Gillian Roehrig
Associate Professor
science education
STEM Education Ctr/CEHD
320M VoTech
1954 Buford Ave
Tel: 612/625-0561
roehr013@umn.edu
Office hours:
by appointment
Research Interests
My research and teaching interests are centered on understanding how teachers translate national and state standards into teaching events and curriculum in their classrooms. Teachers’ knowledge (pedagogical, content, and pedagogical content knowledge) and beliefs about teaching and learning directly influence the specific teaching practices implemented by teachers. Of particular interest is how teachers across the continuum, from pre-service through induction and into the in-service years, represent “science as inquiry” in their teaching and how different induction and professional development programs can influence teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and inquiry-based classroom practices.
Recent concerns about the state of science education and the need for more students entering STEM fields have created a national push for improving science education. Professional societies, such as the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and National Academy of Engineering (NAE), call for new educational approaches that focus on the hands-on, interdisciplinary, and socially relevant aspects of STEM, specifically highlighting the role of engineering. In 2009, Minnesota was one of the first states to integrate engineering standards into existing state science standards and the recently released draft of the Next Generation Science Standards includes a national push for the inclusion of engineering into science classrooms. In addition to a focus on understanding teachers’ inquiry-based practices, these new standards have been expanded by research to consider how we develop professional development to improve teachers’ understanding of interdisciplinary and STEM integration approaches and how STEM integration translates into classroom practice.
As a former high school and college chemistry instructor, I continue to be interested in chemistry education. Thus my third research focus is chemistry education, with a current focus on students’ understanding of the particulate nature of matter.
Development of Pre-service and In-service Teachers’ Inquiry-based Classroom Practices
My early research focused on the constraints experienced by beginning teachers as they implement inquiry-based instruction in their classrooms and how these constraints can be mitigated through participation in a science-focused induction program. Key areas of interest have been the teaching beliefs and views of the nature of science held by the beginning teachers, and the role of curriculum in supporting beginning teachers.
This work was been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation [See In Support of Science, Gateway to Research and Inventions, Spring 2005], the Minnesota Department of Education, and the Digital Media Center. An outcome of this work has been the development of an online induction program for secondary science teachers in collaboration with Joel Donna and a National Science Foundation Noyce grant, Project: Improving Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry Teaching (IMPACT), designed to recruit, prepare, and retain highly qualified teachers of physical science and mathematics in high needs schools.
Students applying for the PhysTec program in CSE, DirecTrack to Teaching program, or the M.Ed. Initial Licensure Program can apply for scholarships of up to $10,000 to support their tuition and costs. For more information please contact Gillian Roehrig directly.
I have been involved in a wide range of professional development programs designed to promote inquiry-based classroom practices. For example, the BrainU project is a partnership with Jan Dubinsky in the Department of Neuroscience in collaboration with St. Paul Public Schools and the Anoka-Hennepin School District. This project is a five-year professional development program funded by SEPA (NIH) providing life science teachers in the St. Paul and Anoka-Hennepin schools with inquiry-based models for teaching neuroscience.
STEM Integration
Although policymakers and educators are aware of the importance of STEM education, there is no common understanding or agreement on the nature of STEM education as an integrated or multidisciplinary endeavor. One of the biggest educational challenges for K-12 STEM education is that few general guidelines or models exist for teachers to follow regarding how to teach using STEM integration approaches in their classroom. Work in this area has focused on understanding teachers’ perceptions of STEM integration and professional development models to assist teachers in implementing new STEM standards.
The Region 11 Mathematics and Science Teacher Partnership is a large-scale professional development program funded by the Minnesota Department of Education, in with Intermediate District 287, Metro ECSU, North East Metro District 916, Brooklyn Center Schools, Hamline University, Normandale College, and Sci-MathMN. Almost 80 secondary science and mathematics teachers and 250 elementary teachers have already completed a five-day professional development series and professional learning community tasks. During 2011-2012, 124 secondary life science teachers and approximately 80 elementary teachers are participating in the STEM professional development series.
Of particular interest is how culturally-relevant STEM integration approaches to teaching and learning can improve educational outcomes for American Indian youth. Three grant-funded projects developed in partnership with reservation schools in northwestern Minnesota have guided this work.
Reach for the Sky: Integrating Technology into STEM outcomes for American Indian Youth(RFTS) is a partnership with schools on the White Earth Indian Reservation in Northwestern Minnesota funded by an NSF-ITEST grant. Over 200 American Indian students have learned modern science, math and engineering in a STEM Summer Academy through traditional American Indian stories and hands-on activities [Discover more at Head of the class, Research 2007].
Ah neen dush, funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, was designed to support and mentor Head Start teachers on the White Earth Indian Reservation as they create engaging environments, that weave discovery-based science and mathematics activities with Ojibwe philosophy and tradition. This three-year professional development produced significant changes in STEM classroom practices for participating teachers.
CYCLES: Teachers Discovering Climate Change from a Native Perspective is an exciting new project funded by NASA. In partnership with scientists from the National Center for Earth-su
Selected Publications
Roehrig, G.H., Moore, T.J., Wang, H.-H., & Park, M.S. (in press). Is adding the E enough?: Investigating the impact of K-12 engineering standards on the implementation of STEM integration. School Science and Mathematics.
