CIRTL FORUM POSTER ABSTRACTS & MAP
Poster Session: April 13, 2015 Memorial Student Center, Room 2300 D&E Title [Poster Number]
Page Number
1) Exploring the Various Modes of Participation that Lead to Successful Engineering Performances [2] ......................... 1 2) Using Groupwork to Enhance Primary Literature Discussions [19] ................................................................................. 1 3) Future Faculty Development: The Role of a “Flexible” Graduate Student Organization [21] ......................................... 2 4) Mentored Discussions of Teaching [41] ........................................................................................................................... 2 5) A synergistic approach to evaluate student learning using clickers and active learning strategies [66] ....................... 3 6) Connecting First Year IE/ME Students with Alumni: Assessing Students’ Career and Field Perception Before and
After an Interview [14] .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 7) Developing a Sustainable Model of CIRTL at the University of Pittsburgh [24] .............................................................. 3 8) STEM Faculty Perceptions on 'Teaching-as-Research' Concepts [25] .............................................................................. 4 9) Student Learning in CyberGIS: Using a Project-Based Approach [26] ............................................................................. 5 10) Auburn University's Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) Program: Supporting the Advancement of STEM Future Faculty
[27] ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 11) The BOLD program promotes graduate student understanding of evidence-based teaching practices and
approaches to investigating student learning [28] ............................................................................................................. 6 12) The Impact of Interactive Lessons in a Large Enrollment Life Span Human Development Course [29] ...................... 7 13) Assessing Student Perceptions and Explanations of Microbial Evolution [16] ............................................................. 7 14) Multiple Paths to Advance Evidence-Based Teaching Using CIRTL Massive Open Online Courses [30] ...................... 8 15) Show Them the Data: The Effects of Worked Examples on Students' Problem Solving Performance, Study
Preferences, and Study Choices [31] .................................................................................................................................... 8 16) Preparing Future STEM Faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham [32] ...................................................... 9 17) Celestial Navigation Online Course [17] ......................................................................................................................... 9 18) Social Network in Science: The effects of peer-to-peer social interactions on academic success in a genetics course
[33] ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 19) Creating Teaching Opportunities for STEM Future Faculty Development [34] .......................................................... 10 20) Using Advanced Acting Techniques to Teach Public Speaking at UC Irvine: Innovative Approaches to Effective
Communication [35] ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 21) How well do required statistics courses prepare students for higher level science? [4] ............................................ 11 22) Evaluating eNotebook Frequency Activity to STEM Research Competency [36] ....................................................... 12 23) Preparing the future professoriate: Professional development for graduate teaching assistants in the Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego [37] ........................................................................................................ 13 24) "Exploring Biology" Freshmen Interest Group (FIG) as a High-Impact Practice for Recruiting and Retaining Students
in STEM [38] ......................................................................................................................................................................... 13 25) Preconceptions about the Infection Process among Pre-Nursing Students [43] ....................................................... 13 26) Ascending the STEM Education Mountain of Excellence at West Virginia University [40] ......................................... 14 27) Patterns and Efficacy of Teaching Concepts of Race in Anthropology: Preliminary Findings [22] ............................. 14 28) Use of Recorded Lessons for Reinforcement in a General Chemistry Laboratory Course [42] ................................... 15 29) Student Created Technique Videos as an Alternative Assessment in the General Chemistry Laboratory [18] ......... 15 30) The Incorporation of Field Experience in the Biology 102 Laboratory Curriculum at Howard University to Improve
Student Learning [39] ......................................................................................................................................................... 16 31) The Delta Program in Research, Teaching & Learning at the University of Wisconsin-Madison: Institutional Impacts
[44] ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 32) Boston University CIRTL: Distributed and Networked Enhanced Interactivity [45] .................................................... 17 33) Strengthening Local CIRTL Programming through a Vital Cross Network Learning Community [72] ...................... 17 34) Teaching Fellow Peer Mentoring: A Learning Community: Preparing Teachers Through Mentoring [47] ................ 18 35) TAR: Using Peer Discussion and Group Worksheets for Teaching Gauss’s Law [49] ................................................... 18 36) Applying the CREATE Pedagogical Tool to the Online Animal Behavior Course to Enhance Scientific Literacy [48] 18 37) Current Research Methods in Chemistry: Integrating active learning into the undergraduate chemistry curriculum
[12] ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 38) Effects of Targeted Troubleshooting Activities on Student Confidence in a Statistics Computer Lab: A Pilot
Investigation [15] ................................................................................................................................................................ 19 39) Differences in grades between graduates and undergraduates in a public health course [50] ................................ 20 40) Intersecting Students on Facebook: Cirriculum Reinforcement Where They Least Expect It [51] ............................. 20 41) The Impact of CIRTL on Member Institutions [56] ....................................................................................................... 21 42) Effects of Technology for Students in the Digital Age [53] .......................................................................................... 21 43) Evaluating and Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills in a Biomedical Engineering Course [54] .................................... 22 44) What's the leak? Factors that may contribute to the low retention of students in science [7] .................................. 22 45) We've Discussed the Ingredients now Let’s Make the Dish: Assembling Active Learning Strategies in an
Engineering Statics Course [55] .......................................................................................................................................... 23 46) Outcome Mapping: A Bloom's Taxonomy Heat Map for Integrated and Consistent Student, Instructor, and Course
Assessment [52] .................................................................................................................................................................. 23 47) PREPARE-ing Future Faculty Through CU-CIRTL [57] ................................................................................................... 24 48) Impact of Teaching Style on Student Learning and Satisfaction in Statistics Courses [58] ........................................ 24 49) The Impact of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry I as Prerequisites on Student Performance in Biochemistry II [9]
............................................................................................................................................................................................. 25 50) Comparison between a traditional teaching method (TTM) and a collaborative teaching method (CTM) regarding
student engagement and subject mastery in a biochemistry laboratory [59] .................................................................. 26 51) Developing a Quantum Interactive Learning Tutorial (QuILT) on the Double-Slit Experiment [60] .......................... 26 52) Using Blackboard as an Academically Framed Social Media Tool to Enhance Student Engagement among College
Students [61] ....................................................................................................................................................................... 26 53) BOLD Learning Module: Electrostatics for Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences [11] ........................................ 27 54) Cooperative learning for basic writing skills in an upper division writing class [3] .................................................... 27 55) Assessing the Flipped Classroom Model in Organic Chemistry II [62] ........................................................................ 28 56) Washington University CIRTL Program for Future Faculty: Evaluating Program Activities [64] ................................. 28 57) Can Spacing Out Homework Assignments Enhance Retention and Transfer in Introductory Chemistry? [10] ......... 29 58) Integrating Peer Instruction into the Biology Classroom Using Weekly Quiz Questions [65] .................................... 29 59) CIRTL 2.0 - Technology to Enhance and Support the CIRTL Community [23] ............................................................. 29 60) Assessment of Cultural Knowledge and Skills Transfer in Undergraduate Dietetics Education [20] ......................... 30 61) Training the Trainers for Small Group Work at the Physics Learning Center [1] ......................................................... 31 62) Inquiry-based learning strategy for an advanced undergraduate Chemistry laboratory course [63] ........................ 31 63) Comparing the Impact of Peer Instruction and Lecture-Based Teaching Strategies on Student Learning [67] ........ 32 64) The Effect of Tegrity Usage on Student Learning Outcomes [68] ............................................................................... 33 65) Implementing active learning in a flipped Calculus course [73] ................................................................................. 33 66) The University of Maryland’s University Teaching and Learning Program for Graduate Student and Postdoc
Professional Development [69] .......................................................................................................................................... 34 67) Learning Computer Programming Through Projects in Materials Science [71] ......................................................... 34 68) Supporting the Development of Expertise in Physics through Metacognitive Diaries [70] ....................................... 35 69) Enhancing undergraduate student learning by introducing group activities in lecture sessions and video
demonstrations in laboratory sessions [5] ......................................................................................................................... 35 70) Engineering Students’ Perceptions and Knowledge of Sustainability [8] ................................................................... 36 71) A Brief Mindfulness Intervention to Increase Undergraduate Learning [81] .............................................................. 36 72) Using Structured Group Work as a Mechanism for Breaking Undergraduate Engineers’ Statistical Misconceptions
[74] ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 73) The effects of study guide format on long term retention of material [75] ................................................................ 37 74) A Visual Teaching Aid: DanceChemistry [79] ............................................................................................................... 38 75) SimBio Visual Experiments as Supplementary Material Driving the Success in Evolutionary Concepts [77] ............ 38 76) Characterization of Recitation & Lecture and Its Influence on Performance in an Introductory Chemistry Course for
Non-Majors [78] .................................................................................................................................................................. 39 77) The FAST Program: Future Academic Scholars in Teaching [76] ................................................................................. 39 78) World of Watershed Management (WOWM): A roleplaying game to teach the complexity of socio-ecological
systems and problems [6] ................................................................................................................................................... 40 79) Calculus Class Comparison: Backgrounds and Nonstandard Problems [80] .............................................................. 41 80) Student Metacognition in the Biological Sciences [13] ............................................................................................... 41 81) An Investigation into the Effectiveness of a Rotating Tank Apparatus in Communicating Atmospheric Science
Concepts to K-12 Students [46] .......................................................................................................................................... 41 1) Exploring the Various Modes of Participation that Lead to Successful Engineering Performances [2]
Adebayo, Olufunmilayo; Farrar, Emily; Evans, Rick; McCray, Tyi; Nathans-Kelly, Traci
Cornell University
Spatial visualization (SV) can be defined as, “the ability to mentally manipulate, rotate, twist, or invert pictorially
presented stimuli.” [1] It has been suggested that SV skills facilitate retention and therefore predict success in
engineering. [2] Furthermore, there exists some evidence of group differences in SV skills, specifically related to
female and underrepresented minority students, indicating a potential explanation for the lower retention and
success rates of these groups. [3-5]. However, while these studies propose a correlation between SV skills and success
in engineering, the exact mechanism of how and why this correlation exists has remained unexplored.
The Cornell University Engineering Success (CUES) program used the NSF ENGAGE curriculum to introduce SV basic
skills to a select group of first year students, through a unique project-based course. The overall improvement in SV
skills was a significant 13%. However, our aims were more ambitious. Our teaching team believed that visual skills
application in authentic engineering projects would not only provide deeper learning, applicable toward future
engineering work, but also allow us to explore the relationship between SV and success in engineering.
Student teams worked with biomedical faculty researchers and were tasked to produce professional-level
visualizations. They were introduced to a particular engineering community of practice, and they learned and used
the spatial language of the field, ultimately realizing valuable project outcomes. We employed action
research/grounded theory methodologies (observations, instructor journals, expert responses, and e- portfolios) to
track their acquisition of spatial concepts, representations and critical stances, and the applications to their projects.
Our results were transformative. They suggest that while a simple correlation may exist, it is much more nuanced than
has been assumed. Indeed, our results suggest that such success may be more deeply rooted in the introduction of
the spatial language and students’ actions within a particular community of practice.
2) Using Groupwork to Enhance Primary Literature Discussions [19]
Arjes, Heidi A.; DuFault, Carolyn; Frey, Gina
Washington University in St. Louis
Primary literature discussions are a key part of most advanced undergraduate biology classes. Students are expected
to read primary scientific literature and analyze this literature orally with their peers. This is invaluable to the students
to improve scientific literacy, introduce students to the scientific process and develop scientific communication skills.
While it is clear that discussing primary literature enhances classroom education in upper level science classes, there is
little data that asks the question of what is the most effective method to teaching primary literature discussions.
We compared two different methods of leading a discussion section in an upper level Microbiology class. The
“control” groups consisted of classes where students met and a teaching assistant guided students through the paper
by calling for volunteers to explain each part of the paper before summing up the main points of the paper at the end.
The experimental “small group” discussions instead began with students breaking up into groups of 2-3 and
discussing an assigned figure in depth in these small groups. Then students came back and discussed each figure as a
large group before summing up the main points of the paper at the end. We evaluated the effectiveness of these two
methods in student participation, class preparation and student confidence as measured through quiz questions and
student surveys.
In our preliminary results, we found that both discussion methods improved student confidence in their ability to read
scientific literature. Students from the “small group” method reported a greater gain in their confidence to read
scientific literature at mid-term, spent more time preparing for class and participated to a greater extent during the
discussion. In addition, the “small group” environment helped students become more comfortable with each other
and fostered lively student-driven discussions.
1 3) Future Faculty Development: The Role of a “Flexible” Graduate Student Organization [21]
Atoba, Olabisi A.; Marbach, Joshua J.; Richardson, Ra'Sheedah
Texas A&M University
The Academy for Future Faculty (AFF), formerly known as the Graduate Teaching Academy, is a free graduate studentled organization at Texas A&M University dedicated to developing tomorrow’s faculty today. AFF promotes the CIRTL
mission of developing a national faculty committed to the advancement of teaching practices for diverse learners.
Because teaching opportunities can be limited for graduate students and institutions desire that new faculty be
teaching ready, AFF’s mission is to provide exposure to pedagogy and professional development opportunities to
equip graduate students and post-docs for college teaching using a flexible and innovative model. Supported by the
Office of Graduate and Professional Studies and the Center for Teaching Excellence, AFF offers workshops to
accommodate the time constraints and diverse interests of students. Students enrolled in the program engage in a
series of professional development opportunities in teaching (i.e., attend eight workshops including CIRTL webinars;
complete drafts of professional documents; observe the teaching of two faculty; and receive mentorship in teaching
from a faculty) and upon completion, receive the CIRTL-AFF Certificate. Recent graduates of the program and
members of the AFF Steering Committee engage in informal mentor relationships with students while performing
duties that range from coordinating workshops to organizing the annual CIRTL-AFF banquet. Last year, 54 students
completed the program. This year more than 200 students have enrolled in the program and completion rates are
expected to increase. Graduate students needs are diverse. Future faculty programs allowing for engagement in
professional development in teaching experiences at varying levels within a flexible timeframe may help to increase
graduate student participation and retention in future faculty programs. Future research assessing the effectiveness of
this future faculty model with respects to retention rates will be conducted with the assumption that the model may
be adapted to fit the local context of other institutions.
4) Mentored Discussions of Teaching [41]
Baiduc, Rachel R.; Linsenmeier, Robert A.; Ruggeri, Nancy
Northwestern University
We report our experience with Mentored Discussions of Teaching (MDT), a program at for graduate students and
postdoctoral fellows now in its fifth iteration. The overall program goals are to: 1) engage PhD students and postdocs
in learning about STEM teaching in a program that has a low barrier to participation and lasts one academic quarter,
and 2) build a learning community that involves STEM faculty members directly. Specific objectives for the
participants are to: 1) observe faculty teaching undergraduate courses; 2) discuss how faculty promote learning in
these courses; 3) discuss the relevance of evidence-based practices to their own teaching; and 4) reflect on their
intended teaching practices, informed by their observations and discussions. Operationally, one or more participants
are assigned to a faculty mentor in a related STEM discipline early in the quarter. Participants then observe several
classes aided by a checklist of observation points, and they discuss their observations with their mentor. In parallel,
participants meet as a group with program leaders three times: first, to be oriented to the program; second, to discuss
three assigned readings on concepts in learning, fostering critical thinking, and cultural competence; and third, to
share what they have learned from observations. Since inception, MDT has served 62 PhD students and 35 postdocs
under the guidance of 32 faculty mentors. We will report data from surveys of faculty and participants showing that
MDT is meeting its objectives. MDT is valuable for graduate students and postdocs who may have insufficient time for
longer programs. It was intended as a bridge between brief workshops and a full year program, but has proven to
have value whether it is done before or after other programs. We have also found that it is an effective way to engage
busy STEM faculty in the mission of CIRTL.
2 5) A synergistic approach to evaluate student learning using clickers and active learning strategies [66]
Bailey, Dondra
Howard University
Student response systems, commonly known as clickers have become increasingly useful in college classrooms.
Clickers encourage student participation and allow instructors to receive immediate feedback, which provides a
mechanism to assess learning goals. While research on the use and effectiveness of clickers continues, the general
consensus is that clickers have great potential for improving instruction in small and large classrooms (Caldwell 2006).
The clicker technology for the proposed study was incorporated in Cell Biology (BIO 310), an advanced science course
in the Department of Biology at Howard University. The course enrolled approximately 25 students and the main
objective was to determine whether clickers have a positive impact on individual student performance when coupled
with other active learning techniques during lecture. In this study, we implemented active learning strategies such as
think-pair-share and case studies. Student learning was evaluated based on pre-quiz/post-quiz scores during lecture.
