My research interests focus on equity issues in science education, particularly the interaction between race and gender on students' science achievement, attitudes and participation. With colleagues, I have explored equity issues in the context of systemic reform in science and mathematics education at the middle school grades. That research highlighted the positive influence of standards-based teaching on students' achievement, especially for African American students, the importance of extended inquiry-based professional development for teachers, the role of administrators in supporting change and the alignment of the curricular goals, enacted curricula, and assessed curricula. In addition, we are involved in identifying the factors across and within gender/racial categories that contribute to closing the achievement gap in science. We are using an intensive case study approach within a multi-level, multi-design research structure. Also, I am investigating the teaching and learning of chemistry in urban schools. This work explores the impact of improving the chemistry knowledge of high school teachers on their students' learning of chemistry in urban settings.

Another research area is the use of coteaching and cogenerative dialogues in preservice and inservice science teacher education. For preservice teachers, coteaching is used as the approach for student teaching experiences and inservice teachers are engaged in on-going, daily professional development. Successful coteaching exists in a dialectical relationship with co-respect, coresponsibility, co-planning and cogenerative dialogues. Coteaching provides a structure for teachers to reflect upon their teaching, coplan lessons and explore strategies and new ideas that will enhance students' learning.

For further information on recent research, please see: http://www.udel.edu/kscantle