Hummingbird and Science Pedagogy Research

My research program at Cal State Fullerton has two foci: 1) the behavioral ecology of hummingbirds, and 2) best practices for teaching science to non-scientists.

My students and I conduct research on vocal communication and breeding behavior in hummingbirds. Current models of vocal communication in birds are based almost exclusively on studies of territorial male songbirds.

Southern California’s diverse fauna of hummingbirds is an exceptional system for re-assessing these models: at least one of five local species has complex, learned songs (the others have scarcely been studied), they are easy to observe, and they vocalize almost continuously during the four-month breeding season.

Currently, we are focusing on Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds, sister species with overlapping ranges and similar habitats but strikingly different songs.

I also conduct research on how best to teach science to non-scientists, particularly in large enrollment classes.

Recent research projects include how best to develop and implement writing assignments to increase learning, and how to help instructors incorporate active learning and higher order thinking in their teaching.

CSUF’s General Education introductory biology classes, Elements of Biology and Elements of Biology Laboratory (Bio 101 and 101L) represent an ideal research population for testing the effect of various teaching strategies on student learning outcomes, because of the large number of students served (3,000 students per year in Bio 101, 1,200 in Bio 101L), their diversity (e.g. over 50% minority), and consistent course demographics (e.g. average GPA and failure rate) between years.

Hummingbird and Science Pedagogy Research

Hummingbird Research

Science Pedagogy Research