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Newsletter | March 2024 Newsletter
Dear Colleagues, Here in New England, where CADRE is headquartered, spring is trying hard to break through winter’s hold. We hope that as many of you head out for spring conferences, you encounter great weather for travel and networking outdoors in between attending your colleagues’ presentations. As more of you have responded to our recent survey of DRK-12 projects, we’ve gathered additional…
Dear Colleagues, Here in New England, where CADRE is headquartered, spring is trying hard to break through winter’s hold. We hope that as many of you head out for spring conferences, you encounter great weather for travel and networking outdoors in between attending your colleagues’ presentations. As more of you have responded to our recent survey of DRK-12 projects, we’ve gathered additional…
Posted: Friday, March 15
Event | IRB Basics: An Introduction to Institutional Review Boards in Informal STEM Education
Join the REVISE Center for an informational webinar on Institutional Review Boards (IRB) and their important role in informal STEM education (ISE) work! Whether you are new to research or seeking a comprehensive IRB refresher, IRB Basics: An Introduction to IRBs in Informal STEM Education is designed to enhance your understanding of ethical human subject research in ISE initiatives. The session…
Join the REVISE Center for an informational webinar on Institutional Review Boards (IRB) and their important role in informal STEM education (ISE) work! Whether you are new to research or seeking a comprehensive IRB refresher, IRB Basics: An Introduction to IRBs in Informal STEM Education is designed to enhance your understanding of ethical human subject research in ISE initiatives. The session…
Posted: Tuesday, March 12
Resource | Characterizing Mathematics Teacher Learning Patterns Through Collegial Conversation in a Community of Practice
We examined secondary (6-12) mathematics teachers’ participation in a professional development (PD) model where they collectively investigated video cases of students engaging with ambitious instructional materials. We leveraged frame analysis, frame processes, and the Teaching for Robust Understanding framework to characterize the learning of professional learning communities. We found that…
We examined secondary (6-12) mathematics teachers’ participation in a professional development (PD) model where they collectively investigated video cases of students engaging with ambitious instructional materials. We leveraged frame analysis, frame processes, and the Teaching for Robust Understanding framework to characterize the learning of professional learning communities. We found that…
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | Energy and Your Environment (EYE): Place-based Curriculum Unit to Foster Students’ Energy Literacy
This chapter describes our middle school energy literacy project to develop, implement, and test curriculum materials for a unit titled Energy and Your Environment (EYE). EYE fosters place-based education by using the school building to enhance systems thinking about energy consumption and flow between the building and surrounding environment. Within the curriculum unit, students first consider…
This chapter describes our middle school energy literacy project to develop, implement, and test curriculum materials for a unit titled Energy and Your Environment (EYE). EYE fosters place-based education by using the school building to enhance systems thinking about energy consumption and flow between the building and surrounding environment. Within the curriculum unit, students first consider…
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | Scaling STEM-ID—Research Strategies to Inform Initial Scaling of Middle School Engineering Curricula
This work-in-progress paper discusses ****, a three-year middle school Engineering and Technology course sequence that integrates foundational mathematics and science in an engineering context through challenges that introduce students to advanced manufacturing tools such as computer aided design (CAD) and 3D printing and incorporate engineering concepts such as pneumatics, aeronautics, and…
This work-in-progress paper discusses ****, a three-year middle school Engineering and Technology course sequence that integrates foundational mathematics and science in an engineering context through challenges that introduce students to advanced manufacturing tools such as computer aided design (CAD) and 3D printing and incorporate engineering concepts such as pneumatics, aeronautics, and…
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | Multilingual Classrooms: Development of an Observational Analytic Tool to Examine Mathematics Instruction
This brief research report describes the refinement and testing of an observational rubric designed to identify and assess elements of classroom mathematics instruction that research has found to support multilingual student learning. The aim of this process is to (a) combine existing rubrics that capture teaching strategies and positioning construct protocol, (b) test the combined rubric in…
This brief research report describes the refinement and testing of an observational rubric designed to identify and assess elements of classroom mathematics instruction that research has found to support multilingual student learning. The aim of this process is to (a) combine existing rubrics that capture teaching strategies and positioning construct protocol, (b) test the combined rubric in…
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | Multilingual Classrooms: Development of an Observational Analytic Tool to Examine Mathematics Instruction
This brief research report describes the refinement and testing of an observational rubric designed to identify and assess elements of classroom mathematics instruction that research has found to support multilingual student learning. The aim of this process is to (a) combine existing rubrics that capture teaching strategies and positioning construct protocol, (b) test the combined rubric in…
