Refereed or Invited Publications:
Jia, Y, Oh, Y. J., Sibuma, B., LaBanca, F., & Lorentson, M. (2013). Measuring 21st Century Skills: Development and Validation of a Scale for In-service and Pre-service Teachers. Teacher Development (accepted).
LaBanca, F., & Delcourt, M. A. B. (2013). Problem finding behaviors in open inquiry precollege science research experiences: Research with successful Regional and International Science and Engineering Fair participants. Journal of Research in Science Teaching (draft).
Oh, Y. J., Jia, Y., Sibuma, B., Lorentson, M, & LaBanca, F. (2013). Development of the STEM College-Going Expectancy Scale for High School Students. International Journal of Higher Education, 2 (2), 93-105.
Oh, Y. J., Jia, Y., Lorentson, M., & LaBanca F. (2013). Development of the Educational and Career Interest Scale in Science, Technology, and Mathematics for High School Students. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 22 (5), 780-790.
Worwood, M., & LaBanca, F. (2012). The 10 cube challenge: Using virtual worlds to foster creative thinking. Journal of Immersive Education, iED2012 Proceedings. ISSN 2325-4041.
Ritchie, K. C., Shore, B. M., LaBanca, F., & Newman, A. J. (2011). The impact of emotions on divergent thinking processes: A consideration for inquiry-oriented teachers. LEARNing Landscapes, 5, 1, 211-225.
LaBanca, F., & Ritchie, K. C. (2011). The art of scientific ideas: Teaching and learning strategies that promote effective problem finding. The Science Teacher, 78, 8, 48-51.
LaBanca, F. (2011). The 21st century oral presentation toolbag: How to effectively implement oral presentation in your science classroom. The Science Teacher, 78, 7, 51-55.
LaBanca, F. (2011). Online dynamic asynchronous audit strategy for reflexivity in the qualitative paradigm. The Qualitative Report, 16, 1160-1171.
LaBanca, F. (2011). Practical strategies to promote high quality authentic student research in high school settings. [Review of the book Success with Science: The Winner’s Guide to High School Research by S. Gaglani with M. E. De Obaldia, S. D. Kominers, D. Li, and C. Y. Suh]. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education,12, 82-83.
DiNicola, N., & LaBanca, F. (2010). Evidence-based writing: A strategy to promote high quality responses to open-ended questions. Connecticut Journal of Science Education, 47, 2, 4-7.
Shore, B. M., Birlean, C., Walker, C. L., Ritchie, K. C., LaBanca, F., and Aulls, M. W. (2009). Inquiry literacy: A proposal for a neologism. LEARNing Landscapes, 3, 139-156.
LaBanca, F. (2008). Impact of problem finding on the quality of authentic open inquiry science research projects. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Danbury, CT: Western Connecticut State University.
LaBanca, F. (2007). The Connecticut Science Fair: Impressions of sixty years of innovation. Connecticut Journal of Science Education, 45, 14-18.
LaBanca, F. (2005). Fishing for data in Long Island Sound salt marshes. Connecticut Journal of Science Education, 42, 59-63.
LaBanca, F. (2004). The area of an irregular object. The Science Teacher, 71, 5, 60.
LaBanca, F. (2001). Voices from the field. Inform concerned citizens [about evolution]. The Natural Selection, 3, 24.
LaBanca, F. (2000). When the mice die . . . scientific honesty and integrity. Letter to the Editor. American Biology Teacher, 62, 6, 404-405.
Sala, M. & LaBanca, F. (1999). The effects of hypoxia on the marine ecosystem of Long Island Sound. Connecticut Journal of Science Education, 37, 1, 13-15.
LaBanca, F., & Berg, C. M. (1998). A time-efficient and user-friendly method for plasmid DNA restriction analysis. American Biology Teacher, 60, 6, 453-456.
LaBanca, F., Krasnickas, E., Yu, J-S., Noll, K. M., & Berg, C. M. (1996). Drop-out restriction mapping: Using nested deletions and single restriction enzyme digestions to obtain high-resolution cosmid maps. American Biotechnology Laboratory, 14, 3, 96-97.
LaBanca, F., Krishnan, B. R., Chaplin, D. D., Berg, D. E. & Berg, C. M. (1995). Restriction Map of a 35-kb HLA fragment by nested deletion “drop-out” mapping. Gene, 164, 335-339.
Book Chapters:
LaBanca, F., Lorentson, M., & Oh, Y. J. (2015). EDUCATION CONNECTION’s Center for 21st Century Skills: Development of an evidence-based technology-enhanced blended learning high school program. In C. Meyers & W. C. Brant (Eds.) Implementation Fidelity in Education Research: Designer and Evaluator Considerations. New York, NY: Routledge Press, Taylor & Francis Group.
