Jeanne Brunner

Jeanne Brunner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Teacher Education & Curriculum Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her work focuses on improving science education in elementary grades, particularly the teaching of Nature of Science (NOS). She holds a B.A. from Northwestern University (2004), M.Ed. from National Louis University (2007), and Ph.D. from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2016).

Her research explores curriculum materials’ impact on NOS instruction, methodological approaches to assessing NOS understandings, and the role of language in STEM learning. She develops educative curriculum materials and studies how teachers utilize these tools in classroom settings.

Recent publications emphasize rubric development for NOS assessment, strategies for integrating NOS into read-aloud activities, and historical trends in science standards. Her work bridges theory and practice, aiming to enhance both teacher instruction and student outcomes in elementary STEM contexts.