University of Colorado at Boulder

Chancellor's Graduate and Faculty Awards for Excellence in STEM Education

Faculty Fellows

Clayton H. Lewis, Computer Science with Profs. Dirk Grunwald and Ken Anderson
Video Resources for Lower Division Computer Science Curriculum

This project aims to improve the effectiveness of Computer Science pedagogy by developing, evaluating, and sharing the practice of providing short video modules that students can view before class and review after class. This two-year study will develop and evaluate materials for four lower division courses, and assess the costs of creating and using these materials. In the longer term, the project aims to extend this approach to the remaining curriculum, while at the same time providing a model for creating and sharing such materials that can be widely adopted elsewhere. pdf

Eric Frew, Aerospace Engineering
The Sky's the Limit: An Unmanned Aircraft Laboratory Model

The goal of the Sky’s the Limit project is to create, evaluate, and then disseminate new learning material that reflects advances both in unmanned aerospace systems and in what is known about the impact of active learning on engineering education. The centerpiece of the proposed effort is the creation of a complete unmanned aircraft laboratory module. This module will reflect the current state of the art in embedded systems, wireless communication, automatic control, and unmanned systems. pdf

Erin Furtak, School of Education
Teaching and Learning Biology at CU: Course Evaluation and Revision Project

The proposed research supports a collaboration between two CU STEM faculty members; fosters research into the design and evaluation of instructional strategies and novel course design, and promises to promote a uniquely effective type of course/instruction with great potential to positively impact STEM education, both at CU and nationally. The proposed research will support: a) the completion of the evaluation of the TALB course, its effectiveness as a teacher education and educational research recruitment tool; b) suggest revisions of the course to be implemented when it is offered again in the fall of 2010. pdf

Steven Pollock, Physics
Development of Pre-Post Tests for Upper Division Electricity and Magnetism Tutorials
This research study is part of a broader effort to move beyond research and development of curricular reforms at the introductory level, in order to better address the specialized needs of students in upper-division physics courses. pdf

Graduate Fellows

Kim Trenbath, Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences
Advisor: Linnea Avallone
AY appointment to support Undergraduate Climate Change Curriculum Development and Validation pdf

Sarah Roberts, School of Education
Advisor: Erin Furtak
Summer appointment to support Reforming Undergraduate Biology Teaching Through Formative Assessment pdf

Ryan Grover and Louisa Harris, School of Education
Advisors: David Webb and Victoria Hand
AY appointments to support a Longitudinal Study of the Implementation and Impact of LAs on Teaching in Undergraduate Mathematics pdf

David Cheeseman, Computer Science
Advisor: Michael Main
AY year appointment to support a Tablet Teaching Pilot Program pdf

Colin Wallace, Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences
Advisor: Doug Duncan
AY year appointment to support Student's Difficulties with Cosmology pdf

Lauren Kost, Physics
Advisor: Steven Pollock
AY year appointment to support Investigating the Gender Gap in Undergraduate Physics Courses pdf

Benjamin Spike, Physics
Advisor Noah Finkelstein
AY appointment to support An Examination of Conceptions of Teaching and Learning Physics in Graduate TAs and Undergraduate LAs pdf