Ana Maria Navas Iannini

Assistant Professor
Faculty of Education

Research Interests

My research focuses, primarily, on the ways in which informal science education settings - such as museums, science centres, maker spaces and science clubs - foster relationships between science and society. In this context, I study different aspects of these relationships including the subject matter, issues of representation, and how communication with the audiences is established. I also investigate how informal science education settings are currently committed with social responsibility, civic agency and public engagement efforts around contemporary socioscientific issues.

Courses

Future courses may be subject to change.

Research

2020-2021
Public engagement and socioscientific issues: Examining the role of the informal science education sector.
Principal Investigator: Ana Maria Navas Iannini
Fund for Assistant Professors Grant (FAPA). Faculty of Education, Los Andes University, $ 42,000 (over two years).

2018-2019
Engaging Children and Youth from Low-Income Communities in Science Learning.
Principal Investigator: Carol-Ann Burke (Supervision). Postdoctoral Fellow: Ana Maria Navas Iannini, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, $34,800.

Publications

Refereed Journal Articles

Marandino, M., Navas Iannini, A.M., Pedretti, E. (in press). Representing biodiversity in science museums: perspectives from an STSE lens. International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement.

Navas Iannini, A.M. & Pedretti, E. (2022). Museum staff perspectives about a sustainability exhibition: What do they tell us about scientific literacy? International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement, 12(1), 1-21.

Burke, L.E.C.A. & Navas Iannini. (2021). Science engagement as insight into the science identity work nurtured in community-based science clubs. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 58, 1425–1454.

Pedretti, E. & Navas Iannini, A.M. (2020). Towards fourth generation science museums. Canadian Journal of Science Mathematics and Technology Education. 20, 700–714.

Pedretti, E., Navas Iannini, A.M., & Nazir, J. (2018). Exploring controversy in science museums: Non-visitors and the Body Worlds exhibits. Canadian Journal of Science Mathematics and Technology Education, 18(2), 98-113.

Navas Iannini, A.M., & Pedretti, E. (2017). Preventing youth pregnancy: Dialogue and deliberation in a science museum exhibit. Canadian Journal of Science Mathematics and Technology Education, 17(4), 271-287.

Books and Book Chapters
 

Pedretti, E., & Navas Iannini, A.M. (2020). Controversy in science museums: Reimagining exhibition spaces and practice. London: Taylor & Francis/Routlegde, UK.

Navas Iannini, A.M. (2018). Science museums: Reflections from an autobiographical journey. In: Bazzul, J. & Siry, C. (Eds), Critical Voices in Science Education: Stories of hope and struggle (pp. 73-81). Dordrecht, NL: Springer.

Pedretti, E., & Navas Iannini, A. M. (2018). Pregnant pauses, science museums, schools and a controversial exhibition. In R. Gunstone, D. Corrigan, & A. Jones (Eds.), Navigating the Changing Landscape of Formal and Informal Science Learning Opportunities (pp. 26-40). Dordrecht: Springer.

Marandino, M., Contier, D., Navas Iannini, A.M, Bizerra, A. & Cerqueira das Neves, A.L. (2016). Controvérsias em museus de ciências: Reflexões e propostas para educadores [Controversies in science museums: Reflections and activities for educators]. São Paulo: Faculty of Education/University of São Paulo.

Other work

Technical reports

Fejes, M., Laganá, T. F., & Navas Iannini, A. M. (2022). Experiences and perspectives of Ceará (Brazil) public school teachers about the pedagogical potential of the digital Platform for Innovative Learning Assessments (PILA). Online report. São Paulo: Instituto Unibanco. 

Escallon, E., Cifuentes, G., Velazquez, A.M. Montoya, J., Baxter, J., Pardo, O., Palacios, N., Navas Iannini, A.M., Kairus, J., Garcia, P. (2020). Education and COVID-19: Academic insights from students and professors from the Faculty of Education - Los Andes University. Online report. Faculty of Education. Bogota: University of Los Andes.

Burke, L. E. C., & Navas Iannini, A. M. (2018). Engaging children and youth from low-income communities in science learning: An interim report prepared for the Council of Ontario Directors of Education. Unpublished report. Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Conferences

Selected Invited Presentations

Navas Iannini, A.M. (2018). Exposições de ciência críticas e controversas: Perspectivas de profissionais de museus [Critical and controversial science exhibitions: Perspectives from museum professionals]. Keynote speaker. III Encontro da Asociação Brasileira de Centros e Museus de Ciências. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, September 10-15.

