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Learning Centers
Rutgers logo
Learning Centers
Rutgers logo
Learning Centers
Rutgers logo
Learning Centers

Research & Projects

Explore research into new strategies and best practices for instruction and life-long learning.

The Forefront of Innovation

At the Learning Centers, we're leading innovative and collaborative research to help improve our knowledge of learning and instruction and ensure our services and expertise remain at the leading edge.

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Featured Projects

The Learning Centers participate in a variety of grants and research opportunities with faculty, staff, and programs across the university. Explore some of our recent projects that examine new technologies, peer leader programs, and more.

 

Preparation in STEM Leadership

The Preparation in STEM Leadership program was designed to provide an opportunity for academic peer leaders to participate in advanced training and support persistence and retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Through this training, peer leaders could improve their communication, leadership, and group management skills, as well as earn scholarships and partner with faculty conducting educational research.

A student in the learning centers uses a calculator

Math 300

We conducted a research study examining the use of learning assistants in "Math 300," working alongside Juan Pablo Majia-Ramos, professor of mathematics education in the Graduate School of Education and the School of Arts and Sciences, and Lisa Carbone, professor of mathematics in the School of Arts and Sciences. While not statistically significant, our results indicated that students working with learning assistants reported significantly greater affective learning gains than their peers.

Students sit in front of large video panels in a connected classroom

VideoWall Tutoring Project

The Learning Centers assisted the Department of Computer Science in the School of Arts and Sciences with collecting and analyzing data on the VideoWall Tutoring Project. VideoWall is a video portal designed by the department and the Laboratory for Computer Science Research to help Rutgers connect across campuses and foster collaborative learning experiences.

Transforming Courses Together

The Learning Centers partner with faculty and staff to create comprehensive course transformation projects and to write grant proposals in support of these collaborative projects. Our role is to provide expertise in research-based instructional practices and enhance proposals by including supplemental and in-class methods of instructional support.

Developing Proportional Reasoning in a Physics Context with Invention Tasks

Workers in science- and technology-related fields use proportional reasoning extensively when making sense of quantitative data. Mathematics instruction in middle school and high school often places a corresponding emphasis on ratios and proportions, however many students still have difficulty reasoning about product and ratio quantities in introductory physics classes. This project is developing curricular materials to strengthen the ability of students to reason in the context of the topics regularly covered in introductory physics.

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Transforming the General Biology Laboratory for Undergraduate Students

This project is implementing and assessing an innovative model for transforming the introductory General Biology (GB) sequence at both Rutgers University (RU) and Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC). The new curriculum incorporates the type of educational and research experiences recommended in Bio2010, How People Learn, and the recent AAAS organized Vision and Change conference.

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Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE): Science and Cognition Combined

This project is developing and testing for large enrollment introductory physics courses a unique, multifaceted epistemological learning system, ISLE, that replicates systematic discovery methods used by practicing scientists. The goal of this system is to bring "a scientific way of knowing" into the process of learning physics.

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PuM (Physics and Mathematics) Exploration

The PuM project develops and conducts research on a learning continuum for seamless instruction in middle school physical science and high school physics. The project is built on a conceptual framework that uses physical science and physics to strengthen students' concepts in pre-algebra, algebra, algebra 2 and geometry.

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Research from the Learning Centers

