|
|
Supporting the Implementation of NGSS: NARST Researchers'
Perspectives on Equity
|
Alejandro José Gallard Martínez
Alejandro José Gallard Martínez is a Professor and Goizueta Distinguished Chair
at Georgia Southern University in the Teaching and Learning Department. Dr. Gallard
is also the Director of the Georgia Center for Education Renewal. The platform for
his research is to explore equity and social justice in education in general and
in science education specifically. Through the lens of complexity his foci are to
understand teaching and learning science and education policy in relation to differences
associated with ethnicity, gender, race and SES. His frameworks include global perspectives
on differences, otherness, polyphony of voices and meaning making that reflects
categories used to situate people in social life. Dr. Gallard develops collaborative
initiatives to conduct research and funded projects that support improvement in
both K-12 and higher education settings, with direct ties to Latin@ learners. He
works with the student body and staff at Georgia Southern on effective strategies
for recruiting and retaining Hispanic and Latin@ students at the university. This
includes collaborative projects that address the need for increasing numbers of
Hispanic and Latin@ students entering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics) fields. Finally, Dr. Gallard is also past president of the Southeastern
Association for Science Teacher Education.
Felicia Moore Mensah
Felicia Moore Mensah, is an associate professor of science education and the the
program coordinator of the science education program at Teachers College, Columbia
University in New York City. Since receiving her doctoral degree, Dr. Mensah has
published extensively in the area of science teacher education. Her research interests
are in diversity and social justice education with an emphasis on improving science
experiences and for PreK-16 teachers and students in urban classrooms. She uses
culturally relevant/responsive pedagogy in the preparation of science teachers,
and also in teacher development, assessment, and curriculum. This approach allows
students who are traditionally marginalized in science learning, and their teachers
in many instances, to view science as accessible, fun, and empowering. She conducts
professional development workshops and institutes with elementary, middle, and high
school science teachers as well as provide outreach activities for schools, such
as hosting elementary students to attend science courses at the university. She
also has an exceptional record in advising and developing early scholars. Dr. Mensah
has received a number of awards, honors and acknowlegements, such as the Early Career
Award, Division K, from the American Educational Research Association (2012), the
Race, Culture, and Diversity Research Grant from Teachers College, and four Provost
Investment Grants to support her research. Dr. Mensah also served three years as
an executive board member of the NARST(2011-2014).
Wesley Pitts
Wesley Pitts is an associate professor of science education in the Department of
Middle and High School Education (MHSE) in the School of Education at Lehman College,
CUNY. He currently serves a deputy chair of MHSE. Dr. Pitts also holds a joint appointment
in the Ph.D. Program in the Urban Education Department, with a specialization in
Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, at the CUNY Graduate Center. His
research uses frameworks from cultural sociology to investigate how encounters in
urban secondary and post-secondary science classrooms and science teacher preparation
programs create success in science education. His research interest also includes
investigating the implementation of electronic portfolios in science teacher education
programs. Dr. Pitts has collaborated on numerous projects to improve teacher preparation
in secondary science education, including the federally funded Math and Science
Partnership Program at the University of Pennsylvania in the Chemistry Department.
He is a recipient of the Faculty Recognition Award in Research at Lehman College
School of Education. Prior to his career as a university level urban science educator-researcher,
Dr. Pitts taught in urban high school pre-college science programs in New York City.
For more information contact webseminars@nsta.org
|
Underwritten by the The National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST)
|