Education and Human Development Research

Elizabeth Hufnagel

EHufnagel website photo

Current Research & Interest

Professor Hufnagel’s research centers on the intersection between emotional expressions and teaching and learning about science topics in classrooms and other science settings. Since emotions are evaluative, they provide a lens to understanding which scientific ideas resonate most with learners and teachers. Professor Hufnagel also examines the framing of climate change and other environmental topics in learning settings and political documents. Her work is grounded in discourse analysis methodologies and also draws from ethnography. In addition, Professor Hufnagel works to support pre- and in-service teachers in attending to emotions during science learning.

Select Publications

  • Hufnagel, E. (in press). Attending to emotional expressions about climate change: A framework for teaching and learning. In D.P. Shepardson, A. Roychoudhury, and A.S. Hirsch (Eds.), Teaching and learning about climate change: A framework for educators. Routledge.
  • Hufnagel, E. & Kelly, G.J. (under review). Examining emotional expressions in discourse: Methodological considerations. Cultural Studies of Science Education.
  • Hufnagel, E. (2015). Preservice elementary teachers’ emotional connections and disconnections to climate change in a science course. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 52, 1296–1324. DOI: 10.1002/tea.21245