Course Schedule


Return to:   Maryland Learning Assistant ProgramMathematics and Science Education Seminar Fall 2012

 


 

Course Schedule

 

This schedule is likely to change throughout the course of the semester - updates will always be reflected here.

 

Date/Topic
Required reading (due this day)
Assignments due

Week 1, August 29: Introduction to Scientific Inquiry

EDCI488D Week 1.pptx

None
None

Week 2, September 5: Facilitating Classroom Discourse

EDCI488D Week 2.pptx

  1. Knuth, E., & Peressini, D. (2001). Unpacking the nature of discourse in mathematics classrooms. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 6(5), 320-325.
  2. Lemke, J. L. (1990). Chapter 1: Two minutes in one science classroom. Talking science: Language, learning, and values (pp. 1-25). Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation.  Read pp. 1-11 only.
  1. Reading reflection

Week 3, September 12: Questioning

EDCI488D Week 3.pptx

  1. Trowbridge, L. W., Bybee, R. W., & Carlson-Powell, J. (2000). Chapter 12: Questioning and discussion. Teaching secondary school science: Strategies for developing scientific literacy (1st ed., pp. 183-192). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
  1. Audio recording of peer interview (3-credit students only)
  2. Transcript (1 page minimum) of interesting interview dialogue to share (3-credit students only)
  3. Reading reflection
  4. Field note (mandatory)
Week 4, September 19: Supporting Collaboration
  1. Smith, M. K., Wood, W. B., Adams, W. K., Wieman, C., Knight, J. K., Guild, N., & Su, T. T. (2009). Why peer discussion improves student performance on in-class concept questions. Science, 323, 122-124.
    1. Optional supplement
  2. Barron, B. (2003). When smart groups fail. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 12(3), 307-359.  Read pp. 331-347 only.
  1. Paper analyzing your peer's ideas about a scientific phenomenon (3-credit students only)
  2. Reading reflection

Week 5, September 26: Learning from Cognitive Studies

EDCI488D Week 5.pptx

  1. Redish, E. F. (1994). Implications of cognitive studies for teaching physics. American Journal of Physics, 62(9), 796-803.
  1. Reading reflection
  2. Field note (mandatory)
  3. Note: From this point on, field notes will not be mandatory each week, as there might be weeks which are more or less interesting to you to unpack.  Rather, you are responsible for turning in three field notes total (inclusive of the first two mandatory field notes) by October 24, and six field notes total by December 13.  A word to the wise - pace yourself!

Week 6, October 3: Formative Assessment

EDCI488D Week 6.pptx

  1. Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(2), 139-148.
  2. Coffey, J. E., Hammer, D., Levin, D. M., & Grant, T. (2011). The missing disciplinary substance of formative assessment. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 48(10), 1109-1136.  Read pp. 1109-1113 only.
  1. Audio recording of peer interview (3-credit students only)
  2. Transcript (1 page minimum) of interesting interview dialogue to share (3-credit students only)
  3. Reading reflection
Week 7, October 10: Student Conceptions about Specific Scientific Topics
  1. For physics LAs: McDermott, L. C., Rosenquist, M. L., & van Zee, E. (1987). Student difficulties in connecting graphs and physics: Examples from kinematics. American Journal of Physics, 55(6), 503-513.
  2. For biology LAs: Gregory, T. R. (2008). Understanding evolutionary trees. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 1, 121-137.
  1. Paper analyzing your peer's ideas about a scientific phenomenon (3-credit students only)
  2. Reading reflection

Week 8, October 17: Understanding and Supporting Conceptual Change

EDCI488D Week 8.pptx

  1. Hammer, D. (1996). Misconceptions or p-prims: How may alternative perspectives of cognitive structure influence instructional perceptions and intentions? Journal of the Learning Sciences, 5(2), 97-127.
  1. Plan for taping own section (3-credit students only)
  2. Reading reflection
Week 9, October 24: Epistemology
  1. Elby, A. (2001). Helping physics students learn how to learn. Physics Education Research, American Journal of Physics Supplement, 69(7), S54-S64.
  1. Reading reflection 
  2. Physics LAs, bring tutorial books
Week 10, October 31: Interdisciplinary Thinking
  1. Watkins, J., Coffey, J. E., Redish, E. F., & Cooke, T. J. (2012). Disciplinary authenticity: Enriching the reforms of introductory physics courses for life-science students. Physical Review Special Topics, Physics Education Research, 8(1), 010112-1-010112-17.  Read pp. 010112-1-010112-6 only.
  2. Exchange about worm problem.docx  
  1. Reading reflection, with additional reflection on e-mail exchange and questions for visitors
  2. Note: By this point, you should have turned in at least three field notes total.
Week 11, November 7: Argumentation and Metacognition
  1. For physics LAs: Schoenfeld, A. H. (1987). What’s all the fuss about metacognition? In A. H. Schoenfeld (Ed.), Cognitive science and mathematics education (pp. 189-215). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  2. For biology learning assistants: Berland, L. K., & Reiser, B. J. (2009). Making sense of argumentation and explanation. Science Education, 93, 26-55.
  1. Reading reflection

Week 12, November 14: Nature of Science

EDCI488D Week 12.pptx

  1. Dunbar, K. (1999). How scientists build models: InVivo science as a window on the scientific mind. In L. Magnani, N. J. Nersessian, & P. Thagard (Eds.), Model-based reasoning in scientific discovery (pp. 85-99). New York, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
  1. Paper analyzing video of your interactions with students in class (3-credit students only)
  2. Reading reflection
  3. Questions for visitor
Week 13, November 21: NO CLASS (Thanksgiving break) None None
Week 14, November 28: Synthesis and Curricular Development None
  1. Bring activities you facilitated this semester that you think could benefit from alterations
  2. Final paper draft if interested in feedback
Week 15, December 5: Public Presentation None
  1. Final paper and poster presentation
  2. Note: Please plan to arrive early to help set up posters for the public presentation (around 4:30 PM if possible).  You will present your posters in [location TBA] from 5-7 PM.
  3. Note: Please make sure that you have turned in six field notes total by December 13 (the first day of final exams).