COE Faculty Profile

Matthew Keefer, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Division Chair
Division of Educational Psychology, Research and evaluation

Email: KeeferM@msx.umsl.edu
Office: 405 Marillac Hall
Phone: 314-516-6081

Research:

Dr. Keefer is an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Missouri at St. Louis, and has served as Chair of the division for the past 7 years. He received his PhD from the University of Toronto in 1994 and subsequently held a post-doctoral research position at the University of Pittsburgh Learning Research and Development Center. His research focus is in the field of professional ethics and moral development. His published articles include case-based models of ethical reasoning, problem-based models of instruction, theoretical papers on moral reasoning, and investigations of collaborative discussion and informal argument. In addition to his refereed publications and presentations, Dr. Keefer has obtained over $558,772 in external research grants for UMSL, including $480,680 from four National Science Foundation awards and $78,092 from the James S. McDonnell Foundation. These projects are summarized as follows:

Current and Previous NSF Awards:

• NSF Grant No. 0019171 NSF Division of Information and Intelligent Systems: Collaborative Research: The Responsible Conduct of Computational Modeling and Research. PIs Matthew W. Keefer, University of Missouri-St Louis and Michael Loui, University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana. Amount funded for UMSL: $58,823. From 10/1/08 to 9/30/11. The focus of this project will be to identify ethical principles that will inform and guide scientists in the responsible conduct of computational modeling and research.
• NSF Grant No. 0428286 Societal Dimensions of Engineering, Science, and Technology (SDEST): Collaborative Research: The Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science. PIs Caroline Whitbeck, Case Western Reserve University, Matthew W. Keefer, University of Missouri St Louis (UMSL). Amount funded for UMSL: $84,957. from 9/1/04 to 1/31/07. The focus of this project was to study problem-based learning modules using on-line resources for teaching professional ethics in science and engineering. Findings have been disseminated as conference papers at the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics Keefer, (2007) and at the Association for Moral Education, Keefer (2007). Journal publication supported from this grant includes Keefer, (2005).
• NSF Grant No. 9979805 National Science Foundation: Interagency Educational Research Initiative (IERI): An Inquiry-based Approach to Professional Development: Using prototypes to help teachers reflect on project-based learning. PI Matthew W. Keefer. Amount funded: $253,482. from 9/1/00 to 8/31/04. This project focused on the collaborative development of curriculum, teaching, and assessment tools designed to help teachers implement a problem-based learning program. Findings have been disseminated in conference papers at the American Educational Research Association Keefer, Henderson, & Klein, 1998; Keefer, Henderson, & Klein, (1999) and Keefer, Hui, Russel, & Ruffus (2001). Journal publication supported from this grant includes Keefer, (2002).
• NSF Grant No. 9714411 Societal Dimensions of Engineering, Science, and Technology (SDEST): Practical Ethical Instruction with Expert-analyzed Cases. PIs Matthew W. Keefer University of Missouri St Louis (UMSL), Kevin Ashley, University of Pittsburgh. Amount funded for UMSL: $83,418. from 7/1/97 to 1/31/98, This study analyzed ethicists reasoning resolving cases in science and engineering ethics, and made comparisons between students and ethicists in order to inform the design of case-based instruction in science and engineering ethics courses. Findings have been disseminated in conference papers at the American Educational Research Association Keefer & Ashley, (1997); Keefer & Osuji, (1999); at the Association for Moral Education, Keefer, Ashley, & Osuji, (1998); Keefer & Osuji, (1999) at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching and published in the Journal for Moral Education, Keefer & Ashley (2001) as well as in a chapter Keefer, (2003) for a book entitled The Role of Moral Reasoning on Socio-Scientific Issues and Discourse in Science Education.

