Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons^™

Research Experience Via Active Collaboration With High Schools (Reach), Sharmistha Basu-Dutt, Megumi Fujita, Victoria Geisler, Douglas Stuart

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

The nature, activities and outcomes of the REACH program, a symbiotic partnership between UWG and selected high schools in West Georgia, will be presented. REACH provided an enrichment opportunity for high school students and teachers to experience the full spectrum of the scientific enterprise, understand the true nature of how and what scientists do, and explore exciting career opportunities.

Creating A Faculty Learning Community To Support Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning Among Stem University Faculty, Cher C. Hendricks, Myrna Gantner

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

In this session, we describe the creation of a Faculty Learning Community for university faculty in science, mathematics, and computer science. These faculty, recipients of mini-grants funded by the USG STEM Initiative, are studying ways to improve their instruction and increase student learning in STEM courses. Through the FLC, they are able to collaborate and support each others’ work.

Effects Of An Intensive New Faculty Workshop On Teaching, Delena Bell Gatch, Michelle Cawthorn, Joy Darley

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

Historically, university faculty receive little training for becoming teachers. Some universities offer short workshops on teaching to their incoming faculty. However, few of these workshops last more than a week. We will report on the efficacy of an intensive month long teaching workshop designed for new faculty members. The goal of the workshop was to guide faculty through the process of course development while equipping participants with an appropriate pedagogical toolbox.

Under Graduate Curriculum Integration: Bringing Students Together Through Research, Clay Runck, James Russell, Allison D’Costa

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

At Georgia Gwinnett College we are integrating the undergraduate educational experience for our Bachelor of Science students in the Biology discipline. We are using the opportunities presented by the genetic information revolution to combine biology courses in a longitudinal and integrative research project aimed at cataloguing biological diversity over space and time on the developing Georgia Gwinnett College campus.

Joining & Using Google Plus Communities: Georgia Stem Teaching & Learning Conference Community, Daniel Rivera

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

The 2nd Annual Georgia STEM Teaching & Learning Conference has chosen Google Plus Communities as the designated tool for encouraging communication among university faculty, K-12 teachers & administrators, research institutions, and businesses. The purpose of this session is to show participants how to get connected and then how to use Google Plus Communities for collaboration.

I2StemE - What, Who, Where?, Kania Greer, Bob Mayes

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

I²STEM^e is a new Institute on the campus of GSU whose focus is to increase opportunities for K-20 students, teachers, and businesses to partner together to improve STEM Education in Georgia around the tenets of place-based learning, problem based learning and teaching for understanding.

Integrating Manipulatives To Improve Fraction Concepts, Rachel Dunn

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

Many students are overwhelmed by mathematics because the language is too difficult, the teaching strategies are insufficient or they have lost motivation. With a recent emphasis on meeting the Common Core expectations, using manipulatives to eliminate misconceptions in the mathematical classroom has become even more prevalent. I explored the misconceptions that many students struggle with and provided possible methods of eliminating them at all levels for learning. During this investigation, I studied the effect of manipulatives on students’ understanding of fraction concepts and the students’ conceptions of the unit of reference when working with fraction word problems. I learned that …

Teacher Professional Development: Using Local Resources To Engage Teachers And Students In Learning, Missy M. Bennett, Heather Scott

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

Do your students or teachers suffer from “nature deficit disorder”? Engage and interest students and teachers in the study of ecology and other content through the use of place-based resources to teach national and state standards. This presentation shares preliminary data and engaging strategies from professional development activities which engage secondary teachers in the investigation of local natural resources and encourage the development of ecology lessons and activities using local resources.

Research Experience Via Active Collaboration With High Schools (Reach), Sharmistha Basu- Dutt, Megumi Fujita, Victoria Geisler, Douglas Stuart

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

“RESEARCH EXPERIENCE via ACTIVE COLLABORATION with HIGH-SCHOOLS (REACH)” is an outreach program targeted to help high school students develop competitive science fair projects by actively engaging them in a Problem Based Learning (PBL) research experience that uses Peer Led Team Learning (PLTL) and Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) to learn, discuss, and apply concepts in a real-world context.

