Tina Grotzer is an associate professor of education at HGSE, a principal investigator at Harvard Project Zero, and a faculty member at the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard School of Public Health. She is a cognitive scientist whose research identifies ways in which understandings about the nature of causality impact our ability to deal with complexity in our world. Tina directs the Understandings of Consequence Research Unit. It has four dominant strands: 1) How reasoning about causal complexity interacts with our decisions in the everyday world; 2) How causal understanding develops in supported contexts; 3) How causal understanding interacts with science learning (with the goal of developing curriculum to support deep understanding); and 4) the public understanding of science given the nature of science, the nature of causal complexity and the architecture of the human mind. This work is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and she received a Career Award from NSF in 2009 to enable her to extend this inquiry in new directions and to fund the work of doctoral students studying with her. In 2011, she received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor given by the United States government to young professionals beginning their independent research careers.

Tina is a co-PI with Chris Dede on the EcoMUVE and EcoMOBILE Projects, funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and NSF, respectively. The projects involve developing and testing technological tools including virtual worlds and hand-held mobile devices to teach the inherent ecosystems complex causal dynamics to middle school students. Tina's courses focus at the intersection of cognition and science and aim to facilitate public understanding of science. She is deeply committed to helping teachers use the knowledge gained through her research and has authored the Causal Patterns in Science curriculum series. In 2012, she published a book entitled, Learning Causality in a Complex World. She collaborates with scientists from diverse organizations including the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies, and the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. She has advised science and sustainability-oriented programs for children's television. Prior to her work at HGSE, Grotzer was a program coordinator and teacher in public and private schools for 14 years. She received her doctorate in 1993 and her master's in 1985 from Harvard University following her undergraduate degree at Vassar.

