Profile  

Dr. William (Bill) Holliday is Professor at the University of Maryland, earlier at the University of Calgary. He served as executive secretary and later as president of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching. He has a B.S. and M.S. in biological sciences from Purdue University and a Ph.D. in science education from the University of Texas at Austin. His research interests include reading comprehension strategies, studying and textbook-based programs in science education, balancing implicit and explicit approaches to science teaching, and assessing influential studies and theories about learning. His practitioner efforts include publishing in NSTA’s four regular periodicals.

His research interests address students’ (middle school through college ) abilities to produced student-generated science notes while reading challenging science texts and, separately, listening to direct explanations offered by science teachers including professors presenting college science lectures.

Recently, Drs. Janice Bonner of the College of Notre Dame, Baltimore, and Holliday co-authored an article on “How college science students engage in note-taking strategies,” published in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, October 2006. Abstract: A picture of college science student note-taking strategies was derived from a periodic series of five interviews with 23 students and with other variables, including original and final versions of notes analyzed during a semester-long genetics course. Students’ notes in this long-term study were compared with previous research findings and a standard of “adequate” note-taking established by experts. Analyses detected many similarities with past studies. Analyses also provided evidence of inadequate note-taking strategies, inconsistencies between what students claimed and evidently did with their notes, and weak self-regulating learning strategies.

Preliminary findings from a recent science-reading comprehension study, described in NSTA Report (September 2006) suggested that struggling students and good readers need to be explicitly shown by teachers how to produce effective science notes while they read challenging texts. Science notes in this case were akin to student-produced graphic organizers and knowledge maps, where visual and verbal representations were used to represent students’ understandings of challenging science texts.

Selected Publications:

Holliday, W.G. (In Press). Reading and science, In K Tobin (Ed.) Teaching and Learning Science: An Encyclopedia. Westport (CT): Greenwood publishing Group.

Bonner, J. E., & Holliday, W. G. (October 2006). How college science students engage in note-taking strategies. Journal of Research in Science Teaching.

National Referred Publications (first authored, research-based articles and book chapters)

Holliday, W. G. (2005). A Balanced Approach to Science Inquiry Teaching. In N. G. Lederman, & L. B. Flick (Eds.) Scientific Inquiry and Nature of Science: Implications for Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education. Dordrecht (The Netherlands): Kluwer Academic Publishers, p 201-217.

Holliday, W. G. (2005). Slowing the influence of flawed math and science education studies. School Science and Mathematics, 105(1), 1-4.

Holliday, W. G. (2004). Choosing science textbooks: Connecting research to common sense. In E. W. Saul (Ed.). Crossing Borders in Literacy and Science Instruction: Perspectives on Theory and Practice. Newark (DE): International Reading Association and Arlington (VA): National Science Teachers Association, p. 383-394.

Holliday, W. G. (2003). Influential Research in Science Teaching: 1963-Present. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(S), v-x. (This issue rated highest in “downloads” by Wiley, 2003, top 25 in 2003 and 2004 for article and issue.)

Holliday, W. G. (2003) Methodological concerns about AAAS’s project 2061 study of science textbooks. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40, 529-534.

Holliday, W. G. & Holliday, B. W. (2003). Why using international comparative math and science achievement data from TIMSS is not helpful. The Education Forum, 67, 25-257.

Holliday, W. G. (2003, June). Teaming Up for Science and Reading Success. Science and Children, 40(8), 38-40.

Holliday, W. G. (2002, January) Selecting a science textbook. Science Scope, 25 (4), 16-20.

Holliday, W. G. (2001, November/December). Homework in science. Science Scope, 25 (3), 58-62.

Holliday, W. G. (2001, October). Modeling in science. Science Scope, 25(2), 56-59.

Holliday, W. G. (2001, September). Scaffolding in science. Science Scope, 25(1), 68-71.

Holliday, W. G. (2001, March). Critically considering science inquiry. Science Scope, 24(7), 54-57.

Holliday, W. G. (2001, January). Getting teachers to change. Science Scope, 24(5), 56-59.

Holliday, W. G. (2001, December). Assessing visuals in science textbooks and trade books. Science Scope, 24(4), 62-66.

Holliday, W. G. (November/December 2000). Keeping students motivated. Science Scope, 24(3), 48-52.

