Mike Stieff

Mike Stieff (Ph.D., Northwestern University) is Co-Director and Professor of Learning Sciences and Chemistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Prior to joining UIC, Dr. Stieff a professor of science education and taught and taught chemistry at high school and community college. Dr. Stieff’s primary research interests are sex differences in scientific problem solving, the role of spatial ability in scientific expertise, and the development of educational technologies for supporting science learning. His current projects examine the role of drawing for supporting learning in science classrooms and how students leverage general cognitive processes to bootstrap their learning of new scientific concepts. He also studies how students come to identify as science learners and the factors that contribute to students’ decision to pursue science careers.

Awards & Honors

• Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Researchers
• Spencer Dissertation Year Fellowship
• Phi Beta Kappa

1. Chen, Y., Yim, R., Kogen, R., Superfine, A., & Stieff, M. (forthcoming). Rethinking rater effects when using teacher observation protocols. Manuscript accepted for publication in the Proceedings of the 14^th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2020. Nashville, TN.
2. DeSutter, D. & Stieff, M. (forthcoming). Designing for spatial thinking in STEM: Embodying perspective shifts does not lead to improvements in imagined operations. Manuscript accepted for publication in the Proceedings of the 14^th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2020. Nashville, TN.
3. Meyerhoff, H. S., Jardine, N., Stieff, M., Hegarty, M., & Franconeri, S. (2019). Visual ZIP files: Mental rotation overcomes capacity limits by compressing objects. Journal of Vision, 19(10), 134.
4. Ryan, S., & Stieff, M. (2019). Drawing for assessing learning outcomes in chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 96(9), 1813-1820.
5. Stieff, M. (2019). Improving learning outcomes in secondary chemistry with visualization-supported inquiry activities. Journal of Chemical Education, 96(7), 1300-1307.
6. Stieff, M., Werner, S., Fink, B., & Meador, D. (2018). Online pre-laboratory videos improve student learning in the general chemistry laboratory. Journal of Chemical Education, 95(8), 1260-1266.
7. Stieff, M., Origenes, A., DeSutter, D., Lira, M., Gabel, G., & Banevicius, L. (2018). Operational constraints on the mental rotation of STEM diagrams. Journal of Educational Psychology, 110(8), 1160-1174.
8. Stieff, M., Scheiter, K., Ainsworth, S., Bohrmann-Linder, C., & Schall, M. (2018). Drawing for learning from dynamic visualizations in science. In J. Kay, & R. Luckin (Eds.), Rethinking Learning in the Digital Age, Making the Learning Sciences Count, 13^th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2018, Vol. 2 (pp. 937-940). London: International Society of the Learning Sciences.
9. Cooper, M., Stieff, M., & DeSutter, D. (2017). Sketching the invisible to predict the visible: From drawing to modeling in chemistry. Topics in Cognitive Science, 9(4), 902-920.
10. DeSutter, D., & Stieff, M. (2017). Teaching students to think spatially through embodied actions: design principles for learning environments in STEM. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 2(1), 1-22.
11. DeSutter, D., & Stieff, M. (2016). Embodied actions to support spatial thinking in STEM: Structural diagrams in organic chemistry. In C. K. Looi, J. L. Polman, U. Cress, P. & Reimann (Eds.), Transforming Learning, Empowering Learners: The International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2016, Vol. 2 (pp. 1233-1234). Singapore: International Society of the Learning Sciences.
12. Ainsworth, S., Stieff, M., DeSutter, D., Tytler, T., Prain, V., Panagiotopoulos, D., Wigmore, P., van Joolingen, W., Heijnes, J., Leenaars, F., & Puntambekar, S. (2016). Exploring the value of drawing in learning and assessment. In C. K. Looi, J. L. Polman, U. Cress, P. & Reimann (Eds.), Transforming Learning, Empowering Learners: The International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2016, Vol. 2 (pp. 1149-1151). Singapore: International Society of the Learning Sciences.
