Grant # STEM Modeling: Content and Practice David Erickson, PI, LABT Katie Kinney, Noyce Scholar, Biology Alan Marr, Noyce Scholar, Biology Wes Cratty, Noyce Scholar, Mathematics and Computer Science Western Regional Noyce Conference San Diego, CA 14 November 2015.

Grant # Session Overview LABT grant – Learning Assistant Model of Practice Kaite’s LA Experience Alan’s LA Experience Wes’ distance-time real time app – Mathematical Modeling Questions

Grant # UM LA Experience: The Classroom Broad overview of science –exploring major core concepts –only required lab science course Only elementary education majors – students at varying stages in teaching program

Grant # UM LA Experience: The Goals Facilitate learning of major science concepts Encourage higher- order questions that can be used in the classroom Encourage students to teach science in their classrooms To “change the culture” of education in college classrooms

Grant # UM LA Experience: The Lessons The validity of the Noyce model in a college classroom: few opportunities to facilitate discussion in a lecture class professor preference Resistance to teaching Science in elementary school classrooms: “too hard” “not enough resources” not enough science education at the college level

Grant # UM LA Experience: The Next Steps Resistance to teaching Science in elementary school classrooms: Available resources Peer mentoring The validity of the Noyce model in a college classroom: TAs and Professors Lectures and Labs

Grant # Lecture vs. Laboratory Settings Introductory Biology Course –Lecture setting: I regularly attended the lecture component of class to maintain notes and keep on track with the professor –Lab setting: I helped in 4 different lab sections weekly and reinforced my knowledge as a learning assistant

Grant # The Lecture Setting The instructor –was very willing to collaborate, and –still has room for change. I was able to –hold review sessions before exams, and –find these beneficial for students that attended. I was unable to answer all the questions that the students asked.

Grant # The Laboratory Setting A much different experience! I was able to help answer questions for the students and even lead some of the activities. Additionally, many students were just interested in getting in and out, not diving deeper into the content.

Grant # Overall For Me Being an LA in the lecture setting ●Not very effective because of resistance from professors ●Not able to discuss material in the classroom Being an LA in the laboratory setting ●Better than lecture, but engaging students becomes the challenge ●Excluded from TA/lab prep meetings

Grant # LA Experience Conclusion How do we get professors more involved in teaching? How do we get students more interested in their learning? What resources or activities can we provide for teachers to further their students’ understanding of STEM concepts?

Grant # Why practice Mathematical Modeling? When will I ever use this in the real world? Mathematical Modeling helps us to understand our world in new ways. “Mathematical modeling is the standard where mathematics and science meet”(Meyer, 2015).

Grant # Common Core Modeling Content Standards (1) Understanding problems: identifying variables (2) formulating a model (3) performing operations on these relationships (4) interpreting the results (5) validating the conclusions (6) reporting on the conclusions

Grant # How can we fill in the gaps? *1 Performing calculations and interpreting are covered in the textbooks... but what about the others?

Grant # Why do we avoid modeling? It’s time consuming. –It takes a lot of class time to gather and filter data. It’s messy. –Data is often difficult to organize, missing points, outliers etc.

Grant # Modeling Application Can we cover the modeling cycle with an app?

Grant # Functional Requirements Provide a way to gather data quickly Gather Distance, Velocity, and Acceleration versus Time data Ability to view data (instant feedback) Ability to repeat experiment Ability to save and export data to csv file

Grant #

(1) Quickly gather data Students use their own smartphone to gather data with their own body movements giving them a connection to the data.

Grant # (2) Display data to see of it is what we want Allows students to test their hypothesis quickly. – Does the graph look like I thought it would? This allows students to validate and re-test.

Grant # (2) Display data to see of it is what we want Allows students to test their hypothesis quickly. – Does the graph look like I thought it would? This allows students to validate and re-test.

Grant # (2) Display data to see of it is what we want Allows students to test their hypothesis quickly. – Does the graph look like I thought it would? This allows students to validate and re-test.

Grant # (2) Display data to see of it is what we want This is useful to test your understanding of a distance time graph.

Grant # (3) Export data (stretch goal) By exporting the data students can find a line of best fit which integrates many mathematical skills with data they created.

Grant # What Questions Can we ask? Where is the point of inflection?

Grant # What Questions Can we ask? Where is the point of inflection? What is happening in regard to the concavity?

Grant # What Questions Can we ask? Where is the point of inflection? What is happening in regard to the concavity? When is acceleration occurring?

Grant # What Questions Can we ask? Where is the point of inflection? What is happening in regard to the concavity? When is acceleration occurring? What were you doing at each of those times?

Grant # Big Sky High School

Grant # Big Sky High School

Grant # Conclusions The ability to model gives value to the mathematical process. Modeling activities exemplify the LA model in labs and lectures. LA and Educator collaboration is critical.

Grant # Works Cited Meyer, D. (2015). Missing the Promise of Mathematical Modeling. The Mathematics Teacher, pp

Grant # Questions

Grant # Contact David Erickson,