College Hires Noted Science Educator

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The department of curriculum and instruction at the University of Arkansas announces the appointment of William McComas, former associate professor of science education at the University of Southern California, to the Parks Family Endowed Professorship in Science and Technology Education.

The appointment represents a significant step in the effort by the College of Education and Health Professions to develop a cadre of faculty in the science and math areas.

“Science and math educators are vitally important in building the economy of Arkansas,” said Reed Greenwood, dean of the college. “We want to help public schools prepare students to be strong in science, math and technology programs.”

McComas founded and directed the Program to Advance Science Education at USC’s Rossier School of Education, where he also served as the vice chair and chair of the Division of Learning and Instruction. He developed a master’s program in science education along with science education concentrations within the doctor of philosophy and doctor of education degrees supported by seven new science education courses. He also taught at The University of Iowa and as a public school teacher in Pennsylvania.

McComas holds a doctoral degree in science education from The University of Iowa, two master’s degrees from West Chester (Pa.) State University and two bachelor’s degrees from Lock Haven (Pa.) State University.

While at USC, he was the recipient of the Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching, the university’s highest such honor. McComas is also active in the science education community. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Association for Science Teacher Education and is president of the International History, Philosophy and Science Teaching Association. His research interests include work at the intersection of the history and philosophy of science and science teaching, learning science in non-school environments such as museums and nature centers and the effective use of the laboratory as a teaching venue.

Tom Smith, head of the department of curriculum and instruction, expects McComas to have a significant impact on the department’s science education program.

“Our goal is to develop a strong Ph.D.-level science education curriculum, and Bill McComas will complement Mike Wavering in our efforts to expand the emphasis on science education at the university and across the state,” Smith said. “McComas comes to us from a strong institution and will enhance the university’s vision of being a nationally competitive, student-centered research university serving Arkansas and the world.”

McComas joins Wavering, an associate professor of secondary education and member of the UA faculty since 1985, who also specializes in science education. Wavering’s research interests include the development of logical reasoning in the learning of science. His expertise includes the nature of science and the controversies about teaching evolution.

Smith also noted the department recruited a new math educator, Laura Kent, who began the fall semester as an associate professor in secondary education. Kent, who formerly taught and coordinated the middle level education program at the University of South Carolina, earned her doctoral degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which Smith cited as a strong program in math education.

“While the nation deals with a tremendous shortage of science education and math education faculty, we are fortunate to have the makings of a team that will contribute to the preparation of more highly qualified science and math teachers,” Smith said.

Kent’s areas of expertise and interests are in classroom-based design research projects that examine the trajectories of students’ mathematical thinking and learning. She has conducted studies in elementary, middle and high school mathematics classrooms examining students’ learning of rational number concepts, integers, linear equations and functions. She also worked on two National Science Foundation-funded projects at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

McComas said he is excited to be part of the UA team because of the potential for strengthening existing science education initiatives to give the university a national presence in this important area. He cited the department’s Master of Arts in Teaching program and the UA Center for Mathematics and Science Education, an outreach center on campus that offers professional development for pre-service and in-service teachers as well as other resources and materials. He described these as cornerstones of the plan to add graduate education specialties in science education at the master’s and doctoral levels. Greenwood noted the college has enjoyed strong support for teacher preparation from other UA faculty members such as Gay Stewart, associate professor of physics; Greg Salamo, Distinguished Professor of physics; and Steve Boss, associate professor of geosciences.

McComas envisions an interdisciplinary effort on campus to advance science education.

“There are some very important pieces already in place here that will be important as we work together to put science education as a discipline on the map,” McComas said. “The Master of Arts in Teaching program does a very good job educating people to be science teachers at a pre-service level. I look forward to adding the pieces to produce a dedicated graduate curriculum in science education for those who want to enhance their ability to teach science or gain the preparation to become university-based science educators.”