Other Previous Funding:

• Grant No. 97-3: James S. McDonnell Foundation: Building a Culture of Reflective Practitioners: Creating cognitive tools for inquiry-based teaching. Matthew W. Keefer (PI) $78,092 for 6/01/97-5/31/98 and $77,556 for 6/01/98-5/31/99
• Grant No. 97-4: James S. McDonnell Foundation: Schools for Thought Summer Institute for Teachers. Matthew W. Keefer (Co-PI) $139,200 from 6/01/97-5/31/98
• Grant No. 97-3: James S. McDonnell Foundation. School for Thought Curriculum Development: Expanding the capacity to improve student learning. Matthew W. Keefer (Co-PI) $172,872. from 4/01/98-5/31/99
  

Professional Preparation:

• B.A. Psychology, McGill University, 1983
• M.A. Educational Psychology, McGill University, 1990
• Ph.D. Educational Psychology, University of Toronto, 1994
• Post Doctoral Researcher, University of Pittsburgh, Learning Research and Development Center, September, 1994-96
• Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Missouri, St Louis, Missouri September, 1996 - 2002
• Associate Professor and Chair of Educational Psychology, University of Missouri, St Louis, Missouri September, 2002, present

Honors and Awards:

• Distinguished Faculty Award - 1998 - University of Missouri-St Louis
• Doctoral fellowship - 1993-1995 - Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
• Doctoral Scholarship - 1990-1992 - The O.I.S.E. Scholarship
• Magna cum Laude - 1983 - McGill University, B.A. Psychology.

Selected Publications:

1. Keefer, M. W. (2006) A Critical Comparison of Classical and Domain Theory: Some Implications for Character Education. The Journal of Moral Education Vol. 35, (3) 369-386.
2. Keefer, M. W. (2005) Making Good Use of Online Case Study Materials Science and Engineering Ethics Vol 11, 413-429.
3. Keefer, M. W. (2003) Moral Reasoning and Case-based Approaches to Ethical Instruction in Science. In D. L. Zeidler (Ed) The Role of Moral Reasoning on Socioscientific Issues and Discourse in Science Education, (p. 241-259). Kluwer Academic Publishers: AA Dordrecht, The Netherlands
4. Keefer, M.W., (2002) Designing reflections on practice: Helping teachers apply cognitive learning principles in an SFT - inquiry-based learning program. Interchange A quarterly review of education. Vol 33/4, 395-417.
5. Keefer, M.W., & Ashley, K.D. (2001). Case-based Approaches to Professional Ethics: A systematic comparison of students' and ethicists' moral reasoning. The Journal of Moral Education Vol. 30, (4) 377-398.
6. Keefer, M.W., Zeitz, C.M., & Resnick, L.B. (2000). Judging the Rational Quality of Peer-Led Student Dialogues. Cognition and Instruction, 18 (1), 55-83.
   
   Selected Presentations
   
7. Keefer (2007) Practical Obstacles to Ethics Training for the CIA. Paper presented at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics. Cincinnati, Ohio. February 22-25.
8. Keefer (2006) Web-based Education in Science and Engineering Ethics. Paper presented at the 15th Annual Meeting of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics. Jacksonville, Florida. March 3-5.
9. Keefer, M. W., (1999) Challenges in teaching professional ethics: Theoretical and practical issues. Symposium presented at the Association for Moral Education Annual Meeting: November, Minneapolis, MN. Some Preliminary Thoughts On Reasoning With Cases: A Cognitive Science Approach, Rosa Lynn Pinkus, Micki Chi, Judith McQuaide, Kevin Ashley, and Martha Pollack. The Role of Middle-level Principles in the Resolution of Practical Ethical Dilemmas. Matthew W. Kevin, A. Ashley. What Can Philosophy Contribute to Professional Ethics? Michael Pritchard
10. Keefer, M.W., (1996) The role of collaborative discussion in fostering critical and reflective thinking. Symposium presented at American Educational Research Association New York, NY. McKeown, M. G., Beck, I. L., & Kucan, L., Fostering student thinking in meaning oriented discussion. Lipman, M., The use of the community of inquiry to encourage conversational reasoning. Keefer, M. W., Judging the quality of reflective discussions. Zeitz, C. M., The development of conversational reasoning skills in the domain of literature. Anderson, R. C., Aspects of children's reasoning during story discussions. Resnick, L. B., Discussant.

Undergraduate and Graduate courses taught:

• EdPsy 3312 Psychology of Teaching and Learning
• EdPsy 7640 Changing Perspectives in Educational Psychology
• EdPsy 6111 Psychology of Education
• EdPsy 6210 Life Span: Individual and Family Development
• EdPsy 3610 The Psychology of Learning Processes
• EdPsy 6220 The Psychology of the Elementary School Child
• EdPsy 6225 The Psychology of Adolescents

• Ethics
• Problem Solving
• Professional Development
• Teacher Cognition
• Teacher Knowledge