Dr. Eugenia Etkina has 26 years of teaching experience in physics and astronomy instruction at middle school, high school and university levels. She earned her Ph.D. in physics education from Moscow State Pedagogical University. In 1995-1997 she taught physics courses for students at-risk at Rutgers university, for which she together with Dr. Horton developed a highly successful approach. In 1997, she was appointed an assistant professor at the GSE and became an associate professor in 2003.  She created a unique program of physics teacher preparation in which prospective teachers enroll in five teaching methods courses mastering the art and science of teaching physics. She also created an Investigative Science Learning Environment (with A. Van Heuvelen) - a comprehensive inquiry-based physics learning system that engages students in experiences similar to that of practicing physicsits who construct and apply knowledge. She also developed a new approach to helping students acquire scientific abilities. Eugenia teaches all physics teaching methods courses in the physics teacher preparation propgram and EdM program, and conducts professional development program for in-service science teachers. She codirects the Rutgers Astrophysics Institute that started in 1997. Other methods developed by Dr. Etkina and used by university and high school physics instructors include teaching mechanics on rollerblades and reflective Weekly Reports. Her main research interest is in the cognitive and epistemological aspects of learning physics, acquisition and transfer of scientific abilities and the process of constructing physics teacher PCK. Her doctoral students earn Ed.Ds in Science Education in the GSE and in Physics Education Research in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Title(s): Associate Professor

Education: Ph.D., Moscow State Pedagogical University

Affiliations:

• Coordinator of Ed.M. Certification Program in Physical Science Education
• Coordinator of Five-Year Teacher Education Program: Physical Science Education (K-12)
• Physics and Astronomy Education Research Group (PAER), Department of Physics and Astronomy
• American Association of Physics Teachers
• American Physical Society
• Physics Teacher Education Coalition
• New Jersey section of the American Assocation of Physics Teachers
• National Association for Research in Science Teaching
• American Educational Research Association

Research interests:

Cognitive and epistemological aspects of learning physics. Development and transfer of scientific abilities. Real modeling while solving physics problems and designing experiments.  High school physics and introductory college level physics.
Physics teacher content and pedagogical content knowledge.
Physical science teacher preparation and teacher professional development

Recent publications:

1.       Etkina, E, Karelina, A,. Murthy, S., and Ruibal-Vilasenor, M.Research and Instruction paradigms switched: Using action research to improve learning and formative assessment to conduct research, Physical Review, Special Topics, Physics Education Research, in press.
2.       Brookes, D. and Etkina, E. Force, ontology and language, Physical Review, Special Topics, Physics Education Research, in press.
3.       Rosengrant, D., Van Heuvelen, A., and Etkina, E. Do students use and understand free body diagrams? Physical Review, Special Topics, Physics Education Research, in press.
4.       Etkina, E., Karelina, A., and Ruibal-Villasenor, M. (2008) How long does it take? A study of student acquisition of scientific abilities. Physical Review, Special Topics, Physics Education Research, 4, 020108.
5.       Goodman, R. and Etkina, E. (2008) Squaring the Circle: A mathematically rigorous Physics First. The Physics Teacher, 46 (4), 222-229.
6.       Monet, J. andEtkina, E. (2008) Fostering Self-reflection and Meaningful Learning: Earth Science Professional Development for Middle School Science Teachers. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 19 (455-475).
7.       Karelina, A. andEtkina, E. (2007) Acting like a physicist: a study of student approach to experimental design, Physical Review, Special Topics, Physics Education Research, 3, 020106.
8.       Brookes, D. T.  and Etkina, E. (2007), Using conceptual metaphor and functional grammar to explore how language used in physics affects student learning, Physical Review, Special Topics, Physics Education Research, 3, 010105.
9.       Etkina, E., Van Heuvelen, A., White-Brahmia, S., Brookes, D.T., Gentile, M., Murthy, S.  Rosengrant, D., and Warren, A. (2006) Developing and assessing student scientific abilities. Physical Review. Special Topics, Physics Education Research. 2, 020103.
10.    Etkina, E., Murthy, S., & Zou, X. (2006) Using introductory labs to engage students in experimental design. American Journal of Physics. 74, 979. 
11.    Etkina, E. (2005). Physics teacher preparation: Dreams and reality. Journal of Physics Teacher Education Online, 3(2), 3-9.
12.    Etkina, E., Warren, A., & Gentile, M. (2005). The role of models in physics instruction. The Physics Teacher, 44 (1), 34-39.
13.    Etkina, E., Matilsky, T., & Lawrence, M. (2003). What can we learn from pushing to the edge? Rutgers Astrophysics institute motivates talented high school students. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40 (10) 958-985.
14.    Harper, K., Etkina, E., & Yuh-Fen Lin (2003). Encouraging and analyzing student questions in a large physics course:  meaningful patterns for instructors. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40 (8) 776-791.
15.    May, D. &Etkina, E. (2002). College physics students' epistemological self-reflection and its relationship to conceptual learning. Physics Education Research: A Supplement to the American Journal of Physics, 70 (12), 1249-1258.