Research Areas
A unique set of obstacles and opportunities arise when the curriculum modifications to improve student learning occur in courses taught by graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). Dr. Saitta’s research is focused on the extent to which professional development interventions such as learning communities, teaching simulations, and peer teaching observations elicit change in instructor attitudes, beliefs, and practices. Her current research focuses on utilizing a mixed reality teaching simulator to track changes in instructor discourse in active learning environments. Dr. Saitta’s work includes the optimization of graduate teaching assistant education to better implement evidence-based teaching.
Publications
- Dreamerson, J. T., Saitta, E. K. H.*, Visually Impaired (BVI) Students in Chemistry and STEMM in Higher Education. Journal of Chemical Education, 102 (8) (2025), 3142-3149.
- Richards, E. R., Luciano, K. M., Nix, C. A. †, Kolpashchikov, D. M., & Saitta, E. K. H.* Outlooks on Organic Chemistry: Student and Faculty Perspectives as a Model for Change. Journal of Chemical Education, 102(4) (2025), 1398-1409.
- Francom, E., Saitta, E. K. H.* Speaking of Organic Chemistry: A Faculty Metaphor Analysis in Organic Chemistry Education. College Teaching (2024):1-9.
- Nix, C. A., Hughes, H., Saitta E.K.H*. Exploration of Student Approaches to Creative Exercises in Undergraduate Biochemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 100(10) (2023), 3784-3794.
- Doty, C. M., Geraets, A. A., Wan, T†., Nix, C. A., Saitta, E. K., & Chini, J. J. Impact of high-intensity training with a mixed-reality simulator on graduate teaching assistants use of questioning. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 19(2) (2023), 020101.
- Wan, T. †, Doty, C. M., Geraets, A. A., Saitta, E. K., & Chini, J. J. Responding to incorrect ideas: science graduate teaching assistants’ operationalization of error framing and undergraduate students’ perception. International Journal of STEM Education, 10(1) (2023): 1-17.
- Nix, C., Nottolini, I., Caranto, J., Gerasimova, Y., Kolpashchikov, D., Saitta, E.* Championing the Involvement of Practitioners in the Biochemistry Educational Research Process: A Phenomenological View of the Early Stages of Collaborative Action Research. International Journal of Higher Education6 (2022): 114-114.
- Sona, A.J., Kwaschyn, M., Nottolini, I., Saitta, E. K. H.* Creation of a mixed-reality simulator professional development module to attend to the unique needs of international teaching assistants in active learning classrooms. International Journal of Higher Education6 (2022): 140-140.
- Sona, A. J., Laboy Santana, J., & Saitta, E. K. * Looking through a Prism: A Systematic Review of LGBTQ+ STEM Literature. Journal of Chemical Education, 100(1) (2022), 125-133.
- Donnelly, J. Miller, A., Krsmanovic, M., Saitta, E. K. H. Response of STEM and Social Science Faculty to the COVID-19 Crisis: an Application of Organizational Learning. College Teaching (2021): 1-9.
- Geraets, A.; Nottolini, I.; Doty, C.; Wan, T.†; Chini, J.; Saitta, E.* Creation of an authentic teaching experience through the development of rehearsal modules for a mixed-reality simulator. Journal of Science Education and Technology (2021): 1-12.
- Wan, T.†; Doty, C. M.; Geraets, A. A.; Nix, C. A.; Saitta, E. K. H.; Chini, J. J. Evaluating the impact of a classroom simulator training on graduating teaching assistants’ instructional practices and undergraduate student learning. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 17(1), (2021) 010146.
- Wan, T.†; Geraets, A. A.; M. Doty, C. M.; Saitta, E. K. H.; Chini, J. Characterizing science graduate teaching assistants’ instructional practices in reformed laboratories and tutorials. International Journal of STEM Education1 (2020): 1-21.
- Saitta, E. *, Wilcox, M., James, W., Chini, J. The views of GTAs impacted by cross-tiered professional development: Messages intended and received International Journal of Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education3 (2020): 421-445.