Trig-Star, James M. Anderson

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

A TRIG-STAR is a mathematics student who has demonstrated in competition that he or she is the most skilled among classmates in the practical application of trigonometry. The competition for the honor is a timed exercise which is the solving of a trigonometry problem that incorporates the use of right triangle formulas, circle formulas, the law of sines, and the law of cosines. The contest helps to promote careers in surveying and mapping to students at the High Schools across the country. The award is sponsored by the National Society of Professional Surveyors and cosponsored locally. State winners also have …

Increasing The Number Of Undergraduates Who Succeed In Stem At Uga, Nancy Vandergift, Chuck Kutal

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

The University of Georgia has implemented several strategies focused on improving instruction and student achievement in STEM courses and assisting in the preparation and professional development of K-12 science and math teachers. Specific activities include a mini-grants program, learning communities, pre-service teacher recruitment, expanding Project FOCUS, and increasing faculty effort to improve instruction and student learning in the STEM disciplines.

Stem And Branches: Update On The Columbus State University Stem-Ii Initiative, Cindy Ticknor, Tim Howard, Kimberly Shaw

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

Two USG STEM Initiative awards to Columbus State University have spawned the growth of several STEM and STEM education programs and nearly $2.6 million in grants. We provide an update on STEM-II Initiative projects including a peer leader program for core math and science courses, a faculty mini-grants program to promote scholarship on teaching and learning and awareness of best practices models, and a service learning course. The infrastructure that emerged through the first STEM Initiative and continued to develop with the STEM-II Initiative paved the way for a $1.4 million UTeach replication grant and a $1.2 million Robert Noyce …

Teaching The Presidential Debates: Helping Students To Understand And Overcome Biases During Presidential Election Campaigns David J. Lanoue Columbus State University Gregory Domin Columbus State University Abstract, David Lanoue

Perspectives In Learning

In this paper, we propose ideas for teaching presidential debates within the university classroom setting. In particular, we explore methods for helping students to break through partisan and ideological barriers that might inhibit their understanding of and ability to analyze candidates’ messages. If debates are to fulfill their original purpose of creating a more informed and responsible electorate, it is first essential that viewers give each nominee a full and fair hearing. We begin our discussion with a brief history of presidential debates, emphasizing both the presentations of the candidates and how those presentations have been distorted by media analysis, …

Improving Online Teaching Effectiveness Through Reflection And Collaboration, Dee Fabry, Donna Elder

Perspectives In Learning

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of active reflection and collaboration as a method to improve teacher effectiveness in the online environment in higher education. While there is no universally accepted definition of effective teaching for higher education, there is research that supports effective online teaching. These principles, paired with research on active reflection and collaboration, provided a foundation for this case study that resulted in determining that active reflection during teaching improved practice.

Influence Of Different Teaching Strategies On Physical Activity Levels In A Collegiate Swim Class, Derrick Bass, Ellen Martin

Perspectives In Learning

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the number of teaching strategies used during instruction on the physical activity levels of students. Observations were conducted during a collegiate intermediate swimming class taught by an assistant professor at a university in the southeast United States. The class consisted of 16 undergraduate students from varying backgrounds and major fields of study. The professor was observed for the use of Graham’s (2001) 16 teaching strategies. Teaching behaviors were observed using a simple event recording sheet to allow for the occurrence or lack of occurrence of certain teaching strategies to …

Book Reviews

Perspectives In Learning

Book Reviews

Facebook As A Learning Tool, Rebecca Toland

Perspectives In Learning

Facebook is a social network that has been used by hundreds of people around the world. The network started as a technologically infused meeting place for college students to communicate socially. Since the inception, the network has blossomed into a global sensation. Such growth has spurred many uses for the site including the opportunity to add to the learning experiences for college students. Facebook is a tool in a learning revolution that incorporates the ease of technology and communication efforts between students and between teachers and students. This essay focuses on how Facebook can be used as a learning tool …

Reviewers For Volume 14

Perspectives In Learning

Reviewers for Volume 14

The Effect Of Peer Leader Instruction On Introductory University Science And Mathematics Course Performance: Preliminary Results, Kimberly Shaw, Cindy Ticknor, Timothy Howard

Perspectives In Learning

The Peer Instruction Leader (PIL) program at Columbus State University pairs courses having historically low success rates with dedicated peer helpers in an attempt to boost student learning and success. PILs are selected from undergraduate students who have demonstrated success in the targeted subject. They attend classes, meet with the assigned instructor periodically, participate in PIL training, and manage course focused discussion groups. The authors analyze data collected in the early stages of the program, which shows that students who attended the discussion groups fared better than those who did not.

