My current research includes studies of engineering design practices in elementary schools, effective teaching practices for science education in urban schools, purposeful ongoing mentoring of pre-service and in-service teachers, and teacher development from novice to expert. I am particularly interested in how teachers working in high-poverty school districts plan for reform-based science/engineering and create a collaborative climate for scientific discourse. Also, I am examining how teachers develop across their professional careers from novice to expert and how their planning shapes the form of instruction that students receive. Finally, I have been involved in developing a model for mentors to use in guiding mentees along the different stages from novice to expert. This model has been implemented not only with teachers, but also with medical faculty training residents/fellows to be surgeons.
