Darci Harland, author of the STEM Student Research Handbook, and Allison Hennings, high school teacher who teaches a year-long research course, gave this presentation at NSTA 2012. Tips for organization and assessment are included. Darci talked about how to provide meaningful feedback, how to support students working in groups, and tips for using technology. Allison discussed benefits and challenges to facilitating student research, tips on teaching the literacy aspects of science research, ideas on how to how to organize students, and then how to teach the process and final communication.

1. +
Implementing
STEM
Student
Research
Tips for Organization
and Assessment
Dr. Darci J. Harland
Mrs. Allison Hennings

2. + Topics We’ll Discuss
 Overview of the Handbook
 STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics) Research
 Tipson Organizing students in student-designed research
projects
 Deadlines
 Providing meaningful feedback
 Supporting students working in groups
 Using technology
 Teaching literacy aspects of research

3. +
Levels of Inquiry
Demo- Activity Teacher- Student-
nstration Initiated Initiated
Posing the Teacher Teacher Teacher Student
Question
Planning the Teacher Teacher Student Student
Procedure
Formulating Teacher Student Student Student
the Results
From: D. Llewellyn. 2002. Inquiry within: Implementing inquiry-based science standards. Thousand Oaks,
Corwin Press.

4. + About The
Handbook
Written directly to the
student
Geared to high school &
undergraduate students
“Teacher Cues”
Chapter Questions &
Chapter Applications
Sample rubrics
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology

5. + What is STEM Research?
Experiments conducted to address problems
in STEM fields that can be tested using the
scientific method.

6. + Providing Students with
Deadlines

7. +

8. +
Sample Deadlines
 Focusing Preliminary Research Ideas (SH#1)
 Research Design Table (SH#2)
 Background Research Questions (SH#3)
 Evidence of library background research
 Writing Hypotheses (SH#4)
 Research Proposal
 Organizing Laboratory Notebook

9. +
Sample Deadlines (cont.)
 Evidence of Data Collection
 Organize Data into Tables & Graphs
 Peer Editing of data tables & graphs (SH#5)
 Rough Draft of Paper
 Peer Editing of Paper (SH#6)
 Oral Presentation

10. + Providing Meaningful
Feedback

11. +
Tone of Feedback
Oral and Written
Supportive and Encouraging
Find positive things to say/write.
Don’t give them changes to make, ask them more
questions.

12. +
Types of Feedback
Checking for understanding
Checking for completion
Do Until Accepted (DUA)
Class Brainstorming
Peer Editing

13. + Support Students
Working in Groups

14. +
Tips For Successful Groups
Teach “functioning in a group”
Schedule Time for Group Meetings
 Determine strengths
 Assign tasks
 Write contract
 Use Technology

15. + Using Technology

16. +
Wikis
 Easily editable webpages
 Multiple contributors
 Upload files and images
 Tabs “behind the page”
 History-who made what edits
 Discussion

17. + Sample Wiki Homepage

18. + Editing a Wiki

19. +

20. +

21. + Using a Wiki for Grading

22. +
 Introduce Google Drive for sharing & collaboration
 Word Documents
 Excel spreadsheets
 Assignments
 Proposal (Word)
 Data recording (Excel)

23. + Using Google Drive for Grading

24. + Google Drive: Revision History

25. + Google Drive: Data Collection (Excel)

26. + Social Bookmarking
 Bookmark-online and share with others
 Mark up webpages,
 highlight
 make sticky notes
 Photo Sharing Websites
 Flicker, Picaso
 Share photos, tag them,

27. +
Teaching the Literacy
Components of Research

28. + Confidence to Teach Literacy
 Writing across the curriculum
 Science teachers teaching library research skills?
 Science teachers teaching note taking skills?
 Science teachers teaching writing skills?
 Talk to English department
 Work within the methods they use
 Documentation style (MLA/APA) & note taking strategies

29. + Background Research
 vs.
 Basic search engine vs. database search
 Identifying reliable resources
 Free Open Access
 Scholarly research articles for free!
 See pg. 39 for a listing

30. + Note Taking
 Havestudents write 5 overarching questions they will
need to answer
 Entity, independent variable, dependent variable, connections between the
2 variables
 Organize background research within these areas
 Old fashioned 3x5 notecards
 Research Pages
 Online
tools: Easybib, NoteStar, SpringNote,
Noodletools

31. + Scientific Writing
 Similar to writing in English class
 Proper grammar & spelling
 Topic Sentences & paragraph organization
 Transition words for organization
 Different than writing in English class
 Succinct writing is preferable

32. + Passive vs. Active Voice
Voice & Pronoun Sample Sentence
Active Voice “I will remove the ball
1st Person (Future tense) bearing.”
Active Voice “I removed the ball bearing.”
1st Person (Past tense)
Passive Voice “The ball bearing will be
No pronoun (Future tense) removed.”
Passive Voice “The ball bearing was
No pronoun (Past tense) removed.”
2nd Person “Remove the ball bearing.”
Directive (Assumed You)

33. + Summary: You CAN do this!
 Provide deadlines
 Give meaningful feedback
 Support students working in groups
 Allowtechnology to support students as they
collaborate and research
 Emphasize literacy aspects of the process.

