faculty portrait if available
Sandra Watson
Professor
School of Education
WALK 2-25
318-342-1300
ULM logo

Sandra Watson, PhD
Professor, Education

Education

EdD

, Curriculum & Instruction
Georgia Southern University

MEd

1996, Education
Georgia Southern University

BS

1983, Biology
Western Kentucky University

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Sandy Watson is an Associate Professor of Curriculum & Instruction (STEM Emphasis) in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at ULM where she also holds the Chase Endowed Professorship in Teacher Education. She has 25+ years of educational experience including 10 years as a public high school teacher of biology and physical science at Wayne Co. High School in Jesup, GA, 12 years at the University of TN at Chattanooga, and 3.5 years at the University of Houston - Clear Lake.

Research Interests

Her research interests include multicultural science education, computer SIMS in science education, mentoring, science misconceptions, science literacy, teacher effectiveness, and culturally responsive teaching.

Recent Publications

Watson, S. W., Safadel, P. The development of doctoral students’ research self-efficacy and outcomes expectancy in an Ed.D. program. American Journal of Qualitative Research.
Watson, S. W. (2024). Applications of Service-Learning in Higher Education (pp. 320). Pittsburgh, PA: IGI Global.
Watson, S. W. (2024). Developing science pedagogical content knowledge among preservice and novice elementary teachers. (pp. 17). Pittsburgh, PA: IGI Global Communications Publishing Co..
Watson, S. W., Rotundo, H., Jones, A., Dumas, J. (2024). The impact of an international service-learning experience on university students’ community service attitudes. (pp. 16). Lafayette, LA: Journal of Service Learning in Higher Education.
Watson, S. W., Quintana-Cifuentes, J., Case-Hanks, A., Schulte, A. (2024). The US landscape of elementary teachers’ science requirements (pp. 20). Denver, CO: Journal of Science Teacher Education.
Watson, S. W., Miller, T. L., Rutledge, V., McAllister, D. (2005). English language learner representation in teacher education textbooks: A null curriculum? (pp. 148-157). Education.
Rea, D., Millican, K., Watson, S. W. The serious benefits of fun in the classroom. (pp. 23-28). The Middle School Journal.
Case-Hanks, A., Watson, S. W. Sun eruptions: Exploring the impact of coronal mass ejections. Arlington, VA: The Science Teacher.
Watson, S. W. (2011). Peer collaboration in an early field experience: A replicable procedure for preservice teacher trainers. (pp. 798-817). Education.
Watson, S. W. (2024). Advancing women in the academy: Promising practices and policies (pp. 18). IGI Global Communications Publishing Co..
Watson, S. W., Case-Hanks, A. (2023). Dis(trusting) science in the Trump era: The partisan divide (pp. 229-244). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: IGI Global Communications Publishing Co..
Watson, S. W. (2024). The science of artificial intelligence: An introduction. Richmond, VA: The Science Teacher.
Watson, S. W. (2023). Socially assistive robotics as an intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder (pp. 24-41). IGI Global Communications Publishing Co..
Watson, S. W. (2024). (Re)imagining an elementary preservice science methods course as inquiry-based (pp. 68-85). Pittsburgh, PA: IGI Global Communications Publishing Co.
Watson, S. W., Bell, J. (2022). Accommodating visually impaired students in secondary science (pp. 40-49). Washington, D C: The Science Teacher.
Watson, S. W. (2022). Recognizing and fostering the best-loved-teacher-self: One teacher’s story. (2023b. London: Palgrave MacMillan.
Watson, S. W. (2022). Hermeneutic phenomenology: Interpretation of lived experience. (pp. 204-222). Pennsylvania: IGI Global Communications Publishing Co..
Watson, S. W., Austin, S., Bell, J. (2022). Conceptual analyses of curriculum inquiry methodologies. Hershey, Pennsylvania: IGI Global Communications Publishing Co..
Watson, S. W. (2021). Resiliency and women: The journey to academic STEM leadership. (pp. 197-216). Pittsburgh, PA: IGI Global Communications Publishing Co..
Watson, S. (2021). Culturally relevant pedagogy and the 5E lesson plan (pp. 56 - 61). Arlington, VA: The Science Teacher.
Watson, S. W., Unruh, J. D., Weiser, B. G. (2021). A comparison of expert vs. novice delivery of STEAM-based instruction on the academic achievement of kindergarten students. (pp. 1-22). Pakistan: Journal of Elementary Education.
