Profile

Position: Associate Research Professor
Phone: 503-891-9263
Email: csneider@pdx.edu
Office Location and Hours: 101 Epler Hall, Office Hours by Appointment

Degrees:

Harvard College, Cambridge, MA    
Astronomy     B.A. (cum laude), 1969

University of California, Berkeley   
Science Education     Secondary Teaching Credential, 1971

University of California, Berkeley   
Science Education    M.A., 1976

University of California, Berkeley   
Science Education    Ph.D., 1982

Research Interests:

Dr. Sneider’s research interests have focused on helping students unravel their misconceptions in science and on new ways to link science centers and schools to promote student inquiry.

Current Projects/Grant Funded Work:

• Principal Investigator for an NSF grant to develop a formative evaluation component to a new physics curriculum.
• Co- Principal Investigator on an NSF grant to Stevens Institute of Technology to develop engineering activities to complement high school biology and chemistry courses. 
• Writing Team Leader for Achieve’s current effort to develop Next Generation Science Standards <http://www.nextgenscience.org/> for consideration as common core standards by the 50 states.
• Member of the National Assessment Governing Board 2011-2014. <http://www.nagb.org/>
• Consultant on STEM Education for the Noyce Foundation, the S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation, and on several Advisory Boards.

Recently Completed Projects:

• 2010-2011 Technology and Engineering Lead for the Framework for Next Generation Science Standards for the NRC, released in July 2011. 
• 2009-2010 Co-Chair of the Planning Committee for the Technology and Engineering Literacy Framework for the 2014 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
• 2008-2009 Facilitator for revision of the Washington State K-12 Science Standards
• 2007-2008 Planning Committee member for the Science Framework for the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

Recent Publications:

Assessment and Standards

• Sneider, C. and Rosen, L.P. 2010. Towards a Vision for Engineering Education in Science and Mathematics Standards. In National Academy of Engineering, Standards for K-12 Engineering Education? 2010, pp. 114-135. Online at www.nae.edu/File.aspx?id=15091
• Sneider, C. 2003. Chapter 3, Examining Students’ Work, in Everyday Assessment in the Science Classroom, J. Michael Atkin and Janet E. Coffey, editors, Washington, D.C.: NSTA Press.

Professional Development for Teachers and Museum Educators

• Sneider, C. 2010. How kids learn astronomy: insights from research and practice." Astronomy Beat No. 58, October 18, 2010. http://www.astrosociety.org/mercury/astrobeat/.
• Sneider, C., with Koba, S. in press. Chapter 5. Earth’s shape and gravity. In Koba, S., Hard-to-Teach Science Concepts: A Framework to Support Learners. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.
• Sneider, C. 2010. Critical listening: an essential element in exhibit design, in Filippoupoliti, A. (Ed.) Science Exhibitions: Communication and Evaluation.  Edinburgh, Scotland: MuseumsEtc.
• Sneider, C. 2008. What will it take to establish technology/engineering education for all students? The Technology Teacher, 67 (6) pp. 16-19.
• Sneider, C. and Brenninkmeyer, J. 2007. Achieving technological literacy at the secondary level: a case study from Massachusetts.  Professional Development for Engineering and Technology: A National Symposium, Illinois State University. Online at: www.conferences.ilstu.edu/NSA/homepage.html.
• Sneider, C. 2007. Promoting technology literacy in schools: a museum of science initative,” ASTC Dimensions, May/June 2007.

Educational Research

• Sneider, C., Bar, V., and Kavanagh, C. in press. Learning about seasons: a guide for teachers and curriculum developers. Astronomy Education Review. Online at http://aer.aas.org/
• Brockway, D., Sneider, C., and Zhang, X. 2010. Measuring the impact of engineering design activities on student learning in high school biology and chemistry: a research-in-progress report. Proceedings, P-12 Engineering and Design Education Research Summit, Seaside, Oregon.
• Kavanagh, C., and Sneider, C. 2005. Learning about gravity, Part I. Free Fall. a guide for teachers and curriculum developers. Astronomy Education Review, 5 (2). Online at http://aer.aas.org/
• Kavanagh, C., and Sneider, C. 2005. Learning about gravity, Part II. a guide for teachers and curriculum developers.  Trajectories and Orbits. Astronomy Education Review, 5 (2). Online at http://aer.aas.org/
• Kavanagh, C., Agan, L., and Sneider, C. 2005. Learning about moon phases and eclipses: a guide for teachers and curriculum developers. Astronomy Education Review, 4 (1). Online at http://aer.aas.org/
• Agan, L., and Sneider, C. 2004. Learning about the Earth’s shape and gravity: a guide for teachers and curriculum developers. Astronomy Education Review, 2 (2). Online at http://aer.aas.org/

Courses Taught:

• Sci 501: MST Research
• Sci 510: Science Education Research Methods
• Sci 510 Connect2Science: Earth and Space Science, Grades K-6