JoinResearch & Teaching
Developing and Implementing a Campus-Wide Professional Development Program: Successes and Challenges
Journal of College Science Teaching—November/December 2019 (Volume 49, Issue 2)
By Melissa Vosen Callens, Paul Kelter, Jill Motschenbacher, James Nyachwaya, Jared L. Ladbury and Anna M. Semanko
Gateways-ND is a 5-year, National Science Foundation–funded effort directed toward three goals: maximizing the instructional effectiveness of postsecondary STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) faculty by building expertise in learner-focused practice, positively impacting student success in STEM-based “gateway” courses, and developing student persistence in STEM learning. The program, which began in 2015, works with cohorts of 30 STEM faculty for 2 years per cohort and includes 10 days of workshops; faculty learning communities; and a research component that examines the who, what, when, why, and how of change in classroom teaching and curriculum development. To date, 12,547 students at North Dakota State University have been taught by at least one Gateways-ND–trained faculty member. The Gateways-ND leadership team is seeing positive change in teaching and in student attitudes toward learning. With administrative buy-in, minor internal funding, and commitment from pedagogical experts, we believe institutions can move from a lecture-based instructional “norm” to an active learning–based norm without external funding.
Gateways-ND is a 5-year, National Science Foundation–funded effort directed toward three goals: maximizing the instructional effectiveness of postsecondary STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) faculty by building expertise in learner-focused practice, positively impacting student success in STEM-based “gateway” courses, and developing student persistence in STEM learning.
Gateways-ND is a 5-year, National Science Foundation–funded effort directed toward three goals: maximizing the instructional effectiveness of postsecondary STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) faculty by building expertise in learner-focused practice, positively impacting student success in STEM-based “gateway” courses, and developing student persistence in STEM learning.
research & teaching
The Efficacy of Flipped Laboratory Multiperspective Videos in Skill Acquisition
In recent years, video-based lectures have been increasingly used in education as part of flipped classroom approaches, adult education, distance learning, and other applications. Though approaches in video-based lectures have been widely studied, less has been reported in the development of approaches to teach relevant technical skills, such as laboratory techniques. This type of skill acquisition is made more complicated by the need to understand what a skilled person would be looking at, what they might be doing (while monitoring something else visually), and what subtle interplay these two might have. Here, we report a multiperspective video approach that allows a viewer to see both what a skilled person would be watching and doing while guiding the viewer’s attention between these domains. We compare two cohorts of students (one faculty-trained in class, the other trained via this video-based approach) and examine how well each group performed a task with a clearly defined numerical “right answer.” We find that both approaches were equivalent in fostering skill acquisition and that similar approaches should be valid in various space-separated teaching approaches (e.g., distance learning, flipped classrooms).
In recent years, video-based lectures have been increasingly used in education as part of flipped classroom approaches, adult education, distance learning, and other applications. Though approaches in video-based lectures have been widely studied, less has been reported in the development of approaches to teach relevant technical skills, such as laboratory techniques.
In recent years, video-based lectures have been increasingly used in education as part of flipped classroom approaches, adult education, distance learning, and other applications. Though approaches in video-based lectures have been widely studied, less has been reported in the development of approaches to teach relevant technical skills, such as laboratory techniques.
research & teaching
An Exam Wrapper Intervention in Organic Chemistry I
Impact on Course Performance and Study Behavior
Journal of College Science Teaching—November/December 2019 (Volume 49, Issue 2)
By Edith Rosales, Alla Chavarga, Evan Grandoit, Shoshana Mayer, Natasha Hackman, Milushka Elbulok-Charcape, Alison C. Domzalski and Gail Horowitz
This article describes a quasi-experimental study conducted in two Organic Chemistry I classrooms at a diverse, urban, public university. The treatment group received an exam wrapper intervention, a series of four written exercises administered throughout the semester designed to enhance students’ academic self-regulation by promoting self-reflection and study strategy planning. Treatment students were found to significantly outperform control students in the course overall, as well as on a common final exam question. Additionally, data indicated that the exam wrappers may have triggered weaker students to consider their performance and withdraw at significantly higher rates than control students. Exam wrappers show excellent promise as an interventional method for other gateway science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses in addition to Organic Chemistry. They can be easily administered using course management software, they involve no cost, and they require negligible curricular modification and minimal instructor effort.