Welcome To Volume 14

Perspectives In Learning

Welcome to Volume 14 of Perspectives in Learning

Searching Mindfully: Are Libraries Up To The Challenge Of Competing With Google Books?, Amrita Dhawan

Publications and Research

Traditional research tools used by libraries, such as encyclopedias and catalogs (OPACs) were created in an age of print and information scarcity. They have not kept up with changes in the information world which assume an abundance of online information in different formats and interdisciplinary topics which attempt to solve ‘real world’ messy problems and not traditional theoretical questions. The traditional tools rest on an unwieldy and somewhat outdated collaboration between OCLC, LOC, private aggregators, librarians and faculty. The search results they deliver offer excessive information with very little guidance on how to systematically sift through them. This makes the …

The Lesson Of Grace In Teaching, Francis Su

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

I want to talk about the biggest life lesson that I have learned, and that I continue to learn over and over again. It is deep and profound. It has changed the way I relate with people. It has reshaped my academic life. And it continually renovates the way I approach my students.

Foundation To Promote Scholarship And Teaching 2012-2013 Awards, Office Of The Provost, Roger Williams University

Foundation to Promote Scholarship & Teaching

Proposal abstracts of 2012-2013 award recipients in a wide range of disciplinary areas.

Helping Undergraduate Students Learn From Each Other: A Pedagogical Process For In-Class Collaborative Research Projects, Angela Cora Garcia

Natural & Applied Sciences Faculty Publications

Previous research has shown that experiential, active, and collaborative teaching techniques help undergraduate students learn and develop critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills that can help them in future study or work place roles. At the same time, universities are seeking ways to increase the number of students who get training and experience doing original research while undergraduates. This paper reports on a process for a collaborative in-class original research project which can help instructors achieve these goals. This paper first briefly reviews the relevant literature and then describes the course and the collaborative project. The value of the project …

Beyond “Remember” And “Understand”: Can Online Homework Tools Augment Students’ Higher Order Thinking Skills?, Crystal Carlson, Genevieve M. Henricks-Lepp, Sarah Grison

Psychology Faculty

We studied the effectiveness of an Introductory Psychology online homework tool with questions that required lower or higher level thinking skills (Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate). Interestingly, results suggested that both student performance and attitudes are influenced by question level and question type (Matching, Multiple Choice, Drag and Drop, etc.).

The Paths People Take Through Teaching Center Services: A Descriptive Analysis, Kathryn M. Plank, Alvin S. Mares

Faculty Scholarship

Teaching centers offer a variety of services, ranging from teaching orientations and one-time workshops to intensive programs such as learning communities to individual consultations. However, most instructors do not participate in all categories of service a center offers; rather, they create their own paths through various combinations and sequences of programs. What do we know about these pathways, and what can we learn from the patterns of use? This article shares findings from an analysis of several years of data to learn more about the sequence in which instructors experience educational development and to discuss the implications of these findings.

The Brave New World Of Open Access & Creative Commons: A Humanistic Experiment In Mathematical Publishing, Gizem Karaali

Pomona Faculty Publications and Research

In January 2011 the Journal of Humanistic Mathematics (JHM) published its first issue. JHM (http://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm) is an online-only, peer-reviewed, open-access journal which has passed the all-important ten-thousand-download barrier in its first anniversary. In order to remain faithful to the fundamental principles of open access, JHM uses Creative Commons licensing, where authors retain copyright of their work, but others are free to reuse them (with proper attribution). In this note I share and reflect upon our experience with open access and Creative Commons.

Making The Work Interesting: Classroom Management Through Ownership In Elementary Literature Circles, Ryan Flessner

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

Ryan Flessner's contribution to "Breaking the Mold of Classroom Management: What Educators Should Know and Do to Enable Student Success".

Want To Enroll In A Mooc? No Thanks, My Professors Have Their Own Videos, Enda Mcgovern, Arne Baruca

Marketing Faculty Publications (Archived)

Purpose: The paper explores how professors, in adopting short digital video lectures as a complementary teaching platform outside the classroom, could better enhance the learning experience for digital natives, i.e. millennial students, in challenging the growth of massive open online courses (MOOC). Specifically, the use of personalized, class-specific, video content made available on YouTube, in which the professor-of-record appears, is examined as a complementary learning platform for students required to read textbook material in preparation for class discussions.

Method / Design and Sample: Students were required to view class-specific digital videos on YouTube and thereafter complete a questionnaire to examine …

"Experimenting With An Embedded Librarian In An American Government Class", Shyam Sriram

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

No abstract provided.