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1. TA Coaches in the Mathematical Sciences: Exploring Their Roles and Their Perceptions

   Olson, Gary; Lanius, Melinda; Harrell-Williams, Leigh; Jacobson, Michael; Houston, Scotty; Shannon, David (February 2022, Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education)

   Karunakaran, Shiv Smith; Higgins, Abigail (Ed.)

   This poster focuses on the experiences of TA Coaches in a comprehensive graduate teaching assistant training program in mathematical sciences that was designed and refined at one institution and is being replicated at two peer institutions. During program development, TA coaches were tasked with working with GTAs teaching recitation sections of college algebra and calculus I to facilitate active learning pedagogy and were asked to free-form journal about their experience. At the two institutions replicating the program, the duties changed to support the structure and needs of each department. Recent TA coaches at the three institutions participated in interviews about their experiences. This poster summarizes the roles of the TA Coaches across the three universities and explores their perceptions of the unique benefits that the TA coach role provides to the GTAs they assist and their own instructional experiences. 

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2. r-Process Sites, their Ejecta Composition, and their Imprint in Galactic Chemical Evolution

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1668/1/012044  

   Thielemann, Friedrich-Karl; Wehmeyer, Benjamin; Wu, Meng-Ru (October 2020, Journal of Physics: Conference Series)

   null (Ed.)
3. How do students perceive their own and their peers' progress in e-learning?

   https://doi.org/10.1108/IJILT-05-2020-0073  

   Somyürek, Sibel; Brusilovsky, Peter; Çebi, Ayça; Akhüseyinoğlu, Kamil; Güyer, Tolga (November 2020, The International Journal of Information and Learning Technology)

   null (Ed.)

   Purpose Interest is currently growing in open social learner modeling (OSLM), which means making peer models and a learner's own model visible to encourage users in e-learning. The purpose of this study is to examine students' views about the OSLM in an e-learning system. Design/methodology/approach This case study was conducted with 40 undergraduate students enrolled in advanced programming and database management system courses. A Likert-type questionnaire and open-ended questions were used to obtain the students' views. System usage data were also analyzed to ensure the richness and diversity of the overall data set. Findings The quantitative data of the students' views were analyzed with descriptive statistics; the results are presented as graphics. The qualitative data of the students' views were examined by content analysis to derive themes. These themes are organized into four subtopics: the students' positive views, their negative views, their improvement suggestions and their preferences about using similar OSLM visualizations in other e-learning systems. The students' subjective views are discussed in the context of their recorded interactions with the system. Research limitations/implications Competition due to seeing peer models was considered by participants both as positive and negative features of the learning system. So, this study revealed that, the ways to combine peer learner models to e-learning systems that promote positive competition without resulting social pressure, still need to be explored. Practical implications By combining open learner models with open peer models, OSLM enhances the learning process in three different ways: it supports self-regulation, encourages competition and empowers self-evaluation. To take advantage of these positive contributions, practitioners should consider enhancing e-learning systems with both own learner and peer model features. Originality/value Despite increasing interest in OSLM studies, several limitations and problems must be addressed such as sparsity of data and lack of study of different contexts and cultures. To date, no published study in this area exists in Turkey. The purpose of this study is to fill this gap by examining OSLM features in an e-learning system from the perspectives of Turkish students by using both their system interaction data and their subjective views. 

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4. In Their Own Words: Nalini Nadkarni

   https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biab074  

   Verdier, James M (September 2021, BioScience)

   Abstract In Their Own Words chronicles the stories of scientists who have made great contributions to their fields. These short histories provide our readers a way to learn from and share their experiences. We will publish the results of these conversations in the pages of BioScience and on our podcast, BioScience Talks (http://bioscienceaibs.libsyn.com). This history is with Nalini Nadkarni, professor of biology at the University of Utah. 

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5. Tools in Their Toolbox: How Community College Faculty Transfer Industry Experience Into Their Teaching

   https://doi.org/10.1177/00915521211026677  

   Wagner, Brit; Zhu, Xiwei; Wang, Xueli (October 2021, Community College Review)

   Objective: This study is aimed at understanding the ways in which faculty at community colleges utilize their industry experiences to inform their teaching. Method: The research drew on Merriam’s basic qualitative approach in analyzing data from 14 semi-structured qualitative interviews. Results: Our findings expand upon prior research surrounding faculty development and community college faculty experiences. Our analysis revealed several themes in regard to how community college faculty with industry backgrounds follow diverse pathways leading to their teaching positions; how they teach using practical applications of concepts and sharing real-life examples; how they utilize their industry networks to enhance their academic programs and create practical opportunities for students; how they replicate workplace settings in their classrooms; and how they prepare students for their future careers. Contribution: Our study contributes new empirical evidence on the myriad ways in which faculty apply industry experiences in their instruction. The findings indicate that community colleges would benefit from offering targeted supports and pedagogical training for faculty with an industry background; encouraging faculty from all backgrounds and disciplines to share successful teaching strategies; and utilizing faculty members’ expertise, networks, and experiences from industry in mathematics-oriented classrooms. 

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