Jeni Davis

Teaching undergraduate teacher candidates provides a unique opportunity for Dr. Davis to model effective teaching methods while teaching in a specific content area. Her role is to provide research-based material while consistently weaving in a connection to practice. Dr. Davis believes the discussion of how and why effective teaching practices work can encourage teacher candidates to explore their own ideals of teaching, which is why she places such a heavy emphasis on the connection of theory to practice.

Selected Publications

Estapa, Anne and Davis, Jeni R. (2022) Prospective teachers’ instructional decisions and pedagogical moves when responding to student thinking in elementary math and science lessons. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education.

Hill, Tiffany, Davis, Jeni R., Presley, Morgan and Hanuscin, Deborah (2020) Introducing the NGSS in preservice teacher education. Innovations in Science Teacher Education.
Web Address

Jacobs, Jennifer, Davis, Jeni R. and Hooser, Angela (2020) Teacher candidates navigate third space to develop culturally responsive teaching and learning in a community-based experience. vol. 47. no. 1. pp. 71-96. Teacher Education Quarterly.

van Ingen, Sarah, Davis, Jeni R. and Arndt, Katie (2018) The synergy between integrated STEM lessons and culturally responsive teaching in elementary classrooms. vol. 25. no. 1. pp. 1-19. Research in the Schools.

Trendell-Nation, Molly and Davis, Jeni R. (2017) Education for sustainability: A 5E lesson on the water cycle introduces elementary preservice teachers to think about their impacts on Earth’s fresh water supply. vol. 2. no. 1. Innovations in Science Teacher Education.

Current Courses

Awards/Honors

Professional Memberships

Association for Science Teacher Education

The mission of the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) is to promote leadership and support for professionals involved in the education and development of teachers of science at all levels. ASTE advances practice and policy through scholarship, collaboration, and innovation in science teacher education.

National Science Teaching Association

The mission of the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

American Educational Research Association

The mission of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) is to advance knowledge about education, to encourage scholarly inquiry related to education, and to promote the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.

Grants and Sponsored Research

Presentations

Disrupting the status quo: Exploring prospective teachers’ teaching approaches across the university and classroom contexts

April 2022

American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA

The work of teaching is complex. In this study, we focused on one aspect of teaching elementary prospective teachers enacted within the university and classroom contexts. We analyzed data to understand if PTs actualized student-centered or teacher-centered approaches and how these decisions stayed the same or shifted across contexts. Results highlight how delicate the development of teacher identity is and the critical importance of intentional school-based placements.

Engaging elementary and secondary preservice and inservice science teachers in crosscutting concepts: Strategies across multiple institutions

January 2022

Association of Science Teacher Education International Conference, Greensville, SC

Participants will engage in strategies for supporting K-12 preservice and inservice elementary and secondary science teachers with the Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs), guided by experienced teacher educators from eleven institutions across the country. Participants will be supported to discuss the adaptation of activities for different contexts.

Moon phases…Where did they go? Dissecting the NGSS progression of Earth’s place in the universe in the elementary and middle grades

March 2020

National Science Teaching Association National Conference (Conference canceled), Boston, MA

This session will highlight phenomena to drive lessons in elementary and middle school classrooms from memorization to scientific inquiry.

Service Activities and Community Relations

Jeni Davis

Education

Areas of Expertise

Bio