Degrees

• Ed.D., Harvard University

• Ed.M., Harvard University

• Dede, C., Grotzer, T. A., Kamarainen, A., Metcalf, S, & Tutwiler, M. S. (in press). EcoMOBILE: Blending virtual and augmented realities for learning ecosystems science and complex causality. Journal of Immersive Education. (forthcoming)
• Grotzer, T. (in press). Representational competence in science education: Its fundamental role in the epistemology of today’s science. In Brizuela, B. M., & Gravel, B. E. (Eds.) "Show me what you know": Exploring representations across STEM disciplines. New York, NY: Teachers College Press. (forthcoming)
• Grotzer, T.A., Kamarainen, A., Tutwiler, M.S, Metcalf, S, & Dede, C. (in press) Learning to reason about ecosystems dynamics over time: The challenges of an event-based causal focus. BioScience. (forthcoming)
• Kamarainen, A., Metcalf, S., Grotzer, T., Browne, A., Mazzuca, D., Tutwiler, M.S., & Dede, C., (in press) Integrating augmented reality and probeware with environmental education field trips. Computers & Education. (forthcoming)
• Metcalf, S.J., Kamarainen, A., Tutwiler, M.S., Grotzer, T.A. & Dede, C. J. (in press). Teacher perceptions of the practicality and effectiveness of immersive ecological simulations as classroom curricula. International Journal of Virtual and Personal Learning Environments. (forthcoming)
• Tutwiler, M.S. & Grotzer, T. (2013). Why immersive, interactive simulation belongs in the pedagogical toolkit of “Next Generation” science: Facilitating student understanding of complex causal dynamics. In I. Saleh (Ed.) Italic/Approaches and Strategies in Next Generation Science Learning, Hershey, PA: IGI Global. (2013)
• Grotzer, T.A. & Mittlefehdlt, S. (2012). Students’ metacognitive behavior and ability to transfer causal concepts, In A. Zohar & J. Dori (Eds.) Metacognition and science education (40). pp 79-100) New York: Springer Science. (2012)
• Grotzer, T.A. (2012). Learning causality in a complex world: Understandings of consequence. Lanham,MD: Rowman Littlefield. (2012)
• Grotzer, T.A. (2011). Public understanding of cognitive neuroscience research findings: Trying to peer beyond enchanted glass. Mind, Brain, and Education, 5(3)108-114. (2011)
• Grotzer, T.A. (2011, April). Building the understanding of our youngest scientists in a complex world. Science Teachers’ Association of New York State Newsletter. (2011)
• Grotzer, T.A., Basca, B., & Donis, K. (2011). Causal patterns in ecosystems: Lessons to infuse into ecosystems units: Second Edition. Cambridge, MA: President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2011)
• Grotzer, T.A., Miller, R.B., Lincoln, R.A. (2011). Perceptual, attentional, and cognitive heuristics that interact with the nature of science to complicate public understanding of science, In M.S. Khine (Ed.) Advances in the nature of science research: Concepts and methodologies,(pp. 27-49) New York: Springer. (2011)
• Metcalf, S.J., Kamarainen, A., M.S. Tutwiler, Grotzer, T.A. & Dede, C. J. (2011). Ecosystem science learning via multi-user virtual environments. International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations 3(1)86-90. (2011)
• Grotzer, T.A. (2010). Reasoning about causal complexity in science and beyond. Cambridge, MA: President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2010)
• Callan, E., Grotzer, T., Kagan, J., Nisbett, R.E., Perkins, D.N., & Shulman, L.S. (2009). Education and a civil society: Teaching evidence-based decision making. American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Cambridge, MA. (2009)
• Liu, Y. & Grotzer, T.A. (2009). Looking forward: Teaching the nature of the science of today and tomorrow. In I.M. Saleh & M.S. Khine (Eds.) Fostering scientific habits of mind: Pedagogical knowledge and best practices in science education. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. (2009)
• Wong, A., Morris, L., Jasti, C., Liu, D, & Grotzer, T.A. (2009). Nature of scientific thinking: Lessons designed to develop understanding of the nature of science and modeling. Cambridge, MA: President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2009)
• Grotzer, T.A. & Lincoln, R. Educating for “intelligent environmental action” in an age of global warming, in S. Moser & L. Dilling (Eds.) Creating a Climate for Change: Communicating Climate Change and Facilitating Social Change. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. (2007)
• Grotzer, T.A., Houghton, C.A., Basca, B., Mittlefehldt, S. Lincoln, R., & MacGillivray, D. Causal patterns in density: Lessons to infuse into air pressure units. Cambridge, MA: President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2005)
