Michelle Schpakow, Ed.D., completed her M.S. in geosciences at Mississippi State University and her Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction at Liberty University. She earned her B.A. from Rider University where she double majored in elementary education and marine ecology. These degree programs afforded Schpakow many independent scientific research opportunities as well as numerous and varied experiences working in New Jersey public schools.

Before her appointment at Monmouth University, Schpakow served as a middle school science teacher for twelve years, a cooperating teacher for preservice teachers, a scorer for edTPA, and several additional roles relating to science. Her overall research interests include women in science and science education in American schools, while her dissertation research focused specifically on male and female middle school students’ attitudes toward science.

Education

Ed.D., Curriculum and Instruction, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA

M.S., Geosciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS

Graduate Certificates in Physical Science and General Science, Plymouth State University, Plymouth, New Hampshire

B.A., Education/Marine Ecology , Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ

Research Interests

Schpakow’s overall research interests center around science education as it relates to preparation for STEM professions.  Specifically, Schpakow is interested in the “gender gap” in science, students’ attitudes toward science, and American science education programs ultimately leading to development of scientific professionals.

Recent Publications

Book Publications

• Fitgerald, J. C., & Schpakow, M. (2021).Mapping the way from teacher preparation to edTPA completion: A guide for secondary education candidates. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.  
• Frisch, J. K., Alston, D. A., Feldman, A., Hagevik, R., & Schpakow, M. (Eds.). (2025). Wicked problems in PreK-12 science education: Stories and strategies for confronting complex topics in the science classroom. Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group.

Professional Journal Publications

• Zambak, V. S., & Schpakow, M. (2026). Building belonging and STEM identity through model-eliciting tasks. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching Pre-K–12. 
• Schpakow, M., Wendt, J. L., & Paynter, K. (2021). An examination of middle school students’ attitudes toward science. Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations, 17(1), 150-164. 
• Schpakow, M. (2020). Synthesizing geologic data into an argument for plate tectonic theory.Science Scope, 43(5), 42-51. 

Book Chapters

Schpakow, M., & Zambak, S. V. (2025). Promoting Sustainability through Model-Eliciting STEM Activities: A Path from Learning to Serving. In Frisch, J. K., Alston, D. A., Feldman, A., Hagevik, R., & Schpakow, M. (Eds.). (2025). Wicked problems in PK-12 science education: Stories and strategies for tackling complex socio-scientific issues. Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group. 

Presentations

• Zambak, V. S., Schpakow, M., & Christensen, D. (2026). Exploring elementary preservice teachers’ knowledge and perceptions through math focused computational thinking problem solving tasks. 2026 Annual Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators Conference, Portland, OR.
• Frisch, J. K., Alston, D. A., Feldman, A., Hagevik, R., & Schpakow, M. (2026). Wicked problems in PreK-12 science education: Where do we start? 2026 ASTE International Conference, Chicago, IL. 
• Schpakow, M., & Zambak, V. S. (2025). The impacts of integrated STEM model-eliciting activities on elementary students’ STEM thinking. 2025 ASTE Northeast Regional Conference: Innovative Partnerships for STEM Teaching and Learning, Union, NJ.
• Zambak, V. S., Schpakow, M., & Christensen, D. (2025). Exploring computational thinking in elementary math: Insights from preservice teacher engagement. 2025 AMTNJ Fall PreK – 5 Conference, Lincroft, NJ. 
• Schpakow, M., & Zambak, V. S. (2025). Implementing model-eliciting activities to promote the development of pre-service teachers’ STEM teacher identities. 2025 ASTE International Conference, Long Beach, CA.
• Frisch, J. K., Alston, D. A., Feldman, A., Hagevik, R., & Schpakow, M. (2025). Wicked problems in Pre-K12 formal science education. 2025 ASTE International Conference, Long Beach, CA.
• Zambak, V. S., & Schpakow, M. (2024). Exploring pre-service teachers’ STEM identities and thinking. International Congress on Mathematical Education, Sydney, Australia.
• Zambak, V. S., & Schpakow, M. (2024). Model-eliciting activities to support elementary teacher candidates’ STEM thinking and identities. Twenty-Eighth Annual Conference of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Orlando, FL.
• Schpakow, M. (2022). Does biological sex still influence students’ attitudes toward science? An investigation into one population of middle school students. ASTE International Conference, Greenville, SC.
• Mulvaney, T., Fitzgerald, J., & Schpakow, M. (2020). A functional approach to the edTPA: Guiding pre-service teachers. APHERD Conference, NJ.

Professional Associations

• American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE)
• Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE)
• National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA)
• National Science Teacher Association (NSTA)

Grant Support/Academic Funding

• NJ DOE Climate Change Learning Collaborative, PI on grant ($300,000) awarded April 2025 
• NJ DOE Climate Change Learning Collaborative, PI on grant ($312,000) awarded April 2024 
• 2023 SOE Transformative Learning Grant
• 2023 Urban Coast Institute Provost Faculty Fellow 
• 2022 Urban Coast Institute Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe Faculty Enrichment Grant
• 2020 UCI Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe Faculty Enrichment Grant
• 2019 SOE Transformative Learning Grant