Dr. Melanie Cooper
Michigan State University

Transforming Education Using Theory and Evidence: Lessons from STEM Learning

There is a large body of work from the learning sciences providing us with insights into how people learn. Discipline Based Education Research (DBER) across fields reveals unique discipline-specific difficulties students face. However, it is quite surprising that relatively little of this understanding has made its way into the design of higher education curricula offered at most colleges and universities. This keynote will focus on the need for evidence-based curriculum transformations, the research findings that can guide them, and how we might assess the results of these transformations. An approach to systemic reform that focuses on helping students use their knowledge in scientifically meaningful ways, will be discussed using examples of such curriculum reform efforts including “Chemistry, Life, the Universe and Everything” (CLUE) and an organic chemistry version (OCLUE). Evidence to support how these transformations impact student learning and course culture, and implications for systemic reform across disciplines will also be discussed.
 

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Dr. Melanie Cooper holds a joint appointment in the departments of Chemistry, Teacher Education, and the CREATE for STEM Institute at Michigan State University. Dr. Cooper applies a Design Research Cycle in the development and assessment of evidence-based curricula to improve the teaching and learning within large-enrollment undergraduate courses. Her current research projects include investigations of the impact of classroom culture on student learning.