Jon E. Pedersen, PhD

Professor of Science Education

Co-Director of the Science Education Center

Background Information:

• B.S. in Agriculture (Biochemistry and Nutrition) (1982), M.Ed. in Administration, Curriculum & Instruction (Science Education) (1988), Ph.D. in Administration, Curriculum & Instruction (Science Education) (1990), University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

• Dr. Pedersen began his teaching career as a secondary school science teacher and taught high school chemistry and physics.
   
• In 1990, he finished his PhD at the University of Nebraska and became an Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Arkansas, in Fayetteville, AR for five years.

• During his tenure at the University of Arkansas he also served as Co-Director of the Center for Middle Level Education, Research and Development as well as undergraduate and graduate coordinator.

• In 1995, after being tenured and promoted, Dr. Pedersen took a position as an associate professor with tenure at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.
   
• For the next five years Dr. Pedersen held several leadership positions at ECU including: director of partnership research, Associate Dean, and interim department chair.

• In 2000, Dr. Pedersen moved to the University of Oklahoma as Full Professor, where he is a faculty member in science education in the Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum Department.

• Dr. Pedersen is very active in several national organizations including: the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Association for the Education of Teachers of Science, and National Science Teachers Association.
   
• He is the author of over sixty publications on social issues and science teaching; and, has published two books and two teacher manuals for robotics.

• Dr. Pedersen is in his 13th year in higher education and in his third year at the University of Oklahoma where he holds the rank of Full Professor.

• His primary teaching responsibilities are with graduate and undergraduate courses in science education offered to preservice and inservice teachers.
   
• During his tenure in higher education, Dr. Pedersen has been Director and Co-Director of numerous grants and supported projects on science curricula development, science inservice education, middle level education and international education totaling over $1.0M.

• He has directed numerous programs in education and science education in Bolivia, South America and has worked in over a half-a-dozen countries around the world.

Courses Offered:

• Undergraduate
  • EDSC 4092 - Inquiry Based Science Teaching
  • EDSC 4193 - Teaching Science in the Elementary Schools
  • EDSC 4513 - Teaching Science in the Secondary Schools
  • EDUC 4060 - Supervision of Student Teacher
• Graduate
  • EDSC 5513 - Teaching Science in the Secondary Schools
  • EDSC 5514 - Research and Development of Science Curricula

Career Awards, Noteworthy Grants, and International Work        Selected Publications

email: pedersenj@ou.edu