Projects

The Couch Research Group seeks to understand and improve science education, with a particular focus on undergraduate biology. Here are the externally funded projects in which we have been involved:

Empowering institutions to develop inclusion-focused systems for teaching and learning

HHMI Inclusive Excellence 3 Program

This project brings together 15 institutions to engage in cycles of inquiry and growth focused on developing institutional structures that support student persistence and success in STEM programs.

From community to practice: Evaluating how open educational resources facilitate implementation of Vision and Change principles across diverse institutions

NSF Vision and Change (DUE-2125990)

We are examining how open educational resources (OERs) have enabled implementation of Vision and Change (V&C) principles that promote student learning.

Measuring, supporting, and rewarding inclusive teaching

HHMI Inclusive Excellence 3 Learning Community

This award provides support for UNL to engage in a Learning Community with other institutions to explore structural and policy changes that facilitate the implementation of more inclusive teaching practices in undergraduate STEM programs.

Student engagement with online formative assessments: Identifying access and barriers to resource use at two-year and four-year institutions

NSF IUSE (DUE-2044243)

We are investigating how students engage with online homework assignments with a particular focus on understanding how off-campus learning environments impact student behaviors and learning.

Quantitative modeling in undergraduate biology courses: Teaching approaches and student outcomes

NSF IUSE (DUE-2021103)

We are characterizing the instructional practices faculty use to teach quantitative modeling in undergraduate biology and correlating the use of different teaching practices with student outcomes.

Nebraska research network in functional genomics

NIH INBRE (P20-GM103427)

This program provides mentored research experiences for undergraduate students across the state of Nebraska to help them pursue careers in biomedical research.

COMPLETED PROJECTS

Mapping change in higher education – Social networks and STEM reforms

NSF IUSE (DUE-1726409)

We are using social network analyses to understand how interpersonal interactions among faculty shape their adoption and use of evidence-based teaching practices.

Promoting instructional change in introductory STEM courses through Faculty Learning Communities focused on the transition from high school to college

NSF IUSE (DUE-1712060)

We conducted research and led a Faculty Learning Community focused on understanding the challenges students face as they transition from high school to college STEM courses.

Engaging the next generation of biochemists

NSF IUSE (DUE-1625804)

We built interactive learning modules that use 3-D printed molecular models to teach structure-function concepts and computer-based simulations to teach systems dynamics concepts in biochemistry.

Cultivating active learners by enabling instructors to monitor and enhance student buy-in and utilization of research-based instructional strategies

NSF IUSE (DUE-1610621)

We conducted research to understand how instructor implementation affects student engagement with research-based instructional strategies, such as active learning and formative assessment.

Adopting Research-based Instructional Strategies for Enhancing (ARISE) STEM education

NSF WIDER (DUE-1347814)

We created a sustainable model for implementing and supporting the use of research-based instructional strategies within STEM education through faculty development programs and associated research focused on factors that influence faculty adoption of new teaching practices.

Impact of the Summer Institutes on faculty teaching and student achievement

NSF TUES III (DUE-1323019)

We conducted research to determine the impact of the Summer Institutes professional development workshops on faculty teaching practices and associated student outcomes, including the development of instruments to measure teaching practices.

Navigating from vision to change with Bio-MAPS

NSF TUES II (DUE-1322364)

We built, tested, and publed a collection of concept assessments to monitor student progress through the biology major, which enables departments to diagnose student understanding and consider department-level changes to improve student outcomes.

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