Michael Dentzau

Education and Certifications

• Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL - Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction with a Major in Science Education (2013)
• Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL - Specialist in Science Education (2011)
• Texas A&M University, College State, TX - Master of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences (1985)
• Fairleigh Dickinson University, Rutherford, NJ - Bachelor of Science in Biology/Marine Biology (1981)

Academic Areas

• I am the full time Executive Director of Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center. The Center is a cooperative venture between Columbus State University and Columbus Water Works, with a mission to provide opportunities for the community to engage with the environment. I am also faculty in the College of Education and Health Professions teaching courses that deal with elementary and middle grades science instruction for pre-service teachers.
  
  My research interests include:

  • Evaluating the impacts of out-of-school environmental education programs;
  • The use of drawings as a tool for assessing learning about the environment;
  • In-service and pre-service teacher self-efficacy for teaching science; and
  • Extending the learning beyond the informal visit.

Professional Experience

• 2013–present:  Executive Director of Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center & Assistant Professor of Science Education, Columbus State University, Columbus, GA.
• 2011–2013: Sea-to-See Program Director, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL.  Non-tenured faculty in science education outreach.
• 1999–2011: President, Bosso, Dentzau & Imhof, Inc., Tallahassee, FL. Environmental consulting dealing with wetlands and listed species.
• 1996–1999:  President, Piedmont Environmental Services, Inc., Tallahassee, FL.  Environmental consulting concerning wetlands, waters and land development.
• 1996–1999:  Project Manager, The Phoenix Environmental Group, Inc., Tallahassee, FL.  Environmental consulting firm.
• 1985–1993:  Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Fort Myers and Tallahassee, FL.  Environmental Specialist in wetland regulation.

Presentations

• Dentzau, M.W. (2014, April). Development and validation of an alternative assessment for ecological learning in elementary students. Paper presented at the annual meeting of The National Association for Research in  Science Teaching, Pittsburg, PA.
• Dentzau, M. W. (2014, April). The impact of an out-of-school environmental education program on students’ mental models of the longleaf pine ecosystem.  Roundtable discussion at the annual meeting of American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, PA.
• Dentzau, M. W., Roseler, K., & Southerland, S. A. (2014, April).  Views of classroom inquiry: Differing perspectives.  Paper presented at the annual meeting of The National Association for Research in  Science Teaching, Pittsburg, PA.
• Dentzau, M. W. (2014, March).  Using a drawing assessment to measure the impact of an environmental education program. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia, Eatonton, GA.
• Roseler, K. & Dentzau, M. W. (2014, April). Differing views of classroom inquiry enactment. Paper presented at the annual meeting of American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, PA.
• Dentzau, M. W. (2014, February). Understanding the impacts of an informal environmental education experience: A picture is worth a thousand words.  A paper presented at the annual meeting of the Georgia Science Teachers Association, Macon, GA.
• Dentzau, M. W. (2013, October). Fourth grade students’ long-term episodic memories of an informal environmental education program on a locally threatened ecosystem. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Southeastern Association of Science Teacher Education, Statesboro, GA.
• Dentzau, M.W., Enderle, P., Southerland, S., & Roseler, K. (2013, April). Examining the Influence of RET’s: Tracing Changes in Science Teachers’ Beliefs and Affect. Paper presented at the annual meeting of The National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Puerto Rico.
• Roseler, K, & Dentzau, M. W. (2013, April). How Teachers Describe Classroom Inquiry after an In-depth Research Experience for Teacher's (RET) Professional Development. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.
• Dentzau, M. W. & Gallard, A. (2012, March). The Use of Drawings to Evaluate the Impact of an Out of School Environmental Education Experience. Paper presented at the annual meeting of The National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Indianapolis, IN.
• Dentzau, M. W. (2011, October). The changing perceptions of the longleaf pine ecosystem by 4^th grade students. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Southern Association for Science Teacher Educators, Athens, GA.
• Dentzau, M.W.  (1996). Florida Academy of Sciences Meeting.  The effective use of prescribed fire in wetland restoration.  Melbourne, FL.

Professional Activities

• Served as Southeastern Association for Science Teacher Education national representative to The Association for Science Teacher Education, 2015–16
• Hosted Annual Conference of Southeastern Association for Science Teacher Education, October 17, 2015 at Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center.
• Professional development design and implementation on life science content for Georgia Department of Education Mathematics and Science Partnership Program Grant, “Increasing Math and Science Content Knowledge for Special Education Co-Teachers”, Year 2, 2015–16.
• Member of the K–5 Science Endorsement Task Force to review the 505-3-.93 Educator Preparation Rule (effective October 15, 2015)
• Supported the 2015 STEM Summer Camp at CSU
• Supported a 2015 NOYCE Intern at CSU
• Professional development design and implementation on life science content for Georgia Department of Education Mathematics and Science Partnership Program Grant, “Increasing Math and Science Content Knowledge for Special Education Co-Teachers”, Year 1, 2014–15.
• Life Science and Environmental Science Content Expert for Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities, Stepping Up Technology Implementation Grant. Project title: “ESCOLAR, Etext Supports for Collaborative Online Learning and Academic Reading”, 2013–14.