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    Norman G. Lederman, Ph.D.

    Chairman
    Professor

    Office: IGT Building (South), Suite 4008
    3424 S. State St. Chicago, IL 60616
    Office Hours:
    Phone: 312.567.3658
    Fax: 312.567.3659
    Email: ledermann@iit.edu
    Web:

    Expertise

    Education

    • B.S. Biology, Bradley University
    • M.S. Biology, New York University
    • M.S. Secondary Education, Bradley University
    • Ph.D. Science Education, Syracuse University

    Curriculum Vitae

    Research & Major Accomplishments

    Dr. Norman G. Lederman is currently Chair and Professor of Mathematics and Science Education at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He has taught a full range of graduate (Masters and Doctoral) courses in secondary science education and supervised teaching interns. Dr. Lederman received his Ph.D. in Science Education from Syracuse University (1983); M.S. in Secondary Education from Bradley University (1977); M.S. in Biology from New York University (1973); B.S. in Biology from Bradley University (1971).

    Before arriving at his present position, he was Professor of Science and Mathematics Education at Oregon State University since1985, Assistant Professor of Teacher Education, SUNY/Albany (1984-85) and Assistant Professor of Science Teaching, Syracuse University (1983-84). Dr. Lederman taught high school Biology at Eureka (IL) High School (1974-79) as well as college level biology at Onondaga Community College (1979-82) and Illinois Central College (1976-79). He has received the Illinois

    Outstanding Biology Teacher Award (1979), a Presidential Citation for Distinguished Service from the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science (AETS, 1986), the Burlington Resources Foundation Faculty Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching and Research (1992), the AETS Outstanding Mentor Award (2000), and the National Association for Research in Science Teaching Award for Outstanding JRST Paper (2001). 

    Dr. Lederman is internationally known for his research and scholarship on the development of students' and teachers' conceptions of nature of science and scientific inquiry. He has also studied preservice and inservice teachers' knowledge structures of subject matter and pedagogy, pedagogical content knowledge, and teachers' concerns and beliefs. Dr. Lederman has been author or editor of 10 books, including an elementary science teaching methods textbook. He is editor of the recently published Handbook for Research on Science Education. He has written 15 book chapters and published over 200 articles in professional refereed journals. In addition, Dr. Lederman has made over 500 presentations at professional conferences and meetings around the world.

    Dr. Lederman has served as President of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science (AETS), and the Oregon Educational Research Association. He has also served as Director of Teacher Education for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), Director of the Northwest Region of AETS, North American Director of the International Council of Associations for Science Education and served on the Board of Directors of NSTA, AETS, NARST, and the School Science and Mathematics Association. Dr. Lederman served as the Editor of the journal School Science and Mathematics for 10 years and serves, or has served, on the Editorial Boards of the American Educational Research Journal, Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education, International Journal of Science Education, International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Journal of Elementary Science Education, Journal of Science Teacher Education, Science and Education, and Science Education.

