Mandy L. Kirchgessner[1]

Doctoral Candidate, Temple University

Curriculum, InstructionTechnology in Education

Cell: 847.612.5240

Residence: El Paso, TX

EDUCATION
Temple University College of Education, Philadelphia, Pa.

--Ed.D., Curriculum, Instruction &Technology in Education (CITE)anticipated Dec 2014

Dissertation, The Impact of Zoo Live Animal Presentations on Students’ Propensity to Engage in Conservation Behaviors

Dissertation Committee: Diane Jass Ketelhut; Kristie Newton; Carol Brandt

University of North Carolina, Wilington (UNCW), Wilmington, NC

--M.A.T. Secondary Education, ScienceMay 2008

Advisor: Dennis Kubasko

University of Arizona, Tucson, Az

--B.A., Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyMay 2003

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

Informal Learning Consulting2014-present

Owner, consultant

Association of Zoos and Aquariums2014

Intern, Literature and Research

John G. Shedd Aquarium2008-2009

Staff Training and Volunteer Coordinator

Phoenix Zoo2003-2005

Volunteer Coordinator

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

S.A.V.E. Science (Situated Assessments in Virtual Environments) 2010 – 2011

Research Assistant, Temple University

Principal Investigators: Diane Jass-Ketelhut, Ph.D., Temple University;

Catherine C. Schifter, Ph.D., Temple University,

Brian C. Nelson, Ph.D., Arizona State University

College of Education 2007

Graduate Assistant,University of North Carolina, Wilmington (UNCW)

PUBLICATIONS

Schifter, C.C., Natarajan, U.J, Ketelhut, D. Kirchgessner, M. L. & Carey, M. (under review) Data-driven decision making: Facilitating teacher use of data to inform classroom instruction. Contemporary Issues in Technology.Submitted August 2014.

Bergey, B. W., Cromley, J. G., Kirchgessner, A. & Newcombe, N. (under review) Using Diagrams Versus Text for Spaced Restudy: Effects on Learning in 10th Grade Biology Classes.British Journal of Educational Psychology. Resubmitted with revisions August 2014.

Pecore, J.L., Kirchgessner, M.L., Demetrikopoulos, M. K., Carruth, L. L., Franz, K.J. (under review).Formal lessons improve informal educational experiences: Influence of cognitive novelty on student engagement. Visitor Studies.Submitted July 2014.

Tenam-Zemach, M., Kirchgessner, M., Pecore, J., Lai, L. & Hecht, S. (2014) Development of an innovative method for analyzing the presence of environmental sustainability themes and an ecological paradigm in science content standards. Studies in Education Evaluation, 4, 133-142.

Pecore, J. L., Kirchgessner, M. L., & Carruth, L. L. (2013). Changes in science content knowledge and attitudes toward science teaching of educators attending a zoo-based neuroscience professional development. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, 86(6), 238-245.

Kirchgessner, M., & Ketelhut, D. (2012). Book review of Video games and learning: Teaching and participatory culture in the digital age. Science Education, 96(5), 963-965.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Kirchgessner, M. K., Gill, S. Conservation educators – taking our practice to the next level. 1-hour workshop to be held at the National Association of Interpreters (NAI) National Workshop, Denver, CO. November 18-22, 2014.

Kirchgessner, M. K. Exploration of animal use in programs and student conservation behavior change. Poster to be presented at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Annual Conference, Orlando, FL. September 14-18, 2014.

Pecore, J.L., Kirchgessner, M. L., Carruth, L.L., Demetrikopoulos, M.K., & Frantz, K.J. Pre-trip lesson raises engagement at zoo by reducing novelty. Poster to be presented at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Annual Conference, Orlando, FL. September 14-18, 2014.

Pecore, J. L., Kirchgessner, M. L., & Carruth, L. L. Possibilities of informal settings to impact science educators through unique collaborative professional development. Paper presented at the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) Annual Conference. San Antonio, TX. January 15-18, 2014.

Kirchgessner, M. L. Interpretive Placement: Fools Gold or Real Wealth? Presentation (concurrently webcast) for the National Association of Interpretation Annual Workshop, Reno, NV. November 6-9, 2013.

Bergey,B. W., Cromley, J. G., Dai, T., Wills, T. W., & Kirchgessner, M. Comparing Two High School Classroom Interventions for Improving Comprehension of Chemistry Diagrams. Paper submitted to the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, SanFrancisco, April 27-May 1, 2013.

