Science Education Research Journal Club papers
Contact Eric
Weeks (weeks(at)physics.emory.edu) to be added
to the ScERJ club mailing list. You're also welcome to suggest papers
to read at future meetings. Currently we meet every other week.
Meetings are typically held in the Math/Science Center room E200
(the round lounge next to Jazzman's Cafe).
Click
here for directions to campus.
Note that the directions are to Emerson Hall, but there's a
map that shows you where to park and also indicates where the
Math/Science Center is.
2008
- Thursday, December 18, 1 pm -- note special time
- Thursday, December 4, 2 pm
- Thursday, Nov 13, 2 pm
- Thursday, Oct 30, 2 pm
- Thursday, Oct 16, 2 pm
- Thursday, Oct 2, 2 pm
- Thursday, Sept 18, 2 pm
- April 30, 3 pm
- April 16, 3 pm
- April 2, 3 pm
- March 19, 3 pm
- February 27, 3 pm
- February 13, 3 pm
- January 30, 3 pm
2007
- December 12, 3 pm
- informal discussion on grade distributions in Emory's
introductory science classes.
(12)
- December 5, 3 pm
- "Exploring Scientific Literacy at Emory" --
talk by Jordan Rose
(20)
- November 28, 3 pm
- "They're
not dumb, they're different", by Sheila Tobias. Pages 71-93 this
week (finishing the book). (5)
- November 14, 3 pm
- "They're
not dumb, they're different", by Sheila Tobias. Pages 33-70 this
week. (8)
- October 31, 3 pm
- "They're
not dumb, they're different", by Sheila Tobias. Pages 1-32 this
week. (9)
- October 17, 3 pm
- "PhET: Interactive simulations for
teaching and learning physics"
K Perkins, W Adams, M Dubson, N Finkelstein, S Reid, C Wieman, &
R LeMaster, The Physics Teacher 44, 18-23 (2006).
- "A powerful tool for teaching
science"
CE Wieman & KK Perkins, Nature Phys. 2, 290-292 (2006).
- The first article introduces the PhET simulations, with
lots of pictures. The second discusses some of the testing and
validation done to develop the simulations. (5)
- PhET website -- try
the simulations yourself!
- October 3, 3 pm
- September 19, 3 pm
- "Force Concept
Inventory"
D Hestenes, M Wells, & G Swackhamer, The Physics Teacher 30, 141
(1992)
- The most famous concept inventory in physics (13)
Related work:
- "What does the FCI actually
measure?"
D Huffman & P Heller, The Physics Teacher 33, 138 (1995)
- "Interpreting the FCI: A
response"
D Hestenes & I Halloun, The Physics Teacher 33, 502 (1995)
- "Interpreting the FCI: A
reply"
P Heller & D Huffman, The Physics Teacher 33, 503 (1995)
- September 5, 3 pm
- April 24, 4 pm
- "Implication of cognitive studies
for teaching physics"
EF Redish
American Journal of Physics 62, 796 (1994).
- Joe Redish gave the physics dept colloquium on Monday,
April 30
- How people understand and learn, and what implications
this has for how we teach. Joe suggested this article as the
most relevant for his colloquium topic. (8)
- April 17, 4 pm
- April 10, 4 pm
- April 3, 4 pm
- March 27, 4 pm
- March 20, 4 pm
- March 14, 1 - 2:30 pm -- special location, MSC W201
- February 27, 4 pm
- February 20, 4 pm
- February 13, 4 pm
- February 6, 4 pm
- January 30, 4 pm
- January 24, 3 pm -- note special day & time
- January 16, 4 pm
Possible future papers:
- "Does active learning work? A
review of the research"
M Prince
J. Engineering Education 223-231 (July 2004).
- Evidence that case-based learning works
- "Dan tries
PBL"
HB White, reprint on the web (1996)
- Difficulties of using problem based learning,
written in case study format
- "Scaling
up research-based education for undergraduates: Problem-based
learning"
DE Allen et al, article on the web
- Univ. of Delaware group discusses how they use PBL in
large classes.
- "Assessment
of the effects of student response systems..."
RW Preszler, A Dawe, CB Shuster, & M Shuster, CBE Life Sci Educ
6, 29-41 (2007).
- Examines learning & attitudes in biology
courses
- "Does the introduction of
non-traditional teaching techniques improve psychology
undergraduates' performance in statistics?"
S Helman & MS Horswill, Psychology Learning & Teaching 2, 12-16
(2002).
- Five non-traditional techniques used in intro stats;
exam scores are improved
- "Preparing students to
participate in an active learning environment"
HI Modell, Advances in Physiology Education 15, 69-77 (1996).
- How to convince students that active learning is good.
- "Fostering integrative problem
solving in biomedical engineering: The PBL approach"
WC Newstetter, Annals of Biomed. Eng. 34, 217-225 (2006).
