Norman Lederman
Department of Mathematics and Science EducationIIT's Department of Mathematics and Science Education (MSED) was formed in 2002 to address the nationwide shortage of qualified mathematics and science teachers and to supply teachers to urban areas. A key attribute of the program is that it combines knowledge of pedagogy with mastery of the subject area. Distinguished Professor Norman Lederman, an internationally recognized expert in scientific inquiry and the nature of science and a longtime science educator, leads innovative programs such as the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Project ICAN (Inquiry, Context, and Nature of Science), teaching scientific inquiry and nature of science; the Chicago Public Schools’ (CPS) High School Transformation Project, funded in part by the Gates Foundation, in which MSED helps teachers in 11 CPS schools develop the knowledge and skills to improve student learning relative to state goals; and the NSF-funded Way2Go research project and summer science camp for students entering eighth grade.
Lederman received the Illinois Outstanding Biology Teacher Award and a Presidential Citation for Distinguished Service from the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science. Editor of both the Handbook of Research in Science Education and the International Journal of Science Education, and former editor of the journal School Science and Mathematics, Lederman has published more than 250 articles in refereed journals and has made more than 400 professional presentations throughout the world. He is former president of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, former president of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, and former director of teacher education for the National Science Teachers Association.