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Gina Frey

Regina FreyCHEMICAL EDUCATION

Ronald and Eileen Ragsdale Professor of Chemical Education
B.S., Clarion State University, PA, 1982
Ph.D., University of Utah, 1986                                                                                                       
Postdoctoral Fellow, Indiana University, 1986-1988


Phone: (801) 581-8884
Office: 4402 Thatcher Building
Email: gina.frey@utah.edu

Research group website

Collaborative Projects

NSF Collaborative Inclusive STEM Project 

Center for Integrative Research on Cognition, Learning, and Education (CIRCLE) 

Center for Science and Mathematics Education

Research Interests

My research interests focus on improving student learning and sense of belonging by developing/modifying, implementing, and evaluating active-learning and collaborative strategies and cognitive, metacognitive, and social-psychological research findings. My lab accomplishes this by working with faculty, especially in introductory STEM courses, and collaborating with psychology researchers, other STEM education researchers and the Center for Science and Mathematics Education (CSME). My research also focuses on educating and supporting faculty in these areas to implement evidence-based strategies through developing on-line and in-person educational material and implementing faculty-development programs, and to document these changes through classroom observations and other evaluation instruments. The goal of our group is to help faculty create a classroom environment and curriculum where all students can succeed in and enjoy STEM.

Selected Publications

Book Chapters, Books, and Reports

  • A Fink and R. F. Frey.* (in press). “Clicker Implementation Styles in STEM.” in J. J. Mintzes and E. M. Walter, Eds. Active Learning in College Science:  The Case for Evidence-Based Practice. Berlin: Springer Nature (invited chapter, peer reviewed, expected publication date December 2019)
  • A Fink, E. D. Solomon, and R. F. Frey* (in press). “Guiding principles for connecting faculty, administrators, and staff in EDI initiatives: A case study of a university-supported education research center” in S. B. Storms, S. K. Donovan, and T. P. Williams (Eds), Book One, Breaking Down Silos: Innovation, Collaboration, and EDI Across Disciplines. (accepted chapter, peer reviewed, expected publication date August 2019)
  •  R. F. Frey* and M. A. McDaniel (2019). The case of the enterprising instructor. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), My Biggest Research Mistake (pp. 165-168). London: Sage Publications. (Invited chapter)
  •  R. F. Frey* and S. E. Shadle* (2019). “Guided Inquiry” In S. R. Simonson (Ed), POGIL: An Introduction to Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning for Those Who Wish to Empower Learners. (pp. 84-69). Virginia: Stylus Publishing, LLC. (Invited chapter)
  • M. A. McDaniel*, J. P. Mestre*, R. F. Frey, R. Gouravajhala, R. C. Hilborn, T. Miyatsu, J. W. Morphew, & L. L. Slakey (2017), Report for NSF Cognitive Science and Discipline-Based Educational Research Conference held September 2016. Maximizing undergraduate STEM learning: Promoting research at the intersection of cognitive psychology and discipline-based education research.” (url: https://circle.wustl.edu/white-paper-maximizing-undergraduate-stem-learning/)
  • Co-editor of: M. A. McDaniel, R. F. Frey, S. M. Fitzpatrick, and H. L. Roediger, (Eds.) (2014). Integrating Cognitive Science with Innovative Teaching in STEM Disciplines. [e-reader version] (Downloads: 4006, as of 12-03-2019) doi: 10.7936/K75Q4T1X
  • R. F. Frey* and S. M. Fitzpatrick (2014). “The benefits of cross-talk: Cognitive psychologists and STEM educators from multiple disciplines can enrich their research and enhance STEM education through shared knowledge.” In M. A. McDaniel, R. F. Frey, S. M. Fitzpatrick, and H.L. Roediger (Eds), Integrating cognitive science with innovative teaching in STEM disciplines [E-reader version]. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7936/K7BG2KWM
  • K. Sawyer*, R. Frey, and P. Brown, Productive Multivocality in the Analysis of Group Interactions, Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Series, Vol. 15; D. D. Suthers, K. Lund, C. P. Rose, C. Teplovs, and N. Law, eds.; Springer Science + Business Media B.V.: New York, 2013, 191-204. “Knowledge Building Discourse in Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) Groups in First-year General Chemistry.” (invited chapter)
  • K. Sawyer*, R. Frey, and P. Brown, Productive Multivocality in the Analysis of Group Interactions, Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Series, Vol. 15; D. D. Suthers, K. Lund, C. P. Rose, C. Teplovs, and N. Law, eds.; Springer Science + Business Media B.V.: New York, 2013, 183-189. “Peer-Led Team Learning in General Chemistry.” (invited chapter)

Selected Journal Publications

  • G., Szteinberg, M.D. Repice, C. Hendrick, S. Meyerink, R. F. & Frey* (2020). Peer Leader Reflections on Promoting Discussion in Peer Group-Learning Sessions: Reflective and Practiced Advice through Collaborative Annual Peer-Advice Books. CBE—Life Sciences Education19(1), ar2.
  •  S.  M. Stoen*, M. A. McDaniel, R. F. Frey, K. M. Hynes, & M. J. Cahill, Phys. Rev. Special Topics – Phys. Edu. Res. “Force Concept Inventory: More than just conceptual understanding,” (accepted 12/2019).
  •  E. D. Solomon, J. M. Bugg*, S. F. Rowell, M. A. McDaniel, R. F. Frey, & P. S. Mattson (2019). Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology. “Development and Validation of an Introductory Psychology Knowledge Inventory.” Advance online publication, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/stl0000172 
  • E. M. Walck-Shannon, M. J. Cahill, M. A. McDaniel, and R. F. Frey* (2019), CBE-Life Sci Edu., 18(2), ar15, 1–13. "Participation in voluntary re-quizzing is predictive of increased performance on cumulative assessments in introductory biology,” DOI: https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.18-08-0163.
  •  R. F. Frey*, A. Fink, M. J. Cahill, M. A. McDaniel, and E. D. Solomon, (2018). J. Chem. Edu., 95(12), 2103-2113. “Peer-Led Team Learning in General Chemistry I: Interactions with Identity, Academic Preparation, and a Course-Based Intervention,” DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00375 .
  •  E. D. Solomon, M. D. Repice, J. M. Mutambuki, D. A. Leonard, C. A. Cohen, J. Luo, and R. F. Frey* (2018). CBE-Life Sci Edu. 17(2), ar30: 1-16. “A Mixed Method Investigation of Clicker Implementation Styles in STEM.”
  • A Fink, M. J. Cahill, M. A. McDaniel, A. Hoffman, and R. F. Frey*, (2018). Chem. Edu. Res. and Prac. 19, 783-806. “Improving General Chemistry Performance through a Growth Mindset Intervention: Selective Effects on Underrepresented Minorities”, DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1039/C7RP00244K .
Last Updated: 7/1/24