Todd Campbell

Department Head and Professor

Curriculum and Instruction

Title:

Professor-Science Education

Academic Degrees:

Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction, University of Iowa, 2004
MAT in Science Education, University of Iowa, 1998
BA in Chemistry, University of Iowa, 1996

Areas of Expertise:

Science Education

Secondary Education

Teacher Education

Professional Development

Formal and Informal Science Learning

Biography:

Dr. Campbell is the Department Head of Curriculum and Instruction and a Professor of Science Education in the Neag School of Education. His research focuses on cultivating imaginative and equitable representations of STEM activity. This is accomplished in formal science learning environments through partnering with pre-service and in-service science teachers and leaders to collaboratively focus on supporting student use of modeling (i.e., explanatory; complex systems modeling) as an anchoring epistemic practice to reason about events that happen in the natural world and solve local problems of community consequence. This work extends into informal learning environments through a focus on iterative design of informal learning spaces and equity- and justice-focused STEM education research. He is the outgoing Co-Editor in Chief of the Journal of Science Teacher Education and active in national and state-level systemic STEM improvement efforts.

Funded Research:

Co-Principal Investigator ($1,350,000). Developing and Testing Innovations [DTI]: Engaging Underrepresented Populations in Environmental Action through Mentoring, Geospatial Technology & Digital Media Storytelling. Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) Program with oversight from the National Science Foundation. Collaborative proposal submitted with PI Laura Cisneros and Co-PI Cary Chadwick, Department of Extension and Co-PIs Heather Elliott-Famularo and Anna Lindeman, Digital Media & Design at the University of Connecticut. Role: Co-Principal Investigator. Awarded June 15, 2022. (Funded 8/1/2022-7/31/2026).

Principal Investigator ($204,000). Collaborative Research: Supporting Undergraduate Preservice Science Teachers through the Development of an NGSS-Aligned Unit Planning Tool. Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Program with oversight from the National Science Foundation (Number 2043756). Collaborative proposal submitted with PI Ron Gray, at the Northern Arizona University. Role: Principle Investigator at UConn/Co-Principal Investigator on larger project. (Funded 10/1/2021-9/30/2024).

Co-Principal Investigator ($1,500,000.00). COVID Connects Us: Nurturing Novice Teachers’ Justice Science Teaching (JuST) Identities. Discovery Research K-12 (DRK-12) Program with oversight from the National Science Foundation (Number 2101217). Collaborative proposal submitted with PI April Luehman, Associate Professor in the Department of Teaching and Curriculum at the University of Rochester and Co-PI Déana Scipio, Director of Campus Education Programs, Islandwood. Role: Co-Principal Investigator.

Co-Principal Investigator ($80,000). Supporting math and science teacher learning to address societal problems with data science and artificial intelligence. CS-ER: Supporting Computer Science Education Research in K–12 Google Computer Science Education 2021. Collaborative proposal submitted with PI Derek Aguiar, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Co-PI Megan Staples, Associate Professor of Mathematics Education both at the University of Connecticut, and Jacqueline Corricelli, PreK-12 CS Curriculum Specialist and CS Teacher, President CT Computer Science Teachers Association. Role: Co-Principal Investigator.

Co-Principal Investigator ($2,250,000). Redefining public engagement at the University of Connecticut: studying the impact of an innovative STEM service learning model on the university community. (2019-2024). Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Program with oversight from the National Science Foundation (Number 1915100). Collaborative proposal submitted with PI Chester Arnold, Director for Outreach, Center for Land Use Education & Research (CLEAR) and Co-PIs Dr. John Volin, Vice Provost of Academic Affairs and Professor of Natural Resources, Dr. Peter Diplock, Assistant Vice Provost for Excellence in Teaching & Learning, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), and Dr. Maria Chrysochoou, Associate Professor and Department Head for the Civil and Environmental Engineering, all at the University of Connecticut. Role: Co-Principal Investigator. (Awarded Oct 1, 2019).

Principal Investigator ($183,000). A Multi-Level Networked Improvement Community for Supporting STEM Teaching and Learning. (2018-2020). UConn Foundation/McLeod Foundation funded project. Role: Principal Investigator. (Awarded February 1, 2018).

Co-Principal Investigator ($145,000). Water and Sustainability: Educative curriculum using online mapping tools to support teacher and student learning. (2016-2019). Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Program with oversight from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Collaborative proposal submitted with PI Chester Arnold, Director for Outreach, Center for Land Use Education & Research (CLEAR), Co-Pi’s Drs. John Volin, Department Chair and Professor of Natural Resources, David Moss, Associate Professor of Science Education, and Mike Willig, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Direct of Center Center for Environmental Sciences & Engineering, all at the University of Connecticut. Role: Co-Principal Investigator. (Notification of Award August 23, 2016).

