What's New on CADREK12.org

Resource | Food and energy for all: Turning a demonstration into an inquiry activity
When asked what plants need for photosynthesis, many students can correctly recall the reaction equation and state that plants require CO2, H2O, and light. Many students, however, do not understand that these reactants are the raw materials plants use to make sugars and instead believe that they are food for plants. Moreover, when questioned further, students often voice the idea that plants get…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | No teacher is an island: Bridging the gap between teacher’s professional practice and research findings
Despite decades of research regarding best practices for the teaching and learning of chemistry, as well as two sets of national reform documents for science education, classroom instruction in high school chemistry classrooms remains largely unchanged. One key reason for this continued gap between research and practice is a reliance on traditional, prescriptive professional development (PD) in…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Kinematics card sort activity: Insight into students’ thinking for students and teacher
Kinematics is a topic students are unknowingly aware of well before entering the physics classroom. Students observe motion on a daily basis. They are constantly interpreting and making sense of their observations, unintentionally building their own understanding of kinematics before receiving any formal instruction. Unfortunately, when students take their prior conceptions to understand a new…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Tool trouble: Challenges with using self-report data to evaluate long-term chemistry teacher professional development
The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of different instruments, independently developed and traditionally used for measuring science teachers’ beliefs in short-term interventions, to longitudinally measure teachers’ changing beliefs. We compared the ability of three self-report instruments (Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument Form A [STEBI], Teaching of Science as Inquiry…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Using students' conceptions of air to evaluate a guided-inquiry activity classifying matter using particulate models
This paper describes a guided-inquiry activity designed for the first week of a first-year high school chemistry course. Students manipulated magnetic models of atoms in depicting air and learned to connect the three domains of chemistry: macroscopic, symbolic, and particulate. The purpose of the activity was 2-fold: to remediate misconceptions of foundational chemical concepts such as atoms,…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Elementary Mathematics Specialists in “Departmentalized” Teaching Assignments: Affordances and Constraints
In this article, we describe the experiences of three Elementary Mathematics Specialists (EMS) who were part of a larger project investigating the impact of EMS certification and assignment (self-contained or “departmentalized”) on teaching practices and student achievement outcomes. All three of the teachers were “departmentalized,” in the sense that each was responsible for teaching mathematics…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | STEM starts early: Grounding science, technology, engineering, and math education in early childhood
Researchers and educators agree: Children demonstrate a clear readiness to engage in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning early in life. And, just as with language and literacy, STEM education should start early in order to maximize its benefits and effectiveness. So why is STEM not woven more seamlessly into early childhood education? What can we do – in the classroom, in…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Elementary content specialization: Models, affordances, and constraints
This study investigates the models of elementary content specialization (ECS) in elementary mathematics and science and the affordances and constraints related to ECS—both generally and in relation to specific models. Elementary content specialists are defined as full-time classroom teachers who are responsible for content instruction for two or more classes of students. The sample consists of 34…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | EarSketch: An Authentic, STEAM-based Approach to Computing Education
Demand for computer scientists is robust, but the pipeline for producing them is not. US universities are only meeting about a third of demand for computer scientists, and recruiting a diverse student body is a struggle; the number of women in computer science has actually declined in the past decade. To help change the perception of the computing field, researchers at Georgia Institute of…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Iterative Composition, Coding, and Pedagogy: A Case Study in Live Coding With EarSketch
Pervasive definitions of live coding in music focus on the simultaneous modification and execution of code in a live performance setting where a performer shares his screen with the audience. This article considers a role for live coding that does not focus on live performance but rather on educational contexts. After briefly discussing an iterative model for both musical composition and coding…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | EarSketch: A STEAM-Based Approach for Underrepresented Populations in High School Computer Science Education
This article presents EarSketch, a learning environment that combines computer programming with sample-based music production to create a computational remixing environment for learning introductory computing concepts. EarSketch has been employed in both formal and informal settings, yielding significant positive results in student content knowledge and attitudes toward computing as a discipline…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Scientific argumentation for all? Comparing teacher beliefs about argumentation in high, mid and low SES schools
Ensuring all students have opportunities to engage in scientific argumentation is a key goal for K–12 students. While research has shown that teachers’ beliefs about argumentation can impact their classroom instruction and that students in low socioeconomic status (SES) schools are less likely to experience challenging science learning, there is little research focused on the relationship between…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Pedagogical content knowledge of argumentation: Using classroom contexts to assess high quality PCK rather than pseudoargumentation
Despite the recent emphasis on science practices, little work has focused on teachers' knowledge of these key learning goals. The development of high quality assessments for teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of science practices, such as argumentation, is important to better assess the needs of teachers and to develop supportive teacher education experiences. In this paper, we present…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Learning in a community of practice: Factors impacting English-learning students’ engagement in scientific argumentation
Recent education reform efforts have included an increasing push for school science to better mirror authentic scientific endeavor, including a focus on science practices. However, despite expectations that all students engage in these language-rich practices, little prior research has focused on how such opportunities will be created for English-learning students. This case study uses the…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Factors impacting teachers’ argumentation instruction in their science classrooms
