1999 — 2001 |
Andre, Thomas Chumbley, L. Scott (co-PI) [⬀] Constant, Kristen [⬀] Hargrave, Constance Hand, Brian (co-PI) [⬀] |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Incorporating Inquiry-Based Science Modules Involving An Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope Into Preservice Teacher Education Classes
This project builds on the commitment of Iowa State University's College of Engineering and College of Education to the enhancement of the undergraduate preparation of future mathematics and science K-12 teachers. Through this Proof-of-Concept project, inquiry modules involving the WWW-controlled environmental scanning electron microscope (SEM) are developed and incorporated into three courses for pre-service elementary and secondary teachers, demonstrating the integration of WWW-controlled science content into existing teacher education courses. The modules support the learning through inquiry concepts and are consistent with the National Science Education Standards to improve the science pedagogical and content knowledge of pre-service teachers.
The two pilot modules in the areas of Failure Analysis of Materials and Structure of Organisms contain a problem-setting video, an inquiry workbook, a kit of materials, and supplementary SEM images available on the WWW homepage. The project complements the Iowa State Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (ISCEPT) and the Mathematical Engineering Networking with Teachers of Real Science (MENTORS) activities.
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1 |
2001 — 2004 |
Andre, Thomas Hand, Brian (co-PI) [⬀] Greenbowe, Thomas [⬀] |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Developing a Technology Enhanced Guided Inquiry Workbook For General Chemistry
This project is creating new active-learning curricular materials, labeled active learning packets (ALPs), for the topics of stoichiometry, acids and bases, thermochemistry, kinetics, gas-phase equilibria, acid-base equilibria, and electrochemistry. The motivation for the creation of the ALPs is research on student learning that suggests instruction utilizing only lecture, recitation, and laboratory experiments produces only small increases in the understanding of fundamental concepts in chemistry. The ALPs are incorporating techniques, including McDermott's guided inquiry framework, visualization and inquiry simulations, and writing-to-learn strategies that research has shown will improve conceptual learning. The active learning materials are being designed to both elicit common student difficulties regarding the topics under study and to lead students to confront these difficulties head-on with a tightly focused and strategically sequenced series of exploratory activities, questions, and exercises. For each topic, three or four discrepant events, phenomena that lead to an unexpected outcome and often produce conceptual conflict, are included. A discrepant event sufficiently surprising or contrary to an expected or predicted outcome captures the attention of the student and encourages rethinking. An integral feature of the proposed learning activity exercises is the requirement that students explain their reasoning process with written statements. In the course of working through these inquiry activities, students are being guided to resolve their difficulties and confusion and to attain a firm grasp of the targeted concepts. The activities consist of a tightly linked set of (1) brief textual expositions in highly "interactive" format, (2) concept-oriented questions for use with classroom communication systems in large classes, (3) a structured series of questions that lead students to elicit and then resolve conceptual difficulties, and (4) exploratory visualization and inquiry simulations and hands-on activities and writing-to-learn exercises to strengthen understanding. The activities are emphasizing qualitative understanding, reasoning, and mastery of fundamental concepts. They are encouraging students to develop multiple representations of concepts in pictorial, diagrammatic, and graphical formats and to relate these representations to symbolic and macroscopic representations. The effectiveness of the ALPs is being rigorously assessed by continual in-class use and redesign, in conjunction with evaluation of student learning gains.
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1 |
2012 — 2015 |
Andre, Thomas Jones, Melissa |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Research: Master Science Hobbyists: Characteristics, Motivations, Experiences, and Career Trajectories @ North Carolina State University
This project will be conducted by a team of investigators from North Carolina State University. The principal investigator proposes to examine the characteristics, motivations, in and out-of-school experiences, informal science activities, and career trajectories of 1000 science hobbyists and "master hobbyists." Master hobbyists are individuals who have developed science expertise and spend considerable free time engaging in science as a leisure activity. Master science hobbyists are found across most areas of science (e.g. birdwatchers, amateur astronomers). This research will determine who these individuals are, their career pathways, how they engage in science activities and what motivates, sustains, and defines their science interests. One of the particular goals of this research is to develop new understandings of how science hobby interests develop for women and underserved minorities.
In the proposed research investigators will use the results of interviews and surveys to identify contextual factors that influence the motivational processes that, in turn, influenced choices of careers and contribute to ongoing choices in hobby and citizen science activities. Of interest in this study is how citizen scientists who are also serious hobbyists differ from master science hobbyists. Research on citizen scientists has shown that this group is highly motivated by collective motives (such as a desire to help others and further science), whereas this may not be the case with the master science hobbyist. Two groups will be sampled: a) birdwatchers and b) amateur astronomers. This sampling model will allow investigators to contrast their findings by: 1) those who have selected a science career versus those that did not select a science career, 2) those who participate in citizen science activities and those that do not, and 3) those who are birdwatchers (greater mathematical components) and those who are amateur astronomers (lesser mathematical components). Additional coding and analyses will examine any differences in the evolution of bird watching and astronomy hobbies. The results of this research will be examined in light of existing motivational and sociocultural models of career selection.
This research will document differences in the perceived motivational elements that influenced master science hobbyists/citizen scientists to choose a science career or not. The results can inform federal, state, and local policies for supporting youth and adults engaged in free choice learning. Results of this research will inform the design of intervention/recruitment programs and ISE outreach initiatives. Potential audiences include ISE institutions (e.g. museums and science centers), organizations with links to STEM (e.g. scouts, boys/girls clubs) and pre- and college initiatives that seek to influence career choices and life-long science interests. The proposed cross-disciplinary approach will promote new understandings of complex issues related to motivation, retention, career selection, leisure activities, engagement with formal and informal educational environments, gender and ethnicity, communities of practice and changes in interests over time. Members of the advisory board have expertise in assessment and measurement and will work closely with the project team to conduct a detailed examination of methodologies and analyses at all phases of the project.
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0.979 |