- Author is at Georgia Tech; Bob suggests inviting her
for a discussion
- "The value of animations in
biology teaching: A study of long-term memory retention"
DH O'Day, CBE-Life Sciences Ed. 6, 217-223 (2007).
- Animations are more effective than graphics, even
without captions or narration. Thus, web-based materials can
work.
- "Teaching effectiveness research
in the past decade"
T Seidel & RJ Shavelson, Rev. of Educational Research 77, 454-499
(2007).
- A highly sophisticated and expert meta-analysis
- "Application of Bloom's taxonomy
debunks the 'MCAT myth'"
AY Zheng, JK Lawhorn, T Lumley, S Freeman, Science 319, 414-415
(2008).
- Turns out, the MCAT does test critical thinking.
- "Reasoning across ontologically
distinct levels: Students' understandings of molecular
genetics"
RG Duncan & BJ Reiser, J. Res. Sci. Teach. 44, 938-959 (2007).
- Genetics! Studies 10th graders.
- "Are
our brains wired for math?"
J Holt, New Yorker (March 3, 2008).
- According to Stanislas Dehaene, humans have an
inbuilt number sense capable of some basic calculations and
estimates. The problems start when we learn mathematics and
have to perform procedures that are anything but instinctive...
- "Engaging student learning in science through writing
tasks"
TF Slater, Phys. Teacher 46, 123-125 (2008).
- Variety of ideas about using short writing assignments
to enhance student learning.
- "The
advantage of abstract examples in learning math"
JA Kaminski, VM Sloutsky, AF Heckler, Science 320, 454-455
(2008).
- When it comes to teaching mathematical concepts,
abstract formulas may be more
effective than the familiar examples of speeding trains and
tossed coins
favored by algebra instructors.
- "Cooperative study teams in
mathematics classrooms"
C Toumasis, Int. J. Math. Educ. Sci. Technol. 35, 669-679 (2004).
- Details on forming study groups within a classroom
setting
- "Essay contest reveals misconceptions
of high school students in genetic content"
KR Mills Shaw, K Van Horne, H Zhang, & J Boughman, Genetics 178,
1157-1168 (2008).
-
"Our analysis reveals the nature of student misconceptions in
genetics, the possible sources of these misconceptions, and
potential ways to galvanize genetics education."
- Reducing the racial achievement
gap: A social-psychological intervention"
GL Cohen, J Garcia, N Apfel, & A Master, Science 313, 1307 (2006).
- Article on identity threat
- Pedagogies of engagement in science
T Eberlein, J Kampmeier, V Minderhout, RS Moog, T Platt, P
Varma-Nelson, & HB White, Biochemistry & Molecular Bio. Ed. 36,
262-273 (2008).
- A comparison of PBL, POGIL, and PLTL.
- "Clickers
in the large classroom: Current research and best-practice
tips"
JE Caldwell, CBE Life Sci Educ
6, 9-20 (2007).
- Review article summarizing clicker research
- "The role of metacognition in
learning chemistry"
D Rickey & AM Stacy, J. Chem. Ed. 77, 915-920 (2000).
- "Metacognition is...key to deeper, more durable, and
more transferrable learning."
- "Creative and occupational
accomplishments among intellectually precocious youths: An age
13 to age 33 longitudinal study"
J Wai, D Lubinski, & CP Benbow, J. Ed. Psych. 97, 484-492 (2005).
- accomplishments of the best of the best on the SAT.
- "The Poor and the Rich:
A Look at Economic Stratification and Academic Performance Among
Undergraduate Students in the United States"
JA Douglass & G Thomson, Center for Studies in Higher Education,
CSHE.15.08 (2008).
link
to website
- Experiences of lower-income students. "Low income"
and "first generation" are found not to be synonomous.
- "Teaching information evaluation
and critical thinking skills in physics classes"
A Popescu & J Morgan, TPT 45, 507-510 (2007).
Journal.
- Library skills for the internet age; might want to
pair this article with a 2nd one with more depth.
-
"Integrating
Policy and Decision Making into Undergraduate
Science Education"
"Biology
in Bloom: Implementing Bloom's Taxonomy to Enhance
Student Learning in Biology"
Alison Crowe, Clarissa Dirks, and Mary Pat Wenderoth
CBE Life Sci Educ 2008;7 368-381
- Implementation of the BBT helped us to adjust our teaching
to better enhance our students' current mastery of the material,
design questions at higher cognitive skills levels, and assist
students in studying for college-level exams and in writing study
questions at higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.
-
"Encouraging
Minority Undergraduates to Choose Science Careers:
Career Paths Survey Results
M Villarejo, AEL Barlow, D Kogan, BD Veazey, & JK Sweeney,
CBE Life Sci Educ 7, 394-409 (2008).
- "A
delicate balance: Integrating active learning into a large
lecture course"
JD Walker, SH Cotner, PM Baepler, & MD Decker,
CBE Life Sci Educ 7, 361-367 (2008).
- Pros and cons of active learning; would be a good
start-of-semester aticle.
- Other ideas