Lorentson, M., Oh, Y. J., & LaBanca, F. (2015). Evaluation of Fidelity of Implementation: Valuation and Assessment of Program Components and Implementation Processes. In C. Meyers & W. C. Brant (Eds.) Implementation Fidelity in Education Research: Designer and Evaluator Considerations. New York, NY: Routledge Press, Taylor & Francis Group.
Whitepapers:
LaBanca, F., Worwood, M., LaSala, J., Schauss, S., & Donn, J. (2013). Blended instruction: Exploring student-centered pedagogical strategies to promote a technology-enhanced learning environment. Litchfield, CT: EDUCATION CONNECTION.
LaBanca, F. (2012). Pathways to college: Articulation agreements with Connecticut 2- and 4-year colleges. Litchfield, CT: EDUCATION CONNECTION.
Lorentson, M., LaBanca, F., & Oh, Y. J. (2013). STEM21 Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences: Research and Evaluation Process and Progress Report 2000-2013. Litchfield, CT: EDUCATION CONNECTION.
LaBanca, F., Oh, Y. J., Lorentson, M., Jia. Y., Sibuma, B., & Snellback, M. (2014). BLENDED INSTRUCTION: Measuring the impact of a technology-enhanced student-centered learning environment on underserved student engagement, 21st century inquiry skill acquisition, and science achievement. Quincy, MA: Nellie Mae Education Foundation.
Research Conference Presentations:
LaBanca, F., & Doble, S. (2016). Narrative analysis of students’ and teachers’ reflections on technology-enhanced blended instruction. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.
LaBanca, F. (2014). A self-report middle school (6-8) assessment for inquiry-based 21st century skills. Paper presented at the Northeastern Educational Research Association Annual Conference, Trumbull, CT
LaBanca, F., Oh, Y. J., Lorentson, M., Jia, Y., & Sibuma, B. (2014). Development of a 21st century and inquiry skill assessment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics for high school students. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
Oh, Y. J., Jia, Y., Sibuma, B., LaBanca, F., & Lorentson, M. (2014). Examining the Relationship between Educational Goals, Self-efficacy and Science Academic Achievement in High School Students: A Latent Moderated Structural Model. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
Lorentson, M., Oh, Y. J., & LaBanca, F. (2014). Assessment of Fidelity of Implementation: The Experience of the STEM21 Digital Academy High School Program Development. In C. Brant & Y. J. Oh (Chairs) How the Investing in Innovation (i3) Program Supports High Quality Implementation Evaluation and Program Development from Initial Stage to Scale-up. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
Oh, Y., Lorentson, M., LaBanca, F., Jia, Y., & Sibuma, B. (2014). What are the Potencial Impacts of Blended Insturctional Model and Online Education on Underrepresented Students’ Learning and Motivation in STEM? Presentation at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University Todam Graduate Student Association Meeting, Cambridge, MA.
Jia, Y., Oh, Y. J., Sibuma, B., LaBanca, F., & Lorentson, M. (2013). Development of a 21st Century Skills Scale for In-service and Pre-service Teachers. Paper presented to 2013 International Academic Conference in Education Track, Paris, France.
LaBanca, F., Murphy, P., Neil, S., & Watson, P. (2013). Who’s driving? How school leaders influence project efficacy. Paper Presented at the 2013 i3 Project Directors Meeting, Washington, DC.
LaBanca, F., & Lorentson, M. (2013). Interaction Dynamics in an Inquiry-based 3D Virtual Community of Practice. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
Oh, Y. J., Jia, Y., LaBanca, F., Lorentson, M., & Sibuma, B. (2013). Development of a college-going expectancy scale in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
LaBanca, F., Oh, Y. J., Jia, Y., Sibuma, B., & Lorentson, M. (2013). Design, implementation and evaluation of an articulated 9-12 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) academy capable of national scale up. Paper presented at the Third Biannual Instructional Leadership Conference, Danbury, CT.
LaBanca, F., Wasley E., and Donn, J. (2012). Connecticut Pathways to Innovation 21: A blended learning approach to increase student engagement and achievement. Paper presented at the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education Principal Investigators Conference, Washington, DC.
LaBanca, F. (2012). Online open-source options for Learning Management Systems. Paper presented at the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education Principal Investigators Conference, Washington, DC.
LaBanca, F. (2012). The creative process of problem finding manifested in open inquiry. Paper presented at The Qualitative Report 3rd Annual Conference, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
LaBanca, F. (2012). Assessment of trustworthiness of online audited reflexivity. Paper presented at The Qualitative Report 3rd Annual Conference, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Worwood, M., Schauss, S., & LaBanca, F. (2011). Interaction dynamics in virtual world inquiry learning environments. Paper presented at the 2011 New Media Consortium Summer Conference, Madison, WI.
LaBanca, F. (2011). Analysis of virtual worlds as a community of practice. Poster session presented at the 14th Connecticut State University Research Conference, Danbury, CT.
