Seminar Speaker Series

Each year research faculty invite guest seminar speakers from alternate colleges and universities to present to interested faculty, staff and students. Topics include research analysis, active learning, teaching practices, and cultural identity, to name a few. All are welcome to attend the seminars and workshops.

Seminar: Investigating the Nature of Student Reasoning in Physics: New Methodologies*
MacKenzie R. Stetzer - University of Maine
Department of Physics and Astronomy
& Maine center for Research in STEM Education

Tuesday, May 22, 11am - 12pm
Gosnell 8-3365

Abstract: For more than 30 years, research-based materials developed by the physics education research community have helped transform introductory physics instruction. Many of these materials focus on the development of student conceptual understanding, place considerable emphasis on qualitative inferential reasoning, and scaffold that reasoning via carefully crafted sequences of questions. An emerging body of research, however, suggests that poor student performance on certain physics tasks – even after research-based instruction – may stem more from the nature of student reasoning itself than from specific conceptual difficulties. As part of a larger, multi-institutional effort to investigate and characterize the nature of student reasoning in physics, we have been developing and testing instruments and methodologies to probe student reasoning in greater detail. A variety of new research tasks and associated results will be discussed. The findings from these tasks continue to provide insight into the extent to which some reasoning phenomena in physics may be accounted for by dual-process theories of reasoning and decision-making.

* This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. DUE-1431857, DUE-1431541, DUE-1431940, DUE-1432765, DUE-1432052, and DRL-0962805.

To request Interpreting Services, please visit http://myAccess.rit.edu

Past Seminar Speakers

2017-2018

Monday, April 23, 2018, 3:30pm - 4:30pm, Coffee Chat, Brown Hall 1100
Title: Gender Bias in Student Evaluations
Kristina Mitchell, Director, Undergraduate Studies and Online & Regional Site Education, Department of Political Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

Monday, April 23, 12:20pm - 1:15pm, Seminar, GOS 8-2300
Title: Gender Bias in Student Evaluations
Kristina Mitchell, Director, Undergraduate Studies and Online & Regional Site Education, Department of Political Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

Wednesday, April 18, 2018, 1:25pm - 2:20pm, Seminar Gosnell 8-3365
Title: Using Neurophysiological Techniques to Investigate Students' Processing of Representations and 3D Models in Biochemistry
Kimberly (Linenberger) Cortes, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Kennesaw State University, GA

Thursday, April 5, 2018, 11:00am - 12:20pm, Workshop Gleason 9-2149
Title: Getting around student pushback & passiveness in active learning classrooms
Stephanie Chasteen, Research Associate, Center for STEM Learning (University of Colorado-Boulder)

Wednesday, March 28, 2018, 3:30pm - 4:30pm, Seminar Brown Hall 1100
STEM Students' Awareness of Racism and Sexism
Melissa Dancy, Educational Transformation, Faculty Development and Gender/Race Studies
Center for STEM Learning, University of Colorado, Boulder

Wednesday, February 28, 2018, 1:25pm - 2:20pm, Seminar GOS 8-3365
Title: Assets-based approaches for student and faculty success
Elizabeth Litzler, Director, Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Wednesday, January 24, 2018, 1:25pm - 2:20pm, Seminar GOS 8-3365
Title: How Do Adolescents Read Mathematical Text? An investigation of the complexity of symbolic mathematics language literacy
Marcia Gail Headley, Assistant Professor (Mathematical Sciences Learning Laboratory (MSLL), University of Delaware, Newark, DE

Wednesday, November 29, 2017 1:25pm - 2:20pm, Seminar GOS 8-3365
Title: Forming and Managing Student Teams
Matthew Ohland (Purdue University, West Layfayette, IN)

Thursday, September 21, 2017 1:30pm -3:00pm, Workshop GOS 8-A267
Moving Towards Active Learning, Both Inside and Outside of Class Tim
Kimberly Tanner (San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA)

Wednesday, September 20, 2017 1:25pm - 2:20pm, Seminar
What Does Teaching Sound Like? Introducing DART—Decibel Analysis for Research in Teaching—
A New Tool for Systematically Analyzing Teaching Practices Across Instructors and Institutions.
Kimberly Tanner (San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA)

