Group Problem-Solving Trumps Lecture
December 10, 2009
HIGHLIGHTS AT A GLANCE
1. ANNOUNCEMENT
NSF Job Opening: Program Director for MSP, Robert Noyce, and other DUE Programs
Science Education Administrator: Permanent or Rotator (1-2 year) positions are open. See details below.
2. NEW MSP PAPERS
A. "Group Problem-Solving Sessions Trump Lecture: Results of an Experiment in Teaching," Beverly Clendening, National Association of Biology Teachers, Four Year University Section Peer-Reviewed Research Symposium, November 11, 2009.
B. "Quantitative Analysis of Indicators on the RTOP and ITC Observation Instruments," Martha A. Henry, Keith S. Murray, Mark Hogrebe, Marcia Daab, MA Henry Consulting, 2009.
C. "The Role of Quantitative Reasoning in Solving Applied Precalculus Problems," Kevin Moore, Marilyn Carlson, Michael Oehrtman, Proceedings of the 2009 Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, February 2009.
D. "Connecting Science and Mathematics: The Nature of Proof and Disproof in Science and Mathematics," Michael Oehrtman, Anton Lawson, International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2008.
3. NEW IN PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
A. Appalachian MSP:
"Math and Science Partnership Scoring High Grades," David Wheeler, University of Kentucky Odyssey, 2009.
B. Preparing Virginia's Mathematics Specialist: "Mathematics Specialist Recognition/Appreciation Luncheon," William Haver, October 21, 2009.
4. NEW IN RESOURCES
A. Modern Science Modules
Created by Institute for Chemistry Literacy through Computational Science (ICLCS) MDPhd Students. Each module uses computational tools to demonstrate key concepts.
B. Join National Lab Day
Under President Obama's National Lab Day (NLD) initiative, the NLD website matches teachers' requests with local volunteers (STEM students, local scientists, engineers, STEM professionals and other members of the community) who has also joined the NLD hub.
DETAILS BELOW
1. ANNOUNCEMENT
NSF Job Opening: Program Director for MSP, Robert Noyce, and other DUE Programs
The National Science Foundation, Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) is seeking qualified candidates with expertise in one of the science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) disciplines who can serve in the area of STEM teacher education including partnerships between Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) and K12 school districts. The person selected will have responsibility in the Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program and the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, as well as other DUE programs. Permanent or Rotator (1-2 year) Positions are open, see MSPnet for more details.
MSPnet Location: EVENTS>>Announcements
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/announce/id-132
2. NEW MSP PAPERS
A. "Group Problem-Solving Sessions Trump Lecture: Results of an Experiment in Teaching," Beverly Clendening, National Association of Biology Teachers, Four Year University Section Peer-Reviewed Research Symposium, November 11, 2009.
"Despite mounting evidence that lectures alone are not the most effective way to help students gain knowledge, faculty in undergraduate science programs still use more student-centered teaching formats infrequently. Numerous barriers to change exist, including the assumption that less science content can be covered when student-centered teaching formats are adopted. In this study I show that the replacement of one hour of lecture per week in an introductory cell biology and genetics course with a group problem-solving session resulted in no reduction in science content covered and a significant increase in correct responses to knowledge, comprehension and application/analysis assessment items on the final exam."
MSPnet Location: LIBRARY>>MSP Papers
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/20039
B. "Quantitative Analysis of Indicators on the RTOP and ITC Observation Instruments," Martha A. Henry, Keith S. Murray, Mark Hogrebe, Marcia Daab, MA Henry Consulting, 2009.
"Classroom observation is an important component of mathematics and science teacher professional development programs and other educational evaluation activities. In this paper, the authors extend their earlier qualitative examination and comparison of two popular classroom observation tools (Horizon Research, Inc.'s Inside the Classroom Observation and Analytic Protocol (ITC) and Sawada et al.'s Reform Teacher Observation Protocol (RTOP)) with a quantitative analysis. The instruments substantially are based on comparable assumptions, foundational philosophies and domains of interest, and appear to be used with an expectation that they yield similar results, not to mention that their domains adhere internally. A single well-trained educator observed 21 teachers from a Mathematics and Science Partnership over the course of two years. Pearson Correlation Coefficient analysis was applied to items across and within instruments. Because of the relatively small number of teachers and the use of one rater, the authors applied a relatively strict interpretation (.75) of high correlations. While some items correlated as expected within and between instruments based on domain and item construction, many items lacked matches, including those with an apparently similar focus. RTOP items showed greater alignment than did ITC items. Among summative "synthesis" domain ratings in the ITC, none of the four aligned with any of the specific ITC item indicators within their own domain categories. Subtle differences in wording and implicit differences in overall focus especially appear to restrict both internal matches and matches between superficially comparable items across the two instruments. These findings complicate the interpretation of observational results and challenge assumptions that the instruments are interchangeable or necessarily internally consistent. Additional research and development of observation instruments is needed, and users of existing instruments must carefully assess their own needs and understandings before attempting to draw conclusions about classroom practice based on them."
