Science Education -- Preparing a scientifically literate citizenry by educating and inspiring people to learn about and do science.
We are pleased to announce that we are searching for a secondary science educator to join our department. Review of applications begins September 30, 2020. Find out more.
Our department is running a variety of classes to support teachers with the implementation of Next Generation Science Standards.
Enroll in a course via Open University online.
Contact Laura Henriques (Laura.Henriques@csulb.edu) if you have questions about these programs.
These courses are supported by the CSULB Math/Science Teacher Initiative. Cost per unit is $99!
The Science Education Department at CSULB is one of the largest Science Education Departments in the country. Housed in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, we work closely with our CNSM colleagues and our College of Education colleagues in addition to collaborating with each other. Faculty members often work together on grants and projects, articles and other scholarly activities.
The Department teaches courses to Liberal Studies majors as well as elementary and secondary science credential students. We teach over 800 students per year in our Science Capstone, general education critical thinking course, and Science Methods courses. Additionally, we also offer a Professional Development/Teaching Techniques course to science graduate student teaching associates to support excellence in teaching at the undergraduate level. Our graduate program, a MS in Science Education has pathways and options for practicing elementary teachers and secondary teachers and informal science educators. Applications for the Master's Program are accepted each spring.
Our research spans from early childhood to post-secondary science settings and touches on themes including assessment, science-based integrated teaching, inquiry-based teaching and learning, science learning environments, the impact of teacher beliefs on the teaching of science, alternate and misconceptions in science learning, technology-enhanced science teaching, science learning in informal settings, role of caring in teaching and learning science, using literature circles to support nature of science learning, and post-secondary science reform in physics and earth science.
Additionally, the Science Education Department is also host to several large educational projects. We house the National Center for Early Childhood Science Education and in that capacity we offer yearly summer institutes to train early childhood teachers and early childhood leaders in the teaching of science to young children. These summer institutes are led by Dr. William Straits and are offered through the Head Start on Science Program. Jim Kisiel has grants to support his work with science learning in informal settings (zoos, aquariums, museums). Laura Henriques is Principal Investigator on several NSF-funded projects which support future teachers, partnering with other CSU campuses, Cerritos College, Long Beach Unified and Whittier Union High School Districts, striving to support of quality teacher preparation and professional development in PreK-postsecondary science teaching and learning in the greater Long Beach area. Lisa Martin-Hansen and Susan Gomez-Zwiep coordinate the Science Professional Academy – a grant project working with 100 K-8 teachers and teacher coaches from Norwalk – La Mirada Unified School District. Other projects in which we are actively participating can be viewed on our Grants and Projects.
(562) 985-4801, scied@csulb.edu, Room HSCI-205, Science Education Department, MS: 9504, 1250 N Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90840-9504
