Science teaching self-efficacy in a primary school: A case study

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de Laat, Jenny; Watters, James J.

1995-12-01

Bandura's theory of self-efficacy predicts that teachers with high, self-efficacy should persist longer, provide a greater academic focus in child-centred classrooms and exhibit different types of feedback than teachers who have lower self-efficacy. This paper reports on the science teaching self-efficacy in a group of teachers at a state primary school. The research was conducted in two stages using firstly the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI-A) to identify cases, and secondly, a semistructured interview coupled with classroom observations. Thirty seven teaching staff were surveyed with the STEBI-A instrument. The five highest and five lowest scoring teachers on the personal science teaching self-efficacy subscale of the STEBI-A were interviewed. The analysis of interviews and observations indicated that teachers with high personal science teaching self-efficacy have had a long interest in science and a relatively strong background of formal science studies with opportunities for exploring out of school activities. Although they may have experienced negative science experiences in their own schooling other ameliorating factors existed which maintained their interest. Their instructional strategies in science lessons were more child-centred than those reported by teachers with lower personal science teaching self-efficacy. The implications of the results for the inservice training of teachers are discussed.

Changes in Science Teaching Self-Efficacy among Primary Teacher Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, David; Dixon, Jeanette; Archer, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Many preservice primary teachers have low self-efficacy for science teaching. Although science methods courses have often been shown to enhance self-efficacy, science content courses have been relatively ineffective in this respect. This study investigated whether a tailored science content course would enhance self-efficacy. The participants were…

"I Didn't Always Perceive Myself as a "Science Person"": Examining Efficacy for Primary Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansfield, Caroline F.; Woods-McConney, Amanda

2012-01-01

Teacher efficacy has become an important field of research especially in subjects teachers may find challenging, such as science. This study investigates the sources of teachers' efficacy for teaching science in primary schools in the context of authentic teaching situations with a view to better understanding sources of teachers' efficacy…

Researching Primary Teachers' Professional Agency: Employing Interactive Ethnography to Overcome Reluctance to Teach Science

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Martin, Jenny

2017-09-01

This paper provides a report of a case study on the professional agency of an experienced early years teacher, Sarah, who successfully embedded a chemical science program of teaching-learning for her students aged between 6 and 8. Interactive ethnography informs the research design, and discursive psychology provides the tools for the analysis of Sarah's speech acts for her positioning as a responsible agent. Reframing the problem of primary teacher reluctance to teach science in terms of primary teachers' professional agency using discursive psychology, this ontological study provides new insight into issues related to the provision of science education in primary schools and asks: How do primary teachers position themselves and others in relation to science curriculum and education? The research calls for research methodologies and reform efforts in primary science that are better grounded in the local moral orders of primary schools.

Prospective Primary Teachers' Self-Efficacy and Emotions in Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brigido, Maria; Borrachero, Ana Belen; Bermejo, Maria Luisa; Mellado, Vicente

2013-01-01

The self-efficacy of prospective primary teachers was studied, considering in particular the relationship of that construct with the emotions they expect to experience as future science teachers, differentiating between when they will be teaching the content of the "nature sciences" (biology and geology) and that of the "hard…

Teaching Science in the Primary School: Surveying Teacher Wellbeing and Planning for Survival

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Anne-Marie

2012-01-01

A teacher-researcher in a primary school setting surveyed the middle years' teachers of her school and those in the local science hub group, to determine their confidence and satisfaction levels in relation to teaching science. Her results confirm feelings of inadequacy and reluctance to teach Science, but also indicate ways that schools can…

Understanding primary school science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge: The case of teaching global warming

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Chordnork, Boonliang; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

This aim of this research was to investigate primary school science teachers understanding and teaching practice as well as the influence on teaching and learning a topic like global warming. The participants were four primary science teachers, who were not graduated in science education. Methodology was the case study method, which was under the qualitative research regarded from interpretive paradigm. Data were collected by openended questionnaire, semi-structure interview, and document colleting. The questionnaire examined teachers' background, teachers' understanding of problems and threats of science teaching, desiring of development their PCK, sharing the teaching approaches, and their ideas of strength and weakness. a semi-structured interview was conducted based on the approach for capturing PCK of Loughran [23] content representation (CoRe). And, the document was collected to clarify what evidence which was invented to effect on students' learning. These document included lesson plan, students' task, and painting about global warming, science projects, the picture of activities of science learning, the exercise and test. Data analysis employed multiple approach of evidence looking an issue from each primary science teachers and used triangulation method to analyze the data with aiming to make meaning of teachers' representation of teaching practice. These included descriptive statistics, CoRe interpretation, and document analysis. The results show that teachers had misunderstanding of science teaching practice and they has articulated the pedagogical content knowledge in terms of assessment, goal of teaching and linking to the context of socio cultural. In contrast, knowledge and belief of curriculum, students' understanding of content global warming, and strategies of teaching were articulated indistinct by non-graduate science teacher. Constructing opportunities for personal development, the curiosity of the student learning center, and linking context

What Teachers Want: Supporting Primary School Teachers in Teaching Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Angela; Schneider, Katrin

2013-01-01

Impending change can provide us with the opportunity to rethink and renew the things that we do. The first phase of the Australian Curriculum implementation offers primary school teachers the chance to examine their approaches to science learning and teaching. This paper focuses on the perceptions of three primary school teachers regarding what…

Primary Teacher Trainees Preparedness to Teach Science: A Gender Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mutisya, Sammy M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine Primary Teacher Education (PTE) Trainees' perceptions regarding their preparedness to teach science in primary schools. A descriptive survey research design was used and stratified proportionate random sampling techniques used to select 177 males and 172 females. The study found out that more male trainee…

Primary Science Teaching--Is It Integral and Deep Experience for Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timoštšuk, Inge

2016-01-01

Integral and deep pedagogical content knowledge can support future primary teachers' ability to follow ideas of education for sustainability in science class. Initial teacher education provides opportunity to learn what and how to teach but still the practical experiences of teaching can reveal uneven development of student teachers'…

Children's Questions and Science Teaching: An Alternative Approach. [and] Floating and Sinking: Some Teaching Suggestions. Learning in Science Project (Primary). Working Paper No. 117 [February 1984 and November 1983 Versions].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biddulph, Fred; Osborne, Roger

Two booklets were developed by the Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P)--to help teachers adopt an approach to primary science teaching which would enhance children's understanding of floating and sinking. Both booklets were designed to enable teachers to reconceptualize their teaching task from activity-driven, didactic teaching to…

Primary and Secondary School Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Documentation and Information, 1984

1984-01-01

This 344-item annotated bibliography presents overview of science teaching in following categories: science education; primary school science; integrated science teaching; teaching of biology, chemistry, physics, earth/space science; laboratory work; computer technology; out-of-school science; science and society; science education at…

University-School Partnerships: Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers Working Together to Teach Primary Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenny, John Daniel

2012-01-01

This paper reports on a partnership approach preparing pre-service primary teachers to teach science. Partnerships involving pre-service teachers and volunteer in-service colleagues were formed to teach science in the classroom of the colleague, with support from the science education lecturer. Each pre-service teacher collaboratively planned and…

Teaching Primary Science: Emotions, Identity and the Use of Practical Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cripps Clark, John; Groves, Susie

2012-01-01

This paper uses cultural historical activity theory to examine the interactions between the choices primary teachers make in the use of practical activities in their teaching of science and the purposes they attribute to these; their emotions, background and beliefs; and the construction of their identities as teachers of science. It draws on four…

Influencing Intended Teaching Practice: Exploring pre-service teachers' perceptions of science teaching resources

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Cooper, Grant; Kenny, John; Fraser, Sharon

2012-08-01

Many researchers have identified and expressed concern over the state of science education internationally, but primary teachers face particular obstacles when teaching science due to their poor science background and low confidence with science. Research has suggested that exemplary resources, or units that work, may be an effective way to support primary teachers. This study explores the effect of one such resource on the intentions of pre-service primary teachers to teach science. The resource in question is Primary Connections, a series of learning resources produced by the Australian Academy of Science specifically designed for primary science. Evaluative studies of Primary Connections have indicated its efficacy with practising primary teachers but there is little evidence of its impact upon pre-service teachers. The purpose of this study was to investigate how effective these quality teaching resources were in influencing the intentions of primary pre-service teachers to teach science after they graduated. The theory of planned behaviour highlighted the linkage between the intentions of the pre-service teachers to teach science, and their awareness of and experiences with using Primary Connections during their education studies. This enabled key factors to be identified which influenced the intentions of the pre-service teachers to use Primary Connections to teach science after they graduate. The study also provided evidence of how quality science teaching resources can be effectively embedded in a teacher education programme as a means of encouraging and supporting pre-service teachers to teach science.

How to Support Primary Teachers' Implementation of Inquiry: Teachers' Reflections on Teaching Cooperative Inquiry-Based Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillies, Robyn M.; Nichols, Kim

2015-01-01

Many primary teachers face challenges in teaching inquiry science, often because they believe that they do not have the content knowledge or pedagogical skills to do so. This is a concern given the emphasis attached to teaching science through inquiry where students do not simply learn about science but also do science. This study reports on the…

The Impact of a Curriculum Course on Pre-Service Primary Teachers' Science Content Knowledge and Attitudes towards Teaching Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Cliona; Smith, Greg

2012-01-01

Many primary school teachers have insufficient content and pedagogical knowledge of science. This lack of knowledge can often lead to a lack of confidence and competence in teaching science. This article explores the impact of a year-long science methodology (curriculum science) course on second year Bachelor of Education (BEd) students'…

Primary School Teachers' Understanding of Science Process Skills in Relation to Their Teaching Qualifications and Teaching Experience

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Shahali, Edy H. M.; Halim, Lilia; Treagust, David F.; Won, Mihye; Chandrasegaran, A. L.

2017-04-01

This study investigated the understanding of science process skills (SPS) of 329 science teachers from 52 primary schools selected by random sampling. The understanding of SPS was measured in terms of conceptual and operational aspects of SPS using an instrument called the Science Process Skills Questionnaire (SPSQ) with a Cronbach's alpha reliability of 0.88. The findings showed that the teachers' conceptual understanding of SPS was much weaker than their practical application of SPS. The teachers' understanding of SPS differed by their teaching qualifications but not so much by their teaching experience. Emphasis needs to be given to both conceptual and operational understanding of SPS during pre-service and in-service teacher education to enable science teachers to use the skills and implement inquiry-based lessons in schools.

Improving the Teaching of Science and Technology in Primary Schools--A Cluster Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Paul

2017-01-01

The position of science and technology in Scottish primary schools is broadly similar to most other primary schools throughout Great Britain. There are certain schools and individuals that perform at a very high level but many schools are hampered by a lack of resources, a lack of confidence in teaching the topics and some significant gaps in the…

An Innovative Model of Professional Development to Enhance the Teaching and Learning of Primary Science in Irish Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Greg

2014-01-01

This study investigates the influence of a two-year professional development programme on primary teachers' attitudes towards primary science, their confidence and competence in teaching science, and pupils' attitudes towards school science. Unlike the traditional "one-size-fits all" model of professional development, the model developed…

Teaching Primary Science with Almost Nothing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Lois; Schofield, Kathy

2012-01-01

In the summer of 2010 the authors spent two weeks helping teachers in a primary school near Kampala to develop their science curriculum. In common with many primary schools in Uganda science was taught as "facts to be learnt." This was partly because the teachers had had little or no first-hand experience of practical science or science…

Case Studies of Interactive Whole-Class Teaching in Primary Science: Communicative Approach and Pedagogic Purposes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMahon, Kendra

2012-01-01

By developing two case studies of expert teaching in action, this study aimed to develop knowledge of talk in whole-class teaching in UK primary science lessons and understand this in relation to both the teachers' interpretations and sociocultural theoretical frameworks. Lessons were observed and video-recorded and the teachers engaged in…

Experimenting with an Alternative Teaching Approach on "Metals." Learning in Science Project (Primary). Working Paper No. 113.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biddulph, Fred; McMinn, Bill

An alternative approach for teaching primary school science has been proposed by the Learning in Science Project (Primary--LISP(P). This study investigated the use of the approach during three series of lessons on the topic "metals." Each series followed the same general pattern: (1) an introductory session to stimulate children to ask…

Self-Reported Learning from Co-Teaching Primary Science Lessons to Peers at University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Peter; Nykvist, Shaun; Mukherjee, Michelle

2016-01-01

Universities are challenged continuously in reviews to improve teacher education, which includes providing substantial theory-practice connections for undergraduates. This study investigated second year preservice teachers' (n = 48) self-reported learning as a result of co-teaching primary science to their peers within the university setting. From…

An Investigation into How Grade 5 Teachers Teach Natural Science Concepts in Three Western Cape Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Set, Beata; Hadman, Joanne; Ashipala, Daniel Opotamutale

2017-01-01

Purpose: The rationale behind this study was to investigate how three Grade 5 Natural Sciences teachers in three Western Cape primary schools teach science concepts so as to enable the researcher to gain a deeper understanding and more insightful perception of the ways in which the pedagogical practices of South African primary school teachers…

"Primary Connections" in a Provincial Queensland School System: Relationships to Science Teaching Self-Efficacy and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albion, Peter R.; Spence, Karen G.

2013-01-01

The teaching of science is important, both to meet the need for future workers in fields requiring scientific capability and to equip students for full participation in modern societies where many decisions depend upon knowledge of science. However, many teachers in Australian primary schools do not allocate science education sufficient amounts of…

The inseparable role of emotions in the teaching and learning of primary school science

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Siry, Christina; Brendel, Michelle

2016-09-01

In this paper, we seek to explore the inseparable role of emotions in the teaching and the learning of science at the primary school level, as we elaborate the theoretical underpinnings and personal experiences that lead us to this notion of inseparability. We situate our perspectives on the complexity of science education in primary schools, draw on existing literature on emotions in science, and present arguments for the necessity of working towards positive emotions in our work with young children and their teachers. We layer our own perspectives and experiences as teachers and as researchers onto methodological arguments through narratives to emerge with a reflective essay that seeks to highlight the importance of emotions in our work with children and their teachers in elementary school science.

Working Alongside Scientists: Impacts on Primary Teacher Beliefs and Knowledge about Science and Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Dayle; Moeed, Azra

2017-01-01

Current curriculum demands require primary teachers to teach about the Nature of Science; yet, few primary teachers have had opportunity to learn about science as a discipline. Prior schooling and vicarious experiences of science may shape their beliefs about science and, as a result, their science teaching. This qualitative study describes the…

Students as 'catalysts' in the classroom: the impact of co-teaching between science student teachers and primary classroom teachers on children's enjoyment and learning of science

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Murphy, Colette; Beggs, Jim; Carlisle, Karen; Greenwood, Julian

2004-08-01

This study is an investigation of the impact of collaborative teaching by student-teachers and classroom teachers on children's enjoyment and learning of science. The paper describes findings from a project in which undergraduate science specialist student-teachers were placed in primary schools where they 'co-taught' investigative science and technology with primary teachers. Almost six months after the student placement, a survey of children's attitudes to school science revealed that these children enjoyed science lessons more and showed fewer gender or age differences in their attitudes to science than children who had not been involved in the project. The authors discuss how this model of collaborative planning, teaching and evaluation can both enhance teacher education and improve children's experience of science.

The Teaching-Learning Strategy of the Primary Science Project of the Science Education Programme for Africa. IIEP Seminar Paper 30.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyasi, Hubert M.

This paper is concerned with the teaching-learning strategy of the Primary Science Project of the Science Education Program for Africa. It was presented in the 1976 seminar of the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) of the UNESCO in Paris. The document includes six sections: (1) The concept of a strategy; (2) Description of the…

Primary Teachers Conducting Inquiry Projects: Effects on Attitudes towards Teaching Science and Conducting Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra I.; Walma van der Molen, Juliette H.; van Hest, Erna G. W. C. M.; Poortman, Cindy

2017-01-01

This study used an experimental, pretest-posttest control group design to investigate whether participation in a large-scale inquiry project would improve primary teachers' attitudes towards teaching science and towards conducting inquiry. The inquiry project positively affected several elements of teachers' attitudes. Teachers felt less anxious…

Affecting Primary Science: A Case from the Early Years.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watts, Mike; Walsh, Amanda

1997-01-01

Claims that there is a "down-drift" in the teaching of science, with even preschools now obligated to teach science content. Investigates (through one teacher's diary) how primary teachers interact with scientific teachings and how they can best be inducted into the teaching and learning of science. Concludes that incorporating personal…

Unawareness to Production, Dropout to Innovator--Primary Teachers' Understanding and Use of a Science, Technology and Society Approach to Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rollnick, Marissa; Dlamini, Betty T.; Bradley, John

2015-01-01

This paper investigates the process of teacher change in a group of 8 primary school teachers during their exposure to a science, technology and society (STS) approach to teaching Science in Swaziland. The research aimed to establish the effect of support given to teachers in using the approach through a series of workshops, followed by a 5-week…

Attending to the Spiritual through the Teaching of Science: A Study of Pre-Service Primary Teachers' Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stolberg, Tonie L.

2008-01-01

Analysis of the attitudes of 140 pre-service primary teachers, and of extended interviews with 15 of these prospective teachers, indicates differences in the ways pre-service teachers use science in their heuristic reasoning and their ability and/or willingness to include a spiritual dimension in their science teaching. These differences were a…

"I'd Need To Do A Lot Of Reading Myself before Teaching This." How Do Primary Student Teachers Know What Science To Teach?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Robin; Lloyd, Jane

The subject knowledge primary teachers have as a basis for their teaching has become a major concern in preservice and inservice teacher education. This paper reports on a study that investigated the science and pedagogical content knowledge of a sample of 42 preservice primary teachers in England. Assignments and questionnaires were used to…

Science and Technology Teachers' Views of Primary School Science and Technology Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz-Duban, Nil

2013-01-01

This phenomenographic study attempts to explicit science and technology teachers' views of primary school science and technology curriculum. Participants of the study were selected through opportunistic sampling and consisted of 30 science and technology teachers teaching in primary schools in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. Data were collected through an…

The Nature and Influence of Teacher Beliefs and Knowledge on the Science Teaching Practice of Three Generalist New Zealand Primary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Dayle

2015-01-01

Students' negative experiences of science in the primary sector have commonly been blamed on poor teacher content knowledge. Yet, teacher beliefs have long been identified as strong influences on classroom practice. Understanding the nature of teacher beliefs and their influence on primary science teaching practice could usefully inform teacher…

Approaches To Teaching Science in the Jordanian Primary School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qualter, Anne; Abu-Hola, I. R. A.

2000-01-01

Reports on a study of the influence of different approaches to teaching units from the Jordanian science curriculum on over 600 students from grades 6, 9, and 10. Trains a small sample of male and female teachers in the use of cooperative learning and lecture-demonstration approaches to teaching. (Contains 17 references.) (Author/YDS)

Innovative Technologies in Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerra, Cecilia; Pombo, Lucia; Moreira, Antonio

2011-01-01

Technology plays a crucial role in pupils' and primary teachers' lives nowadays and its use can facilitate change towards an innovative school environment. The internet, for example, can act as a platform to foster science teaching and offers a variety of opportunities for effective science learning and engaging and motivating children. But…

Teaching the process of science: faculty perceptions and an effective methodology.

PubMed

Coil, David; Wenderoth, Mary Pat; Cunningham, Matthew; Dirks, Clarissa

2010-01-01

Most scientific endeavors require science process skills such as data interpretation, problem solving, experimental design, scientific writing, oral communication, collaborative work, and critical analysis of primary literature. These are the fundamental skills upon which the conceptual framework of scientific expertise is built. Unfortunately, most college science departments lack a formalized curriculum for teaching undergraduates science process skills. However, evidence strongly suggests that explicitly teaching undergraduates skills early in their education may enhance their understanding of science content. Our research reveals that faculty overwhelming support teaching undergraduates science process skills but typically do not spend enough time teaching skills due to the perceived need to cover content. To encourage faculty to address this issue, we provide our pedagogical philosophies, methods, and materials for teaching science process skills to freshman pursuing life science majors. We build upon previous work, showing student learning gains in both reading primary literature and scientific writing, and share student perspectives about a course where teaching the process of science, not content, was the focus. We recommend a wider implementation of courses that teach undergraduates science process skills early in their studies with the goals of improving student success and retention in the sciences and enhancing general science literacy.

Teaching the Process of Science: Faculty Perceptions and an Effective Methodology

PubMed Central

Coil, David; Wenderoth, Mary Pat; Cunningham, Matthew

2010-01-01

Most scientific endeavors require science process skills such as data interpretation, problem solving, experimental design, scientific writing, oral communication, collaborative work, and critical analysis of primary literature. These are the fundamental skills upon which the conceptual framework of scientific expertise is built. Unfortunately, most college science departments lack a formalized curriculum for teaching undergraduates science process skills. However, evidence strongly suggests that explicitly teaching undergraduates skills early in their education may enhance their understanding of science content. Our research reveals that faculty overwhelming support teaching undergraduates science process skills but typically do not spend enough time teaching skills due to the perceived need to cover content. To encourage faculty to address this issue, we provide our pedagogical philosophies, methods, and materials for teaching science process skills to freshman pursuing life science majors. We build upon previous work, showing student learning gains in both reading primary literature and scientific writing, and share student perspectives about a course where teaching the process of science, not content, was the focus. We recommend a wider implementation of courses that teach undergraduates science process skills early in their studies with the goals of improving student success and retention in the sciences and enhancing general science literacy. PMID:21123699

The Emotions in Teaching and Learning Nature Sciences and Physics/Chemistry in Pre-Service Primary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brigido, Maria; Bermejo, M. Luisa; Conde, M. Carmen; Mellado, Vicente

2010-01-01

A study was made of different emotions that prospective primary school teachers report with respect to science subjects, when they were pupils, and during their practice teaching, taking into account the variables gender and the specialty they studied in the secondary education. The study consisted of a questionnaire completed by 63 primary…

Indigenous knowledge and languages in the teaching and learning of science: A focus on a rural primary school in Zimbabwe

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Shizha, Edward

Teachers are known for their "gate-keeping" roles in schools, especially in the classroom setting. They process and decide what "knowledge" is "valid" and "appropriate" for students. They also decide when and how the knowledge should be mediated to students. Their gate-keeping role marginalizes some forms of knowledge while validating and legitimating others. This qualitative and constructivist-interpretive case study is an exploration and description of ten rural primary school teachers' experiences in teaching science using indigenous perspectives in Zimbabwe. The purpose of the study was to discover and describe, using qualitative inquiry, how teachers incorporate indigenous knowledge and languages in teaching science in a rural primary school in Zimbabwe. The study also sought to understand teachers' mediation techniques in the process of bridging the cultural gap between formal science and indigenous knowledge that students bring into the classroom from home. In this study, I elicited, from teachers, their understanding of the interconnectedness of indigenous knowledge and Western science. I employed qualitative inquiry to collect data from them in their natural working environment, the school and the classroom. Purposive sampling was utilized to select ten teachers who were observed teaching two science lessons each. All the lessons were captured using a video recorder, which facilitated the collection of as much information as possible from events occurring in the classroom. Later, semi-structured interviews/conversations were audio-recorded from the same teachers to elicit their insights and experiences in teaching science using indigenous perspectives and languages. Policy documents and science syllabuses were also perused for information on what teachers were expected to teach in science. Inductive analysis was employed to interpret findings that resulted in thick and in-depth narratives. The findings from these narratives revealed differences and

Secondary Science Teachers' and Students' Involvement in a Primary School Community of Science Practice: How It Changed Their Practices and Interest in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forbes, Anne; Skamp, Keith

2016-02-01

MyScience is a primary science education initiative in which being in a community of practice is integral to the learning process. In this initiative, stakeholder groups—primary teachers, primary students and mentors—interact around the `domain' of `investigating scientifically'. This paper builds on three earlier publications and interprets the findings of the views of four secondary science teachers and five year 9 secondary science students who were first-timer participants—as mentors—in MyScience. Perceptions of these mentors' interactions with primary students were analysed using attributes associated with both `communities of practice' and the `nature of science'. Findings reveal that participation in MyScience changed secondary science teachers' views and practices about how to approach the teaching of science in secondary school and fostered primary-secondary links. Year 9 students positively changed their views about secondary school science and confidence in science through participation as mentors. Implications for secondary science teaching and learning through participation in primary school community of science practice settings are discussed.

The Changing Roles of Science Specialists during a Capacity Building Program for Primary School Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herbert, Sandra; Xu, Lihua; Kelly, Leissa

2017-01-01

Science education starts at primary school. Yet, recent research shows primary school teachers lack confidence and competence in teaching science (Prinsley & Johnston, 2015). A Victorian state government science specialist initiative responded to this concern by providing professional learning programs to schools across Victoria. Drawing on…

Perceptions and Pedagogy: Exploring the Beliefs and Practices of an Effective Primary Science Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Angela; Dawson, Vaille; Hackling, Mark

2009-01-01

Effective science teaching is vital for improved student learning outcomes in primary school science. Therefore, there is a need to tease out the components of effective science teaching to better understand what effective primary teachers do in their classrooms and why they do it. Four primary teachers, each nominated as effective science…

Implementing Science Notebooks in the Primary Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nesbit, Catherine R.; Hargrove, Tracy Y.; Harrelson, Linda; Maxey, Bob

2004-01-01

In this article, the author details the process teachers can use to teach primary-age children how to use science notebooks. To lay the foundation for using notebooks, the author describes important elements of science notebooks and makes a distinction between science note-books and journals. In addition, the article highlights the benefits…

Reflecting on Teaching of the "Appliance of Science"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linfield, Rachel

2016-01-01

As a primary school teacher, Rachel Linfield has always been insistent that her students were taught and understood the use behind a particular science fact or process. These days, however, she finds very few students who can recall a single useful science fact that they learned in primary school. Linfield wonders if teaching of the National…

The Primary Science Project in Norway: Action Research and Curriculum Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jorde, Doris

This paper describes the Primary Science Project in Norway whose goals were to describe the primary (grades 1-6) science classroom and to make recommendations on improvements for primary science teaching. The purpose of this study was to study the classroom climate, specifically focusing on the social interactions between teachers and students.…

Design of Knowledge Models for Teaching Experimental Sciences at University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pérez de Villarreal, Maider

2018-01-01

Teaching Experimental Sciences is a compulsory subject in the Bachelor's Degree in Primary Education (BDPE). It belongs to the discipline of Education and to the field of "Knowledge of the social and natural environment", and consists of a total of 24 ECTS, of which 6 ECTS correspond to "Teaching Natural Sciences" (TNS). This…

Primary Student Teachers' Ideas about Teaching a Physics Topic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahtee, Maija; Johnston, Jane

2006-01-01

This study examines Finnish and English primary student teachers' ideas when planning to teach a physics topic during their science education studies. Many primary student teachers lack sufficient subject knowledge, which prevents them from constructing the scientific pedagogical content knowledge that enables them to concentrate on pupils'…

Science teaching in science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callahan, Brendan E.; Dopico, Eduardo

2016-06-01

Reading the interesting article Discerning selective traditions in science education by Per Sund , which is published in this issue of CSSE, allows us to open the discussion on procedures for teaching science today. Clearly there is overlap between the teaching of science and other areas of knowledge. However, we must constantly develop new methods to teach and differentiate between science education and teaching science in response to the changing needs of our students, and we must analyze what role teachers and teacher educators play in both. We must continually examine the methods and concepts involved in developing pedagogical content knowledge in science teachers. Otherwise, the possibility that these routines, based on subjective traditions, prevent emerging processes of educational innovation. Modern science is an enormous field of knowledge in its own right, which is made more expansive when examined within the context of its place in society. We propose the need to design educative interactions around situations that involve science and society. Science education must provide students with all four dimensions of the cognitive process: factual knowledge, conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and metacognitive knowledge. We can observe in classrooms at all levels of education that students understand the concepts better when they have the opportunity to apply the scientific knowledge in a personally relevant way. When students find value in practical exercises and they are provided opportunities to reinterpret their experiences, greater learning gains are achieved. In this sense, a key aspect of educational innovation is the change in teaching methodology. We need new tools to respond to new problems. A shift in teacher education is needed to realize the rewards of situating science questions in a societal context and opening classroom doors to active methodologies in science education to promote meaningful learning through meaningful teaching.

Using Primary Literature to Teach Science Literacy to Introductory Biology Students

PubMed Central

Krontiris-Litowitz, Johanna

2013-01-01

Undergraduate students struggle to read the scientific literature and educators have suggested that this may reflect deficiencies in their science literacy skills. In this two-year study we develop and test a strategy for using the scientific literature to teach science literacy skills to novice life science majors. The first year of the project served as a preliminary investigation in which we evaluated student science literacy skills, created a set of science literacy learning objectives aligned with Bloom’s taxonomy, and developed a set of homework assignments that used peer-reviewed articles to teach science literacy. In the second year of the project the effectiveness of the assignments and the learning objectives were evaluated. Summative student learning was evaluated in the second year on a final exam. The mean score was 83.5% (±20.3%) and there were significant learning gains (p < 0.05) in seven of nine of science literacy skills. Project data indicated that even though students achieved course-targeted lower-order science literacy objectives, many were deficient in higher-order literacy skills. Results of this project suggest that building scientific literacy is a continuing process which begins in first-year science courses with a set of fundamental skills that can serve the progressive development of literacy skills throughout the undergraduate curriculum. PMID:23858355

Development and Exemplification of a Model for Teacher Assessment in Primary Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, D. J.; Earle, S.; McMahon, K.; Howe, A.; Collier, C.

