Freshman class

Science project

Katherine McNeill, assistant professor of education

Ph.D., University of Michigan

Specialization: Science education

Representative publication: “Supporting Students’ Construction of Scientific Explanations by Facing Scaffolds in Instructional Materials,” Journal of the Learning Sciences

I am interested in helping K-12 students with diverse backgrounds develop scientific literacy. All individuals need knowledge of scientific concepts and inquiry practices to participate in our current society. People are confronted with scientific issues every day when they turn on the television, read magazines, or pick up a product in a store. They need to evaluate information provided to them to determine whether the claims are valid. My research focuses on designing and studying curriculum materials and teacher instructional practices that help students, particularly those in urban areas, learn scientific inquiry or reasoning abilities.

When I was an undergraduate, I volunteered to work with local urban schools. I had not planned on teaching, but I loved working with the students. Consequently, after my undergraduate degree, I decided to teach middle school science. Being a middle school teacher made me realize how few good resources are available for science teachers. The goal of my current work is to help provide those resources to teachers and make science fun and engaging for all students.