Christine R. Lotter (formerly Schwind)

University of South Carolina

Instruction and Teacher Education

223 Wardlaw, College of Education

lotter@gwm.sc.edu

 

Education

 

Ph.D.                           June 2005        Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

                                                            Science Education

                                                            Minor: Biology and Environmental Science

Dissertation:  The Impact of a Professional Development Program on Secondary Science Teachers’ Conception and Use of Inquiry

                                                           

M. A.                           1995                University of Georgia, Athens, GA

Ecological Anthropology (Primatology)

 

B. S.                            1993                University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL

Honors Biology (major), Chemistry (minor)      

           

Certification

                                    State of Florida:  Professional Secondary Teaching Certificate

 

Subject Areas: Chemistry and Biology, 6-12

Valid 07/1998- 6/20/03

 

Honors and Awards

 

2003, 2005                  Indiana University, School of Education Travel Grant to present at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching Conference

                                                                                   

2002, 2003                  E. Wayne Gross Science Education Summer Research Fellowship, Indiana University   

 

2001                            E. Wayne Gross Incentive Fellowship, Indiana University

 

2001-2005                   Chancellor’s Fellowship, Indiana University ($17,000.00 + tuition/year)

 

1993-1995                   Dean's List, University of Georgia

                                   

1992                            Department of Biology Honors and University Honors, Graduated Cum Laude, University of Miami

 

1989-1992                   Bowman-Ashe Scholarship, University of Miami

 

Professional Work Experience

 

Current                         Faculty, Instruction and Teacher Education, University of South Carolina

                                    223 Wardlaw, College of Education, Columbia, SC 29208

 

                                    Responsibilities include teaching secondary science method courses to undergraduate and graduate master’s students, supervising student teachers, and teaching Ph.D. level graduate seminars.  My duties also include research and service in secondary teacher education.

 

2003-2005                   Graduate Assistant, Indiana University

                                    201 North Rose, 3002 Education, Bloomington, IN 47405

 

Responsibilities include writing research grants, collecting and analyzing data from secondary science teachers involved in a year-long professional development program, and reporting findings at conferences and in publications.

 

2004                            Research Assistant, High School Student Engagement Survey (HSSSE)

411 Eigenmann Hall, Indiana University Bloomington, IN 47405

(May to August)

 

Responsibilities included data entry and survey data analysis, preparation of school reports for over 130 high schools participating in the administration of the 2003 HSSSE survey. 

 

2002-2003                   Secondary Science Methods Associate Instructor, Indiana University

                                    201 North Rose, 3002 Education, Bloomington, IN 47405

 

Responsibilities included teaching and planning curriculum for two mixed undergraduate and graduate level teacher education courses, supervising student teaching and early field experiences, and assisting with weekly student seminars.

 

2002                            Chemistry Teacher, Upward Bound Summer Academic Program

Indiana University at Indianapolis (IUPUI), Bloomington, IN 47405

 

Responsibilities included preparing lesson plans and teaching four classes of high school chemistry during a 6-week academic program for urban low socioeconomic college bound students. 

 

1996-2001                   Science Teacher, North Fort Myers High School

                                    5000 Orange Grove Blvd, N. Ft. Myers, FL 33903

 

Responsibilities included teaching and designing lessons for 9-12th grade Earth Science, Biology, and Honors Chemistry.

 

Sponsor of the Graduating Class of 2000:   Duties included the supervision of student government officers in fundraising, senior prom production, class pictures and spirit activities.    

 

2000-2001                   Florida Comprehension Assessment Test (FCAT) Reading Teacher,

North Fort Myers High School

Responsibilities included teaching students reading skills in an extended school day program.

 

1997                            Marine Science Teacher, Ostego Bay Marine Science Center

                                    San Carlos Island, Ft. Myers Beach, FL.

 

Responsibilities included teaching and creating the curriculum for a week long marine science camp. 

 

1996                            Substitute Teacher

Lee County School District, Florida

(August to October)

 

Short term substitute teacher in grade levels 2-12, Fulfilled teaching duties of regular classroom teachers when they were absent

 

1996                            Education Intern, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center

                                    P.O. Box 2189, Glen Rose, TX 76043

(June to August)

 

Duties included leading educational tours on endangered animals and conservation at the wildlife facility and developing overnight “Conservation Camps” for middle school age children. 

