1. Dr David Anderson david.anderson@ubc.ca
Research Methods Investigating STEM Education in an Amusement Park Setting
Dr David Anderson

2. STEM in Education STEM Science Technology Engineering Mathematics
Many positive benefits – but, still difficult to practice in the reality of high-school systems.

3. Amusement Park Physics Video – Global News BC

4. Metacognition
Metacognition is defined most simply as “thinking about thinking.”
Metacognitive involves awareness and regulation
Awareness
Control
Monitoring
Planning
Evaluation
Self Efficacy

5. Awareness Control Monitoring Planning
I am aware of when I have learning difficulties.
Control
I change my thinking strategies to suit different learning situations (e.g. lab, classroom, field-trip).
Monitoring
I self-check my progress at various stages during learning activities
Planning
I try to predict possible problems that might occur with my learning.
Evaluation
I stop from time to time to check my progress on a learning task.
Self Efficacy
I'm confident of understanding the most complex material presented by the teacher in this course.

6. Research Questions Describe the metacognitive characters of students.
Understand individual students’ and group metacognitive characteristics influence and shape knowledge construction processes.
Mete Question – How can were refine our Research Methods to better describe Metacognition?

7. Methodology
Interpretive case studies to elucidate students’ metacognitive and knowledge construction processes. (Gallagher & Tobin, 1991; Merriam, 1998; Stake, 1995).
Capture highly descriptive accounts of the richness of students’ metacognition in a STEM context.

8. Participants Year 11 and 12 Students Multiple case group
Usually 4 per group
Multiple Case context
Amusement park physics
Natural forest ecology environment
Marine Science Centres

9. Staged approach – Refining Methods

10. Interventions and Data Collection
Over the course of two weeks
Pre-Measures of Metacognition – BMQ
Engineer Measuring Tools
The Amusement Park Field Trip
Interactions and conversation recorded given to student for reflection.

11. Various Kinematic Tasks

12. Post-Visit Interviews
Stimulated recall.
In-Class Activities connected with the AP
Post-Activity Interviews
Stimulated recall.

13. Our Evolution of Methods
The research team was afforded the benefit of itself learning and developing and refining the study’s methodological practices.
Our repeated critical reflections led to changes in methods.

14. 1.
Individual Units of Analysis to Group units of Analysis

15. 2.
Individual Audio Stimulated Recall to Whole Group Video Stimulated Recall

16. 3.
Researcher Selected to Participant Selected Incidents of Whole Group Interactions

17. 4.
Researcher Driven Interview Discourse to Participant Driven Interview Discourse

18. Conclusions
In qualitative research we seek better understandings (descriptions) of the phenomenon.
We allow our methods to improve so they become more powerful towards understanding the phenomenon.

19. Some articles
Anderson, D., Thomas, G. (2014).  ‘Prospecting for metacognition’ in a science museum – A metaphor reflecting hermeneutic inquiry and questioning into metacognition in a new context.  Issues in Educational Research, 24(1) 1-20.
Thomas, G., & Anderson, D., (2012). Parents’ metacognitive knowledge: Influences on parent- child interactions in a science museum setting. Journal of Research in Science Education, 43(3),
Anderson, D., Thomas, G.P., & Nashon, S.M. (2009). Social barriers to engaging in meaningful learning in biology field trip group work. Science Education, 93(3),
Anderson, D., Nashon, S.M., & Thomas, G.P. (2009). Evolution of research methods for probing and understanding metacognition. Research in Science Education, 39(2),
Nielsen, W., Nashon, S., & Anderson, D. (2009). Metacognitive engagement during field-trip experiences: A case study of students in an amusement park physics program. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(3),
Thomas, G.P., Anderson, D., & Nashon, S.M. (2008). Development and validity of an instrument designed to investigate elements of science students’ metacognition, self-efficacy and learning processes: The SEMLI-S. International Journal of Science Education, 30(13),
Anderson, D., & Nashon, S. (2007). Predators of knowledge construction: Interpreting students’ metacognition in an amusement park physics program. Science Education, 91(2),
Hisasaka, T., Anderson, D., Nashon, S., & Yagi, I.  (2005).  Research regarding children’s metacognition in physics learning environments: Using cognitive psychology to improve physics education.  Physics Education in Tohoku, 14,

20. STEM 2020: Changing the Story

21. STEM 2020 – Timeline Call for Papers: September 1, 2019
Deadline for Submission: November 1, 2019
Notification of Acceptance: February 14, 2020
Early Bird Registration deadline: May 2, 2020
Conference Dates: July 09-11, 2020
Photo: Tourism Vancouver

22. UBC STEM 2020: Organizing Committee
Conference Co-Chairs
Dr. Samson Nashon
Science & Mathematics
Department Head
Dr. David Anderson
Museum Education & Science Education
Dr. Marina Milner-Bolotin
Science Education
Dr. Hartley Banack
Physical & Health Education
Dr. Jillianne Code
Media & Technology Studies
Dr. Cynthia Nicol
Mathematics Education
Dr. Stephen Petrina
Media & Technology Studies
Dr. Sandra Scott
Science Education

23. Downtown Vancouver
Photo: Tourism Vancouver

24. Join us in Vancouver in July 2020！
Web：
Photo: Tourism Vancouver