Melissa Braaten's research aims to understand more about how teachers learn to teach science across multiple contexts for professional learning including the pre-service preparation of teachers in coursework and field experiences, professional learning in designed settings such as professional development for teachers, and professional learning that takes place 'on the job' in the day-to-day work of teachers in schools. She uses a variety of approaches to study science teachers' learning including: design-based research iteratively improving designs for teacher learning environments through cycles of research and development; narrative inquiries conducted in close relationship with teachers as they work to analyze, interpret, and improve their practice; school ethnography conducted with a team of researchers to make meaning of the complex, often paradoxical, contexts of teaching and learning in schools. See ambitiousscienceteaching.org for examples of her work with science teachers.
keywords
science studies, education for social justice, ambitious and equitable teaching and learning, social and cultural contexts for teaching and learning in schools, qualitative research methods, ethnography, narrative inquiry, case studies, design-based research
EDUA 5023 - Inquiry-based Pedagogy: How Questions, Dilemmas, and Problems Matter for Learning
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Spring 2022
This course is the recommended first course in the Inquiry-Based Pedagogies certificate in the Master of Arts in Teacher Leadership program. The overarching goal of this course is to make sense of what we currently know from research into how people learn and then use this research to make a case for why inquiry-based learning experiences matter for learning. Beginning with a strong framework for understanding how people learn will help participants build inquiry-based pedagogies.
EDUA 5024 - Inquiry-Based Pedagogies: Inquiry Within and Across Different Disciplines and Com
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Spring 2022
This course is the recommended second course in the Inquiry-Based Pedagogies certificate in the Master�s in Teacher Leadership program. The overarching goal of this course is to consider how different cultural communities including subject areas and disciplines engage in inquiries to build understanding and how communities can incorporate young learners into these inquiries. Course participants will investigate how different K-12 instructional designs orchestrate curricular and pedagogical tools to organize inquiry-based learning experiences.
EDUA 5025 - Inquiry-Based Pedagogies: Designing and Facilitating Inquiry-Based Learning Exper
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Spring 2022
This course is the recommended third course in the Inquiry-Based Pedagogies certificate in the Master�s in Teacher Leadership program. The overarching goal of this course is to develop principles and practices necessary for carrying out inquiry-based approaches across multiple K-12 settings. Course participants will develop an instructional design that organizes an inquiry-based learning experience within or across subject areas using a combination of curricular and pedagogical tools.
EDUA 5026 - Inquiry-Based Pedagogies Capstone: Leading for Pedagogical Growth through Practit
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Summer 2022 / Summer 2023
This course is the fourth and final course in the Inquiry-Based Pedagogies certificate in the Master�s in Teacher Leadership program. The overarching goal of this course is to synthesize participants� emerging understandings of ideas and resources addressed during the three previous asynchronous courses in this certificate and then use those understandings to develop a plan for conducting collaborative practitioner inquiries into inquiry-based teaching and learning as an important dimension of teacher leadership.
EDUC 2015 - Elementary Mathematics and Science Teaching for Social Justice
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Spring 2020
Working for social justice is central to teaching mathematics and science with elementary-aged children. This course engages prospective elementary teachers with a multitude of early math and science experiences that children draw upon to understand their worlds. Participants will develop interest-driven, culturally sustaining, and inclusive action plans for teaching math and science for social justice with young learners.
EDUC 2020 - Step 1: Inquiry Approaches to Teaching STEM
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Spring 2018
Invites science, mathematics and engineering students to explore teaching as a career by providing first-hand experiences teaching science/math lessons in local elementary classrooms. Introduces theory and practice necessary to design and deliver excellent instruction. Master teachers provide ongoing support and feedback. Meets weekly on CU campus (1.5 hours/week) and involves five visits to an elementary school.
EDUC 4215 - Elementary Science Theory and Methods
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Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023 / Fall 2024
Provides pre-service elementary teachers opportunities to explore contemporary theories of learning, curriculum development, pedagogical strategies, and assessment. Blends scientific content, pedagogy, and practical applications.
EDUC 4710 - Elementary Student Teaching for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity 1
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Fall 2020 / Fall 2023
This course is the first semester of a year-long, elementary classroom-based internship. Building on prior and concurrent Education courses, candidates are expected to design and deliver culturally and linguistically responsive instruction in collaboration with an experienced elementary teacher, as well as independently. Assignments and the required student teaching seminar support candidates to reflect critically on their practice and learning. Recommendation for a Colorado initial teaching license requires excellent performance in both semesters of student teaching.
EDUC 4720 - Elementary Student Teaching for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity 2
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Spring 2021 / Spring 2023
This course is the second semester of a year-long, elementary classroom-based internship. Building on prior and concurrent Education courses, candidates are expected to design and deliver culturally and linguistically responsive instruction in collaboration with an experienced elementary teacher, as well as independently. Assignments and the required student teaching seminar support candidates to reflect critically on their practice and learning. Recommendation for a Colorado initial teaching license requires excellent performance in both semesters of student teaching.
EDUC 5215 - Elementary Science Theory and Methods
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Spring 2018 / Fall 2018 / Spring 2019 / Fall 2019
Provides pre-service elementary teachers opportunities to explore contemporary theories of learning, curriculum development, pedagogical strategies, and assessment. Blends scientific content, pedagogy, and practical applications.
EDUC 5800 - Master's Special Topics
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Fall 2021
Designed to meet needs of students with topics of pertinent interest. May be repeated up to 18.00 total credit hours. Allows multiple enrollment in term.
EDUC 8115 - History and Policy Issues in Teaching and Teacher Education
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Fall 2019
Examine how issues and dilemmas in teacher education are grounded in historical and political contexts. Analyze patterns in preparation of new teachers, in mechanisms used to govern entry into teaching and make determinations of quality of teachers and teaching, and in efforts to professionalize and de-professionalize teachers and teaching. Investigate contemporary teacher education debates to better understand potential research-policy-practice connections.
EDUC 8179 - Advanced Seminar in Mathematics and Science Teaching & Teacher Education
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Fall 2021
This course examines how scholarship on teaching and teacher learning has been evolving in mathematics and science educational research since the 1980s and 1990s. Students will explore theories of teacher learning and how they relate to designs for teacher preparation and professional development. We will also study common designs and design principles for conducting research to study teaching and teacher learning.
EDUC 8950 - Proposal and Dissertation Writing
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Fall 2018 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2023
Provides students with ongoing opportunities to write social science research in the context of the design, analysis and data representation, development, and write-up of students' dissertation proposals and dissertations. Students will learn to expand how they think about and use evidence, clarify their ideas and arguments, and improve their writing. Students working on proposals and dissertations should enroll.