This brief research report describes the refinement and testing of an observational rubric designed to identify and assess elements of classroom mathematics instruction that research has found to support multilingual student learning. The aim of this process is to (a) combine existing rubrics that capture teaching strategies and positioning construct protocol, (b) test the combined rubric in…
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | Multilingual Classrooms: Development of an Observational Analytic Tool to Examine Mathematics Instruction
This brief research report describes the refinement and testing of an observational rubric designed to identify and assess elements of classroom mathematics instruction that research has found to support multilingual student learning. The aim of this process is to (a) combine existing rubrics that capture teaching strategies and positioning construct protocol, (b) test the combined rubric in…
This brief research report describes the refinement and testing of an observational rubric designed to identify and assess elements of classroom mathematics instruction that research has found to support multilingual student learning. The aim of this process is to (a) combine existing rubrics that capture teaching strategies and positioning construct protocol, (b) test the combined rubric in…
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | Parents and Teachers Doing Mathematics Together
Collaborative partnerships between families and teachers have the potential to support and transform students’ mathematics learning experiences. This study focused on interactions among mothers and teachers of multilingual elementary grade students who participated together in workshops focused on teaching and learning mathematics. We analyzed participants’ engagement in open-ended, culturally…
Collaborative partnerships between families and teachers have the potential to support and transform students’ mathematics learning experiences. This study focused on interactions among mothers and teachers of multilingual elementary grade students who participated together in workshops focused on teaching and learning mathematics. We analyzed participants’ engagement in open-ended, culturally…
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | Parents and Teachers Doing Mathematics Together
Collaborative partnerships between families and teachers have the potential to support and transform students’ mathematics learning experiences. This study focused on interactions among mothers and teachers of multilingual elementary grade students who participated together in workshops focused on teaching and learning mathematics. We analyzed participants’ engagement in open-ended, culturally…
Collaborative partnerships between families and teachers have the potential to support and transform students’ mathematics learning experiences. This study focused on interactions among mothers and teachers of multilingual elementary grade students who participated together in workshops focused on teaching and learning mathematics. We analyzed participants’ engagement in open-ended, culturally…
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | Parents and Teachers Doing Mathematics Together
Collaborative partnerships between families and teachers have the potential to support and transform students’ mathematics learning experiences. This study focused on interactions among mothers and teachers of multilingual elementary grade students who participated together in workshops focused on teaching and learning mathematics. We analyzed participants’ engagement in open-ended, culturally…
Collaborative partnerships between families and teachers have the potential to support and transform students’ mathematics learning experiences. This study focused on interactions among mothers and teachers of multilingual elementary grade students who participated together in workshops focused on teaching and learning mathematics. We analyzed participants’ engagement in open-ended, culturally…
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | The Development and Validation of a Survey Measuring Opportunity to Learn Spatial Reasoning Skills at Home
The early development of spatial reasoning skills has been linked to future success in mathematics (Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009), but research to date has mainly focused on the development of these skills within classroom settings rather than at home. The home environment is often the first place students are exposed to, and develop, early mathematics skills, including spatial reasoning (…
The early development of spatial reasoning skills has been linked to future success in mathematics (Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009), but research to date has mainly focused on the development of these skills within classroom settings rather than at home. The home environment is often the first place students are exposed to, and develop, early mathematics skills, including spatial reasoning (…
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | Iterative Cognitive Interview Design to Uncover Children’s Spatial Reasoning
Cognitive interviews play an important role in articulating the intended construct of educational assessments. This paper describes the iterative development of protocols for cognitive interviews with kindergarten through second-grade children to understand how their spatial reasoning skill development aligns with intended constructs. We describe the procedures used to gather evidence of…
Cognitive interviews play an important role in articulating the intended construct of educational assessments. This paper describes the iterative development of protocols for cognitive interviews with kindergarten through second-grade children to understand how their spatial reasoning skill development aligns with intended constructs. We describe the procedures used to gather evidence of…
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | Promoting Spatial Orientation: A Math Activity for Teachers and Families
Perry, L., Kuehnert, E., & Ketterlin-Geller, L. R. (2022). Promoting spatial orientation: A math activity for teachers and families. Teaching Young Children, 15(3), 8-12.
