http://undsci.berkeley.edu/teaching/68_teachingtools.php#68flow Science Games: http://webadventures.rice.edu Science Method Site: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_scientific_method.shtml#overviewofthescientificmethod Bio4Kids Scientific Meth: http://www.biology4kids.com/files/studies_scimethod.html Interactive Lab: http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/Labs/ScientificMethod/sci_method_main.html Interactive Navigation: http://www.brandonbeltz.com/scimeth/index.htm Meat Lab http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/scientificmethod.html Pellegra http://www.criticalthinking.uconn.edu/pellegra.swf Biology corner: http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/scientific_method_plant_exp.html#.Ux5WD7-LnCE Bioman (Game based) http://biomanbio.com/GamesandLabs/SciMethodGames/scimethod.html


Appendix B

Formative Evaluation Survey:

For the following questions, rate the effectiveness of the Course on a scale of 1-5, 1 being

extremely poor/not present, and 5 being excellent.

1. Were the performance objectives clear?

2. Did the instructional activities match the objectives?

3. Was the spoken instruction helpful in understanding the content?

4. Was the spoken instruction clear?

5. Was the written instruction helpful in understanding the content?

6. Was the written instruction clear?

7. Were the visual aids helpful in understanding the content?

8. Were you given enough practice questions before the quiz?

9. How effective was the feedback you received during the practice?

10. Where the quiz questions clear?

11. Were you successful in answering the quiz questions?

12. Overall effectiveness of instructional materials?

13. Overall effectiveness of instructional delivery?

14. Any comments or suggestions about the delivery of instruction?

15. Any comments or suggestions about the instructional materials?


Appendix C

Formative Evaluation Survey Results: 1. Were the performance objectives clear? 2. Did the instructional activities match the

objectives? Respondent Rating Respondent Rating

1 5 1 5 2 5 2 5 3 5 3 5 4 5 4 5 5 5 5 4 6 5 6 5

3. Was the spoken instruction helpful in understanding the content?

4. Was the spoken instruction clear?

Respondent Rating Respondent Rating

1 5 1 5 2 4 2 5 3 5 3 5 4 5 4 5 5 4 5 5 6 5 6 5

5. Was the written instruction helpful in understanding the content?

6. Was the written instruction clear?


1 5 1 5 2 4 2 4 3 5 3 5 4 5 4 5 5 4 5 5 6 5 6 5

7. Were the visual aids helpful in understanding the content?

8. Were you given enough practice questions before the quiz?


1 5 1 5 2 5 2 3 3 5 3 5 4 5 4 5 5 4 5 5 6 5 6 5


9. How effective was the feedback you received during the practice?

10. Were the quiz questions clear?


1 5 1 5 2 4 2 5 3 5 3 5 4 5 4 5 5 3 5 5 6 5 6 5

11. Were you successful in answering the quiz questions?

12. Overall effectiveness of instructional materials?


1 5 1 5 2 5 2 3 3 5 3 5 4 5 4 5 5 5 5 4 6 5 6 5

13. Overall effectiveness of instructional delivery?

Respondent Rating

1 5 2 4 3 5 4 5 5 5 6 5

14. Any comments or suggestions about the delivery of instruction? Respondent Rating

1 Very clear and concise.... 2 Great overall. I like the combination of reading, listening, and responding. 3 I like the tone of voice. it was not monotone. Easy to follow. 4 liked that spoken instruction was not just reading text word-for-word 5 None for instructional delivery. Very clear and concise information. The module was well

devised and presented the information in a straightforward and understandable manner. 6 It was very helpful how you articulated your words and were expressive with the intonation.

You might want to consider slowing the speech down just a little bit, especially if it is for ELs. The written words supported the spoken words, however, so that may not be necessary. Each piece was clear and concise, and built upon prior knowledge effectively. It helped that there was only the essential information and it was clearly explained and defined.


15. Any comments or suggestions about the instructional materials? Respondent Rating

1 Easy to follow...if unsure about anything you were given ample opportunities to review.... 2 A lot of content with minimal practice. Good depending on the intent for using the tool. 3 I had a little of trouble navigating through it. I accidentally click back and then somehow

managed to skip the entire lesson, I am not sure if that was suppose to happen because students can just skip it and not listen to the lesson.

4 plant images for once a day vs. once a week - possible to have once a week with a calendar and a week circled?

5 I feel that it is too easy for the students to simply retake the quiz until they pass with no way to make them accountable to really learn the information.

6 The interactive unit was fun and engaging because it had a nice rhythm of offering a small chunk of instruction followed by the opportunity to apply it. The examples in the instruction helped me to be successful on the quiz (like the grains of sands example clarified a good scientific question). The multiple choice questions were great because they included some humorous answers, some unlikely answers, and at least two plausible answers that made me think and really apply the learning. That made me enjoy the process and feel successful. I also liked the visuals and how easy it was to use the components. I never felt confused, both in the sense of the learning unit and in the sense of navigating the interactive materials. It was all very clear.