We also included a qualitative component that evaluated student responses about the effectiveness of clickers on
their own learning and comprehension. Against this backdrop, we observed no difference when multiple strategies
were employed. However, we positively show that active learning techniques are effective in increasing student
comprehension, involvement, and enthusiasm during each lecture as evidenced from pre/post quiz grades and
student evaluation.
References
Caldwell JE. Clickers in the large classroom: current research and best practice tips. CBE Life Sci Educ. 2007;6(1):9–20.
6) Connecting First Year IE/ME Students with Alumni: Assessing Students’ Career and Field Perception Before
and After an Interview [14]
Baker, Erin; Prokle, Michael
University of Massachusetts Amherst
More and more universities recognize the value of their alumni network to their students. Alumni may not only be
able to provide financial aid to the school but may also serve as mentors to the students. These alumni mentors have
the opportunity to enhance students’ theoretical knowledge by providing first-hand practical insights into the field,
describing career perspectives, and formulating key job requirements. These are key determinants for first-year
students in order to choose the right field of study, stay motivated in learning and later succeed in attracting a job
after graduation in today’s competitive job market. We tested the effect of interactions with alumni on
undergraduates' understanding of these areas. First, we surveyed students’ (n=119) understanding of their study
subject, skill set needed to succeed in industry, and their career plans. Second, we connected groups of four students
to alumni to conduct a group interview. Third, we let students individually reflect on their gained understanding and
insights and asked for their feedback. Based on the students’ detailed records, we are analyzing whether students’
initial understanding was changed by the alumni interview and how this followed in changing students’ initial
perspective. We hypothesize that the first-hand practical insights by the alumni significantly improve the students’
learning experience and future outlook. Our classroom observations and initial analysis suggest our hypothesis is
supported. Students provided tremendous positive feedback about the assignment.
7) Developing a Sustainable Model of CIRTL at the University of Pittsburgh [24]
Besterfield-Sacre, Mary; Streiner, Scott; Donovan, Sam; Parr, Alyssa; Kelly, Katelynn; Hofkens, Tara
University of Pittsburgh
Research universities’ commitment to create new knowledge often come at a consequence that graduate students do
not receive adequate training in teaching or the scholarship of teaching and learning, and are instead urged to focus
exclusively on disciplinary research. Nearly 4,000 institutions in the U.S. offer STEM undergraduate education; and
3 most faculty members come from graduate programs at about 100 research universities. To date, teaching
experiences in Pitt STEM graduate programs are largely unstructured and unguided; but under the CIRTL framework,
there is an impetus to develop and sustain a STEM teaching and learning community. Universities that are part of the
CIRTL network use the three pillars to improve the training graduate students and postdocs receive in teaching. The
Henderson et. al Model (Figure 1) of systemic change is being used as a template for sustainable change at Pitt. The
model outlines four distinct types of undergraduate STEM education change strategies that are based on two factors:
(1) the primary aspect of the system that the change strategy seeks to directly affect (individuals or environments),
and (2) the extent to which the extended outcome is known in advance (prescribed or emerged). The four quadrants
of the Henderson et. al Model are described below.
•
•
•
•
Disseminating: Curricula and Pedagogy - teach individuals about new teaching conceptions and/or practices
Developing: Reflective Teachers - encourage individuals to develop a new teaching conception and/or practices
Developing: Shared Vision - empower stakeholders to collectively develop new environments/structures that
support new teaching conceptions and/or practices
Enacting: Policy- create environments/structures that require new teaching concepts and/or practices
The focus of this project is on creating an operational model utilizing all four quadrants to achieve a self-sustaining
active group of knowledgeable graduate student/postdoc/faculty practitioners who are engaging in evidence-based
teaching and learning practices. However, effective educational design ideally should engage both individuals and
environments, and balance emergent and prescribed processes. The involvement of professional societies and
organizations will also be vital for our change strategy. At Pitt, several strategies are being put in place to achieve
sustainability of the program. This poster presentation will provide these strategies.
8) STEM Faculty Perceptions on 'Teaching-as-Research' Concepts [25]
Blythe, Jessica; Mejia, Alex
West Virginia University
One of the goals of the WVU Center for Excellence in STEM Education is to create a broad faculty group who will
identify, develop and test best practices which will broaden participation and improve teaching and learning in STEM
disciplines. Core faculty members have been hired across four colleges to provide the foundation for this broader
4 faculty group. As the Center begins to develop a plan for the future, it is essential to determine the current
perspectives and practices of the STEM faculty’s understanding of the teaching and learning of STEM concepts.
The core faculty have begun a nonexperimental, descriptive survey design research study to explore the perspectives
of faculty who identify as teachers of STEM content or concepts. Using the Teaching-as-Research (TAR) Developmental
framework as the conceptual framework for the study, the researchers have created an in-depth online questionnaire
to examine how STEM faculty perceive their teaching practices related to STEM in current formal and informal
teaching settings. Questions include how faculty plan and implement TAR concepts: (a) Existing knowledge as a
foundation for teaching approaches; (b) creating learning goals centered on learners’ ability to know, understand, and
do; (c) assessment plans; (d) teaching plans; (e) evaluation of learning related to teaching approach; and (f) reflection
and adaption to improve teaching. Any faculty member in each of the four colleges, which are the foundation for the
Center, will be invited to participate in this study.
The research is in progress, however preliminary findings should be available by April 10th to allow for a complete
poster to be presented. It is hoped that the findings of this research can assist the core faculty members developing
programs to help STEM faculty improve their teaching practices.
9) Student Learning in CyberGIS: Using a Project-Based Approach [26]
Bowlick, Forrest J.; Goldberg, Daniel W.; Bednarz, Sarah W.
Texas A&M University
Courses in Geographic Information Science (GIS) expose students to the concepts and practices necessary for future
academic and professional use of GIS tools. CyberGIS is a fast growing sub-field of GIS, where the individual
components of cyberinfrastructure, GIS, spatial analysis, and spatial modeling merge. Traditionally, GIS courses
balance lectures in the theories of GIS with pre-built and pre-packaged lab activities to learn the practices of GIS. This
research presents an extended study of experimental courses in CyberGIS where students conducted novel,
independent project-based group research under the supervision of graduate or advanced undergraduate students
enrolled in the course, culminating in a class presentation and publication quality paper. These active-learning based
courses sought to build student competencies with the fundamentals of Cyber GIS aspects (programming languages,
spatial databases, and others), while encouraging students to collaborate and create their own functioning examples
of the course topics. Surveys and interviews with students found positive reaction to project-based group research,
especially in comparison to traditional activities. Students felt the projects better prepared them for ‘real world’
applications of GIS, and recommend project-based group research in other GIS coursework. Additionally, our findings
indicate that students appreciate interactions with peers of varying skill levels and experiences, as these broaden their
capabilities to work with other GIS users.
High-performance
Scalable
Open and Distributed
Collaborative
Service-oriented
User-centric
Community-driven
Figure 1. Key Characteristics of CyberGIS. CyberGIS distinguishes itself from its components fields by relying on these
characteristics.
5 10) Auburn University's Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) Program: Supporting the Advancement of STEM Future
Faculty [27]
Boyd, Diane E.; Jescovitch, Lauren; Hancock, Elizabeth
Auburn University
Auburn University’s Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program has been exponentially growing since its inception 10
years ago (40 members in the 2014-2015 program). This poster will include data on recent program improvements
and delineate new curriculum to promote teaching, research, and learning success for STEM future faculty. These are:
•
•
•
•
•
For academic year 2014-15, the two sections of the program are divided by disciplines: STEM and Social
Sciences/Humanities. Mixing these cohorts may bring more insight on collegiality and thought processes
between disciplines.
Currently, students perform ten-minute microteaching sessions and receive written feedback from their peers at
the end of the class. Since immediate feedback is more effective, a discussion will be implemented directly
following each microteaching segment. (See Wiggins, 1998 and Fink, 2013).
Survey feedback from current PPF students about the program itself will be used to further strengthen active
learning and teaching preparation for future STEM faculty.
This year’s cohort will complete a “letter to successor” to generate continuity between groups.
Lastly, PFF will discuss the topic of teaching as research (TAR). Since PFF is a two semester course (fall then
spring), this project will be presented in late fall and then applied as individual projects in the spring. Most
students already teach their own classes, in which they may use, or PFF will extend to faculty in similar
disciplines as collaborators. PFF members will learn, hands-on, if their methods work and faculty will be trained
on TAR. Here, STEM students will be able to explore new concepts and teach others about the TAR process – or
how to think like a scientist in nontraditional STEM material.
These advancements to an already accomplished program will enhance students’ preparation as future scholar
teachers; heralding the much-needed change for future faculty roles in higher education.
11) The BOLD program promotes graduate student understanding of evidence-based teaching practices and
approaches to investigating student learning [28]
Brame, Cynthia J.; McDaniel, Rhett; Bruff, Derek; Mahadevan-Jansen
Vanderbilt University
The BOLD Fellows is designed to help graduate student/faculty teams build expertise in developing online
instructional modules grounded in good course design principles and our understanding of how people learn. STEM
faculty members partner with graduate students to design and develop online modules for integration into a course,
typically as part of a blended course design. The teams investigate the use of these modules, collecting data about the
effectiveness of the module for promoting student learning. Here, we present evidence that the program helps
graduate students develop an understanding of and ability to use evidence-based teaching practices as well as
approaches to investigating student learning. In this context, we present several examples of BOLD projects,
highlighting effective features and varied approaches that were incorporated into the design of the online learning
module or the research design. Finally, we present lessons learned to facilitate development of other programs of this
type.
6 12) The Impact of Interactive Lessons in a Large Enrollment Life Span Human Development Course [29]
Brown, Maleka
Howard University
This research sought to utilize interactive in-class technology in a Life Span Human Development course in order to
determine the extent to which online video postings and in-class viewing support and facilitate students’ ability to
grasp complex psychological concepts, particularly in a course with at least 50 students enrolled. This approach
allowed students to visualize information that they traditionally only read about as a means of affording students
access to supplementary materials that demonstrate the various, multifaceted concepts covered as course
requirements. Further, a large enrollment course was used in this project because many instructors find that it is
difficult to reach all students given different learning styles and levels of knowledge. Using a mixed-methods
approach, project effectiveness was evaluated at the mid-point and conclusion of the course based on both: student’s
performance on assessments (quantitatively via exam and assignments scores) and their qualitative feedback
regarding their preference, understanding, and application of the concepts covered in the course. The first portion of
the semester served as the control data, where students were merely taught via traditional lectures. While the last
portion of the semester, students had access to videos and interactive activities from the instructor buttressing
psychological theories covered in class and course readings, in addition to demonstrations applying key concepts that
they may encounter in “the real world.” In essence, findings suggest that at the conclusion of the course, students
found the interactive lessons to be most advantageous to their achievement in the course and comprehension of
course concepts.
13) Assessing Student Perceptions and Explanations of Microbial Evolution [16]
Burmeister, Alita; Lenski, Richard; Smith, Jim
Michigan State University
Evolution is a core concept for biological literacy at the undergraduate level. However, evolution is often overlooked
in microbiology classrooms. Evolution instruction especially lags in laboratory-based courses where the inertia is
strong due to efforts involved in revising curricula. We used a theme of antibiotic resistance and evolutionary
applications in an upper-level undergraduate microbial genetics laboratory course with the goals of (1) increasing
students’ ability to explain the details of evolutionary microbial genetics and (2) increasing students’ acceptance and
value of microbial evolution. We presented core concepts and applications of microbial evolution during the course’s
weekly lecture. One half of the class also completed a three-week E. coli evolution experiment (“treatment” group)
while the other half completed only the traditional exercises (“control” group). We assessed the effectiveness of these
activities using pre and post attitude surveys and open-ended content questions about microbial variation,
inheritance, and selection. Students in both groups highly accepted and valued microbial evolution at the beginning
of the semester and had slight, but generally nonsignificant, positive attitude gains at the end of the semester.
Surprisingly, scores on the content questions did not improve by the end of the semester for either group. We
attribute this in part to a lack of grade-based incentives and students’ seemingly less earnest attempts on the post
assessment. Of greater interest to microbial evolution curricula and assessment, we also observed the potential for
traditional microbiological instruction to inadvertently reinforce misconceptions and confound definitions of the key
terms “variation” and “selection.” To develop suggestions for teachers to avoid these issues, we continue to
investigate subdiscipline-specific definitions and language use. This study highlights the persistent need for microbial
evolution education tools.
7 14) Multiple Paths to Advance Evidence-Based Teaching Using CIRTL Massive Open Online Courses [30]
Campa III, Henry (Rique); Bruff, Derek; Goldberg, Bennett B.; Barnicle, Kitch; Mathieu, Robert D.; Mack, Trey; Palladino,
Lauren; Greenler, Robin
Michigan State University
The goal of preparing future faculty to use evidence-based instruction in STEM classrooms to improve student
learning, and retention and inclusion requires scaling local learning communities and expanding access to
preparation opportunities. Building on the three core ideas of teaching-as-research, learning communities, and
learning-through-diversity – the NSF-funded Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) is
leveraging expertise across the CIRTL Network to: 1) Develop two Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to prepare
future STEM faculty in evidence-based teaching practices; 2) Deliver preparation in three modes – open to anyone,
MOOC-Centered Learning Communities (MCLCs), and e-Learning modules; and 3) Evaluate participation and learning
across implementation modes. Our MOOCs align with cognitive science and discipline-based education research
about student learning. In addition to the traditional MOOC open-to-all-mode, we developed MCLCs that facilitate
local, face-to-face learning communities that engage cohorts of participants with the MOOC content. Blended eLearning Courses, will make available individual learning modules from the MOOCs that instructors can use to design
their own learning experiences for future faculty.
In Fall, 2014 we offered the 7-week MOOC, An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate STEM Teaching that
included 12 modules, interactive lessons, discussion forums, virtual “office hours” and expert examples of STEM
instruction. Of the 4,000 active participants, 577 received certificates, a 15% completion rate, several times better than
most MOOCs. During this MOOC, 40+ MCLCs were formed throughout the U.S. and abroad. Weekly activities within
MCLCs were facilitated with the “MCLC Facilitator Guide” with flipped-class lesson plans that could be adapted.
Participants reported that MCLCs allowed them to have in-depth discussions about teaching and learning. An
advanced MOOC on evidence-based teaching practices and corresponding MCLC materials will be offered in 2016. We
anticipate our MOOC implementation modes will enhance the use of evidence-based teaching practices in STEM
education around the world.
15) Show Them the Data: The Effects of Worked Examples on Students' Problem Solving Performance, Study
Preferences, and Study Choices [31]
Carpenter, Shana; Lamm, Monica H.; Armstrong, Patrick; Coffman, Clark; Rahman, Shuhebur; Reason, Robert
Iowa State University
What is the best way for students to learn how to apply fundamental science concepts to engineering problemsolving? In this study, chemical engineering students practiced fundamental concepts using two types of worked
examples: Read and Copy (requiring students to read a fully worked example and copy the solution), or Read and
Solve (requiring students to read a partially worked example and solve the rest on their own). Students were randomly
assigned to one of the worked example conditions. Two days later, students completed an unannounced “quiz” on
the concept. This sequence of delivering a worked example, followed two days later by a quiz was conducted a
second time (with a different topic) and the worked example assignments were switched so that each student
received the other worked example condition for the second concept. Quiz scores revealed significantly better
learning associated with Read and Solve over Read and Copy. We showed the students this data and then asked them
which worked example method they would prefer to use to study in the future. A few weeks later, the students were
given a choice for how they wanted to receive practice problems for the final exam. Although the majority of students
indicated that they would prefer to use Read and Solve over Read and Copy, students’ choices when studying for the
exam revealed a strong preference for studying solutions by Reading rather than by Solving.
In this poster, we will present the results of our findings. This work is part of a multidisciplinary collaboration aimed at
engaging students in STEM courses with research-based active learning strategies.