13. Stieff, M., & Superfine, A. C. (2016). Reforming the undergraduate STEM classroom experience. In C. K. Looi, J. L. Polman, U. Cress, P. & Reimann (Eds.), Transforming Learning, Empowering Learners: The International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2016, Vol. 2 (pp. 1149-1151). Singapore: International Society of the Learning Sciences.
14. Stieff, M., Lira, M., & Scopelitis, S. A. (2016). Gesture supports spatial thinking in STEM. Cognition & Instruction, 34(2), 80-99.
15. Stieff, M., Scopelitis, S. A., Lira, M., & DeSutter, D. (2016). Improving representational competence in organic chemistry with concrete models. Science Education, 100(2), 344-363.
16. Stieff, M., & Uttal, D. (2015). How much can spatial training improve STEM achievement? Educational Psychology Review, 27(4), 607-615.
17. Stieff, M. (2015). Supporting the teaching and learning of chemistry with the Connected Chemistry Curriculum. Spectrum, 40(3), 1.
18. Stieff, M., Lira, M., & DeSutter, D. (2014). Representational competence & spatial thinking in STEM. Proceedings of the 12^th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2014) (pp. 987-991). ISLS: Boulder, CO.
19. DeSutter, D., & Stieff, M. (2014). Taking a new perspective on spatial representations in STEM. Proceedings of the 12^th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2014) (pp. 1599-1600). ISLS: Boulder, CO.
20. Stieff, M., Dixon, B. L., Ryu, M., Kumi, B., & Hegarty, M. (2014). Strategy training eliminates sex differences in STEM spatial problem solving. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106(2), 390-402.
21. Stieff, M., Yip, J., & Ryu, M. (2013). Speaking across levels—Teacher and student discourse practices in the chemistry classroom. Chemistry Education Research & Practice, 14(4), 376-389.
22. Stieff, M. (2013). Sex differences in the mental rotation of chemistry representations. Journal of Chemical Education, 90(2), 165-170.
23. Ryan, S., Yip, J., Stieff, M., & Druin, A. (2013). Cooperative inquiry as a community of practice. In N. Rummel, M. Kapur, M. Nathan, & S. Puntambekar (Eds.), Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (pp. 145-148). Madison, WI: International Society for the Learning Sciences.
24. Hegarty, M., Stieff, M., & Dixon, B. L. (2013). Cognitive change in mental models with experience in the domain of organic chemistry. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 25(2), 220-228.
25. Stull, A. T., Hegarty, M., Dixon, B. L., & Stieff, M. (2012). Use it or lose it: Representational translation with concrete models. Cognition & Instruction, 30(4), 404-434.
26. Scopelitis, S. A., & Stieff, M. (2012). Weaving together parts to achieve a whole: Gestural activity for the coordination of information in the teaching and learning of chemistry. In J. van Aalst, K. Thompson, M.J. Jacobson, & P. Reimann (Eds.), The Future of Learning: Proceedings of the 10th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2012) – Volume 2 (pp. 406-411). ISLS: Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA.
27. Lira, M., Stieff, M., & Scopelitis, S. A. (2012). The role of gesture in solving spatial problems in STEM. In J. van Aalst, K. Thompson, M.J. Jacobson, & P. Reimann (Eds.), The Future of Learning: Proceedings of the 10th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2012) – Volume 2 (pp. 539-541). ISLS: Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA.
28. Stieff, M., Ryu, M., Dixon, B. L., & Hegarty, M. (2012). Problem solving strategies used by organic chemistry undergraduates. Journal of Chemical Education, 89(7), 854-859.
29. Newcombe, N., & Stieff, M. (2012). Six myths about spatial thinking. International Journal of Science Education, 34(6), 955-971.
30. Stieff, M. (2011). Fostering representational competence through argumentation with multi-representational displays. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (Vol. 1, pp. 288-295). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
31. Stieff, M. (2011). Improving representational competence using multi-representational learning environments. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 48(10), 1137-1158.
