Advisory Board

Jay Hackett, EdD. Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Northern Colorado., Dr. Hackett earned his B.S. at the University of Nebraska, an M.S. at Arizona State university, and an EdD. at UNC in Science Education and Earth Sciences. He is a consultant with the Center for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education. Dr. Hackett has over 30 years of teaching experience and is a consultant for the National Research Council. He has been actively involved in creating models for professional development and in college preparation for elementary teachers. Dr. Hackett has received numerous NSF Teacher Training grants for the work he has done with the Learning Cycle and has worked with the National Academy of Science on the National Science Education Standards, particularly the Inquiry Addendum.

Anton Lawson, PhD. University of Oklahoma. Professor of Biology, Arizona State University. Dr. Lawson' s research centers on the nature and development of scientific thinking patterns such as hypothetico-deductive, probabilistic, proportional, combinatorial, analogical and correlational reasoning. Major interests involve determination of factors that influence the development of these thinking patterns during childhood and adolescence and determination of their relationship to each other and to scientific concept acquisition. The goal is to generate and test explanatory theories of the development of thinking patterns and develop neurological models of cognition. Classroom implications are sought with the intent of improving science instruction.

Stacey Lowery-Bretz, PhD. - Associate Professor of Chemistry at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, OH. Dr. Bretz earned her B.A. and M.S. in chemistry at Cornell University and Penn State University, respectively, before returning to Cornell to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry education with Joseph Novak, Roald Hoffmann, and Jerrold Meinwald. After completing her Ph.D., Dr. Bretz moved to U.C. Berkeley to do a post-doc with Angelica Stacy and be Director of Evaluation and Assessment for the Modular Chem Consortium systemic initiative. For five years, Dr. Bretz was on the faculty at University of Michigan-Dearborn until she was lured away this past year to join YSU, where her responsibilities include designing an M.S. program in chemistry education and serving as director for CATALYST (Center for Advancement of Teaching and Learning at Youngstown State). Dr. Bretz's research, which focuses on the application of theories from the field of cognitive science to both the teaching and learning of chemistry, also includes strong interests in assessment of student learning and qualitative methodologies for program evaluation.

Joyce Parker, PhD. - Dr. Parker received a Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1983 from Princeton University, after earning a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Chicago in 1977. She earned certification as a secondary science teacher from Michigan State University in 1990. As an instructor in the Division of Science and Mathematics Education (DSME) and the Teacher Education Dept., her work focuses on effective science teaching at the secondary and postsecondary levels. She is currently working with Drs. Jane Rice and Merle Heidemann (DSME) studying the effectiveness of a new science course for prospective elementary teachers. In collaboration with Drs. John Merrill (Microbiology), James Smith (Zoology), Gail Richmond (Teacher Ed.), Merle Heidemann (DSME), and others, she is developing and assessing an interactive, on-line biology course. She teaches NSC 870, Teaching College Science, a course for graduate students in the sciences as well as TE 401, 402, 802, and 804. These latter are a series of four courses for prospective secondary science teachers- Crafting Teacher Practice, Reflection, and Inquiry in Teaching. She has a long-term interest in using embedded assessment to study and improve science courses.

Harold Pratt - Director of science projects for the National Research Council's Center for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education in Washington, D.C. An active member of the science education community for more than 40 years, Dr. Pratt is the 2001-2002 President of the National Science Teachers Association. He has assisted in the development and implementation of the National Science Education Standards. Dr. Pratt has also been involved in the creation of such highly respected inquiry-based science curricular materials as Introductory Physical Science (IPS), Middle School Life Science, and Science T.R.A.C.S. Dr. Pratt has been honored with the NSTA Distinguished Service to Education Award, the Fellow of AAAS Award, the AERA Professional Service Award, and the Nation’s Outstanding Science Supervisor Award.

Beverly Taylor - During her career, Dr. Taylor has been involved in research in a number of different areas of physics from quantum field theory to computational plasma physics. Currently, her efforts are directed toward physics education primarily at the elementary school level. Numerous activities using toys as both demonstration and laboratory equipment to teach physics concepts at the upper elementary school level have been developed. Both the quality and quantity of elementary science instruction are the focus of concern nationally. Science should be a very interactive process between teacher, student, and material objects. Toys are an excellent choice for these objects because they are familiar, interesting, and encourage experimentation outside the classroom. After the hands-on activities have been developed and tested, elementary teachers are trained to use them through a variety of in-service activities. The materials are particularly valuable to the educational community in that they may be integrated into any science curriculum. Her materials have been disseminated nationally through numerous presentations and publications.

Dr. Taylor is also continuing work begun several years ago on the development of effective strategies for teaching scientific reasoning and problem-solving skills in introductory physics classes. She is active in the development and evaluation of teaching techniques that will address the conceptual difficulties of physics students, as identified in physics education research literature.

Donald Wink, PhD. -Professor, Inorganic Chemistry University of Illinois at Chicago. BS, University of Chicago, 1980; PhD, Harvard University, 1985.

Dr. Wink is developing innovations in the teaching of undergraduate chemistry. His research in chemical education is focused on the use of interdisciplinary teams to improve student understanding of chemistry. One program has developed a new curriculum for chemistry and mathematics. Another works on the introduction of perspectives from other university research and teaching programs that use chemistry. This is called the Chemical Professional Laboratory Program.

The methods of chemical education research are used in his programs to help design and evaluate the work. Quantitative questionnaires are used to track changes in student attitudes and performance. Qualitative measures, including focus groups and classroom observation, provide summary information about what happens in the teaching environment. Finally, literature studies of the impact of educational psychology are a new area of research.

Dr. Wink is also the director of the small molecule crystallography program of the University's Research Resources Center. This has given him the opportunity to collaborate with eight groups in the department, and two outside, in the determination of single crystal x-ray structures to assist research in inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and pharmacology.

Inquiry-Based Lesson Plans

Science Education Portfolios