2011 TC Research
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College Columbia University

Research

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Felicia Moore Mensah

Professional Background

Educational Background

B.S. Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1988)
M.S. Biology & Secondary Education, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (1992)
Ph.D. Science Education, Florida State University (2003)
Dissertation: Professional Development and Poststructural Analysis: Stories of African American Science Teachers.
Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for Curriculum Materials in Science, Michigan State University (2003 - 2005)

Scholarly Interests

Urban & Multicultural Education
Teacher Education/Teacher Professional Development 
Qualitative Research Methods
Critical Theory 
Feminist Poststructuralist Theory 

Selected Publications

Mensah, F.M. (2013). Theoretically and practically speaking, what is needed in diversity and equity in science teaching and learning? Theory Into Practice, 52(1), 66-72. Special Theme Issue:Diversity and Equity in Science Education
 
Mensah, F.M. (2012). Positional identity as a lens for connecting elementary preservice teachers to science teaching in urban classrooms. In M. Varelas (Ed.), Identity construction and science education research: Learning, teaching, and being in multiple contexts, (pp. 107-123). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.
 
Rivera Maulucci, M., & Mensah, F.M. (2012). NARST equity and ethics committee: Mentoring scholars of color in the organization. In J.A. Bianchini, V. L. Akerson, A. Calabrese Barton, O. Lee, & A. J. Rodriguez (Eds.), Moving the equity agenda forward:  Equity research, practice, and policy in science education, (pp. 295-316).  New York, NY: Springer.
 
Mensah, F.M. (2012). Retrospective accounts in the formation of an agenda for diversity, equity and social justice for science education.  In J.A. Bianchini, V. L. Akerson, A. Calabrese Barton, O. Lee, & A. J. Rodriguez (Eds.), Moving the equity agenda forward:  Equity research, practice, and policy in science education, (pp. 317-336). New York, NY: Springer.
 
Mallya, A., Mensah, F.M., Contento, I.R., Koch, P.A., & Calabrese Barton, A. (2012). Extending science beyond the classroom door: Learning from students’ experiences with the Choice, Control & Change (C3) curriculum. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 49(2), 244–269.

 

Johnston, A., Butler, M. B., Mensah, F.M., & Williams, B. (2011). Playing with science: Models for engaging communities. Special issue on Designing Environments to Promote Play-based Science Learning. Children, Youth and Environments , 21(2), 312-324.

Mensah, F.M. (2011). The DESTIN: Preservice teachers’ drawings of the ideal elementary science teacher. School Science and Mathematics, 111(8), 379-388.

 

Mensah, F.M. (2011). A case for culturally relevant teaching in science education and lessons learned for teacher education. The Journal of Negro Education, 80(3), 296-309. Special Issue, Teacher Education and the Black Community: Preparing Teachers to Teach Black Students, Preparing Black Students to Become Teachers

 

Mensah, F. M. (2011). On the road to reform: A sociocultural interpretation of reform. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 6(3), 671-678.

Mensah, F.M. (2011). The hardest questions aren’t on the test: Lessons from an innovative urban school. Book Review.  Science Education, 95(4),768-770.

Brotman, J.S., Dawson, V., & Mensah, F.M. (2011).  Metalogue: Critical issues for teaching with socio-scientific issues. In T. D. Sadler (Ed.), Socio-scientific issues in the classroom: Teaching, learning and research (pp. 347-353). The Netherlands: Springer.

 

Yu, Yuqing, & Mensah, F.M. (2011). The multiple response model for the “views on science-technology-society” (VOSTS) instrument: An empirical application in the context of the electronic-waste issue. In I.M. Saleh & M. S. Khine (Eds.), Attitude research in science: Classic and contemporary measurements(pp. 137-176). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

 

Brotman, J.S., Mensah, F.M., & Lesko, N. (2011). Urban high school students' learning about HIV/AIDS in different contexts. Science Education, 95(1), 87-120.


Mensah, F.M. (2010). Toward the mark of empowering policies in elementary school science programs and teacher professional development. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 5(4), 977-983.
 