Perry, L., Kuehnert, E., & Ketterlin-Geller, L. R. (2022). Promoting spatial orientation: A math activity for teachers and families. Teaching Young Children, 15(3), 8-12.
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | Connecting Classroom Assessment with Learning Goals and Instruction Through Theories of Learning
In this report section, we discuss the importance of aligning classroom assessments with learning goals and instructional practices to both shape and evaluate students’ learning opportunities. We describe a plausible solution for improving alignment by integrating theories of learning in the design of classroom assessments. We discuss ways in which the specification of theories of learning as…
In this report section, we discuss the importance of aligning classroom assessments with learning goals and instructional practices to both shape and evaluate students’ learning opportunities. We describe a plausible solution for improving alignment by integrating theories of learning in the design of classroom assessments. We discuss ways in which the specification of theories of learning as…
Posted: Tuesday, March 05
Resource | Designing Educative Tools for Scientific Argumentation: A Case Study of DBR Before and During the Pandemic
Design-based research is uniquely positioned to adapt instructional resources quickly to meet the needs of teachers and students. This chapter explores how researchers adapted and improved two educative tools over the course of two academic years. The educative tools were designed to support scientific argumentation through supporting students to develop task models of NGSS storyline routines.…
Design-based research is uniquely positioned to adapt instructional resources quickly to meet the needs of teachers and students. This chapter explores how researchers adapted and improved two educative tools over the course of two academic years. The educative tools were designed to support scientific argumentation through supporting students to develop task models of NGSS storyline routines.…
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | Scientific Communities of Practice: K–12 Outreach Model Around Organism Responses to Repeated Hurricane Disturbances
Collaboration between ecologists and learning scientists can give rise to powerful models for scientific outreach within ecology. This paper presents a process by which learning scientists and ecologists codesigned a science curriculum that invites students to join an ecological community of practice. In the Journey to El Yunque middle school science curriculum, students engage with simulation…
Collaboration between ecologists and learning scientists can give rise to powerful models for scientific outreach within ecology. This paper presents a process by which learning scientists and ecologists codesigned a science curriculum that invites students to join an ecological community of practice. In the Journey to El Yunque middle school science curriculum, students engage with simulation…
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | Chat-based Role-Play for Preservice Teachers to Practice Eliciting Students’ Arguments
In this article, we describe our implementation of an innovative approximation of practice in teacher education: chat-based role-play. In so doing, we share our collective experiences as teacher educators about how the preservice teachers (PSTs) across our four methods courses—two elementary science courses, one elementary mathematics course, and one middle school mathematics course—practiced…
In this article, we describe our implementation of an innovative approximation of practice in teacher education: chat-based role-play. In so doing, we share our collective experiences as teacher educators about how the preservice teachers (PSTs) across our four methods courses—two elementary science courses, one elementary mathematics course, and one middle school mathematics course—practiced…
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | National Science Foundation-Funded Research Facilitates STEM Teaching
TU professor studies avatar-based classroom simulations in three-year, $3 million NSF grant. Kirkman, R. (2022, January 11). National Science Foundation-funded research facilitates STEM teaching. Towson University.