8 16) Preparing Future STEM Faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham [32]
Carter, Kellie; Engler, Jeff; Abney, Nancy
University of Alabama at Birmingham
In order to equip future faculty with a broad set of professional skills, CIRTL@UAB builds on the courses and seminars
of an established professional development program within the Graduate School at the University of Alabama at
Birmingham. CIRTL@UAB helps to augment the teaching skills needed for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows,
and scholars in the STEM disciplines to gain faculty positions in higher education. Designed as credit-bearing courses
for our Professional Development Program, the foundation for teaching skills includes the following courses: 1)
Teaching at the College Level and Beyond (GRD 705), which introduces basic principles of effective college teaching,
such as course and syllabus design, active learning, and evaluation and grading; 2) TA Training (GRD 715), which
prepares teaching assistants in STEM disciplines developing effective teaching practices, such as lesson planning and
presentation, leading laboratory sections, handling difficult students and situations, and ethical issues; 3) Developing
a Teaching Portfolio (GRD 716), which introduces essential elements of the portfolio and guides students in drafting a
personal Philosophy of Teaching. UAB’s initiatives also extend to the MERIT (Mentored Experiences in Research,
Instruction and Teaching) Program, which is a funded Institutional Research and Academic Career Development
Award (K12) from NIH/NIGMS. Because the primary goal of the MERIT Program is to provide Postdoctoral Scholars with
outstanding research and teaching experiences, the Associate and Practitioner levels of CIRTL certificates are required
to be completed by all UAB MERIT Scholars. The Professional Development Program, CIRTL, and MERIT work in close
UAB Professional Development Pro-­‐
gram CIRTL MERIT collaboration to prepare future STEM faculty for teaching in higher education.
17) Celestial Navigation Online Course [17]
Caudel, David; Grundstom, Erika; Stewart, Susan
Vanderbilt University
Celestial Navigation, also known as astronavigation, has been largely replaced by the use of the Global Positioning
System (GPS) over the past twenty years, yet the need for a reliable backup method of obtaining your geographic
location at sea has rekindled interest in learning astronavigation. Despite this renewed interest, most institutions no
longer teach astronavigation. Partnering with the U.S. Naval Observatory, we set out to create a free, online course
that is open to the public to teach astronavigation. The course covers the basics of astronavigation, and is designed to
take less than three hours to complete. Each concept in the course is taught through a video containing animations
and illustrations. The videos are kept short, an average of 2 minutes per video, and focus on one topic each. To
reinforce the concepts taught, each video is followed with formative assessment, called “Test Your Understanding,”
where the students are given a few multiple choice questions. If they answer incorrectly, they’re given an explanation
of why the answer is wrong and invited to try again. A correct answer also explains to them why the answer is correct.
At the end of the course, we will survey each student to determine how effective the videos and formative
assessments were in teaching the concepts of astronavigation. Formative assessment answers are fed to a database so
we can assess how effective each video is. In spring 2015 at Vanderbilt University, undergraduates in the astronomy
labs and students from the Navy ROTC will take the course. We will assess how effective the videos were, reworking
9 them if necessary. Once complete, this work will be open to the public, and the U.S. Navy has expressed interest in
using the videos to help teach astronavigation.
18) Social Network in Science: The effects of peer-to-peer social interactions on academic success in a genetics
course [33]
Chapman, Lesley; Hammnod, Nicholas B.
University of Rochester
Background: Even though there are a growing number of opportunities to engage in the STEM field on a professional
level, there are very few individuals equipped with the knowledge necessary to fill these spots. Many students often
fail to complete STEM majors in college, and according to a study published in the Chronicle for Higher Education this
was due in large part by “poor teaching”. Yet, it is unclear how successful students navigate these difficult learning
environments. A growing number of studies are beginning to identify the ways in which students navigate difficult
learning environments. Social networks are an important determinant of access to academic resources and student
success (Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis).
Aim: determine whether social interactions between college aged students both in-person or online correlate with
academic performance in STEM courses.
Study Description: Survey University of Rochester Biology Students (n = 79)
Results: Students who received a final score of A,B are less likely to study alone compared to those who received lower
final scores [C,D, N/A]. When challenged with difficult course material, students that received an A,B were more likely
to seek the advice of peers in the same course than students who received lower final scores.
19) Creating Teaching Opportunities for STEM Future Faculty Development [34]
Cherrstrom, Catherine; Richardson, Ra'sheedah; Fowler, Debra; Autenrieth, Robin; Zoran, Mark
Texas A&M University
Graduate school is an important time for future faculty to develop teaching skills, but classroom teaching
opportunities are often limited. Discipline-related course work and research do not provide the pedagogy, strategies,
and skills to effectively teach and compete for higher education jobs. Research further suggests graduate school is an
important time for socialization to the academe, but identifies gaps such as doctoral students’ needs to learn about
faculty work and receive feedback from faculty. Using a conceptual model and case study research design, the
purpose of this study was to understand future faculty development in teaching during a semester-long STEM
(science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teaching development course. Two research questions guided
the study: How did STEM future faculty professionally develop in teaching during the course? How did the course’s
instructional design influence STEM future faculty development in teaching? Findings included STEM future faculty’s
overall teaching confidence and skill development in preparation, instructional design, and facilitation; greater
development in teaching-awareness than student- and self-awareness; and a focus on knowledge-centered
development for future classroom teaching experiences. Based on these findings, we recommend extended teaching
mentorship from faculty for future faculty; increased peer-to-peer interactions and feedback; deliberate discussions
on learning environment design, including leveraging knowledge-, assessment-, learner-, and community-centered
aspects of the learning environment; and increased teaching experiences enhanced with stimulated recall methods
such as initial review of and self-reflection on teaching.
10 20) Using Advanced Acting Techniques to Teach Public Speaking at UC Irvine: Innovative Approaches to
Effective Communication [35]
Coutin, Susan Bibler; Earthman, James
University of California Irvine
Excellent communications skills are essential to professional success, yet discipline-based graduate training rarely
teaches such abilities. The University of California, Irvine Graduate Division is addressing this gap through an
innovative campus-wide graduate communications initiative that uses acting techniques to help graduate students
craft dynamic and compelling presentations. This initiative has four components: (1) Courses. Bri McWhorter, UCI
graduate alumni and founder of Activate to Captivate, has developed an 8 week Communications course for postdocs
and PhD students. Participants practice the various vocal techniques that breathe life into a performance, turning
speeches into active presentations. Additionally, Sandra Tsing Loh, host of public radio's “Loh Down On Science,”
offers a ten-week Science Communications course on crafting elevator pitches. (2) Train-the-trainers. To maximize
reach, students who successfully complete these communication courses are eligible to become trainers who develop
and host communications workshops in their own departments and programs. (3) Consultants. In our campus
Graduate Resource Center, certified trainers provide graduate students and post-docs with one-on-one assistance in
preparing presentations. (4) Competitions. The UCI Graduate Division hosts two annual student competitions. The
Public Impact Fellowship competition is designed to select graduate students who can speak effectively about the
public impact of their research and who accompany the Graduate Dean to our state capitol to meet with legislators on
Graduate Education day. Also, in UCI Grad Slam, graduate students across campus present their research to a panel of
faculty, staff, and community members, who select a winner who will compete in a system-wide Grad Slam event. We
are currently developing a fifth component, a “job interview bootcamp,” to prepare graduate students and postdocs
for campus interviews. The success of our communications initiative has been evaluated by filming “before” and
“after” presentations of students in the communications course, collecting evaluations of all events, and surveying
participants.
Performance Enhancement after Drama Course
Figure 1. Percent improvement among students who completed UCI’s Graduate Communication course, Drama 227 in
Spring 2013, based on a scoring of before and after videos. Improvement per student ranged from a low of 28% to a high of
96% with a mean of 58%.
21) How well do required statistics courses prepare students for higher level science? [4]
Crasta, Dev; Masi, Barbara
University of Rochester
11 BACKGROUND: At most undergraduate institutions, one or more statistics courses are often required as a prerequisite
to higher level social science and physical science courses. These courses emphasize statistical literacy, the ability to
understand and interpret the statistical results permeating everyday life (Wallman, 1993). However, in order to
interpret studies, students must be able to recognize familiar statistical concepts in the context of the larger article.
Additionally, in order to participate critically in these higher level courses, students must also be able to perform
higher levels of statistical reasoning and thinking (Ben-Zvi & Garfield, 2004). It is unclear whether literacy focused
coursework would generalize into these higher level skills.
METHOD: To investigate this, sample of 178 students recruited over the Fall 2014 semester were assessed on five
topics common to 6 separate intro statistics courses across a northeastern university. For each of these 5 topics,
students were assessed on 3 questions: a statistical Reasoning and Thinking question from a standardized battery and
an “Application” question – a Statistical Literacy question using excerpts from a research article. In order to account for
differing class structures, interested students completed research assessments as part of a special study session in the
week prior to exams with assessment content match to the upcoming exam.
RESULTS and DISCUSSION: Performance on each type of question was regressed onto linked exams controlling for
GPA. Results suggested that while performance at the literacy level (assessed in the exams) does generalize into
performance on reasoning and application problems (β = .28 & .23 respectively), it does not account for performance
on thinking problems (β = -.01) when controlling for GPA. Additionally, performance on the questions types (defined
as percentage of possible points earned) was lower than would be considered “passing” in most courses. Implications
for curriculum design will be discussed.
Table 1. Means and correlations for variables used in the multiple regression analyses.
VARIABLES
GPA
Exam Grade (Literacy)
Reasoning Questions
Thinking Questions
Application Questions
* p < .05
** p < .01
MEAN
3.44
90%
67%
31%
41%
GPA
EXAM
REASONING
THINKING
.596**
.327**
.269**
.127
.344**
.151
.259**
.142
.388**
.080
22) Evaluating eNotebook Frequency Activity to STEM Research Competency [36]
Cross, Christopher; Deonauth, Kamla B.
Howard University
Women, African Americans, and Latinos are heavily underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) workforce. Howard University is the number one producer of African Americans who pursue
advanced degrees in STEM in the United States. However, there is a decline in the number of STEM bachelor degrees
earned at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) nationally. A contributing factor to this decline is linked
to the widely held belief that STEM HBCU graduates are inadequately prepared for high-level STEM jobs compared to
their counterparts trained at majority serving institutions. This study aims to increase research competencies for STEM
undergraduates at Howard University using a new age eNotebook web-based tool called MyNotebook by
LabArchives. Research competency evaluation criteria will be developed using the Delphi Method including
frequency entry metrics from the eNotebook/MyNotebook outputs. In addition, students will generate traditional
posters and presentations which will be evaluated using surveys. The results from the survey will be analyzed and
used to determine the average research effectiveness score. Non-parametric correlational analysis will be used to rank
the effectiveness score to research activities. Regarding expected outcomes, the eNotebook affords autonomous
12 access allowing for unrestricted productivity. Therefore we not only hope to improve overall research effectiveness
but student self efficacy as well.
23) Preparing the future professoriate: Professional development for graduate teaching assistants in the
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego [37]
Dembinski, Holly E.; Brydges, Stacey
University of California- San Diego
At most research universities, graduate students serve as important partners in instructional delivery and, thus, in
innovations in undergraduate STEM education; however, professional learning opportunities that facilitate graduate
students’ success in their teaching and careers vary widely in availability and scope and may or may not be presented
in a disciplinary context. In the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego, we have advanced a
graduate student professional development model that combines in parallel training, practice, and critical reflection
through a for-credit, discipline-specific course (“Teaching Methods in Chemistry”) that is a co-requisite of the first
teaching apprenticeship. In this ten week seminar, one workshop each is dedicated to the effective use of
instructional technologies in the teaching laboratory and discussion section and to addressing the factors that
influence persistence and success in science studies and equitable teaching strategies that can help all students
realize their academic potential. Here we present the following: (1) overview of the course design and delivery, (2)
specific examples from the various workshops emphasizing evidence-based, active teaching and learning approaches
in chemistry lecture and lab settings, and (3) findings that confirm the positive impact of the course on the teaching
practices of our graduate teaching assistants and that highlight several remaining challenges.
24) "Exploring Biology" Freshmen Interest Group (FIG) as a High-Impact Practice for Recruiting and Retaining
Students in STEM [38]
Dill-McFarland, Kimberly; Cary, Tawnya; Jakuba, Caroline; Jenkins, Kristin
University of Wisconsin- Madison
The United States continues to lag behind international leaders in college enrollment and completion, especially in
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). To combat this, many high- impact practices (HIPs) have
been developed to promote enrollment and graduation at universities across the country. Freshmen interest groups
(FIGs) are one such program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, wherein a small group of freshmen are enrolled
together in three courses during their first semester. Here, we employ teaching-as-research principles to ask whether
or not the “Exploring Biology” FIG constitutes a HIP and if it effects student retention in or recruitment to STEM.
Students enrolled in the EB course in 2013, both in an associated FIG (7 sections, N = 97) and not (1 section, N = 16),
were surveyed at the end of the fall semester. Analysis of several questions revealed that the EB FIG fulfills all HIP
requirements under the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). Specifically, it was found to i)
demand significant time and effort, ii) include interactions on substantive subjects, iii) promote encountering
diversity, iv) give frequent feedback, and v) integrate in- class learning to other courses and real-world issues. The EB
FIG was not found to affect student recruitment to STEM as most students (FIG: 82%, nonFIG: 81%) cited interest in
majors in the same category (STEM, nonSTEM, or undecided) at both the start and end of the semester, and very few
students (FIG: 11%, nonFIG: 6%) switched into the STEM category. The EB FIG, however, did promote retention in
STEM with 92% of students originally interested in STEM major(s) remaining interested. Analysis of the specific majors
chosen indicates that this is the result of exposure to the variety and span of STEM majors available. Future work will
reveal if this effect was sustained after the freshman year.
25) Preconceptions about the Infection Process among Pre-Nursing Students [43]
Dombrowsky, Thomas; Priddy, Kristen
University of Texas at Arlington
13 Rather than coming to class as blank slates, students come with preconceived ideas about scientific topics which may
or may not be congruent with accepted scientific views. These preconceived ideas can be very resistant to change.
Active learning pedagogies such as constructivism require the instructor to surface and address the preconceptions
which students hold. It is helpful that the instructor be cognizant of common preconceptions regarding the topics
she/he teaches. Although there are studies about student preconceptions on other scientific topics, a search of the
CINAHL and Medline databases returned no studies about the preconceptions of students regarding the infection
process. To address this gap, data is being collected from students in an introductory nursing class. All students in
selected sections are offered the written survey. In depth interviews are conducted on volunteers from those class
sections. Gadamer’s hermeneutic inquiry will be used to interpret the results. Hermeneutic inquiry is a theory of
interpretation which emphasizes understanding expressions of belief or knowledge by taking account of the situated
context of both the knower and the interpreter. Students’ naïve models of the infection process will be explored and
compared with the accepted scientific model. Common themes in the naïve student models will be identified. The
trustworthiness of the results will be enhanced by having two independent interpreters review the data.
Discrepancies will be negotiated between the interpreters. Although data collection is still going on, one preliminary
finding is that students tend to rely on schematic figures of bacteria and viruses and to interpret those figures literally.
26) Ascending the STEM Education Mountain of Excellence at West Virginia University [40]
Douglas, Jennifer; Mejia, Alex; Blythe, Jessica
West Virginia University
West Virginia University (WVU) has significantly deepened its commitment to STEM Education by designating it as one
of the five research Mountains of Excellence for the university. Through the WVU Center for Excellence in STEM
Education and the Teaching and Learning Commons, WVU offers far-reaching programs to prepare graduate students,
postdocs, and faculty members for evidence-based scientific teaching. This poster will highlight institutional
initiatives that strengthen graduate student and faculty development.
The Teaching and Learning Commons: The Graduate Academy, a suite of programs for graduate students, includes
the Certificate in University Teaching (a 15-credit graduate certificate), courses for Preparing Future Faculty and
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and Career Symposiums for academic and alternative careers. Data from the
Certificate indicate that participants can articulate and apply a student-centered approach to teaching and have been
successful in their faculty job searches. The creation of the Teaching and Learning Commons in 2013 has allowed
more seamless integration of graduate and faculty development initiatives, such as aligning content in faculty and
Graduate Teaching Assistant orientations, offering workshops that span audiences, and developing cohort-based
initiatives to transform the general education curriculum.
WVU Center for STEM Education: As part of the Mountains of Excellence initiative to improve STEM education and
scientific literacy, four colleges collaboratively introduced a strategic plan for the improvement of teaching and
learning in STEM fields. The primary focus was the creation of the WVU Center for Excellence in STEM Education in
order to address issues in STEM education by engaging in transdisciplinary research. These efforts are centered on K16, graduate, and professional training in STEM education. For instance, some focus areas include in-service and preservice teacher preparation in STEM disciplines, recruitment and retention of students, and STEM education at WVU in
an effort to promote STEM learning and teaching environments.
