Skip to main content

Enhancing STEM Education at OSU (ESTEME@OSU)

Enhancing STEM Education at OSU (ESTEME@OSU)

2014 - 2018

ESTEME@OSU was a project born out of action research and broadly implemented innovative evidence-based instructional practices - specifically, interactive engagement in lecture and formal cooperative learning in studio workshop laboratories - into core undergraduate courses in biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, and physics at OSU.

The transdisciplinary team from the OSU Colleges of Engineering, Education, and Science was supported through a grant from the National Science Foundation –The project had positive direct impacts on approximately 10,000 students, 50 faculty members, and 300 student instructors annually.

Ultimately, ESTEME@OSU resulted in enhanced infrastructure towards reform including improved professional networks, communities of practice, and measurement and processes related to student learning, retention, and learning related beliefs. The project provided the foundation for InclusiveExcellence@OSU led by the STEM Research Center in Collaboration with the College of Science, Center for Teaching and Learning, Office of Undergraduate Education, Linn-Benton and Lane Community Colleges.

Action Research Fellows

2017 – 2018 Fellows

  • Rebekah Elliot | Mathematics Education
  • Erin Glover | Mathematics Education
  • Donald Heer | Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Rachael Cate | Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Nathan L. Kirk | Integrative Biology
  • Lori J. Kayes | Integrative Biology
  • Natasha Mallette | Chemical, Biological, and Electrical Engineering
  • Christine Kelly | Chemical, Biological, and Electrical Engineering
  • Jennifer Parham-Mocello | Computer Science
  • Lyn Riverstone | Mathematics
  • Elizabeth Jones | Mathematics
  • Sara Clark | Mathematics
  • Katy Williams | Mathematics
  • KC Walsh | Physics
  • Paula Weiss | Chemistry
  • Kirsten Winters | Computer Science

2016 – 2017 Fellows

  • Tracy Arras | Civil and Construction Engineering
  • Brian Bay | Mechanical Engineering
  • Lindsay Biga | Integrative Biology
  • Devon Quick | Integrative Biology
  • Chong Fang | Physical Chemistry
  • Jennifer Parham-Mocello | Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Scott Peterson | Mathematics
  • Dan Rockwell | Mathematics
  • Nicole Seaders | Mathematics
  • KC Walsh | Physics
  • Aaron Worley | College of Engineering
  • Christine Kelly | College of Engineering

2015 – 2016 Fellows

  • Tracy Arras | Civil and Construction Engineering
  • Mary Beisiegel | Mathematics
  • Jeff Chang | Integrative Biology
  • Lori Kayes | Integrative Biology
  • Indira Rajagopal | Integrative Biology
  • Michael Burand | Chemistry
  • Margie Haak | Chemistry
  • Richard Nafshun | Chemistry
  • Scott Peterson | Mathematics
  • KC Walsh | Physics
  • Paula Weiss | Chemistry
  • Kristin Ziebart | Chemistry