Selected Peer Reviewed Conference Presentations

Navas Iannini, A. M., Pedretti, E., Schaffer, K. & Atkinson, D. (2022). Addressing mental health in science museums. (Paper session). Proceedings of the XX International Organization for Science and Technology Education (IOSTE) Symposium. June 25-29. Recife, Brazil. (Online)

Navas Iannini, A. M. & Pedretti, E. (2022). Museum staff perspectives, aspirations and tensions framing the renovation of a sustainability exhibition. (Paper session). Proceedings of XX International Organization for Science and Technology Education (IOSTE) Symposium. June 25-29. Recife, Brazil. (Online)

Paez Mateus, K.C., & Navas Iannini, A.M. (2022). Science curriculum: A space for nurturing citizenship. (Paper session). Proceedings of XX International Organization for Science and Technology Education (IOSTE) Symposium. June 25-29. Recife, Brazil. (Online)

Myllykoski, M., Navas Iannini, A. M., Pedretti, E., & Kalhos, J. (2022). Controversy, mental health and social responsibility in exhibitions. (Workshop session). 2022 European Network Science Centres and Museums (ECSITE) Conference. June 2-4, Heilbronn, Germany. (Hybrid)

Pedretti, E., Navas Iannini, A.M., & Atkinson, D.J. (2021). Science museums in troubled times: Changing goals, changing roles. Paper session. Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE) Annual Conference. May 29 – June 3. (Online).

Navas Iannini, A. M., Pedretti, E., Schaffer, K. & Atkinson, D. (2021, April). Mental health in science museums:  Addressing contemporary issues through exhibition practices. Paper session.  Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE) Annual Conference. May 29 – June 3. (Online).

Pedretti, E., Navas Iannini, A.M., Atkinson, D.J. & Schaffer, K. (2021, April).  Empowering publics to engage with socio-scientific issues in science exhibitions: Mental Health-Mind Matters. Paper Session. National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) Annual Meeting. April 7-10. (Online).

Pedretti, E., Navas Iannini, A.M., & Atkinson, D. (2019). A cross-case analysis of visitor engagement with controversial exhibitions: Towards participatory models of science communication. [Online paper repository]. American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada, April 5-9.

Burke, L.E.C.A, & Navas Iannini, A. M., (2019). Factors impacting the science identities of children from low-income neighborhoods enrolled in STEM Club. [Online paper repository]. American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada, April 5-9.

Navas Iannini, A.M., Pedretti, E., & Atkinson, D. (2019). Museum professionals’ perspectives: controversy in science museums, a changing landscape. [Online paper repository]. American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada, April 5-9.

Awards and Recognitions

  • Outstanding Thesis Award. Science Education Research Group, Canadian Society for the Study of Education. 2018
  • Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) Visitor Engagement Award. Royal Ontario Museum/iSchool-University of Toronto. 2014

Academic Background 

Education

Ph.D, Curriculum Studies and Teacher Development. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. 2018.

M.A., Education, Faculdade de Educação. Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil). 2008.

B.Sc., BiologyPontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia). 2001.

Special Professional Qualifications

Teaching credential by the Pedagogical Strategies for Teachers course, Universidad de Los Andes, 2020.

Teaching credential by the Teaching in Higher Education Program (THE500), University of Toronto, 2019.

Teaching credential by the Program of Teaching Improvement, University of São Paulo. 2006.

Academic and Professional Positions
  • Assistant Professor, Simon Fraser University, September 2022–Present
  • Assistant Professor, University of Los Andes, July 2019 –June 2022

Teaching and Supervision

Teaching

This instructor is currently not teaching any courses.

Graduate Student Supervision

University of Los Andes

  • Bianey, A. (MA), 2021. Transformation of my pedagogical practice through a socioscientific unit for the development of argumentation skills in secondary students. Faculty of Education, University of Los Andes.
  • Páez Mateus, K.C. (MA), 2021. Citizenship in a post-conflict society: Proposal for a science curriculum. Faculty of Education, University of Los Andes.
  • Martínez Gómez, M.R. (MA), 2021. Co-construction of environmental culture in the academic community of the Vermont school through PRAE and STEM. Faculty of Education, University of Los Andes.
  • Laserda, M.C. (MA). 2020. Physics identity: An underexplored dimension by the Centre for the Success in Science. Faculty of Education, University of Los Andes.
  • Rodriguez-Alvarez, C. (MA). 2020. Scientific, technological and environmental literacy and critical thinking as components of an educational activity in a zoo: A collaborative approach. Faculty of Education, University of Los Andes.