TU professor studies avatar-based classroom simulations in three-year, $3 million NSF grant. Kirkman, R. (2022, January 11). National Science Foundation-funded research facilitates STEM teaching. Towson University.
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | Preservice Teachers Noticing and Positioning Students as “Knowers” in Equitable Scientific Argumentation-based Discussions
This study investigated how preservice elementary teachers' (PSTs) noticed the discourse practices they used to position students and their scientific thinking as they engaged a group of student avatars in argumentation-based simulated discussions. Using qualitative methods, 82 teaching reflections from 28 PSTs were analyzed. Findings indicate that in most reflections (66%), the PSTs were able to…
This study investigated how preservice elementary teachers' (PSTs) noticed the discourse practices they used to position students and their scientific thinking as they engaged a group of student avatars in argumentation-based simulated discussions. Using qualitative methods, 82 teaching reflections from 28 PSTs were analyzed. Findings indicate that in most reflections (66%), the PSTs were able to…
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | Elementary Preservice Teachers' Responsiveness While Eliciting Students' Initial Arguments and Encouraging Critique in Online Simulated Argumentation Discussions
Engaging children in argumentation-focused discussions is essential to helping them collaboratively make sense of scientific phenomena. To support this effort, teachers must listen and be responsive to students' ideas to move the discussion forward with the goal of reaching consensus. Given the complexity of this ambitious science teaching practice, in lieu of traditional field experiences,…
Engaging children in argumentation-focused discussions is essential to helping them collaboratively make sense of scientific phenomena. To support this effort, teachers must listen and be responsive to students' ideas to move the discussion forward with the goal of reaching consensus. Given the complexity of this ambitious science teaching practice, in lieu of traditional field experiences,…
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | Why Is Engineering Design Important for All Learners?
Engineering design systematically identifies needs, wants, and problems and then devises solutions to address them. A central component of our work is guiding students in the engineered design of solutions to local environmental problems. Songer, N. B. (2023). Why is engineering design important for all learners?. Open Access Government April 2023, pp.300-301. https://doi.org/10.56367/OAG-038-…
Engineering design systematically identifies needs, wants, and problems and then devises solutions to address them. A central component of our work is guiding students in the engineered design of solutions to local environmental problems. Songer, N. B. (2023). Why is engineering design important for all learners?. Open Access Government April 2023, pp.300-301. https://doi.org/10.56367/OAG-038-…
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | Inspiring STEM Education Focused on Solutions
Nancy Butler Songer, from the University of Utah, makes a call for collective action to create a new curriculum focused on the design of solutions. Songer, N. B. (2023). Inspiring STEM education focused on solutions. Open Access Government July 2023, pp.322-323. https://doi.org/10.56367/OAG-039-10836
Nancy Butler Songer, from the University of Utah, makes a call for collective action to create a new curriculum focused on the design of solutions. Songer, N. B. (2023). Inspiring STEM education focused on solutions. Open Access Government July 2023, pp.322-323. https://doi.org/10.56367/OAG-039-10836
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | How Do We Design Curricula to Foster Innovation, Motivation and Interest in STEM Learning?