Mensah, F.M. (2010). Who do I look like? Diversity in self, family, and others. Science Activities, 47, 125-132. Special Issue on Multicultural Science Teaching

 

Brotman, J.S., Mensah, F.M., & Lesko, N. (2010). Exploring identities to deepen understanding of urban high school students’ decision-making about HIV/AIDS. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 47(6), 742-762.

 

Geelan, D., Mensah, F.M., Rahm, J., & Maulucci, M.R. (2010).  Forum: Roles, caring and learning to teach science. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 5(4), 649-663.


Mensah, F.M. (2009).  A portrait of black teachers in science classrooms. The Negro Educational Review, 60(1-4), 39-52.
 
Mensah, F.M. (2009). Confronting assumptions, biases, and stereotypes in preservice teachers’ conceptualizations of science teaching through the use of book club. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(9), 1041-1066.

Brotman, J.S. & Moore, F.M. (2008). Girls and science: A review of four themes in the science education literature. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45(9), 971-1002.

Moore, F.M. (2008). Agency, identity, and social justice: Preservice teachers’ thoughts on becoming agents of change in urban elementary science classrooms. Research in Science Education, 38(5), 589-610.

Moore, F.M. (2008).Positional identity and science teacher professional development. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45(6), 684-710.

 

Moore, F.M. (2008). The role of the elementary science teacher and linguistic diversity.  Journal of Elementary Science Education, 20(3), 49-61.

 

Moore, F.M. (2008). Preparing preservice teachers for urban elementary science classrooms: Challenging cultural biases toward diverse students. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 19(1), 85-109.

 

Moore, F.M. (2007). Teachers’ coping strategies for teaching science in a “low performing” school district. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 18(5), 773-794.

 

Moore, F.M. (2007). Language in science education as a gatekeeper to learning, teaching, and professional development. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 18(2), 319-343.

 

Moore, F.  (2006). Multicultural preservice teachers’ views of diversity and science teaching. Research and Practice in Social Sciences, 1(2), 98-131.

 

Gunckel, K. & Moore, F.M. (2005). (April, 2005). Including students and teachers in the co-design of the enacted curriculum. NARST Annual Conference. Dallas, TX. ERIC Digest, ED498676.

 

Moore, F. M. (2005). The dissertation and graduation: Not just a black and white process—Mountain climbing, middle passage, and learning as a postdoctoral fellow. ERIC Digest, ED489985.

 

Moore, F.M. (2005). Science and reading integration for primary grades, K-2. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

 

Moore, F.M. (2005). Science and mathematics integration for intermediate grades, 3-4. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

 

Moore, F. M. (2005). Science and reading integration for intermediate grades, 5-6. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
 

Moore, F. (2005). Vocabulario espanol para profesores de biologia, Editor. Professional Resources Project.

 

Moore, F.M.  (2003). In the midst of it all: A feminist perspective on science and science teaching. In A.L. Green & L.V. Scott (Eds.), Journey to the Ph.D.: How to navigate the process as African Americans (pp. 104-121). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

 

professional presentations

honors and awards

2012 AERA 2012 Early Career Award, Division K (Teaching & Teacher Education)

2010-11 Dean's Fellowship Program for Teaching and Diversity Faculty & Student Research Grant: African American Scientists Book Club

2009 National Science Teachers Association, Summer Reading List for Science Teachers, Article selected: Teachers’ coping strategies for teaching science in a “low performing” school district

2009 Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Second most frequently downloaded paper of 2008 & 2009, Article: Girls and science: A review of four themes in the science education literature

2009 Early Career Nomination, National Association of Research in Science Teaching

2008 Research Travel Grant, New Connections Research and Coaching Clinic, Robert Wood Foundation

2008 National Technology Award Paper Nomination, Science in the city photo albums: Connecting science content standards using digital photography

2007 Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) Status

2006 Cambridge Who's Who Executive and Professional Registry

2006 Race, Culture and Diversity Teaching Fellowship Grant

2005 Dean's Summer Research Grant

2005 National Association of Research in Science Teaching Equity and Ethics Scholars Award

 

biographical information

Dr. Felicia Moore Mensah has worked collaboratively and independently in developing as a scholar in the areas of science teacher education and teacher professional development. Professor Mensah received her doctorate in Science Education at Florida State University (May 2003). Using a feminist poststructuralist analysis of power, language, difference, and knowledge construction, her dissertation focused on three African American secondary school teachers' experiences in professional development, teaching, and learning science.