    Current Projects

    • Project Way2Go - Illinois Institute of Technology - Western Michigan University Collaboration "A current, 5 year NSF joint project with Western Michigan Univeristy. The project goals are to investigate the relative value of inquiry-oriented and "direct" instruction."
    • International Investigation of Inquiry and Direct Instruction "A collaborative research project between MSED and the University of Stockholm. This is a systematic investigation of the relative effectiveness of direct and indirect instruction in Stockholm, Sweden and Chicago."
    • NOS/Inquiry Instrument Development "This collaborative project with University of Duisberg-Essen, in Germany is developing a competency based assessment instrucment for nature of science and scientific inquiry."
    • Perceptions of Inquiry "An international collaboration with University of Hong, Beijing Normal University, and IIT. This is a cross-cultural investigation of physics’ teachers’ perceptions of inquiry-oriented instruction."
    • Development of Instructional Skills for Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry "Investigation of the parallel development of knowledge of nature of science and knowledge about inquiry and instructional practice."
    • Development of Assessment Protocol for Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry "This project, in collaboration with Ancona School, is attempting to develop an assessment protocol for nature of science and scientific inquiry for use with students who are too young to write or read."
    • Development of Public Understanding of Science "This international project, in collaboration with the University of Wittswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, investigates the use of museum exhibit design to develop knowledge of scientific inquiry and nature of science."
    • Perspectives- IIT Mathematics and Science Academy "MSED will serve as the Math and Science partner for Perspectives Charter Schools’ newly approved Mathematics and Science Academy (grades 6-12). The school is scheduled to open Fall, 2008."
    • High School Transformation Project "A three-year (with opportunity to renew for two additional two-year periods) curriculum and professional development project funded by the Gates Foundation and Chicago Public Schools. MSED provides new science curricula (biology, chemistry and physics) and professional development for all science faculty in 11 Chicago high schools. Additional high schools are added each year."
    • CUES (Conceptual Understandings of Earth Systems) – IIT/American Geological Institute "A three year Instructional Materials Development grant funded by NSF. A collaboration between the American geological Institute and IIT to create a middle school earth sciences curriculum that stresses nature of science and scientific inquiry."
    • Operation Biotechnology "A three-year FIPSE grant in collaboration with the Biotechnology Institute. This project develops and implements biotechnology instructional modules, as well as prepares lead teachers for subsequent professional development dissemination."
    • Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Grant "Department of Mathematics and Science Education, in collaboration with Dean Ali Cinar and Alex Flueck, was awarded a National Science Foundation grant that provides extensive summer university research experiences for more than100 teachers in IIT laboratories."
    • Math/Science Leadership Cohort "A professional development leadership program for inservice teachers that leads to a Masters degree in science or mathematics education. Those who complete the program serve as mentor teachers for their districts as well as supervisors in model sites for future teachers. We are currently in our fourth year and recruitment for cohort #5 will begin in the spring."
    • Chicago Public Schools – Science Cohort "A project designed to assist science teachers from representative Chicago high schools implement newly adopted science curriculum. Twenty-five teachers typically participate in year-long professional development in Glencoe-based earth science, chemistry and biology."
    • Young People’s Project "Curriculum implementation project targeting grades 3-6 students, high school tutors, and college tutors. IIT serves as external evaluator for this project."
    • Project RECRUIT "An alternative certification program funded by the National Science Foundation and administered by the University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign. IIT is the external evaluator."
    • Taiwan Academic Cultural Exchange "For the fifth consecutive year, MSED will host a group of 30 middle school students from Taiwan. Students experience advanced science instruction and stay in IIT dorms for 10 days each June or July."

    Awards/Honors

    • Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Bradley University, Peoria, IL, 1977
    • Illinois Outstanding Biology Teacher Award, National Association of Biology Teachers, 1979
    • Pi Lambda Theta Honor Society, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 1980
    • Phi Delta Kappa Honor Society, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 1983
    • Presidential Citation for Distinguished Service, Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, 1986
    • Olaf Boedtker Advising Award Nominee, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 1988
    • Burlington Resources Foundation Faculty Achievement Award, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 1992
    • American Educational Research Association (Division K), Dissertation of the Year Award (granted to Julie Gess-Newsome), Major Professor, 1993.
    • National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Dissertation of the Year Award (granted to Julie Gess-Newsome), Major Professor, 1993.
    • Carter Award for Inspirational Teaching, College of Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 1997
    • Carter Award for Inspirational Teaching Nominee, College of Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 1998
    • Outstanding Mentor Award, Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, 1998
    • National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Dissertation of the Year Award (granted to Fouad Abd-El-Khalick), Major Professor, 1999
    • National Association for Research in Science Teaching, JRST Outstanding Paper Award (co-authored with Fouad Abd-El-Khalick), 2000.

    Patents

    Books

    Selected Publications

    » Books


    • Lederman, N.G. (1998). Teaching about evolution and the nature of science, National Academy of Sciences. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
    • Lederman, N.G., McComas, W.F., & Matthews, M.R. (Eds.). (1998). The nature of science and science education: Part II. Science & Education, 7(6), 507-650.
    • Lederman, N.G., & Gess-Newsome, J. (1999). Examining pedagogical content knowledge. The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
    • Lederman, N.G., Lederman, J.S., & Bell, R.L. (2004). Constructing science in elementary classrooms. New York: Allyn & Bacon.
    • Lederman, J.S., & Lederman, N.G. (2004). Instructors manual: Constructing science in elementary classrooms. New York: Allyn & Bacon.
    • Flick, L., & Lederman, N.G. (Eds.). (2004). Scientific inquiry and nature of science: Implications for teaching, learning, and teacher education. The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
    • Abell, S.K., & Lederman, N.G. (Eds.). (2007). Handbook of research on science education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    » Chapters and Monographs