2017-01-01

The Teacher Assessment in Primary Science project is funded by the Primary Science Teaching Trust and based at Bath Spa University. The study aims to develop a whole-school model of valid, reliable and manageable teacher assessment to inform practice and make a positive impact on primary-aged children's learning in science. The model is based on a…

Science Teaching in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callahan, Brendan E.; Dopico, Eduardo

2016-01-01

Reading the interesting article "Discerning selective traditions in science education" by Per Sund, which is published in this issue of "CSSE," allows us to open the discussion on procedures for teaching science today. Clearly there is overlap between the teaching of science and other areas of knowledge. However, we must…

Primary Science Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pook, Gayle

2013-01-01

Consider the extent to which primary science teaching has evolved since it became a core subject in England with the introduction of the National Curriculum in 1988, and the pace at which theory-driven classroom practice has advanced. It is no wonder that, given the recent economic restructuring and boom in technological development in China,…

The Use of History and Philosophy of Science as a Core for a Socioconstructivist Teaching Approach of the Concept of Energy in Primary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizaki, Aikaterini; Kokkotas, Panagiotis

2013-01-01

The present study should be thought as a socioconstructivist teaching approach (a teaching model) for the concept of energy in primary education. It contains important and crucial aspects of the History and Philosophy of Natural Sciences, introduces the concept of energy using the macroscopic framework of thermodynamics, takes into consideration…

Case Studies of Interactive Whole-Class Teaching in Primary Science: Communicative approach and pedagogic purposes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMahon, Kendra

2012-07-01

By developing two case studies of expert teaching in action, this study aimed to develop knowledge of talk in whole-class teaching in UK primary science lessons and understand this in relation to both the teachers' interpretations and sociocultural theoretical frameworks. Lessons were observed and video-recorded and the teachers engaged in video-stimulated-reflective dialogue to capture participants' reflections upon their own pedagogic purposes and interactions in the classroom. The analytic framework was developed at three levels: sequence of lessons, lesson, and episode. For each episode, the 'communicative approach' and teaching purposes were recorded. Transcripts were developed for fine grain analysis of selected episodes and a quantitative analysis was undertaken of the use of communicative approaches. Findings exemplify how different communicative approaches were used by the case-study teachers for different pedagogical purposes at different points in the sequence of lessons, contributing to primary teachers' repertoire for planning and practice. The initial elicitation of children's ideas can be understood as pooling them to enhance multivoicedness and develop a shared resource for future dialogues. Whole-class talk can support univocality by rehearsing procedural knowledge and exploring the meanings of scientific terminology. Identifying salient features of phenomena in the context of the whole-class marks them as significant as shared knowledge but valuing other observations extends the multivoicedness of the discourse.

School Innovation in Science: Improving Science Teaching and Learning in Australian Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tytler, Russell

2009-01-01

School Innovation in Science is a major Victorian Government initiative that developed and validated a model whereby schools can improve their science teaching and learning. The initiative was developed and rolled out to more than 400 schools over the period 2000-2004. A research team worked with 200+ primary and secondary schools over three…

Investigative Primary Science: A Problem-Based Learning Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etherington, Matthew B.

2011-01-01

This study reports on the success of using a problem-based learning approach (PBL) as a pedagogical mode of learning open inquiry science within a traditional four-year undergraduate elementary teacher education program. In 2010, a problem-based learning approach to teaching primary science replaced the traditional content driven syllabus. During…

Dialogic Teaching in the Primary Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercer, Neil; Dawes, Lyn; Staarman, Judith Kleine

2009-01-01

This paper describes research on dialogue between teachers and pupils during primary school science lessons, using talk from two classrooms to provide our examples. We consider whether teachers use dialogue to make education a cumulative, continuing process for guiding the development of children's understanding. Case studies of two teachers,…

Using Primary Literature for Teaching Undergraduate Planetary Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levine, J.

2013-05-01

Articles from the primary scientific literature can be a valuable teaching tool in undergraduate classrooms. At Colgate University, I emphasize selected research articles in an upper-level undergraduate course in planetary sciences. In addition to their value for conveying specific scientific content, I find that they also impart larger lessons which are especially apt in planetary sciences and allied fields. First, because of the interdisciplinary nature of planetary sciences, students discover that contributions to outstanding problems may arrive from unexpected directions, so they need to be aware of the multi-faceted nature of scientific problems. For instance, after millennia of astrometric attempts, the scale of the Solar System was determined with extraordinary precision with emerging radar technology in the 1960's. Second, students learn the importance of careful work, with due attention to detail. After all, the timescales of planetary formation are encoded in systematic isotopic variations of a few parts in 10,000; in students' own experiences with laboratory data they might well overlook such a small effect. Third, students identify the often-tortuous connections between measured and inferred quantities, which corrects a common student misconception that all quantities of interest (e.g., the age of a meteorite) can be measured directly. Fourth, research articles provide opportunities for students to practice the interpretation of graphical data, since figures often represent a large volume of data in succinct form. Fifth, and perhaps of greatest importance, by considering the uncertainties inherent in reported data, students come to recognize the limits of scientific understanding, the extent to which scientific conclusions are justified (or not), and the lengths to which working scientists go to mitigate their uncertainties. These larger lessons are best mediated by students' own encounters with the articles they read, but require instructors to make

Preservice elementary teachers' personal science teaching efficacy and science teaching outcome expectancies: The influence of student teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plourde, Lee Alton

This study was unique in garnering an early view at how the deterioration of science teacher education begins. This investigation examined the impact of the student teaching semester on preservice elementary teachers' personal efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancy beliefs in science teaching. Participants in the study included the student teachers of three separate cohort groups commencing and completing their student teaching semester at the same time. Qualitative data were gathered from interviews and observations from selected individuals of these cohort groups. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were employed in the study. Utilizing a pretest and posttest one group research design, quantitative data were obtained from the administration of a psychometric test, Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument for preservice teachers (STEBI-B). The pretest was administered at the beginning of the student teaching semester, before the student teachers began their "soloing" teaching, and the posttest was administered at the completion of the student teaching semester and "soloing" period. Qualitative data were derived from interviews and observations which were audio recorded and transcribed. The results of this study revealed that the student teaching semester did not have a statistically significant impact on the subjects' sense of personal self-efficacy, but the influence was statistically significant in regards to the student teachers' beliefs about children's ability to learn science. Data gathered through interviews and observations suggested that beliefs appear to originate from one or more of the following: a lack of practical work, personal involvement, and hands-on manipulation in science related activities in elementary, secondary, and tertiary education; a dependence of science courses on textbooks and lectures; the dispassionate association with science teachers/instructors; a focus on formalized tests with no performance assessments; the

Critical Zone Science as a Multidisciplinary Framework for Teaching Earth Science and Sustainability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wymore, A.; White, T. S.; Dere, A. L. D.; Hoffman, A.; Washburne, J. C.; Conklin, M. H.

2016-12-01

The Earth's Critical Zone (CZ) is the terrestrial portion of the continents ranging from the top of the vegetative canopy down through soil and bedrock to the lowest extent of freely circulating groundwater. The primary objective of CZ science is to characterize and understand how the reciprocal interactions among rock, soil, water, air and terrestrial organisms influence the Earth as a habitable environment. Thus it is a highly multidisciplinary science that incorporates the biological, hydrological, geological and atmospheric sciences and provides a holistic approach to teaching Earth system science. Here we share highlights from a full-semester university curriculum that introduces upper-division Environmental Science, Geology, Hydrology and Earth Science students to CZ science. We emphasize how a CZ framework is appropriate to teach concepts across the scientific disciplines, concepts of sustainability, and how CZ science serves as a useful approach to solving humanities' grand challenges.

Continuing Professional Development and Learning in Primary Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Christine A.

2010-01-01

This article explores the effects of continuing professional development (CPD) on teachers' and pupils' experiences of learning and teaching science in primary classrooms. During 2006-2007, quantitative and qualitative data were elicited from two primary teachers in Scotland using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and video-stimulated…

A Study on Teaching Gases to Prospective Primary Science Teachers Through Problem-Based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senocak, Erdal; Taskesenligil, Yavuz; Sozbilir, Mustafa

2007-07-01

The aim of this study was to compare the achievement of prospective primary science teachers in a problem-based curriculum with those in a conventional primary science teacher preparation program with regard to success in learning about gases and developing positive attitudes towards chemistry. The subjects of the study were 101 first year undergraduate students, who were in two different classes and who were taught by the same lecturer. One of the classes was randomly selected as the intervention group in which problem-based learning (PBL) was used, and the other as the control in which conventional teaching methods were used. The data were obtained through use of the gases diagnostic test (GDT), the chemistry attitude scale (CAS), and scales specific to students’ evaluation of PBL such as the peer evaluation scale (PES), self evaluation scale (SES), tutor’s performance evaluation scale (TPES) and students’ evaluation of PBL scale (SEPBLS). Data were analysed using SPSS 10.0 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). In order to find out the effect of the intervention (PBL) on students’ learning of gases, independent sample t-tests and ANCOVA (analysis of co-variance) were used. The results obtained from the study showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of students’ GDT total mean scores and, their attitude towards chemistry, as well as PBL has a significant effect on the development of students’ skills such as self-directed learning, cooperative learning and critical thinking.

Hopes and Fears for Science Teaching: The Possible Selves of Preservice Teachers in a Science Education Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Ji; Greene, Barbara

2011-10-01

Given the high attrition rate of beginning science teachers, it is imperative to better prepare science preservice teachers, so that they can be successful during the early years of their teaching. The purpose of this study was to explore science preservice teachers' views of themselves as a future teacher, in particular their hopes and fears for science teaching and the experiences that help to shape their possible selves. Employed were qualitative methods, which included open-ended surveys and face-to-face interviews. Eleven preservice teachers who enrolled in a secondary science teacher preparation program participated. Findings showed six categories of future selves with the most frequent category being for effective/ineffective science teaching. When their hoped-for and feared selves were not balanced, participants articulated more fears. Regarding the primary influence in shaping their hopes and fears, diverse past experiences related to teaching and learning appeared to be more salient factors than science teacher education program. Given the enriched understanding of the science preservice teachers' perceptions, we provided suggestions for science teacher educators.

`You Actually Feel like You're Actually Doing Some Science': Primary Students' Perspectives of Their Involvement in the MyScience Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forbes, Anne; Skamp, Keith

2017-07-01

MyScience is a primary science education initiative in which being in a community of practice (CoP) is integral to the learning process. Stakeholder groups—primary teachers, primary students and scientist mentors—interact around the CoP domainof investigating scientifically and learn from each other through participation. This paper is the fifth in a series and reports 27 year 5/6 students' (from three schools) perceptions of how their views were influenced through their involvement in a MyScience CoP. Semi-structured interviews, guided by a phenomenographic framework, were the substantive data source. Primary students' perceptions about science, science learning and science teaching were analysed using attributes associated with both communities of practice and the nature of science. Findings reveal that students' perceptions of what it means to be doing science' were transformed through their participation and students were able to identify some of the contributing factors. Where appropriate, students' views were compared with the published views of their participating scientist mentors and teachers from earlier papers. Implications for science teaching and learning in primary school community of practice settings are discussed.

The effects of a summer science camp teaching experience on preservice elementary teachers' science teaching efficacy, science content knowledge, and understanding of the nature of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Logerwell, Mollianne G.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a summer science camp teaching experience on preservice elementary teachers' science teaching efficacy, science content knowledge, and understanding of the nature of science. Master's degree students enrolled in the elementary Fairfax Partnership Schools (FPS, n = 21) cohort served as the treatment group, while those enrolled in the Loudoun Partnership Schools (LPS, n = 15) and Professional Development Schools (PDS, n = 24) cohorts at George Mason University served as the control groups. The treatment group planned for and taught a two-week inquiry- and problem-based summer science camp as part of their science methods course, while the control groups did not. The Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI), a science content assessment, a personal data questionnaire, and a modified version of the Views of Nature of Science Questionnaire (VNOS-C) were administered to the participants at the beginning and end of their science methods course. Analyses revealed significant increases for the FPS group in general science teaching efficacy, personal science teaching efficacy, science teaching outcome expectancy, general science knowledge, biology content knowledge, chemistry content knowledge, and understanding of NOS; the LPS group in general science teaching efficacy, personal science teaching efficacy, chemistry content knowledge, and understanding of NOS; and, the PDS group in general science teaching efficacy, personal science teaching efficacy, and chemistry content knowledge. Additionally, the FPS group had significantly higher general science teaching efficacy than both control groups, personal science teaching efficacy than the PDS group, and understanding of NOS than the LPS group. Overall, the findings indicate that course length is not as important for developing preservice teachers' teaching efficacy and understanding of content as having connected, authentic field-based teaching experiences

Teaching Ethics in Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reiss, Michael

1999-01-01

Summarizes arguments for and against teaching ethics within science education, and clarifies what might be the several aims of teaching ethics in science. Discusses how ethics instruction might be incorporated into the science curriculum. (Contains 120 references.) (WRM)

Minority Preservice Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching Science: Sources of Science Teaching Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subramaniam, Karthigeyan

2013-01-01

This study explores five minority preservice teachers' conceptions of teaching science and identifies the sources of their strategies for helping students learn science. Perspectives from the literature on conceptions of teaching science and on the role constructs used to describe and distinguish minority preservice teachers from their mainstream…

Understanding Teacher Expertise in Primary Science: A Sociocultural Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Traianou, Anna

2006-01-01

In recent years much emphasis has been placed, both by researchers and by policy-makers, on the role that subject knowledge plays in the classroom practice of primary teachers. Within UK research on primary science education, this emphasis is often linked with constructivist ideas about effective teaching. In this article, I explore the…

ASAS Centennial Paper: animal science teaching: a century of excellence.

PubMed

Buchanan, D S

2008-12-01

Teaching has a long and varied history in the life of departments of animal science and the American Society of Animal Science. Some of the earliest reports from meetings of the society have strong indication that planning the curriculum was a prominent feature of the meetings. Teaching symposia were also included almost from the beginning. The society went through a lengthy period from the 1940s through most of the 1960s when teaching was not a prominent focus, but a symposium in 1968 appeared to be a catalyst for change, and, since that date, teaching has again been an important part of the meetings. In recent years, outstanding symposia and contributed papers have made the teaching section a vibrant entry. Departments of animal science have changed considerably since the early days in which "men taught boys" and the primary goal was to produce farmers. More female students, more urban students, interest in a wide variety of animals, and greatly diversified career goals have been emerging during the last few decades. Departments of animal science and the American Society of Animal Science are positioning to be able to respond to change and face the challenge of providing excellence in teaching during the next century.

Teaching Children Science. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abruscato, Joseph

This book focuses on science teaching at the elementary school level. It includes chapters dealing with various science content areas and teaching processes including: (1) what is science; (2) why teach science; (3) process skills as a foundation for unit and lesson planning; (4) how to plan learning units, daily lessons, and assessment…

Confronting Barriers to Teaching Elementary Science: After-School Science Teaching Experiences for Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cartwright, Tina; Smith, Suzanne; Hallar, Brittan

2014-01-01

This qualitative study examines the transition of eight elementary preservice teachers into student teaching after participating in a science methods course that included a significant amount of teaching after-school science to elementary grade students. These eight participants had a chance to practice teaching inquiry-based science and to reform…

Working Alongside Scientists. Impacts on Primary Teacher Beliefs and Knowledge About Science and Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Dayle; Moeed, Azra

2017-05-01

Current curriculum demands require primary teachers to teach about the Nature of Science; yet, few primary teachers have had opportunity to learn about science as a discipline. Prior schooling and vicarious experiences of science may shape their beliefs about science and, as a result, their science teaching. This qualitative study describes the impact on teacher beliefs about science and science education of a programme where 26 New Zealand primary (elementary) teachers worked fulltime for 6 months alongside scientists, experiencing the nature of work in scientific research institutes. During the 6 months, teachers were supported, through a series of targeted professional development days, to make connections between their experiences working with scientists, the curriculum and the classroom. Data for the study consisted of mid- and end-of-programme written teacher reports and open-ended questionnaires collected at three points, prior to and following 6 months with the science host and after 6 to 12 months back in school. A shift in many teachers' beliefs was observed after the 6 months of working with scientists in combination with curriculum development days; for many, these changes were sustained 6 to 12 months after returning to school. Beliefs about the aims of science education became more closely aligned with the New Zealand curriculum and its goal of developing science for citizenship. Responses show greater appreciation of the value of scientific ways of thinking, deeper understanding about the nature of scientists' work and the ways in which science and society influence each other.

Understanding Primary Science: Ideas, Concepts and Explanations. Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wenham, Martin

2005-01-01

This book has been written to help teachers develop the background knowledge and understanding needed to teach science effectively at primary level. It is intended principally as a resource in attempting to set out facts, develop concepts, and explain theories which primary teachers may find it useful to know and understand in order to plan…

The "New" Science Specialists: Promoting and Improving the Teaching of Science in Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Coral; Chittleborough, Gail

2014-01-01

A Victorian government initiative called "The Primary Science Specialists Professional Learning Program" is designed to tackle students' falling interest in science by investing in the building of teacher capacity. The aims of the initiative are: to improve the science knowledge base of all teachers and therefore increase teachers'…

Empowering Teachers to Teach Science in the Early Years in Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamudu Applasawmy, B.; Naugah, J.; Maulloo, A. K.

2017-01-01

Children act as emergent scientists through active involvement with their environment and adults. Science forms an important component of early childhood education curriculum in Mauritius. Since 2015, The Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre (RGSC), has initiated a new project: empowering educators to teach science in pre-primary schools. One-day workshop…

The CoRe of the Matter: Developing Primary Teachers' Professional Knowledge in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hume, Anne

2016-01-01

In an educational landscape of primary teachers' underdeveloped professional knowledge and low feelings of self-efficacy around science teaching, the prospects for science losing status in the primary school curriculum seems grim. This paper reports positive findings from a New Zealand research project designed to support and enhance primary…

Science Teaching: What Does It Mean?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tseitlin, Michael; Galili, Igal

2006-01-01

This study considers the relationship between science, science teaching and the philosophy of science perceiving these three cultural phenomena as a semantic triad. This approach presents science teaching as being a form of a scientific reflection. The relationship of science teaching to the philosophy of science is advocated to be essential,…

The effect of electronic networking on preservice elementary teachers' science teaching self-efficacy and attitude towards science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathew, Nishi Mary

Preservice elementary teachers' science teaching efficacy and attitude towards science teaching are important determinants of whether and how they will teach science in their classrooms. Preservice teachers' understanding of science and science teaching experiences have an impact on their beliefs about their ability to teach science. This study had a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design (N = 60). Preservice elementary teachers in this study were networked through the Internet (using e-mail, newsgroups, listserv, world wide web access and electronic mentoring) during their science methods class and student practicum. Electronic networking provides a social context in which to learn collaboratively, share and reflect upon science teaching experiences and practices, conduct tele-research effectively, and to meet the demands of student teaching through peer support. It was hoped that the activities over the electronic networks would provide them with positive and helpful science learning and teaching experiences. Self-efficacy was measured using a 23-item Likert scale instrument, the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument, Form-B (STEBI-B). Attitude towards science teaching was measured using the Revised Science Attitude Scale (RSAS). Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data, with pretest scores as the covariate. Findings of this study revealed that prospective elementary teachers in the electronically networked group had better science teaching efficacy and personal science teaching efficacy as compared to the non-networked group of preservice elementary teachers. The science teaching outcome expectancy of prospective elementary teachers in the networked group was not greater than that of the prospective teachers in the non-networked group (at p < 0.05). Attitude towards science teaching was not significantly affected by networking. However, this is surmised to be related to the duration of the study. Information about the

Improving Primary Teachers' Attitudes toward Science by Attitude-Focused Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra I.; van der Molen, Juliette H. Walma

2015-01-01

This article provides a description of a novel, attitude-focused, professional development intervention, and presents the results of an experimental pretest-posttest control group study investigating the effects of this intervention on primary teachers' personal attitudes toward science, attitudes toward teaching science, and their science…

Pre-Service Teachers' Attitudes toward Teaching Science and Their Science Learning at Indonesia Open University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suprapto, Nadi; Mursid, Ali

2017-01-01

This study focuses on attitudes toward (teaching) science and the learning of science for primary school among pre-service teachers at the Open University of Indonesia. A three-year longitudinal survey was conducted, involving 379 students as pre-service teachers (PSTs) from the Open University in Surabaya regional office. Attitudes toward…

Child-led enquiry in primary science

PubMed Central

Dunlop, Lynda; Compton, Kirsty; Clarke, Linda; McKelvey-Martin, Valerie

2015-01-01

This research describes and evaluates the application of a child-led approach to scientific enquiry (the Community of Scientific Enquiry, CoSE) to children aged 8–11 (Key Stage 2) in Northern Ireland. Primary teachers were introduced to CoSE at a workshop and asked to evaluate its implementation with their class. Results from children (n = 364) and teachers (n = 19) found that CoSE engaged children with their science learning, and also developed confidence and oracy. However, teachers require more experience developing facilitation skills and in fitting science into a thematic teaching unit. PMID:27152060

Discover Primary Science: Developing Primary Science in Ireland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horner, Margaret; Palmer, Marion

2007-01-01

"Discover Primary Science" is a major project in primary science education in Ireland. In 2006-2007 it involves 2400 primary schools, 45 host centres, and two government departments. However, it started out as a local initiative taken by one state agency in 2002 involving four Institutes of Technology and 40 primary schools. The aim of…

Science: Curriculum Guide for Teaching Gifted Children Science in Grades One Through Three: A Sample Ecology Unit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento. Office of Curriculum Services.

The natural science curriculum guide for gifted primary students includes a sample teaching-learning plan for an ecology unit and eight sample lesson plans. Chapter One provides an overview of the unit, a review of behavioral objectives, and a list of concepts and generalizations. The second chapter cites a teaching-learning plan dealing with such…

Investigation of the Self-Efficacy Beliefs in Teaching Science and Attitudes towards Teaching Profession of the Candidate Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uyanik, Gökhan

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the attitudes of the primary school teacher candidates towards teaching profession and self-efficacy beliefs in teaching science. The research was conducted with a survey model. The sample of the study consisted of 182 teacher candidates who were studying at the 2015-2016 spring term from Kastamonu…

A Comparison of Student Teachers' Beliefs from Four Different Science Teaching Domains Using a Mixed Methods Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markic, Silvija; Eilks, Ingo

2012-03-01

The study presented in this paper integrates data from four combined research studies, which are both qualitative and quantitative in nature. The studies describe freshman science student teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning. These freshmen intend to become teachers in Germany in one of four science teaching domains (secondary biology, chemistry, and physics, respectively, as well as primary school science). The qualitative data from the first study are based on student teachers' drawings of themselves in teaching situations. It was formulated using Grounded Theory to test three scales: Beliefs about Classroom Organisation, Beliefs about Teaching Objectives, and Epistemological Beliefs. Three further quantitative studies give insight into student teachers' curricular beliefs, their beliefs about the nature of science itself, and about the student- and/or teacher-centredness of science teaching. This paper describes a design to integrate all these data within a mixed methods framework. The aim of the current study is to describe a broad, triangulated picture of freshman science student teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning within their respective science teaching domain. The study reveals clear tendencies between the sub-groups. The results suggest that freshman chemistry and-even more pronouncedly-freshman physics student teachers profess quite traditional beliefs about science teaching and learning. Biology and primary school student teachers express beliefs about their subjects which are more in line with modern educational theory. The mixed methods approach towards the student teachers' beliefs is reflected upon and implications for science education and science teacher education are discussed.

Science teachers teaching socioscientific issues (SSI): Four case studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyunju

Socioscientific issues (SSI) are a class of issues that represent the social, ethical, and moral aspects of science in society. The need for the inclusion of SSI into science curricula has been generally accepted, but relatively few science teachers have incorporated SSI into their courses. Most science teachers feel that their most important task by far is to teach the principles of science, and any substantive pedagogical changes represent a burden. However, there are some teachers who address SSI out of personal initiatives. This dissertation study investigates four high school science teachers who address SSI out of their own initiative and explores their deeper inspirations, values, philosophies, and personal ideals that lead them to teach SSI. The overall approach is based on essentialist methodology (Witz, Goodwin, Hart, & Thomas, 2001; Witz, 2006a) with its focus on "the participant as ally" and "essentialist portraiture." The primary data source is four to six in-depth interviews with individual teachers (about 40-90 minutes for each interview). The interviews are complemented by extensive classroom observations of individual teachers' teaching SSI and by document analysis (including teaching materials, rubrics, student group projects and journals, etc.). There are two major findings. First, the teachers' deeper values and ideals are a source of larger inspiration that plays a significant role in changing their teaching practice. This inspiration may involve higher aspects (e.g., deep concern for students' development, unselfishness, caring, etc.) and commitment. Their teaching represents an integration of their personal experiences, values, concerns, and worldviews, which forms a larger inspiration for teaching. Teaching SSI is a part of this larger process. Second, the current curriculum reforms (STS, SSI, and NOS) only suggest theoretical ideals and do not effectively touch teachers' deeper values and ideals. Basically, the teachers are doing what they

A pragmatic conception of science: Implications for science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sessoms, Deidre Bates

In this dissertation, I examine various philosophical conceptions of the nature of science---its goals, methods and products---and link those views to how science is taught. While the review begins in the 1600s, the focus is primarily on logical positivism. The logical positivist view of science prevailed for much of the twentieth century and has greatly influenced how science is taught. The review section culminates with current conceptions of science from the fields of philosophy, sociology, feminist studies and radical studies of science. These various conceptions of the nature of science are linked to how science is currently taught, at the K--12 level and at the university. In particular, the logical positivist conception has influenced the teaching of science by emphasizing the products of science (factual knowledge and theories) over the processes of science (the social methods of knowledge production). As a result of viewing science as the logical positivists did, teachers primarily focus on science as unchanging factual knowledge, at the expense of examining the social and cultural aspects of scientific practices. I develop a pragmatic conception of the method of science as reflective thinking that we effectively use in our everyday lives. Linking that conception with the aims that John Dewey outlined for schools in a democratic society points the way towards certain goals and methods for teaching science. Therefore, I explore the type of science teaching that might result when viewing science as a pragmatic activity conducted in a democracy. Teaching of this sort would involve students in working together on shared problems that arise in the context of daily life. For science students at the university, this would include participating in and critiquing scientific research in active research laboratories. Implementing this view of science teaching might result in modifications in the practices and goals of science. Lastly, the experiences of a group of

Teachers' Beliefs and Self-Reported Use of Inquiry in Science Education in Public Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucero, Maria; Valcke, Martin; Schellens, Tammy

2013-01-01

This paper describes Ecuadorian in-service teachers and their science teaching practices in public primary schools. We wanted to find out to what extent teachers implement inquiry activities in science teaching, the level of support they provide, and what type of inquiry they implement. Four questionnaires applied to 173 teachers resulted in the…

Competencies in Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathelitsch, Leopold

2013-01-01

The role of competencies is discussed with respect to science teaching. In particular, competence models from Germany, Switzerland and Austria are presented and compared. A special topical program, "Competencies in Mathematics and Science Teaching", was started in Austria three years ago. Initial experiences with this program are…

Science and Technology Education in the STES Context in Primary Schools: What Should It Take?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoller, Uri

2011-10-01

Striving for sustainability requires a paradigm shift in conceptualization, thinking, research and education, particularly concerning the science-technology-environment-society (STES) interfaces. Consequently, `STES literacy' requires the development of students' question asking, critical, evaluative system thinking, decision making and problem solving capabilities, in this context, via innovative implementable higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS)-promoting teaching, assessment and learning strategies. The corresponding paradigms shift in science and technology education, such as from algorithmic teaching to HOCS-promoting learning is unavoidable, since it reflects the social pressure, worldwide, towards more accountable socially- and environmentally-responsible sustainable development. Since most of the STES- and, recently STEM (science-technology-engineering-mathematics)-related research in science education has been focused on secondary and tertiary education, it is vital to demonstrate the relevance of this multifaceted research to the science and technology teaching in primary schools. Our longitudinal STES education-related research and curriculum development point to the very little contribution, if any, of the traditional science teaching to "know", to the development of students' HOCS capabilities. On the other hand, there appears to be a `general agreement', that the contemporary dominant lower-order cognitive skills (LOCS) teaching and assessment strategies applied in science and technology education are, in fact, restraining the natural curiosity and creativity of primary school (and younger?) pupils/children. Since creative thinking as well as evaluative system thinking, decision making, problem solving and … transfer constitute an integral part of the HOCS conceptual framework, the appropriateness of "HOCS promoting" teaching, and the relevance of science and technology, to elementary education in the STES context, is apparent. Therefore, our

Teaching Physics to In-Service Primary School Teachers in the Context of the History of Science: The Case of Falling Bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokkotas, Panos; Piliouras, Panagiotis; Malamitsa, Katerina; Stamoulis, Efthymios

2009-05-01

Our paper presents an in-service primary school teachers’ training program which is based on the idea that the history of science can play a vital role in promoting the learning of physics. This training program has been developed in the context of Comenius 2.1 which is a European Union program. This program that we have developed in the University of Athens is based on socioconstructivist and sociocultural learning principles with the intention of helping teachers to appropriate the basic knowledge on the issue of falling bodies. Moreover, it has the aim to make explicit through the exploitation of authentic historical science events, on the above topic (Aristotle’s, Galileo’s and Newton’s theories on falling bodies) the Nature of Science (NoS), the Nature of Learning (NoL) and the Nature of Teaching (NoT). During the implementation of the program we have used a variety of teaching strategies (e.g. group work, making of posters, making of concept maps, simulations) that utilize historical scientific materials on the issue of falling bodies.

