Education Commons^™

Reu Site: Sensor Science And Engineering, John F. Vetelino, Nuri Emanetoglu

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

This three-year REU site program at the University of Maine will engage eight undergraduates per year in hands-on research experiences in sensor science and engineering. The REU program will be integrated with the PIs' Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) and Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) programs. REU participants will have the opportunity to interact with faculty research mentors, graduate students, post-docs, technicians, visiting scientists, and middle and high school teachers. REU students, GK-12 fellows, IGERT fellows, and RET participants will participate in field trips to Maine companies that perform sensor research such as The Jackson Laboratory and Spectral …

Development Of The Biology Competencies Assessment Series (Bcas), Michelle K. Smith

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

This project is supporting a workshop to convene biology education researchers to plan out the development and validation of a Biology Competencies Assessment Series (BCAS). The BCAS will consist of several multiple-choice and short-answer questions validated by students and designed to evaluate student progress on learning biology concepts and achieving the competencies recommended in "Vision and Change: A Call to Action." In particular, the workshop is bringing together Principal Investigators of both new and established TUES projects related to developing assessment tools to address effectiveness of instruction.

Intellectual merit: The project provides the opportunity for experts in biology educational research …

Collaborative Research: Linking Researchers And Graduate Students Through Cosee Tools & Services, Annette V. Decharon

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

This proposal will be awarded using funds made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).

This award provides funds to conduct workshops aimed at improving the broader impacts efforts of scientists. Through professional development workshops, scientist-graduate student teams will produce interactive materials based on the ?Ocean Literacy? and ?Climate Literacy? principles that can be specifically designed for a variety of audiences. The primary target audiences for this project are the research scientists and graduate students who participate in the project workshops. Through team-building and COSEE-facilitated long-term contact, the project will provide sustained professional development …

Collaborative Research: Paradigms In Physics: Creating And Testing Materials To Facilitate Dissemination Of The Energy And Entropy Module, John R. Thompson

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Topics in statistical and thermal physics have long been problematic in the undergraduate curriculum. To many students, the subject matter is abstract and theoretical and often requires mathematical tools they lack. This project addresses the challenge of teaching upper-division thermal and statistical mechanics by building on the Energy and Entropy (E&E) paradigm developed through the Paradigms in Physics Project at Oregon State University and a physics education research project at the University of Maine. E&E takes a radically different approach to statistical mechanics, incorporating the issues of quantum mechanics and measurement at its core and focusing on entropy as the …

Stem Education Policy In Maine And The Nation, Thomas E. Keller

Maine Policy Review

Thomas Keller provides an overview of K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education policy in Maine and the nation, and makes recom­mendations for several agencies in the state. He argues that although standards and assessment are important, there need to be corresponding changes instructional materials methods and in school culture. Although we do not yet have a fully integrated STEM curriculum, Keller suggests that “we are overdue for interdisciplin­ary work where possible.”

Collaborative Research: Centers For Ocean Science Education Excellence - Oceans In The Earth-Sun System, Annette Decharon

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

This award establishes a new Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE) via awards to the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (0528706), the University of Maine (0528702), and the University of New Hampshire (0528686). The main goals of this thematic Center are to broaden understanding of the oceans in the context of the earth and solar systems and to help the COSEE network reach rural and inland audiences. The PIs will pioneer a system of interfaces, tools, and resources to reach underserved and underrepresented groups, and to bring ocean sciences to inland audiences by presenting it in the context of …

Creation, Coordination, And Activation Of Resources In Physics And Mathematics Learning, Michael J. Wittmann, John R. Thompson, John Donovan

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

This project seeks to study introductory college level courses in physics, mechanics, and mathematics. The research questions involve the processes by which students become able to use resources across contexts (such as between mathematics and physics), how ideas in math and physics form a resource network, and what mechanisms trigger individual resources or coordinated networks.

