Share
Professor of Science Education, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge
Professor Keith Taber is Professor of Science Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge. He trained as a graduate teacher of chemistry and physics, and taught sciences in comprehensive secondary schools in England. He moved into further education where he taught physics and chemistry to A level, science studies to adult students, and research methods on an undergraduate education programme. He acted as the mentor for trainee science teachers on placement at the college. Whilst working as a teacher he earned his masters degree for research into girls under-representation in physics and his doctorate for research into conceptual development in chemistry. He joined the Faculty of Education in 1999.
His main research interests are in aspects of teaching and learning in science: learners' ideas, misconceptions, alternative conceptions and alternative frameworks; conceptual understanding, conceptual integration and conceptual change and development; constructivism in science education; learner thinking and metacognition; explanations in science; teaching about the nature of science; challenging high attainers; notions of 'giftedness' (especially in science); how teachers can use diagnostic assessment to explore the nature and origins of learners' thinking in science; student thinking about science and religion.
Professor Taber was the Royal Society of Chemistry Teacher Fellow for 2000-1, undertaking a project on Challenging Chemical Misconceptions. He was the Chemical Education Research Group Lecturer for 2000. He wrote a column (Reflections on Teaching and Learning Physics) for the journal Physics Education over a period of 6 years. He led the Cambridge project on teaching about ideas and evidence in science for the National KS3 Strategy. Professor Taber is also the author of many books, chapters, articles and research papers related to aspects of science education, and serves on editorial boards for a range of journals.