Frequency and Efficacy of Talk-Related Tasks in Primary Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braund, Martin; Leigh, Joanne

2013-04-01

Pupil talk and discussion are seen as having important social and cognitive outcomes. In science classes, pupils' collaborative talk supports the construction of meaning and helps examine the status of evidence, theory and knowledge. However, pupil interactive talk in groups is rare in science lessons. The research reported is part of a project to increase the amount of pupil-pupil talk in primary schools through a programme of teaching and professional development. Pupils' self-reports of the frequency and learning efficacies of talk related activities in science lessons were collected before and after a programme of teaching in 24 schools in one of the most socially and educationally deprived areas of England. Findings showed pupils valued talking about their ideas over listening to those of other pupils. Science talk frequency (STF) was closely correlated with science talk efficacy (STE) and both were positively correlated with pupils' attitudes to school science. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of the correlation of STF with STE showed values were independent of gender and ability but that school experience was a significant factor. After the teaching programme and, contrary to expectations, the frequency of talk activities in science lessons appeared to have decreased but varied according to class grades. The degree of correlation between STF and STE was stronger after the teaching in over half of the schools. Schools where STF/STE strengthened most as a result of teaching were those involved in an additional initiative to use modelled talk related to industrial contexts.

Pedagogical perspectives and implicit theories of teaching: First year science teachers emerging from a constructivist science education program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, Michael James

Traditional, teacher-centered pedagogies dominate current teaching practice in science education despite numerous research-based assertions that promote more progressive, student-centered teaching methods. Best-practice research emerging from science education reform efforts promotes experiential, collaborative learning environments in line with the constructivist referent. Thus there is a need to identify specific teacher education program designs that will promote the utilization of constructivist theory among new teachers. This study explored the learning-to-teach process of four first-year high school teachers, all graduates of a constructivist-based science education program known as Teacher Education Environments in Mathematics and Science (TEEMS). Pedagogical perspectives and implicit theories were explored to identify common themes and their relation to the pre-service program and the teaching context. Qualitative methods were employed to gather and analyze the data. In depth, semi-structured interviews (Seidman, 1998) formed the primary data for probing the context and details of the teachers' experience as well as the personal meaning derived from first year practice. Teacher journals and teaching artifacts were utilized to validate and challenge the primary data. Through an open-coding technique (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) codes, and themes were generated from which assertions were made. The pedagogical perspectives apparent among the participants in this study emerged as six patterns in teaching method: (1) utilization of grouping strategies, (2) utilization of techniques that allow the students to help teach, (3) similar format of daily instructional strategy, (4) utilization of techniques intended to promote engagement, (5) utilization of review strategies, (6) assessment by daily monitoring and traditional tests, (7) restructuring content knowledge. Assertions from implicit theory data include: (1) Time constraints and lack of teaching experience made

Integrated Modular Teaching of Human Biology for Primary Care Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glasgow, Michael S.

1977-01-01

Describes the use of integrated modular teaching of the human biology component of the Health Associate Program at Johns Hopkins University, where the goal is to develop an understanding of the sciences as applied to primary care. Discussion covers the module sequence, the human biology faculty, goals of the human biology faculty, laboratory…

Science-for-Teaching Discourse in Science Teachers' Professional Learning Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lohwasser, Karin

Professional learning communities (PLCs) provide an increasingly common structure for teachers' professional development. The effectiveness of PLCs depends on the content and quality of the participants' discourse. This dissertation was conducted to add to an understanding of the science content needed to prepare to teach science, and the discourse characteristics that create learning opportunities in teachers' PLCs. To this end, this study examined how middle school science teachers in three PLCs addressed science-for-teaching, and to what effect. Insight into discourse about content knowledge for teaching in PLCs has implications for the analysis, interpretation, and support of teachers' professional discourse, their collaborative learning, and consequently their improvement of practice. This dissertation looked closely at the hybrid space between teachers' knowledge of students, of teaching, and of science, and how this space was explored in the discourse among teachers, and between teachers and science experts. At the center of the study were observations of three 2-day PLC cycles in which participants worked together to improve the way they taught their curriculum. Two of the PLC cycles were supported, in part, by a science expert who helped the teachers explore the science they needed for teaching. The third PLC worked without such support. The following overarching questions were explored in the three articles of this dissertation: (1) What kind of science knowledge did teachers discuss in preparation for teaching? (2) How did the teachers talk about content knowledge for science teaching, and to what effect for their teaching practice? (3) How did collaborating teachers' discursive accountabilities provide opportunities for furthering the teachers' content knowledge for science teaching? The teachers' discourse during the 2-day collaboration cycles was analyzed and interpreted based on a sociocultural framework that included concepts from the practice

Perspectives on learning, learning to teach and teaching elementary science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avraamidou, Lucy

The framework that characterizes this work is that of elementary teachers' learning and development. Specifically, the ways in which prospective and beginning teachers' develop pedagogical content knowledge for teaching science in light of current recommendations for reform emphasizing teaching and learning science as inquiry are explored. Within this theme, the focus is on three core areas: (a) the use of technology tools (i.e., web-based portfolios) in support of learning to teach science at the elementary level; (b) beginning teachers' specialized knowledge for giving priority to evidence in science teaching; and (c) the applications of perspectives associated with elementary teachers' learning to teach science in Cyprus, where I was born and raised. The first manuscript describes a study aimed at exploring the influence of web-based portfolios and a specific task in support of learning to teach science within the context of a Professional Development School program. The task required prospective teachers to articulate their personal philosophies about teaching and learning science in the form of claims, evidence and justifications in a web-based forum. The findings of this qualitative case study revealed the participants' developing understandings about learning and teaching science, which included emphasizing a student-centered approach, connecting physical engagement of children with conceptual aspects of learning, becoming attentive to what teachers can do to support children's learning, and focusing on teaching science as inquiry. The way the task was organized and the fact that the web-based forum provided the ability to keep multiple versions of their philosophies gave prospective teachers the advantage of examining how their philosophies were changing over time, which supported a continuous engagement in metacognition, self-reflection and self-evaluation. The purpose of the study reported in the second manuscript was to examine the nature of a first

The Teaching Processes of Prospective Science Teachers with Different Levels of Science-Teaching Self-Efficacy Belief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saka, Mehpare; Bayram, Hale; Kabapinar, Filiz

2016-01-01

The concept of self-efficacy, which is an important variable in the teaching process, and how it reflects on teaching have recently been the focus of attention. Therefore, this study deals with the relationship between the science-teaching self-efficacy beliefs of prospective science teachers and their teaching practices. It was conducted with…

Teaching Science as Science Is Practiced: Opportunities and Limits for Enhancing Preservice Elementary Teachers' Self-Efficacy for Science and Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avery, Leanne M.; Meyer, Daniel Z.

2012-01-01

Science teaching in elementary schools, or the lack thereof, continues to be an area of concern and criticism. Preservice elementary teachers' lack of confidence in teaching science is a major part of this problem. In this mixed-methods study, we report the impacts of an inquiry-based science course on preservice elementary teachers' self-efficacy…

Teaching Ethical Issues in Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levinson, Ralph

This paper presents a study that investigates the teaching and learning aspects of controversial issues in science education. Teaching ethical issues is mandatory for science teachers in England; however, teachers may experience difficulties in exploring contemporary issues in science due to rapid and unpredictable changes. The study carries an…

Primary Science Interview: Science Sparks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bianchi, Lynne

2016-01-01

In this "Primary Science" interview, Lynne Bianchi talks with Emma Vanstone about "Science Sparks," which is a website full of creative, fun, and exciting science activity ideas for children of primary-school age. "Science Sparks" started with the aim of inspiring more parents to do science at home with their…

Investigating Omani Science Teachers' Attitudes towards Teaching Science: The Role of Gender and Teaching Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambusaidi, Abdullah; Al-Farei, Khalid

2017-01-01

A 30-item questionnaire was designed to determine Omani science teachers' attitudes toward teaching science and whether or not these attitudes differ according to gender and teaching experiences of teachers. The questionnaire items were divided into 3 domains: classroom preparation, managing hands-on science, and development appropriateness. The…

Towards a Science of Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yates, Carolyn

2009-01-01

This article is a contribution to the search for evidence-based models of learning to improve science education. The author believes that modern teachers should look to the sciences of cognitive psychology and neuroscience to build a science of science teaching. Understanding the relationships between learning and the brain's structure and…

The Influence of Primary Children's Ideas in Science on Teaching Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akerson, Valarie L.; Flick, Lawrence B.; Lederman, Norman G.

2000-01-01

Explores how children's ideas in science affect elementary science instruction by investigating whether and how three primary teachers recognize and react to student ideas. Finds that the experienced teacher with the highest level of content knowledge had the largest repertoire for eliciting and addressing student ideas, and the intern teacher's…

Looking in a science classroom: exploring possibilities of creative cultural divergence in science teaching and learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baron, Alex; Chen, Hsiao-Lan Sharon

2012-03-01

Worldwide proliferation of pedagogical innovations creates expanding potential in the field of science education. While some teachers effectively improve students' scientific learning, others struggle to achieve desirable student outcomes. This study explores a Taiwanese science teacher's ability to effectively enhance her students' science learning. The authors visited a Taipei city primary school class taught by an experienced science teacher during a 4-week unit on astronomy, with a total of eight, 90-minute periods. Research methods employed in this study included video capture of each class as well as reflective interviews with the instructor, eliciting the teacher's reflection upon both her pedagogical choices and the perceived results of these choices. We report that the teacher successfully teaches science by creatively diverging from culturally generated educational expectations. Although the pedagogical techniques and ideas enumerated in the study are relevant specifically to Taiwan, creative cultural divergence might be replicated to improve science teaching worldwide.

Pedagogy of Science Teaching Tests: Formative assessments of science teaching orientations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cobern, William W.; Schuster, David; Adams, Betty; Skjold, Brandy Ann; Zeynep Muğaloğlu, Ebru; Bentz, Amy; Sparks, Kelly

2014-09-01

A critical aspect of teacher education is gaining pedagogical content knowledge of how to teach science for conceptual understanding. Given the time limitations of college methods courses, it is difficult to touch on more than a fraction of the science topics potentially taught across grades K-8, particularly in the context of relevant pedagogies. This research and development work centers on constructing a formative assessment resource to help expose pre-service teachers to a greater number of science topics within teaching episodes using various modes of instruction. To this end, 100 problem-based, science pedagogy assessment items were developed via expert group discussions and pilot testing. Each item contains a classroom vignette followed by response choices carefully crafted to include four basic pedagogies (didactic direct, active direct, guided inquiry, and open inquiry). The brief but numerous items allow a substantial increase in the number of science topics that pre-service students may consider. The intention is that students and teachers will be able to share and discuss particular responses to individual items, or else record their responses to collections of items and thereby create a snapshot profile of their teaching orientations. Subsets of items were piloted with students in pre-service science methods courses, and the quantitative results of student responses were spread sufficiently to suggest that the items can be effective for their intended purpose.

Changes in Preservice Elementary Teachers' Personal Science Teaching Efficacy and Science Teaching Outcome Expectancies: The Influence of Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hechter, Richard P.

2011-01-01

This study investigated contextual changes in perceptions of science teaching self-efficacy through pre-, post- and retrospective administrations of the Science Teaching Expectancy Belief Instrument (STEBI-B) among preservice elementary teachers when exposed to a science teaching methods course. Findings revealed that the number of postsecondary…

An examination of the relationship among science teaching actions, beliefs, and knowledge of the nature of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chun, Sajin

Scholars in science education advocate curriculum and instruction practices that reflect an understanding of the nature of science. This aspect of school science is an important component of scientific literacy, a primary goal of science education. Considering teaching as a thoughtful profession, there has been a growing research interest on the issue of the consistency between teacher beliefs and actions. Yet, the self-evident assumption that teachers' beliefs about the nature of science will impact on their classroom teaching actions has not been justified. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between science teaching actions and beliefs about the nature of science. Defining teacher beliefs as a broad construct, the researcher tried to examine not only teacher's cognitive understanding about the nature of science but also teachers' affect as well as actions with regard to the nature of science. Guiding research questions were as follows: (a) what are the teachers' beliefs about the nature of science; (b) how do the teachers, pedagogical actions reflect their beliefs about the nature of science; and (c) what are the other referent beliefs that mediate the teachers, pedagogical actions within a local school culture. The methodology of this study was an interpretive, qualitative approach that included multiple sources of data, interviews, classroom observations, and instructional materials. Six science teachers from a secondary school located in a rural area of the southeastern US were chosen by convenience. The cross-case study and the grounded theory study designs were adopted as the data analysis process. The constant comparative analysis method was used to generate the emerging themes for this study. This study revealed a gap between these teachers' personal beliefs of the nature of science and the concepts of the nature of science suggested by many researchers. These teachers' personal beliefs about the nature of science have been

Understanding the Use of Interactive Whiteboards in Primary Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweeney, Trudy

2013-01-01

This paper explores the dimensions of change experienced by a specialist primary science teacher in Australia as she attempted to embed an interactive whiteboard into her practice as a tool to enhance interactive teaching and learning. This paper uses the theoretical frameworks of activity theory and the stages of concern to understand the…

Reflection of light: a teaching and learning activity with primary school children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varela, Paulo; Abreu, Cátia; Costa, Manuel F. M.

2014-08-01

Light and its properties is a subject that strongly attracts children from very early ages. Inquiry-based science teaching although addressed in the curricula of various countries and suggested by some international organizations, continues to have a very low expression in the teaching practices of the majority of primary school teachers and preschool educators. In this sense, we have organized several continuing training courses in order to encourage these education professionals to promote this approach to science teaching in the classroom, with the children. As part of this training process, teachers and educators put into practice, with their students, the didactic knowledge they have developed, in order to become aware of the virtues of an inquiry-based approach to children's learning. Through the implementation of the "Reflection of Light" activity, in this article, we intend to analyze the process of teaching and learning promoted in a 3rd grade class by one of the teachers participating in the training courses. The analysis of the process reveals that the teacher in training carried out a successful didactic integration of the inquiry-based science teaching approach recommended for children. In turn, the children also developed a good understanding of the contents of the activity explored in the classroom.

Quality Teaching in Science: an Emergent Conceptual Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordens, J. Zoe; Zepke, Nick

2017-09-01

Achieving quality in higher education is a complex task involving the interrelationship of many factors. The influence of the teacher is well established and has led to some general principles of good teaching. However, less is known about the extent that specific disciplines influence quality teaching. The purposes of the paper are to investigate how quality teaching is perceived in the sciences and from these perceptions to develop for discussion a framework for teaching practice in the sciences. A New Zealand study explored the views of national teaching excellence award winners in science on quality teaching in undergraduate science. To capture all possible views from this expert panel, a dissensus-recognising Delphi method was used together with sensitising concepts based on complexity and wickedity. The emergent conceptual framework for quality teaching in undergraduate science highlighted areas of consensus and areas where there were a variety of views. About the purposes of science and its knowledge base, there was relative consensus, but there was more variable support for values underpinning science teaching. This highlighted the complex nature of quality teaching in science. The findings suggest that, in addition to general and discipline-specific influences, individual teacher values contribute to an understanding of quality in undergraduate science teaching.

An in-depth study of a teacher engaged in an innovative primary science trial professional development project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watters, James J.; Ginns, Ian S.

1997-03-01

The implementation of effective science programmes in primary schools is of continuing interest and concern for professional developers. As part of the Australian Academy of science's approach to creating an awareness of Primary Investigations, a project team trialed a series of satellite television broadcasts of lessons related to two units of the curriculum for Year 3 and 4 children in 48 participating schools. The professional development project entitled Simply Science, included a focused component for the respective classroom teachers, which was also conducted by satellite. This paper reports the involvement of a Year 4 teacher in the project and describes her professional growth. Already an experienced and confident teacher, no quantitative changes in science teaching self efficacy were detected. However, her pedagogical content knowledge and confidence to teach science in the concept areas of matter and energy were enhanced. Changes in the teacher's views about the co-operative learning strategies espoused by Primary Investigations were also evident. Implications for the design of professional development programmes for primary science teachers are discussed.

Examining the Beliefs and Practices of Four Effective Australian Primary Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzgerald, Angela; Dawson, Vaille; Hackling, Mark

2013-06-01

With trends across many countries still indicating the decline of student interest in school science and diminishing numbers of students studying science beyond the compulsory years, it seems that the field remains in crisis. To address these unfortunate trends, there needs to be a greater emphasis on science education research that highlights the good news stories. For example, what are science teachers actually doing in their classrooms to increase student interest and understanding in science? This article focuses on the science teaching beliefs and practices of four Western Australian primary school teachers. The teachers were nominated by a professional colleague as effective practitioners. The study involved gathering information from classroom observations and teacher interviews to provide background information to assist in developing understandings of these teachers and their science teaching. This article reports on the initial findings drawn from Deanne A, Kate B, Lisa C and Rebecca D. Their practices were organised into the following six categories: classroom environment; conceptual knowledge and procedural skills; teaching strategies and approaches; student-specific considerations; teacher-specific considerations; and context-specific considerations. In examining the components contributing to these categories, it was evident that the teachers' beliefs, as well as the contextual factors inherent in each classroom environment, influenced how and why they teach science in the ways they do.

How Often Do Early Childhood Teachers Teach Science Concepts? Determinants of the Frequency of Science Teaching in Kindergarten

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saçkes, Mesut

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to explore how often teachers of young children teach science concepts in kindergarten and examine the factors that influence the frequency of science teaching in early years. A theoretical model of the determinants of the frequency of science teaching in kindergarten was developed and tested using a…

Teaching Science through Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hugerat, Muhamad; Zidani, Saleem; Kurtam, Naji

2003-01-01

Discusses the objectives of the science curriculum and the teacher's responsibility of passing through not only the required material, but also skills. Suggests that in order to improve teaching and learning skills, new strategies, such as teaching and learning through research must be utilized. Presents four examples of teaching and learning…

Single-Sex Teaching and Achievement in Science. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, W. P.; Gillibrand, E.

2004-01-01

The primary purpose was to investigate the efficacy of a full year of single-sex (SS) teaching of science. The secondary aims were to locate any differentiation by set and gender, and to relate these to more proximal variables. Participants were 13 year olds. Higher set girls gave evidence of clear benefits overall, and higher set boys also,…

Collegiality and Better Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiser, Brenda

2012-01-01

For the past five years, teachers from four Houston-area school districts have joined together in a professional learning community (PLC) to improve their science teaching. Through the University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) Regional Collaborative for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching, the teachers strengthen content knowledge and…

Using the Instructional Core to Implement a Professional Learning Programme for Primary Science Teachers in Australia: Teacher Learning and Student Skill Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loughland, Tony; Nguyen, Hoa Thi Mai

2016-01-01

There has been a call for effective professional learning to improve the quality of the science teaching of primary teachers in Australia. It seems from the literature that teaching science effectively is a challenging endeavour for primary teachers. Professional learning based on the instructional core framework is an emerging approach that has…

Earth Science Teaching Strategies Used in the International Polar Year

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparrow, E. B.

2009-04-01

There are many effective methods for teaching earth science education that are being successfully used during the fourth International Polar Year (IPY). Relevance of IPY and the polar regions is better understood using a systems thinking approach used in earth science education. Changes in components of the earth system have a global effect; and changes in the polar regions will affect the rest of the world regions and vice versa. Teaching strategies successfully used for primary, secondary, undergraduate and graduate student earth science education and IPY education outreach include: 1) engaging students in earth science or environmental research relevant to their locale; 2) blending lectures with research expeditions or field studies, 3) connecting students with scientists in person and through audio and video conferencing; 4) combining science and arts in teaching, learning and communicating about earth science and the polar regions, capitalizing on the uniqueness of polar regions and its inhabitants, and its sensitivity to climate change; and 5) integrating different perspectives: western science, indigenous and community knowledge in the content and method of delivery. Use of these strategies are exemplified in IPY projects in the University of the Arctic IPY Higher Education Outreach Project cluster such as the GLOBE Seasons and Biomes project, the Ice Mysteries e-Polar Books: An Innovative Way of Combining Science and Literacy project, the Resilience and Adaptation Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship project, and the Svalbard Research Experience for Undergraduates project.

From learning science to teaching science: What transfers?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harlow, Danielle Boyd

As educational researchers and teacher educators, we have the responsibility to help teachers gain the skills and knowledge necessary to provide meaningful learning activities for their students. For elementary school science, this means helping teachers create situations in which children can participate in the practices associated with scientific inquiry. Through the framework of transfer I investigated how a professional development course based on an inquiry-based physics curriculum influenced five elementary teachers teaching practices and identified the factors that led to or hindered this transfer. In this study, evidence of transfer consisted of episodes where the teachers used the ideas learned in the physics course to solve new problems such as transforming activities to be appropriate for their students and responding to unexpected students' ideas. The findings of this study highlight the many different ways that teachers use what they learn in content courses to teach science to elementary children. While some teachers transferred pedagogical practices along with the content, others transformed the content to be useful in already existing pedagogical frameworks, and still others show little or no evidence of transfer. What the teachers transferred depended upon their existing teaching context as well as their prior ideas about teaching science and physics content. Specifically, the findings of this study suggest that the teachers transferred only what they sought from the course. One implication of this study is that the sort of science training we provide teachers can affect far more than just the teachers' conceptual understanding of science and performance on written conceptual exams. Science courses have the potential to impact the sort of science education that K-5 children receive in elementary classrooms in terms of the topics taught but the way that science is represented. An additional implication is that teaching science to teachers in ways

Facilitating Elementary Science Teachers' Implementation of Inquiry-Based Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qablan, Ahmad M.; DeBaz, Theodora

2015-01-01

Preservice science teachers generally feel that the implementation of inquiry-based science teaching is very difficult to manage. This research project aimed at facilitating the implementation of inquiry-based science teaching through the use of several classroom strategies. The evaluation of 15 classroom strategies from 80 preservice elementary…

Toward a gender-sensitive model of science teacher education for women primary and early childhood teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bearlin, Margaret

1990-01-01

Female teachers predominate in primary schools, and tend both to have more negative perceptions of their teaching skills in the physical sciences than males, and to expect girls to perform less well in these areas than boys, with likely serious consequences for girls. In this context the WASTE (Women and Science Teacher Education) Project sought to identify characteristics for teacher education programs which, in the opinion of their conveners, were productive in changing the attitude toward the teaching of science, or in changing the actual mode of teaching science, of women preservice and practising teachers. This paper reports the findings of the WASTE Project which surveyed the conveners of pre- and inservice programs and outlined the three models of exemplary practice used to classify responses: subject-centred, learner-centred and knowledge and person-centred. These models were based largely on differing explanations given for attitude change and on implicit concepts of knowledge, persons, and teaching and learning, and on the importance attributed to gender as a variable. Secondly, it shows how the Primary and Early Childhood Science and Technology Education Project, a gender-sensitive action-research project, was built on these findings. Finally, using these models, it offers a critique of the gender perspective of the Discipline Review of Teacher Education (DEET, 1989).

Provocative Opinion: Fads in Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parry, R. W.

1975-01-01

Criticizes the post-Sputnik wave of multi-disciplinary science curricula aimed at teaching the students about social problems and how science can help solve these problems. Suggests that science teaching should concentrate more on the basics of a given discipline and should be taught be specialists rather than generalists. (MLH)

Teaching the Human Dimension of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farland-Smith, Donna; McComas, William

2009-01-01

Teachers have the important responsibility of providing students with accurate and engaging science content while also helping them establish authentic views of scientists. Though there are numerous curriculum materials to assist in the teaching of science content, the authors have found that methods and materials to teach science as a human…

Turning the Tide: Transforming Science Learning and Teaching in Rural and Remote Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aldous, Carol

2008-01-01

A recent national study into Science, ICT and Mathematics education in rural and regional Australia (SiMERR) highlighted the disadvantages faced by rural and remote communities in terms of science learning and teaching. Focus group interviews conducted in rural primary schools in South Australia identified a lack of resources and of access to…

A Reflection upon the "Getting Practical" Programme: Rethinking How We Teach Practical Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brennan, Nikki

2010-01-01

In this article, the author provides an overview of the "Getting Practical" training programme of professional development for all those involved with teaching practical science at primary, secondary, and post-16 levels. The programme is being led by the ASE, working with its co-ordinating partners: the Centre for Science Education,…

Collaborative Curriculum Design to Increase Science Teaching Self-Efficacy: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velthuis, Chantal; Fisser, Petra; Pieters, Jules

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to establish whether participation in a teacher design team (TDT) is an effective way to increase the science teaching self-efficacy of primary school teachers who vary in their levels of experience and interest in science. A TDT is a group of at least 2 teachers from the same or related subjects working together to…

A Study on Teaching Gases to Prospective Primary Science Teachers through Problem-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senocak, Erdal; Taskesenligil, Yavuz; Sozbilir, Mustafa

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the achievement of prospective primary science teachers in a problem-based curriculum with those in a conventional primary science teacher preparation program with regard to success in learning about gases and developing positive attitudes towards chemistry. The subjects of the study were 101 first year…

Peer Assessment of Elementary Science Teaching Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilic, Gulsen Bagci; Cakan, Mehtap

2007-01-01

In this study, peer assessment was applied in assessing elementary science teaching skills. Preservice teachers taught a science topic as a team to their peers in an elementary science methods course. The peers participating in the science lesson assessed teacher-groups' elementary science teaching skills on an assessment form provided by the…

Steps to Fostering a Learning Community in the Primary Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pressick-Kilborn, Kimberley

2009-01-01

"Teaching Science" has, as one of its predecessors, the "Investigating" journal, which first appeared in 1988. Looking back ten years, the winner of the "Most Valuable Paper Award" for 1999 was Kimberley Pressick-Kilborn for her article--"Steps to Fostering a Learning Community in the Primary Science…

Studies on attitude toward teaching science and anxiety about teaching science in preservice elementary teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westerback, Mary E.

These studies examined attitude toward teaching science (ATTS) using an adaptation of the Bratt Attitude Test (M-BAT); anxiety about teaching science (ANX-TS), as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI A-State); and selected demographic variables in preservice elementary teachers for the 1977-1978 and 1978-1979 academic years and a follow-up of those students who completed their student teaching in May 1979. The M-BAT and STAI were administered in September at the beginning of Science 6 (earth science and biology course), in December on the next to last day of Science 6, in May on the next to the last day of Science 5 (physical science), and in May 1979 after student teaching. In the two academic years, both ATTS and ANX-TS became more positive during the sequence Science 6-5. Both changes in ATTS and ANX-TS continued to change in a positive direction after completion of Science 6-5, after student teaching. There were differences in the times that the greatest changes in ATTS and ANX-TS occurred. In both studies, the greatest change in ATTS took place between September and December, during Science 6. The greatest change in ANX-TS, however, took place during Science 5 between December and May in the 1977-1978 study. In the 1978-1979 study, the greatest changes in ANX-TS occurred in Science 6, between September and December. The delayed reduction of ANX-TS in the 1977-1978 study may be explained by differences in teaching patterns. In 1977-1978, two teachers taught only their academic specialty, biology or earth science, to students who switched teachers midsemester. In 1978-1979, the same two instructors taught both biology and earth science to the same students. Correlation coefficients for successive and corresponding administrations of both the M-BAT and STAI suggest these variables are related. Students with more positive ATTS tended to have reduced ANX-TS. Neither the number of high school or college science and math courses completed nor the level

Preservice Science Teachers' Science Teaching Orientations and Beliefs about Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kind, Vanessa

2016-01-01

This paper offers clarification of science teacher orientations as a potential component of pedagogical content knowledge. Science teaching orientations and beliefs about science held by 237 preservice science teachers were gathered via content-specific vignettes and questionnaire, respectively, prior to participation in a UK-based teacher…

`All We Did was Things Like Forces and Motion …': Multiple Discourses in the development of primary science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danielsson, Anna; Warwick, Paul

2014-01-01

Previous research has highlighted challenges associated with embracing an inquiry approach to science teaching for primary teachers, often associating these challenges with insecurity linked to the lack of content knowledge. We argue that in order to understand the extent to which primary student teachers are able to embrace science teaching informed by scientific literacy for all, it is important to take into account various, sometimes competing, science teacher and primary teacher Discourses. The aim of this paper is to explore how such Discourses are constituted in the context of learning to teach during a 1-year university-based Post Graduate Certificate of Education course. The empirical data consist of semi-structured interviews with 11 student teachers. The analysis identifies 5 teacher Discourses and we argue that these can help us to better understand some of the tensions involved in becoming a primary teacher with a responsibility for teaching science: for example, in terms of the interplay between the student teachers' own educational biographies and institutionally sanctioned Discourses. One conclusion is that student teachers' willingness and ability to embrace a Discourse of science education, informed by the aim of scientific literacy for all, may be every bit as constrained by their experience of learning science through 'traditional schooling' as it is by their confidence with respect to their own subject knowledge. The 5 Discourses, with their complex interrelations, raise questions about which identity positions are available to students in the intersections of the Discourses and which identity positions teacher educators may seek to make available for their students.

Teaching Chemistry in Primary Science: What Does the Research Suggest?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skamp, Keith

2011-01-01

The new Australian national science curriculum includes chemistry content at the primary level. Chemistry for young students is learning about changes in material stuff (matter) and, by implication, of what stuff is made. Pedagogy in this area needs to be guided by research if stepping stones to later learning of chemical ideas are to facilitate…

Teaching Science through Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Jesse; Kruse, Jerrid W.; Clough, Michael P.