2016-2017

Tuesday, March 7, 2017 1-2PM GLE 1149
Hidden Inequities in Active Learning Classrooms: How Groups of Students are Differentially Impacted by Active Learning
Sara Brownell (Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ)

Friday, March 3, 2017 2-3PM GLE 1149
Measuring Meaningful Learning in the Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory
Stacey Lowery Bretz (Miami University, Oxford, OH)

Wednesday, March 1, 2017 12-1PM, Seminar GLE 2355
Intersectionality, Culture and Identity in Inclusive STEM Departments
Angela Johnson (St. Mary's College of Maryland)

Tuesday, February 28, 2017 2-3PM, Workshop GLE 2129
Building STEM Cultures Where Students Can Thrive
Angela Johnson (St. Mary's College of Maryland)

Friday, February 3, 2017 3PM, GLE 1149
Attending to Scientific Practices Within Undergraduate Research Experiences
Gina Quan, University of Maryland

Wednesday, January 25, 2017 1PM, Gosnell 1305
Innovative Methodological Approaches to DBER: An Examination of Research Projects in Literacy and STEM
Nicholas Palumbo, University of Rochester

Wed. November 16, 2016 1:00PM, Gosnell 3365
How might Physics Education Research facilitate the coming computational revolution?
Danny Caballero, Michigan State University

2015-2016

Wed. April 13, 2016 12:00PM - 1:00PM, Gosnell 2365
Assessing student writing in biology using lexical analysis and machine learning
Luanna Prevost, University of South Florida

Tue. April 5, 2016 4:00PM - 5:00PM, Gosnell 3365
The Importance of STEM Identities: Using Structural Equation Modeling to Understand Engineering Choice
Allison Godwin, Purdue University

Wed. March 30, 2016 12:00PM - 1:00PM, Gosnell 2365
Understanding the meaning ascribed by students to representations used in organic chemistry
Jeffrey R. Raker, University of South Florida

Mon. October 12, 2015 10:00AM - 11:00AM, COLA McKenzie Commons
Communication for learning: Building understanding and skills in the science classroom
Amy L. H. Gaffney, University of Kentucky

Fri. September 11, 2015 11:00AM - 12:00PM, CAR 1275
Listening for Deep Understanding of Energy
Michael Wittmann, The University of Maine

2014-2015

Wed. May 13, 2015 2:00 - 3:00PM, CAR 1275
Capturing Abstraction in Chemistry Problem Solving
Hannah Sevian, University of Massachusetts Boston

Wed. April 1, 2015 12:00 - 1:00PM, Orange 1340
It's More Than Just Statistics - Theoretical Framework in Quantitative PER Students
Lin Ding, Ohio State University

Tue. March 17, 2015 2:00 - 3:00PM, Orange 1350
Gendered Experiences: Illuminating Hidden Inequities in Biology Classrooms
Sarah Eddy, University of Washington

Wed. February 25, 2015 1:00 - 3:00PM, Booth 1480
Beyond the classroom: increase the impact of your education innovations by publishing your scholarly teaching materials
Robin Wright, University of Minnesota

Fri. January 23, 2015 11:00AM - 12:00PM, Gosnell 3365
Gendered Experiences in Physics and Astronomy: Understanding Microaggressions and Hostile Sexism
Ramon Barthelemy, Fulbright and University of Jyväskylä, Finland

Wed. November 5, 2014 11:00AM - 12:00PM, CAR-1125
Exploring the alignment between workforce needs and postsecondary education: Preliminary findings from a study of the biotechnology and advanced manufacturing sectors in Wisconsin
Matthew Hora, University of Wisconsin Center for Education Research

Wed. October 15, 2014 1:00PM - 2:00PM, Gosnell 3365
Using Reflection to Promote Deep Understanding in STEM Classrooms
Dimitri Dounas-Frazer, CU-Boulder

Wed. September 10, 2014
Supporting your LA Program with Data
Leanne Wells, Florida International University

