@article{gilchrist_alexander_green_sanders_hooker_reif_2021, title={Development of a Pandemic Awareness STEM Outreach Curriculum: Utilizing a Computational Thinking Taxonomy Framework}, volume={11}, ISSN={["2227-7102"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11030109}, DOI={10.3390/educsci11030109}, abstractNote={Computational thinking is an essential skill in the modern global workforce. The current public health crisis has highlighted the need for students and educators to have a deeper understanding of epidemiology. While existing STEM curricula has addressed these topics in the past, current events present an opportunity for new curricula that can be designed to present epidemiology, the science of public health, as a modern topic for students that embeds the problem-solving and mathematics skills of computational thinking practices authentically. Using the Computational Thinking Taxonomy within the informal education setting of a STEM outreach program, a curriculum was developed to introduce middle school students to epidemiological concepts while developing their problem-solving skills, a subset of their computational thinking and mathematical thinking practices, in a contextually rich environment. The informal education setting at a Research I Institution provides avenues to connect diverse learners to visually engaging computational thinking and data science curricula to understand emerging teaching and learning approaches. This paper documents the theory and design approach used by researchers and practitioners to create a Pandemic Awareness STEM Curriculum and future implications for teaching and learning computational thinking practices through engaging with data science.}, number={3}, journal={EDUCATION SCIENCES}, author={Gilchrist, Pamela O. and Alexander, Alonzo B. and Green, Adrian J. and Sanders, Frieda E. and Hooker, Ashley Q. and Reif, David M.}, year={2021}, month={Mar} }
 @article{gilchrist_alexander_2019, title={Optometry Outreach for Diverse Middle School Students}, volume={11143}, ISSN={["1996-756X"]}, DOI={10.1117/12.2523998}, abstractNote={A need exists to diversify the optometry field in the United States. Males reflect 50.4 percent of the profession and approximately 97% of optometrist professionals are White and Asian1. This paper will describe Imhotep Academy’s program model, implementation efforts, and preliminary findings of the “Imhotep Academy: Optics of the Eye” session designed to promote optics content, optometry careers, engagement with diverse professionals within the field, and optics hands-on experiences to ethnically and racially diverse middle school students. The paper will analyze students’ awareness and knowledge of optics, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, their proficiencies, and innovations in the optometry field that impact personal health outcomes as well as parent data. Lastly, the paper will provide findings related to students’ self-reported 21st-century learning skills, future STEM engagement in school, and career aspirations. Informal science outreach programs have been found to develop students' awareness and knowledge of STEM careers.}, journal={FIFTEENTH CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN OPTICS AND PHOTONICS (ETOP 2019)}, author={Gilchrist, Pamela O. and Alexander, Alonzo B.}, year={2019} }
 @article{gilchrist_young_bowles_brady_grable_2017, title={Middle and High School Teachers' Implementation Reflections of Photonics and Optics Curriculum in a Qualitative Study}, volume={10452}, ISBN={["978-1-5106-1381-2"]}, ISSN={["1996-756X"]}, DOI={10.1117/12.2270958}, abstractNote={The purpose of this paper is to describe middle and high school science teachers’ self-reported experiences learning and adopting novel optics and photonics content. The hybrid teacher professional development program design, theoretical framework, methodology, findings, and implications related to teachers’ adoption decisions of optics and photonics content will be reported in the paper.}, journal={14TH CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN OPTICS AND PHOTONICS (ETOP 2017)}, author={Gilchrist, P. O. and Young, T. and Bowles, T. A. and Brady, K. P. and Grable, L. L.}, year={2017} }
 @article{gilchrist_alexander_2017, title={Solar Cell and Photonics Outreach for Middle School Students and Teachers}, volume={10452}, ISBN={["978-1-5106-1381-2"]}, ISSN={["1996-756X"]}, DOI={10.1117/12.2265782}, abstractNote={This paper will describe the curriculum development process employed to develop a solar cell and photonics curriculum unit for students underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Information will explain how the curriculum unit was piloted with middle and high school teachers from public schools in North Carolina, high school students from underrepresented groups in an informal science program, and workshop settings. Measures used to develop the curriculum materials for middle school students will be presented along with program findings documenting students’ urban versus rural interest in STEM, career aspirations, and 21st century learning skills in informal learning settings.}, journal={14TH CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN OPTICS AND PHOTONICS (ETOP 2017)}, author={Gilchrist, Pamela O. and Alexander, Alonzo B.}, year={2017} }
 @article{gilchrist_hilliard-clark_bowles_carpenter_2014, title={Lighting the Way: Photonics Leaders II (PL2) Optics and Photonics Teacher Professional Development}, volume={9289}, ISSN={["1996-756X"]}, DOI={10.1117/12.2070383}, abstractNote={A sample group of nineteen teachers completed the second phase of the Photonics Leaders II Optics and Photonics professional development program. Participants took a basic Physics content knowledge test that was designed by a Professor of Physics. The test was completed before the teachers participated in the program and at the end of the program to gather data for statistical inquiry. Statistical studies on pre-test and post-test data indicated significant gains in physics content knowledge over time, and that instructors teaching at the middle school level or only teaching one subject area scored significantly lower during the pretest. Reports from previous participants are summarized to disseminate the percentage of teachers who have incorporated at least one workshop activity and the kind of activity performed. The concerns and limitations reported by previous participants are reviewed as well.}, journal={12TH EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN OPTICS AND PHOTONICS CONFERENCE}, author={Gilchrist, Pamela Olivia and Hilliard-Clark, Joyce and Bowles, Tuere and Carpenter, Eric}, year={2014} }
