Dr. Jenna Sanei teaches all levels of science education courses - early childhood, elementary, middle, and secondary and general secondary methods.

Dr. Sanei coordinates the Office of Field Experience managing all aspects of field experiences for students including partnerships, student observations, student teaching and edTPA.

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

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.