Drewes headshot.jpg

Contact Info

Email: adrewes [at] rider.edu

Phone Number: 609-895-5496

Department: Graduate Education, Leadership and Counseling

Office Location: Bierenbaum Fisher Hall

Additional Info:

Academic Focus: Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Education

Academic Background

  • Ph.D. in Education – Learning Sciences, University of Delaware
  • M.A. in Education, University of Delaware
  • M.Ed. in Middle/Secondary Education, Science Education Track, Salisbury University
  • B.A. in Chemistry Education, University of Delaware

Courses Taught

Graduate Level 

  • CURR 700: Educational Foundations for Inclusive Practices
  • CURR 706: Inclusive Methods for Teaching Science
  • CURR 710: Math Methods for the Inclusive Elementary Classroom
  • CURR 715: Inclusive Elementary Science, Arts, and Social Studies Teaching
  • CURR 640: Teaching and Learning Physical Science
  • CURR 641: Teaching and Learning Life Science
  • CURR 642: Teaching and Learning Earth and Space Science
  • CURR 643: Engineering Solutions to the Challenges of Contemporary Science Issues
  • CURR 682: Climate Science: Socioscientific Issues in the STEM Classroom
  • Student Teaching Supervision in Science Clinical Experiences

Undergraduate Level

  • ELD 376: Teaching Science, Social Studies and the Arts
  • ELD 385: Teaching Science in the Middle School
  • SED 410: Teaching Science in Secondary Schools
  • Student Teaching Supervision in Science Clinical Experiences

Research Bio

Andrea Drewes, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Graduate Education, Leadership and Counseling at Rider University where she teaches courses in teacher education. She holds a PhD in Learning Sciences, a MEd in Middle/Secondary Science Education, and a BA in Chemistry Education. She is trained as a learning scientist in mixed methods research methodology and her research focuses on teacher preparation for climate change instruction, student learning outcomes in climate science education, and instructional interventions to facilitate students’ scientific explanations. She is the co-editor of the recent book, Teaching Climate Change in the United States, which highlights best practices in climate change education through the analysis of a rich collection of case studies that showcase climate change educational efforts across the country.

Professional Background

  • Assistant Professor, Cedar Crest College, Allentown PA
  • Graduate Researcher, University of Delaware, Newark DE
  • Coordinator of Professional Development, Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo, Bronx NY
  • Science Teacher, Worcester County Schools, Berlin MD
  • Environmental Education Specialist, Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC), Maho, Sint Maarten, Netherlands Antilles

Selected Publications

Referred Articles

Drewes, A., Scantlebury, K., and Soslau, E. (2022). Evaluating Coteaching as a Model for Pre-Service Teacher Preparation: Developing an Instrument Utilizing Mixed Methods. Research & Practice in Assessment, 17(1).

Drewes, A., Soslau, E., and Scantlebury, K. (2021). Striving Towards an Ideal: Coevaluation of Student Coteaching Experiences. Journal of Education for Teaching, 47(1). doi:10.1080/02607476.2020.1845954

Drewes, A. (2020). Personal, Professional, Political: An Exploration of Science Teacher Identity Development for Teaching Climate Change. Environmental Education Research, 26(4), 611-612. doi:10.1080/13504622.2020.1737647

Drewes, A., Soslau, E., & Scantlebury, K. (2020). Listening to the Missing Voices: Students’ Perspectives on Coteaching. Research & Practice in Assessment, 14, 5-18.

Drewes, A., Henderson, J., and Mouza, C. (2018). Professional Development Design Considerations in Climate Change Education: Teacher Enactment and Student Learning. International Journal of Science Education, 40(1). doi:10.1080/09500693.2017.1397798

Breslyn, W., Drewes, A., McGinnis, J. R., Hestness, E., and Mouza, C. (2017). Development of an Empirically-Based Conditional Learning Progression for Climate Change. Science Education International, 28(3). 