27) Patterns and Efficacy of Teaching Concepts of Race in Anthropology: Preliminary Findings [22]
Dozier, Crystal; Moreno, Marisol
Texas A&M University
14 Concepts of race and ethnicity are undeniably some of the most important ideas confronted in anthropology. The
American Anthropological Association, among many institutions, has publicly denounced race as a biological fact, yet
this concept remains normative for large parts of the United States. Proper instruction in the concept of race as a
historical and cultural construct can help combat implicit and explicit discrimination. This research project aims to
assist collegiate instructors in choosing teaching methods that result in high retention of anthropological
understandings of race. Presented here are the patterns in six sections of an introductory anthropology course,
ANTH205: Peoples and Cultures of the World. Student learning was assessed through pre- and post-instruction
questionnaires; students were asked basic questions about the nature of race as well as how they related to race in
their own lives. Each course was taught by a different graduate instructor, who also reported their teaching methods.
We compare the learning outcomes for the different class sections in order to understand what instructional
methodologies, class formats, and demographics impact student learning. Analysis of over 200 student responses
shows perceptions of race after instruction moved towards more anthropological conceptions in small, but
significant, ways. Although our results are preliminary, classes that employed video within their lecture strategy, as
well as classes that used a weekly reading quiz, had significantly more student change than those sections that did
not. These results are consistent with current educational theory about student engagement and a reminder of the
importance of reflective teaching practices.
28) Use of Recorded Lessons for Reinforcement in a General Chemistry Laboratory Course [42]
Egekenze, Rita; Garcia-Sanchez, Raul
Howard University
With the advent of new technologies taking a more prominent role in the classroom, the study of their effects on
teaching, learning and retention efforts has become more important than ever. One such approach is Tegrity, which
makes course lessons available online through pre-recorded lessons and made available to students for review at any
time. Previous research has shown that Tegrity helps ease the students in the course, as the lesson can be reviewed at
a later time. This research will implement a similar approach in a General Chemistry Laboratory course. The study will
determine if there is a correlation between the availability of such recorded lessons prior to laboratory sessions and
student’s ability to understand the subject when completing their laboratory reports. The videos are uploaded to
Youtube days prior to the scheduled laboratory class time and made available to the students through email. The
project effectiveness will be evaluated based on the student’s performance in their lab report submissions and
surveys. It is believed that such an approach will lead to improved overall quality in laboratory work, expand student’s
understanding of the subject matter and more developed laboratory reports.
29) Student Created Technique Videos as an Alternative Assessment in the General Chemistry Laboratory [18]
Erdmann, Mitzy A.; March, Joe L.
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The increasing popularity of documenting everyday life events with video capable cellular phones presents educators
with an exciting opportunity to extend this capability into the introductory laboratory. Having already proven the
feasibility of having students create technique videos with previously owned hand-held devices, this research focused
on (1) gains in student technique following completion of the video assignment and (2) student’s ability to report
measurements from glassware accurately. Gains in students’ ability to record volumes from graduated glassware
using the correct significant figures were compared pre-activity, shortly after the activity (short-term gains) and at the
end of the term on both (a) a written final and (b) a laboratory practical (long-term gains). Both short and long-term
retention of significant figure usage were determined using a pre-/post-test assessment and standard statistical
practices. Between group analysis showed that students who created a video detailing the proper use of a Mohr pipet
answered the assessment item placed on the written final correctly at a significantly higher rate than those students
who created a balance video (81% versus 72%, c2 = 9.78, p = 0.008). Similarly, the experimental group outscored the
15 control on the practical exam at an even higher rate (74% versus 46%, c2 = 34.77, p < 0.001). These results imply that
student created technique videos can be considered a useful assessment tool in the laboratory.
30) The Incorporation of Field Experience in the Biology 102 Laboratory Curriculum at Howard University to
Improve Student Learning [39]
Fluitt, Maurice B.; Anyanwu, Kelechi C.
Howard University
A number of science laboratories utilize field experience to enhance students’ understanding of the subject material
by engaging them in the process of investigation. By taking students into the field, they are able to identify organisms
in their natural habitat and begin to connect what they read in text with practical examples. The aim of this project is
to determine the effects of introducing field experiences in Biology 102 laboratories at Howard University. It is our
hypothesis that these additions will enhance student learning and promote engagement with concomitant
improvement in higher grades and decreased attrition.
Two sections of biology 102 will participate in this TAR Project. Students in one section (n≅30) will be exposed to
various field experiences during the course of the semester and will be classified as The Field Experience Laboratory
(FEL). A second group of students Non-FEL(n≅30) will be used as a control and students enrolled in this section will
not participate in the field experiences. The field experience will be determined by the content covered in the weekly
laboratory, and will include on- campus observations, instructional videos, botanical garden visits, national park visits,
local museums, and the national zoo. Both FEL and Non-FEL Students will complete weekly quizzes, scheduled
laboratory practicum, and self - reports of their learning experience. Quiz and exam questions will be tracked to
identify student performance. The grades of the FEL sessions will be compared to the non-FEL session and an
independent-t test will be used to determine if any observed differences are statistically significant.
31) The Delta Program in Research, Teaching & Learning at the University of Wisconsin-Madison: Institutional
Impacts [44]
Gillian-Daniel, Don; Maher, Jessica; Mathieu, Robert; Brace, Chris; McMahon, Trina; Ackerman, Steve
University of Wisconsin- Madison
The preparation of future faculty to teach effectively is a key element in their career success. Yet it is still not the norm
at research-intensive institutions to provide broad, coordinated professional development around teaching for
graduate students and post-doctoral researchers. The Delta Program in Research, Teaching and Learning (Delta) at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison provides CIRTL programming on the UW campus. The program uses the CIRTL pillars,
Teaching-As-Research, Learning Communities and Learning through Diversity, as a framework to engage future
faculty in learning how to teach effectively. The program consists of credit-based graduate courses, facilitated
discussion groups, community-building events, workshops, a Teaching-As-Research Internship program and a
Certificate. Since its launch in 2003, over 3,300 future faculty have participated in Delta programming. As a result of its
diverse offerings, Delta has important impacts on teaching & learning at UW-Madison. We will highlight a number of
these including: (1) Improving undergraduate learning through evidence-based teaching practices – Teaching-AsResearch internship projects directly impact student learning in the classroom. (2) Enhancing faculty and staff
development – Delta graduate students partner with faculty and staff to implement TAR internships, and Delta also
offers programming for faculty and staff. (3) Supporting the UW research mission – Delta supports early career faculty
as they apply for NSF CAREER awards. (4) Supporting UW’s Framework for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence - Delta’s
Academic Excellence initiative engages current & future faculty in addressing the achievement gap for
underrepresented minority, 1st generation and low socio-economic status undergraduate students. (5) The Wisconsin
Idea: Enhancing the undergraduate education of the nation – Delta graduates have become faculty at a broad range
of institutions nationally.
16 32) Boston University CIRTL: Distributed and Networked Enhanced Interactivity [45]
Goldberg, Bennett; Jawiwala, M.; Spilios, K.; Gross, N.; Randhawa, A.; Heineke; J.
Boston University
The CIRTL implementation at Boston University is a model of decentralized learning communities embedded within
the colleges and departments that determine the training of future faculty as well as control the advancement of
STEM teaching and learning. While more challenging than a centralized model attracting self-selected STEM PhDs and
postdcos, we posit that this approach has greater potential for transformation of departmental cultures around
preparing future faculty and thus could lead to greater long-term change. To implement this decentralized model, we
have initiated and run six MOOC-Centered Learning Communities (MCLC’s), four in specific departments (Physics,
Biology, Mechanical Engineering, and Medicine), and two interdisiciplinary MCLCs. These learning communities
produced the 60+ CIRTL Associates.
At the next level, we recruited TAR participants from across our campus, with 16 TAR fellows now engaged. The TAR
program is a two semester program, the first of which involves coursework on teaching and research methodologies
resulting in a TAR research proposal, and the second semester focuses on participants implementing their developed
proposal. Through diverse faculty engagement, we are working to provide students with a varied range of topics
within which to conduct their TAR research.
Finally, we address the CIRTL expansion from a network analysis perspective of STEM reform networks, and discuss the
structural changes necessary to achieve success.
33) Strengthening Local CIRTL Programming through a Vital Cross Network Learning Community [72]
Greenler, Robin
University of Wisconsin-Madison
An active cross-Network learning community engages the expertise of the member institutions in teaching, mentoring, and shared learning. Additionally, the Network utilizes the rich diversity of member universities to better prepare
graduates-through-faculty for effective STEM teaching and learning. A third service of the cross Network learning
community is in supporting and enhancing the local learning communities. This poster will examine three areas
where the cross-Network learning community can meaningfully contribute to the establishment and development of
local learning communities including 1) stimulating local team development, 2) complementing and augmenting local learning community programming and 3) connecting future faculty with national, interdisciplinary networks early
in their careers.
A cross-Network learning community can draw in students, faculty and staff to the local CIRTL team. A local series can
be readily developed by hosting local viewings associated an existing cross-Network series. Specialized programming
such as courses, TAR virtual poster sessions, and career development workshops can draw in students with specific
needs. Faculty and staff can be recruited through their involvement in cross-Network programming either as participants or presenters. Hosting an advanced CIRTL student for a Network Exchange can be a powerful recruitment tool.
Cross-Network programming can augment local offerings. The Network can provide key gateway courses or advanced
training for developing programs allowing the institution to focus on their strengths and utilize expertise of the Network when advantageous. The Network provides various levels of guidance for Teaching-as-Research studies. A growing resource base supporting the programming is available for local adaptation including course syllabi, evaluation
resources, TAR programming resources.
The cross-Network provides future faculty with a national interdisciplinary network. Students can present and receive
feedback through TAR virtual poster sessions, national forum poster sessions and the CIRTL Network Exchange. Additionally faculty and staff benefit from enhanced national collaborations through CIRTL cross-Network interactions.
17 34) Teaching Fellow Peer Mentoring: A Learning Community: Preparing Teachers Through Mentoring [47]
Hardcastle, Joseph; Chernicoff, Michael; Constantino, Maira; Howard, Colin; Knaub, Alexis; Jariwala, Manher;
Bennett, Goldberg
Boston University
Preparation of graduate students on evidence-based instructional techniques typically revolves around classroom
discussion of broad teaching paradigms. This format can limit graduate students’ preparation to teach their specific
course and does not provide feedback about their teaching practices. To address this, we have implemented a
Teaching Fellow Peer Mentoring (TFPM) program, in which exemplary senior graduate students mentor first-year
graduate students in teaching and learning. The main goal of this relationship is to develop the first-year graduate
student’s teaching skills by providing feedback via classroom observations and student surveys throughout the
semester. In this poster, I outline the goals and structure of the program and present evidence of its effectiveness
based on mentee survey and mentor interview responses. We find mentees improved the quality of their teaching
throughout the semester and rated themselves higher in several teaching categories at the end of the semester.
Almost all mentees rated the mentoring as being essential to their teaching development, and commented that being
able to discuss their teaching was important to them. We also find the program is a useful platform for developing a
teaching learning community by allowing senior graduate students the opportunity to mentor younger students and
graduate students of different years to discuss teaching openly.
35) TAR: Using Peer Discussion and Group Worksheets for Teaching Gauss’s Law [49]
Hardcastle, Joseph; Jariwala, Manher
Boston University
Electricity and magnetism (E&M) is difficult for students because they have had little prior exposure with the topic and
don’t yet have intuition (Maloney et al, 2001). Gauss’s law, that defines the relationship between electric fields and
charges, is typically introduced early in introductory E&M courses. Previous research has shown that
misunderstanding of Gauss’s law are common (Isvan & Singh., 2007; Singh., 2006; Maloney et al., 2001) and are even
found in physics majors through their senior and junior year (Pepper et al., 2010). I examined the effectiveness of a
recitation session based on a group worksheet and peer discussion in helping students learn Gauss’s Law. We studied
two semesters of sessions using pre-post quizzes and online student surveys. Our results show positive learning gains
when comparing pre-post worksheet tests, however student comments suggest continued misunderstandings on the
worksheet and pre-post test. Based on these results we hypothesize that this technique is an effective teaching tool
for the topic, but requires continued refinement to maximize its effectiveness.
36) Applying the CREATE Pedagogical Tool to the Online Animal Behavior Course to Enhance Scientific Literacy
[48]
Harris Bozer, Amber; Faulkenberry, Thomas
University of Texas at Arlington
It is known that primary literature can be incorporated into undergraduate courses to enhance scientific literacy
(Willard & Brasier, 2014). The CREATE (Consider, Read, Elucidate hypotheses, Analyze data, Think of the next
Experiment) method is a pedagogical tool that has been used in the undergraduate classroom to guide students
through literature (Hoskins et. al, 2011). Online courses are becoming more widespread and student participation is
often measured through online discussion (Poole, 2014). Our goal is to incorporate CREATE into the online discussion
platform in Animal Behavior courses to enhance scientific literacy. After 5 weeks of discussion, students will be
surveyed on learning outcomes of primary literature (pretest control). Next, the CREATE method will be introduced for
5 weeks of discussion. Then, the survey will be administered again (post-test). Differences in pre-post tests will reveal
18 potential benefits for CREATE that are specific to the animal behavior course objectives in the online discussion
environment.
37) Current Research Methods in Chemistry: Integrating active learning into the undergraduate chemistry
curriculum [12]
Hayden, Katherine; Erdmann, Mitzy; Graves, David E.; March, Joe
University of Alabama at Birmingham
For the last few years we have been working on re-developing the chemistry course “Current Research Methods in
Chemistry” (CH201). This course is generally offered in the spring to 1st year chemistry majors within the UAB Sci-tech
program that are interested in pursuing undergraduate research opportunities in Chemistry. Previously this course
was taught utilizing teacher centered learning techniques such as lectures and demonstrations on current
instrumentation and lab techniques. In order improve this course and make it more student centered we have
restructured the course. In the redesigned course lectures were replaced with active learning techniques developed
to encourage classroom and group discussions, and demonstrations were replaced with a semester long group
research project culminating into a poster presentation given at the annual UAB Undergraduate Research Fair.
CH201 was designed around three course objectives. First, give students a hands on experience in a laboratory in
order to gain basic lab skills. Second, enable students to approach problems as a scientist utilizing critical thinking
skills through literature searches, self-development of lab protocols, analyzing results, and troubleshooting. Third,
provide students opportunities to effectively present and share their results with the scientific community through
self and peer-evaluations in writing and poster presentations at a regional conference.
The effectiveness of this course in reaching the outlined objectives was measured utilizing pre and post course selfreported student assessments, and post course one-on-one student interviews. As a result of the study, we found that
students felt they increased in their abilities and confidence in developing and implementing laboratory experiments,
as well as analyzing and drawing conclusions from their results. Overall, the students found the course to be a positive
experience, giving them insight on how a research lab operates and helped prepare them for their own future
undergraduate research experiences.
38) Effects of Targeted Troubleshooting Activities on Student Confidence in a Statistics Computer Lab: A Pilot
Investigation [15]
Henry, Meredith A.; Hopkins, Maria
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Statistics competence is a core component of success as a psychology student. Unfortunately, students often hold
negative attitudes towards statistics (Mills, 2004). One contribution to such attitudes may be lack of confidence using
statistical programs such as SAS (Statistical Analysis System. The current project attempted to use targeted
troubleshooting activities to increase student confidence. Method Subjects were 13 first year psychology graduate
students at UAB (4 Developmental, 3 Neuroscience, 6 Clinical; 8 female) enrolled in a statistics lab. Before the course,
all students completed a pre-survey using a 5-point Likert scale to rate confidence in conducting, troubleshooting,
interpreting, and creating a range of analyses using the SAS 9.3 statistical program. Higher ratings indicate more
confidence. Throughout the semester, students completed a series of “Make it Work” exercises. These exercises
provided students with incorrect code and tasked them with debugging it to successfully carry out analyses. Not all
topics covered in the course were included in a “Make it Work” exercise. After the course, students again rated their
confidence in all areas assessed by the pre-survey. Additionally, students rated 7 components of the course (including
the “Make it Work” exercises) from “least helpful” to “most helpful”. Results Paired samples t-tests revealed that, from
the pre- to post-survey, there was a significant increase in overall confidence using SAS (t=-7.90, p< .001). Student
confidence also significantly increased in all four sub-areas of interest: conducting analyses (t=-9.54, p< 001),
19 troubleshooting issues (t=-8.70, p< .001), applying results (t=-.431, p=.001), and creating new code (t=-4.93, p< .001;
see Figure 1). 69.3% of students also ranked the “Make it Work” exercises among the top 3 most useful resources.
