Stephen Witzig

faculty

Stephen Witzig, PhD

Associate Professor

STEM Education & Teacher Development

508-910-9030

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Liberal Arts 398E

Education

2012University of MissouriPhD in Science Education

Teaching

Programs

Teaching

Courses

This course will introduce students to fundamental problems pertaining to mathematics education that have been instrumental to constitute and define it as a research field The students will be introduced to important ideas in the field and why these ideas are significant in defining the activity of research in mathematics education. The study of how these theoretical and pragmatic problems have been approached by a community of researchers, will help the students to understand, in broad terms, the nature of research in the field and, at the same time, offer a panorama of new areas of inquiry that are being transformed presently, into research programs.

Fundamental conversations and issues related to science education. Exploration of the important historical, social, and philosophical contexts that have, and continue to, define science education research. The study of how theoretical, epistemological, and pragmatic problems have been approached by communities of researchers will help the students understand, in broad terms, the nature of research in science education as well as offer a landscape for potential areas of inquiry and research programs in the field.

Contemporary theories of learning in STEM education. The course helps students understand ways of knowing and how this drives research and applies to research in STEM education. Particular attention will be given to enabling students to situate their research in relevant theoretical frameworks and understand the implications of theoretical frameworks on research design.

Research skills development for STEM Education. This course aims to synthesize prior coursework/research experience, focusing on methods and research questions, in preparation for students' main research project in Year 3. It also focuses on the development of skills to defend one's work and preparation for the written component of the student's qualifying exams. Students will develop essential experience/skills in designing research, reading research critically, writing scholarly work, and developing proposals for research funding. Students will give oral presentations on their research topics and plan of study for peer review

Topics not included in the regular offerings of the department. The specific topic is stated when the course is scheduled. May be repeated with change of content. The course satisfies 600-level elective requirements for the Mathematics Education PhD.

Study under the supervision of a faculty member in an area covered in a regular course not currently being offered. Conditions and hours to be arranged.

Focuses on developing the dissertation proposal, including conducting a full literature review, identifying the theoretical perspectives and relevant research framing the proposed dissertation research, a clear statement of the research questions and significance of the problem, a description of the research methods and design, and a work plan that identifies how data will be collected and analyzed.

Focuses on developing the dissertation proposal, including conducting a full literature review, identifying the theoretical perspectives and relevant research framing the proposed dissertation research, a clear statement of the research questions and significance of the problem, a description of the research methods and design, and a work plan that identifies how data will be collected and analyzed.

Focuses on developing the dissertation proposal, including conducting a full literature review, identifying the theoretical perspectives and relevant research framing the proposed dissertation research, a clear statement of the research questions and significance of the problem, a description of the research methods and design, and a work plan that identifies how data will be collected and analyzed.

Focuses on developing the dissertation proposal, including conducting a full literature review, identifying the theoretical perspectives and relevant research framing the proposed dissertation research, a clear statement of the research questions and significance of the problem, a description of the research methods and design, and a work plan that identifies how data will be collected and analyzed.

Teaching

Online and Continuing Education Courses

A content course exploring the development of Darwin's theory of evolution and the multiple lines of supportive scientific evidence. The concept of intelligent design is discussed to explore what constitutes a legitimate scientific theory. The course examines specific aspects of the Massachusetts Life Sciences (Biology) Curriculum Standards for middle school and high school.
Register for this course.

An advanced treatment of special topics in biology with an emphasis on recent developments. The subject matter varies from year to year.
Register for this course.

Research

Research awards

  • $ 599,926 awarded by National Science Foundation for Connecting Undergraduates to Biodiversity Instruction through Citizen Science (CUBICS)
  • $ 13,000 awarded by Lloyd Center for the Environment, Inc. for Lloyd Center-STEM Education PhD Fellowship Program

Research

Research interests

  • Development of teachers’ specialized knowledge for teaching science
  • Socioscientific issues based education
  • Informal science contexts & field based teaching/learning
  • Scientific practices & formative assessment in science

Select publications

  • Sickel, A. J. & Witzig, S. B., (Eds.) (2017).
    Designing and teaching the secondary science methods course: An international perspective

  • Witzig, S. B., Halverson, K. L., Siegel, M. A., & Freyermuth, S. K. (2013).
    The interface of opinion, evaluation, and understanding while learning about a socioscientific issue
    International Journal of Science Education, 35(15), 2483-2507.
  • Witzig, S. B., Freyermuth, S. K., Siegel, M. A., Izci, K., & Pires, J. C. (2013).
    Is DNA alive? A study of conceptual change through targeted instruction
    Research in Science Education, 43(4), 1361-1375.

Dr. Witzig holds a Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Missouri. He joined the UMass Dartmouth faculty in 2012 and teaches courses in both the Ph.D. program in STEM Education as well in the Masters of Arts in Teaching programs. Stephen’s research focuses on the development of teachers’ specialized knowledge for teaching science, scientific practices, and bridging research relationships among scientists, classroom teachers, and science teacher educators. His work focuses on the sources of teachers’ content and pedagogical knowledge, how experience shapes knowledge, socioscientific issues based education, qualitative methods in science education, and areas of student learning including the roles of students and teachers in learning science. He has published his work in the International Journal of Science Education, Research in Science Education, Journal of College Science Teaching, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, among others and has a co-edited book entitled Designing and Teaching the Secondary Science Methods Course: An International Perspective.