Featured Guests

Judith Johnson (host) is an associate professor of science education at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and associate director of the Lockheed Martin/University of Central Florida Academy of Mathematics and Science, an inservice master's degree program for K-8 teachers. Dr. Johnson directs UCF's secondary science education program at both undergraduate and graduate levels, mentors doctoral students, and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses. She is also the principal investigator of several grants, including a National Science Foundation grant for a longitudinal evaluation of the Lockheed Martin Academy and Florida Department of Education grant programs for teacher professional development. In addition, she was chair of the 2000 NSTA National Conference, and is active in many state and national professional organizations. Dr. Johnson taught science in public schools for 10 years. She received a bachelor of science degree in microbiology and a master's in biology from Colorado State University, spent several years there as a researcher, and later received a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction in science education.

Hubert M. Dyasi (panelist) is a professor of science education at the City College (City University of New York), where he also serves as director of the City College Workshop Center, a science teacher development institution at the College. He is co-author of Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science and Mathematics (Corwin Press, 1998), and of Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards: A Guide for Teaching and Learning (National Academy Press, 2000). Professor Dyasi has appeared as a specialist on the learning of science through inquiry in the science education program Looking at Learning...Again, funded by Annenberg Media. He is a member of the National Research Council's Committee on Science Education K-12, and also serves on several national science education advisory boards.

Karen Worth (panelist) is co-director of the K-12 Science Curriculum Dissemination Center at Education Development Center, Inc. in Newton, Massachusetts, where she also co-directs a project to develop science education materials for early childhood education. She is on the faculty of the graduate program in teacher education at Wheelock College, and is a consultant to many public school reform projects across the country. She has also served as chair of the Working Group on Science Teaching Standards of the National Committee on Science Education Standards and Assessment of the National Academy of Science and was the director of a major NSF-funded curriculum project that developed Insights.

Christine Collier (panelist) is principal of the Center for Inquiry, a K-8 magnet/option school in the Indianapolis Public School district. Prior to her appointment as principal, she taught elementary and special education for 21 years. Ms. Collier co-authored a proposal that led to the opening of the Center for Inquiry and served as magnet director for the program in its initial years. In addition to her K-12 classroom work, she has served as a professional development site coordinator and graduate education instructor at Indiana University/Purdue University. She has also served as Indianapolis Public School's site coordinator for the National Gardening Association's Growing Science Inquiry program and is an educational consultant for the National Gardening Association. Ms. Collier has been showcased as a facilitator in videos such as Science Images in the Classroom, funded by Annenberg Media, and PBS Scienceline.

Tim O'Keefe (panelist) has been a classroom teacher for 20 years, teaching Head Start through sixth grade. As a teacher/researcher, he has written various chapters and articles in professional journals. His classroom has been the focus of three books published by Heinemann and the National Council of Teachers of English. Mr. O'Keefe's classroom has also been featured in a number of professional video series: PBS Scienceline, which focuses on teaching science through inquiry; a professional tape on teaching and reaching at-risk learners by Heinemann; and literacy assessment strategies by the National Council of Teachers of English. He has consulted with school districts throughout the country on topics such as inquiry-based instruction, developing integrated curricula, assessment strategies, and fostering parent communication. Mr. O'Keefe is currently teaching at the Center for Inquiry, a small school partnership between Richland District Two and the University of South Carolina.

Lucia Guarino (panelist) graduated from the University of Arizona's College of Agriculture in 1979. After working for the U.S. Forest Service for several years, she retrained as a science teacher at the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She taught middle level science for 11 years in Webster, New York before attending the State University of New York at Buffalo to earn her doctorate in science education. Upon completing her doctorate, Dr. Guarino returned to Webster Central School District as an enrichment consultant to K-8 teachers for four years. During this time, she taught courses in elementary science methods and classroom inquiry at the State University College at Buffalo and at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. Dr. Guarino is currently an associate professor of mathematics, science, and technology education at St. John Fisher College.

Marian Pasquale (panelist) is a senior associate at the Education Development Center (EDC). She is a former middle school science teacher with 20 years of teaching experience and a former district coordinator for K-6 science. As science coordinator, she managed the elementary science program and designed and provided professional development programs for elementary teachers and building administrators. At EDC, she provides technical assistance and professional development to school districts nationwide. She has particular expertise in middle school science and has recently co-authored Guiding Curriculum Decisions for Middle-Grades Science, a publication to assist districts that are working on middle school science reform.

Virginia Lockwood (panelist) is a former first- and second-grade teacher who now consults and provides staff development in literacy instruction and inquiry-based learning across the country. She has been a teacher for nine years, seven of which were at P.S. 116 in District 2 in Manhattan. She continues to collaborate in classrooms in New York City, San Diego, California, and Providence, Rhode Island, while also working closely with the Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University's Teacher's College. Ms. Lockwood's classroom was a demonstration site for hundreds of visitors looking to deepen their understanding of Balanced Literacy, inquiry-based science instruction, and Primary Literacy Standards. Ms. Lockwood received a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Central Connecticut State University and a master's degree in education from New York University. She will soon complete a second master's program in public administration.

Lisa M. Nyberg (panelist) has worked for 16 years as an educator of students ranging from preschool to graduate school. She is currently an assistant professor in the education department at California State University, Fresno. Dr. Nyberg has received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching and the NSF Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics and Science. She has served as preschool and elementary director on the NSTA executive board and on the advisory boards of PBS Scienceline and Sesame Street. Dr. Nyberg was selected to demonstrate inquiry-based teaching practices in the PBS Scienceline videos and was featured in The Disney Channel Salutes the American Teacher. She has written and edited several books, articles, and grants in the areas of science education and communication, including the award-winning book How To Talk So Kids Can Learn.