As a postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Curriculum Materials in Science at Michigan State University (June 2003-July 2005), Professor Mensha focused on developing science curriculum materials that addressed issues of diversity in planning, assessing, and teaching science for understanding. 
 
Professor Mensah was awarded the 2005 Dean's Summer Grant for Research (Teachers College) and was one of five awardees of the Equity and Ethics Scholarship from the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) in 2005, and the Race, Culture and Diversity Research Grant (Teachers College) in 2006. She serves on the NARST Board and co-chairs the Ethics & Equity Committee of this organization. Professor Mensah serves on the editorial review board of Cultural Studies of Science Education and Journal of Elementary Science Education.
 
 
 

current projects

My interests are diverse and at the same time connected to my overall research agenda which is situated in urban elementary science education.  I focus on improving the teaching and learning of science in urban schools by designing ongoing professional development models with elementary and middle school teachers. Five current projects are:

Preservice elementary science teacher identity; focusing on the construction of a science teacher identity; extending this work to include preservice high science teachers' identity and how identities affect how they teach science to diverse learners.

Longitudinal studies of elementary preservice teachers; following former science methods students into years 1-3 as new teachers; creation of a professional development model for elementary teachers.
 
Working in partnership with Columbia University Chemistry department and the Center for Technology and School Change on professional development in science with Yonkers elementary and middle school science teachers.
 
Working in partnership with NYC elementary and middle schools on improving science education expeiences for teachers, students, and parents through elementary after school science programs, middle school science fair & family science night.
 
Working with TC faculty in collaboration with NYC schools through the GE grant for science and mathematics. Much of this work is focused on teacher professional development, classroom support, and student engagement in science classrooms.
 
 
 

MSTC 4001: Qualitative research methods in science education

This introductory course is designed to support graduate students in qualitative research methodology in science education. It includes qualitative research design and role of theory in guiding and informing research.

MSTC 4040: Science in childhood education

This is an integrated lecture/laboratory course. This course provides an introduction to the creation of science curriculum and instruction that attends to current state and national standards. The course is based in constructivist perspectives and has as a goal the teaching of science well with all children.

MSTC 4055: Concepts of Biology

Professional content knowledge course examining the major concepts in biology and their applications in teaching secondary school biology.

MSTC 5040: Science curriculum improvement in the elementary school

This course provides an introduction to the creation of science curriculum and instruction that attends to current state and national standards at the elementary level.

Documents & Papers

Download: Girls and Science Tables [PDF]

Download: Curriculum Vita [PDF]

Download: Journal Abstracts [PDF]

Centers and Projects

Center for Technology and School Change
Website: http://ctsc.tc.columbia.edu/

The Center for Technology and School Change helps schools integrate technology into their curricula and daily lives, by planning with schools for the use of technology, educating teachers how to use it, planning curriculum projects that include technology, helping teachers to implement projects, and assessing the effect of technology on schools. The Center is based on the idea that technology will have a large impact on the structure of schooling, as it has in the past, and that schools must plan for the kinds of change they want it to have. We believe that technology should be integrated with curriculum in ways that emphasize active student learning, collaboration, interdisciplinary learning and problem-solving in areas that are meaningful to schools, and conducts site-based research.



Harlem Schools Partnership
Website: http://www.tc.edu/hsp

The Harlem Schools Partnership (HSP) for STEM Education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is a collaborative effort of Teachers College (TC), and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) at Columbia University in association with the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) and with support from the General Electric Foundation.

The mission of the HSP is to improve STEM education by helping schools create rich environments for STEM teaching and learning.  We accomplish this through professional development that strengthens curriculum, increases teacher knowledge of STEM content and teaching practices, diversifies assessment of student learning, and ensures that English Language Learners are successful in STEM.  The intended outcome is that HSP schools will be models of excellence for STEM teaching and learning, and that participating teachers will become leaders and mentors for others at their schools and in the Department of Education.