Rodriguez, Jon-Marc
rodrigjg@uwm.eduChemistry Building 627, ,

Rodriguez, Jon-Marc

Assistant Professor
Chemistry & Biochemistry

Education

Ph.D., Purdue University
M.S., University of California, San Diego
B.S., University of California, San Diego

Website

Research

Overview
Our team conducts chemistry education research. Chemistry education research is a field of study that applies chemistry content expertise to investigate how we can improve the teaching and learning of chemistry. Depending on the context of the study, this may involve a combination of quantitative (e.g., multiple-choice surveys and assessments) and qualitative research methods (e.g., interviews and classroom observations).

In our research group, we focus on chemistry as a community of practice, which involves multiple intersecting communities of bench-top chemists, chemistry education researchers, and instructors. Our goal is to help advance and support the chemistry community, especially individuals at the periphery such as emerging researchers/instructors and undergraduates interested in participating in science.

 

Undergraduate Engagement in Research
Our group supports student engagement in research in two primary ways: (1) we provide opportunities for students to participate in research by joining our team and (2) we investigate the ways in which we can create better learning environments for undergraduate researchers. Our goal for undergraduate researchers is to support the development of broadly useful skills that can be applied in future careers. To this end, we emphasize supporting students in making intellectual contributions, which involves engaging in the process of scientific inquiry by analyzing data, reading academic journal articles, and writing. 

Students’ Mathematical Reasoning
We are interested in topics such as how students use equations when solving problems and how students construct and interpret graphs. This work is largely influenced by cross-disciplinary collaborations and the incorporation of relevant education research from related fields such as mathematics and physics. Our interdisciplinary lens toward investigating students’ mathematical reasoning has led us to focus on characterizing the intuitive ideas students associate with patterns in equations and graphs. 

