Students are encouraged to develop a set of scientific skills and disciplinary practices common across the STEM disciplines. These skills (scientific inquiry, quantitative skills, laboratory and computational skills, communication skills, teamwork/interpersonal skills, interdisciplinary competency) are highlighted as important in discipline-based…

Online software systems are extensively used to give students practice on course content, especially in mathematics and physics courses. They offer instant feedback, and several of these systems are open source or very economical compared with hiring graders for traditional paper-and-pencil-based homework (PPH). In this article, the authors…

We examined the use of an engineering learning cycle (ELC) model and in a course for K-8 inservice teachers for two purposes. First, we were interested in how the ELC would support teachers' science, mathematics, and engineering content knowledge. We were also interested in their confidence in their ability to adapt content for teaching using the…

In an effort to make mathematics relevant to biology students, the authors developed two modules that sought to integrate mathematics and ecology instruction to differing degrees. The modules were developed by a team of biology and mathematics educators and were implemented in an ecology course using three different instructional methods for three…

A phenomenographic study at a research university identified five categories of description for how STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) instructors conceptualize the design and redesign of undergraduate courses. These categories form a hierarchical outcomes space with increasing complexity of awareness of the phenomenon. The…

The purpose of this article is to describe a reform model of instructional collaboration, Japanese lesson study, which has been shown in previous research to enhance reform-based teaching. Japanese lesson study is a method of professional development in which teachers collaborate with peers and other specialists to improve teaching and learning.…

First-year experience courses, although common on university campuses, are conducted in a variety of formats. This article outlines strategies and activities used at a large urban commuter campus in a first-year experience sequence run by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics for the College of Science. The course, designed for freshmen…

This paper presents details about a summer instructional program created by physics graduate students who sought a chance to help students from the local community and to gain greater experience teaching science and math. The students initiated, designed, and conducted the program, which gave the instructors their first chance to independently…

To find out whether the education community shares a collective understanding about how students should be evaluated, we surveyed 202 educators (from all grade levels) and scientists attending assessment workshops (Pennsylvania, California, and Massachusetts) or judging a national student competition (Washington, DC). The educators and scientists…

This article investigates the mechanisms through which undergraduate research experiences for community college students can have second-order and multiplier effects on other students and home community college science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) departments and thus build STEM pipeline capacity. Focus groups with the science…

Many undergraduate students admit to having a fear of math courses. To address this issue, the authors created a learning community that teaches math content in the context of science. This paper outlines the positive learning and dispositional results of freshman enrolled in this unique interdisciplinary course. (Contains 5 tables.)

Both the National Science Education Standards (NSES) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) recommend appropriately incorporating mathematics into other disciplines (NRC 1996; NRC 2003; NCTM 2000). With this in mind, an interdisciplinary, inquiry-based project was undertaken to incorporate mathematical analysis of data into a…

Computer-assisted-instruction software was developed to supplement the conventional lecture-laboratory mode of instruction with another instructional aid for learning science in an individualized, nonthreatening environment. This development project was designed to teach physical concepts, mathematical techniques, and problem solving strategies.…

Describes a lecture/laboratory course that stresses physical experience and peer interaction in an inquiry-discovery format. The course is required of all incoming freshmen who are nonscience majors. Highlights of such course strategies as performing experiments that demonstrate physical properties before introducing mathematical concepts or…

Provides a listing of recently published books on problem solving and life skills. Reviews articles and ideas related to the teaching of problem solving. Discusses the instructional implications of research in cognitive psychology. (ML)