The researcher will conduct clinical interviews, small group interviews, and statistical analysis of survey questions as well as videos from classroom and help sessions. The data being collected would be analyzed for purpose of describing the development of students as they refine skills in mathematics …

Foundations And Frontiers Of Physics Education Research 2009, Michael J. Wittmann, Paula Heron, Rachel Scherr

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

This project is a conference on the "Foundations and Frontiers of Physics Education Research," in which established and up-and-coming researchers attend a residential conference to further the work of the field. There are 60 participants, including senior graduate students, research scientists, junior, and tenured faculty. The conference consists of a series of plenary talks by leaders in the community; working groups of participants to address common problems in the field and present recommendations for future work; and targeted sessions in which research topics are explored in detail by participants. Ample free time is also included, allowing for informal discussions and …

Conference 2008 - Integrating Science And Mathematics Education Research Into Teaching Iv: Resources And Tool For Improved Learning, Susan R. Mckay, Stephen A. Norton, Eric A. Pandiscio, Owen Paul Maurais, John R. Thompson Ii

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

The Center for Science and Mathematics Education at the University of Maine continues its series of national conferences on providing professional development and resources for integrating mathematics and science education research into teaching. The first part of the conference consists of three days of parallel presentations and discussions by nationally recognized experts along with short workshops. The workshops provide first hand experience with either research-based STEM curricula or cutting edge STEM research projects that can serve as a basis for classroom instruction. The purposes of the conference include bringing together 150 participants in all aspects of STEM education (researchers, teachers, …

Ret Site: Sensors!, John F. Vetelino, Constance Holden

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

This award provides funding for a 3 year standard award to support a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Site program at the University of Maine entitled, "RET Site: Sensors!," under the direction of Dr. John F. Vetelino. This site will provide 10 high school teachers per year from rural Maine with 8-week summer research experiences involving intensive, team-based sensor research projects with an intellectual focus on sensor theory, design fabrication, testing, and/or applications.

From The Fair To The Laboratory: The Institutionalization Of Agricultural Science And Education In Maine, Thomas Reznick

Maine History

Up until the mid-nineteenth century, agricultural science and education in Maine were primarily local affairs. Meeting in farm clubs and attending agricultural fairs, the Maine farmer performed most research by trial and error and by meeting on common ground with other farmers to discuss what worked and what did not. By the mid-nineteenth century, however, the farm clubs and county fairs waned and succumbed to the growing political influence of the Grange, which supported burgeoning agricultural scientific and educational institutions, such as the College of Agriculture and the Experiment Station. Through the auspices of the Grange, such institutions took the …

Integrating Science And Mathematics Education Research Into Teaching: A Conference For Students, Teachers And University Faculty In Science, Mathematics, And Related Fields, Susan R. Mckay, Francois Amar, Michael J. Wittmann, Owen Paul Maurais, Eric A. Pandiscio

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

This proposal from the University of Maine Center for Science and Mathematics Education is a request for a TPC Conference/Symposium to fund a six-day national conference and summer academy entitled "Integrating Science and Mathematics Education Research into Teaching." The purposes of the conference are: (1) to bring together all participants in the science and mathematics education research enterprise (teachers, administrators, scientists and mathematicians, education faculty, future teachers) to exchange ideas about research and curriculum innovation ongoing in their fields; and (2) help teachers integrate research-based instructional strategies, particularly those that depend on innovative uses of technology, into their teaching practices.

Collaborative Research: Research On The Learning And Teaching Of Thermal Physics, John R. Thompson

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Groups at Iowa State University and the University of Maine will collaborate in a coordinated program of research and research-based curriculum development in thermal physics, targeting both introductory general physics courses and advanced-level undergraduate courses. The research component involves one-on-one student interviews, written pre- and post-test questions, and multiple-choice surveys. This research is then applied to the development of curricular materials intended to improve student understanding in a manner consistent with active-learning methods previously shown be effective in physics instruction. The curriculum will in turn be evaluated for its effectiveness at addressing the student difficulties previously identified through research.

This …

A Revolutionary Model To Improve Science Education, Teachers, And Scientists, Susan H. Brawley, Judith Pusey, Barbara J.W. Cole, Lauree E. Gott, Stephen A. Norton

Maine Policy Review

To meet many modern global challenges, we need to promote scientific and technical literacy. The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) supports a “revolutionary” program to connect science education at all levels, from elementary through graduate school. The authors demonstrate how Maine has benefited from this program. They describe the University of Maine’s NSF-funded “GK-12 STEM” program, which placed graduate and advanced undergraduate science and technology students in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms; provided equipment for the schools; and offered training and professional development for the partner teachers. The authors urge the state, universities, and school districts to continue to …

Nsf Gk-12 Stem: A Fellow’S Perspective/A Partner Teacher’S Perspective, Peter F. Smith, Lauree E. Gott

Maine Policy Review

In these commentaries, a partner teacher and a fellow discuss their participation in an NSF-funded program (GK-12 STEM) at the University of Maine that connects science education at all levels, from elementary school through graduate school.

