Education

Ph.D., 1998, Curriculum and Instruction, Science Education, University of Washington
M.A., 1994, Biology, Marine Ecology, San Diego State University
B.A., 1988, Biology and Elementary Education, Lewis and Clark College

Current Interests

While teaching elementary school in Oregon, I realized how few teachers include science in their curricula. While earning my master's degree in biology, I found myself creating curricula as I did my research on epibenthic algal mats in salt marshes. Finally, through my Ph.D., I decided to "officially" focus on science education. I am interested in finding ways to help elementary teachers include science in their classes. In my work I examine teacher beliefs about science and science instruction, as well as how teachers can become more reflective in their own practice. I'm also interested in how young children think about scientific principles and concepts. My current projects include exploring the practices of teachers who have been certified to teach elementary school (multiple subjects) but who have been hired to teach science at the middle school level. I am a co-PI on the Partnerships Involving the Scientific Community in Elementary Science (PISCES), an NSF-funded project (http://pisces.sdsu.edu) in which we place science graduate students in elementary classes to support quality science instruction and learning.  I am a PI on the CPEC-funded BAHIA project (http://bahia.sdsu.edu/)in which we take urban high school students to Baja to conduct marine ecology research for five weeks each summer. I teach TE 910C, Elementary Science Methods; TE610C, Seminar in Science Education; TE 605, Reflective Practice and Peer Coaching; TE 638, Science and Literacy; and TE 790, Science for English Language Learners. I have co-coordinated the science education master's program and I am currently developing the International Student Teaching program in Torreon, Mexico. In ten years, I hope students will enter my classroom with fabulous memories of elementary school science instead of saying "I don't think science is taught in elementary schools."

Professional Associations

• American Educational Research Association (AERA)
• California Science Teachers Association (CSTA)
• National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
• Association of Science Teacher Educators (ASTE)
• National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST)

Teaching Certification

California Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential
    General Subjects
Washington Continuing Teacher Certificate
    K–12 Reading
    K–12 English as a Second Language
    K–12 Bilingual/Bicultural Education
    K–8 Elementary Education
    4–12 Biology
    4–12 Physics
Oregon Teaching License
    Standard Elementary
    Basic Reading
    Standard Biology

International Student Teaching

Donna Ross is in Torreon for six weeks with student teachers and the
photos can be viewed here!