Barbara is a senior fellow at NORC and is the John A. Hannah Chair and University Distinguished Professor in the College of Education and Department of Sociology at Michigan State University. She is also the principal investigator of the College Ambition Program (CAP), a study that tests a model for promoting a college-going culture in high schools that encourages students to pursue STEM careers. She is also the principal investigator of Crafting Engagement in Science Environments, an international high school study that tests the impact of Project Based Learning on student academic, social and emotional factors in science classes.
Barbara has published 19 books and more than 100 articles and reports on family, social contexts of schooling and sociology of knowledge. Her latest book Learning Science: The Value of Crafting Engagement in Science Environments (2020). She is the past President of the American Educational Research Association, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Education, and, most recently, was elected to the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters. She received an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Helsinki in 2017.
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Education
PhD
Northwestern University
MS
National Louis University
BS
National Louis University
Appointments & Affiliations
John A. Hannah University Distinguished Professor
Michigan State University
Fellow
American Association for the Advancement of Science; National Academy of Education; Finnish Academy of Science and Letters
Honors & Awards
Doctor of Philosophy | 2019
University of Helsinki
President | 2014
American Educational Research Association
Project Contributions
Publications
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opens in new tab"Using Machine Learning to Score Multi-Dimensional Assessments of Chemistry and Physics."
Journal Article | April 2, 2021
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opens in new tab"A Teacher–Researcher Partnership for Professional Learning: Co-Designing Project-Based Learning Units to Increase Student Engagement in Science Classes."
Journal Article | March 15, 2021
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opens in new tab"Alignment of Educational Aspirations and Career Plans in High School with Mobile App Technology."
Journal Article | February 10, 2021
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opens in new tab"Incorporating Mathematical Thinking and Engineering Design into High School STEM Physics: A Case Study."
Book | December 29, 2020
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opens in new tab"Motivating Preservice Physics Teachers to Low-Socioeconomic Status Schools."
Journal Article | October 26, 2020
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opens in new tab"Estimating the Impact of Growth Mindset on High School Mathematics Performance and Course-Taking."
Journal Article | August 8, 2020
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opens in new tab"High School Students' Situational Engagement Associated with Scientific Practices in Designed Science Learning Situations."
Journal Article | July 14, 2020
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opens in new tab"Designing Probability Samples to Study Treatment Effect Heterogeneity."
Book | October 17, 2019