 

1995                            Outdoor Education Teacher, L.I.N.K.S. Education Program

                                    Amelia, OH 45102

(October to December)

 

Duties included teaching hands-on biology, environmental awareness and teamwork building classes to middle school age students.

 

1994 - 1995                 Teaching Assistant, University of Georgia

                                    Anthropology Department

 

Duties included leading student discussion sections of introductory anthropology classes, preparing lectures, grading papers, conducting office hours and preparing tests.

 

Other Professional Experience

 

1996                            Animal Care Intern, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center

                                    P.O. Box 2189, Glen Rose, TX 76043

(June to September)

 

Duties included the care, feeding, and observation of white and black rhinoceroses. Duties also included my participation in an ultrasound and behavioral research study on female black rhinoceroses.

 

1995                            Researcher, Smithsonian Institute's Center for the Study of Biological Diversity

Georgetown, Guyana, South America

(December)

                                   

Participated in a short survey of Guyana's primates at Mabura Hill

 

1994                            Researcher, Zoological Center

                                    St. Catherine's Wildlife Survival Center, Midway, Georgia

Master's Thesis research: “Lemur catta Reproductive Behavior: Male

Dominance, Female Choice, and Familiarity”.

(September to December)

 

Behavioral study on the mating and foraging behavior of a group of free-ranging ring-tailed lemurs

 

1992                            Researcher, Zoological Park

Monkey Jungle, Goulds, Florida

Senior Thesis research: “Aunting Behavior of Semi-Free Ranging Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis peruviensis)”.

(September to December)

 

Behavioral study of mother-infant pairs of free-ranging squirrel monkeys

 

1992                            Laboratory assistant, Genetics Department

University of Miami, Dr. Peter Luykx's laboratory, Coral Gables, Florida (June to September)

 

Research study conducted on the function of the contractile vacuoles in the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

 

1991 - 1992                 Biology Tutor, Master tutor program

                                    University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida

                                   

                                    Tutored undergraduates in biology concepts

                                   

1991                            Researcher, Primate Breeding Islands

                                    Charles Rivers Laboratory

                                    Key Lois/ Raccoon Key, Florida

(June to September)

 

Participated in a census and a behavioral study of the free-ranging rhesus macaques that inhabit these islands

 

Publications

            Research

            * indicates refereed

 

Published—Journals

 

*Harwood, W.S., Hansen, J., & Lotter, C. (in press). Measuring teacher beliefs about inquiry: the development of a blended qualitative/quantitative instrument. Journal of Science Education & Technology.

 

*Lotter, C., Harwood, H. & Bonner, J. (in press). Overcoming a learning bottleneck:  Inquiry professional development for secondary science teachers. Journal of Science Teacher Education. 

 

*Bonner, J., Lotter, C., & Harwood, H. (2004).  One bottleneck at a time.  The Science Teacher. 71(10): 26-29. 

 

*Lotter, C. (2004).  Preservice science teachers’ concerns through classroom observations and student teaching:  Special focus on inquiry teaching.  Science Educator. 13(1): 29-38.

 

Schwind, C., Taylor, L., & Lehman, S. (1994). A case of adoption by an adult male rhesus macaque. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 33(3): 8-10.

 

Published—Other

 

Lotter, C. (2002). Scientific graphs and charts: How can my students use technology to organize and present their inquiry data?, Learning To Teach With Technology Studio on-line teacher professional development module, <www.ltts.org >.

 

Grants Funded

 

2003-2005                   Harwood, W. & Lotter, C. “Inquiry-based Teaching for Secondary Teachers.” Funded through a Maris M. and Mary Higgins Proffitt Endowment Grant, Office of Research and Development, Indiana University School of Education. Total Value of Grant: $30,000.

 

2001                            Lotter, C. & Grossman, K. “Educational Projects Grant for Organic Chemistry Kits.” Funded through a Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Grant, Total Value of Grant: $460.

 

 Grants Submitted

 

2003                            Harwood, W. & Lotter, C. “Inquiry-based Professional Development for Secondary Teachers.” Spencer Foundation. Total Value of Grant: 35,000. Not Funded.

 

Presentations

 

Lotter, C. & Harwood, W. (April, 2005) Inquiry Teaching in Practice:  Three Case Studies of High School Teachers Using Inquiry After a Professional Development Program.  Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Dallas, Texas.

 

Boone, W., Metcalf, K., Paul, K. & Lotter, C. (2004, October).  Instructional time in an urban district utilizing publicly funded vouchers: Observations and implications for science reform efforts.  Midwest Educational Research Association, Columbus, Ohio.

