Phone: 828-227-3352
Email: bricker@email.wcu.edu
Office Address: 242 Killian

Education

• Ed.D., Teacher Education, University of Tennessee, 2005
• M.S., Teaching & Curriculum, University of Rochester, 1993
• B.S., Natural Resources, Cornell University, 1989

Research Interests

• Inquiry in science education
• Integration of science and literacy
• The nature of science
• Environmental education
• Education and social justice
• Teacher professional development

Courses Taught

• Elementary & Middle Grades Science
• Issues & Trends in Elementary Education

Recent publications

• Bricker, P. (2005). "Inquiry is essential to science learning." Connect, 18 (4), 14-16.
• Bricker, P. (2004). Teaching through tradebooks: rock wonderings. Science & Children, 41 (4), 14-16.

Recent Presentations with Students

• Bricker, P., Banks, J., Holt, K., Stevens, M. & Thomas, J. (2004, November). Messing with mealworms: using an unknown organism to promote inquiry. Presented at the annual conference of the North Carolina Science Teachers Association, Greensboro, NC.
• Bricker, P., Banks, J., Holt, K., Stevens, M. & Thomas, J. (2004, November). Rock wonderings: Inquiry inspired by children's literature. Presented at the annual conference of the North Carolina Science Teachers Association, Greensboro, NC.
• Bricker, P., Adams, M., Faetz, M., and Melton, K. R. (2004, April). Promoting inquiry with preservice elementary and middle grades teachers. Presented at the annual convention of the National Science Teachers Association, Atlanta, GA.

Additional Recent Presentations

• Bricker, P. & Billups, C. (2005, April). Learning, literacy, and lovin' nature. Presented at the annual conference of the National Science Teachers Association, Dallas, TX.
• Bricker, P. (2004, April). Creating caring environments in science education. Presented at the annual convention of the National Science Teachers Association, Atlanta, GA.
• Melear, C. T., Baird, B., Bricker, P., Suters, L., Brown, S., Howick, T. (2004, January). Situated wilderness education on an ocean beach: meeting national standards for scientific and environmental literacy with funding for AETS members . Presented at annual international conference of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Nashville, TN.
• Suters, L., Melear, C. T., Gist, M., Marra, L., Bricker, P. (2004, January). Inquiry-based professional development for urban science teacher mentors: Project INQUIRE. Presented at annual international conference of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Nashville, TN.