Post-secondary

The need for mathematical modeling is vital in answering critical questions like disease spread and climate change, but beginners lack the necessary skills to plan, organize, and execute such tasks. Also, current tools are insufficient for optimal learning. To address these issues, we're developing a web-based technology (M2Studio) and a 10.5-hour curriculum to introduce students to mathematical modeling using dynamically linked representations. This three-year project aims to enhance students' modeling skills and understanding.

The purpose of this project is to gather, analyze, and synthesize research studies that have investigated different approaches to supporting students in grades 6-14 in learning to analyze, interpret, and reason about data with a focus on variation and covariation. We will use Robust Variance Estimation (RVE) to examine how effect size estimates depend on intervention characteristics, study design, outcomes of interest, and demographic characteristics of participants in the studies.

The poster will look at the impact of the annual STEM for All Video Showcases as well as the STEM for All Multiplex. It will discuss implications for knowledge sharing among grantees and dissemination efforts in the future.

A study of how organizational conditions influence elementary teachers' science learning.

This project studies and develops science and engineering education technology and pedagogy that supports project‐based learning of science, engineering, and computation concepts and skills underlying the strategically important "green" and "smart" aspects of the infrastructure, which is a national priority.

Illinois Physics and Secondary Schools (IPaSS) is a partnership between the University of Illinois Physics Department and 40 high school physics teachers representing 38 schools across Illinois. The holistic goal of the program is to develop a physics teaching Community of Practice that supports high school physics teachers from diverse school contexts in the design and implementation of high-quality, university-aligned instructional materials, such that their students experience fewer barriers in transitions to post-secondary STEM programs.

CKT for Matter: The project designed and developed assessment tools and instructional materials for use in teacher education programs, and is supporting a professional learning community as part of an implementation study of the impacts of the materials on preservice teacher and teacher educator learning.

In this project, we developed, piloted, and studied the use of a set of performance-based tasks delivered within a simulated classroom environment in order to improve preservice elementary teachers' ability to facilitate argumentation-focused discussions in mathematics and science. We conceptualized these simulated discussions as formative assessment opportunities, and studied how teacher educators made use of them within methods courses to support preservice teachers' learning. We also examined evidence of preservice teacher learning via pre/post measures.

The project examines how representations of practice facilitate preservice teachers' professional knowledge for teaching fractions and multiplication/division. The project focuses specifically on: how single and multi-perspective 360 video affects PSTs' professional knowledge; how PSTs use technological scaffolds to engage in 360 video, and its effect on their professional knowledge; and the design of a platform for teacher educators to create their own 360 video immersive experiences

Co-PI(s): Richard E. Ferdig and C. C. Lu, Kent State University

This project aims to develop and validate an online assessment instrument to measure preservice elementary teachers’ content knowledge for teaching (CKT) about matter, a critical area for preservice teacher learning. We also developed different resources for science teacher educators to support elementary preservice teachers' growth in CKT.

Co-PI(s): Katherine Castellano, Educational Testing Service (ETS)