Huseyin Colak, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Office: LWH 3002
Phone: 773-442-5363
Fax: 773-442-5587
E-mail Address: h-colak@neiu.edu
Website Address:www.neiu.edu/~hcolak (under construction)
Mailing Address:
Northeastern Illinois University
Department of Educational Inquiry and Curriculum Studies
5500 North Saint Louis Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60625
Professional Bio
Dr. Colak is a native of Turkey where he received a B.S. in physics and gained experience as an elementary school teacher in grades 3-8. In 2002, Colak earned an M.Ed. in science education from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and in 2008 he earned a Ph.D. in science education from Indiana University Bloomington. At Northeastern, he will be teaching both elementary and secondary science education courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His philosophy of education is based on his belief that students learn science by investigation and by constructing their own knowledge base in conjunction with their daily life experiences. He hopes that he can instill in his students a strong feeling for teaching and learning about science, and that he can help them understand the nature of science so they can embed those concepts in their science teaching. In addition to his teaching, Dr. Colak plans to pursue research in which he will investigate both students’ and teachers’ nature of science views and personal epistemologies.
Education
2009
Ph.D.Science Education
Indiana University, Bloomington
M.Ed.
2002 Science Education
University of Missouri, Columbia
B.S.
1998 Physics
Ankara University, Turkey
Courses Taught
Areas of Professional Interest
Select Professional Accomplishments
Recent Presentations:
Colak, H., Oliveira, A.W., Pongsanon, K., Genel, A., & Akerson, V. (April, 2011). The Implicit Communication of Nature of Science and Epistemology during Inquiry Discussions. The paper presented to the National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST), Orlando, Florida.
Colak, H., Qargha, O., & Mason, T. (April, 2011). Investigating learning about nature of science (NOS) and its effects on science educators in Afghanistan. The paper will be presented to the American Educational Research Association (AERA), New Orleans, LA.
Colak, H., & Cuesta, E. (2010). How does the math competency of pre-service elementary and middle school teachers affect their NOS views? The paper was presented at the first annual Northeastern Illinois University Faculty Research Symposium (NEIU). Chicago, IL.
Colak, H., & Cuesta, E. (2010). How does the math competency of pre-service elementary and middle school teachers affect their NOS views? The paper was presented to Northern Illinois Association of Teachers of Mathematics (NIATM) workshop. Rockford, IL.
Publications:
Akerson, V. L., White, O., Colak, H., & Pongsanon, K. (2011, April). Relationships between elementary teachers’ conceptions of scientific modeling and the nature of science. In M. S. Khine and I. M. Saleh (Eds) Models and modeling: Cognitive tool for scientific inquiry. Netherlands: Springer.
Colak, H. (2009).Exploring the development of nature of science views and personal epistemologies of upper elementary and middle school students. Germany: Lap Lambert Academic Publishing.
Kazempour, M., Amirshokoohi, A., & Colak, H. (2009). Turkish preservice and in-service teachers’ beliefs about inquiry. The International Journal of Learning, 16, 7, 435-444.
Grants:
In 2010, awarded $3000 from the Dean of School of Education to conduct a study entitled “How does the math competency of pre-service elementary and middle school teachers affect their NOS views.” Northeastern Illinois University.
Professional Associations/Affiliations
Assistant Professor
Office: LWH 3002
Phone: 773-442-5363
Fax: 773-442-5587
E-mail Address: h-colak@neiu.edu
Website Address:www.neiu.edu/~hcolak (under construction)
Mailing Address:
Northeastern Illinois University
Department of Educational Inquiry and Curriculum Studies
5500 North Saint Louis Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60625
Professional Bio
Dr. Colak is a native of Turkey where he received a B.S. in physics and gained experience as an elementary school teacher in grades 3-8. In 2002, Colak earned an M.Ed. in science education from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and in 2008 he earned a Ph.D. in science education from Indiana University Bloomington. At Northeastern, he will be teaching both elementary and secondary science education courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His philosophy of education is based on his belief that students learn science by investigation and by constructing their own knowledge base in conjunction with their daily life experiences. He hopes that he can instill in his students a strong feeling for teaching and learning about science, and that he can help them understand the nature of science so they can embed those concepts in their science teaching. In addition to his teaching, Dr. Colak plans to pursue research in which he will investigate both students’ and teachers’ nature of science views and personal epistemologies.
Education
2009
Ph.D.Science Education
Indiana University, Bloomington
M.Ed.
2002 Science Education
University of Missouri, Columbia
B.S.
1998 Physics
Ankara University, Turkey
Courses Taught
- SCED-303R: Materials and Methods for Teaching High School Science
- SCED-305B: Secondary Student Teaching/Seminar: Biology
- ELED-305: Methods of teaching Science in Elementary Schools
- ELED-415: Interrelating Science and Mathematics with clinical
- EPHYS-456-1: Nature of Science and Inquiry in Middle Schools
- PHYS 201: College Physics 1
Areas of Professional Interest
- Scientific Inquiry
- Nature of Science
- Professional Development
- Self Efficacy of Preservice teachers
Select Professional Accomplishments
Recent Presentations:
Colak, H., Oliveira, A.W., Pongsanon, K., Genel, A., & Akerson, V. (April, 2011). The Implicit Communication of Nature of Science and Epistemology during Inquiry Discussions. The paper presented to the National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST), Orlando, Florida.
Colak, H., Qargha, O., & Mason, T. (April, 2011). Investigating learning about nature of science (NOS) and its effects on science educators in Afghanistan. The paper will be presented to the American Educational Research Association (AERA), New Orleans, LA.
Colak, H., & Cuesta, E. (2010). How does the math competency of pre-service elementary and middle school teachers affect their NOS views? The paper was presented at the first annual Northeastern Illinois University Faculty Research Symposium (NEIU). Chicago, IL.
Colak, H., & Cuesta, E. (2010). How does the math competency of pre-service elementary and middle school teachers affect their NOS views? The paper was presented to Northern Illinois Association of Teachers of Mathematics (NIATM) workshop. Rockford, IL.
Publications:
Akerson, V. L., White, O., Colak, H., & Pongsanon, K. (2011, April). Relationships between elementary teachers’ conceptions of scientific modeling and the nature of science. In M. S. Khine and I. M. Saleh (Eds) Models and modeling: Cognitive tool for scientific inquiry. Netherlands: Springer.
Colak, H. (2009).Exploring the development of nature of science views and personal epistemologies of upper elementary and middle school students. Germany: Lap Lambert Academic Publishing.
Kazempour, M., Amirshokoohi, A., & Colak, H. (2009). Turkish preservice and in-service teachers’ beliefs about inquiry. The International Journal of Learning, 16, 7, 435-444.
Grants:
In 2010, awarded $3000 from the Dean of School of Education to conduct a study entitled “How does the math competency of pre-service elementary and middle school teachers affect their NOS views.” Northeastern Illinois University.
Professional Associations/Affiliations
- American Educational Research Association (AERA)
- National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). Subscribed Science Teacher
- National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST)