Education Commons^™

Introductory Classical Mechanics: An Alternate Order Of Concepts, Eric Hawker

Professional Learning Day

A novel approach to teaching an introductory physics course is to study the principles of classical mechanics in the order of increasing complexity. Participate in this session to explore an interesting series of progression: from concepts that describe an object at rest, to an object with constant velocity, followed by those that describe how an object’s velocity can change, and finally, gravity. This session will engage participants in the study of this progression and include discussion.

Diversity Think Tank *Double Session Exclusively For D204 Educators, Adrienne Coleman

Professional Learning Day

Reflect, Reframe, and Reimagine your STEM classroom. In this course educators will have an opportunity to examine their conscious and unconscious biases and their potential impacts in the classroom culture and curriculum. We will unpack the history of STEM and the individual, institutional, and environmental influences that have contributed to some of the notable educational gaps. Lastly, using the D-STEM Equity model educators will gain strategies to employ a more culturally relevant pedagogy and develop a more inclusive classroom culture.

Physics Labs From Your Phone, Brooke Schmidt, Anastasia Perry

Professional Learning Day

This session will provide an overview of available online platforms and phone apps that can be used to engage students in physics labs. The topics include Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, and Waves and Sound. A variety of freely available materials including lesson plans will be shared with participants. These resources can be used in the virtual learning environment, and can be incorporated as a form of alternative assessment during regular face-to-face instruction. Participants need to install a free phone app ‘Phyphox’ for this session.

Easy Latex For Math Teachers, Brent Yen, Evan Brummet, Lingyi Meng

Professional Learning Day

LaTeX is a typesetting system for the educator who wants to create documents with beautifully typeset mathematics. Have you ever been frustrated looking for the right symbol or formula when creating math on an online platform? In this workshop we will introduce participants to basic LaTeX and show how it can be useful for online platforms that you might already be using like Desmos, Formative, Canvas, MS Word, and even Gmail! We are happy to tailor the demonstration to answer any specific questions raised by participants.

Scientific Inquiry And Research At Imsa, Sowmya Anjur, Dave Devol

Professional Learning Day

In this session, we will describe scientific inquiry and research at IMSA. We will describe the requirements for SIR, the SIR structure we have on campus, the modifications we have made during the pandemic, and how we help students develop leadership skills and success through this program. We will also discuss IMSAloquium and disciplines of research.

A Focus On Ngss And High School Life Sciences, Nicole Ross

Professional Learning Day

In this session educators will engage in a brief discussion about High School level Next Generation Science Standards in Life Science. Sample activities will be presented that act as examples of how to approach some of these standards in the classroom, without overhauling existing curricula.

Teaching Interactive Stem Virtually, Carolyn Harvey

Professional Learning Day

Teaching immersive, hands-on STEM activities over a virtual platform is challenging. Even when schools are able to return to a normal in-person schedule, it will be necessary to have virtual lessons prepared. In this session you will learn helpful tips and tricks to keep students mentally, emotionally, and physically engaged in virtual STEM activities based on what was learned during virtual Summer@IMSA’s 2020 programs. Suggested materials include string (any type), small metal washer, 12” ruler, scissors, and masking/painters tape.

Summer 2021 Call For Submissions, Paige Horst

Virginia English Journal

No abstract provided.

Today’S Dissection In English Lab: Analytical Discoveries Through Classical Rhetoric, James A. Cornette Jr.

Virginia English Journal

This article describes a single class session in Fall Semester 2020 with my undergraduate freshmen, featuring a “lab” discussion of a poem by Sun Yung Shin. The “dissection” of her poem proceeds by means of an application of classical rhetorical tools -- particularly the appeals to logos, ethos, and pathos -- the “lenses” by means of which a process of critical analysis takes place. The intention of my article is to demonstrate how productively students can apply such rhetorical tools when they have been carefully trained in their use for several weeks in a semester. To shift the …

The Writing Processes Of Long-Term English Learners And Struggling Native English Speakers, Katherine R. Brubaker

Virginia English Journal

This study sought to identify what differences, if any, distinguish the writing processes of native English speakers (NESs) and long-term English learners (LTELs). During a 90-minute class period, 9th and 11th grade NES and LTEL students recorded themselves thinking aloud as they composed a writing sample for their English teachers, and completed survey questions related to their writing processes and their levels of attention to different aspects of the writing process. LTELs answered additional questions about their language backgrounds and their use of their languages as they write. Several English teachers also scored the students’ essays. Analysis of the results …

