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Dr. Daniel L. Dickerson

Assistant Professor of Science Education

Educational Curriculum & Instruction

Daniel L. Dickerson is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Curriculum and Instruction in Old Dominion University's Darden College of Education. He received a BS in Science Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He completed his graduate work at North Carolina State University culminating in MS and PhD degrees in Science Education. His research focuses on earth/environmental science content and pedagogical understandings, relationships between science and faith, issues of visualization and scale, and professional development in science education. He is an active member of several professional organizations including the National Association of Research in Science Teaching, Association of Science Teacher Education, and National Association of Geoscience Teachers. Daniel is also the author of numerous refereed publications and conference presentations on topics in science education. Previously, he was an assistant professor in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education at the College of Charleston. He also worked as a consultant on externally funded projects including NSF and Sea Grant programs.

Selected Publications and Conference Presentations

Refereed Publications

  • Dickerson, D.L., Clark, M., Dawkins, K., & Horne, C. (accepted). Using science kits to construct content understandings in elementary schools. Journal of Elementary Science Education.
  • Dickerson, D.L., Penick, J.E., Dawkins, K.R., & Van Sickle, M. (accepted). Groundwater in science education. Journal of Science Teacher Education.
  • Dickerson, D.L. & Callahan, T. (accepted). Ground water is not a priority. Ground Water
  • Dickerson, D.L., Callahan, T., Van Sickle, M., & Hay, G. (2005). Students' conceptions of scale regarding groundwater. Journal of Geoscience Education, 53(4), 374-380.
  • Wallace, A., Dickerson, D., Van Sickle, M., Tempel, C., Coffey, P., & Powell, S. (2004). Project Inquiry: An NSF-funded professional development model for promoting scientific inquiry in middle level classrooms. Current Issues in Middle Level Education, 10(2), 14-23.
  • Dickerson, D.L. & Callahan, T. (2004). Hydrogeology students' conceptions of scale regarding groundwater. Geological Society of America Abstracts, 36(5). http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2004AM/finalprogram/abstract_77251.htm
  • Dickerson, D.L. & Dawkins, K.R. (2004). Eighth grade students' understandings of groundwater. Journal of Geoscience Education, 52(1), 178-181.
  • Beilfuss, M., Dickerson, D., Boone, W., & Libarkin, J. (2004). Exploring Conceptual Understandings of Groundwater Through Student's Interviews and Drawings. Proceedings of the 77th Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Vancouver, B.C.
  • Dickerson, D.L. & Dawkins, K.R. (2004). Use of scientific fieldwork in designing high quality professional development programs. Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina, 52-56.
  • Dawkins, K.R. & Dickerson, D.L. (2003). Students' conceptions of scientific theories. Proceedings of the 76th Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Philadelphia , PA.
  • Dickerson, D. L. (2002). When, where, and how? A critical look at technology use in middle grades earth science. Meridian: A Middle School Computer Technologies Journal, 5(2). http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/

Conference Presentations

  • Dickerson, D.L., Thompson, T., Rose-Baele, J., Van Sickle, M., Tempel, C., Coffey, P. & Dawkins, K.D. (2006, January). Teachers' perceptions of an intensive, large-scale professional development program. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Science Teacher Educators in Portland, OR.
  • Dickerson, D.L., Hay, G.H., Fitzharris, L., Dawkins, K.D., Van Sickle, M. & Hofler, C.D. (2006, January). The use of narrative writing prompts in a fourth grade science lesson regarding electrical circuits. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Science Teacher Educators in Portland, OR.
  • Dawkins, K.R. & Dickerson, D.L. (2005, November). The Sea-View project: Exploring the Outer Banks. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the North Carolina Science Teachers Association in Greensboro, NC.
  • Dickerson, D.L. (2005, November). Groundwater: Is It Part of Your Water Cycle? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Virginia Association of Science Teachers in Roanoke, VA.
  • Dickerson, D., ndunda, m., & Van Sickle, M. (2005, April). Issues of content and culture regarding ground water. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching in Dallas, TX.
  • Brannan, N. & Dickerson, D. (2005, March). The role of practitioner research in developing and refining environmental education/ environmental science WebQuests. Paper presented the annual meeting of the National Science Teachers Association in Dallas, TX.
  • Dickerson, D. (2005, January). Twelfth grade students' conceptions of scale regarding groundwater. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science in Colorado Springs, CO.
  • Dickerson, D. & Callahan, T. (2004, November). Hydrogeology students' conceptions of scale regarding ground water. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America in Denver, CO.
  • Dickerson, D.L. & Dawkins, K.R. (2004, January). The role of evidence in the relationship between science and faith among pre-service teachers and United Methodist ministers. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers of Science in Nashville, TN.
  • Dickerson, D.L. & Wiebe, E. (2003, March). The relationship of spatial visualization to naïve conceptions concerning groundwater. Paper presented at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching in Philadelphia, PA.
  • Dickerson, D.L. and Dawkins, K.R. (2003). Action research on the nature of science: Questions, examples, and possibilities. Conducted sessions in March at the National Science Teachers Association in Philadelphia , PA as part of Teacher Researcher Day organized by Emily van Zee and Deborah Roberts and supported by a grant from the Spencer Foundation.
  • Dawkins, K.R. & Dickerson, D.L. (2003). Students' conceptions regarding scientific theories. Paper presented in March at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching in Philadelphia, PA.
  • Dawkins, K.R. & Dickerson, D.L. (2003). Pre-service teachers' pedagogical content knowledge regarding density. Paper presented in April at the American Educational Research Association in Chicago, IL.