Further analyses will be conducted to determine if the increase in student confidence for topics included in the “Make
it Work” exercises is greater than that for those topics not included.
Figure 1. Change in student confidence across domains of statistical skill pre- and post-lab course.
(Higher scores indicate more confidence; *=p<.05, **=p<.01, ***=p<.001)
39) Differences in grades between graduates and undergraduates in a public health course [50]
Herr, Megan; Hadingham, Jennifer
University of Rochester
A few years ago, an undergraduate major in Epidemiology was created at the University of Rochester. In order for students to complete this major, they must take classes that are cross-­‐listed in the department of Public Health Sciences
in the School of Medicine and Dentistry. The composition of these graduate level classes changed considerably since
the addition of the undergraduate students. Classes that used to have only one or two undergraduate students now
have up to 50%. Even before the influx of undergraduate students, the classes in the Public Health Sciences departments were very diverse with MDs, MPH students, and PhD students from different disciplines.
We sought to determine if differences existed between graduate and undergraduate students taking the introductory
course in epidemiology. If differences existed, we were interested in determining if these differences were due to age
or prior degree. This information was collected by surveying the introductory course during the fall 2014 semester.
The undergraduate students performed slightly worse on both exams when the medians are compared. When the
means are compared, neither are statistically significant. There was no clear correlation between age/previous degree
and success in the course. However, an interesting dichotomy that arose and which may explain the differences in
grades: the undergraduate students tended to consult the professor, while the graduate students made use of the
TAs. It is possible that consulting the TAs resulted in higher grades. In the future, we would like to assess whether these differences in seeking help is due to undergraduate beliefs that the TAs are less prepared or knowledgeable than
the professors or that the graduate students are more aware of the TAs capabilities.
40) Intersecting Students on Facebook: Cirriculum Reinforcement Where They Least Expect It [51]
Hill, Alice
University of Colorado-Boulder
20 This study tested the hypothesis that regularly intersecting students with foundational image examples on social
media like Facebook will provide iterative, regular reinforcement of a course curriculum not otherwise pursued by
students outside of class. Course instructors actively used Facebook as a teaching venue in “Remote Sensing of the
Environment,” an upper-level undergraduate class at the University of Colorado Boulder. The course utilizes an imagebased curriculum, and familiarization with satellite and ground-based imaging techniques is best gained through
exposure to a volume of images. Additionally, students were required to post three images throughout the semester
to the private course Facebook group, which encouraged active participation in the educational process. Results
reveal that the mean ratio of hours per day spent on Facebook for schoolwork by full-time undergraduate students
was 0.42 and 0.78 at the beginning and end of the semester, respectively, which suggests that intersection of students
on Facebook has the potential to considerably boost time exposure to school curriculum. This study also sheds light
on the type of curriculum best reinforced by social media sites because Facebook content associated with complex
topics saw greater student learning gains than basic concepts (Figure 1, paired t-test p-values < 0.05 and 0.086,
respectively). This suggests the additional reinforcement was necessary for the more difficult topics and social media
may be an opportune tool to help get students over these learning hurdles. Notably, image-based disciplines are well
suited to the venue, as 93% of respondents reported that graphics (image or photo) were the most prominent type of
posts to catch attention and prompt further exploration while scanning through feeds. As an image manipulation and
data acquisition science remote sensing may be optimally placed to utilize Facebook as an active learning venue.
41) The Impact of CIRTL on Member Institutions [56]
Hill, Lucas; Austin, Ann E.
Michigan State University
Our poster will report findings from a qualitative interview study that we conducted in the summer of 2014.
Participants (n=30) consisted of institutional leaders, administrative co-leaders, and two individuals from the
Network’s administrative team known as CIRTL Central. Using a semi-structured interview protocol, participants were
asked: how their institution has benefited from CIRTL participation, what key CIRTL resources or characteristics are
most impactful, what barriers they encountered in implementing CIRTL concepts and programming on their campus,
and institutional characteristics that affect CIRTL’s impact. Interviews were transcribed and loaded into NVivo for
qualitative data analysis. We used a thematic analysis approach to generate codes, identify emerging themes,
compare emergent themes across the dataset, and finalize major findings. We found that CIRTL was perceived to have
an important impact on member institutions through several avenues, including: (1) the prestige and cachet of a NSFfunded network with well-respected peer institutions, (2) programmatic concepts, structure and content, and (3) the
ability to access knowledge and best practices from the Network for local implementation. We also found that key
institutional characteristics contextualized CIRTL’s impact. These included such factors as: (1) the degree of campus
centralization and decentralization, (2) upper administrative support and buy-in, (3) how strongly the institution
values teaching and learning, and (4) local CIRTL leadership. Overall, the findings presented in this poster will provide
an empirical basis for intellectual conversation concerning the benefits of CIRTL participation and institutional
characteristics that can help or hinder Network benefits.
42) Effects of Technology for Students in the Digital Age [53]
Hoekstra, Angel R.; Duncan, Douglas K.; Wilcox, Bethany R.
Blinn College (CUB Alum)
Contemporary use of digital devices (e.g., laptops, smart phones) has generated concern amongst faculty about how
in-class technology use may affect learning behavior. A multi-year project by an interdisciplinary research team, this
research assesses the relationship between in-class use of digital devices and learning outcomes. What is the
relationship between technologies designed to engage students (e.g., clickers) and those that can disengage, and
how do these devices affect behavior during peer discussions?
21 METHODS/DATA
• 2010-2011: Observations (N=31days), surveys (N=345), and interviews with students (N=24) were conducted at a
large public university. Data were gathered in eight large courses (Astronomy, Geology) which used student
response systems (clickers) and Think-Pair-Share exercises to engage students. Findings from quantitative and
qualitative data were assessed by multiple researchers through an emergent coding framework.
• 2011-2012: Observations (N=34 days) and surveys (N=541) were used to assess the effects of technology use for
learning outcomes in six more courses. The analysis focused on the effects of clickers & digital devices (e.g.,
smart phones) for learning in 4 large college courses (Astronomy, Sociology) as compared to use in 2 smaller
courses (Biology, Physics).
Research design permits in-depth analysis of students’ learning behavior as shaped by course size, format, the
presence/absence of clicker use, types of note-taking behavior and the effects of specific instructor policies for
technology use in diverse courses.
43) Evaluating and Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills in a Biomedical Engineering Course [54]
Johnson, Reva E.; Linsenmeier, Robert A.
Northwestern University
Engineers need to solve problems systematically, but the necessary skills are not often explicitly taught or evaluated.
Students often feel uncomfortable when faced with problems that give too little or too much information, and have
trouble making appropriate simplifications, assumptions, and estimations. We implemented teaching methods and
evaluations that focused on problem-solving skills in a junior-level biomedical engineering course. First, we centered a
discussion section on a multi-step word problem unrelated to course content. The unfamiliar problem separated
problem-solving skills from course content and allowed students to focus on the problem-solving process, which was
then discussed. Second, we devoted subsequent discussion sections to guided multi-step problems that incorporated
course content, a departure from previous years in which homework was discussed by teaching assistants, but
students received insufficient guided practice. These sessions gave students problem-solving practice in small groups
with immediate feedback available from teaching assistants. Third, we obtained data on students' attitudes towards
problem-solving and their perceptions on education in problem-solving. Over half of students agreed or strongly
agreed that the initial discussion of problem-solving was useful, and that they were interested in seeing how other
students approached the problem. Almost 30% of students reported that they had never discussed problem-solving
strategies in previous courses. About 67% of the students reported that solving additional problems in discussion
section was important to their learning. This approach to problem solving in a lecture course can also improve
teaching by the graduate teaching assistants assigned to discussion sections by facilitating their organization and
planning. In future work, we will assess students’ problem-solving skills before and after the initial discussion section
on a problem unrelated to course content. The assessments will include more detailed qualitative analysis of
diagrams, estimations, and assumptions. We will also evaluate students’ attitudes towards problem-solving and
metacognition of problem-solving strategies.
44) What's the leak? Factors that may contribute to the low retention of students in science [7]
Jones, Letitia; Eickbush, Thomas; Flick, Lisa; Roth, Vicki
University of Rochester
Studies have shown that approximately 40% of students planning science majors end up switching to other subjects
or failing to obtain any degree. This percentage increases to 60% when pre-medical students, who typically have
higher SAT scores and overall high school science preparation, are included. Currently, President Obama and industry
groups have challenged colleges to graduate 10,000 more students with majors in science. Attracting and accepting
22 students is one factor, but a more important factor is retaining these students and these students obtaining an
undergraduate degree in science. In this pilot study, I surveyed students in an introductory biology course at a local
private and public college. The students were given a pre-survey during the first week of class and were asked what
were their expectations in regards to studying, seeking assistance and how often they would seek this assistance. One
week before final exams, the students were given a post- survey and were asked did they perform as well as expected,
what assistance they utilized and if they did not seek assistance, why not. The results show that the students expected
a significant amount of time was necessary for this course and were aware as to what services were available to them,
if needed. More importantly, the results show that majority of the students considered the class to be much more
difficult than anticipated and their ineffective study habits resulted in their performance not being as expected. In
addition, tutoring and meeting with the professor contributed to their doing well in the course. Also, collectively,
approximately 60% of the surveyed students stated this introductory course has resulted in a change in their major or
seriously considering changing their major. Thus this initial study warrants further research in order to tease out more
specifically, how this ‘leak’ can be sealed such that more science majors are retained.
45) We've Discussed the Ingredients now Let’s Make the Dish: Assembling Active Learning Strategies in an
Engineering Statics Course [55]
Kjolsing, Eric
University of California- San Diego
Active learning has been shown to increase student performance in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM). Published research indicates effectively implemented strategies such as group problem solving,
body-centered talk, physical demonstrations, the use of workbooks, and peer instruction result in increased student
learning gains, satisfaction, or both. However, for instructors trying to assemble these strategies into a single course,
which activities should take precedence?
This poster describes the creation of a hybrid learning environment for an undergraduate engineering Statics course
in which a number of active learning strategies were implemented. Course components included both group and
instructor led numeric problem solving sessions, video examples, peer instruction, a traditional textbook, and an
interactive online textbook. Periodically collected student feedback was quantitatively analyzed and shows a clear
preference for and against specific activities. Additional analysis documents learning gains stemming from the peer
instruction process. Student conceptual understanding of the course material was measured through a widely utilized
Statics concept inventory exam distributed during the first and last week of the course. Recommendations are made
on how to improve future versions of the course.
46) Outcome Mapping: A Bloom's Taxonomy Heat Map for Integrated and Consistent Student, Instructor, and
Course Assessment [52]
Klinger, Rory
University of California- San Diego
Engineering programs at universities and colleges are accredited by the Accreditation board for Engineering and
Technology (ABET). The core guidance from ABET is transformed by university programs into a set of program
outcomes for each accredited engineering degree. These outcomes are useful at the program level, but are far too
broad to be easily applied at the scale of a single course; and even less at a single lesson. This disconnect in scale
makes alignment and assessment tedious and confusing, especially for new instructors. A tool is needed to connect
learning outcomes at the scale of a single lesson to that of a course, then simultaneously to the broader ABET program
outcomes. One convenient and commonly used tool that could be expanded for this purpose is the Bloom’s
Taxonomy table.
23 A Bloom’s taxonomy table was constructed based on the needs of an undergraduate Introductory Environmental
Engineering course. Outcomes were coded into the table at the levels of: ABET Outcomes, Course Outcomes, and
Lesson Outcomes. Coded tables for each outcome scale were overlaid and summed, then color coded as heat maps to
show levels of emphasis. Student performance on assessments of specific Lesson Outcomes was normalized to a scale
of 1-5, as is used in ABET documentation. This student performance data was then used to create compatible
performance heat maps.
The use of a Bloom’s taxonomy heat map to represent learning outcomes at multiple scales provides easy comparison
to assess alignment of objectives, assessments, and performance, highlighting opportunities for improvement. This
work aligns content and assessment at multiple scales for a single course within a single program. The use of this
system in successive terms could facilitate continuous improvement for a course. The approach could also be
expanded to multiple courses within a program to promote alignment of curriculum.
47) PREPARE-ing Future Faculty Through CU-CIRTL [57]
Knuth, Barbara A.; McLinn, Colleen M.; Pettit, Theresa, L.; Henry, Susan A.; Sparks, Jed P.
Cornell University
Cornell University CIRTL, established in 2011, is a partnership between the Graduate School, the Center for Teaching
Excellence (CTE) in the office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, and faculty leaders from several STEM
fields. Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars serve in leadership roles for specific initiatives. CU-CIRTL receives
institutional funding through the Graduate School and external funding from multiple sponsors. About 67% of
Cornell’s 3,100 doctoral students and most of its 580 postdocs are in STEM fields.
CU-CIRTL engaged over 200 unique graduate students, 141 postdocs, and 126 faculty and staff from 54 fields in 20132014. Four sessions of a Teaching in Higher Education course are offered per year, as well as a semester-long Teaching
as Research course. Course participation is required of graduate teaching fellows but open to all.
PREPARE workshops focus on discipline-specific strategies for assessing student learning, while GET SET workshops
support teaching preparation in all disciplines. Trained graduate students facilitate both series with staff oversight. A
High-Impact Teaching Practices Institute serves approximately 35 future faculty each fall. Approximately 20 students
present projects at the Classroom Research and Teaching Symposium each spring. Workshops are offered a la carte
and as series, e.g., the Building Mentoring Skills for a Career in Academia certificate program.
CU-CIRTL’s certificate program, based on portfolio review, enables participants to earn nationally recognized
credentials in evidence-based teaching practices as they pursue professional development at three successive levels
of engagement: CIRTL Associates have been exposed to core ideas about teaching through coursework or workshops.
CIRTL Practitioners have conducted a Teaching as Research project, typically as part of a cohort in a course or
workshop series. CIRTL Scholars have completed and externally “defended” the findings of a Teaching as Research
project. Status at each certificate level confers eligibility for privileges such as travel funding.
48) Impact of Teaching Style on Student Learning and Satisfaction in Statistics Courses [58]
Komarek, Rebecca; Bielefeldt, Angela
University of Colorado Boulder
The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of innovative teaching methods in statics courses on student
learning and attitudes regarding engineering. While there has been much focus on first-year programs to improve
student persistence, the sophomore year, while still having a large amount of attrition from engineering disciplines, is
underrepresented in existing data. Because of a lack of long-term persistence data from this study, student grades and
satisfaction are considered initial indicators of likelihood of student persistence in engineering.
24 The research methodology includes a variety of assessments focused on both students and faculty. Student topical
knowledge was assessed using statics concept inventory (CATS) and analysis of the course grade distribution. Student
attitude assessment was assessed via the Student Assessment of Learning Gains (SALG) survey, in-class focus groups,
and responses to course evaluations. Faculty member teaching style and motivation for teaching method use were
studied through classroom observation using the Reformed Teacher Observation Protocol (RTOP) and a faculty
interview. Data was gathered from three different statics instructors, two at a major state research university (MRU)
and one from a nearby urban, regional state university (URU). In total, six statics sections were studied, for a total of
174 students participating.
Conclusions focus on faculty members’ attitudes, student statics knowledge, and student satisfaction with statics
courses. Faculty attitude toward teaching undergraduates aligned with the teaching methods used. Faculty members
who indicated an interest in student-focused teaching utilized more active instructional methods. Based on the small
sample size studied, class grades were not statistically correlated to teaching method or concept inventory scores.
Student evaluations were more favorable for the classrooms that have a higher RTOP score, which indicated a higher
level of reformed teaching.
Table 1. Student end-of-semester evaluations of course and faculty member RTOP score
MRU1
Avg. Course Evaluation Avg.Instructor Rating
by Students (1-6)
by Students (1-6)
4.65
4.92
RTOP score of teaching
style
28
MRU2
5.41
5.69
74
URU (avg)
5.0
5.1
51
Course
49) The Impact of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry I as Prerequisites on Student Performance in
Biochemistry II [9]
Larson, Amy
Cornell University
Molecular Biology today requires a deep understanding of protein structure and function, which is one of the learning
objectives in many Biochemistry I courses. Thus, it is surprising that at Cornell University successful completion of
neither Organic Chemistry nor Biochemistry I is required to take Biochemistry II: Molecular Biology. Many students at
Cornell enroll in Biochemistry II without successfully completing Biochemistry I or Organic Chemistry. This study
investigated the role these previous courses had on performance of students who had successfully completed these
courses prior to taking Biochemistry II in contrast with the performance of those students who had not completed
these courses. Students in the Biochemistry II course in Spring 2014 voluntarily completed a survey where they selfreported the courses they had taken and grades received in those courses, their exam grades in Biochemistry II,
entering GPAs, and other information. The data show no difference in performance on exams between the groups of
students, and that any student, regardless of prerequisite knowledge, could be successful. The greatest indicator for
student success in Biochemistry II is incoming GPA. The biggest difference among the student groups is that the
students who did not complete the prerequisites were more likely to seek outside help and attend office hours than
the students who had completed these courses. This study provides insight into the utility of prerequisite courses and
whether professors are requiring students to assimilate knowledge across several bodies of coursework., as well as
providing resources to those students that are taking Biochemistry II without previously completing Biochem I or
Organic Chemistry.