2015-01-01

Science education efforts have long emphasized inquiry, and inquiry and scientific practices are prominent in contemporary science education reform documents (NRC 1996; NGSS Lead States 2013). However, inquiry has not become commonplace in science teaching, in part because of misunderstandings regarding what it means and entails (Demir and Abell…

Middle school science teachers' teaching self-efficacy and students' science self-efficacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pisa, Danielle

Project 2061, initiated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), developed recommendations for what is essential in education to produce scientifically literate citizens. Furthermore, they suggest that teachers teach effectively. There is an abundance of literature that focuses on the effects of a teacher's science teaching self-efficacy and a student's science self-efficacy. However, there is no literature on the relationship between the two self-efficacies. This study investigated if there is a differential change in students' science self-efficacy over an academic term after instruction from a teacher with high science teaching self-efficacy. Quantitative analysis of STEBI scores for teachers showed that mean STEBI scores did not change over one academic term. A t test indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in mean SMTSL scores for students' science self-efficacy over the course of one academic term for a) the entire sample, b) each science class, and c) each grade level. In addition, ANOVA indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in mean gain factor of students rated as low, medium, and high on science self-efficacy as measured by the SMTSL, when students received instruction from a teacher with a high science teaching self-efficacy value as measured by the STEBI. Finally, there was no statistically significant association between the pre- and post-instructional rankings of SMTSL by grade level when students received instruction from a teacher with a high science teaching self-efficacy value as measured by the STEBI. This is the first study of its kind. Studies indicated that teaching strategies typically practiced by teachers with high science teaching were beneficial to physics self-efficacy (Fencl & Scheel, 2005). Although it was unsuccessful at determining whether or not a teacher with high science teaching self-efficacy has a differential affect on students' science self

My Science Is Better than Your Science: Conceptual Change as a Goal in Teaching Science Majors Interested in Teaching Careers about Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utter, Brian C.; Paulson, Scott A.; Almarode, John T.; Daniel, David B.

2018-01-01

We argue, based on a multi-year collaboration to develop a pedagogy course for physics majors by experts in physics, education, and the science of learning, that the process of teaching science majors about education and the science of learning, and evidence-based teaching methods in particular, requires conceptual change analogous to that…

Professional development in college science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Aimee Kathryn

Graduate students earning a doctorate in the sciences historically focus their work on research and not professional development in college science teaching. However, for those who go on to a career in academia, a majority of their time will be dedicated to teaching. During the past few years, graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) have been prepared to teach by attending a daylong workshop that included logistical information, but left pedagogy largely unexplored. Since that time, a seminar has been added to provide an introduction to pedagogical theory and practices and to provide practice teaching in the biological sciences laboratory course. Yet, more pedagogical preparation is needed. This study was conducted to determine if there was a need for a teaching certificate program for doctoral students in the College of Science and Technology (CoST) at The University of Southern Mississippi. The GTA respondents studied set teaching goals that were consistent with faculty members across the country; however, this research went further by finding out how competent the GTAs perceived they were and how much support they perceived they needed with respect to teaching and professional development. The GTAs did not differ in their perceived level of competence based on experience level; however, the less experienced GTAs did perceive they needed more support than the experienced GTAs. To help GTAs develop a skill set that many CoST graduates currently lack, it is recommended that the University provide ample training and supervision. Establishing a certificate program can potentially impact the community in the following ways: (1) the training of GTAs contributes to the academic preparation of future academic professionals who will be teaching in various institutions; (2) GTA training provides professional development and awareness that teaching requires life long professional development; (3) ensuring competent academicians, not only in content but also in pedagogy; (4

Science Teaching in Rhodesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, A. L.

1975-01-01

Describes science teaching in Rhodesia as beset with limitations in the quality of students, in student motivation, in the number and quality of teachers, in the Rhodesian environment, and in the science syllabuses themselves. (Author/GS)

The Junior High School Integrated Science: The Actual Teaching Process in the Perspective of an Ethnographer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adu-Gyamfi, Kenneth; Ampiah, Joseph Ghartey

2016-01-01

Science education at the Basic School (Primary and Junior High School) serves as the foundation upon which higher levels of science education are pivoted. This ethnographic study sought to investigate the teaching of Integrated Science at the Junior High School (JHS) level in the classrooms of two science teachers in two schools of differing…

Mars mission program for primary students: Building student and teacher skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathers, Naomi; Pakakis, Michael; Christie, Ian

2011-09-01

The Victorian Space Science Education Centre (VSSEC) scenario-based programs, including the Mission to Mars and Mission to the Orbiting Space Laboratory, utilize methodologies such as hands-on applications, immersive learning, integrated technologies, critical thinking and mentoring. The use of a scenario provides a real-life context and purpose to what students might otherwise consider disjointed information. These programs engage students in the areas of maths and science, and highlight potential career paths in science and engineering. The introduction of a scenario-based program for primary students engages students in maths and science at a younger age, addressing the issues of basic numeracy and science literacy, thus laying the foundation for stronger senior science initiatives. Primary students absorb more information within the context of the scenario, and presenting information they can see, hear, touch and smell creates a memorable learning and sensory experience. The mission also supports development of teacher skills in the delivery of hands-on science and helps build their confidence to teach science. The Primary Mission to the Mars Base gives primary school students access to an environment and equipment not available in schools. Students wear flight suits for the duration of the program to immerse them in the experience of being an astronaut. Astronauts work in the VSSEC Space Laboratory, which is transformed into a Mars base for the primary program, to conduct experiments in areas such as robotics, human physiology, microbiology, nanotechnology and environmental science. Specialist mission control software has been developed by La Trobe University Centre for Games Technology to provide age appropriate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based problem solving and support the concept of a mission. Students in Mission Control observe the astronauts working in the space laboratory and talk to them via the AV system. This interactive

Pedagogy of Science Teaching Tests: Formative Assessments of Science Teaching Orientations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobern, William W.; Schuster, David; Adams, Betty; Skjold, Brandy Ann; Mugaloglu, Ebru Zeynep; Bentz, Amy; Sparks, Kelly

2014-01-01

A critical aspect of teacher education is gaining pedagogical content knowledge of how to teach science for conceptual understanding. Given the time limitations of college methods courses, it is difficult to touch on more than a fraction of the science topics potentially taught across grades K-8, particularly in the context of relevant pedagogies.…

Changing Practice: An Evaluation of the Impact of a Nature of Science Inquiry-Based Professional Development Programme on Primary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Clíona; Smith, Greg; Varley, Janet; Razi, Özge

2015-01-01

This study investigates how a two-year continuing professional development (CPD) programme, with an emphasis on teaching about science through inquiry, impacted the experiences of, approaches to and attitudes towards teaching science of 17 primary teachers in Dublin. Data sources included interview, questionnaire and reflective journal strategies.…

Teaching about Teaching Science: Aims, Strategies, and Backgrounds of Science Teacher Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Amanda; Van Driel, Jan H.

2013-01-01

Despite pressing concerns about the need to prepare high-quality teachers and the central role of teacher educators (TEs) in this process, little is known about how TEs teach about teaching specific subject matter, and how they develop their expertise. This empirical study focuses on the specific expertise that science TEs bring into teacher…

Emotions in teaching environmental science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quigley, Cassie

2016-09-01

This op-ed article examines the emotional impact of teaching environmental science and considers how certain emotions can broaden viewpoints and other emotions narrow them. Specifically, it investigates how the topic of climate change became an emotional debate in a science classroom because of religious beliefs. Through reflective practice and examination of positionality, the author explored how certain teaching practices of pre-service science teachers created a productive space and other practices closed down the conversations. This article is framed with theories that explore both divergent and shared viewpoints.

Teaching With and About Nature of Science, and Science Teacher Knowledge Domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad

2013-09-01

The ubiquitous goals of helping precollege students develop informed conceptions of nature of science (NOS) and experience inquiry learning environments that progressively approximate authentic scientific practice have been long-standing and central aims of science education reforms around the globe. However, the realization of these goals continues to elude the science education community partly because of a persistent, albeit not empirically supported, coupling of the two goals in the form of `teaching about NOS with inquiry'. In this context, the present paper aims, first, to introduce the notions of, and articulate the distinction between, teaching with and about NOS, which will allow for the meaningful coupling of the two desired goals. Second, the paper aims to explicate science teachers' knowledge domains requisite for effective teaching with and about NOS. The paper argues that research and development efforts dedicated to helping science teachers develop deep, robust, and integrated NOS understandings would have the dual benefits of not only enabling teachers to convey to students images of science and scientific practice that are commensurate with historical, philosophical, sociological, and psychological scholarship (teaching about NOS), but also to structure robust inquiry learning environments that approximate authentic scientific practice, and implement effective pedagogical approaches that share a lot of the characteristics of best science teaching practices (teaching with NOS).

Educating Primary Teachers to Teach Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsangaridou, Niki

2012-01-01

Research evidence suggests that, worldwide, physical education in early years is mainly taught by primary teachers (Graber et al., 2008; Hunter, 2006; Kirk, 2005). Descriptions of primary teachers' experiences of teaching physical education are particularly essential as an avenue for developing better-quality teacher training for teaching primary…

Values of Catholic science educators: Their impact on attitudes of science teaching and learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeMizio, Joanne Greenwald

This quantitative study examined the associations between the values held by middle school science teachers in Catholic schools and their attitudes towards science teaching. A total of six value types were studied---theoretical, economic, aesthetic, social, political, and religious. Teachers can have negative, positive, or neutral attitudes towards their teaching that are linked to their teaching practices and student learning. These teachers' attitudes may affect their competence and have a subsequent impact on their students' attitudes and dispositions towards science. Of particular interest was the relationship between science teaching attitudes and religious values. A non-experimental research design was used to obtain responses from 54 teachers with two survey instruments, the Science Teaching Attitude Scale II and the Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that political values were negatively associated with attitudes towards science teaching. Data collected were inconsistent with the existence of any measurable association between religious values and attitudes towards science teaching. This study implies that science teacher preparation programs should adopt a more contextual perspective on science that seeks to develop the valuation of science within a cultural context, as well as programs that enable teachers to identify the influence of their beliefs on instructional actions to optimize the impact of learning new teaching practices that may enhance student learning.

At the Crossroads: The Impact of New Irish Science Curricula on First Year Post-Primary Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varley, Janet Penelope; Murphy, Clíona; Veale, Órlaith

2013-02-01

In Ireland, new science curricula were introduced at primary and early post-primary levels in 2003, in an effort to reverse declining interest and enrolment in science. This paper reports on a national study that explored first year post-primary students' experiences of and attitudes towards school science under these new curricula. Data were gathered from 366 pupils using survey and case study approaches. Findings revealed broadly positive attitudes towards post-primary school science, especially the experimental work that is at the heart of the new curriculum. However, it would appear that students were not conducting open-ended investigations or using information and communications technology [ICT] to any great extent; moreover, there was some evidence of traditional teaching methods being utilised. Pupils were highly critical of previous primary school science experiences, reporting a lack of `hands-on' activities, didactic methodologies and, for a significant minority, a paucity of any memorable primary science at all. Improvements in curricular implementation are proposed.

Developing Interpretive Power in Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosebery, Ann S.; Warren, Beth; Tucker-Raymond, Eli

2016-01-01

Early career teachers rarely receive sustained support for addressing issues of diversity and equity in their science teaching. This paper reports on design research to create a 30 hour professional development seminar focused on cultivating the interpretive power of early career teachers who teach science to students from historically…

Pre-Teacher Case Study Analysis of Teaching Life and Earth Science in Multicultural Middle School Classes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGinnis, J. Randy

Intending teachers in two science education methods classes (Fall Quarter, n=27; Spring Quarter, n=21) read and discussed a qualitative study describing science teaching and learning in a culturally diverse middle school. The two primary participants in the qualitative study were a white female veteran life science teacher and a white male…

Contributions of Science Principles to Teaching: How Science Principles Can Be Used

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henson, Kenneth T.

1974-01-01

Describes the steps involved in using the "principles" approach in teaching science, illustrates the process of using science principles with an example relating to rock formation, and discusses the relevance of this approach to contemporary trends in science teaching. (JR)

Faculty Development Program Models to Advance Teaching and Learning Within Health Science Programs

PubMed Central

Lancaster, Jason W.; Stein, Susan M.; MacLean, Linda Garrelts; Van Amburgh, Jenny

2014-01-01

Within health science programs there has been a call for more faculty development, particularly for teaching and learning. The primary objectives of this review were to describe the current landscape for faculty development programs for teaching and learning and make recommendations for the implementation of new faculty development programs. A thorough search of the pertinent health science databases was conducted, including the Education Resource Information Center (ERIC), MEDLINE, and EMBASE, and faculty development books and relevant information found were reviewed in order to provide recommendations for best practices. Faculty development for teaching and learning comes in a variety of forms, from individuals charged to initiate activities to committees and centers. Faculty development has been effective in improving faculty perceptions on the value of teaching, increasing motivation and enthusiasm for teaching, increasing knowledge and behaviors, and disseminating skills. Several models exist that can be implemented to support faculty teaching development. Institutions need to make informed decisions about which plan could be most successfully implemented in their college or school. PMID:24954939

Faculty development program models to advance teaching and learning within health science programs.

PubMed

Lancaster, Jason W; Stein, Susan M; MacLean, Linda Garrelts; Van Amburgh, Jenny; Persky, Adam M

2014-06-17

Within health science programs there has been a call for more faculty development, particularly for teaching and learning. The primary objectives of this review were to describe the current landscape for faculty development programs for teaching and learning and make recommendations for the implementation of new faculty development programs. A thorough search of the pertinent health science databases was conducted, including the Education Resource Information Center (ERIC), MEDLINE, and EMBASE, and faculty development books and relevant information found were reviewed in order to provide recommendations for best practices. Faculty development for teaching and learning comes in a variety of forms, from individuals charged to initiate activities to committees and centers. Faculty development has been effective in improving faculty perceptions on the value of teaching, increasing motivation and enthusiasm for teaching, increasing knowledge and behaviors, and disseminating skills. Several models exist that can be implemented to support faculty teaching development. Institutions need to make informed decisions about which plan could be most successfully implemented in their college or school.

Teaching Planetary Sciences in Bilingual Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebofsky, L. A.; Lebofsky, N. R.

1993-05-01

Planetary sciences can be used to introduce students to the natural world which is a part of their lives. Even children in an urban environment are aware of such phenomena as day and night, shadows, and the seasons. It is a science that transcends cultures, has been prominent in the news in recent years, and can generate excitement in young minds as no other science can. It also provides a useful tool for understanding other sciences and mathematics, and for developing problem solving skills which are important in our technological world. However, only 15 percent of elementary school teachers feel very well qualified to teach earth/space science, while better than 80% feel well qualified to teach reading; many teachers avoid teaching science; very little time is actually spent teaching science in the elementary school: 19 minutes per day in K--3 and 38 minutes per day in 4--6. While very little science is taught in elementary and middle school, earth/space science is taught at the elementary level in less than half of the states. Therefore in order to teach earth/space science to our youth, we must empower our teachers, making them familiar and comfortable with existing materials. Tucson has another, but not unique, problem. The largest public school district, the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD), provides a neighborhood school system enhanced with magnet, bilingual and special needs schools for a school population of 57,000 students that is 4.1% Native American, 6.0% Black, and 36.0% Hispanic (1991). This makes TUSD and the other school districts in and around Tucson ideal for a program that reaches students of diverse ethnic backgrounds. However, few space sciences materials exist in Spanish; most materials could not be used effectively in the classroom. To address this issue, we have translated NASA materials into Spanish and are conducting a series of workshops for bilingual classroom teachers. We will discuss in detail our bilingual classroom workshops

Preservice Science Teachers' Uses of Inscriptions in Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanis Ozcelik, Arzu; McDonald, Scott P.

2013-01-01

This study investigated preservice science teachers' uses of inscriptions in their peer teaching activities and was guided by the following research questions: (1) What kinds of inscriptions and inscriptional practices do preservice science teachers use in their peer teaching activity? and (2) How and for what purposes do preservice science…

The Use of Information and Communications Technology To Support the Teaching of Science in Primary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skinner, Nigel C.; Preece, Peter F. W.

2003-01-01

Describes the AstraZeneca-Exeter Science through Telematics (AZEST) project and reports that the Internet has much potential as a communication channel for the provision and discussion of INSET materials for primary science in the UK. Evaluates websites dedicated to primary science at the local level, concept mapping for stimulating discussion,…

Development and exemplification of a model for Teacher Assessment in Primary Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, D. J.; Earle, S.; McMahon, K.; Howe, A.; Collier, C.

2017-09-01

The Teacher Assessment in Primary Science project is funded by the Primary Science Teaching Trust and based at Bath Spa University. The study aims to develop a whole-school model of valid, reliable and manageable teacher assessment to inform practice and make a positive impact on primary-aged children's learning in science. The model is based on a data-flow 'pyramid' (analogous to the flow of energy through an ecosystem), whereby the rich formative assessment evidence gathered in the classroom is summarised for monitoring, reporting and evaluation purposes [Nuffield Foundation. (2012). Developing policy, principles and practice in primary school science assessment. London: Nuffield Foundation]. Using a design-based research (DBR) methodology, the authors worked in collaboration with teachers from project schools and other expert groups to refine, elaborate, validate and operationalise the data-flow 'pyramid' model, resulting in the development of a whole-school self-evaluation tool. In this paper, we argue that a DBR approach to theory-building and school improvement drawing upon teacher expertise has led to the identification, adaptation and successful scaling up of a promising approach to school self-evaluation in relation to assessment in science.

Newly qualified teachers' visions of science learning and teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Deborah L.

2011-12-01

This study investigated newly qualified teachers' visions of science learning and teaching. The study also documented their preparation in an elementary science methods course. The research questions were: What educational and professional experiences influenced the instructor's visions of science learning and teaching? What visions of science learning and teaching were promoted in the participants' science methods course? What visions of science learning and teaching did these newly qualified teachers bring with them as they graduated from their teacher preparation program? How did these visions compare with those advocated by reform documents? Data sources included participants' assignments, weekly reflections, and multi-media portfolio finals. Semi-structured interviews provided the emic voice of participants, after graduation but before they had begun to teach. These data were interpreted via a combination of qualitative methodologies. Vignettes described class activities. Assertions supported by excerpts from participants' writings emerged from repeated review of their assignments. A case study of a typical participant characterized weekly reflections and final multi-media portfolio. Four strands of science proficiency articulated in a national reform document provided a framework for interpreting activities, assignments, and interview responses. Prior experiences that influenced design of the methods course included an inquiry-based undergraduate physics course, participation in a reform-based teacher preparation program, undergraduate and graduate inquiry-based science teaching methods courses, participation in a teacher research group, continued connection to the university as a beginning teacher, teaching in diverse Title 1 schools, service as the county and state elementary science specialist, participation in the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, service on a National Research Council committee, and experience teaching a

"All We Did Was Things Like Forces and Motion?…": Multiple Discourses in the Development of Primary Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danielsson, Anna; Warwick, Paul

2014-01-01

Previous research has highlighted challenges associated with embracing an inquiry approach to science teaching for primary teachers, often associating these challenges with insecurity linked to the lack of content knowledge. We argue that in order to understand the extent to which primary student teachers are able to embrace science teaching…

The Profile of Misconceptions among Science Subject Student-Teachers in Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subayani, Nataria Wahyuning

2016-01-01

Students' different background knowledge determines their quality of conceptions towards a specific subject in college. This research sought to uncover the profile of misconceptions experienced by 48 students of Primary School Teaching Major, studying Science in University of Muhammadiyah Gresik. The educational background of the students in high…

CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR SCIENCE, PRIMARY 2-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GRAHAM, KATHRYN A.; AND OTHERS

COURSE CONTENT, ACTIVITIES, AND REFERENCE INFORMATION FOR TEACHING SCIENCE IN SECOND AND THIRD GRADES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS VOLUME. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS DISCUSS AN APPROACH TO THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE AND THE GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE SCIENCE PROGRAM. SIX UNITS OF STUDY ARE PRESENTED FOR SECOND GRADE--(1) DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PLANTS AND ANIMALS, (2)…

The concept of nature in Islamic science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarman, Wendi

2016-02-01

Science teaching is basically value laden activities. One of the values tells that science is not related to any religion. This secular value is reflected to science teaching in many places, including religious country like Indonesia. However, we argue that in Indonesia science teaching should not be secular as in the Western country since one of the basic aim of National Education according to the Indonesian constitution Undang-Undang Dasar 1945, is to inculcate faith and god-fearing to One God Almighty. As we know, Indonesia is a Moslem country and has many Islamic schools in it too. Thus, it is important to design a science teaching framework base on Islamic teaching to fulfill the basic aim of National Education This paper discusses concept of nature, the key term in science, based on Islamic view that may used as a framework to develop Islamic science teaching. In Islam, science has a strong relation to religion since nature reflects the existence of the Creator. This concept is derived from the analysis of several verses from Qur'an as the main source of Islamic teaching. There are several principle can be derived from this analysis. Firstly, visible world is not the only world, but there is also the unseen world. Secondly, the nature is not merely matter that doesn't have any sacred value, but it is the indication or symbol of God existence and His Nature. Thirdly, The Qur'an and the nature are both Books of Allah that contain messages of Him, so they are complementary to each other

Teaching science in museums

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Lynn Uyen

Museums are free-choice, non-threatening, non-evaluative learning and teaching environments. They enable learners to revisit contents, authentic objects, and experiences at their own leisure as they continually build an understanding and appreciation of the concepts. Schools in America have used museums as resources to supplement their curriculum since the 19 th century. Field trip research is predominantly from the teachers' and students' perspectives, and draws attention to the importance for classroom teachers and students to prepare prior to field trips, have tasks, goals, and objectives during their time at the museum, and follow up afterwards. Meanwhile, museum educators' contributions to field trip experiences have been scantily addressed. These educators develop and implement programs intended to help students' explore science concepts and make sense of their experiences, and despite their limited time with students, studies show they can be memorable. First, field trips are a break in the usual routine, and thus have curiosity and attention attracting power. Second, classroom science teaching literature suggests teachers' teaching knowledge and goals can affect their behaviors, and in turn influence student learning. Third, classroom teachers are novices at planning and implementing field trip planners, and museum educators can share this responsibility. But little is reported on how the educators teach, what guides their instruction, how classroom teachers use these lessons, and what is gained from these lessons. This study investigates two of these inquiries. The following research questions guided this investigation. (1) How do educators teaching one-hour, one-time lessons in museums adapt their instruction to the students that they teach? (2) How do time limitations affect instruction? (3) How does perceived variability in entering student knowledge affect instruction? Four educators from two museums took part in this participant observation study to

Practical Insights into Curricula Integration for Primary Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Peter

2012-01-01

As indicated in a previous Teaching Science article, effective planning for curricula integration requires using standards from two (or more) subject areas (e.g., Science and English, Science and Art or Science and Mathematics), which also becomes the assessment foci for teaching and learning. Curricula integration of standards into an activity…

Primary Science Teaching to Bicolano Students: In Bicol, English or Filipino?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vela, Jualim Datiles

2015-01-01

This study aimed to determine the effects of using the local and mother languages on primary students' academic performance in science, which is officially taught in English. Using the official language, English, and the two local languages--Filipino, the national and official language, and Bicol, the mother language of the respondents--science…

A longitudinal investigation of the preservice science teachers' beliefs about science teaching during a science teacher training programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buldur, Serkan

2017-01-01

The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate the changes in preservice science teachers' beliefs about science teaching during a science teacher training programme. The study was designed as a panel study, and the data were collected from the same participants at the end of each academic year during a four-year period. The participants were composed of 76 preservice teachers, and the DASTT-C was used as the data collection tool. As a result of the study, it was determined that the students had conventional teaching beliefs after the first years of the teacher training programme. Moreover, the mental teaching styles of preservice teachers about the science teaching were found to undergo changes throughout their undergraduate education. Participants' beliefs about conventional teaching started to change, especially after they first took a science method course in their third year and their beliefs shifted towards student-centred teaching. Implications for science teacher training programmes were also addressed.

How to Justify Teaching False Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slater, Matthew H.

2008-01-01

We often knowingly teach false science. Such a practice conflicts with a prima facie pedagogical value placed on teaching only what is true. I argue that only a partial dissolution of the conflict is possible: the proper aim of instruction in science is not to provide an armory of facts about what things the world contains, how they interact, and…

Safety and Science Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virginia State Dept. of Education, Richmond. Div. of Sciences and Elementary Administration.

This 10-chapter handbook (designed for science teachers and school administrators) describes known hazards associated with science teaching and provides information to develop a framework for local safety programs specifically designed to avoid or neutralize the effects of such hazards. Major areas addressed in the chapters include: (1) the nature…

Scientists researching teaching: Reforming science education and transforming practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Tarin Harrar

Reforming science education is a multidimensional and complex undertaking. Of extreme importance is transforming how teachers teach. Answering the equity call of reform initiatives requires focusing on the underlying values and beliefs guiding teacher action and the promotion of inclusive practices (Brickhouse, 2001; Harding, 1994; Eisenhart, Finkel, & Marion, 1995; Mayberry & Rees, 1999; Rodriguez, 1997). Reform efforts within the last decade are being directed at college level science courses. Course and pedagogical transformations are particularly aimed at increasing the numbers of females and persons of color in science and improving the education of preservice teachers. Facilitating transformations toward these goals at the individual and program level is challenging work. This study explores and describes the conditions of the teacher change process toward an inclusive pedagogy. Two science professors affiliated with a reform collaborative were the main participants of the research. The professors, in collaboration with the primary researcher, engaged in assisted action research that lead to the identification and descriptions of their context and practical teaching theories. Among the questions explored were: "How does placing the professor in a position to conduct an assisted action research project help to foster teacher change conditions?" "How do the practical theories guiding the professors' teaching foster or impede inclusionary practice?" "What necessary conditions of the teacher change process toward an inclusive pedagogy emerged from the study?". Using case study and ethnographic qualitative research strategies for data collection and analysis, this study affords a unique perspective through which to consider why and how science professors change their practice. Data indicated that the assisted action research strategy fostered the conditions of teacher change. In addition, findings revealed that the professors shared a teacher and curriculum

Exploring the Place of Exemplary Science Teaching. This Year in School Science 1993.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haley-Oliphant, Ann E., Ed.

Exemplary science teaching is an experience that fosters wonder, excitement, and risk-taking. This book presents essays which attempt to describe the culture of classrooms of exemplary science teachers. Chapter titles are: "Exploring the Place of Exemplary Science Teaching" (Ann E. Haley-Oliphant); "The Voices of Exemplary Science Teachers" (Ann…

Primary Teachers' Reflections on Inquiry- and Context-Based Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walan, Susanne; Mc Ewen, Birgitta

2017-04-01

Inquiry- and context-based teaching strategies have been proven to stimulate and motivate students' interests in learning science. In this study, 12 teachers reflected on these strategies after using them in primary schools. The teachers participated in a continuous professional development (CPD) programme. During the programme, they were also introduced to a teaching model from a European project, where inquiry- and context-based education (IC-BaSE) strategies were fused. The research question related to teachers' reflections on these teaching strategies, and whether they found the model to be useful in primary schools after testing it with their students. Data collection was performed during the CPD programme and consisted of audio-recorded group discussions, individual portfolios and field notes collected by researchers. Results showed that compared with using only one instructional strategy, teachers found the new teaching model to be a useful complement. However, their discussions also showed that they did not reflect on choices of strategies or purposes and aims relating to students' understanding, or the content to be taught. Before the CPD programme, teachers discussed the use of inquiry mainly from the aspect that students enjoy practical work. After the programme, they identified additional reasons for using inquiry and discussed the importance of knowing why inquiry is performed. However, to develop teachers' knowledge of instructional strategies as well as purposes for using certain strategies, there is need for further investigations among primary school teachers.

Teaching and Learning Science for Transformative, Aesthetic Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girod, Mark; Twyman, Todd; Wojcikiewicz, Steve

2010-11-01

Drawing from the Deweyan theory of experience (1934, 1938), the goal of teaching and learning for transformative, aesthetic experience is contrasted against teaching and learning from a cognitive, rational framework. A quasi-experimental design was used to investigate teaching and learning of fifth grade science from each perspective across an entire school year including three major units of instruction. Detailed comparisons of teaching are given and pre and post measures of interest in learning science, science identity affiliation, and efficacy beliefs are investigated. Tests of conceptual understanding before, after, and one month after instruction reveal teaching for transformative, aesthetic experience fosters more, and more enduring, learning of science concepts. Investigations of transfer also suggest students learning for transformative, aesthetic experiences learn to see the world differently and find more interest and excitement in the world outside of school.

Integration of the primary health care approach into a community nursing science curriculum.

PubMed

Vilakazi, S S; Chabeli, M M; Roos, S D

2000-12-01

The purpose of this article is to explore and describe guidelines for integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum in a Nursing College in Gauteng. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was utilized. The focus group interviews were conducted with community nurses and nurse educators as respondents. Data were analysed by a qualitative descriptive method of analysis as described in Creswell (1994: 155). Respondents in both groups held similar perceptions regarding integration of primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum. Five categories, which are in line with the curriculum cycle, were identified as follows: situation analysis, selection and organisation of objectives/goals, content, teaching methods and evaluation. Guidelines and recommendations for the integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum were described.

Innovations in College Science Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penick, John E., Ed.; Dunkhase, John A., Ed.

Fifteen innovative college science programs based on survey results about perceptions of excellence in college science teaching are presented. The goals, program origins, special features of the programs, evaluations, and conclusions are described for each. Discussed are the commonalities among this collection of 15 college science programs and…

The effect of teacher education level, teaching experience, and teaching behaviors on student science achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Danhui

Previous literature leaves us unanswered questions about whether teaching behaviors mediate the relationship between teacher education level and experience with student science achievement. This study examined this question with 655 students from sixth to eighth grade and their 12 science teachers. Student science achievements were measured at the beginning and end of 2006-2007 school year. Given the cluster sampling of students nested in classrooms, which are nested in teachers, a two-level multilevel model was employed to disentangle the effects from teacher-level and student-level factors. Several findings were discovered in this study. Science teachers possessing of advanced degrees in science or education significantly and positively influenced student science achievement. However, years of teaching experience in science did not directly influence student science achievement. A significant interaction was detected between teachers possessing an advanced degree in science or education and years of teaching science, which was inversely associated to student science achievement. Better teaching behaviors were also positively related to student achievement in science directly, as well as mediated the relationship between student science achievement and both teacher education and experience. Additionally, when examined separately, each teaching behavior variable (teacher engagement, classroom management, and teaching strategies) served as a significant intermediary between both teacher education and experience and student science achievement. The findings of this study are intended to provide insights into the importance of hiring and developing qualified teachers who are better able to help students achieve in science, as well as to direct the emphases of ongoing teacher inservice training.

