Faculty Vita

Valarie Akerson, Ph.D.

Academic Degrees

Certification/Licenses

Professional Experience

Faculty load

Faculty Teaching

Selected Publications

Akerson, V. L., Medina, V. F., & Wang, N. (in press). Navigating the balance between teaching and research: A case study of an environmental engineering professor. School Science and Mathematics.

Morrison, J., Roth McDuffie, A., & Akerson, V. L., (in press). A focus for collaboration: Developing and implementing science and mathematics performance assessment tasks. School Science and Mathematics.

Akins, A. & Akerson, V. L. (in press). Connecting science, social studies, and language arts: An interdisciplinary approach. Educational Action Research.

Akerson, V., Roth McDuffie, A., & Morrison, J. (in press). Using performance assessment tasks as a context for field experiences for pre-service teachers. Practical Experience and Educational Research (PEERs) Matter.

Liu, Z., & Akerson, V. L. (2002, May 31). Science and language links: A fourth grade intern's attempt to increase language skills through science. Electronic Journal of Literacy Through Science, 1, Article 4. Retrieved May 31, 2002 from http: //sweeneyhall.sjsu.edu/ejlts/vol1-2.htm

Akerson, V. L., & Reinkens, K. A. (2002). Preparing preservice elementary teachers to teach for conceptual change: A case study. Journal of Elementary Science Education, 14, 29-46.

Akerson, V. L., (2001). How to teach science when the principal says "teach language arts" Science and Children, 38 (7), 42-48.

Bohrmann, M. L., & Akerson, V. L., (2001). A teacher's reflections on her actions to improve her female students' self-efficacy toward science. Journal of Elementary Science Education, 13 (2), 41-55.

Akerson, V. L., Flick, L. B., & Lederman, N. G. (2000). The influence of young children's ideas in science on teaching practice. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37, 363-385.

Akerson, V. L., Abd-El-Khalick, F. S., & Lederman, N. G. (2000). The influence of a reflective activity-based approach on elementary teachers' conceptions of the nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37, 295-317.

Akerson, V. L., & Flanigan, J. (2000). Preparing preservice teachers to use an interdisciplinary approach to science and language arts instruction. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 11, 287-313.

Medina, V. F., Akerson, V. L., & Wang, N. (2000). Using research projects to enhance environmental engineering laboratory courses. American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings. CD-ROM Session 3551 http://www.asee.org/conferences/search/20672.pdf (peer reviewed).

Akerson, V. L., & Flick, L. B. (1999). Teacher and student perspectives about the importance of primary children's ideas in science, Journal of Elementary Science Education, 11 (2) 31-55.

Funded Projects

2001 Akerson, V. L. "Learning Science by Inquiry: An Elementary Teacher Enhancement Project." Proffitt Internal Funding. $30,000.

2000 Received $35,000 from Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Eisenhower Funding to present Summer 2001 workshop entitled "Investigating the Salmon Issue: A K-8 Inquiry Teacher Institute."

2000 Received $2889 from PT3 Mini-Grant, Washington State University

1999 Received $31,700 from Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Eisenhower Funding to present Summer 2000 workshop entitled "Big River, Big Learning."

1999 Awarded $50,000 from National Institute for Environmental Renewal to present summer 1999 workshop entitled "Environmental Renewal Issues Teacher Institute."

1999 Received $470 Alhadeff Teacher of Teachers Faculty Award for "Fostering Reflective Practitioners through Role Model Experiences" project.

1998 Awarded $2000 grant from Summer Session to develop and teach a new course "Children's Literature and Hands-on Science" for summer 1999

1997 Awarded $535.00 from the Dean's Special Fund to present Kids 'N Science for 3rd to 5th graders on WSU-TC site.

Current Professional and Academic Association Memberships

American Chemical Society (ACS)

American Educational Research Association (AERA)

Association for the Education of Teachers in Science (AETS)

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

Hoosier Association of Science Teachers International (HASTI)

National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST)

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)

Phi Delta Kappa Educational Society (PDK)

Conference Presentations

Akerson, V. L., Abd-El-Khalick, F.S., & Banning, T. (2002, April). Teaching elements of nature of science: A year long case study of a fourth grade teacher. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.

Akerson, V. L., Abd-El-Khalick, F. S., & Banning, T. (2002, April). A study of a fourth grade teacher's effort to teach nature of science. Paper presented at the annual international meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, New Orleans, LA.

Roth McDuffie, A., Morrison, J., & Akerson, V. L. (2002, April). Preservice teachers designing and using performance assessment in an elementary mathematics methods course. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Las Vegas, NE.

Akerson, V. L., & Roth-McDuffie, A. (2002, January). The elementary science teacher as researcher. Paper presented at the annual international meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Charlotte, NC.

Nixon, D., & Akerson, V. L. (2002, January). Building bridges: Using science as a tool to teach reading and writing. Paper presented at the annual international meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Charlotte, NC.

Morrison, J., Akerson, V. L., & Roth McDuffie, A. (2002, January). A focus for collaboration: Developing and implementing science and mathematics performance assessment tasks. Paper presented at the annual international meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Charlotte, NC.

Akerson, V. L. (2002, January). State requirements: The good, the bad, and the ugly. Paper presented at the annual international meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Charlotte, NC.

Akerson, V. L., Morrison, J., & Roth-McDuffie, A. (2002, January). Performance assessment in science methods: A Description of a program. Paper presented at the annual international meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Charlotte, NC.

Lederman, N. G., Abd-El-Khalick, F. S., Bell, R. L., Schwartz, R. S., & Akerson, V. L. (2001, November). Assessing Understandings of the Nature of Science: Development and Use of the Views of Nature of Science (VNOS) Questionnaire. Paper presented at the annual international of the History and Philosophy of Science Teaching, Denver, CO.

Akerson, V. L., Medina, V. F., & Wang, N. (2001, March). Navigating the balance between teaching and research: A case study of an environmental engineering professor. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, St. Louis, MO.

Lederman, N. G., Abd-El-Khalick, F. S., Bell, R. L., Schwartz, R. S., & Akerson, V. L. (2001, March). Assessing the unassessable: Views of Nature of Science Questionnaire (VNOS). Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, St. Louis, MO.

Akerson, V. L., Medina, V. F., & Wang, N. (2001, January). Improving University Science and Engineering Instruction: A Case Study of an Environmental Engineering Lab Course. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Costa Mesa, CA.

Akerson, V. L., Roth McDuffie, A., & Morrison, J. A. (2001, January). The Bridges Project: Pairing Preservice and Inservice Teachers for Professional Development in Science, Math, and Literacy Using Performance Assessment Tasks as Contexts. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Costa Mesa, CA.

Bohrmann, S., & Akerson, V. L., (2001, January). Improving Girls' Self-Efficacy Toward Science. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Costa Mesa, CA

Stine, E. O., & Akerson, V. L. (2001, January). Determining How to Use Graphic Organizers in a Sixth Grade Science Classroom. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Costa Mesa, CA.

Honors/Awards

2000 Nominated for the National Association for Research in Science Teaching Early Career Research Award

1996 Awarded $3498 Oregon Sports Lottery Scholarship, Oregon State University, June.

1996 Awarded $50 for research presentation at the Graduate Council Conference, Oregon State University, May.

1995 Awarded $1000 scholarship from Washington State University Alumni Association, May.

1995 Awarded a competitive travel grant from Washington State University to present research paper at National Association for Research in Science Teaching Conference, San Francisco, April.

1995 Awarded $500 grant from Washington Science Teachers Association to present a workshop for inservice teachers entitled "Making Time for Science," January.