Nicole D. LaDue

Research Interests

• Spatial Thinking and geocognition
• Visuals in science education
• Active learning strategies
• Promoting equity and persistence in STEM
• K-12 earth science literacy

Currently Funded Projects

• Northern Illinois Noyce Science Teaching Scholarship and Internship Program, National Science Foundation, Noyce #2151059, Lead PI. $1,450,000, 4/1/2022 - 3/30/2027.

• Effects of instructional analogies on illusions of understanding in Introductory Geoscience, National Science Foundation, ECR-EHR Core Research. Co-PI, collaborative project with University of Illinois-Chicago and Mississippi State University. NIU budget $245,044. 8/1/23 - 7/31/27.

Graduate Students

NIU is one of few institutions offering geoscience graduate degrees with an emphasis on geoscience education. M.S. and Ph.D. students in my research group will be required to complete education research methodology and statistics coursework appropriate to their project. I encourage applications from students with an undergraduate or M.S. degree in the geosciences. Students with unique backgrounds in teaching, psychology, etc. will be required to complete geoscience coursework to ensure their content knowledge is well grounded in the geosciences. It may also be possible to pursue secondary teacher licensure concurrently while completing an extended M.S. program.

Please contact me for more information about my current research activities and student funding opportunities.

Selected Publications

Payne, M., LaDue, N.D., Dugas, D., Winitkun, D., and Schmidt, S. (2024). “I feel listened to and heard”: How Social Support Fosters a Sense of Belonging for Low-Income STEM Majors . Journal of Research in Science Teaching.

Manning, C.L.B., and LaDue, N.D. (2024). Geo-STEM Learning Ecosystems: A Social Science-based Approach to Broadening Participation in the Geosciences . Journal of Geoscience Education, 1-15.

Ryker, K.D.A., Lukes, L., Klyce, A., Cheek, K., LaDue, N., and McNeal, P. (2024). The Geoscience Education Research (GER) Community of Practice: A Brief History and Implications from a Needs Assessment Survey . Journal of Geoscience Education, 1-15.

LaDue, N.D., Zocher, E., and Dugas, D. (2024). “It just makes it feel like you're not alone”: A qualitative study of social support for high-achieving, low-income STEM majors . Journal for STEM Education Research, 1-30.

Kreager, B. Z., LaDue, N. D., & Shipley, T. F. (2023). Conceptual understanding of sequence stratigraphy . Journal of Geoscience Education, 1-18.

LaDue, N.D., and Zocher, E. (2022). Chemistry Education for the Geosciences: Perceptions of Importance and Relevant Knowledge . GSA Today, 32 (11).

Kreager, B.Z., LaDue, N.D., Shipley, T.F., Powell, R.D., and Hampton, B.A. (2022). Spatial skill predicts success on sequence stratigraphic interpretation . Geosphere, 18 (2): 750–761.

Cline, C.G., Santuzzi, A.M., Samonds, K.E., LaDue, N.D., Bergan-Roller, H.E. (2021). Assessing Value for Learning Communication Skills in Undergraduate Students . Anatomical Sciences Education.

James, N., and LaDue, N.D. (2021). Pedagogical Reform in an Introductory Chemistry Course and the Importance of Curricular Alignment . Journal of Chemical Education.

Goldwater, M.B., Gentner, D., LaDue, N.D., and Libarkin, J.C. (2021). Analogy Generation in Science Experts and Novices . Cognitive Science, 45.

LaDue, N. D., Ackerman, J. R., Blaum, D., and Shipley, T. F. (2021). Assessing Water Literacy: Undergraduate Student Conceptions of Groundwater and Surface Water Flow . Water, 13(5), 622.

LaDue, N. D., McNeal, P. M., Ryker, K., St. John, K., and van der Hoeven Kraft, K. J. (2021). Using an engagement lens to model active learning in the geosciences . Journal of Geoscience Education, 1-33.

James, N. M., Kreager, B. Z., and LaDue, N. D. (2021). Predict-observe-explain activities preserve introductory geology students' self-efficacy . Journal of Geoscience Education, 1-12.

Lombardi, D., Shipley, T. F., Astronomy Team (Bailey, J. M., Bretones, P. S., Prather, E. E.), Biology Team (Ballen, C. J., Knight, J. K., Smith, M. K.), Chemistry Team (Stowe, R. L., Cooper, M. M.), Engineering Team (Prince, M.), Geography Team (Atit, K., Uttal, D. H.), Geoscience Team (LaDue, N. D., McNeal, P. M., Ryker, K., St. John, K., van der Hoeven Kraft, K. J.), and Physics Team (Docktor, J. L.) (2021). The curious construct of active learning . Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 22(1), 8-43.

Rupnow, R. L., LaDue, N. D., James, N. M., and Bergan-Roller, H. E. (2020). A perturbed system: How tenured faculty responded to the COVID-19 shift to remote instruction . Journal of Chemical Education, 97(9), 2397-2407.

Courses Taught

• GEOL 120 - Planet Earth
• GEOL 401 - Clinical High School Experience in Earth and Space Science
• GEOL 414 - Interdisciplinary Teaching of Science in Secondary Education
• GEOL 416X - Methods in Teaching Earth and Space Science
• GEOL 429 - Inquiry-Based Field Experiences for Earth Science Teachers
• GEOL 482 - Transition to Professional Science Teaching
• GEOL 603 - Teaching Assistant Training
• GEOL 605 - Teaching College Science