Kathy Nitta

Kathy Nitta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Gonzaga University’s College of Education. She transitioned from a 28-year career in K–12 education to teacher preparation and has been at Gonzaga for over seven years, securing a tenure-track position in 2018. She teaches courses in elementary and secondary mathematics and science methods.

Her research and teaching focus on preparing transformative educators through research-based pedagogies that promote equity and access in K–12 classrooms. Key interests include preservice teacher development, inquiry-based science and mathematics instruction, technology integration, and field-based learning experiences.

The recent publications highlight her focus on enhancing preservice teachers' skills in mathematical practices, cooperative learning, nature of science instruction, technology use, and engineering design. Her work bridges theory and practice, often presented at major education conferences such as AERA and AMTE.

• Social Structuring of Learning Tasks to Promote Whole-Class Cooperative Behavior (2017)
• Teaching the Nature of Science and Field Investigations (2016)
• Intensive Field Experiences as Living Curriculum (2016)
• APPlying Technology: Supporting Preservice Teachers’ Integration of Digital Tools (2015)
• Higher Education: Changing Roles in Reform (2015)
• Engineering Design Challenges in the Elementary Classroom (2014)

Kathy advises future teachers and contributes to educational reform through active scholarship and conference presentations. She is involved in curriculum development and professional collaboration with teacher education associations. While specific grants are not listed, her research agenda reflects sustained engagement in teacher preparation and pedagogical innovation.

She is actively involved in academic service and professional development, presenting regularly at national and regional education conferences. Her work supports the preparation of resilient, equity-minded educators ready for diverse classroom settings.