The development and validation of the Self-Efficacy Beliefs about Equitable Science Teaching and learning instrument for prospective elementary teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritter, Jennifer M.

1999-12-01

The purpose of this study was to develop, validate and establish the reliability of an instrument to assess the self-efficacy beliefs of prospective elementary teachers with regards to science teaching and learning for diverse learners. The study used Bandura's theoretical framework, in that the instrument would use the self-efficacy construct to explore the beliefs of prospective elementary science teachers with regards to science teaching and learning to diverse learners: specifically the two dimensions of self-efficacy beliefs defined by Bandura (1977): personal self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. A seven step plan was designed and followed in the process of developing the instrument, which was titled the Self-Efficacy Beliefs about Equitable Science Teaching or SEBEST. Diverse learners as recognized by Science for All Americans (1989) are "those who in the past who have largely been bypassed in science and mathematics education: ethnic and language minorities and girls" (p. xviii). That definition was extended by this researcher to include children from low socioeconomic backgrounds based on the research by Gomez and Tabachnick (1992). The SEBEST was administered to 226 prospective elementary teachers at The Pennsylvania State University. Using the results from factor analyses, Coefficient Alpha, and Chi-Square a 34 item instrument was found to achieve the greatest balance across the construct validity, reliability and item balance with the content matrix. The 34 item SEBEST was found to load purely on four factors across the content matrix thus providing evidence construct validity. The Coefficient Alpha reliability for the 34 item SEBEST was .90 and .82 for the PSE sub-scale and .78 for the OE sub-scale. A Chi-Square test (X2 = 2.7 1, df = 7, p > .05) was used to confirm that the 34 items were balanced across the Personal Self-Efficacy/Outcome Expectancy and Ethnicity/LanguageMinority/Gender Socioeconomic Status/dimensions of the content matrix. Based on the standardized development procedures used and the associated evidence, the SEBEST appears to be a content and construct valid instrument, with high internal reliability and moderate test-retest reliability qualities, for use with prospective elementary teachers to assess self-efficacy beliefs for teaching and learning science for diverse learners.

Chemistry inside an epistemological community box! Discursive exclusions and inclusions in Swedish National tests in Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ståhl, Marie; Hussénius, Anita

2017-06-01

This study examined the Swedish national tests in chemistry for implicit and explicit values. The chemistry subject is understudied compared to biology and physics and students view chemistry as their least interesting science subject. The Swedish national science assessments aim to support equitable and fair evaluation of students, to concretize the goals in the chemistry syllabus and to increase student achievement. Discourse and multimodal analyses, based on feminist and critical didactic theories, were used to examine the test's norms and values. The results revealed that the chemistry discourse presented in the tests showed a traditional view of science from the topics discussed (for example, oil and metal), in the way women, men and youth are portrayed, and how their science interests are highlighted or neglected. An elitist view of science emerges from the test, with distinct gender and age biases. Students could interpret these biases as a message that only "the right type" of person may come into the chemistry epistemological community, that is, into this special sociocultural group that harbours a common view about this knowledge. This perspective may have an impact on students' achievement and thereby prevent support for an equitable and fair evaluation. Understanding the underlying evaluative meanings that come with science teaching is a question of democracy since it may affect students' feelings of inclusion or exclusion. The norms and values harboured in the tests will also affect teaching since the teachers are given examples of how the goals in the syllabus can be concretized.

The Relative Effects and Equity of Inquiry-Based and Commonplace Science Teaching on Students' Knowledge, Reasoning, and Argumentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Christopher D.; Taylor, Joseph A.; Kowalski, Susan M.; Carlson, Janet

2010-01-01

We conducted a laboratory-based randomized control study to examine the effectiveness of inquiry-based instruction. We also disaggregated the data by student demographic variables to examine if inquiry can provide equitable opportunities to learn. Fifty-eight students aged 14-16 years old were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both groups of…

The Contribution of Equitation Science to Minimising Horse-Related Risks to Humans.

