Dr. Ayça Fackler is an Assistant Professor of Science Education in the Department of Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum at the University of Missouri. Before joining the faculty at MU, she taught science at the K-12 level and science teaching methods for preservice elementary teachers at the postsecondary level. Dr. Fackler has also worked as an education specialist in measurement and evaluation in education at the Turkish Education Association.

Bringing together concepts that inform teaching and learning practices from several different research disciplines, including science education, literacy, and linguistics, Dr. Fackler’s research focuses on the reconceptualization of language, multimodality, and science practices to support learners with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds in learning scientific ideas. Her research supports marginalized learners such as heritage language speakers, English language learners, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities and special needs and aims to decentralize the (scientific) language-centric view in science education to make science accessible to all learners. She is a Jhumki Basu and Sandra Abell Fellow and has been recognized by NARST for her commitment to pursue equity issues in science teaching, learning, and research so urgently needed to reach many underrepresented groups.

Dr. Fackler is a first-generation college graduate and a bilingual researcher and educator. She holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Science Education from the University of Georgia, an M.A. in Measurement and Evaluation in Education from Ankara University, and a joint B.S. and M.Ed. in Secondary Science and Mathematics Education with an emphasis on Biology Education from Gazi University.

Areas of Expertise

• Language in science practices
• Multilingual learners in science education
• Elementary science education
• Pre-service science teacher education
• Qualitative research methods