Renee’ Schwartz
Professor - Science Education Middle and Secondary Education- Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Science Education, Oregon State University, 2004
Master of Science, Molecular Biology, Wake Forest University, 1994
Bachelor of Science, Biology, Purdue University, 1988
- Specializations
Epistemology of science
Nature of science
Nature of scientific inquiry
Scientific practices
Science Identities
Science teacher education
- Biography
Renee’ Schwartz is a professor of science education in the Department of Middle and Secondary Education. Her research focuses on the study of epistemological views of science, specifically views of the nature of science (NOS) and the nature of scientific inquiry (NOSI). Through primarily qualitative methods, she examines preservice and practicing science teachers’ developing conceptions of NOS and NOSI in various contexts – including authentic science research experiences and classroom-based science learning – to identify effective means of fostering conceptual and pedagogical knowledge. Her work is framed by theories of situated cognition and sociocultural learning of science. She is interested in how teachers develop pedagogical content knowledge for NOS and NOSI, as well as how teachers navigate their teacher and scientist identities during teacher preparation and practice.
Schwartz received her doctorate in science education from Oregon State University in 2004 and holds degrees from Wake Forest University and Purdue University. She was promoted to associate professor at Western Michigan University in 2009 in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Mallinson Institute for Science Education, and she came to Georgia State University in 2014. She has taught biology for future teachers and science teacher education courses for more than 15 years, with a focus on science teacher preparation. Schwartz has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, presented over 150 conference papers and given 70 invited talks, seminars and workshops. She has served as PI or co-PI on funded projects totaling over $6 million, served on National Science Foundation and European Commission grant review panels and has been an invited mentor at the European Science Education Research doctoral summer school for the past eight years. She is past-president of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) and was recognized for her outstanding service and research in science education as a 2024 NARST Fellow. Her scholarly work is published in international journals such as the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Science Education and The International Journal of Science Education.
- Publications
Mesci, G., Schwartz, R., & Skjold, P. (accepted). Enabling factors of preservice science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge for nature of science and nature of scientific inquiry. Science and Education.
*May, L., Crisp, T., Bingham, G., Schwartz, R., Pickens, M., & Woodbridge, K. (in press). A hybrid nature of science trade books: A purpose-driven typology. Reading Research Quarterly.
*Sengul, O., & Schwartz, R. (in press). Action Research: Using a 5E instructional approach to improve undergraduate physics laboratory instruction. Journal of College Science Teaching.
Krim, J., Cote, L., Schwartz, R., Stone, E., Cleeves, J., Barry, K., Burgess, W, Buxner, S., Gerton, J., Horvath, L., Keller, J., Lee, S-C., Locke, S., & Rebar, B. (2019). Models and impacts of science research experiences: A review of the literature of CUREs, UREs, and TREs. CBE-Life Sciences Education.
Lederman, J., et al. [49 authors] (2019). An international collaborative investigation of beginning seventh-grade students’ understandings of scientific inquiry: Establishing a baseline. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 56(4), 486-515. (DOI) – 10.1002/tea.21512
* Wade-Jaimes, K., & Schwartz, R. (2018). “I don’t think it’s science:” African American Girls and the Figured World of School Science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 56(6), 679-706. DOI: 10.1002/tea.21521
Zion, M., Schwartz, R., Adler, I., & Rimerman-Shmueli, E. (2018). Supporting teachers’ understanding of nature of science and inquiry through personal experience and perception of inquiry as a dynamic process. Research in Science Education. DOI: 10.1007/s11165-018-9732-9
Mutambuki, J., & Schwartz, R. (2018). We Don’t Get Any Training: The Impact of a Professional Development Model on Teaching Practices of Chemistry and Biology Graduate Teaching Assistants. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 19, 106- 121. DOI: 10.1039/C7RP00133A
Leblebicioglu, G., Metin, D., Capkinoglu, E., Cetin, P., Dogan, E., & Schwartz, R. (2017). Changes in students’ views about nature of scientific inquiry at a science camp. Science &Education, 26(7-9), 889-917.DOI: 10.1007/s1119-017-9941-z
Leblebicioglu, G., Abik, N., Capkinoglu, E., Metin, D., Dogan, E., Cetin, P., & Schwartz, R. (2017). Science camps for introducing nature of scientific inquiry through student inquiries in nature: Two applications with retention study. Research in Science Education, 26(7-9), 889-917). DOI 10.1007/s11165-017-9652-0
Bierema, A., Schwartz, R., & Gil, S. (2017). How do textbooks and primary literature reflect the framework of animal behavior and to what extent do they align with one another? Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 54(8). 1097-1118. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tea.21399/epdf
Bierema, A., & Schwartz, R. (2016). Learning from the fruit fly: A card game for teaching Mendel’s Laws, Meiosis, and Punnett squares. The Science Teacher. 83(8), 39-47.
*Mesci, G., & Schwartz, R. (2016). Changing preservice teachers’ conceptions of nature of science: Why some conceptions may be more easily altered.Research in Science Education. 47(2), 329-351. DOI: 10.1007/s11165-015-9503-9
*Bierema, A., & Schwartz, R. (2015). Undergraduate biology students’ interpretations of the term “animal.” Anthrozoos, 28(3), 371-383.
