Karin Sconzert

  • Director, Broad Field Social Science Program; Professor of Education
    Email Address:
    ksconzert@carthage.edu
    Office location:
    Lentz Hall 323
    Phone
    262-551-6115

    Karin Sconzert is a professor of education. She holds a Ph.D. in Administrative, Institutional, and Policy Studies in Education from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. in history with a minor in theatre from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis.

    At Carthage, Prof. Sconzert primarily teaches secondary education minors (who major in their subject areas) as they pursue teaching certification. She also teaches courses in urban education and supervises fieldwork for students earning the educational studies minor. Prof. Sconzert and a biology colleague, Prof. Deborah Tobiason, created a co-taught course entitled Teaching Evolution: Science, Society, and the Schools. This has led to further work in science teaching through a National Science Foundation Noyce grant, the Carthage Noyce Scholarship Program: A Community Building Approach to Preparing Secondary Science and Math Teachers ($1.2 million). Prof. Sconzert regularly teaches a J-Term course which introduces science majors to secondary teaching, and prepares elementary education majors with STEM minors for work at the secondary level. She is also the director of the Broad Field Social Sciences Program and supervises senior theses in this field, and teaches Methods for Teaching Theatre for theatre majors.

    She was a 4-12 grade teacher of history, theater, and computer applications at the Latin School of Chicago, The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, Princeton Day School (NJ), and Forest Ridge Academy (IN) between 1987 and 1996. She conducted qualitative research with the Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago from 1994-2001. She has also worked as a professional theatrical costume designer.

    Prof. Sconzert previously served on the faculty at Ursinus College (PA) and Loyola University Chicago, as well as the Urban Education Program of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest. She also serves as a host of “Education Matters,” an interview program on Wisconsin Public Radio WGTD (Kenosha-Racine) and was recently elected president of the Kenosha-Racine Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa. She is a former Trustee of the Kenosha Public Library.

    Prof. Sconzert’s most rewarding service was working as an adult literacy tutor through the Blue Gargoyle Adult Literacy Program in Chicago from 1998-2001.

    • Ph.D. — Education Policy and the History of Education, University of Chicago, 2001
    • B.A. — History and Theatre, Lawrence University, 1987
    • EDU 1010: Education and Society
    • EDU 2010: Educational Psychology and Assessment
    • EDU 2340: Foundations of Urban Education
    • EDU 2570: Fostering Engagement and Positive Behavior in 4-12 grade classrooms
    • EDU 3270: Exemplary STEM Education (formerly Science Education Immersion Experience)
    • EDU 3500: Field Experience in Education
    • EDU 4200: Methods and Materials for Teaching Secondary Social Science
    • GENERAL 675-T: Teaching Evolution: Science, Society, and the Schools
    • THR 4200: Methods and Materials in Teaching Theatre

    Prof. Sconzert’s research interests focus on urban education, including charter and choice schools, and teaching science in U.S. schools. She has developed a school choice simulation called “Who Chooses, Who Loses? A Simulation of a School Choice Market,” which she has presented to audiences at Brown University, teachers’ associations, church groups, Carthage Alumni College, and many college classes since 2005.

    Prof. Sconzert is proud to have worked with and guided undergraduate student researchers since the beginning of her college-level teaching, leading to more than a dozen student presentations at Celebration of Scholars, local school districts, and regional, national, and international conferences.

    Prof. Sconzert has presented for dozens of refereed conferences and college/university invited addresses, including Brown University, the University of Chicago, the American Educational Research Association, and the Canada International Conference on Education, among many others.

    Prof. Sconzert is part of the team which won a $1.2 million National Science Foundation Noyce Grant to prepare math and science teachers for high-needs schools.

    In 2020, the Carthage Noyce Scholarship team was awarded the Business in Education Award by the Kenosha Unified School District, in recognition of successfully increasing the number of math and science teachers in the area.

    Prof. Sconzert served as adult literacy tutor from 1998 to 2001, and the award of which she is most proud is the 2000 Spotlight On Service Award, presented by the Illinois Press Association, the Illinois Literacy Foundation, and Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State, for outstanding service as a volunteer adult literacy tutor, May 2000.

    Sconzert, Karin and Stephanie Zimmerman (2013) The Choices Behind School Choice: The Expansion of Wisconsin’s Voucher Program. Proceedings of the Canada International Conference on Education, 2013.

    Sconzert, Karin. (2011) Schools and Communities: Perspectives on Partnering a Decade after the Annenberg Challenge. Proceedings of the Canada International Conference on Education, 2011.

    Sconzert, Karin, Mark Smylie, and Stacy Wenzel (2004) Working for School Improvement: Reflections of Chicago Annenberg External Partners Chicago: Consortium oSconzern Chicago School Research, Chicago Annenberg Research Project.

    Sconzert, Karin. (2001) Warming Up to the Schools? Connecting Universities with Teaching Practice in Chicago. Metropolitan Universities Journal. Volume 12, Number 4, Autumn 2001.

    Newmann, Fred M. and Karin Sconzert. (2000) School Improvement with External Partners. Chicago: Consortium on Chicago School Research, Chicago Annenberg Research Project.

    Sconzert, Karin, Demetria Iazzetto, and Stewart Purkey. (2000) Small Town College to Big City School: Preparing Urban Teachers from Liberal Arts Colleges. Teaching and Teacher Education. Vol. 16, Issue 4 (May 2000) p. 465-490.

    Shipps, Dorothy, Karin Sconzert, and Holly Swyers. (1999) The Chicago Annenberg Challenge: The First Three Years. Chicago: Consortium on Chicago School Research, Chicago Annenberg Research Project.
    Smylie, Mark, and Diane King Bilcer, Julie Kochanek, Karin Sconzert, Dorothy Shipps, Holly Swyers. (1998) Getting Started: A First Look at Chicago Annenberg Schools and Networks. Chicago: Consortium on Chicago School Research, Chicago Annenberg Research Project.

    Prof. Sconzert has presented for dozens of refereed conferences and college/university invited addresses, including Brown University, the University of Chicago, the American Educational Research Association, and the Canada International Conference on Education, among many others.