 @article{gilchrist_carpenter_gray-battle_2014, title={Piloting a Fiber Optics and Electronic Theory Curriculum with High School Students}, volume={9289}, ISSN={["1996-756X"]}, DOI={10.1117/12.2070742}, abstractNote={Previous participants from a multi-year blended learning intervention focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) content knowledge, technical, college, and career preparatory skills were recruited to pilot a new module designed by the project staff. Participants met for a total of 22 contact hours receiving lectures from staff and two guest speakers from industries relevant to photonics, fiber optics hands-on experimentation, and practice with documenting progress. Activities included constructing a fiber optics communication system, troubleshooting breadboard circuits and diagrammed circuits as well as hypothesis testing to discover various aspects of fiber optic cables. Participants documented their activities, wrote reflections on the content and learning endeavor and gave talks about their research experiences to staff, peers, and relatives during the last session. Overall, it was found that a significant gain in content knowledge occurred between the time of pre-testing (Mean=0.54) and post-testing time points for the fiber optics portion of the curriculum via the use of a paired samples t-test (Mean=0.71), t=-2.72, p<.05. Additionally, the electronic theory test results were not a normal distribution and for this reason non-parametric testing was used, specifically a Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. Results indicated a significant increase in content knowledge occurred over time between the pre- (Mdn=0.35) and post-testing time points (Mdn=0.80) z=-2.49, p<,05, r=-0.59 for the electronic theory portion of the curriculum. An equivalent control group was recruited from the remaining participant pool, allowing for comparison between groups. The program design, findings, and lessons learned will be reported in this paper.}, journal={12TH EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN OPTICS AND PHOTONICS CONFERENCE}, author={Gilchrist, Pamela Olivia and Carpenter, Eric and Gray-Battle, Asia}, year={2014} }
 @article{gilchrist_carpenter_gray-battle_2014, title={Predicting Scientific Oral Presentation Scores in a High School Photonics Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Program}, volume={9289}, ISSN={["0277-786X"]}, DOI={10.1117/12.2070741}, abstractNote={A hybrid teacher professional development, student science technology mathematics and engineering pipeline enrichment program was operated by the reporting research group for the past 3 years. Overall, the program has reached 69 students from 13 counties in North Carolina and 57 teachers from 30 counties spread over a total of five states. Quantitative analysis of oral presentations given by participants at a program event is provided. Scores from multiple raters were averaged and used as a criterion in several regression analyses. Overall it was revealed that student grade point averages, most advanced science course taken, extra quality points earned in their most advanced science course taken, and posttest scores on a pilot research design survey were significant predictors of student oral presentation scores. Rationale for findings, opportunities for future research, and implications for the iterative development of the program are discussed.}, journal={12TH EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN OPTICS AND PHOTONICS CONFERENCE}, author={Gilchrist, Pamela Olivia and Carpenter, Eric D. and Gray-Battle, Asia}, year={2014} }
 @article{gilchrist_hilliard-clark_bowles_2010, title={OPTICS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH CAROLINA}, volume={7783}, ISSN={["1996-756X"]}, DOI={10.1117/12.861057}, abstractNote={Using the Photonics Leaders (PL2) program model of recruitment and retention, photonics content, parental engagement, internship, and a hybrid virtual format, the session's goal is to inform outreach coordinators and scientists of strategies used to develop teachers' awareness and skills in teaching Optics to ethnically diverse students who lack traditional experiences in the discipline. The National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) funded program highlights initial findings of a pilot study with middle and high school teachers from The Science House at North Carolina State University sharing lessons learned and future scale-up plans.}, journal={OPTICS EDUCATION AND OUTREACH}, author={Gilchrist, Pamela O. and Hilliard-Clark, Joyce and Bowles, Tuere}, year={2010} }
 @article{gilchrist_conover_bowles_dedeugd_hilliard-clark_2010, title={PILOTING PHOTONICS CURRICULUM IN STAFF DEVELOPMENT}, volume={7783}, ISSN={["0277-786X"]}, DOI={10.1117/12.861092}, abstractNote={The paper's goal is to inform outreach coordinators and scientists of strategies used to develop a Light Emitting Diode (LED) curriculum module for high school students. Field-testing the weeklong LED curriculum, teachers acquired new instructional strategies to develop students career and global workforce skills in STEM disciplines. The National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) funded program session will highlight initial findings of the developmental process, review data of the pilot study with middle and high school teachers participating in a teacher workshop and student program offered by The Science House of North Carolina State University.}, journal={OPTICS EDUCATION AND OUTREACH}, author={Gilchrist, Pamela O. and Conover, Brandon and Bowles, Tuere and deDeugd, Casey and Hilliard-Clark, Joyce}, year={2010} }