Schwartz, R. (2015). What is Science? Invited article for the Georgia Science Teachers Association. Fall newsletter. (non-refereed)
Schwartz, R., Lederman, N., & Abd-El-Khalick, F. (2015). Measurement of Nature of Science. In R. Gunstone(Ed). Encyclopedia of Science Education. Springer Dordrecht, Heidelberg, New York, London. (invited, reviewed)
Lederman, N., Schwartz, R., & Abd-El-Khalick, F. (2015). Assessment of Nature of Science. In. R. Gunstone (Ed). Encyclopedia of Science Education. Springer Dordrecht, Heidelberg, New York, London. (invited, reviewed)
Lederman, N., Abd-El-Khalick, F., & Schwartz, R. (2015). Assessment of History of Science. In. R. Gunstone (Ed). Encyclopedia of Science Education. Springer Dordrecht, Heidelberg, New York, London. (invited, reviewed)
Abd-El-Khalick, F., Lederman, N., & Schwartz, R. (2015). Inquiry, as a curriculum strand. In R. Gunstone (Ed). Encyclopedia of Science Education. Springer Dordrecht, Heidelberg, New York, London. (invited, reviewed)
*Krajewski, S., & Schwartz, R. (2014). Learning to embed nature of science in undergraduate biology: One instructor’s reflective journey. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 25(5). DOI: 10.1007/s10972-014-9390-3
Lederman, J., Lederman, N., Bartos, S., Bartels, S., Meyer, A., & Schwartz, R. (2014). Meaningful assessment of learners’ understandings about scientific inquiry- the Views About Scientific Inquiry (VASI) questionnaire, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 51(1), 65-83. COI: 10.1002/tea.21125 top downloaded article from 2014; top-cited article from 2014]
Schwartz, R., Lederman, N., & Abd-El-Khalick, F. (2013). A series of misrepresentations: A response to Allchin’s whole approach to assessing nature of science understandings. Science Education, 96(4), 685-692. DOI: 10.1002/sce.21013
Schwartz, R., & *Skjold, B. (2012). Teaching about scientific models in a science content course. Educacion Quimica, 23(4), 451-457.
*Pennock, P., & Schwartz, R. (2012). Using Video Clips to Implement Multicultural Aspects of Science and Nature of Science into a Biological Content Course for Pre- Service Teachers- An Action Research Project, Inquiry in Education, 3(2). http://digitalcommons.nl.edu/ie/vol3/iss2/3
Schwartz, R., Westerlund, J., Garcia, D., & Taylor, T. (2010). The impact of full immersion scientific research experiences on teachers’ views of nature of science. Electronic Journal of Science Education, 14(2).
Schwartz, R. (2010). Preparing future science faculty: Experiences in a methods course for college teaching. Contemporary Science Education Research: Teaching. Eds. F. Tasar and G. Cakmakci. Proceedings of the ESERA 2009 conference. p.191-200.
*Brown, M., & Schwartz, R S. (2009). Connecting Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration: Pre-Service Teachers’ Conceptions, Journal of Research in Science Teaching. 46(7), 791-812.
Schwartz, R S., & Gess-Newsome, J. (2008). Elementary science specialists: A pilot study of current models and a call for participation in the research, The Science Educator, 17(2), 19-30.
Schwartz, R S., & Lederman, N. (2008). What scientists say: Scientists’ views of nature of science and relation to science context. International Journal of Science Education. 30(6), 727-771.
Schwartz, R S. (2007). What’s in a word? How word choice can develop (mis)conceptions of nature of science. Science Scope. 31(2), 42-47.
Schwartz, R S., Lederman, N. G., & Crawford, B. A. (2004). Developing views of nature of science in an authentic context: An explicit approach to bridging the gap between nature of science and scientific inquiry.Science Education, 88(4), 610-645.
Schwartz, R S., & Lederman, N. G. (2002). “It’s the nature of the beast”: The influence of knowledge and intentions on learning and teaching of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39(3), 205-236.
Lederman, N. G., Abd-El-Khalick, F., Bell, R. L., & Schwartz, R S. (2002). Views of Nature of Science Questionnaire (VNOS): 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., Schwartz, R S., Abd-El-Khalick, F., & Bell, R. L. (2001). Preservice Teachers’ Understanding and Teaching of the Nature of Science: An Intervention Study. The Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education, 1(2), 135-160.
Schwartz, R S., Abd-El-Khalick, F., & Lederman, N. G. (2000). Achieving the reform’s vision: The effectiveness of a specialist-led elementary science program. School Science and Mathematics, 100(4), 181-194.
Schwartz, R.S., Lederman, N.G., & Smith, M. (1999). Modeling success during Earth Science Week. Science Scope, 23, 36-37.
Schwartz, R.S., & Curran, J.F. (1997). Analyses of frameshifting at UUU-pyrimidine sites, Nucleic Acids Research, 25, 2005-2011.
Schwartz, R S., & Curran, J. F. (1994). Codon and context usage control frameshifting at phenylalanine codons. Abstracts of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Conference on Translational Control.