This article describes a quasi-experimental study conducted in two Organic Chemistry I classrooms at a diverse, urban, public university. The treatment group received an exam wrapper intervention, a series of four written exercises administered throughout the semester designed to enhance students’ academic self-regulation by promoting self-reflection and study strategy planning. Treatment students were found to significantly outperform control students in the course overall, as well as on a common final exam question.
This article describes a quasi-experimental study conducted in two Organic Chemistry I classrooms at a diverse, urban, public university. The treatment group received an exam wrapper intervention, a series of four written exercises administered throughout the semester designed to enhance students’ academic self-regulation by promoting self-reflection and study strategy planning. Treatment students were found to significantly outperform control students in the course overall, as well as on a common final exam question.
research & teaching
Who Gets Helped?
The Opportunity Structure of the College Physics Classroom, Peer Instruction, and Perceptions of Help Seeking
Journal of College Science Teaching—November/December 2019 (Volume 49, Issue 2)
By Michael Brown and Robert M. DeMonbrun
Although peer interaction in the college classroom may benefit some students by developing peer networks for future collaborations, prior research has suggested that these relationships most often benefit students from overrepresented communities, while minoritized student populations may gain less from these experiences. In this article, we explore the opportunity structure in a physics course to identify differences in perception of classroom community among students. Using multinomial logistic regression (n = 551), initial findings suggest that students who collaborated had higher odds of identifying their relationships as equally beneficial. Among those who perceived differences in their relationships, White students were more likely to report they received help, and minoritzed students were more likely to report providing help, especially when they worked in homophilous pairs.
Although peer interaction in the college classroom may benefit some students by developing peer networks for future collaborations, prior research has suggested that these relationships most often benefit students from overrepresented communities, while minoritized student populations may gain less from these experiences. In this article, we explore the opportunity structure in a physics course to identify differences in perception of classroom community among students.
Although peer interaction in the college classroom may benefit some students by developing peer networks for future collaborations, prior research has suggested that these relationships most often benefit students from overrepresented communities, while minoritized student populations may gain less from these experiences. In this article, we explore the opportunity structure in a physics course to identify differences in perception of classroom community among students.
research & teaching
Integrating Engineering Design in Undergraduate Biology Using a Life Science Design Task
Journal of College Science Teaching—November/December 2019 (Volume 49, Issue 2)
By Jeffrey D. Radloff, Selcen Guzey, David Eichinger and Brenda M. Capobianco
This study examines the initial integration of engineering design in an introductory preservice elementary biology content course using a life science design task focused on composting. The task, informed by a three-dimensional learning approach, required preservice teachers to research and model the process and use of composting to help the citizens of Puerto Rico recover after the destruction caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Data were gathered using concept assessments, design task assignments, and critical course reflections. Findings indicated that students made significant science learning gains, demonstrated knowledge about modeling, and exhibited an informed perspective of the design task as personally relevant. By exploring the initial implementation of the compost design experience, the authors aim to make visible the potential benefits of introducing an engineering design task informed by a three-dimensional learning approach on student science learning and relevancy.
This study examines the initial integration of engineering design in an introductory preservice elementary biology content course using a life science design task focused on composting. The task, informed by a three-dimensional learning approach, required preservice teachers to research and model the process and use of composting to help the citizens of Puerto Rico recover after the destruction caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Data were gathered using concept assessments, design task assignments, and critical course reflections.
This study examines the initial integration of engineering design in an introductory preservice elementary biology content course using a life science design task focused on composting. The task, informed by a three-dimensional learning approach, required preservice teachers to research and model the process and use of composting to help the citizens of Puerto Rico recover after the destruction caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Data were gathered using concept assessments, design task assignments, and critical course reflections.
feature
Promoting STEM Persistence Through an Innovative Field Trip–Based First-Year Experience Course
Journal of College Science Teaching—November/December 2019 (Volume 49, Issue 2)
By Emma Kamen and Alessandra Leri
At our small liberal arts college, we recently introduced a field trip–based course as a requirement for all first-year science majors. This course, entitled “The Urban Ecosystem,” explores various aspects of science and technology using our city (New York) as a case study. Beyond its curricular content, the Urban Ecosystem course has two pragmatic goals: (a) to promote persistence in STEM, and (b) to help students adapt to college life on our urban campus. In this study, we seek to understand the impact of various innovative aspects of the course on students’ adaptation to a college STEM program. We describe how each course component addresses a key factor associated with STEM attrition, and we report 2 years of survey data from course participants to assess the effectiveness of our methods. We find that students benefit particularly from the social bonding aspects of the course, and we link the experience of the course with record second-year retention among our life science majors. Ultimately, longer term retention data will allow examination of the broader impact of an interactive first-year experience course on undergraduate STEM persistence.
