Science education

The diverse field of science education can lead to many different professional opportunities. The demand for science teachers at the elementary, middle school, high school, and university level is high. This also is an excellent field of study to consider if you are interested in an educational role in a museum, as a park naturalist, in a recreational setting, or in a leadership role as a curriculum specialist for a school district. It's the perfect field of study for someone who wants both to work with young people and to apply one's knowledge and interest in the sciences in a way that benefits society. Because the College is part of a large, internationally recognized research institution with a strong commitment to the sciences, your pursuit of studies in this area will allow you to draw upon the expertise of many faculty and staff, both in this college and other colleges within the University.

New! Summer program

CI 5540: Institute on Education for a Sustainable Future

Faculty

• Fred Finley
  Currently, I am conducting research on students’ conceptions of the earth systems and human interaction with the earth. I am also working on civic engagement studies under a U.S. State Department grant and operating science and mathematics teacher internships in Thailand.
• Leslie Flynn
  My main areas of interest, teaching and research are science teacher training and chemistry education.
• Roger Johnson
  I work primarily with teaching science in the elementary school. I am also co-director of the Cooperative Learning Center, primarily involved in research and training educators how to structure cooperation in classrooms and schools.
• Gillian Roehrig
  I am currently a principal investigator (PI) on a five-year National Science Foundation (NSF) grant looking at the impact of different mentoring and induction programs on the development of beginning secondary science teachers.
• Bhaskar Upadhyay
  My research interest is not only examining how science teaching and learning can be improved in the classrooms, but also looking at issues of access, ethnicity, and race that surround science education in our urban schools.

Student profile

Anne Kern

“Moving to the University of Minnesota was an important next step in furthering my intellectual, professional and personal development.”

“Associate Professor Roehrig’s leadership has been instrumental in teaching me about the research process, so that I now feel comfortable embarking on my own research projects.”

It was a long path that finally brought me to the University of Minnesota. After working in a laboratory, teaching high school chemistry, and facilitating science professional development for the state of Oregon, I had made the decision to deepen my understanding of how to foster the skills and characteristics of excellent science teachers. Initially, I started off my studies in a joint doctoral program at San Diego State University and UC San Diego, but I quickly realized that the program’s focus on student cognition did not match my research interests. Moving to the University of Minnesota was an important next step in furthering my intellectual, professional, and personal development.

I have had many opportunities to further my growth here. With Associate Professor Gillian Roehrig, I have been assisting in a multi-state research study funded by the National Science Foundation on the effectiveness of different teacher induction programs. From piloting the program to now collecting data with teachers in Wisconsin, I have been able to see first hand the process of conducting such a wide-reaching research study. Associate Professor Roehrig’s leadership has been instrumental in teaching me about the research process, so that I now feel comfortable embarking on my own research projects. I have been looking at high school students’ conceptual understanding of basic chemistry topics, such as the particulate nature of matter, the atom, the periodic table, etc. Overall, all of the professors and faculty in the College of Education and Human Development that I have had the good fortunate to take, have challenged me to develop as an educator and provided me insight into the many aspects of human development, learning, and teaching.

As an older student, I have found that the student life here transcends ages. I feel that my younger colleagues as well as those closer to my age group not only accept me, but also welcome my insights and experience. Within the tight community in our program area, we build on each other’s knowledge with different insights and respectfully challenge each other. We are all here for a similar reason and share a common vision for the future of education.

May 2006