Watson, S. W., Shan, G., George, B. T., Peters, M. M. (2021). Alignment of select elementary science curricula to the Next Generation Science Standards via the EQuIP Rubric. (pp. 10). Melbourne: Curriculum Perspectives.
George, B. T., Watson, S. W., Peters, M. M. (2021). The impact of participating in a STEM scademy on girls’ STEM attitudes and self-efficacy. (pp. 22-49). International Journal of Science Education.
Watson, S. W., Baker, S. (2021). Elementary school library collections: A content analysis of science trade books for science content, literacy, and critical literacy criteria (pp. 77-103). Kaysville, Utah: Reading Horizons.
Watson, S. W., Dubrovskiy, A., Peters, M. M. (2020). Increasing chemistry students' knowledge, confidence, and conceptual understanding of pH using a collaborative computer pH simulation. (pp. 528-535). Cambridge: Chemistry Education Research and Practice.
Watson, S. W., Williams-Duncan, O. M., Peters, M. L. (2020). School administrators' awareness of parental STEM knowledge, strategies to promote STEM knowledge, and student STEM preparation. Exeter: Research in Science and Technological Education.
Watson, S. W., Cothern, T., Peters, M. M. (2020). School administrators’ perceptions of STEM awareness and resources. (pp. 19-40). Purchase, NY: AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice.
Watson, S. W. (2019). Virtual Chemistry: Using the PhET pH scale and the 5E model to enhance students' pH understanding (pp. 25-30). Arlington, VA: The Science Teacher.
Shaner, A., Watson, S. W., Bakerman, M., Buxner, S. (2018). ExMASS: A viable model for authentic student-scientist research partnerships (pp. 9). Acta Astronautica.
Kuhn, S. W., Watson, S. W., Walters, T. J. (2014). Online homework and correlated success in university classes: A longitudinal study. (pp. 307-329). Pittsburgh, PA: Robert Morris University: IGI Global Communications Publishing Co..
Watson, S. W., Miller, T. (2012). LGBT oppression: A Freirean approach to transformation (pp. 2-7). San Francisco, CA: Multicultural Education.
Watson, S. W., Miller, T., Rutledge, V. C., Johnston, L. B. (2010). Professional development school graduate performance: Perceptions of principals. (pp. 77-86). The Teacher Educator.
Watson, S. W., Miller, T., Davis, L., Carter, P. (2010). Teachers' perceptions of the effective teacher (pp. 11-22). Houston, TX: Research in the Schools.
Watson, S. W. (2010). Telementoring in teacher education. (pp. 148-172). Pittsburgh, PA: Robert Morris University: IGI Global Communications Publishing Co.
Watson, S. W. (2009). Classification and the dichotomous key: Tools for teaching identification (pp. 50-54). Arlington, VA: The Science Teacher.
Watson, S. W. (2009). Discovery bottles: A unique and inexpensive tool for the K-2 science classroom. (pp. 20-24). Arlington, VA: Science and Children.
Watson, S. W. (2007). Assistive technology in the inclusive science classroom (pp. 34-38). Arlington, VA: The Science Teacher.
Sandefur, S., Watson, S. W., Johnston, L. (2007). Literacy development, science curriculum, and the adolescent English language learner: Modifying instruction for the English-only classroom. (pp. 41-50). San Francisco, CA: Multicultural Education.
Watson, S. W. (2007). Boys, masculinity, and school violence: Reaping what we sow (pp. 729-737). London: Gender and Education.
Miller, T., Watson, S. W., Rutledge, V. C. (2007). Message tees and hidden curriculum: Perceptions of pre-service teachers (pp. 91-103). Education Research and Perspectives.
Watson, S. W., Johnston, L. (2006). Tolerance in teacher education: Restructuring the curriculum (pp. 14-17). San Francisco, CA: Multicultural Education.
Watson, S. W. (2006). Virtual mentoring in higher education: Teacher education and cyber-connections. (pp. 168-179). Washington, D C: International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
Watson, S. W. (2006). Science on a shoestring: Obtaining free and inexpensive science teaching materials. Arlington, VA: Science Scope.
Watson, S. W., Johnston, L. (2004). Teaching science to the visually impaired (pp. 30-35). Arlington, VA: The Science Teacher.
Watson, S. W. (2004). Opening the doorway to science for English Language Learners: Practical Strategies (pp. 32-35). Arlington, VA: The Science Teacher.
Watson, S. W. (2002). The motivational stories of how women become scientists: A hermeneutic phenomenological inquiry. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global..
Rea, D., Millican, K., Watson, S. W. (2000). The serious benefits of fun in the classroom (pp. 23-28). Columbus, Ohio: The Middle School Journal.

