Rebecca M. Teasdale
Assistant Professor
Educational Psychology
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Contact
Building & Room:
1238 ETMSW MC 147
Address:
1040 W. Harrison St.
Office Phone:
Email:
Related Sites:
About
Rebecca Teasdale is an evaluation methodologist who examines the valuing process in evaluation: the activities of defining program success, specifying evaluative criteria, and applying criteria to reach conclusions. Her methodological research builds an empirically supported, descriptive theory of valuing and develops methods for specifying endogenous and individualized evaluative criteria. This work informs Dr. Teasdale’s substantive research on science and technology learning in adulthood in informal contexts. Currently, she is investigating women’s engagement with digital fabrication and how makerspaces and making experiences align with and support their definitions of success.
Dr. Teasdale’s research agenda is grounded in her previous work in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research, evaluation, and education. Prior to joining the UIC faculty, she was a research associate investigating the molecular basis of specific human diseases; a science and math librarian in public libraries; and a professional evaluator focusing on informal and formal STEM education.
Courses Taught
EPSY 564 Evaluation Principles and Methods
EPSY 565 Evaluation Theory and Practice
EPSY 540 Applied Qualitative Research Methods
EPSY 560 Educational Program Evaluation
Selected Grants
UIC Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy, Are We Moving the Needle? Evaluation of Policies and Programs to Advance Racial Equity, 2021-2022, PI
Selected Publications
Teasdale, R. M. (2022). How do you define success? Evaluative criteria for informal STEM education. Visitor Studies. Advanced online publication. doi.org/10.1080/10645578.2022.2056397
Teasdale, R. M. (2021). Evaluative criteria: An integrated model of domains and sources. American Journal of Evaluation 42(3), 354-376. doi.org/10.1177/1098214020955226
Teasdale, R. M. (2021). “It’s a lab full of art machinery”: Implications of women’s experiences, values, and visions of success for makerspace evaluation. Information and Learning Sciences 12(3/4), 223-245. http://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-08-2020-0177
Teasdale, R. M. (2020). Defining success for a public library makerspace: Implications of participant-defined, individualized evaluative criteria. Library and Information Science Research 42(4), 101053. doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2020.101053
Garibay, C. & Teasdale, R. M. (2019). Equity and evaluation in informal STEM education. In A. C. Fu, A. Kannan, & R. J. Shavelson (Eds.), Evaluation in informal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. New Directions for Evaluation 161, 87-106. doi.org/10.1002/ev.20352
Evans, M. E., Teasdale, R. M., LaLonde, P. G., Crenshaw, H. L., Gannon-Slater, N., Schwandt, T. A., & Greene, J. C. (2019). How did that happen? Teachers’ explanations for low test scores. Teachers College Record 121(2), 1-40. www.tcrecord.org/LIBRARY/abstract.asp?contentid=22555
Education
PhD, Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Certificate, Program Evaluation, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities
MA, Library and Information Science, University of Iowa
BA, Biology, University of Northern Iowa
Professional Memberships
American Evaluation Association
American Educational Research Association
Chicagoland Evaluation Association