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 Education Research
Research activity conducted by the Center for Integrating Research and Learning focuses on current policy and pedagogical issues affecting science teachers and science learning at all educational levels. The center also studies the effects of professional development on teacher practice. The office staff has conducted research and program evaluation on all of our programs. Click on a link below for more details on related research:
Research Experiences for Teachers
Although considerable resources have been expended in providing RET programs, there is little research investigating the effectiveness of such programs in terms of teacher knowledge, teaching practices, or subsequent student learning. The RET program is funded by the National Science Foundation. This program offers K-12 teachers the opportunity to experience the research environment here at the Lab. Learning with the support of their peers and instructed by some of the finest engineers and scientists in their fields, these RET participants enjoy the chance to dig deep into a project that will enrich their future studies and careers.
The RET program is characterized as a traditional RET in which teachers are placed in individual faculty laboratories to participate in on-going research. Participants in this program come together daily for discussion and activities focused on pedagogical issues. The researchers are examining the impact of these programs on teacher knowledge and practices, professional development and retention, and student learning. The research purpose is to provide a deeper and more generalizable knowledge of the necessary features of RET. Broadly, the research goals are to:
- analyze the essential features of RET programs
- examine participants’ understanding and enactment of inquiry
- study interactions with the personal characteristics of participants
- assess the influence of inquiry teaching on student learning in science
RET Research Projects
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Project:
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The Effects of RET experiences on teachers’ development as leaders (2011-present) |
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Researcher:
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Roxanne Hughes
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Description:
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This study focuses on the role that the MagLab’s RET program and other professional development have had on teachers’ role as leaders in their schools, districts, and profession. The study focuses on all RET participants to determine how RET differs from other professional development and role this has in their leadership. |
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Project:
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The Effects of RET experiences on teachers’ perceptions of science (2009-2011) |
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Researchers:
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Roxanne Hughes, Kristen Molyneaux, Patricia Dixon
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Description:
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This study focuses on the mentor relationships between science teachers and their scientist mentors in a summer Research Experience for Teachers program at a United States national laboratory facility. Using mixed methods, the authors surveyed and interviewed (semi-structured) the eleven participating teachers before and after the program. The authors also observed the teachers with their mentors each week. During these observations, three different types of mentoring relationships were observed. The authors highlight these through case studies of three teachers, each of whom experienced one of the three relationships. These case studies include their pre and post survey and interview data as well as classroom observations following the program. The results show that the mentoring relationship positively influences teachers’ views of scientific inquiry. The participating teachers felt a sense of membership in the science community as a result of the mentoring they received from their scientists and/or other members of their research group (i.e. graduate students, post doctorates). The three cases demonstrate that teachers felt a higher sense of ownership when they were "discovering" information that was new to their scientist or "translating" their work. All three types of mentoring relationships improved teachers’ understanding of scientific inquiry, which can translate into the classroom. |
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Citations:
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Hughes, R., Molyneaux, K. & Dixon, P. (2011). The Role of Scientist Mentors on Teachers’ Perceptions of the Community of Science during a Summer Research Experience. Research in Science Education, (DOI) 10.1007/s11165-011-9231-8.
Hughes, R., Enderle, P., Dixon, P. & Molyneaux, K. (2010, April-May). The Impact of Scientist Mentors on Teachers’ Perceptions of Science. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Denver, CO.
Saka Y., Golden B. & Hughes, R. (2008, March). Investigating Science Teachers’ Perceptions of Inquiry: The Impact of participation in RET’s on Such Notions. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Education Research Association, New York, NY.
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Project:
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Where Are They Now? Influences on Teaching Practices, Career and Professional Development (2007-2008) |
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Researchers:
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Margareta M. Pop, Patricia Dixon, Crissie Grove (2010) |
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Description:
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The purpose of this study is to investigate sustainable changes in teaching practices of science teachers as a result of their participation in a RET program. The study focus is on a group of RET participants (N=67) who attended the program at the Magnet Lab through Florida State University in the period 1999-2006. The study uses a mixed-methods approach; surveys and interviews are used to collect data. The purpose is to explore sustainable changes to participating science teachers years after attending the RET program. Such possible changes included: changes to classroom practices, increased participation in professional development, and teacher retention due to program participation. In addition to investigating issues related to changes of science teaching practices as a result of RET participation, other research and program evaluation projects are investigating the effectiveness of various educational programs offered by CIRL. |
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Citations:
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Dixon, P. & Wilke, R. (2007). The influence of a teacher research experience on elementary teachers’ thinking and instruction. Journal of Elementary Science Education, 19, 25-43.
