Keisha Varma
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View article: Board 18: Work in Progress: The ATP-Bio REU Boot Camp: An Innovative Approach to Building a Sense of Community in Support of Broadening Participation in Biomedical Engineering
Board 18: Work in Progress: The ATP-Bio REU Boot Camp: An Innovative Approach to Building a Sense of Community in Support of Broadening Participation in Biomedical Engineering Open
National studies indicate that Black and Latinx students declare Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) majors at the same rate as their white peers, yet STEM degree completion rates for these students fall far below those of th…
View article: Executive function predictors of science achievement in middle-school students
Executive function predictors of science achievement in middle-school students Open
Cognitive flexibility as measured by the Wisconsin Card Sort Task (WCST) has long been associated with frontal lobe function. More recently, this construct has been associated with executive function (EF), which shares overlapping neural c…
View article: Advancing Equity and Opportunities for STEM Students from Low-Income Backgrounds: Evaluating the Impact of a Collaborative Support Program on Academic Outcomes
Advancing Equity and Opportunities for STEM Students from Low-Income Backgrounds: Evaluating the Impact of a Collaborative Support Program on Academic Outcomes Open
This study examined the impact of a National Science Foundation-funded support program for academically promising STEM students from low-income backgrounds. The program operates as a collaborative consortium, bringing together three public…
View article: The role of executive function abilities in interleaved vs. blocked learning of science concepts
The role of executive function abilities in interleaved vs. blocked learning of science concepts Open
This study investigated the relative efficacy of interleaved versus blocked instruction and the role of executive function in governing learning from these instructional sequences. Eighth grade students learned about three rock concepts (i…
View article: Learning Scientists’ Perceptions of Their Impact on Teacher Education Programs
Learning Scientists’ Perceptions of Their Impact on Teacher Education Programs Open
Informing teacher education programs and impacting teaching practices has long been a stated goal of learning sciences research.As a first step in understanding the reality of this impact, we conducted a survey of individuals who identify …
View article: Characterizing Problem Solving Discourse During Middle School Students Rubik’s Cube Play
Characterizing Problem Solving Discourse During Middle School Students Rubik’s Cube Play Open
This study characterizes problem-solving discourse of middle school students as they worked collaboratively to solve the Rubik's Cube.In our analysis, we developed 12 categories to characterize students' problem-solving discourse.Results i…
View article: Understanding the Influence of Stereotypical Perceptions of Scientists on Middle School Students’ Science Achievement
Understanding the Influence of Stereotypical Perceptions of Scientists on Middle School Students’ Science Achievement Open
Stereotypical perceptions of scientists are often thought as important influences on learners' future pursuit of science careers, but less research has focused on more proximal learning outcomes, such as middle school science achievement.I…
View article: Expanding the vision of Reimagine Minnesota: A collective education roadmap for action
Expanding the vision of Reimagine Minnesota: A collective education roadmap for action Open
We know Minnesota is among the worst in the nation for racial disparities in K-12 education. We also know we can’t grant our way out of this crisis. Expanding the Vision of Reimagine Minnesota: A Collective Education Roadmap for Action pro…
View article: Evidence of a Relationship Between Mental Rotation Skills and Performance in a 3D Puzzle Game
Evidence of a Relationship Between Mental Rotation Skills and Performance in a 3D Puzzle Game Open
Spatial reasoning is an ability that people utilize on a daily basis, that has also been linked to performance in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. However, there are very few widely available opportunities t…
View article: Technology-Enhanced Parent Involvement in Science Education
Technology-Enhanced Parent Involvement in Science Education Open
Parent involvement is a critical facet of academic success. Empirical studies and meta analyses highlight that it can increase students' motivation, self-efficacy, and academic performance. Even though they recognize the importance of bein…
View article: Middle School Students’ Approaches to Reasoning about Disconfirming Evidence
Middle School Students’ Approaches to Reasoning about Disconfirming Evidence Open
This study investigated differences in how middle school children reason about disconfirming evidence. Scientists evaluate hypotheses against evidence, rejecting those that are disconfirmed. Although this instant rationality propels empiri…
View article: In-Service Teachers' Attitudes, Knowledge and Classroom Teaching of Global Climate Change.
In-Service Teachers' Attitudes, Knowledge and Classroom Teaching of Global Climate Change. Open
This study explores in-service teachers' attitudes and knowledge about a pressing environmental issue, global climate change (GCC), and how these relate to their classroom teaching. In this work, nineteen teachers from Native American com…