Holliday, W. G. (Sept 2000). Integrating writing with science. Science Scope, 24(1), 72-74.

Holliday, W. G. (April 2000) Fads versus reality: Knowing your students. Science Scope, 23(7), 46-48.

Holliday, W. G. (January 2000) Getting students motivated. Science Scope, 23(4), 50-52.

Holliday, W. G. (September 1999). Teaching note-taking. Science Scope, 23(1), 16.

Holliday, W. G. (October 1999). Integrating reading and science. Science Scope, 23(2), 12-13.

Holliday, W. G. (November/December 1999) The bottom line in science. Science Scope, 23(3), 8-9.

Holliday, W. G. (January 1999) Questioning the TIMSS: Why International Comparison Studies like TIMSS say Nothing to Science Teachers. The Science Teacher, 66, 38-41.

Holliday, W. G., McMahon, M. M., & Ridky, R. W. (1996). Straight talk about research to geoscience teachers. Journal of Geological Education. 44, 54-56.

Holliday, W. G., Yore, L., & Alvermann, D. E. (1994). The reading-science learning-writing connection: Breakthroughs, barriers, and promises. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31, 877-894.

Holliday, W. G. (1992). Helping college science students read and write: Practical research-based suggestions, Journal of College Science Teaching, 21, 58-61.

Holliday, W. G. & McGuire, B. (1992). How can comprehension focus students' attention and enhance concept learning of a computer-animated science lesson? Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 29, 3-16.

Holliday, W. G. (January 1992). Does smaller mean better: Reducing class size? The Science Teacher, 59 (1), 14-17.

Holliday, W. G. (1991). Helping students learn effectively from science text.  In C. M. Santa & D. E. Alvermann (Eds.) Science learning: Processes and application. Newark (DE): International Reading Association, 38-47.

Holliday, W. G. & Benson, G. (1991). Enhancing learning using questions adjunct to science charts. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 28, 523-535.

Holliday, W. G. (December 1990). Textbook illustrations: fact or filler? The Science Teacher, 57(9), 27-29.

Holliday, W. G. (October/November 1990). Straight talk about student achievement and motivation: Educational research takes a practical approach to teaching. NSTA Reports.

Holliday, W. G. (1988). The perils of illustrations. Basic Education, 32 (10) 13-15.

Holliday, W. G., Helgeson, S., Blosser, P., & McGuire B. (1985). A summary of research in science education - 1983. Science Education, 69, 275-419 (entire issue).

Holliday, W. G., Whittaker, H. G., & Loose, K. D. (1984). Differential effects on verbal aptitude and science questions on the comprehension of science concepts.  Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 21, 143-150.

Holliday, W. G. (1983). Overprompting science students using adjunct questions. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 20, 195-202.

Holliday, W. G. (1981). Selective attentional effects of textbook study questions on student learning in science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 18, 283-290.

Holliday, W. G. (1980). Using pictures to teach concepts. Science and Children, 17 9-10.

Holliday, W. G. (1979). Aptitude and science instruction. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 16, 167-176.

Holliday, W. G. & Partridge, L. A. (1979). Differential sequencing effects of test items on children. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 16, 407-412.

Holliday, W. G., Brunner, L. L., & Donais, E. L. (1977). Differential cognitive and affective response to flow diagram in science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching,
14, 129-138.

Holliday, W. G., & Harvey, D. A. (1976). Adjunct labeled drawings in teaching physics to junior high school students. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 13, 37-43.

Holliday, W. G. (1976). Teaching verbal chains using flow diagrams and texts. AV Communication Review, 24, 63-78.

Holliday, W. G. (1976). Conceptualizing and evaluating learner aptitudes related to instructional stimuli in science education. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 13, 101-110.

Holliday, W. G. (1975). What's in a picture?" The Science Teacher, 42, 21-22.

Holliday, W. G. (1975). The effects of verbal and adjunct pictorial-verbal information in science instruction," Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 12, 77-83.

Holliday, W. G. (1973). "Essay Book Review" of F. M. Dwyer's book, A Guide for Improving Visualized Instruction. AV Communication Review, 21, 243-246.

Holliday, W. G. (1973). Critical analysis of pictorial research related to science education, Science Education, 57, 201-214.