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Harshman Research Group

Discipline-based education research at the University of Iowa

The Harshman Research Group is focused on several key areas of research including effective graduate education in chemistry, robust statistics in chemistry education research, and instructional practices of STEM faculty. We seek to better the landscape of chemistry education by conducting highly robust educational research using both qualitative and quantitative methods. We are also passionate about R, a statistical coding language that many of the group’s members find extremely helpful along the way.

RESEARCH AREAS

Effective Doctoral Education in Chemistry

Over 20,000 chemistry students are currently enrolled in doctoral programs across the country, receiving training over five and a half years on average before pursuing careers in industry, academia, government, and beyond. Our group is interested in identifying what knowledge and skills these students gain throughout their programs as well as what they will need, in order to discover gaps in preparation and improve the effectiveness of traditional graduate components.

Instructional Practices in STEM Classrooms

Our group investigates patterns in instructor observations using the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS), with the hope of more directly linking classroom behaviors with education outcomes. We also maintain the COPUS Analyzer website with Dr. Marilyne Stains at the University of Virginia, a tool that provides meaningful feedback and classifications from observation data.

Robust Statistics in Chemistry Education Research

We are passionate about advancing statistical reasoning in chemistry education research and advocate for the use of R, a free and powerful programming language. Our group also collaborates with Jack Barbera at Portland State University and Regis Komperda at San Diego State University on CHIRAL, a centralized resource for chemistry education assessment instruments.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Qu, T. & Harshman, J. (2022). Situational interview based investigation of advisor-advisee conflict communication in U.S. chemistry graduate education.

Journal of Chemical Education, 99(3), 1400-1409

Harshman, J. (2021). A review of the challenges that face doctoral education in chemistry.

Journal of Chemical Education, 98(2), 259-269

Popova, M., Kraft, A., Harshman, J., & Stains, M. (2021). Changes in teaching beliefs of early-career chemistry faculty: A longitudinal investigation.

Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 22(2), 431-442

Busby, B. & Harshman, J. (2021). Program elements’ impact on chemistry doctoral students’ professional development: A longitudinal study.

Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 22, 347-363

Popova, M., Kraft, A., Harshman, J., & Stains, M. (2020). Untangling a complex relationship: Teaching beliefs and instructional practices of assistant chemistry faculty at research-intensive institutions.

Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 21(5), 513-527

Cui, Q. & Harshman, J. (2020). A qualitative investigation to identify the knowledge and skills that chemists require in the workplace.

Journal of Chemical Education, 97(5), 1247-1255

Stains, M., Harshman, J., Barker, M. K., Chasteen, S. V., Cole, R., DeChenne-Peters, S. E., … & Young, A. M. (2018). Anatomy of STEM teaching in North American universities.

Science, 359(6383), 1468-1470