25 50) Comparison between a traditional teaching method (TTM) and a collaborative teaching method (CTM)
regarding student engagement and subject mastery in a biochemistry laboratory [59]
Le, Cuong Quang; Schug, Kevin A.
University of Texas at Arlington
As a STEM educator, one main goal is to help students master their subject materials. We use a variety of pedagogies
to accomplish this goal. In this study, a traditional teaching method (TTM) and a collaborative teaching method (CTM)
will be studied to determine which one is better in terms of student engagement and subject mastery. To evaluate the
TTM, sixteen students in a biochemistry laboratory section are used as subjects. A lab instructor will teach and
illustrate all techniques and procedures of an experiment (Kinetic Analysis of Tyrosinase) to all sixteen students at the
same time. All students are required to complete their experiments within four hours. During the experiment,
students can ask the lab instructor for help and communication between students is allowed. For the CTM, sixteen
different students are randomly divided into Group A and Group B. Unlike the TTM, the CTM breaks the same
experiment into Part A and Part B. The instructor teaches and illustrates Part A to only Group A and Part B to only
Group B. Both groups are allowed to collaborate to complete the two parts of the experiment within four hours.
However, Group-A students are only allowed to ask the instructor questions of Part A. Similarly, Group-B students can
only ask questions of Part B. Survey questions and lab report grades will be quantitatively analyzed to compare
student engagement and subject mastery between TTM and CTM, respectively. Since collaborative learning seem to
improve students’ understanding and grades[1], we hypothesize that the CTM is better than the TTM in terms of
student engagement and subject mastery.
51) Developing a Quantum Interactive Learning Tutorial (QuILT) on the Double-Slit Experiment [60]
Maries, Alexandru; Sayer, Ryan; Singh, Chandralekha
University of Pittsburgh
Learning quantum mechanics is challenging even for upper-level undergraduate students and graduate students.
Interactive tutorials which build on students’ prior knowledge can be effective tools to enhance student learning. We
have been investigating student difficulties with the quantum mechanics behind the double-slit experiment and have
developed a Quantum Interactive Learning Tutorial (QuILT) which makes use of a simulation to improve their
understanding. We describe the common student difficulties with the double slit experiment and the extent to which
the QuILT was effective in addressing these difficulties. We thank the National Science Foundation for support.
52) Using Blackboard as an Academically Framed Social Media Tool to Enhance Student Engagement among
College Students [61]
Martin, Chloe M.; Rich, Alexandra N.
Howard University
Background. Student engagement is generally described as the amount of physical and psychological energy a
student devotes to the learning process and is associated with high academic achievement (Junco & Lokan, 2011).
Social media has been used as a tool to enhance student engagement in college students. Twitter, LinkedIn, and
Facebook are examples of social media that instructors have used in their courses (Junco & Lokan, 2011; Smith &
Smith-Malyn, 2014). Blackboard Learn is a commonly used learning tool in higher education and has the capability to
serve as an academically framed social media tool to enhance student engagement. An evaluation of its usefulness in
enhancing student engagement could be beneficial to a wide range of stakeholders, including but not limited to
administrators, instructors and students. Purpose. The purpose of the current study is two-fold. The first aim is to
assess the feasibility of using Blackboard Learn as an academically framed social media tool to increase engagement
among college students. The second aim is to describe student engagement in a sample of college students enrolled
in a course in which Blackboard Learn is used as an academically framed social media tool.
26 Method. The Blackboard account for N=80 Experimental Psychology laboratory students will be enriched by
uploading Slide Share presentations, YouTube videos, Flickr photos, and Hashtags. Using the Date and Time
Restrictions feature on Blackboard, a calendar will be created with instructions on using Blackboard as a social media
tool. The Blackboard Statistics Tracking option will be enabled for all uploaded content during the semester. Student
engagement will be measured using the Blackboard Content Usage Statistics.
Expected Results. An instructional manual will be provided to outline detailed instructions on how Blackboard Learn
was used as an academically framed social media tool. The instructional manual will include technical instruction,
calendar, examples of application, and a glossary. Also, frequencies of student engagement through Blackboard will
be reported.
53) BOLD Learning Module: Electrostatics for Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences [11]
McCleery, W. Tyler; Rericha, Erin C.; Brame, Cynthia J.; Hutson, M. Shane
Vanderbilt University
We have observed that introductory physics students, particularly life science majors, tend to struggle with a
conceptual understanding of topics in electrostatics, such as electric charge distributions, fields and forces. Further
hindering this understanding, they struggle with the abstract mathematical ideas behind calculating the
superposition of continuous charge distributions and using Gauss’ Law to make symmetry arguments about such
distributions. We therefore created a blended learning module that encourages students to simultaneously develop
the conceptual framework as well as the technical skills needed to successfully analyze electrostatics problems. Our
class, Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences, implements this module using biologically-relevant problems to help
students connect the basic principles to useful applications. The module guides students through the development of
a concept map that relates each concept to its physical and ultimately biological meaning. This map evolves over the
course of the module by allowing students time to collaborate and share their ideas. The module also provides a video
tutorial on the calculus-based mathematics with in-video questions to help students check for understanding. We
hypothesize that this blended learning module -- using student-designed concept maps and an interactive math
tutorial in a biologically-relevant context -- provides students the opportunity and incentive to build both the
conceptual foundation and the technical skill needed to solve electrostatics problems, resulting in higher student
achievement. Assessment of the effectiveness of these tools is quantified by data collected from in-class “clicker
questions,” standard homework assignments, and a comprehensive test. These data are compared to a previous
semester to determine the success of achieving greater student understanding of the material. Additionally, we
intend to analyze the student-generated concept maps for trends in student misunderstanding to inform future
instruction in this course.
54) Cooperative learning for basic writing skills in an upper division writing class [3]
McClure, Jesse
University of Massachusetts Amherst
A lack of basic writing skills — such as correctly using grammar and parallel structure, reducing wordiness, and
avoiding plagiarism — frequently hinders the development of students’ professional writing. Here, we compare two
approaches for teaching these skills in an upper-division writing course for psychology majors. Six sections, each
taught by a different instructor and with 20–23 students each, used a new in-class cooperative learning strategy
incorporating peer instruction. In an additional six sections, students followed the traditional method of teaching
these skills, completing worksheets on each of the target writing skills assigned as homework — often preceded by a
brief lecture on the target skill by the instructor. Student and instructor feedback suggest that the in-class cooperative
learning approach more effectively primed students for learning: students were not as likely to attend to a
presentation on punctuation, for example, until their understanding was challenged. Only then did they wrestle with
27 the material, ask questions of their peers, and debate and discuss the best answers to challenging questions. The
instructors were then able to offer a more efficient and effective lesson on the topic to which students attended and
immediately applied. Finally, using these results, the in-class cooperative learning strategy was further revised based
on student and instructor feedback and reapplied in a subsequent semester as a small case study.
55) Assessing the Flipped Classroom Model in Organic Chemistry II [62]
McCranie, Emilianne; Sulikowski, Michelle
Vanderbilt University
As technology becomes ever more integrated into our lives and classrooms, we need to investigate the efficacy of
blended learning environments and specifically which features are important for student learning. Organic chemistry
is primarily a problem-based discipline and the flipped-classroom model is expected to result in improved student
learning. As a result, we developed and implemented a flipped classroom NMR spectroscopy module in Organic
Chemistry II. Students were assigned short video lectures as homework, while class time was reserved for the students
to work problems with the help of their peers, teaching assistants, and instructor. The students’ performance on
online homework problems via Sapling Learning was compared to a control section which was taught in a traditional
lecture style. Surprisingly, there was no significant difference between the control and experimental groups indicating
that the flipped classroom module did not lead to an improvement in student learning. This result is in contrast to the
literature which shows that active learning techniques improve student learning. Perhaps looking at different data
such as exams and or stratifying the students in our analysis would have revealed an improvement in student
learning. Additionally, surveys to monitor student perceptions of the module indicated that overall students did not
like the flipped classroom model in an Organic Chemistry course. As this was a continuation course, students’
expectations and resistance to the different instructional technique could also have played a role. Future work will
focus on how to improve the module, decrease student resistance, and refine the experimental parameters.
56) Washington University CIRTL Program for Future Faculty: Evaluating Program Activities [64]
Miller, Kathryn; Frey, Regina; Fisher, Beth; Mutambuki, Jacinta; Leonard, Denise
Washington University in St. Louis
Future STEM faculty must be prepared to incorporate evidence-based pedagogies that can improve learning for
diverse students and improve the retention of students in STEM majors. The Washington University CIRTL Program for
Future Faculty was designed to prepare and train graduate students and postdoctoral appointee for these various
needs in STEM education. Future faculty who are participating in the WU-CIRTL learning community have
opportunities to 1) learn about effective pedagogical methods and key research findings on teaching and learning
through our STEM Pedagogies Workshop Series, 2) reflect on and document their teaching, 3) develop knowledge and
skills pertinent to the practice of scholarly teaching in a one-credit hour Introduction of Scholarship of Teaching and
Learning (SoTL) course, and 4) pilot an educational innovation in a STEM classroom setting through the WU-STAR
SoTL Internship Program.
The program is designed with multiple levels (Community Member, Associate, Practitioner, and Scholar) to enable
participants to build on introductory-level TA-training—whether provided by departments or by The Teaching
Center—to increase their expertise in evidence-based, active-learning pedagogies. We are currently assessing the
effectiveness of each program through a variety of evaluation activities, including a survey of all STEM graduate
students and postdocs in STEM on awareness and knowledge of evidence-based STEM pedagogies, pre- and postworkshop questions and a post-workshop reflection exercise for workshop participants, pre- and post-course surveys
of participants in the Introduction to SoTL course, and pre- and post-perception surveys of WU-STAR interns and their
faculty mentors.
28 We will highlight preliminary evaluation data from each component as well as lessons learned. These data suggest
specific areas and types of programs where support efforts should be targeted to help prepare future faculty in STEM.
57) Can Spacing Out Homework Assignments Enhance Retention and Transfer in Introductory Chemistry? [10]
Nguyen, Khuyen; Daschbach, Megan; Frey, Gina
Washington University in St. Louis
It is common practice for instructors to assign a number of homework problems pertaining to a specific topic covered
in that day’s lecture and never cover that topic again later in the semester. This is akin to what cognitive psychologists
typically refer to as massed learning, where learners keep studying a given topic or concept until they have mastered
it. However, a robust cognitive phenomenon known as the spacing effect, suggests that learning is enhanced when
material studied once are revisited again after a delay. In the present study, we investigated whether spacing apart
homework problems for the same topic would improve final exam performance in an introductory chemistry course.
Specifically, two topics (i.e., atomic spectroscopy, periodic trends) received spaced homework assignments
throughout the semester whereas two other topics (i.e., photoelectric effect, electronic configuration) received the
standard massed homework assignments given the week it was covered in lecture. Our results revealed a spacing
effect for “memory-based” questions but not for questions that required higher order thinking. Instead, performance
for the massed topics was actually higher for questions that required more than just rote memorization. These results
suggest that there may be limitations to applying the spacing effect in the classroom. Some classes may have
constraining factors (e.g., how much the topics overlap, exam schedule, etc.) that may limit the implementation of
spaced homework assignments.
58) Integrating Peer Instruction into the Biology Classroom Using Weekly Quiz Questions [65]
O'Connell, Kyle; Grover, Jim; Berry, Lisa T.
University of Texas at Arlington
Peer instruction (PI) is a student-centered teaching approach that requires students to apply core concepts to a formal
question, followed by a defense of their response to their peers (Crouch & Mazur, 2001). This technique has
consistently been shown to improve undergraduate student learning outcomes over traditional instructional formats
(Crouch & Mazur, 2001; Crouch et al. 2007; Lasry et al. 2008; Mazur, 1997). PI provides real-time student feedback
(Lasry et al., 2008) and promotes higher-level cognition (Cortright, 2005; Giuliodori et al. 2006), improving student
success on formative assessments (Armbruster et al. 2009; Fagen, 2002; Giuliodori et al. 2006), as well as attitudes
towards the course (Armbruster et al., 2009; Feeley, 2012). Quizzes traditionally serve primarily as assessment tools,
but they can also be effectively used as learning instruments (Rao & DiCarlo, 2014). The non-majors introductory
biology course at the University of Texas Arlington (UTA) traditionally administers a quiz each lecture period to
encourage student pre-class preparation. Quizzes range from five to ten questions and students are given ten minutes
to complete each quiz. However, many students have difficulty understanding some core concepts because they do
not prepare adequately (Armbruster et al., 2009; Mazur, 1997). This study used a PI question within the weekly quiz to
assess the effect on student learning outcomes of peer instruction. Eight three-question quizzes were administered to
two sections of 75 students in the spring semester of 2015. Each section received one PI question for four quizzes, and
worked individually on the other four quizzes. After four quizzes questions related to the PI material were presented in
midterm exams as formative assessments. Student attitudes were measured on a Likert scale as part of the final quiz in
each unit. We hypothesized that PI will improve student understanding of learning outcomes and will increase
student satisfaction.
59) CIRTL 2.0 - Technology to Enhance and Support the CIRTL Community [23]
Peer, Andrea; Bender, Holly; Camou, Jose; Boysen, Jose; Fiderlick, James
Iowa State University
29 The expansion of the Center for Integration for Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) from 6 to 22 universities led
to new challenges for its IT infrastructure, a support system of paramount importance to a largely online community.
Funded by the NSF in 2012, the CIRTL IT team initiated a needs assessment project to plan the new CIRTL IT network
using a user-centered design approach. Funded by the Sloan Foundation in 2014-2015, design and development
continued on the new IT system called the CIRTL Network Commons (CNC), an open-source infrastructure with the
power to connect a community of thousands of participants; the flexibility to serve diverse needs, new ideas, and a
rapidly changing educational landscape; and the expandability to allow the CIRTL Network to grow. The CIRTL IT team
is developing evaluation tools for CNC performance and evaluation of its effects on the CIRTL Network. The team is
building in capabilities for more extensive research studies of the impact of the CIRTL Network on the preparation of
STEM future faculty. Once the CNC is developed for the CIRTL Network, the open source tools and infrastructure can
be leveraged and re-purposed for other comparable projects.
The initial needs assessment was conducted at 5 member universities, with 96 total engagements, 63 interviews, and
42 usability prototype tests, to generate 81 scenarios, and 10 prototype iterations with CIRTL leadership. The CNC was
designed and developed using user experience methods incorporating current research on online community design,
common identity, and common bond theories {Lazar:1998wh, Preece:2000uu, Kavanaugh:2005uk, Back:1951tk,
Postmes:2000vz, Sassenberg:2002wk, Utz:2003uw}. A beta version will be released in March of 2015 for testing and
evaluation by ten universities. A rollout of the CNC for the whole network based on the beta version is planned in May
of 2015.
60) Assessment of Cultural Knowledge and Skills Transfer in Undergraduate Dietetics Education [20]
Plasencia, Julie; Weatherspoon, Lorraine
Michigan State University
The United States population is becoming increasingly ethnically diverse, prompting a strong need for health care
professionals, especially Registered Dietitians (RD), to acquire cultural competency skills before entering the
workforce. Currently, many didactic programs in dietetics have a “cultural foods” course to meet cultural competency
education standards and learning outcomes, but assessments of how this type of knowledge transfers into higherlevel application are limited. The objective of this study was to assess how cultural competency knowledge and skills
taught in a junior-level cultural foods nutrition course were retained and applied to case study assignments in a
senior-level nutrition course using a cultural competency rubric (CCR).
