Papers by Leeann Sutherland
International Conference of Learning Sciences, Jun 24, 2008
Project-Based Inquiry Science (PBIS) is a comprehensive technology-enhanced science curriculum fo... more Project-Based Inquiry Science (PBIS) is a comprehensive technology-enhanced science curriculum for grades 6 through 8 (ages 12-14), designed based on foundations in the learning sciences. Most of its units were developed during the 1990's at Georgia Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, and University of Michigan. Over the past five years, researchers at these universities (and others) have been working to pull the units together into a curriculum that can be disseminated nationally (in the U.S.). During the last two years, we have been working closely with the publishing company, It's About Time, to bring the curriculum to publication. We present the research foundations of PBIS along with the pragmatics of incorporating individual units into an integrated curriculum appropriate that addresses the diverse requirements of 50 states while also addressing the diverse needs of learners.
While theorists conceive of multicultural education in a variety of complex ways, it is frequentl... more While theorists conceive of multicultural education in a variety of complex ways, it is frequently enacted in U.S. secondary schools by infusing the White, male-dominated literary canon with texts by women and people of color. This research examines the common assumption that students of color will relate to this literature. The study considers whether or not the assumption is true, and what the significance of relating to literature might be for students. It addresses the question: Is it enough to see oneself in the literature, or does how one sees herself depend on how a text is taught? The study uses Black feminist and sociocultural theories to explore the meanings six African American, eleventh grade girls made of literature written by and about African American women. Methods included whole-class observation recorded as fieldnotes, collection of artifacts, and both group and individual interviews. Data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis and elements of critical discourse analysis. Participants read The Bluest Eye in the English class and The Coldest Winter Ever independently. Their experiences illustrate the power of texts to shape the identities of African American adolescent girls as they read, write, and talk about literature. They connected with the literature, but connections ranged from reliving a memory, to emulating characters, to experiencing painful, emotional identification with the text. These experiences shaped different and complex representations of identities, and shaped participants' constructions of multiple ways to be a Black female. The study reveals numerous ways in which literacy practices enact contextual freedoms and constraints, making only some meanings and identities available to teachers and students. Finally, the findings illustrate the role that literary criticism written by Black females can play in informing the perspectives of teachers who do not share that social position. Students' experiences of multicultural literature were, indeed, shaped by the choice of texts as well as the pedagogy, practices, and the contexts in which those texts were encountered.Ph.D.Bilingual educationEducationSecondary educationSocial SciencesWomen's studiesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/132941/2/3058055.pd
This study explores the influence of coherent curriculum on student understanding of core chemist... more This study explores the influence of coherent curriculum on student understanding of core chemistry ideas across the middle grades. Participants in urban and suburban schools used materials designed based on what is known about promoting student learning of science, and that link ideas within and across grade levels in a coherent manner. Using a crosssectional approach, student learning was assessed using an independent measure aligned with a learning progression on the transformations of matter. To develop the learning progression and corresponding assessment, we used construct-center design. Using IRT and analysis of variance, we demonstrate that students’ latent ability changes across grade level, illustrating that curriculum coherence can, indeed, support students in building understanding of core chemistry ideas. We also found that boys and girls did not perform differently, in contrast with other findings, particularly in urban U.S. middle schools, in which girls outperform bo...
Modeling used, as an inquiry tool is critical to the development of understandings in science. Te... more Modeling used, as an inquiry tool is critical to the development of understandings in science. Teacher knowledge of this use of models impacts their development of learning experiences for students. This study focuses on teacher modeling practices and relates them to student performance on assessment items requiring interpretations of multiple representations. This characterization of teacher practices will provide insight into the learning experiences needed for students to engage in authentic scientific modeling. The practice of building, refining and redesigning models based on evidence lies at the core of scientific practice. It drives scientific discoveries as scientists use models to guide experimental design, test variables, and generate hypotheses. (Windschitl, 2006) According to the Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2012) and the College Board Standards for Success in College (CB, 2009) these ideas play a critical role in the development of scientific ideas and und...
