Martina Nieswandt, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Mathematics and Science Education
Office: Tower Building, Suite 4E9-2
3424 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60616
Office Hours:
Phone: 312.567.3736
Fax: 312.567.3659
Email:
mnieswan@iit.edu
Web:
Expertise
Education
- Ph.D. Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany, 1996
- M.A. Ruhr-University of Bochum, Germany, 1987
- Teacher certificate: Ruhr-University of Bochum, Germany, 1988
- Teacher Training Seminar, Bochum Germany, 1991
Curriculum Vitae
Research & Major Accomplishments
Dr. Nieswandt joined the Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Illinois Institute of Technology in August 2007. Her research focuses on the relationship between motivation, affect and understanding of high school science concepts; science teachers’ beliefs about science and science teaching; science teachers’ and students’ identity; and issues of gender and science.
She has received various grants supporting her research from the German Science Foundation, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Institutional Grants), and The Imperial Oil Centre for Studies in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education at OISE/UT, Canada.
Current Projects
- Dr. Nieswandt has just submitted a project to the National Science Foundation in collaboration with Dr. Jeannine C. Turner, Florida State University, which summarizes one area of her research interests and which is titled “Implementation of inquiry-based instruction and the Motivation-Affect-Cognition Cycle (MACC): Effects on meaningful science understanding and further science study for minority high school students.”
- In addition, she is involved in two projects with researchers from Technical Education Research Centers (both funded by the National Science Foundation), in which she focuses on the relationship between students development of deep science content knowledge and their motivation to further study science.
- In collaboration with a Dr. Sarah Barrett, York University, Canada, Dr. Nieswandt investigates factors (i.e., beliefs about nature of science and beliefs about oneself) that influence preservice science teachers’ beliefs about the purposes of science education.
Awards/Honors
Patents
Books
- Nieswandt, M. (1997). Schreiben als Mittel zum verstehenden Lernen und zur Konsolidierung des Gelernten im Chemieanfangsunterricht des Gymnasiums (Writing as an instrument of learning science meaningfully in an introductory chemistry class at the gymnasium), Kiel, Germany: Leibniz Institute for Science Education at the University of Kiel (IPN).
Selected Publications
Chapters in Books
Nieswandt, M., & McEneaney, E.H. (accepted August 2007). Approaching Classroom Realities: Mixed Methods and Structural Equation Models in Science Education Research. In L.D. Yore, B. Hand, & M.C. Shelley (Eds.). Gold Standard(s) of Quality Research in Science Literacy: Science Education, Reading, Statistics, and Other Adventures in Science-Based Research. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Barrett, S., & Nieswandt, M. (accepted April 2007). The role of science education in fostering democracy: Perspectives of future teachers. In D.E. Lund & P.R. Carr (Eds.). Doing Democracy and Social Justice in Education. Peter Lang Publishing
Nieswandt, M. (2005). Attitudes toward science: a review of the field. In S. Alsop (Ed.). Beyond Cartesian Dualism. Encountering Affect in the Teaching and Learning of Science (pp. 41-52), Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Articles in Refereed Journals
Nieswandt, M., & Bellomo, K. (accepted, August 14, 2007). Written extended-response questions as assessment tools for meaningful conceptual understanding of evolutionary theory. Journal of Research in Science Teaching.
Nieswandt, M. (2007). Student affect and conceptual change in learning chemistry. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44(7), 908-937.
Nieswandt, M., & Shanahan, M.C. (2007). “I just want the credit!” – Perceived instrumentality as the main characteristic of boys’ motivation in a grade 11 science course. Research in Science Education. (published online, January 24, 2007)
McEneaney, E.H., & Nieswandt, M. (2006). Constructing school knowledge after the Wall: the case of textbook publishing in the former German Democratic Republic. Globalization, Societies and Education. 4(3), 337-355.
Nieswandt, M., & Sharkawy, A. (2004). Preparing teachers for today’s diverse classrooms: A critical look at two science methods books for pre-service teachers. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 4(3), 439-442.
Nieswandt, M. (2001). Von Alltagsvorstellungen zu wissenschaftlichen Konzepten: Lernwege von Schülerinnen und Schülern im einführenden Chemieunterricht (From everyday conceptions to scientific concepts: Students’ learning paths in an introductory chemistry course). Zeitschrift für die Didaktik der Naturwissenschaften - Biologie, Chemie, Physik (Journal of Science Education - Biology, Chemistry, Physics), 7, 33-52.
Nieswandt, M. (2001). Problems and possibilities for learning in an introductory chemistry course from a conceptual change perspective. Science Education, 85, 158-179.
Professional Society Memberships
- American Educational Research Association (AERA)
- National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST)
- Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE)
- Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE)