Appendix D

Summative Evaluation Pre and Post-test:

1 What is the purpose of scientific methods?

A. To seek fame and fortuneB. To prove that you are always rightC. To answer questionsD. To make the world a perfect place

2 Select the best scientific question for thefollowing observation:

You notice the sunflowers in your garden that aredirectly in the sun all day grow taller than thesunflowers that are under the shade of a largetree.

A. A sunflower grows taller in direct light than itdoes in the shade.

B. Will a sunflower grow taller if it is given morehours of light per day?

C. Should I plant more sunflowers in my garden?D. The sunflower that recieved more hours of light

per day grew taller.

3 Which of the following would be the most crediblesource to research how much light a sunflowerwill grow best in?

A. A health magazineB. A chemistry textbookC. The 'Weather Channel' websiteD. The 'Guide to Flower Gardens' guidebook

4 Which of the following is an example of a well-written hypothesis for the question:

Will laundry detergent A remove grass stainsfrom clothing better than detergent B or detergentC?

A. If I wash my clothes in laundry detergent A, thenthey will smell better than detergent B or C,because detergent A uses more perfume oilsthan detergent B or C.

B. Washing my clothes in laundry detergent A willremove grass stains better than detergent B orC will.

C. If I wash my clothes in laundry detergent A, thenit will remove grass stains better than detergentB or C, because detergent A uses morepowerful cleaning agents than detergent B or C.

D. If I wash my clothes in laundry detergent A, theywill be cleaner and smell better becausedetergent A is better than detergent B or C.

Post-Test: Scientific Methods Assessment ID: ib.340644Directions: Answer the following question(s).

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Sunflower ExperimentHypothesis: If I give a sunflower 12 hours of light a day, then it will grow taller than a sunflower that receives 6hours of light a day, because sunflowers grow best when they receive more direct light.

Experiment: Nine identical sunflowers were used. Three received 12 hours of light a day; Three received 6 hoursof light a day; Three receive no light at all. Everything else is kept the same such as the type of soil they wereplanted in and how often they were watered. The height of each sunflower was measured and recorded once aweek for 10 weeks.

5 Which experimental variable is the type of soiland amount of water each flower recieves?

A. independent variableB. dependent variableC. controlled variable

6 Which experimental variable is the amount oflight the sunflower's receive?


7 Which experimental variable is the height of thesunflower?


8 Which of the following is an example of theexperimental group? (Select ALL that apply)

A. no light at allB. 12 hours of lightC. 6 hours of light

9 Which of the following is an example of thecontrol group? (Select ALL that apply)

A. no light at allB. 12 hours of lightC. 6 hours of light

10 Which of the following is an example ofqualitative data? (Select ALL that apply)

A. 56 cm tallB. thin stemC. bright yellow flowerD. 8 leaves

11 Which of the following is an example ofquantitative data? (Select ALL that apply)

A. 56 cm tallB. thin stemC. bright yellow flowerD. 8 leaves

Post-Test: Scientific Methods Assessment ID: ib.340644Directions: Read the passage below and answer the question(s) that follow.



Sunflower GraphSunflower Experiment Data

12 Select the statement that correctly analyzes thegraphed data from the sunflower experiment.

A. Sunflowers that received 6 hours of light a daygrew the fastest.

B. Sunflowers that recieved 12 hours of light a daygrew the largest leaves.

C. Sunflowers that recieved 6 hours of light a daygrew the tallest.

D. Sunflowers that recieved 12 hours of light a daygrew the tallest.



Sunflower GraphSunflower Experiment Data

12 Select the statement that correctly analyzes thegraphed data from the sunflower experiment.

A. Sunflowers that received 6 hours of light a daygrew the fastest.

B. Sunflowers that recieved 12 hours of light a daygrew the largest leaves.

C. Sunflowers that recieved 6 hours of light a daygrew the tallest.

D. Sunflowers that recieved 12 hours of light a daygrew the tallest.



Sunflower AnalysisSunflower Experiment AnalysisHypothesis: If I give a sunflower 12 hours of light a day, then it will grow taller than a sunflower that receives 6hours of light a day, because sunflowers grow best when they receive more direct light.

Analysis: The sunflowers that received 12 hours of light a day grew taller than the sunflowers that received 6hours of light a day. The sunflowers that recieved no light did not grow at all.

13 Can you conclude that the analysis of the datasupports the hypothesis?

A. yesB. no

14 Based on the experimental conclusion, which ofthe following statements are the 2 most logicalnext steps. (Select 2)

A. Go back and check for any experimental errors.B. Discuss further study, such as whether

mermaids can swim faster than dolphins.C. There is nothing more to do. You are done with

the experiment.D. Discuss further study, such as how 8 hours or 20

hours of light per day will affect sunflowergrowth.


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Sunflower AnalysisSunflower Experiment AnalysisHypothesis: If I give a sunflower 12 hours of light a day, then it will grow taller than a sunflower that receives 6hours of light a day, because sunflowers grow best when they receive more direct light.

