Dr. Dan Shepardson

Professor Geoenvironmental and Science Education

Joint Appointment in the Departments of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Curriculum and Instruction

E-mail: dshep@purdue.edu

Associated Website(s): Personal web page, Collaborative professional development programs in geoenvironmental science, Children's Literacy and Science Project (CLASP)

Education

PhD The University of Iowa , Iowa City , IA

Research Interests

Learners' conceptions about the environment

The role of social interaction in learners' construction of knowledge

The role of children's self-produced science journals in the meaning making process

The impact of alternative assessment on learners' construction of knowledge

Teaching Interests

Environmental Science, Environmental Education, Science Education

EAS 312 Capstone Env Sci for Elem Teachers

Awards and Honors

Faculty Program of Study in a Second Discipline

Gustav Ohaus Program for Innovations in College Science Teaching

U.S. Department of Energy Award for Energy Innovation

Utah Governor's Award for Excellence in Energy Innovation

NEA/Kodak National Award winner, Cameras in the Curriculum

Professional Experience

  • Developing Activities for Conceptualizing Climate and Climate Change, NSF, GeoSciences (with Dev Niyogi)

  • Web-based Case Studies for Learning about Watersheds. Teaching & Learning Technology Grant, ITaP, Purdue University

Externally funded projects:

  • ENVISION: A regional environmental science institute for teachers. National Science Foundation (with Jon Harbor )

  • Children's Literacy and Science Project (CLASP). Toyota USA Foundation (with Susan Britsch)

  • Environmental Science Institute for Indiana Teachers

  • Indiana Commission for Higher Education (with Jon Harbor )

  • INtegrating LABoratory instruction and assessment (INLAB). National Science Foundation.

Selected Publications

  • Shepardson, D.P., Wee, B., Priddy, M., & Harbor, J. (2007). Students' Mental Models of the Environment. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44(2), 327-348.

  • Shepardson, D.P. & Britsch, S.J. (2006). Zones of interactions: Differential access to elementary science discourse. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 43(5), 443-466.

  • Shepardson, D.P., Harbor, J., & Wee, B. (2005). Water towers, pump houses, and mountain streams: students' ideas about watersheds. Journal of Geoscience Education, 53(4), 381-386.

  • Shepardson, D.P. (2005). Student ideas: What is an environment? The Journal of Environmental Education, 36(4), 49-58.

  • Shepardson, D.P. & Harbor, J. (2004). ENVISION: The effectiveness of a dual-level professional development model for changing teacher practice. Environmental Education Research , 10(4), 471-492.

  • Shepardson, D.P., Harbor, J., Cooper, B., & McDonald, J. (2002). The impact of a professional development program on teachers' understandings about watersheds, water quality, and stream monitoring. Journal of Environmental Education , 33(3), 34-40.

  • Shepardson, D.P. (2002). Bugs, butterflies, and spiders: Children's understandings about insects. International Journal of Science Education , 24(6), 627-643.

  • Shepardson, D.P. & Britsch, SJ. (2001). The role of children's journals in elementary school science activities. Journal of Research in Science Teaching , 38(1), 43-69.

  • Shepardson, D.P. (2001). Assessment in science: A guide to professional development and classroom practice (Ed.). Dordrecht , Netherlands : Kluwer Academic Publishers.