Publications and Presentations

  1. Bouwma-Gearhart, J., Collins, J., & Ivanovitch, J. (2014). An Exploration of STEM Education Centers. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 3(18), 61–69.
  2. Bouwma-Gearhart, J., Perry, K., & Presley, J. (2014). Improving Postsecondary STEM Education: Strategies for Successful Interdisciplinary Collaborations and Brokering Engagement With Education Research and Theory. The Journal of College Science Teaching, 44(1), 40–47.
  3. Bouwma-Gearhart, J., Quardokus-Fisher, K., Sitomer, A., Little, D., Ivanovitch, J., Smith, C., & Koretsky, M. (2015). Design-Based Implementation Research to Study and Drive an Undergraduate STEM Education Improvement Project at Oregon State. 2015 Science and Math Teaching Initiatives National Conference.
  4. Bouwma-Gearhart, J., Sitomer, A., Quardokus-Fisher, K., Smith, C., & Ivanovitch, J. (2016). Studying Organizational Change and Learning: Rigorous Attention to Complex Systems Via a Multi-theoretical Research Model. National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST).
  5. Bouwma-Gearhart, J., Sitomer, A., Quardokus-Fisher, K., Smith, C., & Koretsky, M. (2016). Studying Organizational Change: Rigorous Attention To Complex Systems Via A Multi-theoretical Research Model. American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference.
  6. Cao, Y., & Koretsky, M. (2016). Better Questions for Peer Instruction [Poster]. Physics Education Research
  7. Cao, Y., & Koretsky, M. (2017). Shared Resources: Engineering Students’ Emerging Group Understanding of Thermodynamic Work [Poster]. Foundations and Frontiers of Physics Education Research Conference.
  8. Cao, Y., & Koretsky, M. (2018). Professional Development of Undergraduate Learning Assistants [Oral presentation]. American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) 2018 Winter Meeting.
  9. Cao, Y., Smith, C., Lutz, B., & Koretsky, M. (2018). Cultivating the Next Generation: Outcomes from a Learning Assistant Program in Engineering. American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference.
  10. Kayes, L., Quick, D., & Bennett, D. (2015). Using learning assistants to facilitate active learning in the very large lecture. Undergraduate Biology Education Research Gordon Research Conference.
  11. Keeler, J., Brooks, B., Gilbuena, D., Nason, J., & Koretsky, M. (2015). What’s Muddy vs. What’s Surprising? Comparing Student Reflections about Class. 2015 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition.
  12. Keeler, J. M., & Koretsky, M. D. (2016). Surprises in the Muddy Waters of High-Enrollment Courses. Journal of Chemical Education, 93(11), 1830–1838.
  13. Koretsky, M., Bouwma-Gearhart, J., Brown, S., Dick, T., Brubaker-Cole, S., Sitomer, A., Quardokus-Fisher, K., Ivanovitch, J., Risien, J., Kayes, L., & Quick, D. (2016). Enhancing STEM Education at Oregon State University- Year 2.
  14. Koretsky, M. D. (2015). Program level curriculum reform at scale: Using studios to flip the classroom. Chemical Engineering Education, 49, 47–57.
  15. Koretsky, M., Keeler, J., Ivanovitch, J., & Cao, Y. (2018). The role of pedagogical tools in active learning: A case for sense-making. International Journal of STEM Education, 5(1), 18.
  16. Little, D., Quardokus-Fisher, K., Brown, S., Koretsky, M., & Bouwma-Gearhart, J. (2015). Measuring Student Perceptions of Engineering Classroom Activities and the Use of Such Measures by Engineering Faculty. 2015 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition.
  17. Nafshun, R. (2016). The Determination of the Conceptual Literacy of General Chemistry Students by Topic. Northwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society.
  18. Quardokus-Fisher, K., Sitomer, A., Bouwma-Gearhart, J., & Koretsky, M. (2016). Institution-Based Instructional Improvement: Establishing Relational Expertise through Disciplinary Unit Social Network Analysis. National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) 2016 Annual International Conference.
  19. Quardokus-Fisher, K., Smith, C., Sitomer, A., Ivanovitch, J., Bouwma-Gearhart, J., & Koretsky, M. (2016). Identifying Features of Engineering Academic Units that Influence Teaching and Learning Improvement. American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference.
  20. Quick, D. (2014). A report of active learning approaches in the large enrollment, upper division science lecture using trained peer facilitators. CIRCLE Conference 2014: Integrating Cognitive Science with Innovative Teaching in STEM Disciplines.
  21. Risien, J. (2017). Action Research Fellowships: Communities of Practice in Support of Non-Tenure Track Faculty [Roundtable]. NSEC National Conference.
  22. Sitomer, A. (2015). Hanging out with scientists and engineers: What I am learning about mathematics. ORMATYC 2015: Oregon Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges.
  23. Sitomer, A., Smith, C., Bouwma-Gearhart, J., & Quardokus-Fisher, K. (2015). Crossing theoretical boundaries: Frameworks to promote and study STEM education organizations and improvement [Facilitated discussion]. Association of American Colleges & Universities STEM Conference, Crossing Boundaries: Transforming STEM Education.
  24. Sitomer, A., Smith, C., Quardokus-Fisher, K., & Koretsky, M. (2015). Enhancing STEM education: An example of design-based implementation research in higher education [Poster].
  25. Walsh, K. (2015). Do My Students Watch My Pre-Lecture Videos? [Poster]. American Association of Physics Teachers Oregon Chapter Fall Meeting.
  26. Weiss, P. (2016). Changes in Student Study Habits and Their Relation to Course Assignments [Poster]. Biennial Conference on Chemical Education.

Related Work

The work of this project was continued through the InclusiveExcellence@OSU project, supported by HHMI.

Project Team:

Beaver

Adam Lenz

Doctoral Student
ESTEME@OSU Project Team
Department of STEM Education

Adam Lenz

Doctoral Student
ESTEME@OSU Project Team
Department of STEM Education
Beaver

Ellen Aster

Department of STEM Education

Ellen Aster

Department of STEM Education
Milo Koretsky in front of a gray wall

Milo Koretsky

Professor
Department of Chemical, Biological, & Environmental Engineering

Milo Koretsky

Professor
Department of Chemical, Biological, & Environmental Engineering
Jana Bouwma-Gearhart outside

Jana Bouwma-Gearhart

Assistant Professor
Department of STEM Education

Jana Bouwma-Gearhart

Assistant Professor
Department of STEM Education
Shane Brown in front of gray background

Shane Brown

Associate Professor
Department of Civil and Construction Engineering

Shane Brown

Associate Professor
Department of Civil and Construction Engineering
Tom Dick in front of blue background

Tom Dick

Professor
Department of Mathematics

Tom Dick

Professor
Department of Mathematics
Victoria Bonebrake in a field of flowers

Victoria Bonebrake

Department of Museology

Victoria Bonebrake

Department of Museology
Julie Risien outside

Julie Risien

Polar STEAM, Director
Department of Office for Research Advancement

Julie Risien

Polar STEAM, Director
Department of Office for Research Advancement