Peter Ower, PhD
Science Teacher
Adjunct Instructor of Science Education
Science Education Researcher
About Me
I have been teaching on Team 7B at Wilmette Junior High School since 2006. While teaching is my primary role in education, I have kept myself busy in education's many facets. I have earned my masters and doctorate, I have been a guest speaker at DePaul University on action research in the science classroom, and I presented white papers on the role of science education in socio-scientific issues at UIC. I participated in the review of science assessment items for ISAT and scored student responses for the Illinois Science Assessment. For two years I was part of a team of educators and researchers designing NGSS assessments at UIC.I earned my undergraduate degree in elementary education from Illinois State University. Aside from my education courses, I focused most of my studies in physics, geology, and biology. In 2011, I completed my masters in science education through DePaul University. My masters research focused on how constructivist and inquiry-based curricula and pedagogy affected students' retention and understanding of science concepts. My study found a statistically significant difference in student understanding and retention between students taught using constructivism/inquiry versus traditional lecture/lab methods. Students who are taught using constructivism/inquiry retain science concepts longer, have a better ability to explain these topics, and can better justify their claims regarding these topics.When I completed my masters, I was asked to stay at DePaul in their curriculum studies PhD program. My dissertation topic was on the phenomenology of inquiry-based science curricula design and implementation. Researchers have called for detailed accounts of how teachers experience implementing inquiry-based curricula. My study responded to this call and offered recommendations for curriculum developers and school administrators to help ensure the success of new inquiry-based curricula.In 2025, I became an adjunct instructor at DePaul's College of Education in the Teacher Education department. I teach a combined undergraduate and graduate course on the foundations of science education theory and practice.
Research
Kozoll, R., & Ower, P. (2023). Transitioning Between Reform-Based Curricula: A Middle School Teacher’s Construction of a Science Teaching Identity. Science Education International, 34(1), 42–51. Open Access
Ower, P. S. (2017). Experiencing the Implementation of New Inquiry Science Curricula. [Doctoral dissertation, DePaul University] Digital Commons @DePaul. Open Access
Erratum: my dissertation incorrectly lists my degree as Doctor of Education instead of the correct Doctor of Philosophy.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (2017)
Curriculum Studies
College of Education
DePaul University
Master of Science (2011)
Science Education, with distinction
College of Health and Sciences
DePaul University
Bachelor of Science (2006)
Elementary Education
College of Education
Illinois State University