IRB approval was obtained to recruit senior-level students from a capstone level course, Medical Nutrition Therapy
(MNT)-II. Fifty-five students (60%) consented and of these 39 (71%) had completed the cultural foods course in a prior
year. A list of cultural competency topics from the cultural foods course learning objectives were used to develop
general questions to elicit knowledge and application of these topics to two case study assignments in MNT-II. A CCR
was developed to assess responses to the questions and was tested for reliability. In addition, self-reported data were
collected on factors that may influence cultural competence such as participation in study abroad and courses that
may have exposed students to health beliefs and foods of other cultures. The questions in the first case study did not
include the term “culture” and those in the second case study did. Students who completed the cultural foods course
scored higher, 2.01/10 versus 0.96/10 at a significance level of p<0.037. We can conclude that students who
completed the cultural foods course were more likely to apply cultural competency knowledge and skills without
explicit elicitation compared to those who had not completed the course; indicating learning transference.
(Table on next page)
30 Table 1. Independent t-test comparison of age, cumulative grade point average and cultural competency rubric scores
by dietetic students who completes cultural foods course vs. non-completers. (n=55)
Non-course1
Completers
Course
Completers
t
p-value
Mean (+SD)
Mean (+SD)
N=16
N=39
Age
22.6 (+1.30)
22.89 (+1.56)
-0.6395
<0.525
Cumulative GPA
3.36 (+0.29)
3.47 (+0.28)
-1.2723
<0.209
CCR Score Case Study 1
0.96 (+1.40)
2.01 (+1.73)
-2.1411
<0.037
CCR Score Case Study 2
2.47 (+1.85)
2.65 (+1.56)
-0.378
0.707
1
Course in reference is a cultural foods course some undergraduate dietetics programs provide to meet cultural
competency education standards.
61) Training the Trainers for Small Group Work at the Physics Learning Center [1]
Porras, Ana; Huesmann, Amihan; Nossal, Susan
University of Wisconsin- Madison
The Physics Learning Center provides instructional support for introductory classes through a Peer Mentor Tutor
(PMT) program. PMTs lead weekly small group sessions during which students have an opportunity to review key
concepts and practice solving problems. PMTs participate in ongoing teacher training and leadership experience,
including attending a weekly seminar to discuss teaching and mentoring issues. Due to the diversity of the PLC
student body, we believed there was a need for more in depth PMT training on the subject of small group work.
Throughout the course of our intervention, PMTs were engaged them in the process of self-reflection through writing
and encouraged to share teaching strategies with one another. More specifically, these reflections were centered on
their ability to instruct students how to work in groups effectively. Our two Teaching-as-Research questions were:
1) Do PMTs report an increase in confidence in their abilities to lead group work as a result of training?
2) Do PMTs feel more prepared to handle challenging situations related to group work as a result of training?
To evaluate the intervention, pre- and post-training surveys were administered, where PMTs were asked to self-assess
(1) how confident they felt about their ability to achieve specific goals related to teaching or leading group work, and
(2) how prepared they felt to handle various challenging situations. Overall, an increase in confidence and
preparedness was reported for most goals and situations respectively. However, it was challenging to assess whether
this was a result of the tutoring experience in itself or a product of our specific intervention, due to difficulties
identifying a control group. The surveys, nonetheless, were a powerful tool in understanding the PMT experience as
well as the weaknesses and strengths of the PLC training program.
62) Inquiry-based learning strategy for an advanced undergraduate Chemistry laboratory course [63]
Ramachandran, Roshini; Salguero, Tina T.
University of Georgia
Typically chemistry laboratory classes utilize a “cookbook” approach where students perform an experiment by
following directions in a lab manual. Although this method is helpful for learning experimental techniques, it does not
promote independent experimentation and critical thinking. This teaching project implemented an inquiry-based
learning strategy to an upper-level undergraduate Inorganic Chemistry laboratory class. Titled “Nobel Prize
experiments”, the lab consisted of four scientifically relevant experiments centered around Nobel prizes awarded in
31 diverse areas of Inorganic chemistry. With appropriate background information and instructor guidance, students
surveyed chemical literature and devised a procedure for each experiment.
Besides learning advanced laboratory techniques, students were also made familiar with the ways of communicating
in the scientific discipline. Traditional lab reports were replaced by collaborative weekly progress reports, and two
final reports in the form of a journal article and an oral presentation. Qualitative analysis of the collaborative weekly
reports and final reports showed that students had an improved understanding of the course concepts and
demonstrated the ability to make connections they had not observed before. Group analysis of the results for a
specific experiment enabled students to identify trends, similarities and anomalies for a class of materials and gave
them an opportunity to compare different procedures for the same experiment, thereby presenting an advanced
experience for data analysis and results discussion. Students also displayed an enhanced perception of logically
evaluating and conveying their results in their final reports.
We received feedback about the effectiveness of the course using a summative assessment system via online endsemester student ratings which provided us with quantitative information on which aspects of the course were useful
and what could be improved. Student evaluations (Table 1) confirmed that this learning strategy increased their
competence in Chemistry, improved scientific thinking and also gave them a necessary and enjoyable research
experience.
Table 1. Quantitative statistical feedback from online course evaluations
Strongly
Statement provided to student
Agree
Agree
This course challenged me to think and learn
5
5
This course has increased my competence in the
3
7
subject area
Assignments and activities were useful for helping
5
4
me learn
Neutral
Disagree
0
0
Strongly
Disagree
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Statement provided to student
Excellent
Good
Average
Overall, the quality of this course was
5
5
2
Below
Average
0
Poor
0
63) Comparing the Impact of Peer Instruction and Lecture-Based Teaching Strategies on Student Learning [67]
Reese Jr., Michael J.; Hufnagel, Todd
Johns Hopkins University
A deep conceptual understanding of foundational topics is essential to success in advanced courses in materials
science and engineering. Our work was driven by the following research question: does peer instruction help students
develop a deeper conceptual understanding of topics taught in the structure of materials course – a core,
introductory course offered in the material science and engineering curriculum? Our hypothesis was that students
taught with the peer instruction method would have a deeper conceptual understanding than those who took the
course in a traditional lecture format.
The team employed a quasi‐experimental approach. The instructor taught the course in a traditional lecture style
during 2011 and 2013; he used Eric Mazur’s peer instruction during the 2012 and 2014 offerings. Students completed
a concept inventory and survey of attitudes at the beginning and end of each semester. A focus group was conducted
with a subset of students at the end of each semester.
This teaching‐as‐research project generated a unique partnership between a graduate student in quantitative
sociology with a material science and engineering professor. The arrangement permitted the faculty member to take
32 advantage of the graduate student’s familiarity with social science research protocols as the professor embarked on
his first engineering education research project.
Data suggest that students gained deeper conceptual understanding in the courses employing peer instruction.
There was no statistical difference between students’ average pre‐course score on the concept inventory used in all
four semesters (range: 29%‐33%). However, the learning gains of students in the peer instruction‐focused, active‐
learning courses were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the gains of students in the traditional‐lecture course. Survey
data and focus group summaries provide insight into how the pedagogical strategies used during class influenced
student learning gains and study habits.
64) The Effect of Tegrity Usage on Student Learning Outcomes [68]
Roberson Mitchell, Jerez; Bailey, Dondra
Howard University
The application of classroom instruction has evolved over the past decade from the hallmark face-to-face lecture style,
to one that utilizes various communication platforms. One format that has been utilized by a myriad of academic
institutions is the utilization of various Learning Management Systems (LMS) such as, Web Course Tools (WebCT),
Blackboard and others which are used to organize content, activities, communication, and assessment. These systems
have been optimized by the addition of lecture capture solutions such as Tegrity, which have greatly expanded
learning opportunities in higher education. Tegrity allows students to access course content anytime and anywhere
by downloading class lectures to smart devices or by linking courses to their Facebook pages. Previous research
suggests that Tegrity enables students to pay better attention in class, because they can worry less about capturing
comprehensive notes and instead focus on understanding the material. The objective of this experiment is to use an
adaptive technology to increase retention rates while promoting student learning outcomes in in an undergraduate
biology course. Our between group experiment will capitalize on the use of technology within a department that
suffers from low retention rates due to student learning. A correlational analysis will be used to compare grades and
attrition rates obtained before and after the intervention of Tegreity during the spring academic semester. We expect
the results from this study to demonstrate that the use of Tegrity improves study habits, increases attention, expands
comprehension and leads to a more collaborative learning environment while concomitantly improving learning
outcomes.
65) Implementing active learning in a flipped Calculus course [73]
Ross, John
Johns Hopkins University
Inquiry-based learning is a style of active learning in mathematics and physics that is gaining mainstream acceptance.
This style uses a series of questions to carefully guide students towards creating well-written proofs. Students are
encouraged to discuss proofs and to critique each other's ideas. It is a version of a flipped classroom, in that the
guided questions, debate, and active learning take place in the classroom.
The IBL method is becoming common in higher level mathematics classes, especially Abstract Algebra and Real
Analysis, but is often absent from lower level courses (which frequently fill a computational and service-oriented role).
We modified a Calculus course that introduces advanced freshmen and sophomores to the concepts of proof and
rigor via a flipped, inquiry-based method. Such an approach diverges radically from the traditional Calculus class, and
is designed to foster deep understanding, critical thinking, and mathematical creativity in the students. In this poster,
we outline the fundamental methods and mechanics that the course utilizes.
33 We also offer a comparative study in how students were introduced to these non-traditional methods. We taught the
class for two consecutive years, and each year we modified our focus during the first two weeks. Here, we will offer an
overview of what was taught (and how it was taught) for the first two weeks of each semester, and offer data
suggesting that our modified approach increased student understanding and retention.
66) The University of Maryland’s University Teaching and Learning Program for Graduate Student and Postdoc
Professional Development [69]
Roth, Stephen M.; Grossnickle, Emily; Kramer, Sabrina; Schonfeld-Karan, Khara
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland’s University Teaching and Learning Program (UTLP) has provided formal training in
teaching in higher education for graduate students for over ten years. To better reach graduate students and
postdoctoral fellows, the program was recently redesigned and launched as a three-tier professional development
program with the following levels: Associate; Practitioner; and Scholar. As a member of the CIRTL Network, the revised
UTLP training program is coordinated with the CIRTL learning outcomes. As such, completion of the UTLP program
ensures engagement with the following three themes: teaching as research; learning through diversity; and learning
communities. The Associate level provides exposure to the major ideas in each of these themes; the Practitioner level
ensures engagement in each of the three areas; and completion of the Scholar level requires advancement and
dissemination of knowledge in teaching and learning. Associates complete either a course in teaching in higher
education or a number of related workshops; reflections; observations of undergraduate instruction; and a teaching
philosophy statement. Practitioners complete a course in teaching in higher education; a number of related
workshops; reflections; observations of undergraduate instruction; mentorship with a faculty instructor; a Teaching as
Research (TAR) project; and a teaching portfolio. Scholars complete all aspects of the Practitioner level, in addition to
participation in a dedicated learning community, as well as a publishable TAR project that is formally presented and
approved by a committee. The University Teaching and Learning Program recognizes and celebrates that
development as a teacher is a lifelong process. Whether preparing to teach in the future or teaching for the first,
second, or tenth time, UTLP is designed to meet graduate students and postdocs at their current level and take them
to the next step in their development.
67) Learning Computer Programming Through Projects in Materials Science [71]
Roy, Anindya; Vieira, Camilo; Reese Jr., Michael J.; Magana, Alejandra J.; Falk, Michael L.
Johns Hopkins University
Students often learn computer programming outside the context of the discipline that requires it. Many learners
struggle when they have to apply programming knowledge to problems in science and engineering. We wanted to
know how introducing programming through materials science problems enhance students’ ability to apply
programming in the disciplinary context. In this collaborative project between Purdue University and Johns Hopkins
University (JHU) we designed a beginner-level JHU Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) course, “Computer
Programming for Materials Scientists and Engineers (CPMSE),” to implement the idea above. Flipping the classroom,
students viewed video lectures at home and collaborated in group activities in class. We collected data to track
learning outcomes in a number of ways. We analyzed student scores on various aspects of the problem-solving
process in five projects. The students shared their journals describing their approach to the projects. We learned how
they approached solving a specific project on heart muscles by conducting hour-long think- aloud activities with five
student volunteers. A classroom visit allowed us to observe the flipped- classroom in action, including the degree of
student collaboration.
Our statistical analysis shows that the student scores on the coding phase are at times weakly correlated with the their
ability to connect code output to the projects. This pattern was observed even when their computer programs were
34 flawless –- an indication of persistent challenges in applying programming knowledge to science and engineering
problems. From the course design perspective, we realized that some projects demand more background in
mathematical and disciplinary knowledge than students typically have as beginners. We identified underused course
materials such as video examples, and the need to introduce resources on mathematical concepts. We found that the
students need stronger encouragement from the instructor(s) to collaborate effectively. CPMSE offered in Spring 2015
includes changes based on these findings.
68) Supporting the Development of Expertise in Physics through Metacognitive Diaries [70]
Salamon, Joe
University of California- San Diego
Metacognition is typically stated as “thinking about thinking” and is one of the defining pillars of expertise. Thus,
providing students with a chance to directly practice and develop their metacognitive skills is one of the keys to
transitioning into expertise. My project describes a method to providing students with metacognition practice via
daily, post-lecture diary entries, coupled with a simple question: does the quality of a student’s self-reflection correlate
with their performance on summative assessments?
To answer this question, I implemented metacognition exercises in a flipped version of Physics 2D, a lower division
Relativity and Quantum Mechanics course for Engineering and Chemistry students, in Summer Session 2014 with
roughly 60 students. The flipped structure was fairly standard but adapted to maximize learning gains during the
rapid 5-week summer session structure: pre-lecture reading assignments, online pre-lecture reading quizzes, and inclass group activities (worksheets and clicker questions) for every lecture. However, after every lecture, each student
was required to answer metacognitive questions in diary-like entries on that day’s lecture material.
In this poster, I will present the correlations I found between student quiz performance and metacognitive quality,
quantified in this preliminary analysis by word-count and keyword analyses. I will also provide some preliminary
cluster analysis at the in-lecture group level, which shows interesting connections between group-averaged quiz
performance and group-averaged metacognitive quality.
69) Enhancing undergraduate student learning by introducing group activities in lecture sessions and video
demonstrations in laboratory sessions [5]
Sekhon, Jasreen K.; Wang, Tong
Iowa State University
Motivating students to work in groups in lecture sessions can encourage them to exchange ideas, think collectively as
a team and solve problems. At the same time it will allow them to apply theoretical knowledge to a real world
situation. Further, video demonstrations before the laboratory sessions can provide better understanding of the food
analysis test compared to in-lab instructions. The present research project evaluates the effect of incorporating active
learning methods (group leaning and laboratory video demonstrations) to increase student involvement and
understanding in lecture and laboratory sessions of the Food Analysis (FSHN 410) course. We tested three hypothesis:
students will be better engaged in learning when divided in groups in lecture class; students will be more involved
and attentive in lecture class when clickers are used; and students will be less apprehensive and more willing to work
independently (without guidance) as a group in the laboratory class when they have watched a step-by-step video
demonstration of the analysis before performing it in the laboratory. Results of the project will be presented.
35 70) Engineering Students’ Perceptions and Knowledge of Sustainability [8]
Sharma, Bhavna; Steward, Brian; Ong, Say Kee; Miguez, Fernando E.
Iowa State University
The Sustainable Engineering and International Development course focus on describing and discussing the key
concepts of sustainability and sustianbility engineering and was first offered to engineering majors at the Iowa State
University (ISU) in 2005. Nine years later, sustainability has become major part of the curriculum and research
endeavors. The objective of this study was to understand student perceptions and knowledge of sustainability and its
implementation across various engineering systems. The assessment techniques used for the study were pre- and
post-test at beginning and end of the semester, respectively and focus group discussion and survey at end of the
semester. The study was conducted in Fall 2014 semester. The difficulty level of pre-test was found to be low
indicating that students have foundational knowledge about sustainability concepts. In the future, attempt will be
made to go beyond testing basic understanding of students and developing a comprehensive question set covering
foundational knowledge as well as complex concepts. The focus group discussions complemented with survey will
help in understanding student perceptions about course content and instruction method. Present study provides
feedback on improving a particular course; however, the methodology can be extended to other programs to
enhance student learning and develop effective teaching strategies.
