Andy Elby studied Philosophy (M.Phil., University of Cambridge), Physics (M.A., University of California - Berkeley) and Philosophy of Physics (Ph.D., UC Berkeley), before turning to science education. He taught high school physics for several years before coming to the University of Maryland.
Dr. Elby is best known for work with David Hammer on a "resources" based cognitive model of student and teacher epistemologies, and for research and curriculum development aimed at fostering both conceptual and epistemological development in introductory physics students. His more recent work focuses on connections between epistemologies and identity and emotions, and on "responsive" science teaching that builds on the substance of students' ideas and reasoning.
Spencer Foundation, Mid-Career Fellowship, 2016-17.
Faculty Mentoring award, College of Education, University of Maryland, 2018
Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year Award, University of Maryland, 2012.
Outstanding Reviewer (referee) award, AERA & AERJ (American Educational Research Journal – Teaching, Learning, and Human Development), 2011
Outstanding Referee Award, American Physical Society, 2009.
Please see my Google Scholar page or ResearchGate page.
You can also see my article Elby, A. (2000). What students’ learning of representations tells us about constructivism. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 19(4), 481-502, translated into Belorussian or Hindi
Changing how physics students approach learning with simulations: Research and development of PhET-based tutorials. NSF DUE-1245400. Principal Investigator: Andrew Elby; Co-Principal Investigator: Ayush Gupta. 06/15/2013 – 06/14/2018.
Research on Practice Using STEM Inquiry Embedded with Computational Thinking in Elementary School. NSF DUE-1543061. Principal Investigator: Andrew Elby; Co-Principal Investigators: Ayush Gupta, Aman Yadav. 09/01/2015 – 08/31/2020.
Collaborative Research: Integrating conceptual reasoning with mathematical formalism: Teaching and assessing mathematical sense-making in quantum mechanics. NSF DUE-1625797; Principal Investigator: Ayush Gupta; Co-Principal Investigators: Andrew Elby, Noah Finkelstein. 09/01/2016 – 08/31/2019.
Preparing undergraduate 'learning assistants' to teach in design courses
NSF EEC-1733649; Principal Investigator: Andrew Elby; Co-Principal Investigator: Ayush Gupta, Chandra Turpen; 08/01/2017 – 07/31/2020. $399,804
TLPL 621: Learning and Teaching in the Physical Sciences. Outreach course for local K-8 teachers.