34. +
Connect with Me!
Contact Info My Website
 http://www.STEMmom.
org
 drdjharland@gmail.com
 Twitter: #djSTEMmom

35. +
Mrs. Allison Hennings
Director of Student Research
Oak Park River Forest High School
Oak Park, Illinois

36. +
I.R.B.I. WHAT IS IT???
 Year Long Course  Original Research Project
 College Credit  Completely Open Inquiry
 Honors Course  Student Directed
 Junior/Senior  Research Book
 2 Previous Science Courses  Mentoring
 In School
 Strong Work Ethic  Out of School
 Laboratory
 Medical Center
 Industry
 Others

37. +
Benefits
 Self Confidence
 Public Speaking
 Writing/Information Fluency
 Collaboration
 Connections/Networking
 Scientific Thinking
 Competitive Edge
 Face Time & Think Time
 Next Generation Science Standards

38. +
Challenges
 Time
 Energy
 Safety
 Cost
 Varying Abilities
 Managing Competitiveness with
Collaboration
 When to “Jump Ship”

39. +
Follow Up Possibilities
 Internships
 Volunteer Opportunities
 Paid Positions
 Universities and Beyond
 -2nd year course
 Summer Course in Advanced Biomedical
Methodology
 – co-taught in collaboration with a local university

40. +
Writing the Literature Review
 Hook
 Background Knowledge
 Principles, Theories, Practices and Techniques
 Independent and Dependent Variables
 Reliability
 Bias/ Strengths or Weaknesses
 Analyze Articles
 Trends
 30 Primary Sources
 Average Length 7-10 pages

41. +
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
 Online Database Access-
 High School
 Partner University
 Easy Bib
 Binder

42. +
Works Cited

43. +
Reading the Literature Review
 ~1 Hour Each- Multiple Drafts
 Many Comments/Suggestions
 Writing Expert Consultation
 Redefining
 High Expectations
 Various Backgrounds
 Read Aloud
 Citations
 Synthesis
 Clear Picture

44. +
Research Proposal
 Formal Typed
 Submitted to Internal Review Board and College
 Helps to Focus Research
 Identifies Pitfalls
 Money
 Safety
 Time
 Scope

45. +
Finding a Mentor
 List
of Local Mentors- Approved
 Universities
 Medical Centers
 Industry
 Person Connections
 New Mentors- Pending Approval
 Validity
 Safety

46. +
Drafting the Mentor Email
 Proper Title
 Explanation of Student Background
 Clear Identification of Need (time, scope, level)
 Reference to Published Work
 Previewed
 Monitored
 School Email Only
 Mentoring Guidelines
 Safety Protocol
 Permissions

47. +
Cost Analysis
 “Grocery List”
 Materials
 Consumables
 Non-consumables
 Vendor Comparison
 Collaborative Bargaining
 Fund Management
 Fundraising –
 Blog
 Event
 Sponsor

48. +
Keeping a notebook
 Encourages Academic Honesty
 Does Not Leave the Lab
 Written in Pen
 Journal Each Day
 Periodically Checked

49. +
Statistical Analysis of Data
 Basic Understand
 Excel
 Standard Deviation
 Standard Error Bars
 Chi-Square
 ANOVA
 Linear Regression
 T-Test

50. +
Writing a Paper
 Title Page
 Table of Contents
 Acknowledgements
 Purpose and Hypotheses
 Abstract
 Lit Review
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Data
 Conclusion & Works Cited

51. +
Making a Poster
 On Paper
 Online Template
 Edit
 Collaboration
 Professional Poster Printer

52. +
Preparing a Power-Point
 10-12 min Power Point
 Limit Text
 Pictures of Students in
Action
 Make the Story Personal
 Prepare for Defense
 Reference to Literature

53. +
Public Speaking
 Body Language
 Voice
 Eye Contact
 Interest
 Practice
 Collaboration

54. +
Guided to Success…
 Re-direct Scope to Eliminate Frustration and Failure
 Don’t Say “No”- Unless….
 Creative Thinking and Redirection
 Embrace Their Passion
 Don’t Project Personal Ambition or Interests
 Be Open to Learning and Saying “ I have no idea”

55. +
My Contact Information:
Mrs. Allison Hennings
R.N., B.S.N., M.A.T.
Oak Park River Forest High School
ahennings@oprfhs.org