The research projects in the Randles Research Group look at a broad spectrum of the Chemistry Education sector, focusing primarily on understanding thought and critical thinking of participants, as well as developing chemistry skills beyond those that are conceptually focused. We have 7 core project areas which are:
- Problem Solving in STEM
- The Reflective Practice and Teaching Practices of Graduate Teaching Assistants
- Threshold Concepts and Multiple Literacies in Chemistry and Biology K-16 Curriculum
- Monitoring student mental health in general and organic chemistry courses.
- Using AI assisted Apps to support student academic advising
- Development of Isomorphic Problems Banks Using Generative AI.
- Empowering STEM Teachers with Earned Doctorates: A Noyce Program for Elementary and Middle School Mathematics Teachers
Each of these projects have sub-projects that probe a specific objectives such as how graduate teaching assistants reflect on the professional relationships they develop with their students in remote education settings, and how to students evaluate trust of content created online.
Project 1: Problem-solving and Question Design in STEM
A key question is understanding what equates to expertise in problem-solving. Many problems in traditional assignment types are algorithmic in nature, resulting in students relying on surface level details to engage in practices to solve the problem. This project strives to understand what equates to expertise when individuals design and solve different types of problem (e.g., multiple-choice, free response, open-ended). Sub-projects here include:
- Applying problem solving models to open-ended problem-solving to identify characteristics of expertise.
- Investigating problem-solving expertise in science major students.
- Understanding the assessment writing practices of faculty and students, and how these can identify expertise.
- Determining cognitive load limitations for visually dependent problems.
Project 2: The Reflective Practice and Teaching Practices of Graduate Teaching Assistants
The graduate teaching assistant is the essential workforce in higher education to ensure that students have the opportunity to learn in smaller class sizes such as recitations and labs. Furthermore, reflective practice is an important mechanism for educators to understand the heart of their practice. However, reflective practice is complex and intellectually challenging and often is confused with evaluation. Reflective practice born through the principles of self-awareness, self-regard and self-improvement. Sub projects include:
- Developing a culture of reflective practice in graduate, undergraduate and learning assistants.
- Applying models of reflective practice to provide insights about GTA considerations when teaching.
- Using GTA reflective practice to inform GTA training programs.
Project 3: Threshold Concepts and Multiple Literacies in Chemistry and Biology K-16 Curriculum
Multiple Literacies are multiple literacy areas of scientific literacy that facilitate a persons engagement with science. Although there are many literacy areas, the research group investigates five literacy areas which are:
- Information literacy- the set of abilities needed to locate necessary information, critically evaluate it and effectively and ethically use it.
- Conceptual Literacy- the set of abilities needed to demonstrate understanding of core concepts in a particular discipline.
- Visual Literacy- the set of abilities needed to interpret, negotiate and make meaning of information presented by visual representations.
- Experimental Literacy- the set of abilities needed to design and conduct an experiment, and to analyze the resulting data to draw conclusions.
- Socio-cultural Literacy- the set of abilities needed to recognize social, political, and ethical issues in science, and to engage critically with individuals about and issues related to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Project 4: Monitoring student mental health in general and organic chemistry courses.
Student mental health has become a major concern across higher education, with two thirds of young people experiencing levels of examination stress and anxiety. Research shows that high levels of stress can interfere with attention and reduce working memory leading to lower performance in courses and course assessments. Early experiences with anxiety and stress can also set a precedent for mental health problems throughout adulthood. Sub projects include:
Using biophysical stress response data to monitor:
- Variation in working memory function and field dependency in the context of chemistry courses as a result of test anxiety.
- Stress monitoring of students engaged with visual representation creation based on auditory or visual stimuli cues in the context of chemistry courses.
- The impact of item writing flaws in multiple-choice questions on student test anxiety.
- Measuring students’ perception of test anxiety vs their biophysical stress response to auditory and visual stimuli in the context of general and organic chemistry.
Project 5: Using AI assisted Apps to support student academic advising
Advising and student services provide guidance and support for students on issues relating to wellbeing, inclusion, academic studies, career development and future aspirations. High quality advising has been shown to increase retention and student success.
This project is in partnership with CampusEvolve, Indiana Tech and AXIM Collaborative to establish a research-based learning collaborative among institutions that serve low-income, transfer and first generation students. The primary focus is to identify how Generative AI can improve holistic advising and the point of student need through purposeful development of use cases and Apps.
Project 6: Development of Isomorphic Problems Banks Using Generative AI.
This collaborative project between UCF and Valencia College aims to improve success outcomes for all STEM students by addressing key barriers in large introductory courses in physics, chemistry, and mathematics. Grounded in the theory of self-regulated learning, the initiative integrates cutting-edge technologies like Generative AI and Learning Analytics across four interconnected themes: transforming traditional assessments, building instructor and student communities, and analyzing learning strategies. These efforts are designed to create more flexible, inclusive, and aligned learning environments across institutions.
Over five years, the project will foster cross-institutional collaboration among faculty and students, enhance access to culturally relevant learning resources, and support transfer students through community-building and mentorship. By involving students in content creation and leveraging data-driven insights, the project promotes a sense of belonging, motivation, and academic resilience. The outcomes will not only benefit participating institutions but also serve as a scalable model for improving STEM education at other Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).
Project 7: Empowering STEM Teachers with Earned Doctorates: A Noyce Program for Elementary and Middle School Mathematics Teachers
The UCF-OCPS Noyce Teacher Leader Academy is a five-year initiative designed to elevate K–8 mathematics education by supporting Noyce Fellows, educators pursuing a specialized Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on mathematics. Through a cohort-based, virtual learning model, Fellows develop expertise in creating inclusive, inquiry-driven classrooms. The academy integrates research-based professional development in areas such as problem-solving, mathematical communication, and fostering productive persistence, positioning mathematics as a gateway to future STEM success.
Fellows receive targeted mentoring from the UCF-OCPS Noyce STEM Leadership team and, in turn, mentor colleagues and City Year Orlando Corps Members through a gradual release model. This iterative approach builds leadership capacity and sustains a cycle of mentorship across schools and districts. Fellows also engage in multilayered coaching cycles, serving as researchers, catalysts for instructional coherence, and peer coaches. By the end of the program, Fellows are equipped to lead transformative change in STEM education, particularly in underrepresented communities.