Objectives. The goal of this paper is to introduce and describe a new introductory computer scien... more Objectives. The goal of this paper is to introduce and describe a new introductory computer science course. Research results from the implementation of this curriculum will be presented to demonstrate the nature of teachers’ experiences with the curriculum. Participants. Participants are teachers implementing the new curriculum at two schools in the metro Atlanta area. Study Method. This paper is partly descriptive, presenting the theory underlying the newly developed curriculum as well as its various features. An organizing framework, the Teacher Accessibility, Equity, and Content (TEC) rubric from Weintrop et al. (2019) [ 1 ], is used to structure the curriculum description. Teacher perceptions were gathered via both structured interviews and short online enactment surveys. These perceptions are summarized and presented thematically, corresponding to the features of the curriculum. Findings. A newly developed introductory computer science (CS) curriculum, Student-Centered Computin...
Background The Noyce Scholarship Program was created to attract and retain science, technology, e... more Background The Noyce Scholarship Program was created to attract and retain science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers in high-need schools. Teacher support networks, and specifically mentorship support, have been linked to increased retention of high-quality teachers in the classroom. Using a sample of Noyce teachers, we used a multilevel model to explore how the characteristics and composition of novice teachers’ support networks are related to the likelihood that they receive mentorship support, and further, how characteristics common among Noyce programs are related to mentorship support. Results Findings suggest that the characteristics and composition of a teacher’s network, as well as certain Noyce program characteristics, contribute to the likelihood that teachers receive mentorship support from their larger support network. Implications The results of this study highlight the importance of considering how the design of teacher preparation programs may ...
Sustaining shifts in science teaching through a research–practice partnership
School Science and Mathematics
This study examines shifts in science teachers' (N = 15) beliefs and practices within the con... more This study examines shifts in science teachers' (N = 15) beliefs and practices within the context of a research–practice partnership (RPP) that developed and implemented curriculum modules in middle school science classrooms. Interview, document, and observation data gathered over the course of the project indicate that the vast majority of teachers intended to continue using the curriculum modules in their classrooms for the foreseeable future. These data also documented potential shifts in teacher attitudes and practices inspired by the modules. Among teacher participants, there were clear examples of teachers modifying other lesson plans to resemble key components of the modules, using module implementation as a context for developing proficiency with inquiry‐oriented teaching, and revisiting or drawing connections to the modules when teaching other science content. The study also documented the typical sequence of shifts in teachers' beliefs and practices, with findings ...
Research in Practice: Preparing and Retaining K-12 STEM Teachers in High-Need School Districts
The purpose of our Noyce Track 4 research, funded in 2016, was to conduct an exploratory study in... more The purpose of our Noyce Track 4 research, funded in 2016, was to conduct an exploratory study investigating Noyce early career teachers’ retention in high-need schools. A sequential explanatory mixed-method design was used to investigate personal networks, teaching self-efficacy, and retention among a convenience sample of early career Noyce teachers from across the nation. The quantitative component of this study was guided by social network analysis (SNA). Based on network and graph theories, SNA is a method used to investigate and interpret patterns of social ties among network individuals. Additionally, a previously validated instrument and open-ended survey items were used to measure teaching self-efficacy. Following the survey, we conducted interviews with purposively selected teachers to follow-up on their experiences related to teaching self-efficacy, retention, and their Noyce programs. Our results showed that teachers who have more connected networks are more likely to re...
This study explores student agency in the context of a culturally authentic computer science (CS)... more This study explores student agency in the context of a culturally authentic computer science (CS) curriculum implemented in an introductory CS course in two high schools. Drawing on focus group and interview data, the study utilizes qualitative research methods to examine how students exercise critical agency as they engage in the course and how the curriculum supports student agency. Findings suggest three ways in which the curriculum served as a context for student agency: (1) gaining CS knowledge and skills that students then apply to address real-world needs and problems, (2) creating opportunities to “try-on” or improvise new identities and/or envision “future selves” in CS, and (3) engaging in personally relevant project work that leverages assets students brought to their experience with the curriculum. Implications for CS education research and practice are discussed.
Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER), 2022
Extant research and engineering education frameworks call for students to engage in personally me... more Extant research and engineering education frameworks call for students to engage in personally meaningful engineering projects; however, there are few case studies documenting the work of young engineers working to design solutions to real-world problems that matter to them. This qualitative case study describes the work of a purposively selected group of high school engineering students (the InvenTeam) (n = 15) as they devote a school year to a particularly ambitious invention project: designing and prototyping a device to mitigate deaths occurring when children are left unattended in hot cars. Utilizing cultural historical activity theory as a theoretical and analytical lens, the study triangulates observation, interview, and document data to describe elements of and tensions within the InvenTeam activity system. Data illustrate numerous ways in which invention afforded opportunities for students to apply science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) knowledge and practices and develop engineering identities. Additionally, data suggest that students' purposes for engaging in the project were dynamic, telescoping from individual, personal aspirations to expanded possibilities for economic and societal impact. Data also illustrate how students assumed defined yet flexible roles within the project's division of labor. Activity systems analysis revealed four main tensions within the InvenTeam activity system: sustaining motivation in the face of technical challenges, community expectations versus student goals, STEM knowledge/skills constrained by specialized roles, and the institutional norms of schooling versus the process of invention. Implications of the case study findings for engineering and invention at the high school level are discussed.
