Daniel Levin

I am an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership at the University of Maryland, College Park.  Before becoming a teacher, I was a laboratory biologist at Harvard University and then at the National Institutes of Health.  Prior to earning my doctorate, I taught secondary public school science for nine years in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. I began my teaching career as a middle school science teacher, where I eventually also served as the science department chair. I taught high school biology, chemistry, science research methods, earth and environmental science and served as coordinator of a STEM academy.  

I have taught a variety of education courses since earning my doctorate in 2008, primarily teaching science and mathematics pedagogy, biology education courses, history and philosophy of science, and action research. I am currently the principal investigator on a National Science Foundation Noyce science scholars grant, and principal investigator on an NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) grant in which follow teacher candidates from our middle school certification program into science and mathematics teaching careers.  My main research interest is in understanding the dynamics of teachers’ attention in the science classroom, specifically understanding how and when science teachers attend and respond to the substance of students’ scientific thinking, and how teachers’ attention is shaped and constrained by the cultural systems in which they work.  Our book, Becoming a Responsive Science Teacher, was published in 2012 by National Science Teachers Association Press. Most recent publications can be found on my Google Scholar profile.