PubMed

Starling, Melissa; McLean, Andrew; McGreevy, Paul

2016-02-23

Equitation science is an evidence-based approach to horse training and riding that focuses on a thorough understanding of both equine ethology and learning theory. This combination leads to more effective horse training, but also plays a role in keeping horse riders and trainers safe around horses. Equitation science underpins ethical equitation, and recognises the limits of the horse's cognitive and physical abilities. Equitation is an ancient practice that has benefited from a rich tradition that sees it flourishing in contemporary sporting pursuits. Despite its history, horse-riding is an activity for which neither horses nor humans evolved, and it brings with it significant risks to the safety of both species. This review outlines the reasons horses may behave in ways that endanger humans and how training choices can exacerbate this. It then discusses the recently introduced 10 Principles of Equitation Science and explains how following these principles can minimise horse-related risk to humans and enhance horse welfare.

Planning for Reform-Based Science: Case Studies of Two Urban Elementary Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangiante, Elaine Silva

2018-02-01

The intent of national efforts to frame science education standards is to promote students' development of scientific practices and conceptual understanding for their future role as scientifically literate citizens (NRC 2012). A guiding principle of science education reform is that all students receive equitable opportunities to engage in rigorous science learning. Yet, implementation of science education reform depends on teachers' instructional decisions. In urban schools serving students primarily from poor, diverse communities, teachers typically face obstacles in providing reform-based science due to limited resources and accountability pressures, as well as a culture of teacher-directed pedagogy, and deficit views of students. The purpose of this qualitative research was to study two white, fourth grade teachers from high-poverty urban schools, who were identified as transforming their science teaching and to investigate how their beliefs, knowledge bases, and resources shaped their planning for reform-based science. Using the Shavelson and Stern's decision model for teacher planning to analyze evidence gathered from interviews, documents, planning meetings, and lesson observations, the findings indicated their planning for scientific practices was influenced by the type and extent of professional development each received, each teacher's beliefs about their students and their background, and the mission and learning environment each teacher envisioned for the reform to serve their students. The results provided specific insights into factors that impacted their planning in high-poverty urban schools and indicated considerations for those in similar contexts to promote teachers' planning for equitable science learning opportunities by all students.

Munazza's story: Understanding science teaching and conceptions of the nature of science in Pakistan through a life history study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halai, Nelofer

In this study I have described and tried to comprehend how a female science teacher understands her practice. Additionally, I have developed some understanding of her understanding of the nature of science. While teaching science, a teacher projects messages about the nature of science that can be captured by observations and interviews. Furthermore, the manner is which a teacher conceptualizes science for teaching, at least in part, depends on personal life experiences. Hence, I have used the life history method to understand Munazza's practice. Munazza is a young female science teacher working in a private, co-educational school for children from middle income families in Karachi, Pakistan. Her stories are central to the study, and I have represented them using a number of narrative devices. I have woven in my own stories too, to illustrate my perspective as a researcher. The data includes 13 life history interviews and many informal conversations with Munazza, observations of science teaching in classes seven and eight, and interviews with other science teachers and administrative staff of the school. Munazza's personal biography and experiences of school and undergraduate courses has influenced the way she teaches. It has also influenced the way she does not teach. She was not inspired by her science teachers, so she has tried not to teach the way she was taught science. Contextual factors, her conception of preparation for teaching as preparation for subject content and the tension that she faces in balancing care and control in her classroom are some factors that influence her teaching. Munazza believes that science is a stable, superior and value-free way of knowing. In trying to understand the natural world, observations come first, which give reliable information about the world leading inductively to a "theory". Hence, she relies a great deal on demonstrations in the class where students "see" for themselves and abstract the scientific concept from the activity. I believe this inquiry is significant because it has led to a better understanding of a science teacher's practice and her conceptions of the nature of science in a school in Pakistan. Moreover, the study has utilized research methods that advocates a more equitable researcher-researched relationship.

Science-Technology-Society literacy in college non-majors biology: Comparing problem/case studies based learning and traditional expository methods of instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, John S.

