Department
Department of Education
Phone
+1 (210) 9997522
Email Address
ebarnet1@trinity.edu
Room
211
Headshot of Ellen Barnett

Born and raised on a small farm in rural Missouri, I spent most of my childhood outside exploring the natural world.  While working as graduate teaching assistant in a biology laboratory, I began to think deeply about not only what I was teaching, but who and how I was teaching.  After earning an M.S.Ed in science education, eight years of teaching middle and secondary science, and a Ph.D. in Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum with an emphasis in Science Education, I continue to think deeply about who and how I teach.  As a science teacher educator, I advocate research-based, reform-oriented science teaching pedagogies that engage all students in authentic science practices.  As a researcher, I seek to understand how future K-12 teachers learn to teach science in these ways; I am particularly interested in the role of mentoring in pre-service science teacher education and science teacher learning within communities.  I invite you to join me in class, in research, or in conversation over coffee.    

Education

  • Ph.D., Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum, Science Education Emphasis, University of Missouri
  • M.S.Ed. Science Education, Northwestern Missouri State University
  • B.S.  Pre-professional Zoology, Northwest Missouri Sate University

Selected Publications

  • Friedrichsen, P. & Barnett, E. (2018) Negotiating the meaning of Next Generation Science Standards in a secondary biology teacher professional learning community. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 55(7):999-1025 doi: 10.1002/tea.21472
  • Barnett, E. & Friedrichsen, P. (2015). Mentor influence in the development of a pre-service biology teacher’s pedagogical content knowledge. Journal of Science Teacher Education 26(7), 647-668. doi:10.1007/s10972-015-9442-3
  • Romine, W., Barnett, E., Friedrichsen, P., & Sickel, A. (2014). Development and evaluation of a model for secondary evolution educators' professional development needs. Evolution Education and Outreach 7(27). doi:10.1186/s12052-014-0027-y
  • Worsham, H., Friedrichsen, P., Barnett, E., Soucie, M., & Akiba. M. (2014). Recruiting science majors into secondary science teaching: Internships in informal science settings. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 25(1), 53-77. doi:10.1007/s10972-013-9360-1

Subjects Taught

  • GNED 1341 Connected Science: Powering our Lives
  • GNED 1342 Connected Science: Change over Time
  • EDUC 3341 Teaching Science in Elementary School
  • EDUC 3342 Teaching Math and Science in Middle and Secondary School

Teaching and Expertise

  • Science and Science Teacher Education, particularly
  • Pre-Service Science Teacher Education, and the role of the
  • Mentor and professional learning community in learning to teach science