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Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering This PDF is available from The National Academies Press at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13362 Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering ISBN Susan R. Singer, Natalie R. Nielsen, and Heidi A. Schweingruber, Editors; 978-0-309-25411-3 Committee on the Status, Contributions, and Future Directions of Discipline-Based Education Research; Board on Science Education; 282 pages Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; National 6 x 9 PAPERBACK (2012) Research Council Visit the National Academies Press online and register for... Instant access to free PDF downloads of titles from the NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL 10% off print titles Special offers and discounts Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the National Academies Press. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Request reprint permission for this book Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering DISCIPLINE!BASED EDUCATION RESEARCH Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering Committee on the Status, Contributions, and Future Directions of Discipline-Based Education Research Board on Science Education Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Susan R. Singer, Natalie R. Nielsen, and Heidi A. Schweingruber, Editors Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Govern- ing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineer- ing, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropri- ate balance. This study was supported by Contract/Grant No. 0934453 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on the Status, Contributions, and Future Directions of Discipline-Based Education Research. Discipline-based education research : understanding and improving learning in undergraduate science and engineering / Susan R. Singer, Natalie R. Nielsen, and Heidi A. Schweingruber, editors. ; Committee on the Status, Contributions, and Future Directions of Discipline-Based Education Research, Board on Science Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council of the National Academies. pages cm Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-0-309-25411-3 (paperback) — ISBN 0-309-25411-6 (paperback) 1. Science—Study and teaching (Secondary)—United States. 2. Engineering—Study and teaching (Secondary)—United States. 3. Science—Study and teaching (Higher)—United States. 4. Engineering—Study and teaching (Higher)—United States. 5. Universities and colleges—Curricula—United States. I. Singer, Susan R., editor. II. Nielsen, Natalie R., editor. III. Schweingruber, Heidi A., editor. IV. Title. Q183.3.A1N3585 2012 507.1’173—dc23 2012027266 Additional copies of this report are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu. Copyright 2012 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America Suggested citation: National Research Council. (2012). Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering. S.R. Singer, N.R. Nielsen, and H.A. Schweingruber, Editors. Com- mittee on the Status, Contributions, and Future Directions of Discipline-Based Education Research. Board on Science Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Acad- emy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineer- ing programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is presi- dent of the National Academy of Engineering. The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Insti- tute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sci- ences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Coun- cil is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council. www.national-academies.org Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS, CONTRIBUTIONS, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS OF DISCIPLINE-BASED EDUCATION RESEARCH SUSAN R. SINGER (Chair), Department of Biology, Carleton College ROBERT BEICHNER, Office of the Provost and Department of Physics, North Carolina State University STACEY LOWERY BRETZ, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University MELANIE COOPER, Department of Chemistry, Clemson University SEAN DECATUR, Department of Chemistry, Oberlin College JAMES FAIRWEATHER, Department of Educational Administration, Michigan State University KENNETH HELLER, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota KIM KASTENS, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University MICHAEL E. MARTINEZ, Department of Education, University of California, Irvine DAVID MOGK, Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University LAURA R. NOVICK, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University MARCY OSGOOD, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of New Mexico TIMOTHY F. SLATER, College of Education, University of Wyoming KARL A. SMITH, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota and School of Engineering Education, Purdue University WILLIAM B. WOOD, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado NATALIE R. NIELSEN, Study Director HEIDI A. SCHWEINGRUBER, Board Deputy Director MARTIN STORKSDIECK, Board Director MARGARET L. HILTON, Senior Program Officer ANTHONY BROWN, Senior Program Assistant DOROTHY MAJEWSKI, Senior Program Assistant (until January 2011) REBECCA KRONE, Program Associate v Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering BOARD ON SCIENCE EDUCATION HELEN R. QUINN (Chair), Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Stanford University PHILIP BELL, Learning Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle (until May 2011) GEORGE BOGGS, American
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