The Science Teacher, Jun 22, 2009
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Science is a social process--one that involves particular ways of talking,... more [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Science is a social process--one that involves particular ways of talking, reasoning, observing, analyzing, and writing, which often have meaning only when shared within the scientific community. Discussions are one of the best ways to help students learn to "talk science" and construct understanding in a social context. Since inquiry is an important strategy for teaching science (NRC 1996; AAAS 1993), teachers face the challenge of facilitating meaningful discussions in an inquiry- or project-based setting. This article presents three types of discussions that can be used in inquiry-based activities and provides an example of each in a sample investigation. Discussions in the science classroom In traditional classroom discussions, teachers ask the questions--which often have a single right answer--and students are told whether or not their responses are correct. The questions asked tend to focus on factual knowledge or experience (e.g., "What did we observe?" or "What did we do?"). These discussions are typically referred to as "IRE dialogues": The teacher initiates a question, a student responds, and the teacher immediately evaluates whether the answer is correct or incorrect. This type of discussion is useful, as it provides a quick, whole-class review before moving on to new activities. But too often this kind of question-and-answer activity is the primary form of classroom discourse--placing the teacher at center stage and students' questions and their learning in the background (Solomon 1992). A real discussion, on the other hand, is an interplay of meanings and ideas from both students and the teacher. In our opinion, the negotiation of ideas is the preferred form of classroom discourse. Students need opportunities to express their own ideas (even if they are not always correct or well-structured), listen to their peers ideas, evaluate and critique ideas, and revise and integrate them as well. The result of this process should be evidence-based ideas or explanations that students can use to explain phenomena and stimulate further learning. Classroom talk should center on engagement and thoughtfulness. Students should ask questions that arise from their own interests or confusion--and they should ask questions of each other as well as of the teacher. Teachers should pose questions that push students to think more deeply about what they have observed, experienced, or read. Discussions can provide students with opportunities to express their understanding and learn from each other, but only if some form of authentic dialogue takes place. To this end, we present three types of discussions that promote students' thinking: brainstorming, synthesizing, and sensemaking discussions. Figure 1 (p. 46) displays the three types of discussions and some suggested prompts for each. In practice, classroom discussions are often not limited to just one type but include elements of more than one, as demonstrated in the following sections. Context of the example discussion In the unit the example activities are drawn from, the main learning goal is for students to develop a particulate view of matter. Students investigate the question: "How can I smell things from a distance?" After experiencing how a strong odor from a harmless source (e.g., air freshener or vanilla) spreads in the classroom, each student constructs an individual model of how smelling an odor occurs and uses that model to explain how odors travel. (Safety note: The chemicals in fragrances can cause irritation or allergic reactions in sensitive people.) The initial models reflect students' preexisting conceptions and are the starting point for a process of revision through a variety of inquiry activities. In addition to the phenomenon of smell, students investigate various behaviors of gases: adding air to the existing air in a sealed container, removing air from a flask, and compressing and decompressing air in a syringe. …
education policy analysis archives, 2004
This qualitative study is intended to illuminate factors that affect the generalizability of port... more This qualitative study is intended to illuminate factors that affect the generalizability of portfolio assessments of beginning teachers. By generalizability, we refer here to the extent to which the portfolio assessment supports generalizations from the particular evidence reflected in the portfolio to the conception of competent teaching reflected in the standards on which the assessment is based. Or, more practically, “The key question is, ‘How likely is it that this finding would be reversed or substantially altered if a second, independent assessment of the same kind were made?’” (Cronbach, Linn, Brennan, and Haertel, 1997, p. 1). In addressing this question, we draw on two kinds of evidence that are rarely available: comparisons of two different portfolios completed by the same teacher in the same year and comparisons between a portfolio and a multi-day case study (observation and interview completed shortly after portfolio submission) intended to parallel the evidence called ...
British Journal of Educational Technology, 2014
She studies the role of emotion and motivation in learning and works to translate knowledge of th... more She studies the role of emotion and motivation in learning and works to translate knowledge of the affective realm to instructional design, particularly focusing on students who struggle. Garron Hillaire, Ed. M., is an educational software architect at CAST, Inc., where he participates in the development and research of technology-based universally designed for learning environments. His interest is in learning analytics, and he holds an Ed. M. in Technology, Innovation and Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. LeeAnn Sutherland, a University of Michigan associate research scientist in the School of Education, is a co-PI and co-developer of the IQWST curriculum. Her expertise is content area literacy, with a long-term focus on reading, writing, speaking and listening in science and deep interest in marginalized students and all who struggle to learn.
The Elementary School Journal, 2008
This article describes an approach to developing student reading materials that support middle sc... more This article describes an approach to developing student reading materials that support middle school learners in a project-based, inquiry curriculum for grades 6 through 8. Reading materials are designed to encourage sense making beyond the classroom, as students read and write about science as it takes place in a classroom and as it occurs in their everyday lives. Drawing on research in literacy and in science education, I provide examples of student text as well as the underlying theory and research that guide their design. In addition, I describe a number of features of the materials designed to support their effective use by teachers and to provide alternatives to the traditional practice of in-class, oral reading.
Science, 2010
Reading, writing, and oral communication are critical literacy practices for participation in a g... more Reading, writing, and oral communication are critical literacy practices for participation in a global society. In the context of science inquiry, literacy practices support learners by enabling them to grapple with ideas, share their thoughts, enrich understanding, and solve problems. Here we suggest five instructional and curricular features that can support students in developing literacy in the context of science: (i) linking new ideas to prior knowledge and experiences, (ii) anchoring learning in questions that are meaningful in the lives of students, (iii) connecting multiple representations, (iv) providing opportunities for students to use science ideas, and (v) supporting students’ engagement with the discourses of science. These five features will promote students’ ability to read, write, and communicate about science so that they can engage in inquiry throughout their lives.
... In the 6 th grade IQWST unit that focuses on the particle nature of matter, students apply th... more ... In the 6 th grade IQWST unit that focuses on the particle nature of matter, students apply the particle models to solve and explain some real world problems. In the 7 th energy unit, students use principles of energy transformation and transfer to build Rube Goldberg machines. ...
