Brenda Capobianco
Associate Professor
Science Education
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Research
Science Education -- Science teachers' and teacher educators' engagement in action research; young women's participation in science, technology, and engineering and the role teachers play in supporting young women's participation; issues of gender, culture, and identity in science and engineering education.
Current Projects
Science Learning through Engineering Design (SLED) is a multi-year, large scale NSF-funded Math Science Partnership project. SLED Partners include faculty from the Colleges of Education, Engineering, Science and Technology, Taylor Community School Corporation, Plymouth School Corporation, Lafayette School Corporation, and Tippecanoe School Corporation. The goal of the SLED Math Science Partnership is to increase grade 3-6 student learning of science by developing Indiana’s first integrated, engineering design-based approach to elementary/intermediate school science education. Research activities explore student and teaching learning and partnership development and sustainability.
See: https://stemedhub.org/groups/sled and http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0962840&WT.z_pims_id=5756
Engineering indentity development among young learners -- This project is a multi-year research study that examines the different ways girls approach, experience, and interact with engineering learning activities and how their learning informs their identity formation in science and engineering.
The NSF grant is entitled "Examining engineering perceptions, aspirations and identity among young girls" http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0734091
Appointments on National/International Organizations
- Board of Directors
Association for Science Teacher Education - Associate Editor
Journal of Science Teacher Education
Education
| Ed.D. | University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2002, Science Education, Teacher Education and School Improvment |
| M.S. | Central Connecticut State University, 1993, General Science |
| B.S. | University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1986, Biological Sciences, minor in Chemistry |
Publications
- Capobianco, B. M., Diefes-Dux, H., Mena, I., & Weller, J. (2011). What is an engineer? Implications of elementary school student conceptions for engineering education. Journal of Engineering Education, 100(2), 304-328.
- Capobianco, B. M. (2011). Exploring a science teacher’s uncertainty with integrating engineering design: An action research study. Journal of Elementary Science Education, 22(7), 645-660.
- Capobianco, B. M., & Feldman, A. (2010). Repositioning teacher action research in science teacher education. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 21(8), 909-915.
- Capobianco, B. M., & Tyrie,N. (2009). Problem solving using design. Science and Children, 47(2), 38-41.
- Capobianco, B. M., & Joyal, H. (2008). Engineering best practice: An action research study. Science and Children, 45(8), 22-26.
- Feldman, A., & Capobianco, B. M. (2008). Teacher learning of technology enhanced formative assessment. Journal of Science Education and Technology. 17(1), 82-99.
- Capobianco, B. M. (2007). Science teachers' attempts at integrating feminist pedagogy through collaborative action research. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44(1), 1-32.
- Capobianco, B. M. (2007). A self-study of the role of technology in promoting reflection and inquiry-based science teaching. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 18(2), 271-296.
Experience
| 2008 - present | Associate Professor, Science Education and Engineering Education (Courtesy Faculty) Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN |
| 2002 - present | Affiliated Faculty, Women's Studies Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN |
| 2002 - present | Assistant Professor in Science Education, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN |
| 2005 - present | Assistant Professor of Engineering Education (Courtesy Faculty), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN |
| 2002 - present | Affiliated Faculty in Women's Studies |
| 2002 - present | Associated Faculty with the Gifted Education Research Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN |
| 1998-2002 | Graduate Research Assistant, Teaching Assistant, and University Supervisor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA |
| 1995-1998 | Adjunct Instructor, Depatment of Physical Sciences, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, Connecticut |
| 1989-1998 | Science Teacher, Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Farmington, Connecticut |
Courses
| EDCI 36500 | Teaching Science in the Elementary School |
| EDCI 51700 | Survey in Science Education |
| EDCI 56700 | Action Research in Science Education |
| EDCI 61800/WOST 59100 | Gender and Culture in Science Education |
| EDCI 62200 | Seminar in Science Education |