Co-Principal Investigator ($3,000,000). Promoting lifelong STEM learning through a focus on geospatial technology and community engagement. (2016-2021). Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) Program with oversight from the National Science Foundation (Number 1612650). Collaborative proposal submitted with PI Dr. John Volin, Department Chair and Professor of Natural Resources, and Co-PIs Drs. David Moss, Associate Professor of Science Education, and Chester Arnold, Director for Outreach, Center for Land Use Education & Research (CLEAR), all at the University of Connecticut. Role: Co-Principal Investigator. (Awarded August 20, 2016).

Editorships

Journal of Science Teacher Education (2019-2024). Co-Editor-in-Chief alongside Drs. Wayne Melville, Lakehead University, Lakehead, Ontario, Canada and Geeta Verma, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado.

GUEST EDITORSHIPS

The Journal of Science Education and Technology. (2015, April-May). Science teaching and learning with models. Guest Edited with Phil Seok Oh. This issue was the culmination of a two-year project whereby a solicitation was distributed, proposals editorially reviewed, reviewers were recruited, and full submissions and revisions were reviewed before final decisions were made. The final issue included 16 research articles from top researchers from fields as diverse as learning sciences, emerging technologies, and digital learning environment design from researchers. http://link.springer.com/journal/10956/24/2/page/1

The Science Teacher. (2013, September). Engaging students in developing and using models. Guest Editor. This issue was the culmination of a 1.5-year project whereby a solicitation to personally identified top researchers nationally were selected and invited reviews were completed, and final decisions were made. The final issue included 5 practitioner articles from top science education researchers. http://www.nsta.org/publications/browse_journals.aspx?action=issue&thetype=all&id=93498

The Science Teacher. (2007, April-May). Community Collaborators. Guest edited with The Science Teacher Editor Stephen Metz. This issue was the culmination of a 6-month year project whereby reviews were completed, and final decisions were made. http://www.nsta.org/publications/browse_journals.aspx?action=issue&thetype=all&id=5612

Selected Publications/Presentations:

Campbell, T., Gray, R., Bai, Y., Chase, S. (2025). The Iterative Design of a Model-Based Inquiry Planning Tool for Preservice Science Teachers. Journal of Science Teacher Education. First published online January 6, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/1046560X.2024.2449289

*Lisy, E. & Campbell, T. (2024). Developing, implementing, and refining approaches for teaching science for social justice: The collaborative work of a science department as part of their professional learning. Journal of Science Teacher Education. First published online November 22, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/1046560X.2024.2430922

*Cooke, H., Campbell, T., Luehmann A., Zhang, Y., & Scipio, D. (2024). “I sit here thinking I can do this” – Professional JuST Identity Development in Professional Learning Communities. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. First published online October 17, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21991

Adah Miller, E., Berland, L, & Campbell, T. (2023, April). Creating equitable science learning spaces: The inextricable link between teacher equity and equity for students. Journal of Science Teacher Education. DOI: 10.1080/1046560X.2023.2170793. First published online April 12, 2023.

McGowan, V. C. & Campbell, T. (2023, January/February). Engineering for Ecological and Social Justice: What can bees teach us about designing healthier cities for humans and more-than-humans in the face of climate change? Science Scope. 46(3), 20-28.

Cisneros, L., Campbell, T., Freidenfelds, N., Lindemann, A., Elliott-Famularo, H, Chadwick, C., Dickson, D. & Park, B. (2023). Engaging Historically Excluded Populations in Environmental Action through Mentoring, Geospatial Technology, & Digital Media Storytelling. Frontiers in Education – STEM Education Section. 7, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.1083064

Rodriguez, L., Campbell, T., Volin, J., Moss, D. M., (2022). Authoring STEM Identities through Intergenerational Collaborative Partnerships. International Journal of Science Education: Part B Communication and Public Engagement. First published online September 13, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2022.2120782

*Simmons, J., Campbell, T., Moss, D.M., Volin, J., Arnold, C. Cisneros, L., Chadwick, C,. Dickson, D., & Freidenfelds, N. (2022). “Part of our DNA”: Intergenerational family learning in informal science. International Journal of Science Education: Part B Communication and Public Engagement. 12(4), 360-373. First published July 22, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2022.2099032