  • Meet the Author

    • Blackwell, S. (2017, September). Designing learner-centered spaces: The intersection of pedagogy, technology, and physical space. Presented at the National College Learning Center Association National Conference, San Antonio, TX.
    • Blackwell, S., Carbone, L., Katzen, S., Mejía Ramos, J.P., Ptak, C., Sandberg, A., & Seneres, A. (2020, October). Impact of active learning on course performance and self-reported learning gains in a higher-level mathematics course. 4th Northeastern RUME Conference, Virtual. 
    • Blackwell, S., & Emenike, M. (2015, October). An introduction to the preparation in STEM leadership program, an NSF funded initiative to enhance the career readiness of STEM students. Presented at the National College Learning Center Association Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI.
    • Blackwell, S., Haberstroh, A., & Sandberg, A. (2020). Welcoming spaces for learning. In E. M. H. Coghill & J. G. Coghill, Supporting neurodiverse college student success: A guide for librarians, student support services, and academic learning environments. 
    • Blackwell, S., & Huggins-Smith, A. (2017, April). Rutgers’ peer leader training program. Workshop presented at the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Regional Learning Assistant Workshop, New Brunswick, NJ.
    • Blackwell, S., Katzen, S., Battacharya, N., Onulak, N., & Emenike, M. (2017, September). Investigating changes in academic peer leaders’ skills, practices, attitudes, and content knowledge. Presented at the National College Learning Center Association National Conference, San Antonio, TX.
    • Blackwell, S., Katzen, S., Patel, N., & Emenike, M. (2018, March). Using writing samples to understand peer leaders’ ideas about teaching. Presented at the annual meeting of the PA/NJ College Reading & Learning Association Conference, New Brunswick, NJ.
    • Blackwell, S., Katzen, S., Patel, N., Sun, Y., & Emenike, M. (2016, March). Peer leadership positions’ effects on leadership and communication practices: Preliminary results. Presented at the annual meeting of the PA/NJ College Reading & Learning Association Conference, Newtown, PA.
    • Blackwell, S., Katzen, S., Patel, N., Sun, Y., & Emenike, M. (2017). Developing the preparation in STEM leadership program for undergraduate academic peer leaders. The Learning Assistant Review, 22(1), 50-84.

  • Meet the Author

    • Katzen, S., & Sandberg, A. (2019, October). Managing a Large-Scale Peer Leader Program: Challenges, Opportunities, and Effective Practices. PowerPoint presented at Annual CRLA 2019 Conference, New Orleans, LA. 
    • Katzen, S., & Seneres, A. (2018, May). Increasing student engagement through the co-teaching model. Presented at the Rutgers Active Learning Symposium, New Brunswick, NJ.
    • Katzen, S., Sun, Y., Patel, N., Emenike, M., & Blackwell, S. (2016, March). Measuring peer leaders’ beliefs about teaching and learning. Presented at the annual meeting of the PA/NJ College Reading & Learning Association Conference, Newtown, PA.

  • Meet the Author

    • Leung, L. (2016, March). Academic coaching: Developing & assessing academic coaching modules. Presented at the annual meeting of the PA/NJ College Reading & Learning Association Conference, Newton, PA.
    • Leung, L. (2016, September). Evaluating academic coaching: Assess your workshops. Presented at the National College Learning Center Association Conference, Tampa, FL.
    • Leung, L. (2017, September). Evaluating academic coaching: Assess your workshops. Presented at the National College Learning Center Association Conference, San Antonio, TX.
    • Leung, L. (2018, March). Evaluating academic coaching: Assess your workshops. Presented at the annual meeting of the PA/NJ College Reading & Learning Association Conference, New Brunswick, NJ.