Writing That Values Multiple Ways Of Knowing: Supporting Early Career Teachers’ Efforts To Promote Literacy Development, Lauren A. May, Heather Wright

Virginia English Journal

Early career secondary English teachers manage challenges that complicate their efforts to support students’ literacy development, including feelings of inadequacy as teachers. This paper focuses on low-stakes writing strategies that teachers might use to promote literacy development in the classroom and decrease their feelings of inadequacy. The authors, Lauren and Heather, use the lenses of dialogic pedagogy and the reflective turn to draw upon literature on the blending of reading and writing instruction and elements of autoethnography to examine their efforts to support students’ literacy development. Working from the literature and pedagogical reflections, the authors offer suggestions for instructional practice …

Connecting To Place In The Literacy Classroom, Rachelle Kuehl

Virginia English Journal

Motivation research indicates that students need to be interested in the subject matter about which they are learning, and this article describes how connecting to place can pique students’ interest in writing and reading tasks. Place-based literacy practices, or those that allow opportunities for students to explore their out-of-school interests in authentic ways, have been shown to engage rural students in literacy learning. This article presents examples of writing projects found in the literature that incorporate an emphasis on place (e.g., photo essays, project-based learning assignments, community interviews). Resources for helping students find books connected to their sense of place …

Empowering Children's Literature For Stressful Times, Barbara C. Wheatley Ed.D., Jennifer Whorrall Turner Ed.D.

Virginia English Journal

Abstract

Reading and books are synonymous with children and education. Caregivers and educators alike understand the many benefits of reading books to help children learn about their world but also to help manage emotions. As the pandemic rages across the country and the world, books are one way to help children deal with the emotions that are present in their lives. Bibliotherapy is explored as the practice of clinically and educationally using literature to help children deal with anxiety and stress. Research is explored that supports the emotional needs of children and the use of books to help children empathize …

Introduction From The Editor, Jenny M. Martin

Virginia English Journal

No abstract provided.

Leading Organizational Learning, Jessica C. Wells

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Leadership is hard to define but easy to recognize and is found in every facet of life. Leaders themselves range from good to bad, the extremities of which are determined by their character, actions, perception of self, how they are perceived by others and their worldviews. An individual’s values provide the basis for ethical decisions, which makes self-awareness a critical element in the development of one’s leader identity. This article provides an overview of leader identity development and offers ways for leaders to apply ethics in their everyday lives.

Leadership, Anthony Pearson-Shaver, Evan Layton

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Though they become responsible for leading teams and supervising more junior learners early in their career, physicians receive little formal leadership training. The “see one, do one, teach one” approach to behavioral modeling and mentorship does not serve the modern young physician well. The complex nature of modern healthcare demands that physicians learn to work within the teams they will often come to lead. Within these teams, members often look to physicians to fill leadership roles. This review will examine effective leadership as defined by the business community, review attempts to incorporate leadership training into graduate medical education programs and …

Not Just A Story: Genetics And Probability, Nicole Ross

Professional Learning Day

In this session educators will engage in an Integrative STEM-based activity framed in a fictional story. This story integrates well with mathematical concepts of probability and chance, along with science concepts such as heredity, geared towards 6th through 12th grades. This session is interactive. Please attend with a set of two coins, some masking tape, and a pen or marker, along with some paper to write on.

Implementing The Best Practices Of Online Teaching And Learning Into Your Virtual Classroom: Focus On Instructional Design And Pedagogy, Richard Schultz

Professional Learning Day

When most educators went online in 2020, challenges arose when pivoting rapidly from a physical classroom to a virtual setting. Many had little time for professional development to envision what a great online experience looks like. This session focuses on online teaching and learning: pedagogy and instructional design fostering engagement and on behalf of the students.

(Easy) Gamification With Game Day Stem, Elaine Wu

Professional Learning Day

Gamification is becoming an increasingly hot trend in the education world, but what does it actually mean, why is it so effective in getting students engaged and motivated, and how can it be implemented? Come join us in this session where we will explore these questions and see some practical applications of gamification principles implemented during our 2020 Summer@IMSA Game Day STEM virtual camp that can also be readily applied to your classrooms.

Stem Books And Lessons: K-5, Elizabeth Martinez

Professional Learning Day

There are a multitude of books available for use in STEM classes, as well as many methods for connecting them to curricula. Join us as we explore several K-5 STEM appropriate books, share ideas for related STEM lessons, connections to NGSS, as well as interdisciplinary approaches. Leave with a list of STEM books, some sample lesson plans, and cost effective materials ideas.