    • Lederman, N.G., Abd-El-Khalick, F., & Bell, R. (2001). If we want to talk the talk we must also walk the walk: The nature of science, professional development, and educational reform. In J.Rhoton & P. Bowers (Eds.), Professional development: Planning and design (pp. 25-42). Washington, D.C.: National Science Teachers Association Press.
    • Lederman, N.G. (2002). What is science really like In J. Wallace, & W. Louden (Eds.), Dilemmas of science teaching (pp. 7-21). New York: Teachers College Press.
    • Lederman, N.G. (2003). Scientific inquiry and nature of science as a meaningful context for learning in science. In S. P. Marshall, J. A. Scheppler, & M. J. Palmisano (Eds.), Science literacy for the twenty-first century (pp. 85-95). New York: Promethius Books
    • Lederman, N.G. (2003). Introduction. In D. Zeidler (Editor), The role of moral reasoning on Socioscientific issues and discourse in science education (pp. 1-4). The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
    • Lederman, N.G. (2004). Syntax of nature of science within inquiry and science. In L. Flick & N.G. Lederman (Editors), Scientific inquiry and nature of science: Implications for teaching, learning, and teacher education (pp. 301-318). The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
    • Flick, L.B., Lederman, N.G. (2004). Introduction. In L. Flick & N.G. Lederman (Editors), Scientific inquiry and nature of science: Implications for teaching, learning, and teacher education (pp. ix - xviii). The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
    • Lederman, N.G., & Lederman, J.S. (2004). The nature of science and scientific inquiry. In G. Venville & V. Dawson (Editors), The art of teaching science (pp. 2-17). NSW, Australia: Allen & Unwin Publishers.
    • Gottlieb, M., & Lederman, N.G. (2005). Standards for science and English language proficiency. In A. K. Fathman & D.T. Crowther (Editors), Science for English language learners (pp. 179-198). Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.
    • Lederman, N.G., Lederman, J.S., & Abd-El-Khalick, F. (2006). Alternative certification: Aspirations and realities. In J. Rhoton & P. Shane (Editors), Teaching science in the 21st Century (pp. 257-274). Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.
    • Abell, S.K., & Lederman, N.G. (2007). Preface. In S.K. Abell & N.G. Lederman (Editors), Handbook of research on science education (pp. IX-XIII). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
    • Lederman, N.G. (2007). Nature of science: past, present, and future. In S.K. Abell & N.G. Lederman (Editors), Handbook of research on science education (pp. 831-880). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
    • Lederman, N.G. (2007). What is science really like In J. Wallace, & W. Louden (Eds.), Dilemmas of science teaching: Perspectives on problems of practice (pp. 7-21) [Chinese Translation, C. Liu]. Taipei, Taiwan: Psychological Publishing Compan
    • Lederman, N.G., & Lederman, J.S. (2007). Standards for science education in the United States: Necessary evil In D. Waddington, P. Nentwig, & S. Schanze (Eds.), Standards in science education (pp. 347-372). Munster, Germany: Waxmann Publishing.
    • Lederman, N.G., Abell, S.K., & Akerson, V. (2008). Students� knowledge and skill with inquiry. In E. Abrams, S. Southerland, & P. Silva (Editors), Inquiry in the classroom (pp. 1-35). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.