Cromley, J. G., Bradley, B. W., Kirchgessner, M. & Willis, T. W. Combining Conventions of Diagrams Instruction and Repeated Practice in Biology Classes, Paper accepted for the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, SanFrancisco, April 27-May 1, 2013.

Tenam-Zemach, M., Pecore, J., Tenam Lai, L. & Kirchgessner, M. A Methodological Approach to Analyze Florida’s K-12 Next Generation Sunshine State Science Content Standards. Paper accepted for the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, SanFrancisco, April 27-May 1, 2013

Teufel, C., Natarajan,U., Ketelhut, D.J., Shelton, A., Kirchgessner, M., & Schifter, C.C.

Designing Professional Development for Scientific Inquiry.Presentation delivered at the annual meeting of the National Science Teacher’s Association (NSTA) Conference, Indianapolis, IN. March 31, 2012.

Shelton, A.,Willard, C., Kirchgessner, M., & Shriver, J. Technology Evaluations and Integration Ideas. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference, Hershey, PA, February, 14, 2012.

Cromley, J. G., Bergey, B. W., Fitzhugh, S. L., Wills, T. W., Kirchgessner, M., Newcombe, N. Effectiveness of Student-Constructed Diagrams Versus Self-Explanation Instruction. Paper presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Vancouver, CA, April 13-17, 2012.

Natarajan, U., Kirchgessner, M. & Jass Ketelhut, D. (2012) A Design Strategy for Scaling Up Implementations in Virtual Environments. Poster presented at European Conference of Game Based Learning (ECGBL), Cork, Ireland, October 4-5, 2012.

Dai, T., Cromley, J. G., & Kirchgessner, M.Change in implicit self-beliefs about ability in biology and its effect on retention in STEM majors: A latent growth modeling approach. Paper presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Vancouver, CA, April 13-17, 2012.

Kirchgessner, M., Perez, A. C., Dai, T., & Cromley, J. G.The Interplay BetweenContingencies of Self-worth and Anxiety in Final Chemistry Grades.Paper presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Vancouver, CA. April 13-17, 2012.

Kirchgessner, M., Huffman, R, Fischetti, J. (2007).Why Most Teachers are Staying. Poster presented at the North Carolina Teacher Educator Forum (NCTE): Raleigh, NC.

INVITED LECTURE

  • Should Zoos Exist? (May 2014) Invited by 6th grade teachers of Eisenhower Elementary School: Fort Leavenworth, Ks.
  • Teaching the Nature of Science(November 2, 2011) Invited by Dr. John Pecore: Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa.
  • Emerging Trends in Gaming and Computers in Education (March and October 2011). Joint discussion with Shelton, A. and Teufel, C. Invited by Dr. Catherine Schifter: Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa.
  • Biology Teacher Summer Workshop: Dispelling Common Misconceptions and Clarifying Challenging Concepts (June 2007). Invited by Dr. Dennis Kubasko of UNCW and supported through the Science and Math EducationCenter (SMEC); Wilmington, NC.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

  • American Educational Research Association (AERA)
  • Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)
  • National Association of Interpreters (NAI)
  • National Science Teacher Association (NSTA)
  • North Carolina Science Teachers Association (NCSTA), Local Chapter President 2007-2008.
  • Visitor Studies Association (VSA)

INTERESTS

  • Informal Education: Zoo, Aquarium, and Museum Education
  • Conservation Psychology
  • Environmental and Outdoor Science
  • Affective and Behavioral Transformation through Informal Contexts
  • Gaming Use and Assessment in Education

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Computer Skills:

  • Experienced in Blackboard structure and feature application
  • Oversaw database software development and honed user-intuitive properties with external contractor
  • Designed online educational mini-series for doctoral technology use and volunteer content education
  • Proficient with Microsoft Office Applications
  • Practiced in using a wide range of “cloud” storage and distribution systems (ie: Dropbox ©, TaskStream©, Google Docs,Prezi, etc)
  • Familiar with Raiser’s Edge, Donor Management System
    Proficient in Redworks: Volunteer Works set up and management

AWARDS

  • “Graduate Fellowship” (2013-2014). College of Education, Temple University.
  • “Volunteer of the Year” (2009). Chicago USAREC, United States Army.

SERVICE

  • El Paso Zoo Volunteer August 2014 - present
  • Operation Homefront Event Volunteer July 2014 – present
  • National Association of Research in Science Teaching Conference. March 2012

Volunteer Assessor, Strand 6: Science Learning in Informal Contexts.

  • Army FRG volunteer, leader, treasure2007 - present

[1] Note: Birth name Amanda Windman