Education

Ph.D.: Science Education, North Carolina State U., 2009.

M.S.: Zoology, North Carolina State U., 2004.

B.S.: Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt U., 2000. 

Research Program

1. DISCIPLINARY-BASED EDUCATION RESEARCH IN HIGHER EDUCATION: improving the quality of biology education of introductory level courses through research-based methods. Research-based instructional effectiveness is context-dependent and there are several classroom environments in which the teaching and learning process is not as well understood. Little is known about how early-career (freshmen and sophomore) students learn most effectively in their introductory sequences. High quality teaching and learning in this environment can be especially challenging when class sizes are typically large and are frequently taught by early career faculty or graduate students with little teaching experience or pedagogical knowledge. We examine instructional effectiveness at the level of the classroom and view it as a dual function of both the teacher and the student.

Current Projects:

• Measuring the effects of intentionally-constructed collaborative groups in large introductory courses on student achievement, perceptions, attitudes, and retention
• Describing and uncovering effective means of professional development for graduate teaching assistants

2. EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN STEM EDUCATION: Effective means of teaching socioscientific issues surrounding emergent fields. Emergent fields of STEM education (such as biotechnology and nanotechnology) are being integrated into school curricula at all levels and present some novel challenges to teaching and learning. Most of my work has focused on how to effectively communicate some of the more difficult socioscientific issues surrounding the development of these technologies in the classroom. In addition, I have looked at some of the conceptual hurdles to learning about specific technologies at small scales (scale issues, estimation, spatial-visualization, etc.).

Current Projects:

• Understanding the effects of student/teacher attitudes and perceptions of risk toward emergent technologies and how this impacts teaching and learning.

Courses Taught

BIOL1050. General Biology
BIOL1100. Principles of Biology
BIOL1150. Principles of Biology: A Human Approach
BIOL7970. Teaching Science in Higher Education

Recent Publications

Jones, M. G., Gardner, G. E., Lee, T., Poland, K., & Robert, S. (early online release). The impact of microbiology instruction on students' perceptions of risk related to microbial illness. International Journal of Science Education, Part B.

Jones, M. G., Paechter, M., Yen, I., Gardner, G. E., Taylor, A. R., & Tretter, T. (early online release). Scale conceptions of teachers in the U.S., Taiwan, and Austria: An international comparison. International Journal of Science Education.

Jones, M. G., Robertson, L., Gardner, G. E., Dotger, S., & Blanchard, M. (early online release). Differential use of elementary science kits: One size does not fit all. International Journal of Science Education.

Marion, R. E., Gardner, G. E., & Parks, L. D. (2012). Multiweek cell culture project for use in an upper-level biology lab. Advances in Physiology Education, 36(2), 154-157.

Jones, M. G., Forrester, J. H., Robertson, L. E., Gardner, G. E., & Taylor, A. R. (2012). Accuracy of measurement estimation in students with visual impairments. The Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 106(6), 339-350.

Gardner, G. E. (2012). Using biomimicry in a design-based learning activity. The American Biology Teacher, 74(3), 182-184.

Jones, M. G., Gardner, G. E., Taylor, A. R., Forrester, J., & Andre, T. (2012). Students' accuracy of measurement estimation: Contexts, units, and logical thinking. School Science and Mathematics, 112(3), 169-175.

Gardner, G. E., & Jones, M. G. (2011). Pedagogical preparation of the science graduate teaching assistant: Challenges and implications. The Science Educator, 20(2), 31-41.

Gardner, G. E., & Jones, M. G. (2011). Science instructors' perceptions of the risks of biotechnology: Implications for science instruction. Research in Science Education. 41(5), 711-738.

Gardner, G. E. & Jones, M. G. (2011). Perspectives and practices: Biology graduate teaching assistants' framing of a controversial socioscientific issue. International Journal of Science Education. 33(8), 1031-1054.

Jones, M. G., Gardner, G. E., Taylor, A. R., Wiebe, E., & Forrester, J. (2011). Conceptualizing magnification and scale: The role of spatial visualization and logical thinking. Research in Science Education. 41(3), 357-368.

Ricker, M., Gardner, G. E., & Aune, P. (2011). Quantifying the inhalation of tar from smoking. The American Biology Teacher. 73(1), 24-26.

Gardner, G. E., Jones, M. G., Taylor, A., Forrester, J. R., & Robertson, L. (2010). Students' risk perceptions of nanotechnology applications: Implications for science education. International Journal of Science Education, 32(14), 1951-1969.

Berube, D. M., Faber, B., Scheufele, D. A., Cummings, C., Gardner, G. E., Martin, K., & Temple, N. (2010). Communicating risk in the 21^st century: The case of nanotechnology. White Paper sponsored by the National Nanotechnology Initiative.

Gardner, G. E., Jones, M. G., & Falvo, M. (2009). "New science" and societal issues: Considering the ethics of nanosensors. The Science Teacher, 76(7), 49-53.

Gardner, G. E., Jones, M. G., & Ferzli, M. (2009). Popular media in the biology classroom: Viewing popular science skeptically. The American Biology Teacher, 71(6), 351-354.

Gardner, G. E. & Jones, M. G. (2009). Bacteria buster: Testing antibiotic properties of silver nanoparticles. The American Biology Teacher, 71(4), 207-210.

Graduate Students

Kristi Walters, M. S. Student Kristi has a B.S. in Marine Biology and has participated in the Semester at Sea Program with the Sea Education Association. She has worked in environmental education in various locations ranging from small outdoor camps to large public aquariums. Following her degree attainment she plans to teach biology at the community college level.