Collaborative activities for improving the quality of science teaching and learning and learning to teach science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobin, Kenneth

2012-03-01

I have been involved in research on collaborative activities for improving the quality of teaching and learning high school science. Initially the collaborative activities we researched involved the uses of coteaching and cogenerative dialogue in urban middle and high schools in Philadelphia and New York (currently I have active research sites in New York and Brisbane, Australia). The research not only transformed practices but also produced theories that informed the development of additional collaborative activities and served as interventions for research and creation of heuristics for professional development programs and teacher certification courses. The presentation describes a collage of collaborative approaches to teaching and learning science, including coteaching, cogenerative dialogue, radical listening, critical reflection, and mindful action. For each activity in the collage I provide theoretical frameworks and empirical support, ongoing research, and priorities for the road ahead. I also address methodologies used in the research, illustrating how teachers and students collaborated as researchers in multilevel investigations of teaching and learning and learning to teach that included ethnography, video analysis, and sophisticated analyses of the voice, facial expression of emotion, eye gaze, and movement of the body during classroom interactions. I trace the evolution of studies of face-to-face interactions in science classes to the current focus on emotions and physiological aspects of teaching and learning (e.g., pulse rate, pulse strength, breathing patterns) that relate to science participation and achievement.

Teaching science as argument: Prospective elementary teachers' knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barreto-Espino, Reizelie

For the past two decades there has been increasing emphasis on argumentation in school science. In 2007, the National Research Council published a synthesis report that emphasizes the centrality of constructing, evaluating, and using scientific explanations. Participating in argumentation is seen as fundamental to children's science learning experiences. These new expectations increase challenges for elementary teachers since their understanding of and experiences with science are overwhelmingly inconsistent with teaching science as argument. These challenges are further amplified when dealing with prospective elementary teachers. The current study was guided by the following research questions: (1) What are the ways in which preservice elementary teachers appropriate components of "teaching science as argument" during their student teaching experience? (2) To what extent do components from prospective elementary teachers' reflections influence planning for science teaching? (3) What elements from the context influence preservice elementary teachers' attention to teaching science as argument? This study followed a multi-participant case study approach and analyses were informed by grounded theory. Three participants were selected from a larger cohort of prospective elementary teachers enrolled in an innovative Elementary Professional Development School (PDS) partnership at a large Northeast University. Cross-case analysis allowed for the development of five key assertions: (1) The presence of opportunities for interacting with phenomena and collecting first hand data helped participants increase their emphasis on evidence-based explanations. (2) Participants viewed science talks as an essential mechanism for engaging students in the construction of evidence-based explanations and as being fundamental to meaning-making. (3) Participants demonstrated attention to scientific subject matter during instruction rather than merely focusing on activities and/or inquiry

Turkish preservice science teachers' socioscientific issues-based teaching practices in middle school science classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Genel, Abdulkadir; Sami Topçu, Mustafa

2016-01-01

Background: Despite a growing body of research and curriculum reforms including socioscientific issues (SSI) across the world, how preservice science teachers (PST) or in-service science teachers can teach SSI in science classrooms needs further inquiry. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the abilities of PSTs to teach SSI in middle school science classrooms, and the research question that guided the present study is: How can we characterize Turkish PSTs' SSI-based teaching practices in middle school science classrooms (ages 11-14)? Sample: In order to address the research question of this study, we explored 10 Turkish PSTs' SSI-based teaching practices in middle school science classrooms. A purposeful sampling strategy was used, thus, PSTs were specifically chosen because they were ideal candidates to teach SSI and to integrate SSI into the science curricula since they were seniors in the science education program who had to take the field experience courses. Design and method: The participants' SSI teaching practices were characterized in light of qualitative research approach. SSI-based teaching practices were analyzed, and the transcripts of all videotape recordings were coded by two researchers. Results: The current data analysis describes Turkish PSTs' SSI-based teaching practices under five main categories: media, argumentation, SSI selection and presentation, risk analysis, and moral perspective. Most of PSTs did not use media resources in their lesson and none of them considered moral perspective in their teaching. While the risk analyses were very simple and superficial, the arguments developed in the classrooms generally remained at a simple level. PSTs did not think SSI as a central topic and discussed these issues in a very limited time and at the end of the class period. Conclusions: The findings of this study manifest the need of the reforms in science education programs. The present study provides evidence that moral, media

Dimensions of autonomy: Primary teachers' decisions about involvement in science professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schibeci, Renato A.; Hickey, Ruth L.

2004-01-01

Professional development (PD) for primary science teachers is recognized as an important activity which can support improved science education for students. Analysis of interviews with practicing primary science teachers is used to identify the range of PD experiences of a sample of teachers from Western Australia. Teachers' reasons for attending or avoiding science-related PD are categorized as decision issues which include opportunity, compulsion, convenience, enticement, interest, recommendation, and relevance. Case studies describe the interplay of these issues, which result in teachers' attendance or avoidance of PD. A subset of the sample is used to explore teachers' views of other activities which they recognize as contributing to their science teaching, content knowledge, and pedagogy. These other activities include hobbies, partner's job, and pursuing students' interests. Legitimating teachers' own interests as a source of personally derived PD is supported as an avenue to increase the diversity of topics studied by students and to increase the level of content knowledge held by teachers.

Teaching Science through Physical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, David; Whitehurst, Michael

1997-01-01

Physical education can serve as a vehicle for teaching science and make student understanding of certain personal health-related science concepts meaningful. Describes activities involving the musculoskeletal system, the nervous system, and the cardiovascular system. (DKM)

Teaching Science to the Gifted.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scher, Joyce L.

Science teaching practices at the Long Island School for the Gifted emphasize hands-on experiments where children do the work and the teacher assists learning. This approach bypasses the reading/writing barrier that prevents some children from learning science. Many science experiments are described, including a first-grade lesson on using…

Primary Science Focus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Jane

2011-01-01

Liz Lawrence has recently finished her term as Chair of Primary Science Committee (PSC). She is one of the 41 hub leaders who have led and mentored 192 schools across England and British Forces' schools in Germany, to achieve the first ever nationally recognised awards to celebrate excellence in primary science. In this article, the author writes…

The connection between teaching and learning: Linking teaching quality and metacognitive strategy use in primary school.

PubMed

Rieser, Svenja; Naumann, Alexander; Decristan, Jasmin; Fauth, Benjamin; Klieme, Eckhard; Büttner, Gerhard

2016-12-01

In order for teaching to be successful, students need to be actively involved in learning. However, research on teaching effectiveness often neglects students' learning activities. Although it is assumed that effective teaching promotes the use of beneficial learning activities, empirical evidence for this connection is still limited. This study aimed to investigate the connection between effective teaching and reported learning activities. We hypothesize specific relations between a three-dimensional model of teaching quality (i.e., cognitive activation, supportive climate, and classroom management) and students' reported use of metacognitive strategies. Students' intrinsic motivation is considered as a mediator and a moderator of this connection. N = 1,052 students from 53 German primary school classes and their science teachers participated. Data were collected through classroom or video observation and questionnaires over a period of approximately 2 months. Multilevel analysis was utilized to test our hypotheses. Each dimension of teaching quality positively predicted students' reported use of metacognitive strategies. For supportive climate, this connection was mediated by students' intrinsic motivation. Cognitive activation negatively predicted the slopes between students' reported metacognitive strategy use and motivation. The results support the notion that effective teaching is connected to learning activities and stress the importance of students' learning motivation. Results from the cross-level interaction could indicate that especially less motivated students' reported metacognitive strategy use might be supported by cognitively activating teaching. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Preservice Elementary Teachers' Beliefs about Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz-Tuzun, Ozgul

2008-01-01

In this study, a Beliefs About Teaching (BAT) scale was created to examine preservice elementary science teachers' self-reported comfort level with both traditional and reform-based teaching methods, assessment techniques, classroom management techniques, and science content. Participants included 166 preservice teachers from three different US…

Improving Early Career Science Teachers' Ability to Teach Space Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, G. R.; Slater, T. F.; Wierman, T.; Erickson, J. G.; Mendez, B. J.

2012-12-01

The GEMS Space Science Sequence is a high quality, hands-on curriculum for elementary and middle schools, created by a national team of astronomers and science educators with NASA funding and support. The standards-aligned curriculum includes 24 class sessions for upper elementary grades targeting the scale and nature of Earth's, shape, motion and gravity, and 36 class sessions for middle school grades focusing on the interactions between our Sun and Earth and the nature of the solar system and beyond. These materials feature extensive teacher support materials which results in pre-test to post-test content gains for students averaging 22%. Despite the materials being highly successful, there has been a less than desired uptake by teachers in using these materials, largely due to a lack of professional development training. Responding to the need to improve the quantity and quality of space science education, a collaborative of space scientists and science educators - from the University of California, Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) and Center for Science Education at the Space Sciences Laboratory (CSE@SSL), the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), the University of Wyoming, and the CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education - experimented with a unique professional development model focused on helping master teachers work closely with pre-service teachers during their student teaching internship field experience. Research on the exodus of young teachers from the teaching profession clearly demonstrates that early career teachers often leave teaching because of a lack of mentoring support and classroom ready curriculum materials. The Advancing Mentor and Novice Teachers in Space Science (AMANTISS) team first identified master teachers who supervise novice, student teachers in middle school, and trained these master teachers to use the GEMS Space Science Sequence for Grades 6-8. Then, these master teachers were mentored in how to coach their

Teaching Science through Story

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horton, Jessica

2013-01-01

Children find comfort in stories. They are familiar, accessible and entertaining. By teaching science through narratives, we can provide that same comfort and access to scientific content to children of all ages. In this article, I will discuss how, through the use of narratives in science instruction, we can provide students with a deeper…

Crossing borders: High school science teachers learning to teach the specialized language of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patrick, Jennifer Drake

The highly specialized language of science is both challenging and alienating to adolescent readers. This study investigated how secondary science teachers learn to teach the specialized language of science in their classrooms. Three research questions guided this study: (a) what do science teachers know about teaching reading in science? (b) what understanding about the unique language demands of science reading do they construct through professional development? and (c) how do they integrate what they have learned about these specialized features of science language into their teaching practices? This study investigated the experience of seven secondary science teachers as they participated in a professional development program designed to teach them about the specialized language of science. Data sources included participant interviews, audio-taped professional development sessions, field notes from classroom observations, and a prior knowledge survey. Results from this study suggest that science teachers (a) were excited to learn about disciplinary reading practices, (b) developed an emergent awareness of the specialized features of science language and the various genres of science writing, and (c) recognized that the challenges of science reading goes beyond vocabulary. These teachers' efforts to understand and address the language of science in their teaching practices were undermined by their lack of basic knowledge of grammar, availability of time and resources, their prior knowledge and experiences, existing curriculum, and school structure. This study contributes to our understanding of how secondary science teachers learn about disciplinary literacy and apply that knowledge in their classroom instruction. It has important implications for literacy educators and science educators who are interested in using language and literacy practices in the service of science teaching and learning. (Full text of this dissertation may be available via the University

Teaching professionalism in science courses: anatomy to zoology.

PubMed

Macpherson, Cheryl C

2012-02-01

Medical professionalism is reflected in attitudes, behaviors, character, and standards of practice. It is embodied by physicians who fulfill their duties to patients and uphold societies' trust in medicine. Professionalism requires familiarity with the ethical codes and standards established by international, governmental, institutional, or professional organizations. It also requires becoming aware of and responsive to societal controversies. Scientific uncertainty may be used to teach aspects of professionalism in science courses. Uncertainty about the science behind, and the health impacts of, climate change is one example explored herein that may be used to teach both professionalism and science. Many medical curricula provide students with information about professionalism and create opportunities for students to reflect upon and strengthen their individually evolving levels of professionalism. Faculties in basic sciences are rarely called upon to teach professionalism or deepen medical students understanding of professional standards, competencies, and ethical codes. However they have the knowledge and experience to develop goals, learning objectives, and topics relevant to professionalism within their own disciplines and medical curricula. Their dedication to, and passion for, science will support basic science faculties in designing innovative and effective approaches to teaching professionalism. This paper explores topics and formats that scientists may find useful in teaching professional attitudes, skills, and competencies in their medical curriculum. It highlights goals and learning objectives associated with teaching medical professionalism in the basic sciences. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Hot Topics in Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ediger, Marlow

2018-01-01

There are vital topics in science teaching and learning which are mentioned frequently in the literature. Specialists advocate their importance in the curriculum as well as science teachers stress their saliency. Inservice education might well assist new and veteran teachers in knowledge and skills. The very best science lessons and units of…

Study of Turkish Preschool Teachers' Attitudes toward Science Teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erden, Feyza T.; Sönmez, Sema

2011-05-01

This study aims to explore preschool teachers' attitudes toward science teaching and its impact on classroom practices through the frequency of science activities provided in the classroom. In addition, the study investigates if their attitudes are related to factors such as educational level, years of teaching experience, and the school type they work in. The present research was conducted with 292 preschool teachers who work in public and private schools in different districts of Ankara, Turkey. The data were collected by administering the Early Childhood Teachers' Attitudes toward Science Teaching Scale. Our analyses indicate that there is a significant but weak link between preschool teachers' attitudes toward science teaching and the frequency of science activities that they provide in the classroom. Further, while teachers' characteristics such as educational level and experience are found to play an insignificant role on the overall measures of the scale, type of school appears to be a major factor in explaining the attitudes toward science teaching.

Pre-service elementary science teaching self-efficacy and teaching practices: A mixed-methods, dual-phase, embedded case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sangueza, Cheryl Ramirez

This mixed-method, dual-phase, embedded-case study employed the Social Cognitive Theory and the construct of self-efficacy to examine the contributors to science teaching self-efficacy and science teaching practices across different levels of efficacy in six pre-service elementary teachers during their science methods course and student teaching experiences. Data sources included the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI-B) for pre-service teachers, questionnaires, journals, reflections, student teaching lesson observations, and lesson debriefing notes. Results from the STEBI-B show that all participants measured an increase in efficacy throughout the study. The ANOVA analysis of the STEBI-B revealed a statistically significant increase in level of efficacy during methods course, student teaching, and from the beginning of the study to the end. Of interest in this study was the examination of the participants' science teaching practices across different levels of efficacy. Results of this analysis revealed how the pre-service elementary teachers in this study contextualized their experiences in learning to teach science and its influences on their science teaching practices. Key implications involves the value in exploring how pre-service teachers interpret their learning to teach experiences and how their interpretations influence the development of their science teaching practices.

Teacher collaboration and elementary science teaching: Using action research as a tool for instructional leadership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Sara Hayes

The primary purpose of this action research study was to explore an elementary science program and find ways to support science education as an administrator of an elementary school. The study took place in a large suburban school system in the southeastern United States. Seven teachers at a small rural school volunteered to participate in the study. Each participant became an active member of the research by determining what changes needed to take place and implementing the lessons in science. The study was also focused on teacher collaboration and how it influenced the science instruction. The data collected included two interviews, ten observations of science lessons, the implementation of four science units, and informal notes from planning sessions over a five month period. The questions that guided this study focused on how teachers prepare to teach science through active learning and how instruction shifts due to teacher collaboration. Teachers were interviewed at the beginning of the study to gain the perceptions of the participants in the areas of (a) planning, (b) active learning, (c) collaboration, and (d) teaching science lessons. The teachers and principal then formed a research team that determined the barriers to teaching science according to the Standards, designed units of study using active learning strategies, and worked collaboratively to implement the units of study. The action research project reviewed the National Science Education Standards, the theory of constructivism, active learning and teacher collaboration as they relate to the actions taken by a group of teachers in an elementary school. The evidence from this study showed that by working together collaboratively and overcoming the barriers to teaching science actively, teachers feel more confident and knowledgeable about teaching the concepts.

Professional development for primary science teaching in Thailand: Knowledge, orientations, and practices of professional developers and professional development participants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musikul, Kusalin

The purpose of this study was to examine an entire PD project as a case to understand the dynamic nature of science PD in a holistic manner. I used a pedagogical content knowledge model by Magnusson, Krajcik, and Borko (1999) as my theoretical framework in examining the professional developers' and teacher participants' knowledge, orientation, and practice for professional development and elementary science teaching. The case study is my research tradition; I used grounded theory for data analysis. The primary data sources were interview, card sort activity, and observation field notes collected during the PD and subsequently in teacher participants' classrooms. Secondary data sources were documents and artifacts that I collected from the professional developers and teachers. An analysis of the data led me to interpret the following findings: (a) the professional developers displayed multiple orientations. These orientations included activity-driven, didactic, discovery, and pedagogy-driven orientations. The orientations that were found among the professional developers deviated from the reformed Thai Science Education Standards; (b) the professional developers had limited PCK for PD, which were knowledge of teachers' learning, knowledge of PD strategies, knowledge of PD curriculum, and knowledge of assessment.; (c) the professional developers' knowledge and orientations influenced their decisions in selecting PD activities and teaching approaches; (d) their orientations and PCK as well as the time factor influenced the design and implementation of the professional development; (e) the elementary teachers displayed didactic, activity-driven, and academic rigor orientations. The orientations that the teachers displayed deviated from the reformed Thai Science Education Standards; and (f) the elementary teachers exhibited limited PCK. It is evident that the limitation of one type of knowledge resulted in an ineffective use of other components of PCK. This study

Students' perceptions about science: The impact of transition from primary to secondary school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Speering, Wendy; Rennie, Léonie

1996-09-01

As students move through school, attitudes to school in general, and science in particular, become less positive. This paper reports on a longitudinal study which mapped, from the students' point of view, the transition between primary and secondary school in Western Australia. The study focused on the subject of science, and used both quantitative and qualitative methods. During the transition, there is a considerable change in the organisation of the school, the curriculum and the teacherstudent relationship. Students in this study, especially the girls, were generally disenchanted with the teaching strategies used in their secondary science classrooms, and regretted the loss of the close teacher-student relationship of their primary school years. Their perceptions were that science in secondary school was not what they had expected, and this experience may have long term implications for their subject and career choices.

Learning to teach science in a professional development school program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hildreth, David P.

1997-09-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of learning to teach science in a Professional Development School (PDS) program on university elementary education preservice teachers' (1) attitudes toward science, (2) science process skills achievement, and (3) sense of science teaching efficacy. Data were collected and analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were collected using the Science Attitude Inventory (North Carolina Math and Science Education Network (1994), the Test of Integrated Process Skills, TIPS, (Dillashaw & Okey, 1980), and the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument, STEBI, form B (Enochs & Riggs, 1990). A pretest posttest research design was used for the attitude and process skills constructs. These results were analyzed using paired t test procedures. A pre-experimental group comparison group research design was used for the efficacy construct. Results from this comparison were analyzed using unpaired t test procedures. Qualitative data were collected through students' responses to open-ended questionnaires, narrative interviews, journal entries, small messages, and unsolicited conversations. These data were analyzed via pattern analysis. Posttest scores were significantly higher than pretests scores on both the Science Attitude Inventory and the TIPS. This indicated that students had improved attitudes toward science and science teaching and higher process skills achievement after three semesters in the science-focused PDS program. Scores on the STEBI were significantly higher for students in the pre-experimental group when compared to students in the comparison group. This indicates that students in the science-focused PDS program possessed more efficacious beliefs about science teaching than did the comparison group. Quantitative data were supported by analysis of qualitative data. Implications from this study point to the effectiveness of learning to teach science in a science-focused PDS

Florida and Puerto Rico Secondary Science Teachers' Knowledge and Teaching of Climate Change Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Benjamin C.; Feldman, Allan; Vernaza-Hernandez, Vanessa

2017-01-01

Misconceptions about climate change science are pervasive among the US public. This study investigated the possibility that these misconceptions may be reflective of science teachers' knowledge and teaching of climate change science. Florida and Puerto Rico secondary science teachers who claim to teach extensively about climate change were…

Sources of Science Teaching Self-Efficacy for Preservice Elementary Teachers in Science Content Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menon, Deepika; Sadler, Troy D.

2018-01-01

Self-efficacy beliefs play a major role in determining teachers' science teaching practices and have been a topic of great interest in the area of preservice science teacher education. This qualitative study investigated factors that influenced preservice elementary teachers' science teaching self-efficacy beliefs in a physical science content…

Teaching and Learning Mathematics from Primary Historical Sources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, Janet Heine; Lodder, Jerry; Pengelley, David

2016-01-01

Why would anyone think of teaching and learning mathematics directly from primary historical sources? We aim to answer this question while sharing our own experiences, and those of our students across several decades. We will first describe the evolution of our motivation for teaching with primary sources, and our current view of the advantages…

Science Teaching Orientations and Technology-Enhanced Tools for Student Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Todd; Longhurst, Max; Duffy, Aaron M.; Wolf, Paul G.; Shelton, Brett E.

2013-10-01

This qualitative study examines teacher orientations and technology-enhanced tools for student learning within a science literacy framework. Data for this study came from a group of 10 eighth grade science teachers. Each of these teachers was a participant in a professional development (PD) project focused on reformed and technology-enhanced science instruction shaped by national standards documents. The research is focused on identifying teacher orientations and use of technology-enhanced tools prior to or unaffected by PD. The primary data sources for this study are drawn from learning journals and classroom observations. Qualitative methods were used to analyze learning journals, while descriptive statistics were used from classroom observations to further explore and triangulate the emergent qualitative findings. Two teacher orientation teacher profiles were developed to reveal the emergent teacher orientation dimensions and technology-enhanced tool categories found: "more traditional teacher orientation profile" and "toward a reformed-based teacher orientation profile." Both profiles were founded on "knowledge of" beliefs about the goals and purposes for science education, while neither profile revealed sophisticated beliefs about the nature of science. The "traditional" profile revealed more teacher-centered beliefs about science teaching and learning, and the "towards reformed-based" profile revealed student-centered beliefs. Finally, only technology-enhanced tools supportive of collaborative construction of science knowledge were found connected to the "towards reformed-based" profile. This research is concluded with a proposed "reformed-based teacher orientation profile" as a future target for science teaching and learning with technology-enhanced tools in a science literacy framework.

Turkish Preservice Elementary Science Teachers' Conceptions of Learning Science and Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs: Is There a Relationship?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahcivan, Eralp; Kapucu, Serkan

2014-01-01

This study has been conducted to investigate conceptions of learning science (COLS) and personal science teaching efficacy belief (PSTE) of Turkish preservice elementary science teachers (PSTs) and to explore the relationship between these variables. Two instruments COLS questionnaire and PSTE subscale of Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs…

Teaching science for conceptual change: Toward a proposed taxonomy of diagnostic teaching strategies to gauge students' personal science conceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shope, Richard Edwin, III

Science instruction aims to ensure that students properly construct scientific knowledge so that each individual may play a role as a science literate citizen or as part of the science workforce (National Research Council, 1996, 2000). Students enter the classroom with a wide range of personal conceptions regarding science phenomena, often at variance with prevailing scientific views (Duschl, Hamilton, & Grandy, 1992; Hewson, 1992). The extensive misconceptions research literature emphasizes the importance of diagnosing students' initial understandings in order to gauge the accuracy and depth of what each student knows prior to instruction and then to use that information to adapt the teaching to address student needs. (Ausubel, 1968; Carey, 2000; Driver et al., 1985; Karplus & Thier, 1967; Mintzes, Wandersee, & Novak, 1998; Osborne & Freyberg, 1985; Project 2061, 1993; Strike & Posner, 1982, 1992; Vygotsky, 1934/1987). To gain such insight, teachers diagnose not only the content of the students' personal conceptions but also the thinking processes that produced them (Strike and Posner, 1992). Indeed, when teachers design opportunities for students to express their understanding, there is strong evidence that such diagnostic assessment also enhances science teaching and learning (Black & William, 1998). The functional knowledge of effective science teaching practice resides in the professional practitioners at the front lines---the science teachers in the classroom. Nevertheless, how teachers actually engage in the practice of diagnosis is not well documented. To help fill this gap, the researcher conducted a study of 16 sixth grade science classrooms in four Los Angeles area middle schools. Diagnostic teaching strategies were observed in action and then followed up by interviews with each teacher. Results showed that teachers use strategies that vary by the complexity of active student involvement, including pretests, strategic questions, interactive discussion

An Evaluation of Two Approaches for Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies in the Primary Years Using Science Information Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reutzel, D. Ray; Smith, John A.; Fawson, Parker C.

2005-01-01

There are few research studies on the effects of teaching comprehension strategies to young children in the primary grades. Using a Dominant-Less Dominant Mixed Model design employing both qualitative and quantitative data collection, we evaluated two approaches for teaching comprehension strategies to 7- and 8-year-old children in four…

In-Service Turkish Elementary and Science Teachers' Attitudes toward Science and Science Teaching: A Sample from Usak Province

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turkmen, Lutfullah

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to reveal Turkish elementary teachers' and science teachers' attitudes toward science and science teaching. The sample of the study, 138 in-service elementary level science teachers from a province of Turkey, was selected by a clustered sampling method. The Science Teaching Attitude Scale-II was employed to measure the…

Hidden Treasures for Science Teaching: United States Patents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Norman D.

United States patents are a source of historical information with many implications for science teaching. Using patents as science teaching devices has been largely ignored by science educators. Some of these devices can be easily modified for use in today's classrooms; in addition, patents serve as great examples of how our knowledge of science…

Teacher beliefs about teaching science through Science-Technology-Society (STS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massenzio, Lynn

2001-07-01

Statement of the problem. As future citizens, students will have the enormous responsibility of making decisions that will require an understanding of the interaction of science and technology and its interface with society. Since many societal issues today are grounded in science and technology, learning science in its social context is vital to science education reform. Science-Technology-Society (STS) has been strongly identified with meeting this goal, but despite its benefits, putting theory into practice has been difficult. Research design and methodology. The purpose of this study was to explore teacher beliefs about teaching science through STS. The following broad research questions guided the study: (1) What are the participants' initial beliefs about teaching science through STS? (2) What beliefs emerge as participants reflect upon and share their STS instructional experiences with their peers? A social constructivist theoretical framework was developed to plan interactions and collect data. Within this framework, a qualitative methodology was used to interpret the data and answer the research questions. Three provisionally certified science teachers engaged in a series of qualitative tasks including a written essay, verbal STS unit explanation, reflective journal writings, and focus group interviews. After implementing their STS unit, the participants engaged in meaningful dialogue with their peers as they reflected upon, shared, and constructed their beliefs. Conclusions. The participants strongly believed in STS as a means for achieving scientific and technological literacy, developing cognition, enhancing scientific habits of mind and affective qualities, and fostering citizen responsibility. Four major assertions were drawn: (a) Participants' initial belief in teaching for citizen responsibility did not fully align with practice, (b) Educators at the administrative level should be made aware of the benefits of teaching science through STS, (c

Developing Preservice Teachers' Knowledge of Science Teaching Through Video Clubs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Heather J.; Cotterman, Michelle E.

2015-06-01

Though an adequate understanding of content is a natural prerequisite of teaching (Carlsen in Journal of Research in Science Teaching 30:471-481, 1993), teachers also need to be able to interpret content in ways that facilitate student learning. How to best support novice teachers in developing and refining their content knowledge for teaching is a crucial and ongoing question for preservice teacher educators. Recently, video clubs are being explored as potential contexts for teacher learning (Barnhart & van Es in Teaching and Teacher Education 45:83-93, 2015; Sherin & Han in Teaching and Teacher Education 20:163-183, 2004). We hypothesized that pairing video clubs with student teaching experiences would provide a forum for preservice teachers to discuss issues relevant to their professional trajectory through exposure to models of peer teaching and opportunities to reflect on practice. In this study, we explored how secondary science preservice teachers used video club to restructure their overall science knowledge into science knowledge for teaching. Our findings suggest that video clubs allowed preservice teachers to access and leverage student thinking and instructional resources to deepen their understanding of science content and trajectories for science learning.