32. Stieff, M. (2011). When is a molecule three-dimensional? A task-specific role for imagistic reasoning in advanced chemistry. Science Education, 95(2), 310-336.
33. Stieff, M., Hegarty, M., & Deslongchamps, G. (2011). Identifying representational competence with multi-representational displays. Cognition & Instruction, 29(1), 123-145.
34. Stieff, M., Hegarty, M., & Dixon, B. L. (2010). Alternative strategies for spatial reasoning with diagrams. In A. K. Goel, M. Jamnik, N. H. Narayanan (Eds.), Diagrammatic Representation and Inference. (pp. 115-127). Berlin: Springer.
35. Stull, A. T., Hegarty, M., Stieff, M., & Dixon, B. L. (2010). Does manipulating molecular models promote representation translation of diagrams in chemistry? In A. K. Goel, M. Jamnik, N. H. Narayanan (Eds.), Diagrammatic Representation and Inference. (pp. 338-344). Berlin: Springer.
36. Stieff, M., Ryu, M., & Dixon, B. L. (2010). Students’ use of multiple strategies for scientific problem solving. In K. Gomez, L. Lyons & J. Radinsky (Eds.), Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) (Vol. 1, pp. 765-772). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
37. Cathcart, L., Stieff, M., Marbach-Ad, G., Smith, A., & Frauwirth, K. (2010). Using Knowledge Space Theory to analyze concept maps in an undergraduate immunology course. Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) (Vol. 1., pp. 952-959). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
38. Stieff, M., & Raje, S. (2010). Expert algorithmic and imagistic problem solving strategies in advanced chemistry. Spatial Cognition & Computation. 10(1), 53-81.
39. Stieff, M., & Raje, S. (2008). Expertise and spatial reasoning in advanced scientific problem solving. Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS, pp. 366-373). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
40. Stieff, M. (2007). Mental rotation and diagrammatic reasoning in science. Learning and Instruction, 17(2), 219-234.
41. Stieff, M., & McCombs, M. (2006). Increasing representational fluency with visualization tools. Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) (Vol.1, pp. 730-736). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
42. Stieff, M. (2005). Visualization and diagrammatic reasoning in genuine scientific problem solving. In T. Barkowsky, C. Freksa, M. Hegarty, & R. Lowe (Eds.), Reasoning with mental and external diagrams: computation modeling and spatial assistance (AAAI Tech. Rep. SS-05-06, pp. 121-126). Menlo Park, CA: AAAI Press.
43. Stieff, M. (2005). Connected Chemistry–A novel modeling environment for the chemistry classroom. Journal of Chemical Education, 82(3), 489-493.
44. Stieff, M., & Wilensky, U. (2003). Connected Chemistry–Incorporating interactive simulations into the chemistry classroom. Journal of Science Education & Technology, 12(3), 285-302.
45. Sherin, B., Kanter, D., Schwarz, J., Stieff, M., Herman, P., & Mackenzie, S. (2002). Conceptual dynamics in project-based science. In P. Bell, R. Stevens, & T. Satwicz (Eds.), Keeping Learning Complex: The Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) (pp. 429-436). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
46. Stieff, M., & Wilensky, U. (2002). ChemLogo: An emergent modeling environment for teaching and learning chemistry. In P. Bell, R. Stevens, & T. Satwicz (Eds.), Keeping Learning Complex: The Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) (pp. 451-458). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
47. Crouch, R. D., Stieff, M., Frie, J. L., Cadwallader, A. B., & Bevis, D. C. (1999). Selective deprotection of silyl-protected phenols using solid NaOH and a phase transfer catalyst. Tetrahedron Letters, 40, 3133-3136.

2004 - PhD, Northwestern University, Learning Sciences, Cognitive Science Certificate
2000 - MS, Northwestern University, Chemistry
1998 - BS, Northwestern University, Chemistry, Latin (Minor), Magna Cum Laude
1997 - Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies Latin, Latin and Classical Studies

Design-based research, curriculum development, science education, problem solving, mental imagery and spatial reasoning, expertise, individual and gender differences, science identity