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2005
Consistent with international trends, an emergent interest in inquiry-based science teaching and ... more Consistent with international trends, an emergent interest in inquiry-based science teaching and learning in K-12 schools is also occurring in China. This study investigates the possibilities for and the barriers to enactment of inquiry-based science education in Chinese schools. Altogether 220 Chinese science teachers, science teacher educators and researchers (primarily from the field of chemistry education) participated in this study in August 2001. Participants represented 13 cities and provinces in China. We administered two questionnaires, one preceding and one following a 3-hour presentation by a US science educator and researcher about inquiry-based teaching and learning theories and practices. In each of three sites in which the study was conducted (Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing), questionnaires were administered, and four representative participants were interviewed. Our coding and analysis of quantifiable questionnaire responses (using a Likert scale), of open-ended responses, and of interview transcripts revealed enthusiastic interest in incorporating inquiry-based teaching and learning approaches in Chinese schools. However, Chinese educators face several challenges: (a) the national college entrance exam needs to align with the goals of inquiry-based teaching; (b) systemic reform needs to happen in order for inquiry-based science to be beneficial to students, including a change in the curriculum, curriculum materials, relevant resources, and teacher professional development; (c) class size needs to be reduced; and (d) an equitable distribution of resources in urban and rural schools needs to occur.
British Journal of Educational Technology, 2011
This paper reports the effects of game technology on student learning in mathematics as investiga... more This paper reports the effects of game technology on student learning in mathematics as investigated in two data sets collected from slightly different subjects. In the first, 41 second graders (7 or 8 years old) from two classes used either a technology-based game or a paper-based game for 5 weeks. For the next 13 weeks, both classes used a technology-based game either two times per week, or more than three times per week. A quasi-experimental control-group design with repeated measures analysis of variance and analysis of covariance was employed to explore performance differences between groups. The second study examined student learning in relation to characteristics such as their game performance, attitudes toward the game and toward mathematics, and gender and ethnicity. During a 4-month period, 50 second grade students from three classes played a technology-based game under conditions that varied depending on their teacher's direction. Multiple regression was used to determine the relationship between students' arithmetic scores and learner characteristics. Descriptive analyses by ability level, gender and ethnicity, and interview data about attitudes toward the technology game were also analyzed. Results from the two studies revealed that using a technologybased game in the classroom was beneficial to students of all ability levels in learning arithmetic skills. Practitioner notes What is already known about this topic • Technology and games have yielded consistently positive results with regard to motivation, persistence, curiosity, attention and attitude toward learning. • The accessibility and flexibility of handheld devices can provide students with more integral and spontaneous opportunities to fully take advantage of "off-moments" from classroom activity to support learning. • There are insufficient data to validate the contribution of technology to student learning.
English Education, 2003
When one thinks about literacy education in a middle school English lan-guage arts classroom, it ... more When one thinks about literacy education in a middle school English lan-guage arts classroom, it is necessary to clarify the goal of the education be-ing offered. Is the goal of literacy education simply to teach young people how to comprehend texts that they read in ...
Journal of Literacy Research, 2005
This qualitative study highlights the interconnectedness of literature, literacy practices, ident... more This qualitative study highlights the interconnectedness of literature, literacy practices, identity, and social positioning within a framework of a common enactment of multicultural education: adding literature by and about people of color to the language arts curriculum. The study provides a window on the meaning-making of six 16-year-old Black girls as they studied The Bluest Eye (Morrison, 1994) in their high school English class. Drawing primarily on group and individual interview data, this research shows participants spending little time analyzing the literature per se. Instead, spurred by incidents in the novel, they used the text as a launching point from which they analyzed their own life experiences. Socially positioned as young Black women, participants have found that they are expected by people in their school, community, and outside their community to behave in particular ways as a reflection of their assumed values and ways of being in the world. They also have exper...
This volume provides in-depth discussions of each big idea. Nine additional chapters examine lear... more This volume provides in-depth discussions of each big idea. Nine additional chapters examine learning goals and how to reach them, students' misconceptions, and ideas for integrating nanoscale science and engineering with traditional science content.
British Journal of Educational Technology, 2014
the role of emotion and motivation in learning and works to translate knowledge of the affective ... more the role of emotion and motivation in learning and works to translate knowledge of the affective realm to instructional design, particularly focusing on students who struggle. Garron Hillaire, Ed. M., is an educational software architect at CAST, Inc., where he participates in the development and research of technology-based universally designed for learning environments. His interest is in learning analytics, and he holds an Ed. M. in Technology, Innovation and Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. LeeAnn Sutherland, a University of Michigan associate research scientist in the School of Education, is a co-PI and co-developer of the IQWST curriculum. Her expertise is content area literacy, with a long-term focus on reading, writing, speaking and listening in science and deep interest in marginalized students and all who struggle to learn.
education policy analysis archives, 2004
This qualitative study is intended to illuminate factors that affect the generalizability of port... more This qualitative study is intended to illuminate factors that affect the generalizability of portfolio assessments of beginning teachers. By generalizability, we refer here to the extent to which the portfolio assessment supports generalizations from the particular evidence reflected in ...
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Papers by Leeann Sutherland