Publications

  1. Rodriguez, J.-M. G. & Towns, M. H. (2021). Analysis of biochemistry students’ graphical reasoning using misconceptions constructivism and fine-grained constructivism: Why assumptions about the nature and structure of knowledge matter for research and teaching. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 22, 1020-1034. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1RP00041A
  2. Hunter, K. H., Rodriguez, J.-M. G., & Becker, N. M. (2021). Making sense of sensemaking: Using the sensemaking framework to investigate student discourse during a collaborative gas law activity. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 22(2), 328-346. https://doi.org/10.1039.D0RP00290A.
  3. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Philips, S. J., Hux, N. P., & Towns, M. H. (2021). Assessing system ontology in biochemistry: Analysis of students’ problem solving in enzyme kinetics. In G. Tsaparlis (Ed.), Problems and problem solving in chemistry education, (pp.199-216). https://doi.org/10.1039/9781839163586-00199
  4. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Lazenby, K., Scharlott, L. J., Hunter, K. H., & Becker, N. M. (2020). Supporting engagement in metamodeling ideas in general chemistry: Development and validation of activities designed using process oriented guided inquiry learning criteria. Journal of Chemical Education, 97(12), 4276-4286. https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00321.
  5. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Harrison, A. R., & Becker, N. M. (2020). Analyzing students’ construction of graphical models: How does reaction rate change over time? Journal of Chemical Education, 97(11), 3948–3956. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c01036.
  6. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Hunter, K. H., Scharlott, L. J., & Becker, N. M. (2020). A review of research on process oriented guided inquiry learning: Implications for research and practice. Journal of Chemical Education, 97(10), 3506-3520. https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00355.
  7. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Stricker, A. R., & Becker, N. M. (2020). Exploring the productive use of metonymy: Applying coordination class theory to investigate student conceptions of rate in relation to reaction coordinate diagrams. Journal of Chemical Education, 97(8), 2065-2077. https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00496.
  8. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Stricker, A. R., & Becker, N. M. (2020). Students’ interpretation and use of graphical representations: Insights afforded by modeling the varied population schema as a coordination class. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 21(2), 536-560. https://doi.org/10.1039/C9RP00249A
  9. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., & Towns, M. H. (2020). Research on students’ understanding of Michaelis-Menten kinetics and enzyme inhibition: Implications for instruction and learning. The Biophysicist, 1(2), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.35459/tbp.2019.000108
  10. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Bain, K., & Towns, M. H. (2020). The role of epistemology and epistemic games in mediating the use of mathematics in chemistry: Implications for mathematics instruction and research on undergraduate mathematics education. International Journal of Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, 6, 279-301. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40753-019-00110-8
  11. Towns, M. H., Bain, K., & Rodriguez, J.-M. G. (2019). How did we get here? Using and applying mathematics in chemistry. In M. H. Towns, K. Bain, & J.-M. G. Rodriguez (Eds.), It’s just math: Research on students’ understanding of chemistry and mathematics (pp. 1–8). https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2019-1316.ch001
  12. Bain, K., Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Moon, A., & Towns, M. H. (2019). Mathematics in chemical kinetics: Which is the cart and which is the horse? In M. H. Towns, K. Bain, & J.-M. G. Rodriguez (Eds.), It’s just math: Research on students’ understanding of chemistry and mathematics (pp. 25–46). https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2019-1316.ch003
  13. Ho, F. M., Elmgren, M., Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Bain, K. R., & Towns, M. H. (2019). Graphs: Working with models at the crossroad between chemistry and Mathematics. In M. H. Towns, K. Bain, & J.-M. G. Rodriguez (Eds.), It’s just math: Research on students’ understanding of chemistry and mathematics (pp. 47–67). https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2019-1316.ch004
  14. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Bain, K., & Towns, M. H. (2019). Graphs as objects: Mathematical resources used by undergraduate biochemistry students to reason about enzyme kinetics. In M. H. Towns, K. Bain, & J.-M. G. Rodriguez (Eds.), It’s just math: Research on students’ understanding of chemistry and mathematics (pp. 69–80). https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2019-1316.ch005
  15. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Bain, K., & Towns, M. H. (2019). Graphical forms: The adaptation of Sherin’s symbolic forms for the analysis of graphical reasoning across disciplines. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-019-10025-0
  16. Bain, K., Rodriguez, J.-M. G., & Towns, M. H. (2019). Chemistry and mathematics: Research and frameworks to explore student reasoning. Journal of Chemical Education, 96(10), 2086–2096. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00523
  17. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Hux, N. P., Philips, S. J., & Towns, M. H. (2019). Michaelis–Menten graphs, Lineweaver–Burk plots, and reaction schemes: Investigating introductory biochemistry students’ conceptions of representations in enzyme kinetics. Journal of Chemical Education, 96(9), 1833–1845. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00396
  18. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., & Towns, M. H. (2019). Alternative use for the refined consensus model of pedagogical content knowledge: Suggestions for contextualizing chemistry education research. Journal of Chemical Education, 96(9), 1797–1803. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00415
  19. Bain, K., Rodriguez, J.-M. G., & Towns, M. H. (2019). Investigating student understanding of rate constants: When is a constant “constant”? Journal of Chemical Education, 96(8), 1571–1577. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00005
  20. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., & Towns, M. H. (2019). Catalyzing student learning: Using analogies to teach enzyme kinetics. Journal of Chemical Education, 96(7), 1401–1406. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00004
  21. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., & Towns, M. H. (2019). Analysis of student reasoning about Michaelis–Menten enzyme kinetics: Mixed conceptions of enzyme inhibition. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 20(2), 428–442. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8RP00276B
  22. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Bain, K., Hux, N. P., & Towns, M. H. (2019). Productive features of problem solving in chemical kinetics: More than just algorithmic manipulation of variables. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 20(1), 175–186. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8RP00202A
  23. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Bain, K., Towns, M. H., Elmgren, M., & Ho, F. M. (2019). Covariational reasoning and mathematical narratives: Investigating students’ understanding of graphs in chemical kinetics. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 20(1), 107–119. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8RP00156A
  24. Bain, K., Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Moon, A., & Towns, M. H. (2018). The characterization of cognitive processes involved in chemical kinetics using a blended processing framework. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 19(2), 617–628. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7RP00230K
  25. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., & Towns, M. H. (2018). Modifying laboratory experiments to promote engagement in critical thinking by reframing prelab and postlab questions. Journal of Chemical Education, 95(12), 2141–2147. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00683 [Highlighted in “Critical thinking in the lab (and beyond)” Education in Chemistry]
  26. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Santos-Diaz, S., Bain, K., & Towns, M. H. (2018). Using symbolic and graphical forms to analyze students’ mathematical reasoning in chemical kinetics. Journal of Chemical Education, 95(12), 2114–2125. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00584
  27. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Hensiek, S., Meyer, J. R., Harwood, C. J., & Towns, M. H. (2018). Buffers in context: Baby wipes as a buffer system. Journal of Chemical Education, 95(10), 1816–1820. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00378
  28. Bain, K., Rodriguez, J.-M. G., & Towns, M. H. (2018). Zero-order chemical kinetics as a context to investigate student understanding of catalysts and half-Life. Journal of Chemical Education, 95(5), 716–725. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00974
  29. Rodriguez, J.-M. G., Bain, K., Moon, A., Mack, M. R., DeKorver, B. K., & Towns, M. H. (2017). The citation index of chemistry education research in the Journal of Chemical Education from 2008 to 2016: A closer look at the impact factor. Journal of Chemical Education, 94(5), 558–562. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00062