Advanced Manufacturing and Prototyping Integrated to Unlock Potential (AMP-IT-UP) is a National S... more Advanced Manufacturing and Prototyping Integrated to Unlock Potential (AMP-IT-UP) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded K-12 Math & Science Partnership (MSP) project with a goal of promoting math, science, and engineering learning through STEM integration-focused curricula. As part of this project, curriculum writers developed one-week modules providing instruction on a set of STEM practices within the context of the appropriate grade-level content. These STEM practices are Experimental Design, Data Visualization, and Data-Driven Decision Making; the emphasis of each of these practices is, respectively, the collection of data, the representation of data, and the use of data to support complex decision-making. Nine of these one-week modules were created in the science domain, one focused on each practice at grade levels 6, 7, and 8. A parallel set of nine modules in the math domain were also created. In this paper, we will focus on our assessment of the implementation of thes...
Performance assessment (PA) has been increasingly advocated as a method for measuring students’ c... more Performance assessment (PA) has been increasingly advocated as a method for measuring students’ conceptual understanding of scientific phenomena. In this study, we describe preliminary findings of a simulation- based PA utilized to measure 8th grade students’ understanding of physical science concepts taught via an experimental problem-based curriculum, SLIDER (Science Learning Integrating Design Engineering and Robotics). In SLIDER, students use LEGO robotics to complete a series of investigations and engineering design challenges designed to deepen their understanding of key force and motion concepts (net force, acceleration, friction, balanced forces, and inertia). The simulation-based performance assessment consisted of 4 tasks in which students engaged with video simulations illustrating physical science concepts aligned to the SLIDER curriculum. The performance assessment was administered to a stratified sample of 8th grade students (N=24) in one school prior to and following ...
Although teaching self-efficacy is associated with many benefits for teachers and students, littl... more Although teaching self-efficacy is associated with many benefits for teachers and students, little is known about how teachers develop a sense of efficacy in the early years of their careers. Drawing on survey (N =179) and interview (N= 10) data, this study investigates the sources of self-efficacy in a national sample of teachers who participated in the Noyce program. All teachers completed an online survey that included both the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Instrument and open-ended items prompting them to reflect on the sources of their self-efficacy. Ten teachers participated in semi-structured follow-up interviews. Enactive mastery experiences were the most common source of self-efficacy identified by teachers, followed by social persuasions and vicarious experiences. Physiological and affective states were identified infrequently and more often related to negative experiences that lowered self-efficacy than to positive experiences. Beginning teachers identified more negative enac...
2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings
Her research focuses on and often connects a range of topics within STEM/STEAM education includin... more Her research focuses on and often connects a range of topics within STEM/STEAM education including, engineering and STEM integration at the elementary and middle grades levels, project-based learning across STEM disciplines, college and career readiness, designbased implementation research, and STEM student and teacher self-efficacy. She received her B.A. from Pomona College and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Educational Studies from Emory University.
2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings
Her research focuses on project-based learning, STEM integration at the elementary and middle gra... more Her research focuses on project-based learning, STEM integration at the elementary and middle grades levels, design-based implementation research, and fidelity of implementation. Dr. Gale has a particular interest in project-based engineering in elementary school communities and the socio-cultural dimensions of pre-college engineering education. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Educational Studies from Emory University.
Her research focuses on project-based learning, STEM integration at the elementary and middle gra... more Her research focuses on project-based learning, STEM integration at the elementary and middle grades levels, design-based implementation research, and fidelity of implementation. Dr. Gale has a particular interest in project-based engineering in elementary school communities and the socio-cultural dimensions of pre-college engineering education. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Educational Studies from Emory University.
2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings
She earned her Ph.D. in Biophysics from the Johns Hopkins University and has been with CEISMC sin... more She earned her Ph.D. in Biophysics from the Johns Hopkins University and has been with CEISMC since 1996 developing and managing university-K-12 educational partnership programs. She currently leads up a team of educators and educational researchers who are exploring how to integrate science, mathematics and engineering within authentic school contexts and researching the nature of the resultant student learning.
Her research focuses on improving K-12 STEM education through research on curriculum development,... more Her research focuses on improving K-12 STEM education through research on curriculum development, teacher professional development, and student learning in integrated STEM environments. Her interests also include evaluation of K-12 STEM initiatives that target low income and minority students. Dr. Alemdar has experience evaluating programs that fall under the umbrella of educational evaluation, including K-12 educational curricula, K-12 STEM programs after-school programs, and comprehensive school reform initiatives. She received her Ph.D. in Research, Measurement and Statistics from the Department of Education Policy at Georgia State University (GSU).
