Vita for Robert James Ruhf

1. Contact Information:

Email address: x98ruhf@netscape.net

2. Education:

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Mallinson Institute for Science Education

Doctoral Program, ABD Status

August 2000 through current

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Geography Department

Masters of Arts in Geography (Environmental and Resource Analysis concentration)

August 1998 through August 2000

Grade point average: 3.9

Central Michigan University

Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

Geography Department

Bachelor of Science in Meteorology (Mathematics minor)

August 1994 through May 1998

Cum Laude

Grade-point average: 3.6

Grand Rapids Community College

Grand Rapids, Michigan

May 1993 through May 1994

Grade-point average: 4.0

Cornerstone University

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Communications Department

Bachelor of Arts in Communications (Philosophy and Religion minors)

August 1983 through May 1990

Grade-point average: 3.4

3. Teaching:

Mallinson Institute for Science Education, Western Michigan University (August 2001 through current): taught Earth Science I for Elementary Education students and Earth Science II for Elementary Education students. These courses emphasized fundamental principles related to Hydrology, Geology, and Meteorology.

These classes were designed around an inquiry-based instructional format. They were entirely lab-based and emphasized the students’ responsibility to construct their own knowledge through hands-on activities.

Western Michigan University’s Continuing Education branches in Lansing, Michigan (January 2001 through April 2001) and Benton Harbor, Michigan (July 2005 through August 2005): taught Physical Geography courses that emphasized the introductory principles of mapping, meteorology, biogeography, geology, and oceanography.

These classes were designed around a traditional instructional format, which emphasized lectures and pre-structured lab experiments.

Western Michigan University's Southwest Regional Center in St. Joseph, Michigan (February 18-19, 2000). Taught seven hours of instructional classes on web page creation as part of an Atmospheric Environment and Society course.

Geography Department, Western Michigan University (August 1998 through June 2000): taught several lab sections for a Physical Geography course, presented occasional classroom lectures in several 100 to 300 level geography courses, and tutored students in geography-related concepts.

Academic Assistance Office at Central Michigan University (September 1995 through May 1998): tutored Weather, Meteorology, Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus I and II, and Differential Equations on an individual appointment basis; and worked the "Walk-in" math tutoring sessions several nights a week.

Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, Michigan (September 1993 through April 1994): tutored algebra and basic math.

4. National Weather Service:

National Weather Service Office in Grand Rapids, Michigan (May 1996 through December 1997): worked extensively with weather radio broadcasting, composed short-term forecasts and severe weather statements, and gained a basic understanding of National Weather Service Office practices and procedures.

National Weather Service Office in Houghton Lake, Michigan (December 1995 through February 1996). Work performed here was similar to the work I performed at the National Weather Service Office in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

5. Research:

Publication:

"Time Series Analysis of 20 Years of Hourly Precipitation in Southwest Michigan." Published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research Volume 29, pp. 256-267.

Abstract: Hourly precipitation data from Oshtemo Township, Michigan – located approximately 55 km east of the lee shore of Lake Michigan -- for the period of April 1980 through March 2000 were examined. Diurnal analysis of precipitation as well as time series analysis of precipitation were performed on the study period. An overall nocturnal maximum in the mean accumulation of precipitation was detected during the two-hour periods before 2000 LST and 2200 LST. Elevated spring and fall accumulations were responsible for this evening maximum. Elevated summer and winter accumulations were responsible for a weak secondary morning maximum. An overall morning maximum in the mean precipitation hours was detected during the two-hour period before 1000 LST. ARIMA modeling verified that both precipitation accumulations and counts, for all times of the day, were significant at the 5% level. A storm event model was developed from the time series, the resulting values of which can be used as input in mesoscale climate, hydrological and agricultural computer models: the mean pulse duration was 2.44 hours; the mean interlude between pulses was 37.64 hours; the mean event accumulation was 4.1 mm; and the mean rate was 1.8 mm / hr. Finally, inter-annual analysis performed for the period of 1981 to 1999 showed that there was no statistically significant change in precipitation over the period.

Conferences:

"A Conceptual Inventory: Earth's Hydrologic System through Students' Interviews and Drawings." Presented on April 3, 2004 at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Abstract: This paper presents an overview of a study that analyzed students’ alternative conceptions about the water cycle. Approximately 45 semi-structured interviews were conducted with introductory and non-science major from a large Midwest University. Students were also asked to clarify their ideas by making drawings of the hydrologic system. Analysis of the interviews and drawings indicate that students held a number of alternative conceptions about the hydrologic system (e.g., rain falls down "like in dew," chemicals in the atmosphere cause cloud formation, etc.). The range of students’ responses included almost a complete lack of understanding of the water cycle, statements of individual features of the water cycle (such as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation) that were not connected to the overall system, and a more complex view that the water cycle is an elaborate system with global implications.

“Precipitation Analysis in Southwest Michigan - 1980-2000.” Presented on March 3, 2001 at the American Association of Geographers (AAG) conference in New York City.

