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Full-Text Articles in Education

Examining Spaces For Integrating Physics And Computing Through Classroom Inquiry, Colby Tofel-Grehl, Kristin Searle, Douglas Ball, Soojeong Jeong Jan 2023

Examining Spaces For Integrating Physics And Computing Through Classroom Inquiry, Colby Tofel-Grehl, Kristin Searle, Douglas Ball, Soojeong Jeong

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

As computing becomes an essential component of professional practice across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, integration of computing across content areas in K-12 classrooms is also becoming important. Particularly within science classrooms, computer science and computational thinking (CS/CT) are novel and necessary skills for modeling, working with data, and other foundational science skills. Finding ways to engage students in practicing and learning CT within authentic science learning is challenging for most teachers. In this article, the authors report on one teacher’s efforts to engage high school students in maker-based physics education, integrating computational thinking by designing and building …


Pivoting At The Midpoint: How Midpoint Course Adjustments Influence Student Engagement, Alexander C. Romney, Mitchell Pound Mar 2021

Pivoting At The Midpoint: How Midpoint Course Adjustments Influence Student Engagement, Alexander C. Romney, Mitchell Pound

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

In higher education, instructors must often pivot to new methods, approaches, and exercises to help students achieve learning objectives in a particular course. These course pivots can be challenging to navigate; however, they are often the difference between a successful course and an unsuccessful one. Research on the punctuated equilibrium model of group development provides important insights for instructors on managing and navigating course pivots. This article reviews research on midpoint transitions and discusses the benefits of implementing midpoint pivots. It then introduces an example of a midpoint course pivot: The Stop-Start-Continue exercise. It concludes with a discussion of the …


Three Key Principles For Improving Discussion-Based Learning In College Classrooms, Christopher E. Garrett Apr 2020

Three Key Principles For Improving Discussion-Based Learning In College Classrooms, Christopher E. Garrett

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Discussion-Based Learning (DBL) can be an effective pedagogical tool for student engagement and developing higher-order thinking skills. However, DBL can be a challenging endeavor for college teachers for various reasons. The purposes of this article are to identify those challenges, present three key principles, and share several practical ideas that will help improve discussions in college classrooms.


Successful Strategies For Content Creation And Design Of Online Classes, Antje R. H. Graul Apr 2020

Successful Strategies For Content Creation And Design Of Online Classes, Antje R. H. Graul

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Given the increasing demand for an education that is compatible with a students’ professional or private life, there is a growing need for higher-educational bodies to launch high-quality online classes that allow students to pursue their education while fitting it around their individual commitments. Thus, more than ever, guidance is needed on how to design an online class successfully. Drawing on the design of an asynchronous Digital Marketing online class, this article discusses strategic decisions regarding content creation, personalization, assignments, and assessment ideas that may hold the potential to increase students’ engagement in an online class. The insights provided may …


Electrifying: One Teacher’S Discursive And Instructional Changes Through Engagement In E-Textiles To Teach Science Content, Colby Tofel-Grehl, Eliza Jex, Kristin Searle, Douglas Ball, Xin Zhao, Georgia Burnell Jan 2020

Electrifying: One Teacher’S Discursive And Instructional Changes Through Engagement In E-Textiles To Teach Science Content, Colby Tofel-Grehl, Eliza Jex, Kristin Searle, Douglas Ball, Xin Zhao, Georgia Burnell

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

This paper shares findings from the first of its kind quasi-experimental mixed methods study exploring the potential impacts on teacher instruction through engagement with making and e-textiles. Because engagement in hands-on inquiry has demonstrated strong promise for increasing student interest and engagement in STEM careers, finding curricular approaches that engage students in project-based learning remains important. As such, the Maker Movement and making has gained traction as a possible effort to improve such outcomes. This study shares outcomes from analyses of one teacher’s first engagement with teaching eighth-grade science through e-textiles. Four of his classes were taught using his traditional …