Mason, A., Dubosarsky, M., Roehrig, G.H, Carlson, S., Farley, M. (in press). Ah neen
dush: Harnessing collective wisdom to create culturally relevant science experiences
in pre-K classrooms. In S. Gregory, W.Goins and S. Kewanhaptewa-Dixon (Eds.) Voices
of Native American Indian Educators: Integrating History, Culture and Language to
Improve Learning Outcomes for Native American Indian Students.Stohlmann, M., Moore, T.J., McClelland, J., & Roehrig, G.H. (2011). Year-long impressions of a middle school STEM integration program. Middle School Journal. 43 (1), 32-40.
Roehrig, G.H, Dubosarsky, M., Mason, A., Carlson, S., & Murphy, B. (2011). We Look More, Listen More, Notice More: Impact of Sustained Professional Development on Head Start Teachers’ Inquiry-Based and Culturally-Relevant Science Teaching Practices. Journal of Science Education and Technology.20(5), 566–578.
Dubosarsky, M., Murphy,B., Roehrig, G.H., Frost, L.C., Jones,J., & Carlson, S.C.
( with Nette Londo, Carolyn J.B. Melchert, Cheryl Gettel, and Jody Bement)(2011) Animal
Tracks on the Playground, Minnows in the Sensory Table: Incorporating Cultural Themes to
Promote Preschoolers’ Critical Thinking in American Indian Head Start Classrooms.Young
Children, 66(5), 20-29.Nyachwaya, J., Mohamed, A.R, Roehrig, G.H., Wood, N., Kern, A.L., & Schneider, J. (2011). The Development of an Open-ended Drawing Tool: An Alternative Diagnostic Tool for Assessing Students’ Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 11, 165-172
Guzey, S.S., Moore, T.J., & Roehrig, G.H. (2010). Curriculum development for STEM integration: Bridge design on the White Earth Reservation. In L. E. Kattington (Ed.), Handbook of curriculum development. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers
Kern, A. L, Wood, N., Roehrig, G. H., & Nyachwaya, J. (2010). A Qualitative Report of the Ways High School Chemistry Students Attempt to Represent a Chemical Reaction at the Atomic/Molecular Level. Chemistry Education: Research and Practice,11, 165-172.
Roehrig, G.H, Kern, A.L., Wood, N., & Nyachwaya, J. M. (2010). High School Chemistry Students’ Representations of Chemical Reactions At The Atomic/Molecular Level. In J. Ryan (Ed.) In J. Ryan, T. Clark, & A. Collier(Eds.) Assessment of Chemistry.Talahasee, FL: Association for Institutional Research.
Roehrig, G. H., & Garrow, S. T. (2007). The impact of teacher classroom practices on student achievement during the implementation of a reform-based chemistry curriculumInternational Journal of Science Education, 29, 1789–181.
Roehrig, G. H., Kruse, R. A., & Kern, A. L. (2007). Teacher and school characteristics and their influence on curriculum implementation. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44, 883-907.
Bang, E.J., Kern, A.L., Luft, J.A., & Roehrig G.H. (2007). First-year secondary science teachers (2007). School Science and Mathematics, 107 (6), 52-60
Lee, E., Brown, M.N., Luft, J.A., & Roehrig, G.H. (2007). Assessing beginning secondary science teachers’ PCK: Pilot year results. School Science and Mathematics, 107 (2), 52-60
Luft, J. A., Bang, E. J., & Roehrig, G. H. (2007). Supporting beginning science teachers. The Science Teacher, 74(5), 24-29.
Luft, J. A. & Roehrig, G. H. (2007). Capturing Science Teachers’ Epistemological Beliefs: The Development of the Teacher Beliefs Interview. Electronic Journal of Science Education, 11(2), 38-63.
Roehrig, G. H., & Luft, J. A. (2006) Does One Size Fit All?: The Induction Experience of Beginning Science Teachers from Different Teacher Preparation Programs. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 43(9), 963-985.
Roehrig, G. H. and Kruse, R. A. (2005). “The Role of Teachers’ Beliefs and Knowledge in the Adoption of a Reform-Based Curriculum” School Science and Mathematics, 105, 412-422.
Kruse, R. A., & Roehrig, G. H. (2005). A Comparison Study: Assessing Teachers’ Conceptions with the Chemistry Concepts Inventory.Journal of Chemical Education, 82, 1246-1250.
Roehrig, G. H., & Luft, J. A. (2004) Inquiry teaching in high school chemistry classrooms: The role of knowledge and beliefs. Journal of Chemical Education, 81, 1510-1516.
Roehrig, G. H., & Luft, J. A. (2004). Constraints Experienced by Beginning Secondary Science Teachers in Implementing Scientific Inquiry Lessons. International Journal of Science Education, 23, 3-24.
Luft, J. A., Roehrig, G. H., & Patterson, N. C. (2003) Contrasting landscapes: A comparison of the impact of different induction programs on beginning secondary science teachers’ practices and beliefs. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40, 77-97.
Luft, J. A., Roehrig, G. H., & Patterson, N. C. (2002) Barriers and pathways: A reflection on the implementation of an induction program for secondary science teachers. School Science and Mathematics, 102, 222- 228.
Revised April 2011