LaBanca, F. (2011). Content analysis and alignment of inquiry and 21st-century skill standards. Paper presented at the Second Biannual Instructional Leadership Conference, Danbury, CT.
LaBanca, F. (2010). Using online tools to facilitate high-quality audited reflexivity. Paper presented at American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Denver, CO
LaBanca, F. (2010). The Green Light Academy: Examining changes in high school students’ knowledge and dispositions towards the environmental literacy and sustainable energy. Paper presented at the 13th Connecticut State University Research Conference. II-105
LaBanca, F. (2009). Situated framework for classification of authentic open inquiry science research projects. Paper presented at the First Biannual Instructional Leadership Conference. 1-124
LaBanca, F., & Delcourt, M. A. B. (2009). Impact of problem finding on the quality of extended open inquiry science research projects. Poster session presented at American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA
LaBanca, F., & Delcourt, M. A. B. (2009). Trustworthiness of an online peer-audited reflexive blogging strategy. Paper presented at the 12th Connecticut State University Research Conference. A10.
LaBanca, F., & Delcourt, M. A. B. (2008). Problem finding behaviors of top open inquiry science research students. Paper presented at the 11th Connecticut State University Research Conference.
LaBanca, F., & Delcourt, M. A. B. (2008). Impact of problem finding on the quality of authentic open inquiry science research projects. Poster session presented at the WestConn Research Day. 52.
Redden, K. C., LaBanca, F., & Shore, B. M. (2007). Assessing problem generation in inquiry contexts: The first items in the toolbox. Poster session presented at the Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance Research and Technology Fair, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
LaBanca, F. (2005). Using Long Island Sound’s Great Meadows Marsh as a field site to conduct applied science research projects. Paper presented at the 33rd Northeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society. 102.
Berg, C. M., Rooney, S., Liu, X., LaBanca, F., Pickett, S., Jin, X., & Singer, V. L. (1996). Effects of SYBRÒGreen I Stain on electrophoretic mobility of supercoiled and open circular DNA. Poster session presented at the 96th Annual Meeting American Society for Microbiology. H-7.
Berg, C.M., LaBanca, F., Carlo, A., Noll, K.M., Krasnickas, E., Yu, J-S., & Berg, D.E. (1994). Drop-out restriction mapping using pDUAL cosmid cloning vectors. Poster session presented at Hilton Head Genome Sequencing and Analysis Conference Meeting VI. A-32.
Berg, C. M., Karlovsky, P., LaBanca, F., Xu, X., Wang, G., & Berg, D. E. (1994). Restriction map construction and DNA sequencing using pDUAL “deletion factory” cosmid cloning vectors. Poster session presented at the 94th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. H-13
Links to Papers:
Inquiry literacy: A proposal for a neologism. LEARNing Landscapes, 3 (1):139-156. 2009
Impact of problem finding on the quality of authentic open inquiry science research projects. Poster. WestConn Research Day. 2008
The Connecticut Science Fair: Impressions of 60 years of science innovation. Connecticut Journal of Science Education 45(1):14-18
Assessing problem generation in inquiry contexts: The first items in the toolbox. Poster. McGill University CSLP Inquiry Conference. 2007
Using Long Island Sound’s Great Meadows Marsh as a field sight to conduct applied science research projects. Abstract/Platform. 33rd Northeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society. 102. 2005
Fishing for data in Long Island Sound salt marshes. Connecticut Journal of Science Education 42(2):59-63. 2005
The area of an irregular object. The Science Teacher 71(5):60. 2004
A view from the field. Inform concerned citizens [about evolution]. The Natural Selection. 2001
When the mice die . . . scientific honesty and integrity. Letter to the Editor. American Biology Teacher 62(6):404-405. 2000
The effects of hypoxia on the marine ecosystem of Long Island Sound. Connecticut Journal of Science Education37(1):13-15. 1999
A time-efficient and user-friendly method for plasmid DNA restriction analysis. American Biology Teacher 1998
Effects of SYBRÒGreen I Stain on electrophoretic mobility of supercoiled and open circular DNA. Abstract/Poster 96th Annual Meeting American Society for Microbiology. H-7. 1996
Drop-out restriction mapping: Using nested deletions and single restriction enzyme digestions to obtain high-resolution cosmid maps. American Biotechnology Laboratory 14 (3): 96-97. 1996
Restriction Map of a 35-kb HLA fragment by nested deletion “drop-out” mapping. Gene 164:335-339.
1995
Drop-out restriction mapping using pDUAL cosmid cloning vectors. Abstract/Poster Hilton Head Genome Sequencing and Analysis Conference Meeting VI. A-31.1994
Restriction map construction and DNA sequencing using pDUAL “deletion factory” cosmid cloning vectors. Abstract/Poster 94th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. H-131. 1994