Programs: Teacher Education, Science Education
Instructor Modifier Number: 8691
434-924-1380- rlb6f@virginia.edu
Ruffner Hall 222, Charlottesville, Virginia
Randy L. Bell teaches secondary science methods courses, doctoral–level courses in science education research, and leads the secondary science education program. In addition, he is currently working for National Geographic with a team of authors to produce an entire science curriculum for elementary students. He has been the principal or co-principal investigator on several state and federally funded research and development projects, totalling more than $3 million dollars. He has authored or edited more than a dozen books, including Teaching the nature of science through process skills (2008), Technology in the secondary science classroom (2008), Inquiry in the secondary science classroom (2008), and Constructing science in elementary classrooms (2003).
Randy’s research has been recognized with the National Association for Research in Science Teaching Early Career Research Award (2005) and the National Technology Leadership Initiative Outstanding Science Education Paper Award (2004). He also received the University of Virginia Outstanding Teaching Award (2007).
Prior to joining the faculty of the Curry School of Education in 1999, he taught middle and high school science and worked as a research forest scientist. As a middle- and high school science teacher, he received the New Science Teacher of the Year for Oregon (1991) and the Tandy Technology Scholars Outstanding Teacher Award (1992).
Education
- Ph.D., Oregon State University, 1999
- M.S., Duke University, 1987
- B.S., Marshall University, 1984
Research Interests
Randy conducts research in the areas of teaching and learning about the nature of science, science inquiry, and technology integration in science instruction. He has published over 100 works on these topics.