NSTA Press: STEM Research Handbook: Harland

NSTA Press: Implementing Research Projects as Part of the STEM Curriculum

Darci J. Harland

Illinois State University

CeMaST (Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology)

CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology


Former high school teacher: English & biology

Facilitated research with high school and preservice teachers

Expanded my own teaching resources to write this NSTA Press handbook

Currently work at ISU & volunteer at Salem Children’s Home as the science lab coordinator.

About Me


Topics We’ll Discuss• Overview of the Handbook• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and

Mathematics) Research• Tips on Organizing students in student-designed

research projects– Deadlines– Providing meaningful feedback– Supporting students working in groups– Using technology – Teaching literacy aspects of research


Levels of InquiryDemonstration Activity Teacher-

InitiatedStudent-Initiated

Posing the Question

Teacher Teacher Teacher Student

Planning the Procedure

Teacher Teacher Student Student

Formulating the Results

Teacher Student Student Student

From: D. Llewellyn. 2002. Inquiry within: Implementing inquiry-based science standards. Thousand Oaks, Corwin Press.


Written directly to the student

Geared to high school & undergraduate students

“Teacher Cues”

Chapter Questions &

Chapter Applications

Sample rubrics

About The Handbook


Chapters

1: Beginning a STEM Research Project

2: Research Design

3: Background Research

4: Writing Hypotheses

5: Proposal Writing

6: Organizing a Laboratory Notebook

7: Descriptive Statistics

8: Graphical Representations

9: Inferential Statistics and Data Interpretation

10: Documentation

11: Writing the STEM Research Paper

12: Presenting the STEM Research Project


Share:• What experience you have in facilitating student research projects.• Something you want to get out of today’s presentation

About You


What is STEM Research?Experiments conducted to address problems in STEM fields that can be tested using the scientific method.


Providing Students with Deadlines

Organizatio

n

Focuses Students

Provides acc

ountabilit

y

Checkpoints f

or feedback



Sample Deadlines

• Focusing Preliminary Research Ideas (SH#1)• Research Design Table (SH#2)• Background Research Questions (SH#3)• Evidence of library background research• Writing Hypotheses (SH#4)• Research Proposal• Organizing Laboratory Notebook


Sample Deadlines (cont.)

• Evidence of Data Collection• Organize Data into Tables & Graphs• Peer Editing of data tables & graphs (SH#5)• Rough Draft of Paper• Peer Editing of Paper (SH#6)• Oral Presentation


Providing Meaningful Feedback

Affirms

Redirects

Corrects

misc

onceptio

ns

Emphasizes

the p

rocess


Tone of Feedback

Oral and Written

Supportive and Encouraging

Find positive things to say/write.

Don’t give them changes to make, ask them more questions.


Types of Feedback

Checking for understanding

Checking for completion

Do Until Accepted (DUA)

Class Brainstorming

Peer Editing


Support Students Working in Groups

Student Roles

Communicatio

n

Division of L

abor

Evaluati

on


Tips For Successful Groups

Teach “functioning in a group”

Schedule Time for Group Meetings• Determine strengths• Assign tasks• Write contract

Use Technology


Using Technology

Wikis

Social B

ookmarking

Google Docs


• Easily editable webpages• Multiple contributors • Upload files and images• Tabs “behind the page”

– History-who made what edits– Discussion

Wikis


Sample Wiki Homepage


Editing a Wiki




Using a Wiki for Grading


• Introduce Google Docs for sharing & collaboration– Word Documents– Excel spreadsheets

• Assignments – Proposal (Word)– Data recording (Excel)


Using Google Docs for Grading


Google Docs: Revision History


Google Docs: Data Collection (Excel)


• Bookmark-online and share with others• Mark up webpages,

– highlight– make sticky notes

• Photo Sharing Websites– Flicker, Picaso– Share photos, tag them,

Social Bookmarking


Teaching the Literacy Components of Research

Scientifi

c Writi

ng

Oral Pres

entations

Background Rese

arch


Confidence to Teach Literacy• Writing across the curriculum

– Science teachers teaching library research skills?– Science teachers teaching note taking skills?– Science teachers teaching writing skills?

• Talk to English department– Work within the methods they use– Documentation style (MLA/APA) & note taking

strategies

YES


Background Research• vs.

– Basic search engine vs. database search

• Identifying reliable resources• Free Open Access

– Scholarly research articles for free!– See pg. 39 for a listing


Note Taking• Have students write 5 overarching questions

they will need to answer– Entity, independent variable, dependent variable,

connections between the 2 variables– Organize background research within these areas

• Old fashioned 3x5 notecards• Research Pages• Online tools: Easybib, NoteStar, SpringNote,

Noodletools


Scientific Writing• Similar to writing in English class

– Proper grammar & spelling– Topic Sentences & paragraph organization– Transition words for organization

• Different than writing in English class– Succinct writing is preferable


Passive vs. Active Voice

Voice & Pronoun Sample SentenceActive Voice 1st Person (Future tense)

“I will remove the ball bearing.”

Active Voice1st Person (Past tense)

“I removed the ball bearing.”

Passive VoiceNo pronoun (Future tense)

“The ball bearing will be removed.”

Passive VoiceNo pronoun (Past tense)

“The ball bearing was removed.”

2nd PersonDirective

“Remove the ball bearing.”(Assumed You)


Summary: You CAN do this!

• Provide deadlines• Give meaningful feedback• Support students working in groups• Allow technology to support students as they

collaborate and research• Emphasize literacy aspects of the process.


My Website

http://darciharland.

wordpress.com

Place for teachers to share their tips for teaching research.

Please drop by and make a post!


Thanks for coming…

• NSTA Bookstore book signing today 1:30• ISU online course for Teacher

Professional development for teaching research (summer 2012)

• http://darciharland.wordpress.com• [email protected]

http://darciharland.wordpress.com/