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Project:
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Research Experiences for Teachers: Sustained Influences to Practice, Career, and Retention (2006-2007) |
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Researchers:
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Crissie Grove, Patricia Dixon |
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Description:
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This study was a pilot to a larger study to investigate sustainable changes to participating science teachers’ classroom practices, retention in the field, professional opportunities, and leadership roles resulting years after participation in a RET program. This pilot study investigated various changes to previous participants after attending an immersion-type of professional development program. This study focuses on a RET program that takes place in a national laboratory and pairs K-12 science teachers with mentor scientists to participate in all activities and experiments of the mentor scientist for six weeks during the summer. Previous studies suggest that this experience can have significant influences on teachers’ teaching of science, classroom beliefs, and confidence in teaching science (Dixon & Wilke, 2007; Grove & Dixon, 2007). This pilot study investigated any sustainable changes to participating science teachers years after attending the RET program. Such possible changes included: changes to classroom practices, increased participation in professional development, and teacher retention due to program participation. |
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Project:
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Research Experiences for Teachers: Influences Related to Expectancy and Value of Changes to Practice |
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Researchers:
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Crissie Grove, Patricia Dixon, Margareta Pop (2009) |
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Description:
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This qualitative study examines one professional development program and how this experience affects teachers’ thoughts about planning and science teaching practices specific to the elements focused on during the program (Loucks-Horsley, et al., 2003). The program supported 13 K-12 science teachers, selected from across the nation, to spend six weeks with a mentor scientist in a nationally recognized science laboratory. The RET program features are specifically designed to encourage reflective planning based on teachers’ understanding of inquiry, experimental design, the nature of science, process skills and communication. |
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Citations:
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Grove, C.M., Dixon, P.J. & Pop, M.M. (2009). Research experiences for teachers: Influences related to expectancy and value of changes to practice in the American classroom. Professional Development in Education, 35, 247-260.
Pop, M.M., Dixon, P. & Grove, C. (2010). Research experiences for teachers (RET): Motivation, expectation, and changes to teaching practices due to professional program involvement. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 21, 127-147
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Research Experiences for Undergraduates
The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program is also funded by the National Science Foundation. This program offers college students the opportunity to experience the research environment here at the Lab. College science and engineering majors are able to work with faculty at the Lab on their research projects. The Center has been studying the effects of the REU program on students’ persistence in science fields.
RET Research Projects
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Project:
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Where are they Now? The Effects of the NHMFL REU program on college students’ science identity and persistence (2008-present) |
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Researchers:
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Brandon Nzekwe, Patricia Dixon (Study in progress) |
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Description:
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The Where Are They Now REU study is continuing to gather data on our past REU participants and has established an ongoing and ever-growing social network for former participants to communicate with each other as well as with CIRL. Currently, we are working on a study that will not only gather the evaluative and academic/professional status information of former REU participants, but will focus on understanding how participants nurture their identity as a researcher/scientist by assuming these role-identities in a situated learning context. The goal of this pilot study is to develop a survey instrument that we can use across multiple REU programs for evaluation and comparison. |
Middle School Programs
CIRL runs a number of programs that focus on middle school students. This age is the time at which girls particularly are lost in the STEM pipeline. Informal education programs, including participating in research and seeing scientists conducting research, can improve students interest in STEM and keep them in the pipeline.
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Project:
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The Effects of Informal Educational Experiences on Middle School Students’ Perceptions of Science and Scientists |
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Researchers:
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Roxanne Hughes, Kristen Molyneaux, Patricia Dixon (2008-present) |
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Description:
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Each summer, members of CIRL staff study the effects of our middle school science camps on participants’ perception of science and scientists. Studies indicate that if adolescent students have a positive image of science and scientists and can see it as relevant to their lives, then they will be more likely to persist in these fields. Since 2008 the CIRL staff have given pre and post surveys to participants to measure changes in their perceptions of science and scientists. The researchers have also conducted interviews with participants to triangulate the survey responses. The results of this ongoing research indicate that the CIRL summer programs are making significant changes (as measured by t-tests) in the participants’ views of science and scientist, particularly with students from underserved populations.
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Citations:
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Hughes, R., Molyneaux, K., Nzewke, B. (Revise and Resubmit). The Single Sex Debate for Girls in Science: What role does pedagogy play in two informal science programs on middle school students’ perceptions of science and engineering. Journal of Research in Science Teaching.
Hughes, R. & Molyneaux, K. (Revise and Resubmit). Middle School Students’ Identity Negotiations Regarding Science and Engineering. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering.
Hughes, R. (2012, January). Trajectories of Science Identity Formation. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Science Teacher Education, Clearwater, FL.
Hughes, R. (2012, January). Liberatory Science Education in a Single Sex and a Coeducational Setting. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Science Teacher Education, Clearwater, FL.
Hughes, R., Molyneaux, K. & Dixon, P. (2011, April). How Informal Learning Environments affect Science Identity Formation in Middle School Students: A Comparison of Two Summer Camps. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.
Molyneaux, K., Hughes, R. & Dixon, P. (2011, April). Middle School Students’ Identity Negotiations Regarding Science and Engineering. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.