    » Articles


    • Lederman, N.G. (1999). Teachers' understanding of the nature of science and classroom practice: Factors that facilitate or impede the relationship. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 36(8), 916-929.
    • Akerson, V.L., Flick, L.B., & Lederman, N.G. (2000). The influence of young children�s ideas in science on teaching practice. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37(4), 295-317.
    • Akerson, V.L., Abd-El-Khalick, F.S., & Lederman, N.G. (2000). The influence of a reflective activity-based approach on elementary teachers� conceptions of the nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37(4), 363-385.
    • Schwartz, R.S., Abd-El-Khalick, F., & Lederman, N.G. (2000). Achieving the reforms: The effectiveness of a specialists-led elementary science program. School Science and Mathematics, 100(4), 181-193.
    • Lederman, N. G. (2000). Technocracizing science teaching and learning: A response to Flick and Bell. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 1(1).
    • Bell, R.L., Lederman, N.G., & Abd-El-Khalick, F. (2000). Developing and acting upon one's conception of the nature of science: A follow-up study. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37(6), 563-581.
    • Abd-El-Khalick, F., & Lederman, N.G. (2000). The influence of history of science courses on students' views of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37(10), 1057- 1095.
    • Abd-El-Khalick, F., & Lederman, N.G. (2000). Improving science teachers� conceptions of the nature of science: A critical review of the literature. International Journal of Science Education, 22(7), 665-701.
    • Lederman, N.G. (2001). A partial list of the empirical and theoretical literature on subject-specific pedagogy. School Science and Mathematics, 101(2), 61-80.
    • Lederman, N.G., Schwartz, R.S., Abd-El-Khalick, F, & Bell, R.L. (2001). Preservice teachers' understanding and teaching of the nature of science: An intervention study. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education, 1(2), 135-160.
    • Bell, R., Abd-El-Khalick, F., Lederman, N.G., McComas, W.F., & Matthews, M. (2001). The nature of science in science education: A bibliography. Science and Education, 10(1/2), 187-204.
    • Niess, M.L., & Lederman, N.G. (2001). Excerpts from the past. School Science and Mathematics, 101(5), 269-270.
    • Schwartz, R.S., & Lederman, N.G. (2002). It�s the nature of the beast: The influence of knowledge and intentions on learning and teaching nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39(3), 205-236.
    • Lederman, N.G. (2002). Everyday thoughts about nature: A worldview investigation of important concepts students use to make sense of nature with specific attention to science. Science Education, 86(4), 591-593.
    • Lederman, N.G., Abd-El-Khalick, F., Bell, R.L., & Schwartz, R.S. (2002). Views of nature of science questionnaire: Toward valid and meaningful assessment of learners� conceptions of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39(6), 497-521.
    • Lederman, N.G. (2003). Learning about inquiry. Science & Children, 40(1), 8-10.
    • Bell, R.L., & Lederman, N.G. (2003). Understandings of the nature of science and decision making in science and technology based issues. Science Education, 87(3), 352-377.
    • Bell, R., Blair, L., Lederman, N.G., & Crawford, B. (2003). Just do it Impact of a science apprenticeship on high school students� understandings of the nature of science and scientific inquiry. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(5), 487-509.
    • Morrison, J.A., & Lederman, N.G. (2003). Science teachers� diagnosis and understanding of Students� preconceptions. Science Education, 87(6), 849-867.
    • Lederman, N.G. (2003). Is history of science stuck in the past Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 3(4), 521-524.
    • Abd-El-Khalick, F., BouJaoude, S., Duschl, R., Lederman, N.G., Mamlock-Naaman, R., Hofstein, A., Niaz, M., Treagust, D., & Tuan, H.L. (2004). Inquiry in science education: International perspectives. Science Education, 88(3), 397-419.
    • Lederman, N.G., & Lederman, J.S. (2004). Revising instruction to teach nature of science. The Science Teacher, 71(9), 36-39.
    • Crowther, D.T., Lederman, N.G., & Lederman, J.S. (2005). Understanding the true meaning of nature of science. Science and Children, 43(2), 50-52.
    • Lederman, J.S., & Lederman, N.G. (2005). Nature of science is� Science and Children, 43(2), 53-54.
    • Khishfe, R., & Lederman, N.G. (2006). Teaching nature of science within a controversial topic: Integrated versus non-integrated. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 43(4), 395-418.
    • Lederman, N.G. (2007). Pedagogy and the practice of science. International Journal of Science Education, 29(7), 931-934.
    • Khishfe, R., & Lederman, N.G. (2007). Relationship between instructional context and views of nature of science. International Journal of Science Education, 29(8), 939-962.
    • Liu, S.Y., & Lederman, N.G. (2007). Exploring prospective teachers� worldviews and conceptions of nature of science. International Journal of Science Education, 29(10), 1281-1308.

    Professional Society Memberships

    Editorial Board Service

    Professional Society Service

    Grants

    Community Service

    Norman Lederman
    Department of Mathematics and Science Education

    IIT’s Department of Mathematics and Science Education (MSED) was formed in 2002 to address the nationwide shortage of qualified mathematics and science teachers and to supply teachers to urban areas. more...

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