71) A Brief Mindfulness Intervention to Increase Undergraduate Learning [81]
Spann, Catherine; Park, Anna; Veerabathina, Nilakshi (Faculty Advisor)
University of Texas at Arlington
College students are often required to sustain attention for 50 to 90 minutes in the classroom, but research has shown
that this is nearly an impossible task (Farley et al., 2013). Recently, mindfulness practices have been shown to enhance
attention (Tang et al., 2007) and executive control (Jha et al., 2007) as well as improve self-regulation (Chambers et al.,
2008). Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment without judgment (Kabat-Zinn, 1994). The current
study, which will take place over the course of three weeks in March 2015, will implement a mindfulness breathing
exercise in order to increase student attention and enhance learning outcomes. Two sections of Astronomy (N = 200)
will participate—one section will complete mindfulness exercises and the other will serve as the control group. The
manipulation will consist of a three-minute mindfulness breathing exercise that will take place during the middle of
each class. This exercise will require students to focus attention on their breath. The control classroom will be given a
three-minute break during the middle of each class where they will be allowed to engage in any activity they choose.
Learning will be assessed via quizzes given at the end of each class period as well as exam scores taken before and
after the intervention. Additionally, a self-report questionnaire will collect information on students’ perceived benefit
of the breathing exercise. Planned analyses include: (1) a one-way between-subjects ANOVA to compare the groups
on quiz scores and (2) a 2 X 2 mixed ANOVA to compare the groups on the first and second exams. We hypothesize
that students participating in the mindfulness exercise will show larger increases in their scores compared to students
in the control group. Positive results will suggest the promise of a simple to administer exercise to increase
undergraduate learning.
72) Using Structured Group Work as a Mechanism for Breaking Undergraduate Engineers’ Statistical
Misconceptions [74]
Streiner, Scott C.; Besterfield-Sacre, Mary
University of Pittsburgh
There has been a significant amount of interest in research regarding student understanding and performance,
especially in probability and statistics. Past research has often focused on misconceptions in statistical inference. Yet,
there is a lack of contemporary research regarding statistical misconceptions for undergraduate engineering students.
36 Additionally, engineering educators recognize that active-learning strategies can improve undergraduate STEM
education, but unfortunately intervention-based research on reducing statistical misconceptions is strikingly absent.
This research aims to address these gaps in the literature by employing a simulation-based structured group work
activity whose goal is to clarify and reduce misconceptions regarding the Central Limit Theorem (CLT). The CLT was
chosen based on both instructor observation, prevalence in the literature, and its foundational importance to the field
of probability and statistics.
This study draws on contrasting cases in conjunction with a simulation-based group assignment given to 73
undergraduate industrial engineering students enrolled in an intermediate-level probability and statistics course at
the University of Pittsburgh. The students are tasked to work individually on personalized simulation assignments that
force the students to think about the CLT and its implications in practice. After the assignments are completed, groups
of students will be formed by the instructor, with each group preforming the following tasks:
(1) Share simulation strategies and present results,
(2) Compare and contrast results to the simulation assignment, and
(3) Discuss differences in results and the underlying reasons for the differences.
Following the structured group work assignment, an individual assessment will be given and a short in-class
discussion about the CLT will be had. The following research questions are addressed: (1) What are the general
misconceptions of the CLT among undergraduate industrial engineering students? (2) How can structured group
work using contrasting cases reduce the number of misconceptions students have about the CLT?
73) The effects of study guide format on long term retention of material [75]
Stringham, Nicole
University of Georgia
Background / Purpose: Learning outcomes and material retention can be dramatically affected by the type of study
guide or aid provided by the instructor. In an effort to implement a research-based approach to learning, we
evaluated the effect of two different study guide formats (broad topic, and specific question items) to determine
learning retention outcomes for students in a physiological psychology class. In a separate condition, students were
allowed to use a self-completed table as a test aid during a test.
Methods: Thirty-five students were evaluated. The two study guide formats and self-completed study table were
provided on three separate tests, respectively. 30 days after each test, retention was evaluated via an unannounced
in-class retention quiz. Retention was statistically analyzed via ANOVA and Tukey’s posthoc analysis.
Results: For the broad topic study guide format, overall test average was 78.35%, with 71% retention. For the specific
questions study guide format, overall test average was 84.45%, with 88% retention. Lastly, the exam average was
77.08% when students were allowed to use the self-completed table test aid. Retention for this condition dropped to
57%. Statistical analysis indicated that the specific question item study guide provided significantly better retention
than either the broad topic study guide or the self-completed table (p = 0.008).
Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that retention is significantly improved when specific questions are
given as a study guide. Although this approach may seem counterintuitive, it appears to encourage productive
studying, and may lead to better test performance and retention. Interestingly, when students were given the
opportunity to use a self-completed table of information on a test, retention proved to be significantly lower (p <
0.001). We reason that this may be due a reliance on external knowledge, as opposed to committing the information
to memory.
(Table on next page)
37 Table 1. Comparison of exam and retention quiz averages by study guide type.
Study guide type
Broad topic
Specific questions
Self-completed test aid
Exam Average (%)
78.35
84.45
77.08
Retention average (%)
71
88
57
74) A Visual Teaching Aid: DanceChemistry [79]
Tay, Gidget; Edwards, Kimberly
University of California Irvine
A visual aid teaching tool, the DanceChemistry video series, has been developed to teach fundamental chemistry
concepts through dance. These educational videos present chemical interactions at the molecular level using dancers
to represent molecules. The DanceChemistry videos help students visualize chemistry ideas in a new and memorable
way. Surveying the general laboratory course (n = 1217), 75% of the students said they wanted to use these videos to
learn additional chemistry topics in the future. Data from a pre- and post-test show that there was a 30% increase in
students providing the correct answer after watching a five minute DanceChemistry video. These instructional videos
are disseminated broadly through the specifically dedicated YouTube channel, DanceChemistry. Videos have been
made to teach basic chemistry concepts, such as thin-layered chromatography, recrystallization, melting point
depression, and miscibility, to general and organic chemistry students.
75) SimBio Visual Experiments as Supplementary Material Driving the Success in Evolutionary Concepts [77]
Titus-McQuillan, James; Chippindale, Paul; Berry, Lisa
University of Texas at Arlington
Interactive computerized modules have been shown to increase student’s retention of course materials (Bryner et al.,
2008). Previous studies have elucidated that quiz scores are significantly higher between sections who utilized
modules versus sections without access to computational modules (Roche et al., 2007). This study aims to observe the
progress of undergraduate education in evolutionary biology from sections with SimBios computational modules
supplemented to the class versus previous sections without of modules available.
Evolutionary concepts are the foundation to learning and understanding biological sciences. It is important to have a
strong understanding and background in evolution to be a successful biologist. Evolution is a good area of study
because it affords the luxury of having a plethora of real world data and observable results based on the concepts
being taught or researched. Though, even with evolutionary principals being tangible in nature, many times a class
room context cannot illustrate principals solely by power point slide and lecture alone. This is why I used simulated
modules to illustrate evolutionary concepts in a tangible space for students to better learn using SimBio modules for
college evolution courses. These modules are interactive and allow the student to manipulate the space and see the
driving forces of evolution based on environmental, sexual, and competitive adaptations. Modules are voluntary to
students. Anonymously student scores are taken, demographics are taken into account, as well as completeness.
Results will show if completing and utilizing SimBio modules are an accessory that is worthwhile and increase scores
of undergraduate students who have access and use them from those who do not.
38 76) Characterization of Recitation & Lecture and Its Influence on Performance in an Introductory Chemistry
Course for Non-Majors [78]
Tomaswick, LeighAnn; Pollock, Amy
Michigan State University
Introductory chemistry courses serve thousands of students each year in preparation for pre-professional and other
science-based careers. Student success in introductory chemistry can affect their performance and retention in their
major and at the university. At Michigan State University, students attend 3 hours of lecture, a 50 minute recitation,
and complete online homework each week. Faculty follow a script-like lecture-based curriculum in the ~400 student
lectures. Teaching assistant (TA) led recitations have ~25 students and provide an opportunity for more problembased learning. TAs are suggested to use group work but student comments suggestion recitation structure differs
drastically. This study determined if there were differences in student performance between recitation and lectures
sections and what session structures existed.
Student exam scores were analyzed if students attended at least 70% of recitations, completed 2-3 exams and the
cumulative final. ACT and math pretest scores were used to control for aptitude in each recitation and lecture. A Fall
semester pilot study determined there to be 6/18 TA led recitations that performed statistically different than the class
average; no affect from lecture attended. Spring semester analysis included observations with two independent
observers to characterize sessions and surveyed students concerning study habits and background experience.
Lecture structure did not differ greatly but there were statistical differences between lecturer-group scores. Faculty’s
experience with the lower aptitude students may have contributed to the differences (Figure 1). Recitation structure
ranged from no interaction between students to students actively working in small groups. Problem explanation
ranged from TA only to student led. While there were no significant differences between aptitude or exam scores
between Spring recitations, a variety of recitation structure and mistakes were observed. This study prompted better
available resources for instruction and weekly TA meetings to ensure correct processes and answers were provided to
students.
Figure 1. In-depth Comparison of Two Lecturers That Taught In Both Fall & Spring
All Students Enrolled
Lecturer A
Fall
Spring
Fall
Spring
% on Exams
56.40
56.35
57.30
56.91
ACT Scores
22.95***
19.88
22.96***
20.52
Math Pretest Scores
15.53***
13.71
15.18**
13.68
Lecturer B
Fall
56.11*
22.70***
16.06***
Spring
53.67
19.26
13.61
Exam, ACT and math pretest scores between Fall lecturers were not statistically different. Spring students had lower
ACT & Math pretest scores but exam scores were similar to Fall students. Lecturer-B students scored significantly lower
than Lecturer-A but were not a statistically different population based on aptitude.
*p=.07, **p=.002, ***p<.001
77) The FAST Program: Future Academic Scholars in Teaching [76]
Vergara, Claudia E.; Prevost, Luanna B.; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Tomaswick, Leigh Ann; Campa III, Henry
Michigan State University
The effective teaching preparation of doctoral students is a critical element for the sustained implementation of
evidence--‐based teaching practices (EBTP). Research on the professional development of secondary and tertiary level
STEM educators has demonstrated that effective programs are long term, lasting from several weeks to one or more
semesters. The Future Academic Scholars in Teaching (FAST) Program at Michigan State University represents a
39 professional development model for a high engagement program that prepares future faculty for excellence in
teaching. FAST, started in 2006, emphasizes a commitment to teaching and learning grounded in a holistic
understanding about the roles and responsibilities that are part of an academic career. We will: (1) describe the
structure, implementation and evaluation of FAST including results from survey and interview data, andpreliminary
analyses of participants’ artifacts e.g TAR projects, and (2) discuss the short--‐term impacts of FAST including
placement of alumni.
The examination and evaluation of FAST is grounded in teaching preparation models implemented in the faculty
development (FD) field. Amundsen and Wilson (2012) developed a framework to describe core characteristics of FD
programs. Programs are categorized based on their goals and practices: skill--‐ focused, reflective, disciplines,
institution, pedagogical method and action research. The FAST Program—by Implementing a multi‐faceted
approach—falls under three of the modes described in the framework: reflective, disciplinary, and action research.
FAST provides a reflective learning community for STEM graduate students with an opportunity to plan and
implement a Teaching-as-Research (TAR) project, while improving their teaching skills and pedagogical knowledge.
Our data indicate that graduate students (n=71) participating in FAST have improved in their ability to assess and
evaluate learning, incorporate diversity in the classroom and use instructional methods that encourage active
learning.
We will discuss our plans to study the impact of participating in graduate teaching preparation programs on the use
of EBTP by former participants as they transition into faculty positions, and their role as potential change agents
within their academic units.
78) World of Watershed Management (WOWM): A roleplaying game to teach the complexity of socioecological systems and problems [6]
Walsh, Jake; Vander Zaden, M. Jake; Stanley, Emily H.
University of Wisconsin- Madison
The complexity of socio-ecological problems and the diversity of the stakeholders engaged in solving those problems
make teaching application of concepts in ecological education particularly difficult. Role-playing games that place
students in the position of stakeholders in ecosystem management scenarios offer a potential tool to aid in teaching
applied ecological problems. In this context, role-playing is an active and collaborative learning tool that promotes
critical thinking and empathy, which are essential problem solving skills. Broadly, role-playing helps bridge the gap
between knowledge acquisition and application of that knowledge to solving real world problems. We developed a
role-playing game (World of Watershed Management or WOWM) that places students in the roles of stakeholders in
scenarios like water clarity management in lakes and regional aquatic invasive species management. We asked two
Teaching-As-Research questions using WOWM; first, whether the activity aids in students’ appreciation of the diversity
of opinions and values held by stakeholders in ecosystem management and second, assessing student’s confidence
and proficiency in applying course knowledge to these real world examples. Students unanimously agreed that the
activity should be included in future iterations of the course. Also, we found that WOWM was directly responsible for
improving student attitudes regarding role-playing activities as a teaching tool. Finally, students reported an
increased understanding of stakeholder diversity and that they appreciated being given an arena in which to apply
their course knowledge in ecosystem management scenarios.
Fig. 1 - A) There was a significant
increase
in
students’
appreciation for role-playing as a
teaching tool after the activity. B)
All students agreed that WOWM
should be included in future
course
syllabi
and
their
responses
verified
the
accomplishment of the primary
40 79) Calculus Class Comparison: Backgrounds and Nonstandard Problems [80]
Walters, Meg
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester has three different calculus sequences for students to choose from based on their
mathematical background and major. All three sequences cover the standard material from single variable calculus.
This project focuses on comparing the students in two of these sequences. Sequence Y is aimed at science and
engineering majors and takes two semesters to complete. Sequence Z is intended for students without as much
mathematical background and takes three semesters to complete. Students from each sequence were asked to take
part in a survey assessing their mathematical backgrounds. After completing this survey, students were asked to
answer several nonstandard calculus questions, to determine if there are concepts that students in sequence Z do not
understand as well as the students in sequence Y. The results from both surveys were compared to determine the
main differences between students in sequence Y and sequence Z.
80) Student Metacognition in the Biological Sciences [13]
White, Neil A.; Fata-Hartley, Cori L.
Michigan State University
Metacognition is thinking or learning about learning. It includes knowledge and skills related to learning such as
deciding what to learn, selecting study strategies, and assessing if learning took place [1]. We studied student
metacognition in multiple sections of a large enrollment, introductory cell and molecular biology course. The main
focus of our initial study was on exam preparation. Students completed surveys before and after exams that included
questions about selection of study activities, the reasons for selection of those activities, and study time allocation.
The goal was to build a profile of what students are doing for exam preparation and observe how they evaluated their
learning approaches post-exam. Our preliminary results indicate that students consistently planned to study more
both on non-exam and exam weeks, but only increased their reported time studying for exam weeks. The time spent
studying was very similar across all sections surveyed. In regard to activities, students did adjust what activities they
valued the most based on which section they were in, except for reading the textbook which was highly valued across
all sections. We also had students report their self-assessed ability to distinguish fundamental concepts from details.
As a result of that query, we are currently conducting a study focusing on the students’ organization of fundamental
concepts.
81) An Investigation into the Effectiveness of a Rotating Tank Apparatus in Communicating Atmospheric
Science Concepts to K-12 Students [46]
Winters, Andrew C.; McKinley, Galen A.
University of Wisconsin- Madison
Recent research on the instruction of atmospheric science indicates that concepts within the discipline are particularly
difficult for students to comprehend, as many students, especially at a young age, have various misconceptions
concerning atmospheric phenomena. Complicating this issue is that many of these same concepts are traditionally
delivered in a lecture-style format within the classroom, leaving few opportunities for students to make connections
between the concepts and hands-on observations or laboratory exercises. One effort initiated at MIT within the past
15 years that attempted to provide a link between atmospheric science concepts and hands-on observations is the
NSF-funded “Weather in a Tank” project. While the use of a rotating tank to simulate weather systems and climate
patterns has proven to be effective within the college classroom, a similar effort to quantify its impact on K-12 student
learning has yet to be performed. Consequently, our Teaching-As-Research question investigated the impact that a
rotating tank simulation of mid-latitude weather systems (Fig. 1) had on K-12 student learning in both formal and
informal educational settings. Eight middle and high school classes from the Madison, WI, area participated in the
41 formal classroom demonstrations and hundreds of estimated visitors interacted with the tank at numerous informal
outreach events. Quantitative results from participant evaluations indicate statistically significant learning across all
age demographics, with respect to the concepts presented during the demonstration, and a vast majority of
participants expressed considerable enjoyment from engaging in the activity. These results motivate further use of
the rotating tank, and other hands-on demonstrations, in communicating atmospheric science topics to students and
the general public.
Figure 1. A typical result of the tank demonstration employed with all participants illustrating the general circulation
pattern of the mid-latitude atmosphere. [Photo from http://paoc.mit.edu /labguide/circ_exp_fast.html]
42