Hughes, R., Molyneaux, K. & Dixon, P. (2011, April). How do Minorities within the Minority Identify with Science and Engineering? A Focus on Middle School Students’ Identity Negotiations Regarding Science. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting for National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Orlando, FL.
Hughes, R. & Molyneaux, K. (2010, October). Female Minority Middle School Students’ Negotiations of Science Identity. Paper presented at the Annual Research on Women and Education Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
Hughes, R., Molyneaux, K. & Dixon, P. (2010, April-May). The Effects of an All-Girls’ Science Camp on Middle School Girls’ Perceptions of Science and the Nature of Science. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Denver, CO.
Hughes, R., Molyneaux, K. & Dixon, P. (2010, January). The Effects of an All-Girls’ Science Camp on Middle School Girls’ Perceptions of Science and the Nature of Science. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Science Teacher Education, Sacramento, CA.
Molyneaux, K., Hughes, R. & Dixon, P. (2010, March). Changes in Views of Scientists and the Nature of Science: A Case Study of a Middle School All Female Science Camp. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting for National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Philadelphia, PA.
Hughes, R. (2009, October). How Interactions with Scientists and their Careers affect Middle School Girls’ Perceptions of Science and Scientists. Paper presented at the Annual Research on Women and Education Conference, Birmingham, AL.
Hughes, R. (2009, April). Retention Policies and Practices for Women in Science: A Single Sex Camp and its Effects on Adolescent Women. Poster presented at the Annual American Educational Research Association Conference. San Diego, CA.
Hughes, R. (2008, November 6). The Effects of a Single Sex Science Camp: And It’s Implications for Similar Policies. Paper presented at the Annual Research on Women and Education Conference, Arlington, VA.
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Project:
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The Solar System: To the Planets, Comets and Beyond (2007-2008) |
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Researchers:
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Margareta M. Pop, Patricia Dixon |
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Description:
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The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of a series of workshops (The Solar System: To the Planets, Comets and Beyond!) offered by CIRL to practicing science teachers and educators from 2006-2007. The program’s mission is to help K-12 science teachers grow professionally and better serve their students. Participants were 34 elementary science teachers implementing a curriculum unit designed by a NASA Education and Public Outreach Grant to enhance science teaching at the elementary education level. An online survey, observation and focus group were used to collect data.
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Publications by Current CIRL Staff
Eve, R. A., Losh, S.C., & Nzekwe, B. (2010). Teaching Evolution in the Public School Science Classroom: Good Science Alone is Not Enough. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 3(2), 183-192. DOI 10.1007/s12052-010-0232-2.
Hughes, R., Molyneaux, K., & Dixon, P. (2011). The Role of Scientist Mentors on Teachers’ Perceptions of the Community of Science during a Summer Research Experience. *Research in Science Education, (DOI) 10.1007/s11165-011-9231-8.
Hughes, R. (2010). Keeping women in STEM fields. International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 2(3), 417-436.
Hughes, R. Are the predictors of women’s persistence in STEM painting the full picture? A series of comparative case studies. International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 3(3), 547-570.
Losh, S.C. & Nzekwe, B. (2011). Creatures in the Classroom: Preservice Teacher Beliefs about Fantastic Beasts, Magic, Extraterrestrials, Evolution and Creationism. Journal of Science and Education. In press DOI 10.1007/s11191-010-9268-5.
Losh, S.C. & Nzekwe, B. (2011). The Influence of Education Major: How diverse preservice teachers view pseudoscience topics. Journal of Science Education and Technology. Online first DOI 10.1007/s10956-011-9297-0.
Presentations by Current CIRL Staff
Hughes, R. (2011, September). The Current Status of Women and Girls in STEM. Research presentation given at the Tallahassee AAUW Annual Meeting, Tallahassee, FL.
Hughes, R. (2010, March). The Impact of Scientist Mentors on Science Teachers’ Perceptions of Science. Poster Presentation given at the 2010 Marvalene Hughes Research in Education Conference, Tallahassee, FL.
Hughes, R. (2009, March). Retention Policies and Practices for Women in Science. Presentation given at the 2009 Marvalene Hughes Research in Education Conference, Tallahassee FL.
Hughes, R. (2010, February). Women in Engineering Program Advocates Network Presentation at the Women Geo-Professionals Program held as part of the International Conference of the Association for Civil Engineers, Geo-Institute and Geo-Florida 2010 Conference , West Palm Beach, FL.
Villa, C.R. (2010, March). Tesla Tales: Take a journey through the history of electromagnetic discovery. Presentation at the Annual National Science Teachers Association Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
Villa, C.R. (2010, March). The Maglab Presents: The Attraction of Magnets. Presentation at the Annual National Science Teachers Association Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
For more information please contact Center Director Roxanne Hughes at hughes@magnet.fsu.edu or (850) 645-8179.
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Classroom Outreach