General Education Course In Intuitive Quantum Physics, Michael C. Wittmann

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

This project improves student conceptual and epistemological knowledge in the sciences while developing a template for formative assessment in a general education course at the University of Maine. A general education course in Intuitive Quantum Physics is being created in which non-science students learn quantum physics through simple observations, basic logical reasoning, and graphical analysis. Materials from three proven curricula are being adapted to include explicit discussions of epistemological issues. The three curricula (developed in part with NSF funding) that are being adapted to create the Intuitive Quantum Physics course include Activity-Based Tutorials in wave mechanics, New Model Course in …

Collaborative Project: Developing A Tutorial Approach To Enhance Student Learning Of Intermediate Mechanics, Michael J. Wittmann

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

There is a need among science students for increased conceptual and mathematical understanding in courses beyond the introductory level. Future scientists, future secondary science teachers, and future engineers who take these courses must create an effective bridge between the mathematical reasoning emphasized in most physics classes and the physical intuition that will guide their future work. Using past success as a template, the collaborating PI's are developing Intermediate Mechanics Tutorials, a set of at least 23 tutorials, including pencil-and-paper conceptual tutorials (15), mathematical tutorials (4), and computer-based tutorials (4), for the purpose of enhancing instruction in intermediate mechanics. Each tutorial …

Gk-12: Nsf Graduate Teaching Fellows In K-12 Education At The University Of Maine, Susan H. Brawley, Stephen A. Norton, Barbara J. Cole, Michael Vayda, Eric N. Landis, Susan J. Hunter, Ruey Yehle

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Eight districts in central Maine that comprise the Penobscot River Educational Partnership (PREP); four of them, including Maine Indian Education, partners in a current GK-12 project, have joined with the University of Maine to form Fellow-teacher teams to introduce K-12 students to experiments, field trips, and discussions in areas such as chemistry, climate change, marine sciences, molecular biology, geology, food sciences, and ecology. The program is: a) helping teachers and students reach the State of Maine's legislatively-mandated standards for Science & Technology (the Maine Learning Results), b) strengthening Fellows' communication and teaching skills, c) providing professional development for Teachers, d) …

Impact Of New Science And Engineering Graduates On Intrastate Labor Markets, Philip A. Trostel

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

A major policy issue confronting states is the level of state support to higher education. A crucial question in this policy debate is whether a state's production of college graduates has a proportionate effect on the level of college attainment in the state. Although it is widely accepted that rising college attainment leads to rising prosperity, there is widespread concern that many new college graduates will take their state-supported degrees to labor markets in other states. The belief that state support to higher education subsidizes the workforce development of other states undermines states' incentives to promote wider access to higher …

Students' Epistemological Beliefs Of Mathematics When Taught Using Traditional Versus Reform Curricula In Rural Maine High Schools, Glenn T. Colby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study compared students’ epistemological beliefs of mathematics after completing 3 years of a reform-oriented curriculum developed by the Core-Plus Mathematics Project (CPMP) versus a more traditional curriculum developed by Glencoe Mathematics. The Conceptions of Mathematics Inventory (CMI; Grouws, Howald, & Colangelo, 1996) was administered to 11th-grade students in four rural Maine high schools (n=102) to measure student beliefs of mathematics. CPMP was used as the primary textbook series in 2 of the schools, while the other 2 schools used Glencoe Mathematics. A variation of the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP; Piburn & Sawada, 2000) and teacher questionnaires were used …

Gk-12: Sensors!, John F. Vetelino

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

The University of Maine (UMaine) College of Engineering proposes to partner with Bangor High School (BHS) to develop a model university/K-12 partnership based on the disciplinary theme of sensors. The proposed model integrates education and research for the benefit of BHS students and teachers, and graduate and advanced undergraduate students, and faculty, within the College of Engineering at UMaine. GK-12 Sensors! will involve faculty and students from the chemical, biological, electrical, computer, mechanical, civil/environmental, and spatial information engineering programs at the University of Maine. Five advanced undergraduate and ten graduate students will serve as GK-12 Sensor Fellows. Faculty members recognized …

