current projects
Project 1: Using an Eye Tracker to identify eye movement patterns during reflective learning
Post-secondary students often consider Chemistry a difficult subject to master because of the abstract nature of knowledge, the traditional teaching methods applied in class, and reputation. This is particularly more problematic in lab settings as students are also expected to conduct experiments independently with sufficient knowledge of safe chemical handling and to be able to operate cutting-edge instrumentations. One way to support students in enhancing their academic achievement is by integrating reflection. Reflection is highly associated with eye movements. This is because the oculomotor system of the eyes reflects what is happening in the brain. Eye movements and directions of the eyes may reveal the conscious recollection and unconscious contents of memory in an obligatory manner.
Project 2: Students’ contextualized storytelling within contemporary assessment practices in higher education
The project aims to examine why professors and instructors encourage students to use their own stories for learning in higher education. Storytelling is viewed as a human activity where students write their own stories to make sense of new discipline-specific concepts that draw on their own identities or life experiences. Our literature review has shown that there are limited instances where students’ own storytelling was used for assessment design. Practitioners from Australia and Canada collaborated and interviewed several participants across different disciplines globally to learn about their experiences with this practice. A phenomenological methodology approach was adopted to generate the data. Using an open coding strategy, themes (or meanings) will be captured and identified. This project is in collaboration with Dr. Pranit Anand and Dr. Carl Sherwood.
Project 3: Students’ classroom identity development with the integration of digital storytelling in General Chemistry
Many students often find first-year courses difficult because of the mismatched expectations in terms of assessments in high school (standardized testing) versus in university (assessment for learning and/or assessment of learning). Other associated barriers include fewer opportunities to develop peer and instructor relationships, the expectation of self-directed learning, and unappealing teaching methods. One possible strategy to support students in their content learning is the integration of students’ contextualized digital storytelling. This is a multi-phase study. The second phase (current study) aims to explore how first year students from diverse backgrounds explore, reflect, and clarify their understanding of the concepts presented in their chemistry class. Using case study as methodology, students’ individual reflective reports, group video recordings, and researchers’ notes will be collected.
Post-secondary students often consider Chemistry a difficult subject to master because of the abstract nature of knowledge, the traditional teaching methods applied in class, and reputation. This is particularly more problematic in lab settings as students are also expected to conduct experiments independently with sufficient knowledge of safe chemical handling and to be able to operate cutting-edge instrumentations. One way to support students in enhancing their academic achievement is by integrating reflection. Reflection is highly associated with eye movements. This is because the oculomotor system of the eyes reflects what is happening in the brain. Eye movements and directions of the eyes may reveal the conscious recollection and unconscious contents of memory in an obligatory manner.
Project 2: Students’ contextualized storytelling within contemporary assessment practices in higher education
The project aims to examine why professors and instructors encourage students to use their own stories for learning in higher education. Storytelling is viewed as a human activity where students write their own stories to make sense of new discipline-specific concepts that draw on their own identities or life experiences. Our literature review has shown that there are limited instances where students’ own storytelling was used for assessment design. Practitioners from Australia and Canada collaborated and interviewed several participants across different disciplines globally to learn about their experiences with this practice. A phenomenological methodology approach was adopted to generate the data. Using an open coding strategy, themes (or meanings) will be captured and identified. This project is in collaboration with Dr. Pranit Anand and Dr. Carl Sherwood.
Project 3: Students’ classroom identity development with the integration of digital storytelling in General Chemistry
Many students often find first-year courses difficult because of the mismatched expectations in terms of assessments in high school (standardized testing) versus in university (assessment for learning and/or assessment of learning). Other associated barriers include fewer opportunities to develop peer and instructor relationships, the expectation of self-directed learning, and unappealing teaching methods. One possible strategy to support students in their content learning is the integration of students’ contextualized digital storytelling. This is a multi-phase study. The second phase (current study) aims to explore how first year students from diverse backgrounds explore, reflect, and clarify their understanding of the concepts presented in their chemistry class. Using case study as methodology, students’ individual reflective reports, group video recordings, and researchers’ notes will be collected.