• Perkins, D.N. & Grotzer, T.A. Dimensions of causal understanding: The role of complex causal models in students’ understanding of science. Studies in Science Education. 41, 117-165. (2005)
• Zuckerman O. Grotzer, T.A., & Leahy, K. FlowBlocks as a conceptual bridge between understanding the structure and behavior of a complex causal system. Proceedings of the International Conference of the Learning Sciences, Bloomington, Indiana. (2005)
• Grotzer, T.A. Causal patterns in simple circuits: Lessons to infuse into electricity units. Cambridge, MA: President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2004)
• Grotzer, T.A. Putting science within reach: Addressing patterns of thinking that limit science learning. Principal Leadership, October. (2004)
• Basca, B.B. & Grotzer, T.A. Causal patterns in air pressure-related phenomena: Lessons to infuse into air pressure units. Cambridge, MA: President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2003)
• Grotzer, T.A. Learning to understand the forms of causality implicit in scientific explanations. Studies in Science Education, 39, 1-74. (2003)
• Grotzer, T.A., & Basca, B.B. How does grasping the underlying causal structures of ecosystems impact students’ understanding? Journal of Biological Education, 38(1) 16-29. (2003)
• Grotzer, T.A. Causal patterns in ecosystems: Lessons to infuse into ecosystems units. Cambridge, MA: President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2002)
• Grotzer, T.A. Expanding our vision for educational technology: Procedural, conceptual, and structural knowledge. Educational Technology, March-April, 52-59. (2002)
• Grotzer, T.A., Howick, L., Tishman, S., & Wise, D. Art works for schools: A curriculum for teaching thinking in and through the arts. Lincoln, MA: DeCordova Museum. (2002)
• Grotzer, T.A. & Perkins, D.N. Teaching intelligence: A performance conception. In R.A. Sternberg (Ed.), Handbook of intelligence, New York: Cambridge University Press. (2000)
• Grotzer, T.A. & Bell, B. Negotiating the funnel: Guiding students toward understanding elusive generative concepts. In L. Hetland & S. Veenema (Eds.) The Project Zero classroom: Views on understanding. President and Fellows of Harvard College. (1999)
• Grotzer, T.A. & Sudbury M. Where is the language of causality? Think Magazine, December. (1998)
• Grotzer, T.A. The keys to inquiry, Hypertext Document, Everyday Classroom Tools Website: Harvard Smithsonian. Available: (1998)
• Grotzer, T.A. The infusion approach. In S. Veenema, L. Hetland, & K. Chalfen,(Eds.), The Project Zero classroom: New approaches to thinking and understanding. Cambridge, MA: President and Fellows of Harvard College. (1997)
• Perkins, D. N. & Grotzer, T.A.Teaching intelligence. American Psychologist 52(10), 1125-1133. (1997)
• Grotzer, T.A. Cognitive issues that affect math and science learning: Math/Science matters: A resource booklet on research in math and science learning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Project on Schooling and Children/ Exxon Education Foundation. (1996)
• Grotzer, T.A. Issues of instructional technique in math and science learning: Math/Science matters: A resource booklet on research in math and science learning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Project on Schooling and Children/Exxon Education Foundation. (1996)
• Grotzer, T.A. Issues that impact equitable opportunities for all math and science learners: Math/Science matters: A resource booklet on research in math and science learning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Project on Schooling and Children/Exxon Education Foundation. (1996)
• Grotzer, T. (Spring). Restructuring around broader interpretations of intelligence: Spotlight series. MA/AIP Newsletter, 15(2) Massachusetts Association for the Advancement of Individual Potential. (1992)
• Commons, M.L. & Grotzer, T.A. The relationship between Piagetian and Kohlbergian stage: An examination of the "necessary but not sufficient relationship." In M. L Commons, C. Armon, L. Kohlberg, F.A. Richards, T.A. Grotzer, & J.D. Sinnott (Eds.). Adult development: Vol. 2: Models and methods in the study of adolescent and adult thought (pp 205-231) New York: Praeger. (1990)
• Commons, M.L., Armon, C., Kohlberg, L., Richards, F.A., Grotzer, T.A. & Sinnott, J.D. (Eds.). Adult development: Vol. 2: Models and methods in the study of adolescent and adult thought. New York: Praeger. (1990)