*Chakrin, J. & Campbell, T. (2022). Preservice science teachers’ epistemological framing in their early teaching. Journal of Learning Sciences. 31(4-5), 545-593. DOI: 10.1080/10508406.2022.2105649

Hall, J., Campbell, T., & Lundgren., L. (2021, March). Designing Infrastructure as a Strategy for Crafting Coherence Across a Network Improvement Community Focused on the Implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. First Published Online 24 March 2021. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21688

*Campbell, T., Lee, H., Longhurst, M. L., McKenna, T. J., Coster, D., & Lundgren, L. (2021). Next generation science classrooms: The development of a questionnaire for examining student experiences in science classrooms. School Science and Mathematics. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssm.12449 First published: 25 January 2021.

Hardy, I. & Campbell, T. (2020, May). Developing and supporting the Next Generation Science Standards: The role of policy entrepreneurs. Science Education. 104(3), 479-499.

*Campbell, T., Wenner, J., Brandon, L., & Waszkelewicz, M. (2019). Teacher leadership practice as a theoretical perspective for teacher leadership. International Journal of Leadership in Education. DOI: 10.1080/13603124.2019.1643500 Published online 23 July 2019

Campbell, T., McKenna, T. J., Fazio, X., Hetherington-Coy, A., & Pierce, P. (2019, February). Negotiating coherent science teacher professional learning experiences across a university and partner school settings. Journal of Science Teacher Education. 30(2), 179-199. https://doi.org/10.1080/1046560X.2018.1547033.

Wenner, J. & Campbell, T. (2017, February). The theoretical and empirical basis of teacher leadership: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research. 87(1) 134-171. Published online before print June 16, 2016, doi:10.3102/0034654316653478

Campbell, T., Schwarz, C., & Windschitl, M. (2016, March). What we call misconceptions may be necessary stepping-stones on a path towards making sense of the world. NSTA Journals: The Science Teacher, 83(3), 69-74; Science Scope 39(7), 19-24; Science & Children, 53(7), 28-33. (published concurrently in all three journals [elementary, middle, and high school] as part of NSTA’s NGSS series).

Honors/Awards:

Recipient of the 2023 American Society for Engineering Education’s Best Paper Award for the Community Engagement Division – Community-University Relationships in Environmental Service-Learning: Social Network Vectors and Modalities of Communication, Cooke, H., Campbell-Montalvo, R.A., Campbell, T., Arnold, C., Chrysochoou, M., Park, B-Y., & Diplock, P.

Recipient of the 2023 American Educational Research AssociationExperiential Education and Community Engagement: Scholarship and Practice Special Interest Group Outstanding Faculty/Community Partner Award for work (and subsequent submission) titled, Interrogating consequential education research: Exploring social networks connecting communities with a university environmental service-learning program, identified as exceptional at the level of general conference submission and again at the level of our special interest group. Cooke, H., Campbell-Montalvo, R.A., Arnold, C., Campbell, T., Volin, J., Chrysochoou, M., Diplock, P., & Park, B-Y.

Connecticut Science Center’s 2021 STEM Achievement Award. Awarded to the Natural Resource Conservation Academy of which I served as a full collaborative partner/Co-PI as part of multiple funded projects.

UConn’s 2021 Provost’s Award for Community Engaged Scholarship. Awarded to the Environmental Corps (E-Corps) NSF-IUSE funded project of which I served as a full collaborative partner/Co-PI as part of the funded project.

Facilitator’s Choice Award in the 2021 STEM for All Video Showcase-Socially-Distanced Conservation Training Partnerships. https://stemforall2021.videohall.com/presentations#/winners/id=jc

2020 Reviewer of Excellence for Outstanding Scholarly Reviews for the International Journal of Science Education. Awarded June 9, 2020.

Public Choice Award in the 2020 STEM for All Video Showcase-Designing for Intergenerational Community Conservation. https://stemforall2020.videohall.com/presentations#/winners/id=pc

Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) 2020 Excellence in Land Conservation Organization Award. Awarded to the Natural Resource Conservation Academy of which I served as a full collaborative partner/Co-PI as part of multiple funded projects.

UConn’s 2019 Provost’s Award for Community Engaged Scholarship. Awarded to the Natural Resource Conservation Academy of which I served as a full collaborative partner/Co-PI as part of multiple funded projects.

Affiliated Faculty (2019). UConn’s Center for Land Use Education and Research

David Blick Science Education Award (2016). Awarded by the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut to recognize and encourage innovative and/or collaborative efforts in science education by the University or its graduates