1. Chemistry lab studies
We have designed and are engaged in a series of studies to investigate the incremental impact on student learning of phasing inquiry-oriented labs into a traditional freshman chemistry lab curriculum. (People: Kristen Cacciatore)
Green chemistry is an environmentally conscious philosophical approach to doing chemistry which began with organic synthetic chemistry. We are investigating the impact on student learning and motivation to continue studying science of an explicitly green focus in freshman level chemistry labs. (People: Janak Kafle)
We are conducting feasibility and research studies to explore the educational value of MolySym's intelligent molecular modeling system for chemistry students. The study is supported by a Fast Track Phase 1/2 SBIR grant from the US Department of Education.
2. Green inquiry lab development
We have used a research-based instructional materials development cycle to create several green, inquiry-based lab experiments for use in university freshman and high school chemistry courses. These include a green stoichiometry lab, an acid-base equilibrium lab, a lab connecting solubility, equilibrium & periodicity, and a colligative properties lab. The equilibrium & periodicity lab was a collaboration with Prof. Jason Evans [Chemistry, UMass Boston]. (People: Jose Amado, Kristen Cacciatore, Janak Kafle, Mitzi Sweeney)
3. Active Chemistry curriculum
Active Chemistry is an inquiry-oriented high school curriculum whose development was funded by the National Science Foundation and which is published by It's About Time Publishing Company. Students participate in chapter-culminating performance tasks that require the use of chemistry to complete a challenge that is fun. The curriculum is in use in many school districts, including Baltimore, Seattle, Los Angeles and Denver Public Schools. (People: Kristen Cacciatore)
4. Ruthenium light emitting diode
Thin films containing ruthenium complexes can be made into light-emitting diodes if spun onto a slide coated with transparent indium tin oxide (anode) and sandwiched by a metal cathode. We have adapted this system to educational settings so that students can learn about electrochemical processes, absorption and emission spectra, and basic circuits by investigating factors that affect luminosity in LEDs that they build. We are developing the system into a lab experiment for freshman chemistry which we will use in a study of how students approach learning about electrochemistry. (People: Laura Kibuuka, Soma Chattopadhyay)
5. Teacher content knowledge studies
In the context of the Boston Science Partnership, we are studying how limited science content-focused professional development impacts student learning and how teaching science impacts the understanding and retention of the science content by teachers. (People: Tirzah Deering)
6. Scientific explanations studies
Science graduate students' and science teachers' explanations of science improve over time as they develop deeper understanding of the science and as they improve in their ability to communicate effectively. We have developed a rubric to evaluate the quality of a scientific explanation based on a qualitative study of scientists explaining their research. We are using the rubric to characterize how science graduate students and science teachers evolve in their ability to communicate science. This is a collaboration with Prof. Lisa Gonsalves [Curriculum & Instruction, UMass Boston] and Prof. Robert Chen [Earth, Environmental and Ocean Sciences, UMass Boston].
7. STEM-K12 studies
K12-university partnerships are a promising vehicle through which to achieve education reform and improvement at both K12 and higher education levels. We are studying biographical and contextual factors that predispose, support and inhibit science and math faculty involvement in K12 service. (People: Allison Skerrett)
Underrepresentation by specific demographic groups in STEM majors and careers is of continued concern as very little has changed in 30 years. We are investigating which contextual factors play the largest roles in underrepresented minority students' journey through the STEM pathway. We seek to understand how teacher and instructional quality, organized STEM pathway support programs, students' study habits, and their course choices explain retention of students, as well as reasons they leave, along the STEM pathway from high school through graduation from a four-year university, with and without passage through community college. (People: Shiqi Hao, Tirzah Deering)