 

Lotter, C., Harwood, W. & Bonner, J. (2004, April). The impact of an inquiry professional development program on secondary science teachers’ conceptions of inquiry teaching.  Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Vancouver, Canada.

 

Harwood, W., Lotter, C., Bonner, J. (2004, April).  Secondary teachers’ conceptions of scientific inquiry:  Impact of a summer research institute. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Vancouver, Canada.

 

McConnell, T. & Lotter, C. (2004, February). An inquiry professional development program:  Overcoming student learning obstacles through inquiry-based teaching practices. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Hoosier Association of Science Teachers, Indianapolis, IN.

 

Lotter, C., Beilfuss, M., Marshall, J., & Hayes, C. (2004, February). A mixed bag of inquiry-based science activities to enliven the elementary classroom. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Hoosier Association of Science Teachers, Indianapolis, IN.

 

Lotter, C.  (2004, January). Nature of inquiry teaching and learning in a high school biology class. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Nashville, TN.

 

Harwood, W., Lotter, C. & Bonner, J.  (2004, January). Overcoming a learning bottleneck:  Inquiry professional development for secondary science teachers.  Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Nashville, TN.

 

Lotter, C. & Yilmaz, O. (2003, April). Preservice elementary teachers’ beliefs about their professional skills and science content. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.

 

Lotter, C. (2003, March). Preservice science teachers’ concerns through classroom observations and student teaching. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Philadelphia, PA.  The paper from this presentation is published in D. Zandvliet and E. Simons, Conference Proceedings of National Association for Research in Science Teaching Conference 2003.  (CD ROM)

 

Yilmaz, O., & Lotter, C. (2003, January). Preservice elementary teachers’ attitudes about classroom assessment, management, and science content. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, St. Louis, MO.

                       

Lotter, C. (2002, February). Lower high school chemistry student’s failure rate without lowering student expectations. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Hoosier Association of Science Teachers, Indianapolis, IN.

 

Schwind, C. (1996). Lemur catta reproductive behavior:  Male dominance, female choice, and familiarity.  Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Primatologists, Madison, WI.

 

Schwind, C. (1995). Foraging behavior of a group of ring-tailed lemurs on St. Catherine's Island over a ten-year period.  Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Primatologists, Scottsdale, Arizona.

 

Schwind, C. (1992). An adult male rhesus macaque adopts an orphaned female infant.  Invited paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Primatologists, Ontario, Canada. 

                                              

Professional Development Workshops

 

2003-2005       Developed and presented inquiry activities for a two-week Summer Research Institute for Secondary Science Teachers, funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

 

2003-2005       Designed and presented three four-hour Inquiry Teaching Workshops (three each of the two years) for Secondary Science Teachers at  Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

 

Service

 

Reviewer, Workshop Proposals for the National Meeting of the Association of Science Teacher Education, Portland, 2006

 

Graduate student representative on the Indiana University School of Education Policy Council, a faculty governance committee, 2004-2005.

 

Reviewer, Strand 2: Learning:  Classroom Contexts and Learner Characteristics.  National Association of Research in Science Teaching, Dallas, Texas, 2005

 

Reviewer, The Journal of Teaching and Teacher Education, 2004

 

Reviewer, Strand 2: Learning:  Classroom Contexts and Learner Characteristics.  National Association of Research in Science Teaching, Vancouver, Canada, 2004

 

Reviewer, Strand 2: Learning:  Classroom Contexts and Learner Characteristics. National Association of Research in Science Teaching, Philadelphia, PA, 2003

 

Collaborative Teaching Activities, North Fort Myers High School

 

2000 – 2001                North Fort Myers High School Safety Committee, Organized chemical laboratory and participated in training of other school personnel in safety procedures

 

2000                            Developed chemistry curriculum unit as part of Florida's SHINES training following Sunshine State Standards, Fort Myers, FL.

 

1999 – 2000                North Fort Myers High School Improvement Committee, Gathered and presented information to Southern Schools Accreditation Association as part of our high school's accreditation procedure.                       

 

1998                            Lee County School Board Science Textbook Committee, Participated in selection and evaluation of district science textbooks.

 

Memberships in Professional Organizations

American Educational Research Association (AERA)

Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE)

Hoosier Association of Science Teachers (HASTI)

National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST)

National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA)

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)