Dr. Jenna Sanei teaches all levels of science education courses - early childhood, elementary, middle, and secondary and general secondary methods and also serves as the STEM Coordinator.

Degrees 

  • EdD, Curriculum and Instruction - Loyola University Chicago; Chicago, IL
  • MA, Education-Secondary Biology - University of Connecticut; Storrs, CT
  • BS, Biology - University of Connecticut; Storrs, CT

Academic and Professional Highlights

Award and Honors

  • UConn Neag School of Education - David Blick Science Education Award - 2012

Prior Positions

  • Adjunct Faculty, School of Education, Loyola University Chicago
  • Adjunct Faculty, Graduate Teacher Certification Program, University of Connecticut
  • High School Marine Biology Teacher, Greenwich High School 

Expertise

  • University Partnerships
  • Science Education 

Publications:

  • Smetana, L., Carlson-Sanei, J. & Heineke, A. (2019). Pedagogical language knowledge: An investigation of a science teacher candidate's student teaching strengths and struggles. Action in Teacher Education, 1-18.

  • Heineke, A. J., Smetana, L., & Carlson Sanei, J. (2019). A Qualitative Case Study of Field-Based Teacher Education: One Candidate's Evolving Expertise of Science Teaching for Emergent Bilinguals. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 30(1), 80-100.

  • Smetana, L., Bedford, A., Carlson, J., et al. (2018). Introductions to informal learning: Museums and cultural instructions as partners in field-based teacher education. In Teaching, Learning, and Leading with Schools and Communities (pp. 95-109). New York: Routledge.

  • Birmingham, D., Smetana, L., Rouleau, H., & Carlson, J. (2018). "I never thought of science as something like this": Incorporating an ecological perspective into science teacher learning. Connected Science Learning, 5(3). Retrieved from http://csl.nsta.org/2018/03

  • Smetana, L.K., Birmingham, D., Rouleau, H., Carlson, J., & Phillips, S. (2017). Cultural institutions as  partners in initial elementary science teacher preparation. Innovations in Science Teacher Education, 2(2). Retrieved from http://innovations.theaste.org/cultural-institutions-as-partners-in-initial-elementary-science-teacher-preparation/.

Presentations:

  • Carlson-Sanei, J., & Smetana, L. (2019, April). University - Informal Education Institution Partnerships for Teacher Education. Presented at American Educational Research Association Conference, Toronto, Canada.

  • Smetana, L., Sikorski, T., Lau, M., Carlson, J. & Bedford, A. (2018, January). Teacher learning in informal settings: Research, trends, and emerging opportunities. Themed Paper Set (Paper 2) presented at Association for Science Teacher Educators Conference, Baltimore, MD.

  • Carlson, J., & Smetana, L. (2017, April).

  • Smetana, L., Heineke, A., Carlson, J. & Roudebush, A. (2016, April). University-School-Community Partnerships to Prepare Science Teachers for English Learners. Paper presented at American Educational Research Association Conference, Washington, D.C.Smetana, L., Heineke, A., Carlson, J. & Roudebush, A. (2016, April). University-School-Community Partnerships to Prepare Science Teachers for English Learners. Paper presented at American Educational Research Association Conference, Washington, D.C.