• Presidential Early Career Award for Science and Engineering (2011)
• Early Career Award, National Science Foundation (2009)

• Federation of American Scientists (2011-)
• American Association for Educational Research (1998-)
• National Association for Research in Science Teaching (1998-)

• EcoMOBILE: Blended real and virtual immersive experiences for learning complex causality and ecosystems science, National Science Foundation, (2011-2015)
  Content knowledge about ecosystems and populations is an important strand of the life science content standards, and the processes underlying ecosystems exemplify sophisticated causal mechanisms (e.g., systems dynamics) foundational for advanced science and mathematics. However, even after instruction, students often hold inaccurate interpretations about ecosystems’ structural patterns and systemic causality. Prior research (Grotzer & Basca, 2003) has shown that students often have difficulty reasoning about the causal complexity inherent in ecosystems. Co-PI Grotzer’s NSF-funded Causal Patterns curriculum (Grotzer, 2002) has shown success in helping students understand and explain the causal dynamics of ecosystems. However, teachers struggle to convey in hands-on, engaging ways difficult concepts involving causality involving time delays, spatial distance, non-obvious causes, and population-level effects. To meet this shortfall in current, largely textbook-based curricula, with Institute of Education Sciences (IES) funding we have developed and are studying EcoMUVE (www.ecomuve.org): a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE)-based ecosystems science curriculum centered on grades 6 through 8 life science National Science Education Standards (NSES). EcoMUVE is an inquiry-based, four week curriculum that includes two one-week modules focused on experiencing immersive, simulated virtual ecosystems through observation, with scaffolded, collaborative interpretation by students. The curriculum centers on ecosystems science, the inquiry process, and the complex causality inherent in ecosystems dynamics. Our research findings in classrooms show promising results on the perceived value, usability, implementation feasibility, and student and teacher experiences associated with our curriculum, as well as pilot data showing gains in student learning and motivation (Metcalf et al., 2010). We hypothesize that student understanding and self-efficacy in science would be enhanced if students using EcoMUVE could also use powerful mobile broadband devices (MBDs) to explore the real ecosystems in their own backyard. MBDs will allow students to collect and share data using probeware, cameras, and microphones; access on-demand, on-site information about ecosystem components; and visit geo-referenced locations to directly observe critical components of the ecosystem and to experience virtual simulations related to their underlying causality. To study these hypotheses, we plan to develop EcoMOBILE (Ecosystems Mobile Outdoor Blended Immersive Learning Environment): a complementary set of learning experiences based on using MBDs to infuse virtual information and simulated experiences into real world ecosystems. We aim to determine what types of complementary learning and engagement real world settings infused with virtual resources add to immersive simulations. With prior funding from the U.S. Department of Education, we developed and studied “augmented reality” curricula (http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=harp) for learning middle school mathematics and English/Language-Arts (O’Shea, Mitchell, Johnston, & Dede, 2009; Dunleavy, Dede, & Mitchell, 2009). Since that research was completed, powerful mobile broadband devices are now the primary technology infrastructure used by young people (Chiong & Shuler, 2010; Project Tomorrow, 2010); the EcoMobile project will study their potential power in academic settings to improve motivation and deepen learning of ecosystems science. Combined, EcoMUVE and EcoMobile will encompass the types of learning strengths and preferences many students today bring to school, based on their usage of social media and Internet resources on mobile devices, as well as their involvement in immersive gaming.
• CAREER: Learning About Complex Causality in the Classroom, National Science Foundation, (2009-2014)
  In the past decade, there has been a growing interest in how children reason about the nature of causality. This work builds upon a rich literature ranging from social psychology to philosophy and has garnered the attention of researchers in child development, cognitive science, the learning sciences, and science education. The program of research has three strands: 1) Naturalistic study of children’s complex causal reasoning in everyday contexts; 2) Microgenetic studies of causal learning over time in supported contexts and; 3) Learning about the nature of causality in curriculum contexts. In this project the research team investigates children’s causal understanding in contexts that are likely to elicit it, as well as what learning about causality looks with scaffolds specifically designed to support children’s developing understanding. The work focuses on preschool through middle childhood.
• Advancing Ecosystems Science Education via Situated Collaborative Learning in Multi-User Virtual Environments, U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, (2008-2011)
  The purpose is to develop a Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE)-based ecosystems science curriculum centered on grades 6 and 7 (middle grades) life science National Science Education Standards, and to conduct feasibility studies on the practicality, integration, and acceptance of the MUVE-based curriculum for student engagement and learning in classroom settings. The goal of our project is development. Our design process is iterative and informed by research evaluation in classroom settings. Practicality of use and implementation are key outcome measures for the feasibility of our design. Other key outcome measures are: Content: measure that shows our curriculum is teaching content we intend to be teaching students (based on curriculum standards and teacher objectives). Enjoyment: measure of students’ engagement with learning experiences. Feasibility: a composite that measures teachers’ feelings about the practicality and value of use for our curriculum.
• Learning to RECAST Students' Casual Assumptions in Science Through Interactive Multimedia Professional Development Tools, National Science Foundation, (2005-2010)
  The difficulties that students have achieving deep understanding in science have been well documented. Research shows that traditional instruction has little impact on understanding. However, even when teaching uses “best practices” approaches where students are actively engaged, involved in inquiry-based learning, use modeling, and so on, students often end up with conceptions that are substantially different from the scientifically accepted explanations. Part of the difficulty lies in the causal complexity of the concepts. Concepts that appear straightforward become complex in a number of ways as one attempts to teach for deeper understanding. The goals of the project are to develop, test, and disseminate methods for guiding middle school teachers in physics and biology in learning to assess how their students are structuring scientific explanations in terms of causality and to develop curriculum so that their students RECAST their conceptions to fit with scientifically accepted explanations.

• T-223   Advancing the Learning and Teaching of Science (not offered in 2012-2013)
• T-543   Applying Cognitive Science to Learning and Teaching (Spring 2013)
• T-800   Research and Evidence: Framing Scientific Research for Public Understanding (not offered in 2012-2013)

• Curriculum Vitae (pdf)

• Child Development
• Cognitive Development
• Curriculum Development
• Intelligence
• Learning
• Science Education

Causality in the Classroom

Grotzer Receives Presidential Honor

Tina Grotzer's article in the STANYS Newsletter (3833KB pdf)

Press release: Assistant Professor Tina Grotzer Receives CAREER award

A Q & A in Ed. Magazine: Cause & Effect: Assistant Professor Tina Grotzer