Henderson, J., Long D., Berger, P., Russell, C. and Drewes, A. (2017). Expanding the Foundation: Climate Change and Opportunities for Educational Research. Educational Studies, 53(4), 412-425. doi:10.1080/00131946.2017.1335640

Shea, N., Mouza, C., and Drewes, A. (2016).  Climate change professional development: Design, implementation and initial outcomes on educator learning and student beliefs. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 27(3), 235-258.  doi:10.1007/s10972-016-9456-5

Edited Books

Henderson, J., and Drewes, A. (Eds.) (2020). Teaching Climate Change in the United States. Routledge Advances in Climate Change Research Series. doi:10.4324.9780367179496
        **Four chapters from this edited book were selected to also be included in Sustainable Development Goals Online.

Book Chapters

Drewes, A., and Monaghan, J. (2025). Education for Climate Action in Secondary Schools, In L. Madden (Ed.), Climate Change Education Across Disciplines K-12: New Jersey and Beyond. Rowman and Littlefield.

Woodruff, K., Holzer, M., and Drewes, A. (2025). Effective Climate Change Education in the Classroom Begins with Effective Climate Change Professional Learning for Educators, In L. Madden (Ed.), Climate Change Education Across Disciplines K-12: New Jersey and Beyond. Rowman and Littlefield.

Sezen-Barrie, A., Henderson, J., and Drewes, A. (2022). Spatial and Temporal Dynamics in Climate Change Education Discourse: An Ecolinguistic Perspective, In B. Puig & M. P. Jimenez-Aleixandre (Eds.), Critical Thinking in Biology and Environmental Education. Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-92006-7_11

Henderson, J. and Drewes, A. (2020). Climate Change Education, In J. Henderson & A. Drewes (Eds.), Teaching Climate Change in the United States. Routledge Advances in Climate Change Research. doi:10.4324.9780367179496

Drewes, A., Rogers, M., & Petrone, C. (2020). Climate Change Professional Development Approaches ‘MADE CLEAR’: Looking back on one project and looking forward to the future, In J. Henderson & A. Drewes (Eds.), Teaching Climate Change in the United States. Routledge Advances in Climate Change Research. doi:10.4324.9780367179496

Brickhouse, N., McGinnis, J.R., Shea, N., Drewes, A., Hestness, E., and Breslyn, W. (2016). Core Idea ESS3: Earth and Human Activity, In R.G. Duncan, J. Krajcik, A.E. Rivet (Eds.), Disciplinary Core Ideas: Reshaping Teaching and Learning. NSTA Press.

Selected Presentations

Invited Presentations

  • Drewes, A., Browne, K., Smalley, G., and Lichtenwalner, S. (2024). Exploring the Role of Data Literacy Skills in Improving Scientific Reasoning. American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) National Research Summit.
  • Niepold, F., Merrick, B., & Kretser, K. [Session Conveners] Drewes, A. (2021). Invited Panelist for Workshop – Building Action for Climate Empowerment in the United States. North American Association for Environmental Education National Conference.
  • Drewes, A., Henderson, J., & Mouza, C. (2017). Climate Change Professional Development Approaches: Design Considerations, Teacher Enactment, and Student Learning. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.
  • Henderson, J., Trauth, A., & Drewes, A. (2017). Action in the Era of Global Warming: Changing Climate Change Education. Invited Speaker Session - American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting.

