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1. Dynamical Systems and Mathematical Practices for Future Secondary Teachers

   Cruz, G; Santos, J; Fortune, N; Carney, D; Rasmussen, C (February 2024, Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education)

   Cook, S; Katz, B; MooreRusso, D (Ed.)

   The relevance of upper division mathematics courses for future secondary teachers is a longstanding thorny issue. Suggested improvements include capstone courses and revised upper division content courses to explicitly address future teachers’ relevant secondary mathematics content knowledge, beliefs about teaching and learning, and experience with learning mathematics while engaging in authentic mathematical practices. In this report, we investigate prospective teachers’ reflections on their opportunities in an upper division Inquiry-Oriented Dynamical Systems course to engage in the eight Common Core State Standards for Mathematical Practice. Analysis of students’ self-reported engagement in the eight Practices revealed five practices that strongly resonated with them and the various ways that their experiences in an inquiry-oriented classroom supported meaningful and powerful engagement in these Mathematical Practices. We conclude with implications for practice. 

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2. Implementing a course-based authentic learning experience with upper- and lower-division physics classes

   https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0137141  

   Jensen, Mikkel Herholdt; Morris, Eliza J.; Ray, M. W. (September 2023, American Journal of Physics)

   We describe a dual-class authentic learning experience (ALE) in which undergraduate upper-division physics students develop low-cost instruments, which are then used by students in a lower-division course to monitor water quality in rivers. The ALE bridges the experiences of lower- and upper-division physics majors by involving students across different stages of their college careers in a collaborative project. Lower-division physics students characterize, calibrate, and troubleshoot the instrument prototypes developed by their upper-division peers, and their work informs instrument modifications in future upper-division physics classes. This paper describes the first iteration of this project along with student perceptions. We find that lower-division students report an increase in their awareness of possible upper-division projects, an increased sense that their coursework has real-world applications, and a heightened understanding of how physicists can play a role in research on environmental issues. 

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3. Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences in a Chemical Engineering Laboratory Promote Consequential Agency

   https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00582  

   Wilson-Fetrow, Madalyn; Svihla, Vanessa; Burnside, Brandon; Datye, Abhaya (October 2023, Journal of Chemical Education)

   While students can learn both chemistry content and inquiry practices by participating in course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), it is well documented that prior experiences shape perception. We conducted a case study to investigate students’ first experiences with a CURE in an upper-division chemical engineering laboratory course, drawing upon interviews (n = 6), field notes, and written reflections (N = 31). We used discourse analysis to characterize students’ agency as they navigated their uncertainty and made sense of the authentic research. We found that students’ past experiences shaped their expectations about the CURE, with some wishing for traditional learning supports misaligned to CUREs. Offering students constrained yet consequential agency allowed them to recognize the authentic supports that were available, including help-seeking as itself a form of agency; understand failure as endemic to research rather than their own shortcoming; and position themselves as capable of navigating the uncertainty as a community of researchers. Our results suggest that instructors should model uncertainty and failure as endemic to research and position students as valued collaborators and support for overcoming abundant prior experiences with cookbook-style experiments. 

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4. Qualitative graphing in an authentic inquiry context: How construction and critique help middle school students to reason about cancer

   https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21533  

   Matuk, Camillia; Zhang, Jiayuan; Uk, Irina; Linn, Marcia C. (February 2019, Journal of Research in Science Teaching)

   Abstract Inquiry instruction often neglects graphing. It gives students few opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to take advantage of graphs, and which are called for by current science education standards. Yet, it is not well known how to support graphing skills, particularly within middle school science inquiry contexts. Using qualitative graphs is a promising, but underexplored approach. In contrast to quantitative graphs, which can lead students to focus too narrowly on the mechanics of plotting points, qualitative graphs can encourage students to relate graphical representations to their conceptual meaning. Guided by the Knowledge Integration framework, which recognizes and guides students in integrating their diverse ideas about science, we incorporated qualitative graphing activities into a seventh grade web‐based inquiry unit about cell division and cancer treatment. In Study 1, we characterized the kinds of graphs students generated in terms of their integration of graphical and scientific knowledge. We also found that students (n = 30) using the unit made significant learning gains based on their pretest to post‐test scores. In Study 2, we compared students' performance in two versions of the same unit: One that had students construct, and second that had them critique qualitative graphs. Results showed that both activities had distinct benefits, and improved students' (n = 117) integrated understanding of graphs and science. Specifically, critiquing graphs helped students improve their scientific explanations within the unit, while constructing graphs led students to link key science ideas within both their in‐unit and post‐unit explanations. We discuss the relative affordances and constraints of critique and construction activities, and observe students' common misunderstandings of graphs. In all, this study offers a critical exploration of how to design instruction that simultaneously supports students' science and graph understanding within complex inquiry contexts. 

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5. Physically Disabled Students in Summer Undergraduate Research Environments

   https://doi.org/10.1109/TE.2021.3101401  

   Schearer, Eric; Reinthal, Ann; Jackson, Debbie (August 2021, IEEE Transactions on Education)

   Contribution: This study uncovered specific benefits, challenges, and facilitators to participating in undergraduate research for physically disabled students (PDSs) taken directly from students themselves. Background: Disabled students (DSs) earn bachelor's degrees and gain employment in STEM careers at rates lower than their peers. The paradigm shift in undergraduate STEM education from lecture-based to inquiry-based learning is an opportunity to explore new options for including DSs. Little is known about designing inquiry-based learning settings for DSs. Research Question: This article seeks to increase the understanding of how to support PDSs in inquiry-based settings. Specifically, the authors documented the experiences of PDS in a summer undergraduate research program to uncover: 1) benefits they receive from participating; 2) specific challenges these students face; and 3) novel ways to facilitate participation. Methodology: The authors conducted semistructured interviews of five undergraduate PDS, who participated in a summer research program. The paper reports representative student responses across themes related to benefits, challenges, and facilitators of success in the program. Findings: The students enjoyed many benefits typically gained from undergraduate research, most notably career clarification. Additionally, the students experienced personal growth, including improved self-advocacy, increased confidence in their independence, and greater understanding of limitations. The main facilitator was the positive attitudes of research mentors. A principal challenge was the lack of knowledge about disability in peers without disabilities who participated in the program. 

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