About the Author:
Sharon Parsons is an assistant professor of Science Education in the Teacher
Education Science, Math, Technology Academy at San Jose State University.
In addition to working as a K-12 Math/Science Coordinator, she has also
taught science in Canadian junior and senior high schools.
Parsons holds a doctorate in science education from the University of British
Columbia, Vancouver, Canada and an undergraduate degree in Geology from
Memorial University in St. Johns, New Foundland.
Parsons has been involved in action research for this last 5 years. Her interest
in action research began first as a way for a busy science educator to carry out
science education research, as she worked with preservice/inservice teachers
in establishing school-university partnerships. The insights she gained from
this experience have now evolved to the point that it has become a
collaborative activity that she engages in with teachers. One such illustration
of this is on May 16, 1997 CSP-SENA will host a teacher researcher day (for
more information, click here for the agenda).
Another outcome of her active research agenda is that since 1991 she has
given numerous Conference papers at State, National and International
levels such as National Science Teachers Association, California Science
Teachers Association, National Association for Research in Science Teaching,
Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Canadian Society for
Science Education, Australian Science Education Research Association,
Association for Curriculum Theory and Classroom Practice, and International
Association for Gender and Science and Technology.
Action Research in Costa Rica
Parsons is actively involved in the science education community this
academic year. She serves on the Policy Committee Member for State Science
Standards, Editorial Board Member for Journal of Science Teacher Education,
Chair of an international group on Feminist Perspectives on Teacher Change
in Science Education, Co-director of California Science Project-SENA,
member of the San Jose Unified Leadership Team for The River Alliance
Project, SJSU's Science Education Liaison with numerous schools in Santa
Clara County, and Director of Science, Math, Technology Academy, SJSU
College Education.
Other than Action Research, her interests include school-university
collaborations, multicultural and equity issues in science education, and
international science education (as indicated by her participation in
professional activities in Costa Rica, India, Southeast Asia, Australia and
Canada). One outcome is the establishment of an SJSU Spanish Immersion
and Biological Field Studies Summer Program in Costa Rica (for additional
information click here).
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