Science education research, reform documents and standards include scientific argumentation as a key learning goal for students. The role of the teacher is essential for implementing argumentation in part because their beliefs about argumentation can impact whether and how this science practice is integrated into their classroom. In this study, we surveyed 42 middle school science teachers and…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | An exploration of teacher learning from an educative reform-oriented curriculum: Case studies of teacher curriculum use
Educative curriculum materials provide teachers with authentic opportunities to learn new skills and practices. Yet, research shows teachers use curriculum in different ways for different reasons, and these modifications could undermine the learning goals of the curriculum. Little research, however, has examined the variation in teacher use of educative curriculum and the impact on teacher…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Assessment design patterns for computational thinking practices in secondary computer science: A first look
This report gives an overview of a principled approach to designing assessment tasks that can generate valid evidence of students’ abilities to think computationally. Principled assessment means designing assessment tasks to measure important knowledge and practices by specifying chains of evidence that can be traced from what students do (observable behaviors) to claims about what they know. Our…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Learning to Notice Important Student Mathematical Thinking in Complex Classroom Interactions
Noticing students' mathematical thinking is a key element of effective instruction, but novice teachers do not naturally engage in this practice. Prospective secondary school mathematics teachers were engaged in an intervention grounded in analysis of minimally edited video from local secondary school mathematics classrooms; the goal was to support their ability to notice important student…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Subtraction Involving Negative Numbers: Connecting to Whole Number Reasoning
In this article, we explore how students attempt to bridge from their whole number reasoning to integer reasoning as they solve subtraction problems involving negative  numbers. Based on interviews with students ranging from first graders to preservice teachers, we identify two overarching strategies: making connections to known problem types and leveraging conceptions of subtraction. Their…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Zero Pairs: Learning about Additive Inverses
Throughout elementary school, students learn about positive numbers and how they fit on a number line. The transition to using negative numbers, after only working with numbers greater than zero for several years, can be difficult for students (Murray 1985). The card game described here was used successfully with fifth graders; through the game, students explore the characteristics of numbers…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Thematic Analysis of Students’ Talk While Solving a Real-world Problem in Geometry
From a social semiotic perspective, students’ use of language is fundamental to mathematical meaning making. We applied thematic analysis to examine students’ use of geometric and contextual ideas while solving a geometry problem that required them to determine the optimal location for a new grocery store on a map of their local community. Students established semantic patterns to connect the…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Students’ conceptions of reflection: Opportunities for making connections with perpendicular bisector
Given the current emphasis on the use of transformations for the teaching and learning of geometry, there is opportunity to consider how students’ understanding of geometric transformations can be used to build connections with interrelated concepts. We designed a sequence of three problems, collectively referred to as “the pottery lesson,” to elicit evidence of students’ understanding of…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Facilitating Teacher Learning When Using Different Representations of Practice
Providing opportunities for learning through professional development requires the examination of facilitation of sessions with teachers. This study investigates facilitation of professional development to promote teacher learning when using animations and videos in a study group with five teachers. We ask: What practices (and moves within those practices) do the facilitators enact during high-…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Evolution of Unit Fraction Conceptions in Two Fifth-Graders with a Learning Disability: An Exploratory Study
The literature seems limited in what is known about conceptual processes that underlie evolution of students with learning disabilities (SLD) conceptions of fractions. This exploratory study examines how a foundational scheme of unit fractions (1/n) may evolve through the mathematical activity of two fifth grade girls. We analyze data segments from episodes conducted during a teaching experiment…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Tracing the Development of a Haptically-enhanced Simulation for Teaching Phase Change
This paper traces the research-design-develop-test cycle of a haptically-enhanced science simulation designed to teach upper-elementary students core ideas about matter, phase change, and the role of intermolecular forces. We describe our focus group work, usability testing, and small-scale pilot testing. We also detail the technical work behind the creation of our simulation. Our project…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Why Should Students Write in Math Class?
When teachers understand the key purposes for having students do mathematical writing, they can use that writing to deepen understanding. Casa, T. M., Evans, K., Firmender, J. M., & Colonnese, M. W. (2017). Why should students write in math class? Educational Leadership, 74(5). Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/feb17/vol74/num05/Why-Should-Students-Write-…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Resource | Types of and Purposes for Elementary Mathematical Writing: Task Force Recommendations
This white paper clarifies different purposes elementary students might write in math class and presents four types of mathematical writing. We define "mathematical writing" as writing that encourages students to engage in mathematical reasoning and communication. Each writing type is defined, samples of student work are provided, and additional instructional considerations are addressed. Casa, T…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Event | Building Learning Communities 17 - Education Conference 2017; Boston, MA
To learn more, visit http://novemberlearning.com/blc-education-conference-2017/. DR K-12 Presenters: Carolyn Staudt, The Concord Consortium (Project: Teaching Environmental Sustainability - Model My Watershed (Collaborative Research: Staudt))
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Event | 2017 Noyce Summit; Washington, DC
To learn more, visit http://app.nsfnoyce.org/meetings/. DR K-12 Presenters: Cynthia Trawick, Triscia Hendrickson, Natasha Crosby, and Abdelkrim Brania, Morehouse College; Melissa Demetrikopoulos, Institute for Biomedical Philosophy (Project: Morehouse College DR K-12 Pre-Service STEM Teacher Initiative)
Posted: Wednesday, February 08
Event | 41st PME Annual Conference; Singapore
To learn more, visit http://www.igpme.org/index.php/annual-conference. DR K-12 Presenters: Dianne, Siemon and Marj Horne, RMIT University, Australia; Doug Clements and Julie Samara, Denver University; Jere Confrey and Alan Maloney, North Carolina State University; Ron Tzur, University of Colarado; Anne Watson, Oxford University (Project: Building a Next Generation Diagnostic Assessment and…
Posted: Wednesday, February 08