Professor Léonie Rennie
Professor Léonie Rennie holds a PhD from the University of Western Australia. Professor Rennie is also the Dean, Graduate Studies for Curtin University of Technology.
Telephone: +618 9266 7484
Office: B220. 212
Email: l.rennie@smec.curtin.edu.au
Research and Thesis Topics
- Learning of science and technology in informal contexts
How visitors interact with exhibits in museums, science centres, or similar centres will affect the learning that occurs and the kinds of outcomes which result from the visit. There is scope for a range of research studies which investigate the exhibit–related behaviour of students (and other visitors), social interactions among group members and the exhibits, and the role of previous knowledge and experience (and pre– and post–visit instruction for school groups) in determining learning outcomes.
- Other topics include adult learning from a range of free–choice settings, the effectiveness of a range of activities designed to increase the community’s awareness and participation in science.
Selected Publications
Rennie, L.J., & McClafferty, T.M. (2002). Objects and learning: Understanding young children’s interaction with science exhibits. In S. G. Paris (Ed.), Multipleperspectives on children’s object–centred learning (pp. 191–213). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Rennie, L.J. (2001). Communicating science through interactive science centres: A research perspective. In S. Stocklmayer, M. Gore & C. Bryant (Eds.), Science communication in theory and practice (pp. 107–121). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Rennie, L.J. (2001). Gender equity and science teacher preparation. In D.Lavoie & W–M Roth (Eds.), Models of science teacher preparation: Theory into practice (pp. 127–147). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Rennie, L.J. (2001). Teacher collaboration in curriculum change: The implementationof technology education in the primary school. Research in Science Education, 31, 49–69.
Rennie, L.J., Goodrum, D., & Hackling, M. (2001). The status and quality of school science in Australia. Research in Science Education, 31, 455–498.
Rennie, L.J., & Williams, G.F. (2000). The nature and measurement of learning from a lecture series in human genetics. In P.J. Fensham & R.Cross (Eds.), Social responsibility of science and citizenship: Implications for education (pp. 17–34). Melbourne: Melbourne Studies in Education (Special Issue).
Rennie, L.J. (2000). Gender and science, technology and vocational education in Asia and the Pacific. In E. Jenkins (Ed.), Innovations in science and technology education (Vol. VII, pp. 99–142). Paris: Falmer UNESCO Publishing.
