Anita Roychoudhury

Associate Professor
Science Education
Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Research

Research interest: Dr. Roychoudhury has conducted research on teaching and learning of physics and physical science at school and college levels.  Teacher professional development and gender and equity issues in the context of science teaching and learning at all levels of schooling are other areas of research of Dr. Roychoudhury.

Current research project: A multi-year project (2008 onwards) is exploring middle school student understanding of physics and climate science concepts and their connections with regard to global warming and climate change issues.  This project is funded by the National Science Foundation and involves schools in Lafayette and nearby rural counties.  Teachers are engaged in trying out and modifying curricular materials developed by project researchers during summer and academic year sessions.  Student conceptual understanding and motivation about learning science are being explored via written diagnostic tool, interviews, videotapes of classroom instruction, and other artifacts.

Education

Ph.D.	Curriculum and Instruction, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
M. Ed.	Secondary Education, Miami University, Oxford, OH
B. Ed.	Education, Calcutta University, Calcutta, India
B. Sc	Physics (major), Chemistry and Mathematics (minor), Calcutta University, Calcutta, India

Selected Publications

• Roychoudhury, A., & Rice, D.  (in press). Discourse of Making Sense of Data: Implications for Elementary Teachers’ Science Education.  Journal of Elementary Science Education.
  
  
• Acar, O., Turkmen, L. & Roychoudhury, A., (2009). Student Difficulties in Socio-scientific Argumentation and Decision Making Research Findings: Crossing the Borders of two Research Lines,  International Journal of Science Education.
  
  
• Roychoudhury, A. (2007).  Elementary students' reasoning:  Crests and troughs of learning. Journal of Elementary Science Education.
  
  
• Broussard, C. A., Mosley-Howard, S. & Roychoudhury, A. (2007).  Using youth advocates for mentoring at-risk students in urban settings.  Children and Schools.
  
  
• Patton, B., Roychoudhury, A., & West, M. (2007).  Critical thinking and reasoning skills of middle school students and teachers.  In M. Schlanagen (Ed.), Middle school teacher preparation: Current practices and future perspectives, (pp. 7-16).  Columbus, OH: Ohio Board of Regents.
  
  

Courses Taught

EDCI 365

Science in Elementary Schools (Coordinator)

Professional Experience

2007-Present	Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, Purdue University
2001-2007	Associate Professor, School of Teaching and Learning, Ohio State University
1996-2000	Associate Professor, Teacher Education Department, Miami University
1997-1999	Faculty Associate, Center for Human Development, Learning, and Teaching, Educational Psychology Department, Miami University
1990-1995	Assistant Professor, Teacher Education Deppatment, Miami University
1986-1990	Associate Instructor, Science Education, Indiana University
1984-1985	Teaching Assistant, Physics, Miami University