Teaching Science Fiction to Science and Technology Majors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diaconoff, Ted

This paper describes the content and implementation of a course designed to teach science and technology majors about science fiction. Although many students had expressed little interest in the imaginative world of literature, the scientific content of the texts used attracted their attention and legitimized their involvement in something outside…

Pre-Service Science Teachers' Epistemological Beliefs and Teaching Reforms in Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarmo, Albert

2016-01-01

In an effort to understand why recent initiatives to promote learner-centred pedagogy in science teaching made a little change in the actual teaching practices of science teachers, this study explored pre-service science teachers' beliefs about science knowledge and their teaching practices. Six pre-service science teachers were interviewed to…

Predominant Teaching Strategies in Schools: Implications for Curriculum Implementation in Mathematics, Science and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Achuonye, Keziah Akuoma

2015-01-01

This descriptive survey is hinged on predominant teaching strategies in schools, implications for curriculum implementation in Mathematics, Science and Technology. Target population consisted of teachers in primary, secondary and tertiary schools. However, purposive sample of 900 respondents was drawn from the six BRACED states namely Bayelsa,…

Exploring How Creating Stop-Motion Animations Supports Student Teachers in Learning to Teach Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wishart, Jocelyn

2017-01-01

This article reports on an exploration of teaching and learning through creating rudimentary stop-motion animations set up to identify how learning opportunities involving stop-motion animations can support student learning and science teacher education. Participants were student teachers, volunteers representing both secondary and primary school…

Impact of SCALE-UP on science teaching self-efficacy of students in general education science courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassani, Mary Kay Kuhr

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of two pedagogical models used in general education science on non-majors' science teaching self-efficacy. Science teaching self-efficacy can be influenced by inquiry and cooperative learning, through cognitive mechanisms described by Bandura (1997). The Student Centered Activities for Large Enrollment Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) model of inquiry and cooperative learning incorporates cooperative learning and inquiry-guided learning in large enrollment combined lecture-laboratory classes (Oliver-Hoyo & Beichner, 2004). SCALE-UP was adopted by a small but rapidly growing public university in the southeastern United States in three undergraduate, general education science courses for non-science majors in the Fall 2006 and Spring 2007 semesters. Students in these courses were compared with students in three other general education science courses for non-science majors taught with the standard teaching model at the host university. The standard model combines lecture and laboratory in the same course, with smaller enrollments and utilizes cooperative learning. Science teaching self-efficacy was measured using the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument - B (STEBI-B; Bleicher, 2004). A science teaching self-efficacy score was computed from the Personal Science Teaching Efficacy (PTSE) factor of the instrument. Using non-parametric statistics, no significant difference was found between teaching models, between genders, within models, among instructors, or among courses. The number of previous science courses was significantly correlated with PTSE score. Student responses to open-ended questions indicated that students felt the larger enrollment in the SCALE-UP room reduced individual teacher attention but that the large round SCALE-UP tables promoted group interaction. Students responded positively to cooperative and hands-on activities, and would encourage inclusion of more such activities in all of the

Recruiting Science Majors into Secondary Science Teaching: Paid Internships in Informal Science Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worsham, Heather M.; Friedrichsen, Patricia; Soucie, Marilyn; Barnett, Ellen; Akiba, Motoko

2014-01-01

Despite the importance of recruiting highly qualified individuals into the science teaching profession, little is known about the effectiveness of particular recruitment strategies. Over 3 years, 34 college science majors and undecided students were recruited into paid internships in informal science settings to consider secondary science teaching…

Teaching Efficacy of Universiti Putra Malaysia Science Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakar, Abd. Rahim; Konting, Mohd. Majid; Jamian, Rashid; Lyndon, Novel

2008-01-01

The objective of the study was to access teaching efficacy of Universiti Putra Malaysia Science student teachers. The specific objectives were to determine teaching efficacy of Science student teachers in terms of student engagement; instructional strategies; classroom management and teaching with computers in classroom; their satisfaction with…

Early childhood teachers' self-efficacy toward teaching science: Outcomes of professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Sarah

The teaching of science in the early childhood classrooms has slowly been decreasing. As the years have passed, the subject of science has been put on the backburner while mathematics and language arts have taken center stage in the educational system. Early childhood teachers need to find ways to integrate science with other subjects in order to ensure children are receiving a well-rounded and full education. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of professional development on teachers' efficacy in teaching science. Volunteer teachers completed the Weisgram and Bigler scale (TWBS) pre and post training, in order to determine their self-efficacy toward teaching science, they also completed pre- and post- concept maps about their knowledge of teaching science, and a demographic questionnaire. Findings indicate the training provided was effective in increasing teachers' knowledge of teaching science. Teachers who had an increase in science teaching knowledge were also found to feel more efficacious about teaching science after completing the training and an academic year of implementing science lessons in their classrooms. There was not a relationship between teacher demographics and their science-teaching efficacy. This means that the demographics of participants in this study were not influential on teachers' efficacy, but professional development workshops enabled teachers to gain more knowledge about teaching as well as increase their efficacy about teaching science.

Science Education in Primary Schools: Is an Animation Worth a Thousand Pictures?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barak, Miri; Dori, Yehudit J.

2011-10-01

Science teaching deals with abstract concepts and processes that very often cannot be seen or touched. The development of Java, Flash, and other web-based applications allow teachers and educators to present complex animations that attractively illustrate scientific phenomena. Our study evaluated the integration of web-based animated movies into primary schools science curriculum. Our goal was to examine teachers' methods for integrating animated movies and their views about the role of animations in enhancing young students' thinking skills. We also aimed at investigating the effect of animated movies on students' learning outcomes. Applying qualitative and quantitative tools, we conducted informal discussions with science teachers (N = 15) and administered pre- and post-questionnaires to 4th (N = 641) and 5th (N = 694) grade students who were divided into control and experimental groups. The experimental group students studied science while using animated movies and supplementary activities at least once a week. The control group students used only textbooks and still-pictures for learning science. Findings indicated that animated movies support the use of diverse teaching strategies and learning methods, and can promote various thinking skills among students. Findings also indicated that animations can enhance scientific curiosity, the acquisition of scientific language, and fostering scientific thinking. These encouraging results can be explained by the fact that the students made use of both visual-pictorial and auditory-verbal capabilities while exploring animated movies in diverse learning styles and teaching strategies.

Toward making the invisible visible: Studying science teaching self-efficacy beliefs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perkins, Catherine J.

This dissertation consists of two articles to be submitted for publication. The first, a literature review, makes visible common influences on science teaching self-efficacy beliefs and also points to potentially invisible validation concerns regarding the instrument used. The second investigates the participants' invisible science teaching self-efficacy beliefs and, through the use of a more focused interview, makes those beliefs visible. Science teaching self-efficacy beliefs are science teachers' perceptions of their abilities to teach science effectively. The construct "teaching self-efficacy" originated in social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1977). The first article reviews the mixed results from teaching self-efficacy research in science contexts. The review focuses upon factors that facilitate or inhibit the development of self-efficacy beliefs among science teachers across stages of their careers. Although many studies of science teaching self-efficacy beliefs have utilized the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument - STEBI (Enochs & Riggs, 1990; Riggs & Enochs, 1990), this review also includes non-STEBI studies in order to represent diverse lines of research methodology. The review's findings indicate that antecedent factors such as science activities in and out of school, teacher preparation, science teaching experiences and supportive job contexts are significant influences on the development of science teaching self-efficacy beliefs. The review also indicates that the majority of these studies are short term and rely on a single STEBI administration with the collection of antecedent/demographic and/or interview data. The second article documents a study that responded to the above literature review findings. This study utilized multiple STEBI administrations during the preservice and beginning year of teaching for two science teachers. Rather than general questions, these participants were asked item specific, yet open-ended, questions to determine

Caught in the Balance: An Organizational Analysis of Science Teaching in Schools with Elementary Science Specialists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marco-Bujosa, Lisa M.; Levy, Abigail Jurist

2016-01-01

Elementary schools are under increasing pressure to teach science and teach it well; yet, research documents that classroom teachers must overcome numerous personal and school-based challenges to teach science effectively at this level, such as access to materials and inadequate instructional time. The elementary science specialist model…

The ontology of science teaching in the neoliberal era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Ajay

2017-12-01

Because of ever stricter standards of accountability, science teachers are under an increasing and unrelenting pressure to demonstrate the effects of their teaching on student learning. Econometric perspectives of teacher quality have become normative in assessment of teachers' work for accountability purposes. These perspectives seek to normalize some key ontological assumptions about teachers and teaching, and thus play an important role in shaping our understanding of the work science teachers do as teachers in their classrooms. In this conceptual paper I examine the ontology of science teaching as embedded in econometric perspectives of teacher quality. Based on Foucault's articulation of neoliberalism as a discourse of governmentality in his `The Birth of Biopolitics' lectures, I suggest that this ontology corresponds well with the strong and substantivist ontology of work under neoliberalism, and thus could potentially be seen as reflection of the influence of neoliberal ideas in education. Implications of the mainstreaming of an ontology of teaching that is compatible with neoliberalism can be seen in increasing marketization of teaching, `teaching evangelism', and impoverished notions of learning and teaching. A shift of focus from teacher quality to quality of teaching and building conceptual models of teaching based on relational ontologies deserve to be explored as important steps in preserving critical and socially just conceptions of science teaching in neoliberal times.

Teaching Soil Science in Primary and Secondary Schools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, Elissa R.

1998-01-01

Earth's thin layer of soil is a fragile resource, made up of minerals, organic materials, air, water, and billions of living organisms. Soils plays a variety of critical roles that sustain life on Earth. If we think about soil, we tend to see it first as the source of most of the food we eat and the fibers we use, such as wood and cotton. Few students realize that soils also provide the key ingredients to many of the medicines (including antibiotics), cosmetics, and dyes that we use. Fewer still understand the importance of soils in integrating, controlling, and regulating the movement of air, water, materials, and energy between the hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Because soil sustains life, it offers both a context and a natural laboratory for investigating these interactions. The enclosed poster, which integrates soil profiles with typical landscapes in which soils form, can also help students explore the interrelationships of Earth systems and gain an understanding of our soil resources. The poster, produced jointly by the American Geological Institute and the Soil Science Society of America, aims to increase awareness of the importance of soil, as does the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations To Benefit the Environment) Program. Vice President Al Gore instituted the GLOBE Program on Earth Day of 1993 to increase environmental awareness of individuals throughout the world, contribute to a better scientific understanding of the Earth, and help all students reach higher levels of achievement in science and mathematics. GLOBE functions as a partnership between scientists, students, and teachers in which scientists design protocols for specific measurements they need for their research that can be performed by K-12 students. Teachers are trained in the GLOBE protocols and teach them to their students. Students make the measurements, enter data via the Internet to a central data archive, and the data becomes available to scientists and the

Teaching and learning: Novice teachers' descriptions of their confidence to teach science content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, Barbara Ann

Statement of the problem. The problem being studied in this research is the relationship between a specific series of integrated science courses in a science teacher preparation program and the actual needs of the science teacher during the first years of teaching practice. Teachers often report that there is a disconnect between the coursework they have taken in college as pre-service teachers and the reality of their classroom practice during their first years of teaching. The intent of this study was to record the descriptions of three teachers who were members of a cohort and took a series of integrated science courses (NSCI series) during their teacher preparation program as it related to the influence of these courses on their teaching practice. The focus of inquiry is guided by a single question: How do former participants in the series of science courses who are currently novice teachers describe their confidence in their ability to teach science content to their middle school students? The theoretical framework was based on Shulman's (1987) pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). PCK involves the teacher understanding the content of science so thoroughly that ways are identified of representing and formulating the subject matter to make it understandable to others. The teacher who has a strong PCK uses powerful analogies, illustrations, examples, explanations and demonstrations that promote personally meaningful student understandings. Novice teachers' reflections on their confidence to teach science content to their middle school students were observed through the lens of PCK. All three novice teachers reported a high confidence level to teach middle school science and attributed their confidence level to a great degree to the integrated science series of courses (NSCI). Method. A qualitative design, specifically a case study, was used for this study. Multiple forms of data collection were employed including a semi structured interview and a focus group

Secondary Physical Science Teachers' Conceptions of Science Teaching in a Context of Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Dale L.; Booth, Shirley

2015-05-01

Pre-service teachers enter initial teacher education programmes with conceptions of teaching gleaned from their own schooling. These conceptions, which include teachers' beliefs, may be resistant to change, which is a challenge in contexts where teacher educators hope that teachers will teach in ways different from their own schooling. Conceptions of teaching found in different cultural and disciplinary contexts have contextual differences but have resonances with the results of research into teacher beliefs. Our sample of eight South African secondary physical science teachers was schooled in a system which encouraged knowledge transmission, but they were prepared in their initial teacher education for a learner-centred approach. After they had taught for a few years, we explored their conceptions of science teaching, using phenomenographic interviews. Four conceptions emerged inductively from the analysis: transferring science knowledge from mind to mind; transferring problematic science knowledge from mind to mind; creating space for learning science knowledge and creating space for learning problematic science knowledge. Internally these conceptions are constituted by three dimensions of variation: the nature of the science knowledge to be learnt, the role of the students and the role of the teacher. Media and practical work play different roles in the external horizon of these conceptions. These conceptions reflect the disciplinary context as well as the emphases of the sample's initial teacher education programme. This suggests that initial teacher education can significantly shape teachers' conceptions of teaching.

Examining Primary Pre-Service Teachers' Difficulties of Mathematics Teaching with the Micro-Teaching Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savas Basturk; Tastepe, Mehtap

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine primary pre-service teachers' difficulties of the teaching of mathematics with micro-teaching method. The participants of the study were 15 third grade pre-service teachers from the department of primary education in the faculty of education. In this grade which includes four sections, there were…

Teaching science as inquiry in US and in Japan: A cross-cultural comparison of science teachers' understanding of, and attitudes toward inquiry-based teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tosa, Sachiko

Since the publication of the National Science Education Standards in 1996, learning science through inquiry has been regarded as the heart of science education. However, the TIMSS 1999 Video Study showed that inquiry-based teaching has been taking place less in the United States than in Japan. This study examined similarities and differences in how Japanese and American middle-school science teachers think and feel about inquiry-based teaching. Teachers' attitudes toward the use of inquiry in science teaching were measured through a survey instrument (N=191). Teachers' understanding of inquiry-based teaching was examined through interviews and classroom observations in the United States (N=9) and Japan (N=15). The results show that in spite of the variations in teachers' definitions of inquiry-based teaching, teachers in both countries strongly agree with the idea of inquiry-based teaching. However, little inquiry-based teaching was observed in either of the countries for different reasons. The data indicate that Japanese teachers did not generally help students construct their own understanding of scientific concepts in spite of well-planned lesson structures and activity set-ups. On the other hand, the observational data indicate that American teachers often lacked meaningful science content in spite of their high level of pedagogical knowledge. The need for addressing the importance of scientific concepts in teacher preparation programs in higher education institutions in the US is advocated. To the Japanese science education community, the need for teachers' acquisition of instructional strategies for inquiry-based teaching is strongly addressed.

Teaching Triple Science: GCSE Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Learning and Skills Network (NJ3), 2007

2007-01-01

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has contracted with the Learning and Skills Network to support awareness and take-up of Triple Science GCSEs through the Triple Science Support Programme. This publication provides an introduction to teaching and learning approaches for the extension topics within GCSE Chemistry. It…

Teaching Triple Science: GCSE Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Learning and Skills Network (NJ3), 2007

2007-01-01

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has contracted with the Learning and Skills Network to support awareness and take-up of Triple Science GCSEs through the Triple Science Support Programme. This publication provides an introduction to teaching and learning approaches for the extension topics within GCSE Biology. It highlights…

Sources of Self-Efficacy in a Science Methods Course for Primary Teacher Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, D. H.

2006-01-01

Self-efficacy has been shown to be an issue of concern for primary teacher education students--many of them have low self-efficacy and this can negatively affect their future teaching of science. Previous research has identified four factors that may contribute towards self-efficacy: enactive mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal…

Turkish Preservice Science Teachers' Efficacy Beliefs Regarding Science Teaching and Their Beliefs about Classroom Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gencer, Ayse Savran; Cakiroglu, Jale

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore Turkish preservice science teachers' science teaching efficacy and classroom management beliefs. Data in this study were collected from a total number of 584 preservice science teachers utilizing the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument and the attitudes and beliefs on classroom control (ABCC)…

Reflective Pathways: Analysis of an Urban Science Teaching Field Experience on Noyce Scholar-Science Education Awardees' Decisions to Teach Science in a High-Need New York City School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bischoff, Paul; French, Paul; Schaumloffel, John

2014-01-01

Awardees of the National Science Foundation's Noyce Scholars funds are required to teach science in high-need urban or rural school districts upon graduation. The purpose of this research was to analyze the reflective considerations that distinguish preservice Noyce Scholar science education majors committed to teaching in high-need New York City…

Teaching Evolution & the Nature of Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farber, Paul

2003-01-01

The theory of evolution provides direction in many fields, such as ecology, genetics, and embryology. Examines issues concerning the teaching of the subject in the United States. Presents a case study approach to teach about the nature of science using the theory of evolution. (SOE)

Preparing perservice teachers to teach elementary school science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Amy D.

The development of scientifically literate citizens begins in the elementary school. Yet elementary school teachers are ill prepared to teach science (Trygstad, Smith, Banilower, Nelson, & Horizon Research, Inc., 2013). The research base on teacher preparation finds that programs designed to prepare elementary teachers are inadequate in providing both the content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge necessary to teach science effectively (Baumgartner, 2010; Bodzin & Beerer, 2003; Bulunuz & Jarrett 2009). This mixed methods study examined what happened when a science methods course was interactively co-taught by an expert in elementary teaching methods and a physics expert. This study also aimed to discover what aspects of the curriculum pre-service teachers (PSTs) said helped them in developing their understanding of science content and scientific reasoning, and how to implement inquiry practices to teach science. A nested case study of three PSTs provided descriptive portraits of student experiences in the class. A whole class case analysis was used to examine what PSTs learned in terms of science, scientific reasoning skills, and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) from their experiences in the course. It was found that students often conflated science content with the experiences they had in learning the content. Although PSTs felt the interactive co-teaching model effectively created a balance between theory and practice, it was their experiences doing science--conducting physical experiments, developing and discussing scientific models, and the use of inquiry-based instruction--that they credited for their learning. Even with careful curriculum planning, and a course purposely designed to bridge the theory to practice gap, this study found one semester-long methods course to be insufficient in providing the vast content knowledge and PCK elementary school science teachers need.

Teaching Life Sciences to Blind and Visually Impaired Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, William John; Maguvhe, Mbulaheni Obert

2008-01-01

This study reports on the teaching of life sciences (biology) to blind and visually impaired learners in South Africa at 11 special schools with specific reference to the development of science process skills in outcomes-based classrooms. Individual structured interviews were conducted with nine science educators teaching at the different special…

Teaching with Moodle in Soil Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roca, Núria

2014-05-01

Soil is a 3-dimensional body with properties that reflect the impact of climate, vegetation, fauna, man and topography on the soil's parent material over a variable time span. Therefore, soil is integral to many ecological and social systems and it holds potential solutions for many of the world's economic and scientific problems as climate change or scarcity of food and water. The teaching of Soil Science, as a natural science in its own right, requires principles that reflect the unique features and behaviour of soil and the practices of soil scientists. It could be argued that a unique set of teaching practices applies to Soil Science; however specific teaching practices are scarce in literature. The present work was triggered by the need to develop new techniques of teaching to speed up the learning process and to experiment with new methods of teaching. For such, it is necessary to adopt virtual learning environment to new learning requirements regarding Soil Science. This paper proposes a set of e-teaching techniques (as questionnaires, chats as well as forums) introduced in Moodle virtual learning Environment in order to increase student motivation and interest in Soil Science. Such technologies can be used to: a)Increase the amount of time a teacher allots for student reflection after asking a question and before a student responds (wait-time). This practice increases the quantity and quality of students' answers. The students give longer responses, students give more evidence for their ideas and conclusions, students speculate and hypothesize more and more students participated in responding. Furthermore, students ask more questions and talk more to other students. b)Improve active learning, an essential paradigm in education. In contrast to learning-before-doing, we propose to focus on learning-in-doing, a model where learners are increasingly involved in the authentic practices of communities through learning conversations and activities involving expert

Science Teaching and Learning Activities and Students' Engagement in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hampden-Thompson, Gillian; Bennett, Judith

2013-01-01

The purpose of this analysis is to describe the variation in students' reports of engagement in science across science teaching and learning activities. In addition, this study examines student and school characteristics that may be associated with students' levels of engagement in science. Data are drawn from the Programme for International…

Turkish Preservice Science Teachers' Socioscientific Issues-Based Teaching Practices in Middle School Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Genel, Abdulkadir; Topçu, Mustafa Sami

2016-01-01

Background: Despite a growing body of research and curriculum reforms including socioscientific issues (SSI) across the world, how preservice science teachers (PST) or in-service science teachers can teach SSI in science classrooms needs further inquiry. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the abilities of PSTs to teach SSI in middle…

Taking a Closer Look at Science Teaching Orientations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedrichsen, Patrica; Van Driel, Jan H.; Abell, Sandra K.

2011-01-01

In this position paper, we examine the science teaching orientation component of the S. Magnusson, J. Krajcik, and H. Borko (1999) pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) model for science teaching. We trace the origin of the construct in the literature, identifying multiple definitions that have lead to ambiguity. After examining published studies…

New Pedagogies on Teaching Science with Computer Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Samia

2011-01-01

Teaching science with computer simulations is a complex undertaking. This case study examines how an experienced science teacher taught chemistry using computer simulations and the impact of his teaching on his students. Classroom observations over 3 semesters, teacher interviews, and student surveys were collected. The data was analyzed for (1)…

The integration of creative drama into science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arieli, Bracha (Bari)

This study explored the inclusion of creative drama into science teaching as an instructional strategy for enhancing elementary school students' understanding of scientific concepts. A treatment group of sixth grade students was taught a Full Option Science System (FOSS) science unit on Mixtures and Solutions with the addition of creative drama while a control group was taught using only the FOSS teaching protocol. Quantitative and qualitative data analyses demonstrated that students who studied science through creative drama exhibited a greater understanding of scientific content of the lessons and preferred learning science through creative drama. Treatment group students stated that they enjoyed participating in the activities with their friends and that the creative drama helped them to better understand abstract scientific concepts. Teachers involved with the creative drama activities were positively impressed and believed creative drama is a good tool for teaching science. Observations revealed that creative drama created a positive classroom environment, improved social interactions and self-esteem, that all students enjoyed creative drama, and that teachers' teaching style affected students' use of creative drama. The researcher concluded that the inclusion of creative drama with the FOSS unit enhanced students' scientific knowledge and understanding beyond that of the FOSS unit alone, that both teachers and students reacted positively to creative drama in science and that creative drama requires more time.

Generalist Teachers' Self-Efficacy in Primary School Music Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Vries, Peter

2013-01-01

This qualitative study focuses on the music teaching experiences of five Australian generalist primary school teachers in their third year of teaching. The aim was to identify these teachers' current practices in teaching music, in particular their self-efficacy in relation to teaching music. A narrative inquiry methodology was employed, drawing…

How Constructivist-Based Teaching Influences Students Learning Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seimears, C. Matt; Graves, Emily; Schroyer, M. Gail; Staver, John

2012-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide details about the beneficial processes the constructivist pedagogy has in the area of teaching science. No Child Left Behind could possibly cause detrimental effects to the science classroom and the constructivist teacher, so this essay tells how constructivist-based teaching influences students and their…

How Is Science Being Taught? Measuring Evidence-Based Teaching Practices across Undergraduate Science Departments

PubMed Central

Drinkwater, Michael J.; Matthews, Kelly E.; Seiler, Jacob

2017-01-01

While there is a wealth of research evidencing the benefits of active-learning approaches, the extent to which these teaching practices are adopted in the sciences is not well known. The aim of this study is to establish an evidential baseline of teaching practices across a bachelor of science degree program at a large research-intensive Australian university. Our purpose is to contribute to knowledge on the adoption levels of evidence-based teaching practices by faculty within a science degree program and inform our science curriculum review in practical terms. We used the Teaching Practices Inventory (TPI) to measure the use of evidence-based teaching approaches in 129 courses (units of study) across 13 departments. We compared the results with those from a Canadian institution to identify areas in need of improvement at our institution. We applied a regression analysis to the data and found that the adoption of evidence-based teaching practices differs by discipline and is higher in first-year classes at our institution. The study demonstrates that the TPI can be used in different institutional contexts and provides data that can inform practice and policy. PMID:28232589

Understanding Teaching or Teaching for Understanding: Alternative Frameworks for Science Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wildy, Helen; Wallace, John

1995-01-01

Describes the findings of a study that involved exploring the classroom practices of an experienced physics teacher to enable researchers to reexamine assumptions about good teaching. Asserts that a broader view of good science teaching is needed than that proposed by the constructivist literature. (ZWH)

Teaching Science Using Stories: The Storyline Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isabelle, Aaron D.

2007-01-01

Storytelling is an age-old and powerful means of communication that can be used as an effective teaching strategy in the science classroom. This article describes the authors' experiences implementing the Storyline Approach, an inquiry-based teaching method first introduced by Kieran Egan (1986), in the context of teaching the concept of air…

Emotional Issues in Teaching Science: A Case Study of a Teacher's Views

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zembylas, Michalinos

2004-08-01

Science teaching environments are social environments, and teachers emotions interact with their science teaching in powerful ways. To value the teacher is to value the whole person, not just the intellect. In this paper, a theorization of teacher emotion in science teaching is developed which illustrates the role of emotion in establishing and maintaining self-esteem in science teaching situations. From the standpoint of social-constructionist theory of emotion, it is argued that emotion is a social construction within social relationships. Arising from this view, are the emotions of intellectual excitement, frustration and shame that play a key role in the development of self-esteem. The dynamics of these emotions, in the context of experiences of success and failure, may dispose teachers to act positively or negatively towards science teaching. The theorisation developed is illustrated in the emotional experiences of an elementary school teacher in an early childhood science classroom. These experiences indicate that emotion is constitutive of teaching, and merits greater consideration in science teaching.

Learning to teach effectively: Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduate teaching assistants' teaching self-efficacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dechenne, Sue Ellen

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are important in the teaching of undergraduate students (Golde & Dore, 2001). However, they are often poorly prepared for teaching (Luft, Kurdziel, Roehrig, & Turner, 2004). This dissertation addresses teaching effectiveness in three related manuscripts: (1) A position paper that summarizes the current research on and develops a model of GTA teaching effectiveness. (2) An adaptation and validation of two instruments; GTA perception of teaching training and STEM GTA teaching self-efficacy. (3) A model test of factors that predict STEM GTA teaching self-efficacy. Together these three papers address key questions in the understanding of teaching effectiveness in STEM GTAs including: (a) What is our current knowledge of factors that affect the teaching effectiveness of GTAs? (b) Given that teaching self-efficacy is strongly linked to teaching performance, how can we measure STEM GTAs teaching self-efficacy? (c) Is there a better way to measure GTA teaching training than currently exists? (d) What factors predict STEM GTA teaching self-efficacy? An original model for GTA teaching effectiveness was developed from a thorough search of the GTA teaching literature. The two instruments---perception of training and teaching self-efficacy---were tested through self-report surveys using STEM GTAs from six different universities including Oregon State University (OSU). The data was analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Using GTAs from the OSU colleges of science and engineering, the model of sources of STEM GTA teaching self-efficacy was tested by administering self-report surveys and analyzed by using OLS regression analysis. Language and cultural proficiency, departmental teaching climate, teaching self-efficacy, GTA training, and teaching experience affect GTA teaching effectiveness. GTA teaching self-efficacy is a second-order factor combined from self

The effect of alternative clinical teaching experience on preservice science teachers' self-efficacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klett, Mitchell Dean

The purpose of this study was to compare different methods of alternative clinical experience; family science nights and Saturday science (authentic teaching) against micro-teaching (peer teaching) in terms of self-efficacy in science teaching and teaching self-efficacy. The independent variable, or cause, is teaching experiences (clinical vs. peer teaching); the dependent variable, or effect, is two levels of self-efficacy. This study was conducted at the University of Idaho's main campus in Moscow and extension campus in Coeur d'Alene. Four sections of science methods were exposed to the same science methods curriculum and will have opportunities to teach. However, each of the four sections were exposed to different levels or types of clinical experience. One section of preservice teachers worked with students in a Saturday science program. Another section worked with students during family science nights. The third worked with children at both the Saturday science program and family science nights. The last section did not have a clinical experience with children, instead they taught in their peer groups and acted as a control group. A pre-test was given at the beginning of the semester to measure their content knowledge, teaching self-efficacy and self-efficacy in science teaching. A post-test was given at the end of the semester to see if there was any change in self-efficacy or science teaching self-efficacy. Throughout the semester participants kept journals about their experiences and were interviewed after their alternative clinical teaching experiences. These responses were categorized into three groups; gains in efficacy, no change in efficacy, and drop in efficacy. There was a rise in teaching efficacy for all groups. The mean scores for personal teaching efficacy dropped for the Monday-Wednesday and Tuesday-Thursday group while the both Coeur D'Alene groups remained nearly unchanged. There was no significant change in the overall means for science

Preservice elementary teachers' alternative conceptions of science and their self-efficacy beliefs about science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koc, Isil

The present study was conducted to investigate the extent to which preservice elementary teachers held alternative conceptions in fundamental elementary science concepts from earth/space science, life science, and physical science along with their self-efficacy beliefs about science teaching and to determine the relationship between these two issues. Eighty-six preservice elementary education majors enrolled in the four sections of the course titled "07E:162 Methods Elementary School Science" offered in the Science Education Center, College of Education, the University of Iowa during the 2005-2006 academic year participated in this study. Twelve preservice elementary teachers participated in follow-up interviews. Data were collected through the use of Alternative Conceptions in Science Instrument constructed by Schoon and Boone (1998), Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI-B) constructed by Enochs and Riggs (1990), a participant information form, and through utilization of interviews. The results from the alternative conception instrument indicated that the majority of preservice elementary teachers held a number of alternative conceptions with most being in the physical sciences followed by earth/space, and then life science. Various sources of alternative conceptions emerged during the interview sessions. Participants mainly cited science teachers, science textbooks, and previous science experiences as sources of their alternative conceptions. On the other hand, the analysis of the self-efficacy instrument and follow-up interviews revealed generally positive self-efficacy beliefs. Findings from the study also confirmed that science courses completed in high school and college do not seem to have influenced participants' number and types of alternative conceptions regarding earth/space science, life science, and physical science and self-efficacy beliefs about science teaching. The results also indicate that participants with the lowest number of

Virtual school teacher's science efficacy beliefs: The effects of community of practice on science-teaching efficacy beliefs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzoff, Phuong Pham

The purpose of this study was to examine how much K-12 science teachers working in a virtual school experience a community of practice and how that experience affects personal science-teaching efficacy and science-teaching outcome expectancy. The study was rooted in theoretical frameworks from Lave and Wenger's (1991) community of practice and Bandura's (1977) self-efficacy beliefs. The researcher used three surveys to examine schoolteachers' experiences of a community of practice and science-teaching efficacy beliefs. The instrument combined Mangieri's (2008) virtual teacher demographic survey, Riggs and Enochs (1990) Science-teaching efficacy Beliefs Instrument-A (STEBI-A), and Cadiz, Sawyer, and Griffith's (2009) Experienced Community of Practice (eCoP) instrument. The results showed a significant linear statistical relationship between the science teachers' experiences of community of practice and personal science-teaching efficacy. In addition, the study found that there was also a significant linear statistical relationship between teachers' community of practice experiences and science-teaching outcome expectancy. The results from this study were in line with numerous studies that have found teachers who are involved in a community of practice report higher science-teaching efficacy beliefs (Akerson, Cullen, & Hanson, 2009; Fazio, 2009; Lakshmanan, Heath, Perlmutter, & Elder, 2011; Liu, Lee, & Lin, 2010; Sinclair, Naizer, & Ledbetter, 2010). The researcher concluded that school leaders, policymakers, and researchers should increase professional learning opportunities that are grounded in social constructivist theoretical frameworks in order to increase teachers' science efficacy.