Research Grants

Watson, S., "UTeach Replication at the University of Houston-Clear Lake" (Funded), Sponsored By The Powell Foundation, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $300,000. (March 14 2020 - Present).
Watson, S. W. (Co-Principal), Case-Hanks, A. (Co-Principal), "National Science Foundation: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE)" (Pending Funding Decision), Sponsored By University of Louisiana Monroe, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $397,000.00. (September 1 2023 - September 30 2028).
Watson, S. W. (Co-Principal), Jeremy, B. (Co-Principal), "Board of Regents, University of Louisiana System" (Pending Funding Decision), Sponsored By University of Louisiana Monroe, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $167,000. (September 1 2023 - September 30 2027).
Watson, S. W. (Principal), Case-Hanks, A. (Co-Principal), "National Science Foundation: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE)" (Completed But Not Yet Submitted), Sponsored By National Science Foundation, The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $300,000. (September 1 2023 - August 30 2026).
Watson, S. W. (Principal), "National Science Foundation: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE)" (Pending Funding Decision), Sponsored By University of Louisiana Monroe, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $25,000. (August 10 2024 - July 30 2026).
Watson, S. W. (Co-Principal), Case-Hanks, A. (Co-Principal), "Board of Regents, University of Louisiana System" (Pending Funding Decision), Sponsored By University of Louisiana Monroe, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $100,000. (September 1 2023 - September 30 2024).
Watson, S. W. (Principal), Rotundo, H. (Co-Principal), "SAEF" (Funded), Sponsored By ULM, The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $65,000. (January 18 2023 - April 18 2023).
Watson, S. W. (Principal), Case-Hanks, A. (Co-Principal), Keith-Vincent, L. (Co-Principal), "Conversations Among STEM Stakeholders Conference (CASS-Conference)" (Not Funded), Sponsored By National Science Foundation, The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $100,000. (September 1 2022 - August 30 2022).

Awards & Honors

August 2021 Elected to Faculty Senate.

April 2021 Chase Endowed Professor of Teacher Education.

January 2021 Full Graduate Faculty Member.

June 2018 NASA Emerging Star Award.

May 2011 Odyssey Supernova Award Nominee.

August 2010 Alpha Society President.

April 2010 Outstanding Teaching and Advising Award: College of Education.

April 2007 Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award: College of Education.

April 2007 Elected to Council of Scholars.

August 2006 Alpha Society Vice President.

May 2006 Elizabeth Dalton Award: College of Education.

August 2005 Education about Asia Faculty Fellow.

August 2005 Teaching, Learning, and Technology Faculty Fellow.

Courses Taught

CURR 1001NAV CULTURAL PLUR SOCIETY, 1 course(s)

CURR 3004MIDDLE/SECONDARY METHODS II, 2 course(s)

CURR 4054RESIDENCY 1 SEMINAR, 1 course(s)

CURR 5023RESEARCH BASED INSTRUCTION, 4 course(s)

CURR 5073ASSESSMENT & ACCOUNTABILITY, 1 course(s)

CURR 7000DOCTORAL PROSEMINAR, 1 course(s)

CURR 7005QUAL METHODS ED RESEARCH, 2 course(s)

CURR 7007RESEARCH IN TEACHING LEARNING, 1 course(s)

CURR 7014DECISION MKG SCHOOL IMPROVE, 1 course(s)

CURR 7015DISSERTATION, 3 course(s)

CURR 7016CURR & INST CAPSTONE, 2 course(s)

EDFN 5081RESEARCH, 1 course(s)

ELED 4044SCIENCE METHODS, 6 course(s)

ELED 4045ELEMENTARY SCIENCE LAB, 6 course(s)