Brian Hancock
Dr. James Brian Hancock II is an assistant professor of teacher education. Brian enjoys teaching foundations and methods courses for preservice teachers as well as integrated science content courses at Alma College.
Brian’s research focuses on preservice teachers learning to elicit, make sense of, and respond to K-12 students’ thinking about natural phenomena. He is the principal investigator on an NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) grant that investigates if and how learning progression-based modules support preservice elementary teachers’ science understandings.
Brian is interested in Ambitious Science Teaching and continually learning how to better support preservice teachers in engaging K-12 students in high-quality science learning experiences.
In addition to teaching and research, Brian enjoys working with in-service K-12 teachers looking to improve their science instruction in the summer as part of the e-STEM Cooperative Research Experience (CORE) for teachers.
Title
Discipline
Educational Background
- PhD, Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education, specializing in science teacher education, Michigan State University (2020)
- MS, Physics, Central Michigan University (2012)
- BS, Physics, Alma College (2005)
Rank
Assistant Professor
My career at Alma began in
I'm an expert in
Signature course(s):
Recent publications:
Stroupe, D. & Hancock, J.B., II (2022). Examining mentor teachers’ critical pedagogical discourses and participation in an era of changing science standards and pedagogies. Teaching and Teacher Education, 109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103558
Luetkemeier, M.J., Davis, J.E., & Hancock, J.B., II. (2022). Long-term impact of living and learning at high altitude: An altitude physiology class for undergraduate students. Education Sciences, 12(2), 112-122. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12020112
Montoye, A.H., Vondrasek, J.D., & Hancock, J.B. II. (2020). Validity and reliability of the VO2 Master Pro for oxygen consumption and ventilation assessment. International Journal of Exercise Science, 13(4), 1382-1401. Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijes/vol13/iss4/30
Gotwals, A., Hancock, J.B., II, & Stroupe, D. (2020). Lessons and challenges from three years of preservice teachers’ “macroteaching.” In D. Stroupe, K. Hammerness, and S. McDonald (Eds.), Preparing science teachers through practice-based teacher education. Harvard Education Press.
Anderson, C. W., de los Santos, E. X., Bodbyl Roels, S., Covitt, B., Edwards, K. D., Hancock, J. B., Lin, Q., Morrison Thomas, C., Penuel, W., Welch, M. (2018). Designing educational systems to support enactment of the Next Generation Science Standards. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 55(7), 1026-1052.
Hancock, J. B., II, & Lee, M. (2018). Purposefully repurposing activities for phenomena-based teaching. The Science Teacher, 85(3), 43-48.
Hancock, J. B., II, & Fornari, M. (2012). Minds-on audio-guided activities (MAGA): More than hearing and better than seeing. The Physics Teacher, 50(5), 288-291.
Recent presentations:
PEER-REVIEWED
Hancock, J.B. II, & Poling, J.T. (2023, April). Investigating impacts of administrative support on physics teachers’ professional learning. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching International Conference. Chicago, IL.
Hancock, J.B., & Poling, J.T. (2022, March). Investigating impacts of professional development on high school physics teachers’ collaboration and lesson planning. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching International Conference. Vancouver. B.C.
Hancock, J.B., & Alonzo, A.C. (2021, April). Investigating how pre-service teachers draw on their understanding of student ideas to elicit student thinking. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching International Conference. Online.
Stroupe, D., Gotwals, A.W., Hancock, J.B., (2021, April). What to do during whale-nami? Supporting preservice teachers’ noticing and pedagogical reasoning during teaching rehearsals. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association International Conference. Online.
Morrison Thomas, C., Marshall, S., Hancock, J. B., II, Lin, Q., & Anderson, C. W. (2019, April). Patterns in project classrooms: Learning gains and local contexts. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching International Conference, Baltimore, MD.
Hancock, J. B., II, & Alonzo, A. C. (2018, March). Teachers’ use of a learning progression when anticipating student responses to assessment items. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching International Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Covitt, B. A., Morrison Thomas, C., Bodbyl, S., Lin, Q., Hancock, J. B., II., Kohn, C., de los Santos, E. X., & Anderson, C. W. (2018, March). Characterizing discourse patterns for assessment purposes with evidence from classroom video and student work. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching International Conference, Atlanta, GA.
de los Santos, E. X., Marshall, S., Hancock, J. B., II, Bodbyl, S., Lin, Q., Forsyth, A., Penuel, W., & Anderson, C. W. (2018, March). Teachers’ sensemaking about accountability and assessment. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching International Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Alonzo, A. C., Robinson, A., Christensen, J., Hancock, J. B., II, & Lee, M. (2017, April). Developing a learning progression for momentum: Insights for instruction. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching International Conference, San Antonio, TX.
OTHER PRESENTATIONS
Hancock, J.B., II. (2021, November). Investigating how preservice teachers draw on their understanding of student ideas to elicit student thinking. Invited talk at the Central Michigan University Department of Physics (online).
Hancock, J. B., II. (2019, March). Supporting science teachers across trajectories of learning to teach: Three overlapping studies. Invited talk at the Central Michigan University Department of Physics, Mt. Pleasant, MI.
Hancock, J. B., II, Obsniuk, M., Irving, P., Caballero, M., Stroupe, D., & Sawtelle, V. (2015, July). Perceptions of learning and teamwork: Practice-based introductory physics. Presentation at the summer meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, MD.
Hancock, J. B., II. (2014, May). Groups think? Groups learn! Presentation at the Great Lakes Conference on Teaching and Learning, Mt. Pleasant, MI.
Hancock, J. B., II, Kaya, T., & Voege, J. (2013, July). Research Experience for Teachers: Creating an automated waste-sorting device. Presentation at the summer meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers, Portland, OR.
Hancock, J. B., II, & Fornari, M. (2011, July). Minds-on audio guided activities. Presentation at the summer meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers, Omaha, NE.
Hancock, J. B., II, & Fornari, M. (2011, May). Minds-on audio guided activities. Presentation at the Michigan section meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers, Grandville, MI.
Hancock, J. B. II, & Fornari, M. (2011, May). Minds-on audio guided activities. Presentation at the Great Lakes Conference on Teaching and Learning, Mt. Pleasant, MI.
Recent grants:
Other recent accomplishments:
Be sure to check out the latest edition of our bi-annual Alma College Department Alumni Newsletter HERE.