Analysis: The sunflowers that received 12 hours of light a day grew taller than the sunflowers that received 6hours of light a day. The sunflowers that recieved no light did not grow at all.

13 Can you conclude that the analysis of the datasupports the hypothesis?

A. yesB. no

14 Based on the experimental conclusion, which ofthe following statements are the 2 most logicalnext steps. (Select 2)

A. Go back and check for any experimental errors.B. Discuss further study, such as whether

mermaids can swim faster than dolphins.C. There is nothing more to do. You are done with

the experiment.D. Discuss further study, such as how 8 hours or 20

hours of light per day will affect sunflowergrowth.


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Appendix E

ELL Group Raw Scores: EO Group Raw Scores:


Appendix F

t-Test Results for ELL Group, α=0.01:

Variable 1 Variable 2

Mean 0.424308955 0.658844776

Variance 0.026265818 0.034449676

Observations 67 67

Pearson Correlation 0.200221779

Hypothesized Mean Difference 0

df 66

t Stat -

8.701948253

P(T<=t) one-tail 7.37092E-13

t Critical one-tail 2.38418574

P(T<=t) two-tail 1.47418E-12

t Critical two-tail 2.652393515 t-Test Results for EO Group, α=0.01:

Variable 1 Variable 2

Mean 0.3846 0.697803846

Variance 0.019215216 0.036858708

Observations 26 26

Pearson Correlation 0.32442701

Hypothesized Mean Difference 0

df 25

t Stat -

8.107075634

P(T<=t) one-tail 9.21186E-09

t Critical one-tail 2.485107175

P(T<=t) two-tail 1.84237E-08

t Critical two-tail 2.787435814


Appendix G

Summative Evaluation Opinion Survey Results:

1. Do you enjoy school?

2. Do you enjoy science?

Rating Percent Rating Percent

1 2.9% 1 1.4%

2 8.7% 2 1.4%

3 30.4% 3 13%

4 36.2% 4 37.7%

5 21.7% 5 46.4%

3. Do you enjoy using computers?

4. How much did you like the "Introduction to Scientific Methods" online lessons?


1 1.4% 1 2.9%

2 0% 2 4.3%

3 8.7% 3 17.4%

4 24.6% 4 43.5%

5 65.2% 5 31.9%

5. Were the lessons easy to understand? 6. Did the written instruction help you to understand the lessons?


1 1.4% 1 0%

2 2.9% 2 5.8%

3 17.4% 3 11.6%

4 46.4% 4 34.8%

5 31.9% 5 47.8%

7. Did the spoken instruction help you to understand the lessons?

8. Did the pictures, charts, and graphs help you understand the lessons?


1 0% 1 1.4%

2 1.4% 2 2.9%

3 18.8% 3 13%

4 40.6% 4 49.3%

5 39.1% 5 33.3%


9. Do you think the lessons helped you to get a better grade on the post-test? Rating Percent

1 1.4%

2 1.4%

3 10.1%

4 36.2%

5 50.7%

10. Do you have any questions, comments, or recommendations about the "Introduction to Scientific Methods" online lessons? • make a little more fun maybe • I really like using the Introduction to Scientific Methods because it help me to understand much better

then read something. • no i just think u did an awsome job on it =} • This recommendation about the ''Introduction to Scientific Method'' online lesson was very good

because i could understand it better. • i liked it because it was simple and easy to take notes that i could understand. • It was good. • To much notes • I did not have any problems with the website. I would like to do this every time in class. • It was a great lesson and easy to learn. • it was a great online lesson to learn but kind of confusing • I thought it was a good project. • I really liked the "Introduction of Scientific Methods" because it made it easier to understand the

lessons. • The online lessons really didn't help me at all because I only improved 7% and I got 78%. • I think this was a very quick and easy way to test and learn. • yes i think it is a great way to help students learn faster since technology is now part of tenage life • If we keep on using lessons like this, then i believe i will always get good grades, because this helps

me understand more about science . • I really liked it! • Yes, I think that if it helped me get a better grade I think others will to. I understood better than in

paper I really recomend this. • This was a good online lesson. • it is was nice from you that you give us the opportunity to do the ''Introduction to Scientific Methods''

but the voice that was talking make it easy for me to understand what this is all about. • i really liked it.I like how it was cartoon characters and the voice was helping us understand the lesson

and also the pictures.It was great. • hate it • No I don't have any questions now I understand a little what the Scientific Methods means. • I like the Scientific Methods online lessons because they helped me get a better grade on the test. • This is the most easiest test I've ever taken. • I really liked the "Introduction to scientific methods" because it really helped me with the post-test • I think that these lessons helped me understand more.the lessons did a great job explaining and

teaching it helped me understand more about science :) • The reason I like the online lesson is because you never have to worry about asking the teacher to

repeat it but I feel its a little easier to understand when the teacher explains it,also I know a lot of people some times won't hear and won't raise there hands because they are too shy.

Documents

Buell Capstone Final Report - kelleyebguz.weebly.com · CAPSTONE Report Submitted in partial satisfaction of requirements of the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Instructional Science