Renee’ Schwartz
Chair, Department of Middle and Secondary Education - Professor 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
Renée Schwartz is a professor of science education in the Department of Middle and Secondary Education. Her research focuses on the epistemological views of science, specifically the nature of science (NOS) and the nature of scientific inquiry (NOSI). Using primarily qualitative methods, she examines the developing conceptions of NOS and NOSI held by both teachers and learners across various contexts—such as authentic science research experiences and classroom-based science learning. Her goal is to identify effective strategies for fostering both conceptual and pedagogical knowledge. Additionally, she explores the intersections between epistemological views and science identity trajectories.
Dr. Schwartz’s work is framed by theories of situated cognition, intersectionality, and sociocultural learning of science. She is particularly interested in how teachers develop pedagogical content knowledge for NOS and NOSI, as well as how they navigate their teacher and scientist identities during teacher preparation and practice.
Dr. Schwartz earned her doctorate in science education from Oregon State University and holds degrees from Wake Forest University and Purdue University. Prior to joining Georgia State University in 2014, she was an associate professor at Western Michigan University, with dual appointments in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Mallinson Institute for Science Education. She has taught biology to undergraduates and future teachers, and currently teaches science education courses for master’s and doctoral students. Additionally, she serves as coordinator for the Teaching and Learning PhD program in science education.
Dr. Schwartz has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, presented more than 150 conference papers, and delivered 70 invited talks, seminars and workshops. Her scholarly work appears in prominent international journals, including the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Science Education and The International Journal of Science Education. She has served as principal investigator or co-principal investigator on funded projects totaling over $6 million, and has served on grant review panels for the National Science Foundation and the European Commission.
Internationally, Dr. Schwartz is active with the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA), where she has served as an invited mentor for the ESERA doctoral summer school for the past eight years. She also collaborates with a research team in Chile. Dr. Schwartz is a past president of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), and in 2024, she was honored as a NARST Fellow for her outstanding service and research in science education. Her editorial work includes co-editing the “Teaching and Learning in Science” book series (Routledge) and she has been selected to serve as associate editor for the journal Science & Education starting in 2025.
- 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.