The intricacy of real-world challenges in project-based geoscience learning is complex to assess with a STEM approach; hence, research into an effective model is necessary to address current issues in education. Understanding the role of STEM in resolving challenging real-world issues requires integrating STEM literacy that is appropriate for…

In this work, we will describe a Peer Project Learning assignment focused on the STEM project-based learning activities where students build a custom board game with a series of constraints that guide them to learn (and later teach) about the main concepts of an electromagnetism physics course for undergraduate students.

Several new devices that demonstrate a variety of known phenomena in fluid dynamics are presented. These add on to a recent collection of demonstrations and follow the same design features as documented earlier (self-contained, easy to use, low cost). Descriptions are provided to enable replication by others, using readily available materials. The…

Photovoice is a type of participatory action research in which individuals document their experiences through photography. Through the taking, captioning, and reflecting on photographs that they have taken, participants are able to affect change within their communities. Participants also take part in an interview or focus group about their photos…

Using smartphones in experimental physics teaching offers many advantages in terms of engagement, pedagogy and flexibility. But it presents drawbacks such as possibly endangering the device and also facing the heterogeneity of available sensors on different smartphones. We present a low-cost alternative that preserves the advantages of…

Computation is intertwined with essentially all aspects of physics research and is invaluable for physicists' careers. Despite its disciplinary importance, integration of computation into physics education remains a challenge and, moreover, has tended to be constructed narrowly as a route to solving physics problems. Here, we broaden Physics…

Models are at the heart of any physics discipline, and in recent decades physics education has shifted heavily toward teaching students how to think using models. Involving students in an investigation of a real phenomenon through measurements and the applications of models is an ideal learning experience for a physics student and is the aim of…

Modeling, which is the process of constructing, testing, and refining models, is an important skill in experimental physics, and thus a learning goal of many physics laboratory classes. One promising approach to help students develop modeling skills is to incorporate multiweek student-designed projects into lab courses. In order to assess the…

Inquiry practices can be integrated into various settings that differ in terms of their constraints and hence in the scope and depth of the practices that students experience. Key policy papers suggest implementing a gradual learning sequence for inquiry practices so that students' learning experiences in more constrained settings can serve them…

A self-avoiding walk (SAW) is a sequence of moves on a grid that does not visit the same point more than once. SAWs are used to study how networks form, including social networks, biological networks and computer networks, and have provided inspiration to scientists, artists and designers. Here we describe a collaborative project which aims to…

Many schools are gaining interest in maker-centred teaching and learning practices aimed at promoting students' interest in STEM. Design and Technology (D&T) is a subject that promotes a variety of thinking skills such as design thinking, inquiry, creativity, as well as values through design-and-make projects. Despite earlier calls to…

Prior research has indicated that students in the undergraduate physics lab divide work inequitably with regard to gender. In this work, we further probed women's experiences in lab group work, focusing on women who take on managerial and leadership roles in the lab. We interviewed and surveyed women enrolled in a sophomore-level project-based lab…

This dissertation focuses on three manuscripts all related to bolstering science achievement through recommendations from the National Research Council (NRC) regarding the teaching and learning of science. The manuscripts address meeting the NRC's call to incorporate curriculum and assessment that lead to more in-depth knowledge that can be…

The purpose of this paper is to present five new devices that demonstrate a variety of flow phenomena in liquids and granular materials that exhibit fluid-like behavior. These devices complement and add on to a recent collection of demonstrations that was published in this journal. The devices are self-contained and portable, and can be utilized…

The damped harmonic oscillator physics problem is a standard oscillation problem in calculus physics for pre-engineering students in a community college. The use of alternative linear algebra eigenvalue stability method is consistent with the upper engineering courses using control theory. The external force and friction damping would become the…