Developmental Biology Courseware That Integrates Multimedia Technology Into The Laboratory And Classroom Experience, Mary S. Tyler

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Biological Sciences (61) It is paramount to the learning of science that students participate in science as active learners and researchers. The use of multimedia technology to facilitate this goal offers an inexpensive way of making materials available to a large number of students and encourages students to be independent learners. This project is developing multimedia courseware that makes a wealth of resources available to undergraduate college students who are exploring the field of developmental biology. This field has gained tremendous importance recently because of its relevance to our daily lives through techniques such as cloning, genetic engineering, assisted reproductive …

A Middle School Standards-Based Science Curriculum Handbook, Eleanor B. Hess

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As teachers implement the National Science Education Standards (1996) many must change the instructional methods they have used throughout their careers. This handbook will assist teachers to be facilitators in inquiry-based classrooms. The nine units of this handbook have been implemented for three years in an eighth grade classroom and have been used and modified by three different teachers to meet their own needs. The units in this handbook were chosen by MSAD #3, Unity, Maine, to reflect the curriculum requirements of The State of Maine Learning Results (1997). Included in this handbook are physics units covering motion, forces, work, …

(Sger) Theoretical Frameworks For Conducting Research In Physics Education, Randal R. Harrington

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Physicists bring a unique perspective to education research. Recently, more and more physics departments are creating tenure-track positions for faculty whose primary research interest is in physics education. This research is task specific and consists of an integrated approach to examining student difficulties and designing instructional strategies and materials to address these difficulties. As a researcher in this field, the P.I. proposes on-site visits to work with the directors of two NSF sponsored education research and development projects. The objectives of these visits are twofold: (1) become more cognizant of current practices in the field of science education and (2) …

Deductive Mathematics: An Introduction To Proof And Discovery For Mathematics Education, Andrew Wohlgemuth

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Scholarship

Mathematics has two fundamental aspects: (1) discovery/logical deduction and (2) description/ computation. Discovery/deductive mathematics asks the questions:

1. What is true about this thing being studied?

2. How do we know it is true?

On the other hand, descriptive/computational mathematics asks questions of the type:

3. What is the particular number, function, and so on, that satisfies ... ?

4. How can we find the number, function, and so on?

In descriptive/computational mathematics, some pictorial, physical, or business situation is described mathematically, and then computational techniques are applied to the mathematical description, in order to find values of interest. The …

Grading The General Chemistry Laboratory: A Constructivist Approach., Barbara Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Constructivist theories of learning posit that instructors cannot transfer their knowledge to students; students must actively construct their own understanding. The Inter-Chem-Net project uses technology and instrumentation to provide an individualized experience within the large general laboratory course, effectively establishing a constructivist methodology. A grading rubric was developed to communicate course expectations and provide an easy and reliable method of evaluating student work in the general chemistry laboratory. The grading rubric separates the learning outcomes into a checklist of skills associated with each particular grade. This checklist provides detailed feedback for individualized choices of experiments, a key component of the …

A New Course Promoting Science As A Way Of Knowing, Howard B. Dowse

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

The objective of this project is to create an exciting interdisciplinary laboratory experience for a course promoting science as an objective tool for understanding the natural world. Establishing in the minds of the students a level playing field on which true science competes successfully with pseudoscience is central. The core of the project is biology, but many disciplines are introduced, providing a focused introduction to the scientific method. The primary goal is not scientific literacy per se. It is, instead, an introduction to the methodology of science. A select set of connected subjects were chosen for general interest, potential for …

Everyday Life Is Full Of 'Science Moments' To Teach And Share With Children, Mary Bird, Herman Weller

STEM Faculty Scholarship

The routine business of getting back to school is the easy part. It's much more challenging to figure out how to support children's efforts to learn more about the world and their place in it, and to hone the new skills they are acquiring daily. Even if you have felt comfortable reading with your child or helping with math homework in the past, chances are that you, like the vast majority of American parents, feel stymied when it comes to science.

So what can you do to broaden and deepen your child's learning of science? A lot, and you don't …