ADRIAN L. ADAMS portrait
  • Graduate Research Assist (RA), Educational Psychology

Publications

  • Adrian Adams (2023). Exploring Student Sensemaking When Engaging with Anomalous Data. ProQuest. Published, 01/2023.
  • Jason M. May, Lauren A. Barth-Cohen, Jordan M. Gerton, Claudia de Grandi & Adrian L. Adams (2022). Student sensemaking about inconsistencies in a reform-based introductory physics lab. Physical Review - Physics Education Research. Vol. 18. Published, 11/17/2022.
    https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRe...

Research Statement

I use a constructivist qualitative approach to science education research. My goal broadly is to study in-the-moment learning of scientific practices using video research methods. I study scientific practices at the university level in a variety of settings, including introductory undergraduate physics labs, field geology for teachers (in-service teacher professional development course), and upper-level undergraduate biology field courses. Guided by my theoretical frameworks of Knowledge-in-Pieces and Resource Theory, I look at what kinds of knowledge elements students use and how they use them in experimental and field settings. Thus far I have conducted research exploring the resources students use when interacting with and evaluating data in a lab setting, and how students coordinate their observations and interpretations in field geology and field biology settings. Ultimately, I aim to add to the body of research that can support curriculum development and course design to help students learn how to engage in scientific practices.