At our small liberal arts college, we recently introduced a field trip–based course as a requirement for all first-year science majors. This course, entitled “The Urban Ecosystem,” explores various aspects of science and technology using our city (New York) as a case study.
At our small liberal arts college, we recently introduced a field trip–based course as a requirement for all first-year science majors. This course, entitled “The Urban Ecosystem,” explores various aspects of science and technology using our city (New York) as a case study.
feature
Developing the Next Generation of Elementary Science Teachers
Journal of College Science Teaching—November/December 2019 (Volume 49, Issue 2)
By Tammy D. Lee and Bonnie Glass
National science education documents emphasize new learning outcomes of elementary students; therefore, the preparation of elementary teachers should be revised to meet these challenges. This article describes how science educators at a large southeastern university developed specialized science training for elementary preservice teachers (EPSTs) by creating a combination of discipline-specific science content courses (physical, life, and Earth science) and methods courses (formal and informal) known as an elementary science concentration (ESC). The semester-long, discipline-specific science content courses of the ESC are structured into four modules that focus on the disciplinary core ideas of the new framework (National Research Council, 2012). In this article, we highlight one content course (physical science) and select one module (Core Idea PS3: Energy) to illustrate the design of the content courses. Assignment descriptions and student artifacts are used as supports to teach the disciplinary core idea emphasizing specialized knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. The methods courses (formal and informal) are explained using key assignments and experiences. The structure of the ESC provides EPSTs with more opportunities to learn specialized teaching approaches for each discipline of science within a variety of environments.
National science education documents emphasize new learning outcomes of elementary students; therefore, the preparation of elementary teachers should be revised to meet these challenges. This article describes how science educators at a large southeastern university developed specialized science training for elementary preservice teachers (EPSTs) by creating a combination of discipline-specific science content courses (physical, life, and Earth science) and methods courses (formal and informal) known as an elementary science concentration (ESC).
National science education documents emphasize new learning outcomes of elementary students; therefore, the preparation of elementary teachers should be revised to meet these challenges. This article describes how science educators at a large southeastern university developed specialized science training for elementary preservice teachers (EPSTs) by creating a combination of discipline-specific science content courses (physical, life, and Earth science) and methods courses (formal and informal) known as an elementary science concentration (ESC).
Two-Year Community
Building Engagement in STEM Through Career Courses at Two-Year Institutions
Journal of College Science Teaching—November/December 2019 (Volume 49, Issue 2)
By Jamie Pawloski and Patrick Shabram
Community colleges enroll almost half of U.S. undergraduates and were predicted to produce 12% of the workforce for STEM professions in 2018. Half of these students are the first in their families to attend college and therefore are more likely unfamiliar with the steps required to transfer to four-year universities or internship programs. Geo-Launchpad, a program funded by the NSF, was developed with these students in mind and works to expose students to internships and research opportunities that promote postsecondary education or workforce employment in the geosciences. Geo-Launchpad developed a careers course as one tier of a three-tiered programmatic approach; GEO 210: Careers/Research in the Geosciences aims to introduce students to current research, tools, techniques, internship opportunities, professions, and transfer programs in the geosciences. This report analyzes 2 years of external evaluations to question if benchmarks were met in reaching the program’s goals. Early results support success in completing the program’s goals. Students completing the careers course show interest in pursuing geoscience-driven internship and transfer programs. The program decreases the pressure of application processes, unfamiliarity with professional research, and difficulty accessing self-strengths.
Community colleges enroll almost half of U.S. undergraduates and were predicted to produce 12% of the workforce for STEM professions in 2018. Half of these students are the first in their families to attend college and therefore are more likely unfamiliar with the steps required to transfer to four-year universities or internship programs. Geo-Launchpad, a program funded by the NSF, was developed with these students in mind and works to expose students to internships and research opportunities that promote postsecondary education or workforce employment in the geosciences.
Community colleges enroll almost half of U.S. undergraduates and were predicted to produce 12% of the workforce for STEM professions in 2018. Half of these students are the first in their families to attend college and therefore are more likely unfamiliar with the steps required to transfer to four-year universities or internship programs. Geo-Launchpad, a program funded by the NSF, was developed with these students in mind and works to expose students to internships and research opportunities that promote postsecondary education or workforce employment in the geosciences.
Point of View
The Priceless Gift
Next Gen Navigator
Sensemaking at a Distance
Posted on 2020-12-17