This study used a multiple response model (MRM) on selected items from the Views on Science-Technology-Society (VOSTS) survey to examine science-technology-society (STS) literacy among college non-science majors' taught using Problem/Case Studies Based Learning (PBL/CSBL) and traditional expository methods of instruction. An initial pilot investigation of 15 VOSTS items produced a valid and reliable scoring model which can be used to quantitatively assess student literacy on a variety of STS topics deemed important for informed civic engagement in science related social and environmental issues. The new scoring model allows for the use of parametric inferential statistics to test hypotheses about factors influencing STS literacy. The follow-up cross-institutional study comparing teaching methods employed Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) to model the efficiency and equitability of instructional methods on STS literacy. A cluster analysis was also used to compare pre and post course patterns of student views on the set of positions expressed within VOSTS items. HLM analysis revealed significantly higher instructional efficiency in the PBL/CSBL study group for 4 of the 35 STS attitude indices (characterization of media vs. school science; tentativeness of scientific models; cultural influences on scientific research), and more equitable effects of traditional instruction on one attitude index (interdependence of science and technology). Cluster analysis revealed generally stable patterns of pre to post course views across study groups, but also revealed possible teaching method effects on the relationship between the views expressed within VOSTS items with respect to (1) interdependency of science and technology; (2) anti-technology; (3) socioscientific decision-making; (4) scientific/technological solutions to environmental problems; (5) usefulness of school vs. media characterizations of science; (6) social constructivist vs. objectivist views of theories; (7) impact of cultural religious/ethical views on science; (8) tentativeness of scientific models, evidence and predictions; (9) civic control of technological developments. This analysis also revealed common relationships between student views which would not have been revealed under the original unique response model (URM) of VOSTS and also common viewpoint patterns that warrant further qualitative exploration.

The Purpose of the Cataloging for Matters of Equitable Access: Spanish-Language Cataloging and "Everyday" Approaches of Non-Native English Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adamich, Tom

2009-01-01

While teacher-librarians embrace the concept of equitable access when they select "multicultural" materials to include in their collections, plan special programs, and teach lessons on a variety of topics, what do they do to make equitable access a part of their online catalogs? Have they achieved (or nearly achieved) a consistent level of…

Using a Multicultural Social Justice Framework to Analyze Elementary Teachers' Meanings of Multicultural Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kye, Hannah Anne

In response to the persistent gaps in science opportunities and outcomes across lines of race, class, gender, and disability, decades of science reforms have called for "science for all." For elementary teachers, science for all demands that they not only learn to teach science but learn to teach it in ways that promote more equitable science learning opportunities and outcomes. In this qualitative case study, I use a framework of multicultural social justice education to examine three teachers' beliefs and practices of multicultural science education. The teachers, one preservice and two in-service, taught elementary science in a month-long summer program and met weekly with this researcher to discuss connections between their expressed commitments about teaching toward social justice and their work as science teachers. The data sources for this study included audio recordings of weekly meetings, science lessons, and semi-structured individual interviews. These data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed to define the most salient themes and categories among the individual teachers and across cases. I found that the teachers' beliefs and practices aligned with traditional approaches to school and science wherein science was a set of scripted right answers, diversity was only superficially acknowledged, and multiculturalizing the curriculum meant situating science in unfamiliar real world contexts. These meanings of science positioned the teacher as authority and operated outside of a structural analysis of the salience of race, culture, gender, and disability in students' science learning experiences. As they taught and reflected on their teaching in light of their social justice commitments, I found that the teachers negotiated more constructivist and student-centered approaches to science education. These meanings of science required teachers to learn about students and make their experiences more central to their learning. Yet they continued to only acknowledge student diversity rather than critically examine perceptions and practices. Implications for this study include continuing support for teachers focused on applying a structural and explicit analysis of oppression and marginalization in science, so that they are prepared to recognize and teach science as a means of empowering students, disrupting inequity, and changing society.

Exploration of instruction, assessment, and equity in the middle school science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szpyrka, Donna A.