A simple device for teaching direct ophthalmoscopy to primary care practitioners.

PubMed

Chung, Kelly D; Watzke, Robert C

2004-09-01

Ophthalmoscopy, a valuable skill for primary care practitioners, can be challenging to learn. A simple and inexpensive device for teaching direct ophthalmoscopy to primary care practitioners is described. Device description. Cylindrical plastic canisters were altered to have an artificial pupil at one end and a replaceable fundus photograph at the other end to simulate the mechanics of performing direct ophthalmoscopy on a real eye. These were tested for ease of use by primary care students. The devices to aid in teaching ophthalmoscopy proved to be simple and inexpensive to construct. They allowed students to practice direct ophthalmoscopy technique and identification of funduscopic abnormalities. This simple device for teaching direct ophthalmoscopy to primary care practitioners is inexpensive to create and is a valuable aid for teaching direct ophthalmoscopy to primary care practitioners.

Understanding Core Skills and Influences in Primary School Science Learning: Taking a Scientific Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolmie, Andy

2012-01-01

Recent years have seen substantial improvements in the teaching of reading and early arithmetic based on rigorous analysis of the component learning skills involved in these areas and of the ways they are developed. Despite the importance attached to science, there has been very little comparable work that might provide a steer to primary school…

Challenging the Science Curriculum Paradigm: Teaching Primary Children Atomic-Molecular Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haeusler, Carole; Donovan, Jennifer

2017-11-01

Solutions to global issues demand the involvement of scientists, yet concern exists about retention rates in science as students pass through school into University. Young children are curious about science, yet are considered incapable of grappling with abstract and microscopic concepts such as atoms, sub-atomic particles, molecules and DNA. School curricula for primary (elementary) aged children reflect this by their limitation to examining only what phenomena are without providing any explanatory frameworks for how or why they occur. This research challenges the assumption that atomic-molecular theory is too difficult for young children, examining new ways of introducing atomic theory to 9 year olds and seeks to verify their efficacy in producing genuine learning in the participants. Early results in three cases in different schools indicate these novel methods fostered further interest in science, allowed diverse children to engage and learn aspects of atomic theory, and satisfied the children's desire for intellectual challenge. Learning exceeded expectations as demonstrated in the post-interview findings. Learning was also remarkably robust, as demonstrated in two schools 8 weeks after the intervention and, in one school, 1 year after their first exposure to ideas about atoms, elements and molecules.

Teaching animal science: education or indoctrination?

PubMed

Schillo, K K

1997-04-01

Traditional animal science curricula ignore sociological aspects of scientific research and therefore portray scientific knowledge as value-free. This view gives rise to a teaching method that involves imparting lists of scientific facts that are to be accepted by students without critical evaluation. This amounts to little more than indoctrination and misrepresents science as a system of knowledge. An alternative approach is based on the view that science is a creative human activity that reflects the values and biases of its practitioners. The goal of this approach is to teach students to think analytically and to make independent judgments about scientific claims. This requires a scientific literacy: an understanding of principal scientific theories, the nature of scientific research, and the relationship between science and society. To achieve this goal, a teacher must become less of an authority figure, whose role is to simply pass on information, and more of a facilitator, whose role is to promote questioning, exploration, and synthesis. This requires a learning community in which students feel comfortable taking risks and develop the courage to make and defend judgments. This teaching approach enhances the intellectual and ethical development of students, allowing them to serve themselves and society in responsible ways.

Embedding Nature of Science in Teaching about Astronomy and Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buaraphan, Khajornsak

2012-01-01

Science teachers need an adequate understanding of nature of science (NOS) and the ability to embed NOS in their teaching. This collective case study aims to explore in-service science teachers' conceptions of NOS and the embeddedness of NOS in their teaching about astronomy and space. Three science teachers participated in this study. All…

Developing Greek Primary School Students' Critical Thinking through an Approach of Teaching Science which Incorporates Aspects of History of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malamitsa, Katerina; Kasoutas, Michael; Kokkotas, Panagiotis

2009-01-01

In this paper, the development of sixth grade students' critical thinking skills in science courses is discussed relatively to the contribution of the integration of aspects of History of Science into instruction. Towards this direction a project on electromagnetism was designed and implemented aiming to engage primary school students in a…

Employing the Five-Factor Mentoring Instrument: Analysing Mentoring Practices for Teaching Primary Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Peter; Usak, Muhammet; Savran-Gencer, Ayse

2009-01-01

Primary science education is a concern around the world and quality mentoring within schools can develop pre-service teachers' practices. A five-factor model for mentoring has been identified, namely, personal attributes, system requirements, pedagogical knowledge, modelling, and feedback. Final-year pre-service teachers (mentees, n = 211) from…

Science teachers' knowledge, beliefs, values, and concerns of teaching through inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assiri, Yahya Ibrahim

This study investigated elementary science teachers' knowledge, beliefs, values, and concerns of teaching through inquiry. A mixed-methods research design was utilized to address the research questions. Since this study was designed as a mixed-methods research approach, the researcher gathered two type of data: quantitative and qualitative. The study was conducted in Mohayel School District, Saudi Arabia. The information was collected from 51 participants using a questionnaire with multiple choice questions; also, 11 participants were interviewed. After collecting the data, descriptive and comparative approaches were used. In addition, themes and codes were used to obtain the results. The results indicated that the mean of elementary science teachers' knowledge was 51.23%, which was less than 60% which was the acceptable score. Also, the qualitative results showed that science teachers had a limited background of teaching through inquiry. In addition, the elementary science teachers had a high level of belief to teach science through inquiry since the mean was 3.99 out of 5.00. These quantitative results were confirmed by the qualitative data. Moreover, the overall mean of elementary science teachers was 4.01, which indicated that they believed in the importance of teaching science through inquiry which was also confirmed by the responses of teachers in the interviews. Also, the findings indicated that elementary school science teachers had concerns about teaching science through inquiry since the overall mean was 3.53. In addition, the interviewees mentioned that they faced some obstacles when they teach by inquiry, such as time, resources, class size, and the teachers' background. Generally, the results did not show any significant differences among elementary science teachers' knowledge, beliefs, values, and concerns depending on gender, level of education, and teaching experience. However, the findings indicated there was one significant difference which was

An Investigation of Experienced and Inexperienced Primary School Teachers' Teaching Process in Science and Technology Classes in Terms of Metacognitive Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doganay, Ahmet; Ozturk, Ayse

2011-01-01

This comparative case study aimed to investigate whether experienced elementary school teachers' science and technology teaching processes differed from inexperienced teachers' teaching processes in terms of using metacognitive strategies. 14 elementary school teachers, including 7 experienced and 7 inexperienced, participated in the study. The…

Transformative Science Teaching in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Sharon P.

2015-01-01

University science teaching remains fairly traditional in its approach, incorporating teacher-centred and lecture-based methodologies and utilizing cook book laboratory experiences. Innovative science lecturers, however, have transformed their understanding and practice as teachers, placing their students at the heart of their actions and engaging…

Science Teaching Methods: A Rationale for Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborne, Jonathan

2011-01-01

This article is a version of the talk given by Jonathan Osborne as the Association for Science Education (ASE) invited lecturer at the National Science Teachers' Association Annual Convention in San Francisco, USA, in April 2011. The article provides an explanatory justification for teaching about the practices of science in school science that…

Derivation and Implementation of a Model Teaching the Nature of Science Using Informal Science Education Venues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spector, Barbara S.; Burkett, Ruth; Leard, Cyndy

2012-01-01

This paper introduces a model for using informal science education venues as contexts within which to teach the nature of science. The model was initially developed to enable university education students to teach science in elementary schools so as to be consistent with "National Science Education Standards" (NSES) (1996) and "A Framework for…

Saudi Science Teachers' Views and Teaching Strategies of Socioscientific Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alamri, Aziz S.

Scientific developments such as cloning and nuclear energy have generated many controversial issues pertain to many political, social, environmental, ethical and cultural values in different societies around the globe. These controversies delimited and encircled the potential of including and teaching some important aspects of science in schools and therefore caused less consideration to the influence of these issues on enhancing the scientific literacy of people in general. The purpose of this study was to investigate how Saudi science teachers in the city of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia view and teach SSI in Saudi Arabia. This study employed semi-structured interviews with Saudi science teachers. Methodologically, this study used a constructivist grounded theory as a method for analysis to generate in-depth descriptive data about Saudi science teachers' views and teaching strategies of socio-scientific issues. Some direct and indirect benefits pertain to teaching science, understanding the relationship between science, religion, and society and some other topics are discussed in this study.

The influence of field experiences on stages of concern and attitudes of preservice teachers toward science and science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strawitz, Barbara M.; Malone, Mark R.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether the field experience component of an undergraduate science methods course influenced teachers' concerns and attitudes toward science and science teaching. Age, grade-point average, openmindedness, and school assignment were examined as factors which might explain some of the variance in the dependent measures. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used. Students were administered the Teacher Concerns Questionnaire, the Science Teaching Attitude Scales, and the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale approximately eight weeks after the pretest. Results indicated that field experiences did not significantly change student concerns about teaching science but significantly improved student attitudes toward science and science teaching. Students differing in age, grade-point average, and openmindedness did not difer significantly in changes in concerns and changes in attitude toward science and science teaching. Students assigned to different schools differed significantly in changes in attitude toward science.

Deep Knowledge: Learning to Teach Science for Understanding and Equity. Teaching for Social Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larkin, Douglas B.

2013-01-01

"Deep Knowledge" is a book about how people's ideas change as they learn to teach. Using the experiences of six middle and high school student teachers as they learn to teach science in diverse classrooms, Larkin explores how their work changes the way they think about students, society, schools, and science itself. Through engaging case stories,…

Teacher Beliefs toward Using Alternative Teaching Approaches in Science and Mathematics Classes Related to Experience in Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isiksal-Bostan, Mine; Sahin, Elvan; Ertepinar, Hamide

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among Turkish classroom, science and mathematics teachers' beliefs toward using inquiry-based approaches, traditional teaching approaches, and technology in their mathematics and science classrooms; their efficacy beliefs in teaching those subjects; and years of experience in teaching in…

Urban High School Teachers' Beliefs Concerning Essential Science Teaching Dispositions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miranda, Rommel

2012-01-01

This qualitative study addresses the link between urban high school science teachers' beliefs about essential teaching dispositions and student learning outcomes. The findings suggest that in order to help students to do well in science in urban school settings, science teachers should possess essential teaching dispositions which include…

Preservice Science Teacher Beliefs about Teaching and the Science Methods Courses: Exploring Perceptions of Microteaching Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaury, Ralph L.

2011-01-01

This study investigates beliefs about teaching held by preservice science teachers and their influences on self-perceived microteaching outcomes within interactive secondary science teaching methods courses. Hermeneutic methodology was used in cooperation with seven preservice science teachers (N = 7) to infer participant beliefs about teaching…

Science Teaching Efficacy of Preservice Elementary Teachers: Examination of the Multiple Factors Reported as Influential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taştan Kırık, Özgecan

2013-12-01

This study explores the science teaching efficacy beliefs of pr-service elementary teachers and the relationship between efficacy beliefs and multiple factors such as antecedent factors (participation in extracurricular activities and number of science and science teaching methods courses taken), conceptual understanding, classroom management beliefs and science teaching attitudes. Science education majors ( n = 71) and elementary education majors ( n = 262) were compared with respect to these variables. Finally, the predictors of two constructs of science teaching efficacy beliefs, personal science teaching efficacy (PSTE) and science teaching outcome expectancy (STOE), were examined by multiple linear regression analysis. According to the results, participation in extracurricular activities has a significant but low correlation with science concept knowledge, science teaching attitudes, PSTE and STOE. In addition, there is a small but significant correlation between science concept knowledge and outcome expectancy, which leads the idea that preservice elementary teachers' conceptual understanding in science contributes to their science teaching self-efficacy. This study reveals a moderate correlation between science teaching attitudes and STOE and a high correlation between science teaching attitudes and PSTE. Additionally, although the correlation coefficient is low, the number of methodology courses was found to be one of the correlates of science teaching attitudes. Furthermore, students of both majors generally had positive self-efficacy beliefs on both the STOE and PSTE. Specifically, science education majors had higher science teaching self-efficacy than elementary education majors. Regression results showed that science teaching attitude is the major factor in predicting both PSTE and STOE for both groups.

Investigating How Nontraditional Elementary Pre-service Teachers Negotiate the Teaching of Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelton, Mythianne

This qualitative study was designed to investigate the influences on nontraditional preservice teachers as they negotiated the teaching of science in elementary school. Based upon a sociocultural theoretical framework with an identity-in-practice lens, these influences included beliefs about science teaching, life experiences, and the impact of the teacher preparation program. The study sample consisted of two nontraditional preservice teachers who were student teaching in an elementary classroom. Data, collected over a five-month period, included in-depth individual interviews, classroom observations, audio recordings, and reviews of documentations. Interviews focused on the participants' beliefs relating to the teaching of science, prior experiences, and their teacher preparation program experiences relating to the teaching of science. Classroom observations provided additional insights into the classroom setting, participants' teaching strategies, and participants' interactions with the students and cooperating teacher. A whole-text analysis of the interview transcripts, observational field notes, audio recordings and documents generated eight major categories: beliefs about science teaching, role of family, teaching science in the classroom, teacher identity, non-teacher identity, relationships with others, discourses of classroom teaching, and discourses of teachers. The following significant findings emerged from the data: (a) the identity of nontraditional student teachers as science teachers related to early life experiences in science classes; (b) the identity of nontraditional student teachers as science teachers was influenced by their role as parents; (c) nontraditional student teachers learned strategies that supported their beliefs about inquiry learning; and (d) nontraditional student teachers valued the teacher preparation program support system. The results from this qualitative study suggest that sociocultural theory with an identity

Analysing Exemplary Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsop, Steve, Ed.; Bencze, Larry, Ed.; Pedretti, Erminia, Ed.

2004-01-01

How might exemplary practice be represented by teachers' narratives? How might such representations be analyzed? How might theory and practice be related? "Analyzing Exemplary Science Teaching" is a text that seeks to combine educational theory and practice through analysis of a series of teachers' descriptions of "exemplary"…

Teachers' Ways of Talking about Nature of Science and Its Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leden, Lotta; Hansson, Lena; Redfors, Andreas; Ideland, Malin

2015-01-01

Nature of science (NOS) has for a long time been regarded as a key component in science teaching. Much research has focused on students' and teachers' views of NOS, while less attention has been paid to teachers' perspectives on NOS teaching. This article focuses on in-service science teachers' ways of talking about NOS and NOS teaching, e.g. what…

On teaching the nature of science: perspectives and resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radloff, Jeffrey

2016-06-01

In this paper, I present a critical review of the recent book, On Teaching the Nature of Science: Perspectives and Resources, written by Douglas Allchin (2013). This publication presents an in-depth examination of the nature of science construct, as well as instruction for educators about how to teach it effectively utilizing historical case studies as vehicles for knowledge. Although several themes in the book merit further attention, a central issue present across all chapters is the largely masculine, monocultural nature of science presented, which is common to a multitude of scientific publications. In this review, I illustrate how culture and gender in science is not addressed throughout the book. I also discuss where we can build on the work of the author to integrate more aspects of gender and culture in teaching the nature of science.

Investigating Your School's Science Teaching and Learning Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sato, Mistilina; Bartiromo, Margo; Elko, Susan

2016-01-01

The authors report on their work with the Academy for Leadership in Science Instruction, a program targeted to help science teachers promote a science teaching and learning culture in their own schools.

Teaching for Conceptual Change in Elementary and Secondary Science Methods Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marion, Robin; Hewson, Peter W.; Tabachnick, B. Robert; Blomker, Kathryn B.

1999-01-01

Describes and analyzes two science methods courses at the elementary and secondary levels for how they addressed four ideas: (1) how students learn science; (2) how teachers teach science to students; (3) how prospective science teachers learn about the first two ideas; and (4) how methods instructors teach prospective science teachers about the…

Soil Science Education for Primary and Secondary Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparrow, Elena; Yoshikawa, Kenji; Kopplin, Martha

2013-04-01

Soils is one of the science investigation areas in the Global learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE), an international science and education program (112 countries) that teaches primary and secondary students to learn science by doing science. For each area of investigation GLOBE provides background information, measurement protocols and learning activities compiled as a chapter in the GLOBE Teacher's Guide. Also provided are data sheets and field guides to assist in the accurate collection of data as well as suggestions of scientific instruments and calibration methods. Teachers learn GLOBE scientific measurement protocols at professional development workshops led by scientists and educators, who then engage their students in soil studies that also contribute to ongoing science investigations. Students enter their data on the GLOBE website and can access their data as well as other data contributed by students from other parts of the world. Soil characterization measurements carried out in the field include site description, horizon depths, soil structure, soil color, soil consistence, soil texture, roots, rocks and carbonates. Other field measurements are soil temperature and soil moisture monitoring while the following measurements are carried out in the classroom or laboratory: gravimetric soil moisture, bulk density, particle density, particle size distribution, pH and soil fertility (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). Learning activities provide support for preparing students to do the measurements and for better understanding of science concepts. Many countries in GLOBE have adopted standards for education including science education with commonalities among them. For the Teacher's Guide, the National Science Education Standards published by the US National Academy of Sciences, selected additional content standards that GLOBE scientists and educators feel are appropriate and the National Geography Standards prepared by the (US

Teaching Research Ethics Better: Focus on Excellent Science, Not Bad Scientists

PubMed Central

Hunter, Lawrence

2013-01-01

Abstract A recent report of the United States’ Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues highlights how important it is for the research community to enjoy the “earned confidence” of the public and how creating a “culture of responsibility” can contribute to that confidence. It identifies a major role for “creative, flexible, and innovative” ethics education in creating such a culture. Other recent governmental reports from various nations similarly call for a renewed emphasis on ethics education in the sciences. We discuss why some common approaches to ethics education in the graduate sciences fail to meet the goals envisioned in the reports and we describe an approach, animated by primary attention on excellent science as opposed to bad scientists, that we have employed in our ethics teaching that we think is better suited for inspiring and sustaining responsible, trustworthy science. PMID:23751025

Teaching research ethics better: focus on excellent science, not bad scientists.

PubMed

Yarborough, Mark; Hunter, Lawrence

2013-06-01

A recent report of the United States' Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues highlights how important it is for the research community to enjoy the "earned confidence" of the public and how creating a "culture of responsibility" can contribute to that confidence. It identifies a major role for "creative, flexible, and innovative" ethics education in creating such a culture. Other recent governmental reports from various nations similarly call for a renewed emphasis on ethics education in the sciences. We discuss why some common approaches to ethics education in the graduate sciences fail to meet the goals envisioned in the reports and we describe an approach, animated by primary attention on excellent science as opposed to bad scientists, that we have employed in our ethics teaching that we think is better suited for inspiring and sustaining responsible, trustworthy science. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tools and Traits for Highly Effective Science Teaching, K-8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasquez, Jo Anne

2007-01-01

Even if the reader has little formal training or background knowledge in science, "Tools & Traits for Highly Effective Science Teaching, K-8" pulls together cognitive and educational research to present an indispensable framework for science in the elementary and middle grades. Readers will discover teaching that increases students' engagement and…

Practicing Science: The Investigative Approach in College Science Teaching. An NSTA Press Journals Collection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cusick, Judy, Ed.

This document presents a collection of articles selected from the Journal of College Science Teaching. The selected articles represent how college science teaching should be practiced and include modifications in classrooms and laboratories to allow for the development of inquiry skills. Articles include: (1) "What Should Students Learn about the…

Science Teachers' Utilisation of Innovative Strategies for Teaching Senior School Science in Ilorin, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oyelekan, Oloyede Solomon; Igbokwe, Emoyoke Faith; Olorundare, Adekunle Solomon

2017-01-01

Efforts have been made to improve science teaching in secondary schools in Nigeria, yet, students continue to perform poorly in science subjects. Many innovative teaching strategies have been developed by educators and found to impact significantly on students' academic performance when utilised. Hence, this study was aimed at examining science…

Science-for-Teaching Discourse in Science Teachers' Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lohwasser, Karin

2013-01-01

Professional learning communities (PLCs) provide an increasingly common structure for teachers' professional development. The effectiveness of PLCs depends on the content and quality of the participants' discourse. This dissertation was conducted to add to an understanding of the science content needed to prepare to teach science, and the…

The use of simulation in teaching the basic sciences.

PubMed

Eason, Martin P

2013-12-01

To assess the current use of simulation in medical education, specifically, the teaching of the basic sciences to accomplish the goal of improved integration. Simulation is increasingly being used by the institutions to teach the basic sciences. Preliminary data suggest that it is an effective tool with increased retention and learner satisfaction. Medical education is undergoing tremendous change. One of the directions of that change is increasing integration of the basic and clinical sciences to improve the efficiency and quality of medical education, and ultimately to improve the patient care. Integration is thought to improve the understanding of basic science conceptual knowledge and to better prepare the learners for clinical practice. Simulation because of its unique effects on learning is currently being successfully used by many institutions as a means to produce that integration through its use in the teaching of the basic sciences. Preliminary data indicate that simulation is an effective tool for basic science education and garners high learner satisfaction.

Transforming beliefs and practices: Elementary teacher candidates' development through shared authentic teaching and reflection experiences within an innovative science methods course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naidoo, Kara

, supported science teaching self-efficacy development, positioned teachers as agents in their learning and development, provided the opportunity for teacher candidates to problematize teaching experiences to improve practice, developed teacher candidates who were able to critically question and create science curricula with the primary purpose of mediating student learning, and improved teacher candidates questioning skills and assistance with student performance in order to better mediate student learning. Implications for teacher education and future directions for research are discussed.

Using an interdisciplinary MOOC to teach climate science and science communication to a global classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, J.

2016-12-01

MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are a powerful tool, making educational content available to a large and diverse audience. The MOOC "Making Sense of Climate Science Denial" applied science communication principles derived from cognitive psychology and misconception-based learning in the design of video lectures covering many aspects of climate change. As well as teaching fundamental climate science, the course also presented psychological research into climate science denial, teaching students the most effective techniques for responding to misinformation. A number of enrolled students were secondary and tertiary educators, who adopted the course content in their own classes as well as adapted their teaching techniques based on the science communication principles presented in the lectures. I will outline how we integrated cognitive psychology, educational research and climate science in an interdisciplinary online course that has had over 25,000 enrolments from over 160 countries.

Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duschl, Richard A., Ed.; Schweingruber, Heidi A., Ed.; Shouse, Andrew W., Ed.

2007-01-01

What is science for a child? How do children learn about science and how to do science? Drawing on a vast array of work from neuroscience to classroom observation, "Taking Science to School" provides a comprehensive picture of what we know about teaching and learning science from kindergarten through eighth grade. By looking at a broad range of…

Common Interest, Common Visions? Chinese Science Teacher Educators' Views about the Values of Teaching Nature of Science to Prospective Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wan, Zhi Hong; Wong, Siu Ling; Yung, Benny Hin Wai

2011-01-01

Teaching nature of science (NOS) is beginning to take root in science education in China. This exploratory study interviewed 24 science teacher educators from economically developed parts of China about their conceptions of teaching NOS to prospective science teachers. Five key dimensions emerged from the data. This paper focuses on the dimension…

Interacting with Elementary Interns about Their Perceptions of Science Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnes, G. Nathan; Shull, Tiffany A.; Brown, Shanise N.; Munn, Wesley G.

This research investigated three elementary preservice teachers' perceptions of elementary science teachers. Three questions guided this investigation. What images did elementary Masters of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) interns have of science teaching at the beginning and end of science methods courses? What changes, if any, did they make in their…

Teaching primary care obstetrics: insights and recruitment recommendations from family physicians.

PubMed

Koppula, Sudha; Brown, Judith B; Jordan, John M

2014-03-01

To explore the experiences and recommendations for recruitment of family physicians who practise and teach primary care obstetrics. Qualitative study using in-depth interviews. Six primary care obstetrics groups in Edmonton, Alta, that were involved in teaching family medicine residents in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Alberta. Twelve family physicians who practised obstetrics in groups. All participants were women, which was reasonably representative of primary care obstetrics providers in Edmonton. Each participant underwent an in-depth interview. The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. The investigators independently reviewed the transcripts and then analyzed the transcripts together in an iterative and interpretive manner. Themes identified in this study include lack of confidence in teaching, challenges of having learners, benefits of having learners, and recommendations for recruiting learners to primary care obstetrics. While participants described insecurity and challenges related to teaching, they also identified positive aspects, and offered suggestions for recruiting learners to primary care obstetrics. Despite describing poor confidence as teachers and having challenges with learners, the participants identified positive experiences that sustained their interest in teaching. Supporting these teachers and recruiting more such role models is important to encourage family medicine learners to enter careers such as primary care obstetrics.

How Is Science Being Taught? Measuring Evidence-Based Teaching Practices across Undergraduate Science Departments.

PubMed

Drinkwater, Michael J; Matthews, Kelly E; Seiler, Jacob

2017-01-01

While there is a wealth of research evidencing the benefits of active-learning approaches, the extent to which these teaching practices are adopted in the sciences is not well known. The aim of this study is to establish an evidential baseline of teaching practices across a bachelor of science degree program at a large research-intensive Australian university. Our purpose is to contribute to knowledge on the adoption levels of evidence-based teaching practices by faculty within a science degree program and inform our science curriculum review in practical terms. We used the Teaching Practices Inventory (TPI) to measure the use of evidence-based teaching approaches in 129 courses (units of study) across 13 departments. We compared the results with those from a Canadian institution to identify areas in need of improvement at our institution. We applied a regression analysis to the data and found that the adoption of evidence-based teaching practices differs by discipline and is higher in first-year classes at our institution. The study demonstrates that the TPI can be used in different institutional contexts and provides data that can inform practice and policy. © 2017 M. J. Drinkwater et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Teaching Science in a Multicultural World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Offutt, Elizabeth Rhodes

This book is designed to be a source of ideas and motivation to encourage curiosity in children, provide opportunities to develop scientific processing skills, find out about cultures around the world, and explore science concepts. This resource incorporates multicultural literature and approaches into the teaching of science concepts in the…

Graduate performance of science education department in implementing conservation-based science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parmin; Savitri, E. N.; Amalia, A. V.; Pratama, M. R.

2018-04-01

This study aims to measure the performance of graduates in implementing conservation-based science teaching. The study employed a qualitative method by collecting the self-assessment data from alumni and the performance assessment from the headmasters of schools where the graduates are currently teaching. There are nine indicators of conservation insight examined in this study. The study concluded that the 78 alumni, who have become teachers when the study was conducted, perform well in implementing conservative science lessons.

A Smooth Trajectory: Developing Continuity and Progression between Primary and Secondary Science Education through a Jointly-Planned Projectiles Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Dan; McMahon, Kendra

2004-01-01

This article reports on findings from a two-year project--'Improving Science Together'--undertaken in 20 primary and four secondary schools in and around Bristol, UK. The project was funded by the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca PLC as part of their national Science Teaching Trust initiative, and had as one of its aims the development of…

An exploration of equitable science teaching practices for students with learning disabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales, Marlene

In this study, a mixed methods approach was used to gather descriptive exploratory information regarding the teaching of science to middle grades students with learning disabilities within a general education classroom. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' beliefs and their practices concerning providing equitable opportunities for students with learning disabilities in a general education science classroom. Equitable science teaching practices take into account each student's differences and uses those differences to inform instructional decisions and tailor teaching practices based on the student's individualized learning needs. Students with learning disabilities are similar to their non-disabled peers; however, they need some differentiation in instruction to perform to their highest potential achievement levels (Finson, Ormsbee, & Jensen, 2011). In the quantitative phase, the purpose of the study was to identify patterns in the beliefs of middle grades science teachers about the inclusion of students with learning disabilities in the general education classroom. In the qualitative phase, the purpose of the study was to present examples of instruction in the classrooms of science education reform-oriented middle grades science teachers. The quantitative phase of the study collected data from 274 sixth through eighth grade teachers in the State of Florida during the 2007--2008 school year using The Teaching Science to Students with Learning Disabilities Inventory. Overall, the quantitative findings revealed that middle grades science teachers held positive beliefs about the inclusion of students with learning disabilities in the general education science classroom. The qualitative phase collected data from multiple sources (interviews, classroom observations, and artifacts) to develop two case studies of reform-oriented middle grades science teachers who were expected to provide equitable science teaching practices. Based on their responses to The

Primary School Teacher Perceived Self-Efficacy to Teach Fundamental Motor Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callea, Micarle B.; Spittle, Michael; O'Meara, James; Casey, Meghan

2008-01-01

Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) are a part of the school curricula, yet many Australian primary-age children are not mastering FMS. One reason may be a lack of perceived self-efficacy of primary teachers to teach FMS. This study investigated the level of perceived self-efficacy of primary school teachers to teach FMS in Victoria, Australia. A…

Using the Interactive Whiteboard to Resource Continuity and Support Multimodal Teaching in a Primary Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillen, J.; Littleton, K.; Twiner, A.; Staarman, J. K.; Mercer, N.