Abstract: A time series analysis of twenty-year hourly precipitation record for the period 1980-2000 from Oshtemo Township in Kalamazoo County, Michigan was performed. The diurnal cycle of precipitation shows an overall maximum in accumulation during the early evening hours, and a secondary maximum during the morning hours. Seasonal analysis revealed that elevated spring and fall maximums were responsible for the evening maximum, and elevated winter and summer accumulations were responsible for the morning secondary maximum. Pulse analysis showed that 91.5 % lasted 5 hours or less. Precipitation yielding less than 1 inch (25.4 mm) accounted for 98 % of all storms (pulses). A storm event model was developed. The average duration was 2.44 hours. The average accumulation was 0.16 inches (4.1 mm). The average rate was 0.06 inches (1.5 mm) per hour. A trend analysis for the twenty-year period was compared with nearby stations at Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Lansing, Jackson, and South Bend. The annual precipitation in Oshtemo, Michigan and South Bend, Indiana remains constant while the remaining stations are undergoing a slight increase in precipitation.

Dissertation:

“Analyzing the Effects of Inquiry-Based Instruction on the Learning of Earth Science Among Pre Service Teacher Education Students.” My dissertation committee has approved the proposal for this project. It is scheduled to be completed in December 2006.

Abstract: The proposed research will test the following hypothesis: Pre service teacher education students enrolled in inquiry-based earth science courses will gain more thorough knowledge and proficiency with earth science concepts that are included in the Michigan Curriculum Framework for Science Education--the content standards of the Michigan State Board of Education for K-12--than will pre service teacher education students enrolled in traditionally-based earth science courses lecture/laboratory courses offered in the Geography or and Geosicences departments. The proposed study will examine pre service education students enrolled in one of the following courses: inquiry-based Earth Science offered as Geography 190, traditionally-based Physical Geography offered as Geography 105, and Earth Studies offered as Geosciences 100. Knowledge Content knowledge proficiencies and predispositions to science among students enrolled in the three courses will be surveyed at the beginning of the semester (the pretest) and again at the end of the semester (the posttest) for meteorological, geological and hydrological concepts emphasized by the Michigan Curriculum Framework for Science Education. A random sample of students will also participate in a pre and post-survey interview designed to examine in depth their dispositions towards earth science.

Proposal:

“Exploring Brazilian Students' Views of the Water Cycle through Interviews and Drawings.” This research will be conducted at State University of Maranhao in

Brazil. I have been accepted to teach and conduct research at this university between February 2007 and December 2007.

Abstract: The researcher will explore views of the water cycle held by Brazilian university students. Interviews with students enrolled in introductory earth science courses at a Brazilian university will be conducted in order to better investigate and understand the conceptions and alternative conceptions of the water cycle held by Brazilian students. This investigation will have important implications for college science teaching in Brazil as well as the rest of the world. To achieve this study’s objectives, the following research questions will guide the investigation: A similar methodology to what was used by Ruhf, et. al. (2004) will be used in this study. Approximately 50 interviews will be conducted with students enrolled in entry-level earth science at a university in Brazil. Participation will be voluntary. Interview questions will be selected so that students will be largely drawing on their prior knowledge of the hydrologic system. The interview protocol questions will guide the initial discussion and drawings. Questions will move from the general to the specific, allowing for branching questions to facilitate elaboration or student-generated drawings. Interviews will typically be 15-25 minutes long. The interviews will be audio taped to permit later review, transcription, and analysis of student responses. One or more drawings will be completed within each interview. The students will be told that the researcher wants to discover their own ideas about hydrological concepts and that the researcher is not concerned about their artistic abilities when making drawings. Students will be encouraged to continually add any features to their drawings that they associate with the topic at hand and to add any writing to their drawings if they wish. Clarification will be sought on any feature they will draw or write that is not understood by the researcher. Students will be given white paper and a pencil to complete their drawings.

Analysis of students’ interviews will be discussed in two ways. First, students’ common misconceptions about hydrologic features will be discerned and summarized. Second, students' overall understandings of the water cycle will be classified based on the analysis of the drawings and interviews. Possible classifications of student understandings include "student has little or no understanding of the water cycle," "student has knowledge of various terms, but the use of terms is not coupled with an explanation," and "a global hydrologic system is represented by the student."

6. Awards:

2005 Departmental Teaching Effectiveness Award, Mallinson Institute for Science Education: given by the graduate college at Western Michigan University (April 2005).

1999-2000 Arts and Sciences Graduate Research Award, Geography Department: given by the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at Western Michigan University (April 2000).

Graduate Student Outstanding Scholastic Achievement Award: given by the Department of Geography at Western Michigan University (March 2000).

7. Professional Societies:

Member of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (membership since April 2004).

Member of the Association of American Geographers (membership since 1999).

Member of Gamma Theta Upsilon, an international geographical honors society (membership since April 21, 1998).

8. Community Service

Event Supervisor for Meteorology, Region 10 Middle School Science Olympiad, Battle Creek, Michigan (March 2004, March 2005, and March 2006).

Webmaster for Gamma Theta Upsilon, an international geography honor society (June 2001 to December 2004).

Webmaster for Western Michigan University’s local chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon (July 1999 to April 2004).