Nancy Butler Songer
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Nancy Butler Songer is the incoming Dean of the School of Education at Drexel University. Prior to this, Songer was a Professor of Science Education and Technology at the University of Michigan, and the Director of the Center for Essential Science.[1] Her work focuses on the design of education innovations for promoting increased interactivity, environmental awareness and participation in science careers.[2]
Education
Prior to coming to The University of Michigan in 1996, Songer earned a BS in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Davis, a MS in Developmental Biology From Tufts University and a PhD in Science Education and Learning Technologies from the University of California, Berkeley.[3]
Research interests
Her work is focused in these areas: (1) The development and empirical evaluation of interactive curricular units focused on complex reasoning about essential environmental science topics, including ecology, biodiversity, and the impact of global changes on populations of animals and ecosystems. (2) "Re-purposing for Learning" ecological simulation, visualization and modeling resources to accompany the middle and high school units. These tech resources are tools that are powerfully utilized by professional scientists, which are re-imagined and re-purposed for pre-college critical thinking in science (3) The development and evaluation of online formative assessment instruments and offline summative assessments that focus on complex reasoning in science. (4) Sound educational research to provide strong empirical evidence of growth spurts and plateaus, as well as documentation of how and when complex inquiry reasoning occurs among students.[4]
Selected Honors and Awards
The University of Michigan Faculty Recognition Award 2008. This award is presented to faculty who demonstrate substantive contributions in research, teaching, and service.
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2006. AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society.
U.S. Department of Education. Promising Educational Technology Award 2000. This award was presented by the U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard Riley.
Computerworld Smithsonian Laureate and Exhibitor 2000 and inclusion in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History Permanent Research Collection.
National Science Foundation Presidential Faculty Fellow 1995 (Now called PECASE). This award was presented at the White House by President William Clinton. This is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Government on early career scientists and engineers.
Early Career Research Award, NARST 1995. NARST is the largest professional society focusing on science education research.
University of California Regents Graduate Fellow 1987–1988.
Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award, University of California 1985. University of California Berkeley Academic Senate Committee on Teaching.