2008-01-01

All communication is inherently multimodal, and understandings of science need to be multidimensional. The interactive whiteboard offers a range of potential benefits to the primary science classroom in terms of relative ease of integration of a number of presentational and ICT functions, which, taken together, offers new opportunities for…

The Effects of Scientific Representations on Primary Students' Development of Scientific Discourse and Conceptual Understandings during Cooperative Contemporary Inquiry-Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillies, Robyn M.; Nichols, Kim; Khan, Asaduzzaman

2015-01-01

Teaching students to use and interpret representations in science is critically important if they are to become scientifically literate and learn how to communicate their understandings and learning in science. This study involved 248 students (119 boys and 129 girls) from 26 grade 6 teachers' classes in nine primary schools in Brisbane,…

Teaching and Learning Science for Transformative, Aesthetic Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Girod, Mark; Twyman, Todd; Wojcikiewicz, Steve

2010-01-01

Drawing from the Deweyan theory of experience (1934, 1938), the goal of teaching and learning for transformative, aesthetic experience is contrasted against teaching and learning from a cognitive, rational framework. A quasi-experimental design was used to investigate teaching and learning of fifth grade science from each perspective across an…

Didactic Strategies in Early Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hus, Vlasta; Grmek, Milena Ivanus

2011-01-01

The purpose of the article is to show the results of empirical research on the prevailing teaching strategies for teaching contents of the subject environmental studies (specifically when dealing with natural content) in the first triennium of the nine-year primary school in the Republic of Slovenia. The information was obtained through a survey…

School and University Partnerships: The Role of Teacher Education Institutions and Primary Schools in the Development of Preservice Teachers' Science Teaching Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, Jacinta E.; Treagust, David F.

2014-01-01

Science in the Australian primary school context is in a state of renewal with the recent implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Science. Despite this curriculum renewal, the results of primary students in science have remained static. Science in Australia has been identified as one of the least taught subjects in the primary school…

Interesting Science and Mathematics Graduate Students in Secondary Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latterell, Carmen M.

2009-01-01

State and national initiatives attempt to increase the quantity and quality of secondary mathematics and science teachers. Research suggests that if one could appeal to something inside of people or about the process of teaching and learning itself, then one might draw current mathematics and science graduate students into secondary teaching. This…

On Teaching the Nature of Science: Perspectives and Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radloff, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

In this paper, I present a critical review of the recent book, "On Teaching the Nature of Science: Perspectives and Resources," written by Douglas Allchin (2013). This publication presents an in-depth examination of the nature of science construct, as well as instruction for educators about how to teach it effectively utilizing…

Interactive Whiteboards for Teaching and Learning Science: Ascertaining Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mata, Liliana; Lazar, Gabriel; Lazar, Iuliana

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to analyze of latest research focused on the investigation of interactive whiteboards used in teaching and learning Science. In the theoretical framework the main objectives are: a) the identification of specific research regarding the integration of interactive whiteboards in teaching and learning Science and b) the…

Preparing Elementary Mathematics-Science Teaching Specialists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, L. Diane

1992-01-01

Describes a professional development program to train math/science specialists for the upper elementary school grades. Using results from an interest survey, 30 teachers were chosen to participate in a 3-year program to become math/science specialists. Presents the teaching model used and the advantages for teachers and students in having subject…

Using the tools of science to teach science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wieman, C.

2005-12-01

Much of the rapid progress of modern science comes from its solid foundation on objective quantitative data, the rapid widespread dissemination and duplication of ideas, results, and successful approaches, and the rapid utilization of technological developments to achieve new capabilities. Unfortunately, scientists usually abandon these powerful tools in their approach to the teaching of science and instead rely on an approach that would be considered little more than individual superstition if used in the context of actual science. Choices of content and presentation in teaching are usually based on tradition or totally subjective judgments of the instructor. I will discuss my efforts to approach teaching physics much as I have done experimental physics. This includes: collecting and utilizing data (both my own and that from the research of others), developing a strategy for dealing with numerous degrees of freedom that one cannot control nearly as well as one would like (whether they are atomic interactions or student attitudes), optimizing the use of the time and money available, and taking advantage of useful new technology. The latter discussion will include some specifics on using technology that allows real time measurement of student learning and engagement in a large class and the development and use of interactive simulations to facilitate conceptual understanding. Achieving true understanding and appreciation of physics by introductory students is a major challenge. Fortunately, there is sufficient room for improvement in the current educational system that one can fall far short of that ideal and still be making major progress. Work supported by NSF and the Kavli Operating Institute

Emotions and elementary school science teaching: Postmodernism in practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zembylas, Michalinos

This is an ethnographic study about an elementary school teacher's emotions in her science teaching and pedagogy. This study is an interdisciplinary account of emotions in teaching and draws both methodologically and theoretically from a variety of disciplines: philosophy, sociology, psychology, anthropology, cultural studies and feminist studies. The account developed here is based on my understanding of the role of one teacher's (Catherine) emotions in her classroom life for three years. I describe my approach in terms of what I call emotional genealogies of teaching; referring to an account of the events, objects, persons and their relationships that are present or absent in the realization of emotions, and the ways that these emotions are experienced in relation to the self (individual reality), the others (social interactions) and the world in general (sociopolitical context). Applied to my study, an emotional genealogy of Catherine's science teaching seeks not to trace the gradual evolution of her emotions but to record the singularity of various events that make some emotions present and others absent. My study shows how certain emotions are constructed in the science classroom and how they are transformed over the years (as mediated by values, philosophies, beliefs and so on). Catherine's emotions in science teaching is a "history of the present," a history of her emotions' "presences and absences" in her daffy interactions with her students, parents and administrators in the context of the science classroom. This work raises important questions that go beyond the meaning and interpretation of teachers' emotions: How can teachers' emotions become a legitimate topic in (science) education as well as in efforts for science curricular reform? Further, how can educational institutions (universities and schools) and elementary school science teachers themselves support their personal and professional emotional growth?

Conceptions of Teaching Science Held by Novice Teachers in an Alternative Certification Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koballa, Thomas R.; Glynn, Shawn M.; Upson, Leslie

2005-01-01

Case studies to investigate the conceptions of teaching science held by three novice teachers participating in an alternative secondary science teacher certification program were conducted, along with the relationships between their conceptions of science teaching and their science teaching practice. Data used to build the cases included the…

Science is Elementary, A Science Teaching Resource Publication, 1992-1993.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science is Elementary, 1993

1993-01-01

These resource magazines for K-6 educators are published to promote the teaching of science, mathematics, and technology through participatory, inquiry-based methods. Each issue provides resources and hands-on activities for educators that focus on one theme. Issues in volume 5 cover the themes of geology, math and science integration, tropical…

Effect of Learning Cycle Approach-Based Science Teaching on Academic Achievement, Attitude, Motivation and Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uyanik, Gökhan

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of learning cycle approach-based teaching on academic achievement, attitude, motivation and retention at primary school 4th grade science lesson. It was conducted pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design in this study. The study was conducted on a total of 65 students studying in two different…

Learning to teach science in urban schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobin, Kenneth; Roth, Wolff-Michael; Zimmermann, Andrea

2001-10-01

Teaching in urban schools, with their problems of violence, lack of resources, and inadequate funding, is difficult. It is even more difficult to learn to teach in urban schools. Yet learning in those locations where one will subsequently be working has been shown to be the best preparation for teaching. In this article we propose coteaching as a viable model for teacher preparation and the professional development of urban science teachers. Coteaching - working at the elbow of someone else - allows new teachers to experience appropriate and timely action by providing them with shared experiences that become the topic of their professional conversations with other coteachers (including peers, the cooperating teacher, university supervisors, and high school students). This article also includes an ethnography describing the experiences of a new teacher who had been assigned to an urban high school as field experience, during which she enacted a curriculum that was culturally relevant to her African American students, acknowledged their minority status with respect to science, and enabled them to pursue the school district standards. Even though coteaching enables learning to teach and curricula reform, we raise doubts about whether our approaches to teacher education and enacting science curricula are hegemonic and oppressive to the students we seek to emancipate through education.

Teaching Mathematics in Two Languages: A Teaching Dilemma of Malaysian Chinese Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Chap Sam; Presmeg, Norma

2011-01-01

This paper discusses a teaching dilemma faced by mathematics teachers in the Malaysian Chinese primary schools in coping with the latest changes in language policy. In 2003, Malaysia launched a new language policy of teaching mathematics using English as the language of instruction in all schools. However, due to the complex sociocultural demands…

Sources of Self-efficacy in a Science Methods Course for Primary Teacher Education Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmer, D. H.

2006-12-01

Self-efficacy has been shown to be an issue of concern for primary teacher education students - many of them have low self-efficacy and this can negatively affect their future teaching of science. Previous research has identified four factors that may contribute towards self-efficacy: enactive mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion and physiological/affective states. It could also be argued that there are additional sources of self-efficacy that apply to primary teacher education students, namely cognitive content mastery, cognitive pedagogical mastery and simulated modelling. The main purpose of the present paper was to investigate the relative importance of the various sources of self-efficacy in a primary science methods course. Data on changes in self-efficacy and sources of self-efficacy were collected throughout the course using formal and informal surveys. It was found that the main source of self-efficacy was cognitive pedagogical mastery.

Reflective Teaching Practices in Turkish Primary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tok, Sukran; Dolapcioglu, Sevda Dogan

2013-01-01

The objective of the study is to explore the prevalence of reflective teaching practices among Turkish primary school teachers. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used together in the study. The sample was composed of 328 primary school teachers working in 30 primary education institutions in the town of Antakya in the province of…

A Geometric Model to Teach Nature of Science, Science Practices, and Metacognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nyman, Matthew; St. Clair, Tyler

2016-01-01

Using the science practice model in science classes for preservice teachers addresses three important aspects of science teacher preparation: teaching the nonlinear nature of scientific process, using scientific practices rather than the ambiguous term "inquiry-based," and emphasizing the process of metacognition as an important tool in…

Teaching Computer Science Courses in Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huan, Xiaoli; Shehane, Ronald; Ali, Adel

2011-01-01

As the success of distance learning (DL) has driven universities to increase the courses offered online, certain challenges arise when teaching computer science (CS) courses to students who are not physically co-located and have individual learning schedules. Teaching CS courses involves high level demonstrations and interactivity between the…

TEACHING SCIENCE AT THE SECONDARY STAGE, A HANDBOOK ON THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE TO THE AVERAGE PUPIL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

KNOCK, H.E.; AND OTHERS

THIS ENGLISH PUBLICATION IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR PROSPECTIVE OR PRACTICING TEACHERS IN THE TEACHING OF GENERAL EDUCATION SCIENCE TO SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS. IT IS BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT SCIENCE SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED, AND TAUGHT, AS A HUMAN ACTIVITY WHICH EXPLORES THE REALM OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE, MAPS IT METHODICALLY BUT…

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Teaching Science to Improve Student Content Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephenson, Robert L.

The majority of Grade 5 students demonstrate limited science knowledge on state assessments. This trend has been documented since 2010 with no evidence of improvement. Because state accountability formulas include proficiency scores and carry sanctions against districts that fail to meet proficiency thresholds, improved student performance in science is an important issue to school districts. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary teachers' perceptions about their students' science knowledge, the strategies used to teach science, the barriers affecting science teaching, and the self-efficacy beliefs teachers maintain for teaching science. This study, guided by Vygotsky's social constructivist theory and Bandura's concept of self-efficacy, was a bounded instrumental case study in which 15 participants, required to be teaching K-5 elementary science in the county, were interviewed. An analytic technique was used to review the qualitative interview data through open coding, clustering, and analytical coding resulting in identified categorical themes that addressed the research questions. Key findings reflect students' limited content knowledge in earth and physical science. Teachers identified barriers including limited science instructional time, poor curricular resources, few professional learning opportunities, concern about new state standards, and a lack of teaching confidence. To improve student content knowledge, teachers identified the need for professional development. The project is a professional development series provided by a regional education service agency for K-5 teachers to experience science and engineering 3-dimensional learning. Area students will demonstrate deeper science content knowledge and benefit from improved science instructional practice and learning opportunities to become science problem solvers and innovative contributors to society.

Urban Elementary Teachers' Perspectives on Teaching Science to English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Okhee; Maerten-Rivera, Jaime; Buxton, Cory; Penfield, Randall; Secada, Walter G.

2009-01-01

This descriptive study examined urban elementary school teachers' perceptions of their science content knowledge, science teaching practices, and support for language development of English language learners. Also examined were teachers' perceptions of organizational supports and barriers associated with teaching science to nonmainstream students.…

Contextual Teaching and Learning Approach of Mathematics in Primary Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvianiresa, D.; Prabawanto, S.

2017-09-01

The Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) approach is an approach involving active students in the learning process to discover the concepts learned through to knowledge and experience of the students. Similar to Piaget’s opinion that learning gives students an actives trying to do new things by relating their experiences and building their own minds. When students to connecting mathematics with real life, then students can looking between a conceptual to be learned with a concept that has been studied. So that, students can developing of mathematical connection ability. This research is quasi experiment with a primary school in the city of Kuningan. The result showed that CTL learning can be successful, when learning used a collaborative interaction with students, a high level of activity in the lesson, a connection to real-world contexts, and an integration of science content with other content and skill areas. Therefore, CTL learning can be applied by techer to mathematics learning in primary schools.

The Effect of an Integrated Science and Mathematics Content-Based Course on Science and Mathematics Teaching Efficacy of Preservice Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moseley, Christine; Utley, Juliana

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an earth systems science course (integrated mathematics and science content) on preservice elementary teachers' mathematics and science teaching efficacy. Paired t-tests revealed that the personal mathematics and science teaching efficacy and science teaching outcome expectancy significantly…

Effective Supervision: Supporting the Art and Science of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marzano, Robert; Livingston, David; Frontier, Tony

2011-01-01

It's true that even modest improvements in teacher effectiveness can lead to impressive gains in student achievement. But what hasn't been clear is what exactly district leaders should do to encourage and support teachers in practicing the art and science of great teaching ... until now. Like in his landmark book "The Art and Science of Teaching",…

Promoting Scientific Literacy by Using ICT in Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Rsa'i, Mohammed Salameh

2013-01-01

This study aims to identify the way upon which ICT can be employed in science teaching to develop scientific literacy level. The study has conclude to design a triple learning model (PEA) based on ICT and constructive learning strategy in teaching science through a context which cares for building positive trends of searching for knowledge and…

Observation of Reform Teaching in Undergraduate Level Mathematics and Science Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wainwright, Camille; Flick, Larry; Morrell, Patricia D.; Schepige, Adele

2004-01-01

This paper reports on initial results from an ongoing evaluation study of a National Science Foundation project to implement reform-oriented teaching practices in college science and mathematics courses. The purpose of this study was to determine what elements of reform teaching are being utilized by college faculty members teaching undergraduate…

Measuring the Teaching Self-Efficacy of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Graduate Teaching Assistants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeChenne, Sue Ellen; Enochs, Larry

2010-01-01

An instrument to measure the teaching self-efficacy of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) GTAs is adapted from a general college teaching instrument (Prieto Navarro, 2005) for the specific teaching environment of the STEM GTAs. The construct and content validity and reliability of the final instrument are indicated. The final…

Development of interest in science and interest in teaching elementary science: Influence of informal, school, and inquiry methods course experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulunuz, Mizrap

Inquiry-based science instruction is a major goal of science education reform. However, there is little research examining how preservice elementary teachers might be motivated to teach through inquiry. This quantitative study was designed to examine the role of background experiences and an inquiry science methods course on interest in science and interest in teaching science. The course included many activities and assignments at varying levels of inquiry, designed to teach content and inquiry methods and to model effective teaching. The study involved analyses of surveys completed by students in the course on their experiences with science before, during, and at the end of the course. The following questions guided the design of this study and analysis of the data: (1) What science background experiences (school, home, and informal education) do participants have and how do those experiences affect initial interest in science? (2) Among the hands-on activities in the methods course, is there a relationship between level of inquiry of the activity and the motivational quality (interesting, fun, and learning) of the activity? (3) Does the course affect participants' interest and attitude toward science? (4) What aspects of the course contribute to participants' interest in teaching science and choice to teach science? Descriptive and inferential analysis of a background survey revealed that participants with high and low initial interest in science differed significantly on remembering about elementary school science and involvement in science related activities in childhood/youth. Analysis of daily ratings of each hands-on activity on motivational qualities (fun, interest, and learning) indicated that there were significant differences in motivational quality of the activities by level of inquiry with higher levels of inquiry rated more positively. Pre/post surveys indicated that participants increased in interest in science and a number of variables reflecting

A Professional Development Teaching Course for Science Graduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baumgartner, Erin

2007-01-01

Although the majority of the teaching faculty at U.S. universities is composed of people who are scientific experts, research has found that most scientists do not have information about effective teaching methods (DeHaan 2005). Traditional lecture-style college science teaching does not reflect knowledge about best teaching practices based upon…

Effects of 3D Printing Project-based Learning on Preservice Elementary Teachers' Science Attitudes, Science Content Knowledge, and Anxiety About Teaching Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novak, Elena; Wisdom, Sonya

2018-05-01

3D printing technology is a powerful educational tool that can promote integrative STEM education by connecting engineering, technology, and applications of science concepts. Yet, research on the integration of 3D printing technology in formal educational contexts is extremely limited. This study engaged preservice elementary teachers (N = 42) in a 3D Printing Science Project that modeled a science experiment in the elementary classroom on why things float or sink using 3D printed boats. The goal was to explore how collaborative 3D printing inquiry-based learning experiences affected preservice teachers' science teaching self-efficacy beliefs, anxiety toward teaching science, interest in science, perceived competence in K-3 technology and engineering science standards, and science content knowledge. The 3D printing project intervention significantly decreased participants' science teaching anxiety and improved their science teaching efficacy, science interest, and perceived competence in K-3 technological and engineering design science standards. Moreover, an analysis of students' project reflections and boat designs provided an insight into their collaborative 3D modeling design experiences. The study makes a contribution to the scarce body of knowledge on how teacher preparation programs can utilize 3D printing technology as a means of preparing prospective teachers to implement the recently adopted engineering and technology standards in K-12 science education.

Caring Enough to Teach Science. Helping Pre-service Teachers View Science Instruction as an Ethical Responsibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grinell, Smith; Rabin, Colette

2017-11-01

The goal of this project was to motivate pre-service elementary teachers to commit to spending significant instructional time on science in their future classrooms despite their self-assessed lack of confidence about teaching science and other impediments (e.g., high-stakes testing practices that value other subjects over science). Pre-service teachers in science methods courses explored connections between science and ethics, specifically around issues of ecological sustainability, and grappled with their ethical responsibilities as teachers to provide science instruction. Survey responses, student "quick-writes," interview transcripts, and field notes were analyzed. Findings suggest that helping pre-service teachers see these connections may shape their beliefs and dispositions in ways that may motivate them to embark on the long road toward improving their science pedagogical content knowledge and ultimately to teach science to their students more often and better than they otherwise might. The approach may also offer a way for teachers to attend to the moral work of teaching.

Teaching with Visuals in the Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Michelle

2012-01-01

Visuals play an important role in the teaching and learning of science and should be embedded within and supportive of authentic science inquiry. Both researchers and teachers believe that visuals have a great deal of potential to help students understand science, but in practice, these visuals do not always live up to their promise. Teachers need…

Teaching planetary sciences to elementary school teachers: Programs that work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lebofsky, Larry A.; Lebofsky, Nancy R.

1993-01-01

Planetary sciences can be used to introduce students to the natural world which is a part of their lives. Even children in an urban environment are aware of such phenomena as day and night, shadows, and the seasons. It is a science that transcends cultures, has been prominent in the news in recent years, and can generate excitement in young minds as no other science can. Planetary sciences also provides a useful tool for understanding other sciences and mathematics, and for developing problem solving skills which are important in our technological world. However, only 15 percent of elementary school teachers feel very well qualified to teach earth/space science, while better than 80 percent feel well qualified to teach reading; many teachers avoid teaching science; very little time is actually spent teaching science in the elementary school: 19 minutes per day in K-3 and 38 minutes per day in 4-6. While very little science is taught in elementary and middle school, earth/space science is taught at the elementary level in less than half of the states. It was pointed out that science is not generally given high priority by either teachers or school districts, and is certainly not considered on a par with language arts and mathematics. Therefore, in order to teach science to our youth, we must empower our teachers, making them familiar and comfortable with existing materials. In our earlier workshops, several of our teachers taught in classrooms where the majority of the students were Hispanic (over 90 percent). However, few space sciences materials existed in Spanish. Therefore, most of our materials could not be used effectively in the classroom. To address this issue, NASA materials were translated into Spanish and a series of workshops for bilingual classroom teachers from Tucson and surrounding cities was conducted. Our space sciences workshops and our bilingual classroom workshops and how they address the needs of elementary school teachers in Arizona are

Primary Science Quality Mark--2016 Update

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Jane

2016-01-01

Back in May 2011, an article in "Primary Science" described how the idea for a quality mark for primary science was developed from an initial conversation at an Association for Science Education annual conference (Turner, Marshall and Elsmore, 2011). Its intention then, as now, was to support and champion good practice and raise the…

College student perceptions of science teachers and the effect on science teaching as a career path

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cost, Michael George

2000-10-01

Past research documented that student perceptions of scientists constituted a stereotypical image that had a negative effect on the students' attitudes towards science and resulted in low numbers of students studying to become scientists and engineers in college. The present study paralleled the research on student perceptions of scientists to investigate to what extent student perceptions of science teachers affect their willingness to consider science teaching as a career. This was accomplished by surveying 91 college students and 25 science teachers at the beginning, middle, and end of the collegiate career path of becoming a science teacher. Each survey contained quantitative data utilizing seven-point semantic differential scales and written open response questions. In-depth interviews with two members of each level were conducted to supplement the survey data. The study found that college students begin college with a positive perception of teaching as a career and highly rank teachers, especially science teachers, as having a positive influence on their career path. The qualities of job enjoyment, job stability, and helping others that are characteristic of teaching were also found to be of high importance. Perceptions of the personal, social, professional, and career qualities of a science teacher were found to differ from a scientist. While both science teachers and scientists were found to be responsible, persistent, and productive, science teachers were perceived as being a distinct career possessing qualities that make them more personable, sociable, and wise than scientists. Some gender differences were detected but there was no evidence of gender bias affecting students choosing a career path to science teaching. Science teachers were perceived to be very supportive of females pursuing scientific career paths. The study also found evidence that some introductory level college students steer away from science teaching because of low salary, the lack of

Thai primary students' understanding of nature of science (NOS) in learning about force and motion for explicit NOS through STS approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jimakorn, Narakorn; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

This paper aimed to study of primary school students' understanding of nature of science in learning about force and motion for Explicit Nature of Science through science technology and society (STS) approach. Participants were 11 Grade 5 students who study in Baan Khongtaphet, Bothong, Chonburi, Thailand. This research regarded interpretive paradigm. The intervention of STS physics provided 4 weeks of teaching about force and motion through Yuenyong (2006) science technology and society (STS) approach. The issues of making skate board was brought into the class in order to enhance students learning about force and motion and applying knowledge for designing skate board. The intervention was also designed to allow students explicitly mentioning their ideas about nature of science related to learning activities of STS force and motion. Students' understanding of nature of science was interpreted through students' worksheets, participant observation, students' journal writing and informal interview. The findings revealed that majority of students could reflect their ideas related to many aspects of nature of science. This included Science demands and relies on empirical evidence; knowledge production in science shares many common factors and shared habits of mind, norms, logical thinking and methods; tentative of scientific knowledge; historical, cultural and social influences on science; historical, cultural and social influences on science; science and its methods cannot answer all questions. The study has implications for NOS teaching in Thailand primary school.

Undergraduates' Perceived Gains and Ideas about Teaching and Learning Science from Participating in Science Education Outreach Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, Stacey L.

2015-01-01

This study examined what undergraduate students gain and the ideas about science teaching and learning they develop from participating in K-12 science education outreach programs. Eleven undergraduates from seven outreach programs were interviewed individually about their experiences with outreach and what they learned about science teaching and…

Examining Teachers View on Primary Teaching Practices Based on Co-Teaching Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turan, Mehmet; Bayar, Betül

2017-01-01

The purpose of the two-teacher primary teaching model is to find a solution, to some extent, for the crowded classes and the classes in which the inclusive students study in primary school. Furthermore, it is aimed to increase the efficiency of the lessons, better take care of the inclusive students, implement the constructivist approach as…

Primary Connections: Simulating the Classroom in Initial Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hume, Anne Christine

2012-01-01

The challenge of preparing novice primary teachers for teaching in an educational environment, where science education has low status and many teachers have limited science content knowledge and lack the confidence to teach science, is great. This paper reports on an innovation involving a sustained simulation in an undergraduate science education…

Exploring Science Teaching Efficacy of CASE Curriculum Teachers: A Post-Then-Pre Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulmer, Jonathan D.; Velez, Jonathan J.; Lambert, Misty D.; Thompson, Greg W.; Burris, Scott; Witt, Phillip A.

2013-01-01

This descriptive-correlational study sought to investigate teachers' levels of Personal Science Teaching Efficacy (PSTE) and Science Teaching Outcome Expectancy (STOE) using the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI). The population included all teachers completing a CASE Institute training session during summer 2010. Assessments…

Primary Science at the Discovery Corner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagel, Bert

2015-01-01

Imagine 98% of children in your country leaving primary school without ever having done a science investigation. This almost complete absence of primary science is the situation just over the North Sea from Britain--in the Netherlands. A recent survey showed that only about 120 primary schools in the Netherlands, out of a total of 6000, do some…

Teaching children the structure of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Börner, Katy; Palmer, Fileve; Davis, Julie M.; Hardy, Elisha; Uzzo, Stephen M.; Hook, Bryan J.

2009-01-01

Maps of the world are common in classroom settings. They are used to teach the juxtaposition of natural and political functions, mineral resources, political, cultural and geographical boundaries; occurrences of processes such as tectonic drift; spreading of epidemics; and weather forecasts, among others. Recent work in scientometrics aims to create a map of science encompassing our collective scholarly knowledge. Maps of science can be used to see disciplinary boundaries; the origin of ideas, expertise, techniques, or tools; the birth, evolution, merging, splitting, and death of scientific disciplines; the spreading of ideas and technology; emerging research frontiers and bursts of activity; etc. Just like the first maps of our planet, the first maps of science are neither perfect nor correct. Today's science maps are predominantly generated based on English scholarly data: Techniques and procedures to achieve local and global accuracy of these maps are still being refined, and a visual language to communicate something as abstract and complex as science is still being developed. Yet, the maps are successfully used by institutions or individuals who can afford them to guide science policy decision making, economic decision making, or as visual interfaces to digital libraries. This paper presents the process and results of creating hands-on science maps for kids that teaches children ages 4-14 about the structure of scientific disciplines. The maps were tested in both formal and informal science education environments. The results show that children can easily transfer their (world) map and concept map reading skills to utilize maps of science in interesting ways.

Toward using games to teach fundamental computer science concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edgington, Jeffrey Michael

Video and computer games have become an important area of study in the field of education. Games have been designed to teach mathematics, physics, raise social awareness, teach history and geography, and train soldiers in the military. Recent work has created computer games for teaching computer programming and understanding basic algorithms. We present an investigation where computer games are used to teach two fundamental computer science concepts: boolean expressions and recursion. The games are intended to teach the concepts and not how to implement them in a programming language. For this investigation, two computer games were created. One is designed to teach basic boolean expressions and operators and the other to teach fundamental concepts of recursion. We describe the design and implementation of both games. We evaluate the effectiveness of these games using before and after surveys. The surveys were designed to ascertain basic understanding, attitudes and beliefs regarding the concepts. The boolean game was evaluated with local high school students and students in a college level introductory computer science course. The recursion game was evaluated with students in a college level introductory computer science course. We present the analysis of the collected survey information for both games. This analysis shows a significant positive change in student attitude towards recursion and modest gains in student learning outcomes for both topics.

Preservice Elementary Teachers' Instructional Practices and the Teaching Science as Argument Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyer, Elisebeth

2016-12-01

The research reported in this study examines the very first time the participants planned for and enacted science instruction within a "best-case scenario" teacher preparation program. Evidence from this study indicates that, within this context, preservice teachers are capable of implementing several of the discursive practices of science called for in standards documents including engaging students in science investigations and constructing evidence-based explanations. The participants designed experiences that allowed their students to interact with natural phenomena, gather evidence, and craft explanations of natural phenomenon. The study contends that the participants were able to achieve such successes due to their participation in a teacher education program and field placement, which were designed using a comprehensive, conceptual framework. Video of the participant's teaching and annotated self-analysis videos served as the primary data for this study. Implications for future research and elementary science teacher education are discussed.

Saudi Elementary School Science Teachers' Beliefs: Teaching Science in the New Millennium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alghamdi, Amani K. Hamdan; Al-Salouli, Misfer Saud

2013-01-01

This study explored Saudi elementary school science teachers' beliefs about the process of teaching and learning science. This involved the exploration of their views about the new Saudi science curriculum, which emphasizes critical thinking and problem solving. Comprehensive interviews were held in 8 schools with 4 male and 6 female--2 of whom…

(The Ethics of) Teaching Science and Ethics: A Collaborative Proposal.

PubMed

Kabasenche, William P

2014-12-01

I offer a normative argument for a collaborative approach to teaching ethical issues in the sciences. Teaching science ethics requires expertise in at least two knowledge domains-the relevant science(s) and philosophical ethics. Accomplishing the aims of ethics education, while ensuring that science ethics discussions remain grounded in the best empirical science, can generally best be done through collaboration between a scientist and an ethicist. Ethics as a discipline is in danger of being misrepresented or distorted if presented by someone who lacks appropriate disciplinary training and experience. While there are exceptions, I take philosophy to be the most appropriate disciplinary domain in which to gain training in ethics teaching. Science students, who must be prepared to engage with many science ethics issues, are poorly served if their education includes a misrepresentation of ethics or specific issues. Students are less well prepared to engage specific issues in science ethics if they lack an appreciation of the resources the discipline of ethics provides. My collaborative proposal looks at a variety of ways scientists and ethicists might collaborate in the classroom to foster good science ethics education.