Trends In Computer Science Education, Namrata Pandya

Professional Learning Day

Although crucial for our students’ future success, access to a computer science (CS) education is still not universal. Education leaders must better understand the perceptions of CS and access to CS learning opportunities to maximize students’ potential for growth in an ever-changing technological world. What can we do as teachers? We will have a conversation about online resources, teaching certification, and offering CS courses to the students to prepare them better for the future.

Chemistry Happy Hour: Simple And Smart Spectrometry, Karen Ye

Professional Learning Day

In this session, educators will engage in an activity in which they utilize a free color app on a smartphone to analyze the transmittance and absorbance of light through colored solutions. This hands-on activity is a simple and inexpensive way for chemistry students to explore absorption spectrometry concepts and can be implemented for virtual learning or used in any classroom with limited or no access to spectrophotometers. Suggested materials for this session include: 5 clear 9 oz. Plastic cups, 2 cup glass measuring cup, ¼ cup measuring cup, 2 cup mason jar, food coloring (red or blue) smartphone with the …

Integrated Inquiry: Three-Act Stem Tasks, Lindsey Herlehy

Professional Learning Day

Mathematicians and scientists view their subjects within interesting and natural contexts. In this session, participants will engage in a STEM-integrated Three-Act Task; a story-telling pedagogical strategy that elicits student curiosity, collaboration, and questioning. Beginning with a rich problem, this instructional approach redefines real-world applications and clarifies the role that the student plays in the learning process. Participants will receive resources to access Three-Act tasks appropriate for middle and high school grade levels.

Hands-On Stem (Even In The Virtual Space): Bioluminescent Jellyfish Model, Christine L. Moskalik

Professional Learning Day

Come see how FUN, relevant, hands-on STEM can happen successfully in your (virtual or in-person) classroom as we build a bioluminescent jellyfish model together. Using only a few basic supplies (see materials list & bring supplies to build your own), this activity will help you engage students while addressing a variety of STEM concepts; modeling, jellyfish anatomy & physiology, jellyfish life cycle, jellyfish adaptations, and/or chemical reactions of bioluminescence.

Discussion Board Ideas For High School Science, Angela Ahrendt, Laura Kopff

Professional Learning Day

This session will share some ideas for bringing online discussion board assignments into your classroom. We will share a few examples of assignments including components such as infographics, diversity and equity, and intermolecular forces, as well as give ideas for how to transition a traditional assignment into a discussion board assignment. Feel free to bring examples of discussion board assignments that have worked for you, and/or an assignment that you would like to transition into a discussion board assignment.

The G-Suite Life, Cassandra Armstrong, Karen Ye

Professional Learning Day

As we continue to navigate a world of remote and hybrid learning options, teachers are continuously seeking new ways to give and receive information from students. In this session, we will explore four unique teaching method/resources that are available through Google G-Suite. Topics include: making and sharing drag and drop activities using Google Slides, using the Document Studio Excel Add-on, creative uses for Google Jamboard, and using Google Slides as an organizational tool.

Biofilms: Impacts On Humans, The Environment, And Infrastructure, Elizabeth Martinez

Professional Learning Day

Biofilms are having a greater impact on human health, the environment, and modern infrastructure; thus, they are receiving more attention from the science community and media. Background on biofilms and their impacts will be discussed. A lab, resources, and how to incorporate the topic into your biology curriculum will also be shared.

Treasure Or Forgery: A Challenge In Basic Measurements, Patrick Young

Professional Learning Day

Chinese antiquities may be readily found for sale on eBay. Ancient coins may be purchased for very reasonable prices. Are these authentic artifacts, or modern forgeries? An investigation will include measurements and calculations to identify the metals involved. Using only inexpensive, school-grade equipment, students are challenged to solve the mystery. Success will hinge on careful technique, thoughtful reasoning, and a considerations of measurement uncertainty.

Teaching Physics And Engineering Remotely (And What We Plan To Keep When We’Re In Person), Peter Dong, Mark Carlson

Professional Learning Day

Physics and engineering pose special challenges for remote learning, but the process of re-inventing a class provides an opportunity for looking at teaching and assessment in a new light. We share some of the techniques we used, including analysis of the physics of YouTube clips, pursuing hands-on projects and labs at home, and submitting videos explaining problems--some of which worked, some of which didn’t, and some of which were good enough to continue even when we’re back in person.

Coronavirus Update 2-26-21, The Coronavirus Planning Team

University Briefings & Virtual Events

Pioneer Event Tent and Pioneer Pavilion Coming Soon! --Commencement 2021 --Commencement 2020.