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Two-Year Community

Applying the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Framework During a Community College Chemistry Project-Based Learning Activity

Journal of College Science Teaching—November/December 2020 (Volume 50, Issue 2)

By Patricia G. Patrick, William Bryan, and Shirley M. Matteson

Project-based learning (PBL) instructional methods attempt to make connections between students and their ability to solve real problems. We framed our qualitative study within sociocultural theory and used the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) model to define the positive and negative factors occurring during a PBL activity. We followed 22 rural community college chemistry students during a garden-based PBL activity and collected data through discussions, observations, open-ended exam questions, semi-structured interviews, and reflective journals. Our goal was to identify the social influences on groups in real time, meaning defining group interactions as they were occurring, and organize the findings within a SWOT framework. We discovered four strengths (discussions, groups, instructor support, and knowledge/experience), six weaknesses (absences, collaboration, communication, dominant member, motivation, and procrastination), four opportunities (Canvas and Google Docs, community members/family, out-of -class communication/discussions, and websites), and two threats (animosity and personal issues/ignoring the group). The results offer insight into the complex network of social interactions within the peer group. We include strategies for finding the right balance between SWOT factors.

 

Project-based learning (PBL) instructional methods attempt to make connections between students and their ability to solve real problems. We framed our qualitative study within sociocultural theory and used the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) model to define the positive and negative factors occurring during a PBL activity. We followed 22 rural community college chemistry students during a garden-based PBL activity and collected data through discussions, observations, open-ended exam questions, semi-structured interviews, and reflective journals.
Project-based learning (PBL) instructional methods attempt to make connections between students and their ability to solve real problems. We framed our qualitative study within sociocultural theory and used the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) model to define the positive and negative factors occurring during a PBL activity. We followed 22 rural community college chemistry students during a garden-based PBL activity and collected data through discussions, observations, open-ended exam questions, semi-structured interviews, and reflective journals.
 

Point of View

Understanding and Addressing Ambiguity in the STEM Classroom

Journal of College Science Teaching—November/December 2020 (Volume 50, Issue 2)

By Rachel Yoho

The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are some of the most jargon-heavy areas in higher education. As such, teaching and learning in these areas includes challenges with lexically ambiguous words and phrases, where one term has different meaning in another STEM field, nonSTEM field, or broadly in society. These further can be confounded when crosscutting concepts may include an aspect of lexical ambiguity. Overall, such topics and areas are understudied in STEM. This work describes a set of resources and guides for educators to orient themselves on the potential challenges of crosscutting concepts and lexical ambiguity, analyze lexically ambiguous words and phrases in their own disciplines, apply time efficient teaching strategies, and—broadly—scaffold their approaches to these educational challenges.
The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are some of the most jargon-heavy areas in higher education. As such, teaching and learning in these areas includes challenges with lexically ambiguous words and phrases, where one term has different meaning in another STEM field, nonSTEM field, or broadly in society. These further can be confounded when crosscutting concepts may include an aspect of lexical ambiguity. Overall, such topics and areas are understudied in STEM.
The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are some of the most jargon-heavy areas in higher education. As such, teaching and learning in these areas includes challenges with lexically ambiguous words and phrases, where one term has different meaning in another STEM field, nonSTEM field, or broadly in society. These further can be confounded when crosscutting concepts may include an aspect of lexical ambiguity. Overall, such topics and areas are understudied in STEM.
 

Feature

Surveying the Safety Culture of Academic Laboratories

Journal of College Science Teaching—November/December 2020 (Volume 50, Issue 2)

By Emily Faulconer, Zachary Dixon, John C. Griffith, and Hayden Frank

The university traditionally has been the foundation for young adults’ professional development, yet the proclivity toward safety culture has garnered less focus in higher education than in the workforce. A survey of faculty at a medium-sized, research-active, private institution revealed specific areas of policy noncompliance as well as specific safety attitudes that can be targeted for interventions.  Albeit a snapshot view, the survey implies that safety needs better representation in the classroom, teaching laboratories, and research facilities at universities. Safety is not abandoned by any means, and there is a strong presence of safety-oriented individuals, but the data show barriers to safety do exist that need to be addressed. The implications of this small-scale study serve as a foundation for a more comprehensive multi-institutional study in the future.

 

The university traditionally has been the foundation for young adults’ professional development, yet the proclivity toward safety culture has garnered less focus in higher education than in the workforce. A survey of faculty at a medium-sized, research-active, private institution revealed specific areas of policy noncompliance as well as specific safety attitudes that can be targeted for interventions.  Albeit a snapshot view, the survey implies that safety needs better representation in the classroom, teaching laboratories, and research facilities at universities.
The university traditionally has been the foundation for young adults’ professional development, yet the proclivity toward safety culture has garnered less focus in higher education than in the workforce. A survey of faculty at a medium-sized, research-active, private institution revealed specific areas of policy noncompliance as well as specific safety attitudes that can be targeted for interventions.  Albeit a snapshot view, the survey implies that safety needs better representation in the classroom, teaching laboratories, and research facilities at universities.
 

