Bringing Research into Your Classroom

1. Bringing Research into Your Classroom Presenters: Chris Kim Cindy Shellito Chapman students present physical geology research projects to AP Environmental Science class, Orange High School

2. Why have your students do research in the classroom?

3. Considerations: • What types of projects lend themselves well to classroom research? • How much time will it take? • How much time do you have? • What are your students capable of doing? • What resources do you need? • What aspects of your own research can you bring into the classroom? • Can your students help you advance your research?

4. Tips for structuring a project for effective learning • Set well-defined goals – Make sure students see value in the project • Have students complete project in stages • Provide regular/frequent feedback • Anticipate setbacks • Incorporate some aspect of peer review or collaboration

5. Example 1: Involving students in your own research using a short assignment(Student analysis of climate data) Context: I have 4 recently completed climate modeling experiments that need analysis and comparison • Student Learning Objectives: • Students will be able to use a Linux command line editor and run pre-written shell scripts • Students will be able to create simple plots of an atmospheric field • Students will be able to identify key differences between two modeling experiments through examination of figures.

6. Example 1: Involving students in your own research using a short assignment(Student analysis of climate data) • Preparations: • I need to have scripts and data files ready to go – free of errors • Students need to know why the model experiments were run • I need to draft up some detailed instructions for processing the data AND what types of things they should be looking for. My hopes: (1) Someone will be interested enough to want to do more as independent study or as an undergrad research project! (2) Students will have a taste of what they might experience on a research project in the future.

7. Example 2: Term Research Project – Climate Modeling Context: Students test the limits of a new climate model that I am beginning to use for research. I know the model works, but I have not tested it extensively. • Learning Objectives;Students learn how to run a climate model and analyze results • Students understand how model works • Students be able to communicate their results “PLASIM”

8. Example 2: Term Research Project – Climate Modeling • Preparations: • I need to know the model works • I need to prepare detailed operating instructions • I need to be ready for problems (usually involve students not having read instructions) • Students need to know enough about the model to design an experiment that is feasible with the model, gives us insight regarding the model and regarding climate My hopes: Some of the experiments will provide insight regarding how I do my own research with this model. Some may even be used as control experiments. (2) I will learn much more about how the model works as a whole. (3) Students will learn how a single piece of the model works

9. Student-Initiated Research Projects in the Classroom What are some characteristics/considerations of student-initiated research projects? • .

10. Student-Initiated Research Projects in the Classroom • Can range from: • Intro to advanced/capstone level • Few weeks to full semester • Individual to group to full-class projects • Primarily student-initiated and designed • Greatly benefit from: • Multiple deadlines • Peer, professor feedback • Clear rubrics, templates and evaluation forms

11. Timeframes and Deadlines • Include in syllabus (with % grade allocation) • Clearly indicate timeframe of project • Provide multiple deadlines (with point allocations): • Project proposal/outline (suggesting >1 idea gives more flexibility) • Detailed experimental method • Initial results • Full draft • Final report/presentation • Additional updates as necessary • TEMPLATES can help considerably!

14. The value (and effort) of revisions • Students’ experience with writing (reports) ≠ the real academic writing process • Revisions: • Reflect actual scientific writing • Provide a more sophisticated, higher quality result • Take proportionally much more time • Can leverage peer evaluations to lessen faculty time

15. Classroom research examples • Physical geology (General Education class): • “Work in groups of no more than 4 to develop and conduct a geologically-relevant experiment using techniques and concepts covered in ENV 111.” • Inorganic chemistry (majors course): • “You will be sampling water sources around Chapman University and analyzing them for dissolved metal content as a function of selected variables.” • Environmental science and policy capstone (senior project): See CURQuarterly online, Summer 2014 • “The goal of this senior capstone course will involve the design, research, analysis, presentation, and publication of Chapman University's first campus environmental audit.”

16. Chapman students present physical geology research projects to AP Environmental Science class, Orange High School

17. Chapman students present physical geology research projects to AP Environmental Science class, Orange High School

18. Inorganic Chemistry research poster

19. 1stenv. science senior capstone course Spr. 2013

20. Audit launch, Chapman Univ., May 2013 Audit presentation, CA Higher Education Sustainability Conference, UCSB, June 2013

21. Exercise • Turn to page 3-50 in your workbook • Complete 1st page, LAST question on 2nd page.

22. Presenting results: discussion • Oral vs. poster vs. paper • Peer evaluation vs. faculty evaluation • Internal presentations vs. to other groups (student research day, local high schools) • Individually vs. as a group