MSPnet Location: LIBRARY>>MSP Papers
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/20041
C. "The Role of Quantitative Reasoning in Solving Applied Precalculus Problems," Kevin Moore, Marilyn Carlson, Michael Oehrtman, Proceedings of the 2009 Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, February 2009.
"In response to the continued difficulty of students constructing and modeling function relationships, we conducted an investigation of undergraduate precalculus students' developing quantitative and covariational reasoning abilities. Specifically, this investigation focused on a detailed examination of possible factors that contribute to or hinder the ability of a student to reason about quantities in a dynamic situation. It was the intention of this investigation to gain insights about the quantities that students do construct and the influence of these conceptions on reasoning about functions and covariational situations. This involved an attempt to identify various mental actions in the process of identifying quantities and the relation of these mental actions to a student's ability to conceive of functional relationships and reason covariationally with regards to these relationships."
MSPnet Location: LIBRARY>>MSP Papers
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/19693
D. "Connecting Science and Mathematics: The Nature of Proof and Disproof in Science and Mathematics," Michael Oehrtman, Anton Lawson, International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2008.
"Disagreements exist among textbook authors, curriculum developers, and even among science and mathematics educators/researchers regarding the meanings and roles of several key nature-of-science (NOS) and nature-of-mathematics (NOM) terms such as proof, disproof, hypotheses, predictions, theories, laws, conjectures, axioms, theorems and postulates. To assess the extent to which these disagreements may exist among high school science and mathematics teachers, a 14-item survey of the meanings and roles of the above terms was constructed and administered to a sample of science and mathematics teachers. As expected, the science teachers performed better than the mathematics teachers on the NOS items (44.1% versus 24.7% respectively) and the mathematics teachers performed better than the science teachers on the NOM items (59.0% versus 26.1% respectively). Nevertheless, responses indicated considerable disagreement and/or lack of understanding among both groups of teachers concerning the meanings/roles of proof and disproof and several other key terms. Therefore it appears that these teachers are poorly equipped to help students gain understanding of these key terms. Classroom use of the If/and/then/Therefore pattern of argumentation, which is employed in this paper to explicate the hypothesis/conjecture testing process, might be a first step toward rectifying this situation."
MSPnet Location: LIBRARY>>MSP Papers
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/19690
3. NEW IN PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
A. Appalachian MSP
"Math and Science Partnership Scoring High Grades," David Wheeler, University of Kentucky Odyssey, 2009.
"At first glance, it looks like an activity from a typical high school chemistry book. But what's different about this experiment is the follow-up assignment, which Voiers calls "Making Meaning." The students conduct a college-level analysis of the experiment--what went right, what went wrong and why it matters. You won't find this assignment in a textbook because it was developed by Voiers herself at a professional development session. As a testament to the effectiveness of this advanced curriculum, Morehead State University offers college chemistry credit to students who make a high enough score on the final exam in Voiers' Chemistry II class. Voiers attributes the higher-level classroom experience to resources and innovations made possible by the Appalachian Math and Science Partnership (AMSP)..."
MSPnet Location: SHOWCASE>>In The Press
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/20043
B. Preparing Virginia's Mathematics Specialist
"Mathematics Specialist Recognition/Appreciation Luncheon," William Haver, October 21, 2009.
The Mathematics Specialists who participated in the National Science Foundation supported research projects studying the impact of Mathematics Specialists were honored at a Recognition/Appreciation Luncheon on October 21, 2009. They were presented with certificates signed by Patricia Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction for the Virginia Department of Education and Patrick Dexter of ExxonMobil and Chairman of the Mathematics & Science Coalition.
The recognition luncheon was held at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia. In addition to honoring the specialists who were subjects of the research study, the program featured reports by Dr. Patricia Campbell of the University of Maryland on Results of Quantitative Research Study, Dr. Joy Whitenack of Virginia Commonwealth University on Conclusions from Case Study Research, and Judy Singleton on Public Policy Considerations.
MSPnet Location: SHOWCASE>>Presentations
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/20001
4. NEW IN RESOURCES
These modules are created by Institute for Chemistry Literacy through Computational Science (ICLCS) MDPhd Students who serve as instructors and mentors in the ICLCS. Each modules uses computational tools to demonstrate key concepts.
MSPnet Location: RESOURCES>>MSP Toolbox
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/19995
Looking for help with your science fair, or with a lesson, or maybe someone to host a field trip, advise an after-school program, help with a hands-on activity, or supply some cool lab equipment? Wouldn't it be great to have a scientist or engineer come speak to your kids about their work? You can make it happen through National Lab Day (NLD). At the NLD website you simply sign up then submit your idea for a project (or what you need in your classroom) and the website matches your request with a local volunteer (a university STEM student, local scientists, engineers, STEM professionals and other members of the community) who has also joined the NLD hub. President Obama announced the initiative just before Thanksgiving, and science teachers across the United States have enthusiastically responded!
MSPnet Location: RESOURCES>>Useful Websites
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/20044