The School of Education at the University of Michigan seeks to appoint
two tenure-track faculty members in two areas of science education.
The first position is an open-rank search for a scholar in secondary
science education with an instructional focus on secondary teacher
education. The second position focuses on science education with a
focus on language, literacy, and text (with a preference for an
elementary emphasis). This search is for an assistant or associate
professor.
JOB DESCRIPTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Candidates for both positions should have strong disciplinary content
knowledge in one or more disciplines in science along with expertise
in and commitment to science teacher education. Preference will be
given to candidates with K-12 teaching experience. Candidates should
be prepared to participate actively in the School’s endeavors to
transform initial teacher preparation in science and consider how the
University can support teachers’ learning across their careers. In
addition, candidates should be prepared to contribute to a program of
research and scholarship that will inform and be informed by a focus
on learning in, from and for the practice of teaching and that seeks
to build capacity for ongoing research and development in and on
practice-based teacher education. Candidates should, through their
research, teaching, and/or service, contribute to the development of
professionals who have the skills necessary to teach science
effectively in a society that is increasingly diverse and whose
schools are inequitably resourced.
The secondary science education position will focus on teaching and
learning in secondary schools. This successful candidate will be
positioned to provide leadership in our work in the reinvention of
teacher education, but at the same time, should help to maintain and
further our reputation for excellence in content-area teaching and
learning. Ideally, the new faculty member will address issues of the
twin imperatives of diversity and equity in both research and their
teaching.
The science education literacy position will join a cluster of
scholars focused on the role of language, literacy, and text in
disciplinary learning. The successful candidate will share an interest
in the study and teaching of how language and literacy contribute to
knowledge production and representation in science. This work may
include, for example, research on science literacy and text; reading
and writing processes, inscriptions, representations and models,
argumentation and science education; science education and ELL;
discourse in science; and/or scaffolding in written or online science
education resources.
One important component of these positions focuses on graduate
education. Candidates should be ready to occupy a key position in the
science education unit within Educational Studies in the School of
Education. Work at the graduate level will include, in concert with
other faculty, teaching seminars in which science education students
and other graduate students enroll, supervising exams and
dissertations, and fostering the development of science education
students as scholars, researchers, and teacher educators.
Prospective faculty members should be prepared to teach science
teacher education courses and oversee field instruction in the
undergraduate and master’s level teacher certification programs in
elementary and/or secondary science.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Successful candidates will have:
• A doctorate in science education, the learning sciences, or
demonstrable equivalent
• Strong disciplinary content knowledge
• Experience teaching at the university level, including science
teaching methods or equivalent, and a commitment to teacher education
• A developing or established program of research and publication in
science education with clear connections to teacher education and/or
content-area literacy
• A sustained interest in collaborating with different constituencies
in the School of Education, schools, communities, and the university
to engage in design, instruction, and research in a coherent,
practice-based teacher education program
• A sustained interest in collaborating with a similar set of
constituencies to design and engage in research projects
• Commitment to research and publication that informs teaching and
learning in under-resourced schools with diverse students
• Familiarity with and capacity for developing and securing grants to
support research
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDE:
• Experience teaching science at the middle school or high school
level (secondary position) or any level, with preference for
elementary (language, literacy, and text position)
• The ability to make connections to other departments and
organizations on campus (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, earth
science, and/or space science; the Institute for Social Research,
particularly associated with research methods or assessment; the
College of Engineering; etc.)
Nominations and applications will be reviewed beginning January 1,
2012 and will continue until the positions are filled. We seek to
make appointments to begin in September 2012.
Candidates are asked to submit a letter of interest, a curriculum
vitae, two publications or writing samples that demonstrate scholarly
accomplishment in science education, and the names of four
professional references. We prefer that materials be submitted
electronically to umscienceedsearch@umich.edu with the phrase Science
Education Search in the subject line and a statement about to which
search the candidate is applying. For questions or hardcopy
materials, please contact Ms. Terrie Priebe at the same email address.
Elizabeth A. Davis
Associate Professor, Science Education
Chair, Elementary Teacher Education
Co-Editor, Elementary School Journal
ELECTS: Elementary Educative Curricula for Teachers of Science
4107 School of Education
University of Michigan
betsyd@umich.edu