2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings
Her research focuses on project-based learning, STEM integration at the elementary and middle gra... more Her research focuses on project-based learning, STEM integration at the elementary and middle grades levels, design-based implementation research, and fidelity of implementation. Dr. Gale has a particular interest in project-based engineering in elementary school communities and the socio-cultural dimensions of pre-college engineering education. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Educational Studies from Emory University.
BackgroundIncreased emphasis on accountability in education reform and evidence-based practices u... more BackgroundIncreased emphasis on accountability in education reform and evidence-based practices underscores the need for research on the implementation of K-12 curricular innovations. However, detailed accounts of research examining fidelity of implementation for K-12 STEM curricula remain relatively scarce. This paper illustrates the application of one frequently cited framework for exploring fidelity of implementation, the innovation implementation framework. The paper describes how this framework was applied to identify and describe the implementation of critical components of a newly developed middle school STEM curriculum.ResultsDrawing on classroom observations, student interviews, and teacher interviews, the paper provides illustrative findings and practical examples of methodology and instruments employed over the course of a 2-year study of curriculum implementation. The paper discusses three ways in which the innovation implementation framework enhanced our understanding o...
International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 2018
Engineering and integrated STEM experiences are being promoted at the K-12 level to increase inte... more Engineering and integrated STEM experiences are being promoted at the K-12 level to increase interest and retention in STEM and to reinforce learning of mathematics and science content. However, research is still emerging regarding best practices for curriculum development, student impacts, and transfer of knowledge across disciplines. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of middle school engineering curriculum on students' academic achievement in science and mathematics and also on non-cognitive skills such as student engagement and self-efficacy in academics. Specifically, the Engineering Design Process (EDP) conceptual model is used as a framework for the engineering curriculum, which is also grounded in Problem-Based Learning (PBL) practices while integrating science practices and foundational mathematics. Participants include 6 th -8 th grade students at four public middle schools in Georgia. The research results show that students who have taken at least two engineering courses show statistically significant gains on state-level standardized science and mathematics tests over those students who were never enrolled in these courses. Further, the results show a statistically significant increase in cognitive and behavioral engagement in STEM and science interest. The results of this study support the idea that enabling students to practice their science and mathematics skills and knowledge within the context of interesting and engaging middle school engineering classes can significantly benefit both their engagement in STEM and their academic achievement.
Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER), 2018
With the inclusion of engineering disciplinary core ideas (DCIs), the Next Generation Science Sta... more With the inclusion of engineering disciplinary core ideas (DCIs), the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) position engineering as a new priority in K-12 science classrooms. This paper reports findings from the implementation of SLIDER, a problem-based learning 8th grade physical science curriculum that integrates engineering and physical science core ideas. As a culminating engineering design challenge, the SLIDER curriculum asks students to apply their understanding of energy, motion, and forces to design an automatic braking system for a robotic truck. The paper describes the curriculum and synthesizes findings from an array of data sources including student design interviews, written design recommendations, engineering notebooks, pre-and post-assessments, and teacher interviews to address two research questions: (1) To what extent and in what ways do students participating in the SLIDER curriculum engage in NGSS engineering DCIs: defining problems, developing solutions, and optimizing solutions? ( ) To what extent and in what ways do students draw upon their understanding of science concepts as they engage in engineering design? Findings indicate variations in the degree to which students participating in the SLIDER curriculum engaged across the three NGSS engineering DCIs, with students generally demonstrating competency with regard to identifying and delimiting the engineering problem (ETS1.A) and, to varying degrees, developing solutions (ETS1.B) but experiencing more challenges engaging in the optimization of design solutions (ETS1.C). Findings also illustrate the degree to which students were able to apply their knowledge of relevant physical science core ideas (e.g., friction, force) as they developed and communicated their solutions. Implications of the findings for instruction, curriculum development, and assessment are discussed.
Recent reforms in science education worldwide include an emphasis on engineering design as a key ... more Recent reforms in science education worldwide include an emphasis on engineering design as a key component of student proficiency in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines. However, relatively little attention has been directed to the development of psychometrically sound assessments for engineering. This study demonstrates the use of mixed methods to guide the development and revision of K-12 Engineering Design Process (EDP) assessment items. Using results from a middle-school EDP assessment, this study illustrates the combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques to inform item development and revisions. Overall conclusions suggest that the combination of quantitative and qualitative evidence provides an in-depth picture of item quality that can be used to inform the revision and development of EDP assessment items. Researchers and practitioners can use the methods illustrated here to gather validity evidence to support the interpretation and us...
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Papers by Jessica Gale