KSU-NSTA Student Chapter Succeeds by Embracing Change

By Debra Shapiro

KSU-NSTA Student Chapter Succeeds by Embracing Change

 

Editorial

Families Are Essential in the STEM Learning Ecosystem

Connected Science Learning October-December 2020 (Volume 2, Issue 4)

By Beth Murphy

Families Are Essential in the STEM Learning Ecosystem

Archive: Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge: Learn from the Winners, November 5, 2020

The Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge Competition acknowledges exceptional and innovative science educators, to recognize outstanding K–12 school programs for their exemplary approaches to science lab instruction utilizing limited school and laboratory resources, and raise awareness and exposure of the outstanding work being done in the science education field in targeted areas near Shell assets listed below:

The Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge Competition acknowledges exceptional and innovative science educators, to recognize outstanding K–12 school programs for their exemplary approaches to science lab instruction utilizing limited school and laboratory resources, and raise awareness and exposure of the outstanding work being done in the science education field in targeted areas near Shell assets listed below:

The Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge Competition acknowledges exceptional and innovative science educators, to recognize outstanding K–12 school programs for their exemplary approaches to science lab instruction utilizing limited school and laboratory resources, and raise awareness and exposure of the outstanding work being done in the science education field in targeted areas near Shell assets listed below:

The Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge Competition acknowledges exceptional and innovative science educators, to recognize outstanding K–12 school programs for their exemplary approaches to science lab instruction utilizing limited school and laboratory resources, and raise awareness and exposure of the outstanding work being done in the science education field in targeted areas near Shell assets listed below:

Archive: Competitive Application for the Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge, December 10, 2020

The Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge Competition acknowledges exceptional and innovative science educators, to recognize outstanding K–12 school programs for their exemplary approaches to science lab instruction utilizing limited school and laboratory resources, and raise awareness and exposure of the outstanding work being done in the science education field in targeted areas near Shell assets listed below:

The Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge Competition acknowledges exceptional and innovative science educators, to recognize outstanding K–12 school programs for their exemplary approaches to science lab instruction utilizing limited school and laboratory resources, and raise awareness and exposure of the outstanding work being done in the science education field in targeted areas near Shell assets listed below:

The Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge Competition acknowledges exceptional and innovative science educators, to recognize outstanding K–12 school programs for their exemplary approaches to science lab instruction utilizing limited school and laboratory resources, and raise awareness and exposure of the outstanding work being done in the science education field in targeted areas near Shell assets listed below:

The Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge Competition acknowledges exceptional and innovative science educators, to recognize outstanding K–12 school programs for their exemplary approaches to science lab instruction utilizing limited school and laboratory resources, and raise awareness and exposure of the outstanding work being done in the science education field in targeted areas near Shell assets listed below:

Archive: NSTA Author Series: Using Daily Life Probes to Uncover Students' Ideas in Engineering & Technology, December 9, 2020

In this web seminar, participants will learn how to use purposefully designed, engaging questions to elicit and address students’ commonly held ideas about core concepts and practices in engineering and technology.   

In this web seminar, participants will learn how to use purposefully designed, engaging questions to elicit and address students’ commonly held ideas about core concepts and practices in engineering and technology.   

In this web seminar, participants will learn how to use purposefully designed, engaging questions to elicit and address students’ commonly held ideas about core concepts and practices in engineering and technology.   

In this web seminar, participants will learn how to use purposefully designed, engaging questions to elicit and address students’ commonly held ideas about core concepts and practices in engineering and technology.   

Archive: Developing a Competitive Teacher Award Application, November 12, 2020

NSTA Teacher Awards recognize preK–16 science educators in the United States and Canada who have had a positive impact on their students through innovative classroom science teaching.

The presenters discuss the application process for the 2020-2021 academic year, share insight into completing your application, and provide tips for strengthening your submission for a chance to win prize money, materials, and equipment for your classroom!

Learn more and apply.

NSTA Teacher Awards recognize preK–16 science educators in the United States and Canada who have had a positive impact on their students through innovative classroom science teaching.

The presenters discuss the application process for the 2020-2021 academic year, share insight into completing your application, and provide tips for strengthening your submission for a chance to win prize money, materials, and equipment for your classroom!

Learn more and apply.

NSTA Teacher Awards recognize preK–16 science educators in the United States and Canada who have had a positive impact on their students through innovative classroom science teaching.

The presenters discuss the application process for the 2020-2021 academic year, share insight into completing your application, and provide tips for strengthening your submission for a chance to win prize money, materials, and equipment for your classroom!

Learn more and apply.

NSTA Teacher Awards recognize preK–16 science educators in the United States and Canada who have had a positive impact on their students through innovative classroom science teaching.

The presenters discuss the application process for the 2020-2021 academic year, share insight into completing your application, and provide tips for strengthening your submission for a chance to win prize money, materials, and equipment for your classroom!

Learn more and apply.

 

Freebies for Science Teachers, October 20, 2020

By Debra Shapiro

Freebies for Science Teachers, October 20, 2020

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