  • Meet the Author

    • Sandberg, A., Freibergs, M., & Feaser, S. (2023, March). Night at the Learning Centers: Organizing Student Community-Building Events Post-Pandemic. [Conference Presentation]. Annual PA/NJ CRLA Spring 2023 Conference. South Orange, NJ.
    • Sandberg, A. R. (2022). Student perspectives on pre-departure orientation in study abroad: A mixed methods analysis (Order No. 29161937). [Doctoral dissertation, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database.
    • Sandberg, A. (2022, March). Managing large-scale peer leader recruitment: Effective hybrid hiring practices [Conference Presentation]. Annual PA/NJ CRLA Spring 2022 Conference, Newtown, PA.
    • Sandberg, A. (2021, March). Adaption in remote learning center supervision: Reworking ideas of student work & engagement [Conference Presentation]. Annual PA/NJ CRLA Spring 2021 Conference, Online.
    • Alvarez, A. R., Español, M., Faridani, A., Flores, C. V., Marr, A., McNulty, J., Newman, E., Nugent, R., Seneres, A., Shott, M., Vélez, W. Y., & Walker, E. (2018). The PCMI workshop for mentors: A weeklong workshop on diversity? Notices of the American Mathematical Society, 65(5), 586.
    • Ciafullo, A., & Katzen, S. (2018, March). Transforming the co-teaching model for peer instructor education. Presented at the annual meeting of the PA/NJ College Reading & Learning Association Conference, New Brunswick, NJ.
    • Emenike, M., Battacharya, N., Katzen, S., Patel, N., & Blackwell, S. (2017, August). Investigating content and pedagogical knowledge development of academic peer leaders in chemistry courses. Presented at the 254th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C.
    • Emenike, M., & Blackwell, S. Preparing STEM leaders at Rutgers University: In their own words. Digital poster presented at the NSF Project Highlights. Envisioning the Future of Undergraduate STEM Education: Research and Practice Conference. Washington, D.C., 2016
    • Emenike, M., Blackwell, S., & Katzen, S. (2015, October). Investigating how the components of peer leadership programs influence the development of academic peer leaders' content and pedagogical knowledge and leadership and communication skills. Poster presented at the 7th meeting of the International Learning Assistant Workshop, Boulder, CO.
    • Emenike, M., Katzen, S., Patel, N., & Blackwell, S. (2016, August). Investigating chemistry and STEM academic peer leaders' professional development related to content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and communication and leadership skills. Paper and poster presented at the 252nd national meeting of the American Chemical Society meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
    • Emenike, M., Katzen, S., Patel, N., & Blackwell, S. (2016, October).  Investigating chemistry and STEM academic peer leaders' professional development related to content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and communication and leadership skills. Poster presented at the 8th meeting of the International LA Workshop, Boulder, CO. 
    • Kaptan, S., Katzen, S., & Sandberg, A. (2019, March). Managing a Large-Scale Peer Leader Program: Challenges, Opportunities, and Effective Practices. PowerPoint presented at Annual PA/NJ CRLA Spring 2019 Conference, Bethlehem, PA. 
    • Seneres, A. (2005, April). The interdisciplinary graduate experience for women. Panel discussion at Women in Engineering ProActive Network, Las Vegas, NV.
    • Seneres, A. (2010, May). Inside my math classroom. Presented at Butuan Global Foundation’s Share Your Knowledge Program, Butuan, Philippines.
    • Seneres, A. (2014, November). The math of student loans. Presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference, Richmond, VA.
    • Seneres, A. (2017). Teacher-learner interactions in a hybrid setting compared to a traditional mathematics course (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Columbia University, New York.
    • Seneres, A. (2017, October). New ways to use LAs. Panel discussion at the International Learning Assistant Conference, Boulder, CO.
    • Seneres, A. (2018, January). What effect does the hybrid class format have on classroom interactions? Presented at NJEdge Conference, Whippany, NJ.
    • Seneres, A. (2018, April). What effect does the hybrid class format have on classroom interactions? Presented at National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Research Conference, Washington, D.C.
    • Seneres, A. (2018, May). How learning assistants can help foster active learning. Presented at the Rutgers Active Learning Symposium, New Brunswick, NJ.
    • Seneres, A., Ciafullo, A., Katzen, S., & Blackwell, S. (2017, November). Co-teaching models for the pedagogy course. Poster presented at the International Learning Assistant Conference, Boulder, CO.
    • Seneres, A., Emenike, M., Katzen, S., & Blackwell, S. (2016, October). The centralized and expanding LA program at Rutgers University. Poster presented at the International Learning Assistant Conference, Boulder, CO.
    • Seneres, A., & Kerrigan, J.A. (2014). Using dynamic software to address common calculus stumbling blocks. Journal of Mathematics Education at Teachers College, 5(2), 29-37.
    • Seneres, A., & Kerrigan, J. A. (2015, March). Using dynamic software to prepare AP students for college calculus. Presented at Good Ideas in Teaching Precalculus Conference, Piscataway, NJ.
    • Seneres, A. & Smith, J. P. (2016, July). What effect does the hybrid class format have on classroom interactions? Poster presented at the International Congress on Mathematical Education, Hamburg, Germany.