Purpose The authors designed a science and engineering curricular program that includes design features that promote student interest and motivation and examined teachers' and students' views on meaningfulness, motivation and interest. Design/methodology/approach The research approach consisted of mixed methods, including content analyses and descriptive statistics. Findings The curricular…
Purpose The authors designed a science and engineering curricular program that includes design features that promote student interest and motivation and examined teachers' and students' views on meaningfulness, motivation and interest. Design/methodology/approach The research approach consisted of mixed methods, including content analyses and descriptive statistics. Findings The curricular…
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | Youth as Essential Problem-Solvers of Our Futures
Nancy Butler Songer, Associate Provost of STEM Education at the University of Utah, discusses the importance of supporting and including young people as part of environmental decision-making teams and key problem-solvers of our futures. Songer, N. B. (2023). Youth as essential problem-solvers of our futures. Open Access Government October 2023, pp. 312-313. https://doi.org/10.56367/OAG-040-10836
Nancy Butler Songer, Associate Provost of STEM Education at the University of Utah, discusses the importance of supporting and including young people as part of environmental decision-making teams and key problem-solvers of our futures. Songer, N. B. (2023). Youth as essential problem-solvers of our futures. Open Access Government October 2023, pp. 312-313. https://doi.org/10.56367/OAG-040-10836
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | Youths’ Solutions to Local Invasive Species
Educating students about real-world, issues such as local invasive species aims to encourage wider engagement with STEM. Calabrese, J. E. & Songer, N. B. (2024). Youths’ solutions to local invasive species. Open Access Government January 2024.
Educating students about real-world, issues such as local invasive species aims to encourage wider engagement with STEM. Calabrese, J. E. & Songer, N. B. (2024). Youths’ solutions to local invasive species. Open Access Government January 2024.
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | Developing and Using a Scalable Assessment to Measure Preservice Elementary Teachers' Ccontent Knowledge for Teaching About Matter
There is strong agreement in science teacher education of the importance of teachers' content knowledge for teaching (CKT), which includes their subject matter knowledge and their pedagogical content knowledge. However, there are limited instruments that can be easily administered and scored on a large scale to assess and study elementary science teachers' CKT. Such measures would support…
There is strong agreement in science teacher education of the importance of teachers' content knowledge for teaching (CKT), which includes their subject matter knowledge and their pedagogical content knowledge. However, there are limited instruments that can be easily administered and scored on a large scale to assess and study elementary science teachers' CKT. Such measures would support…
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | Designing Educative Curriculum Materials for Teacher Educators: Supporting Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Content Knowledge for Teaching About Matter and Its Interactions
Research on teacher educators’ professional learning has gained increasing interest within science education. Curriculum materials have been suggested as a means of supporting teacher learning for several decades but have not yet been examined as a potential tool for supporting the learning of teacher educators. In this paper, we conceptualize a set of design heuristics to guide the development…
Research on teacher educators’ professional learning has gained increasing interest within science education. Curriculum materials have been suggested as a means of supporting teacher learning for several decades but have not yet been examined as a potential tool for supporting the learning of teacher educators. In this paper, we conceptualize a set of design heuristics to guide the development…
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | Designing Educative Curriculum Materials for Teacher Educators: Supporting Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Content Knowledge for Teaching About Matter and Its Interactions
Research on teacher educators’ professional learning has gained increasing interest within science education. Curriculum materials have been suggested as a means of supporting teacher learning for several decades but have not yet been examined as a potential tool for supporting the learning of teacher educators. In this paper, we conceptualize a set of design heuristics to guide the development…
Research on teacher educators’ professional learning has gained increasing interest within science education. Curriculum materials have been suggested as a means of supporting teacher learning for several decades but have not yet been examined as a potential tool for supporting the learning of teacher educators. In this paper, we conceptualize a set of design heuristics to guide the development…
Posted: Friday, March 01
Resource | Engineering Connections in Culturally-Responsive Mathematical Modeling Problems
This poster presents findings from design and early implementation work of the NSF DRK-12 project which positions 6th and 7th grade students as decision makers in their own learning, integrating culturally responsive mathematical modeling problems into their regular curriculum. We take a sociocritical perspective on modeling, supporting students in using mathematics to understand their life…
This poster presents findings from design and early implementation work of the NSF DRK-12 project which positions 6th and 7th grade students as decision makers in their own learning, integrating culturally responsive mathematical modeling problems into their regular curriculum. We take a sociocritical perspective on modeling, supporting students in using mathematics to understand their life…
Posted: Friday, March 01