2013-2014

Thu. June 12, 2014 12:00PM - 1:00PM, CAR-1275
Development of a Conceptual Assessment to Gauge Student Mastery of Molecular Biology at Graduation
Brian Couch, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Wed. April 23, 2014 10:00AM - 11:30AM, CAR-1230
Using and Developing Measurement Instruments for Discipline-Based Education Research
Vashti Sawtelle, University of Maryland

Fri. April 4, 2014
Investigating the Cognitive Mechanisms behind the Effectiveness of Guided-Discovery Learning Activities
Dawn Rickey, Colorado State University

Thu. Novemer 21, 2013 2:30PM - 3:30PM, SLA-2220
Investigating students' understanding of matrix multiplication through aResources and Framing framework
Warren Christensen, North Dakota State University

Thu. November 7, 2013 2:30PM - 3:30PM, Gosnell 1154
Let them play ball: Transforming the science classroom with the C.R.E.A.T.E. Strategy
Kristy Kenyon, Hobart and William Smith College

Wed. September 25, 2013 1:00PM - 1:50PM, SLA-1250
Undergraduate research at the community college: Models and best practices
Jim Hewlett, Director of Biotechnology, Finger Lakes Community Colleg

2012-2013

Thu. May 2, 2013 11:00AM - 12:00PM, CAR-1125
Promoting scientific reasoning abilities in existing courses
Kathy Koenig, Department of Physics & Department of Science Education, University of Cincinnati

Thu. April 18, 2013 2:00PM - 3:00PM, CAR-1125
Problem-based learning in the general chemistry laboratory: Initial outcomes for students and teaching assistants
Megan Grunert, Department of Chemistry, Western Michigan University

Wed. February 26, 2013 3:00PM - 4:30PM, Gosnell 2300
Designing a Course to Support Students in Building Interdisciplinary Connections
Xiufeng Liu, State University of New York at Buffaloe

Tue. January 22, 2013 1:00PM - 1:50PM, Gosnell 3305
The Forgotten R's of Chemistry Education
Sam Pazicni, Department of Chemistry, University of New Hampshire

Fri. December 7, 2012 12:00PM - 12:50PM, Gosnell A300
Post-Examination Retention of Knowledge in Chemistry
Jessica VandenPlas, Chemistry Department, Grand Valley State University - Allendale, MI

Wed. November 28, 2012 3:00PM - 3:50PM, GLE-3139
Seeing the Unseen: How and What Students Learn from Visualizations in Biology
Brian Rybarczyk, Director, Graduate Student Academic & Professional Development, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Tue. October 9, 2012 12:00PM - 12:50PM, CAR-1275
Thinking Like a Physicist
Eleanor Sayre, Department of Physics, Kansas State University

Tue. September 4, 2012 10:00AM - 10:50AM, Gosnell 3000
Tactile Teaching Tools for Active Learning in Science
Margaret Franzen, Center for BioMolecular Modeling, Milwaukee School of Engineering

2011-2012

Wed. April 25, 2012 2:00PM - 3:00PM, CAR-1275
We're All Unique --- Just Like Everyone Else
Erika Offerdahl, North Dakota State University

Tue. February 21, 2012 12:00PM - 1:00PM, CAR-1275
Learning to listen: Gathering information on thinking and learning
Michael Wittmann, Department of Physics, University of Maine

Tue. February 14, 2012 12:00PM - 1:00PM, CAR-1275
The Challenges of Spreading and Sustaining Research-Based Instruction in Undergraduate Physics
Charles Henderson, Western Michigan University

Fri. January 20, 2012
Project Kaleidescope Upstate New York Regional Meeting
Bethany Bowling, Northern Kentucky University

Tue. December 13, 2011 12:00PM - 1:00PM, CAR-1275
Preparing undergraduates for instructional roles: Insights from the Colorado Learning Assistant Model
Laurie Langdon, The University of Colorado-Boulder

Wed. November 16, 2011 2:00PM - 3:00PM, CAR-1275
Problematic concepts for experimental design
Nancy Pelaez, Purdue University

Wed. September 21, 2011 2:00PM - 3:00PM, CAR-2274
Eye-Tracking Climate: The role of imagery in climate change cognition
Julie Libarkin, Dept. of Geological Sciences

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Teaching, Learning & Evaluation

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