Recent Research Conference Presentations

  • Browne, K., Drewes, A., Smalley, G., and Lichtenwalner, S. (2024). Developing Scientific Reasoning Skills Through the Use of Evidence: Research Results. National Numeracy Network Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada. 
  • Field, E. Berger, P., Drewes, A., Howlett, S., Nguyen, A. (2024). K-12 Educational Policy and Practice in an Age of Climate Uncertainty: an overview of Canadian teacher practices and school board climate policies. Conference for the Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE) Montreal, QC (Presentation cancelled due to labor strike disruption).
  • Browne, K., Drewes, A., Smalley, G., and Lichtenwalner, S. (2024). Guiding Students to Use Evidence to Support Their Scientific Reasoning: Research Results. Earth Educators’ Rendezvous Summer Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Smalley, G., Lichtenwalner, S., Drewes, A., and Browne, K. (2024). Using Interactive OOI Data Visualizations to Improve Data Literacy and Scientific Reasoning Skills in Undergraduate Students. American Geophysical Union (AGU) Ocean Sciences Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
  • Field, E., Berger, P., Drewes, A., Howlett, S., Nguyen, A. (2023). Exploring Climate Change Teaching Strategies: Emergent Trends and Typologies of Practice. North America Association of Environmental Education - Research Symposium, virtual.
  • Browne, K., Smalley, G., Drewes, A., and Lichtenwalner, S. (2023). Developing Student Data Literacy to Enhance their Scientific Reasoning. National Numeracy Network Annual Meeting, Hartford, CT.
  • Field, E., Howlett, S., Berger, P., Drewes, A., and Thu Nguyen, A. (2023). Teacher Practices of Addressing Complex Climate Emotions in Canadian Classrooms. Environmental & Sustainability Education in Teacher Education National Research Symposium, Toronto, Canada.
  • Berger, P., Field, E., Drewes, A., Thu Nguyen, A., and Howlett, S. (2023). Any Climate Activist Teachers Out There? Environmental & Sustainability Education in Teacher Education National Research Symposium, Toronto, Canada.
  • Browne, K., Drewes, A., Smalley, G., and Lichtenwalner, S. (2022). Guiding Students to Use Data to Support their Scientific Reasoning. National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) Webinar Series, virtual.
  • Drewes, A., Browne, K., Smalley, G., and Lichtenwalner, S. (2022). Digging Deeper into the Data with an Adapted CER Framework. National Science Teaching Association National Conference, Chicago, IL.
  • Drewes, A., Browne, K., Smalley, G., and Lichtenwalner, S. (2022). A Crucial First Step: Modifying the CER Framework to Incorporate Initial Data Descriptions. National Science Teaching Association National Conference, Chicago, IL.
  • Drewes, A. (2022). Computational Thinking Across the Curriculum. Presentation as part of panel entitled Preparing Computationally Literate Teacher Educators: A Professional Development Approach. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
  • Drewes, A. (2021). Educating and Empowering Students for Action: NJ Student Climate Challenge. North American Association for Environmental Education National Conference, Virtual Platform.

Honors and Awards

Distinguished Teaching Award, Rider University (2023)

Robert W. Stegner Award for Dedication to Science Teaching, University of Delaware (2018)

University Dissertation Fellowship, University of Delaware (2017)

Dissertation Support Award, University of Delaware (2017)

Graduate Travel Award, University of Delaware (2016)

Graduate Professional Development Award, University of Delaware (2016)

Grants and Fellowships Awarded

Insight Development Grant, “Educational Policy and Practice in an Age of Climate  Uncertainty”, Research Collaborator position with Ellen Field (PI) and Paul Berger of Lakehead University, Canada. Funding Source: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council [CANADA]

Drumthwacket Foundation Grant, “New Jersey Student Climate Challenge – Statewide Rollout” along with repeated funding for Years 2 and 3 of project, Research Consultant position for Sustainable Jersey, Funding source: Drumthwacket Foundation and Atlantic City Electric

National Science Foundation, Improving Undergraduate STEM Education, “Improving Undergraduate Scientific Explanations: Exploring the Role of Data Literacy Skills in Scientific Reasoning”, Co-PI research position with Kathy Browne (PI), Gabi Smalley and Sage Lichtenwalner (Co-PIs), Funding source: National Science Foundation

Faculty Research Fellowship for Summer 2020, Rider University, Lawrenceville NJ

University Dissertation Fellowship for 2017-2018, University of Delaware, Newark DE