2001-07-01

In order to determine equitable practices of middle school science teachers questionnaire responses, classroom observations, teacher interviews, and assessment artifacts were examined to discover relationships between classroom instruction, assessment practices, and equity. Teachers in middle school science classrooms in six different schools completed a National Center for Education Statistics questionnaire, offered assessment artifacts, and participated in interviews. Observers using a classroom observation protocol and an equity profile rated 22 lessons. The study found that a distinction could be made between teachers who were more equitable and those who were less equitable. Careful planning and organization; the incorporation of tasks, roles, and interactions consistent with investigative science; a collaborative approach to learning; and instruction that takes into account what transpired in previous lessons---appear to be characteristics of lesson design of the more equitable teachers. In addition, instructional strategies and activities that addressed access, equity, and diversity as well as, a classroom climate that was respectful of students' contributions were found to a greater extent in the more equitable teachers' classrooms. While all teachers used multiple methods of assessment, the more equitable teachers used assessment differently. They also provided written feedback to students, relied on more than one aspect of student performance for determining grades, and explicated clear and specific assessment practices.

Talking Circles Promote Equitable Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hung, Marcus

2015-01-01

Teachers facilitate math talk in the classroom, but introducing a structured discussion format called the "talking circle" can influence opportunities for equitable student participation. Drawing on his reflections over the 2013-14 academic year and reviewing his detailed teaching notes and lesson plans, Marcus Hung takes a close look at…

Examining the Relationship between Creativity and Equitable Thinking in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luria, Sarah R.; Kaufman, James C.

2017-01-01

This paper reviews the relationship between creativity and equitable thinking and the individual differences in personality, demographic, and experiential factors that influence both concepts as they affect each other. Given the nationwide push to increase equity in public schools, interventions beyond teaching about equity are becoming…

Equitable research: a bridge too far?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walls, Leon

2017-06-01

This paper is written in response to Angela Chapman and Allan Feldman's research study, "Cultivation of science identity through authentic science in an urban high school". I utilize this forum piece to extend the call for "awakening a dialogue" that critically assesses the effectiveness of current K-12 science education research in addressing the needs of populations of color. I take the opportunity to first discuss elements of what an equitable research focus might look like. I finish by critiquing and ultimately commending the authors on the degree to which they succeed in demonstrating an equitable approach to the design and carrying out of their study.

Conceptualizing and Exemplifying Science Teachers' Assessment Expertise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geaney Lyon, Edward

2013-05-01

Although research in science education has led to new assessment forms and functions, the reality is that little work has been done to unpack and capture what it means for a teacher to develop expertise at assessing science. The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, I suggest a conceptualization of assessment expertise that is organized around three dimensions: (a) designing aligned and theoretically cohesive assessment (Design), (b) using assessment to support students' science learning (Use), and (c) equitably assessing language minorities (Equity). The second purpose is to suggest and exemplify various levels of teaching expertise across the three conceptual dimensions using written assessment plans gathered from a study on secondary science pre-service teachers' assessment growth. The contribution of this paper lies in its further conceptual development of assessment expertise, instantiated in a rubric, which can spark discussion about how to capture the range of assessment practices that might be found in science classrooms as well as move toward a potential learning progression of assessment expertise.

The Power of "We" Language in Creating Equitable Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erb, Cathy Smeltzer

2010-01-01

Effective teaching values the classroom as a learning community in which instructional approaches optimize learning for all students. Contrary to the principles of an equitable learning environment is the use of "me" language by teachers, a practice that promotes the role of teacher as high status and inadvertently excludes students from the…

Examining Deaf Students' Equitable Access to Science vis-a-vis Contemporary Pedagogical Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Annemarie D.

2017-01-01

As a Deaf individual, it is important to ensure the growth of the Deaf community as science-literate members of society. While many predecessors have contributed to the body of research in Deaf pedagogy, there is still much to be done in safeguarding Deaf learners' equitable access to science education. One area of concern is in narrowing the…

Doing Better: Illuminating a Framework of Equitable Science Pedagogy through a Cross- Case Analysis of Urban High School Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheth, Manali J.

Students of color are routinely asked to participate in science education that is less intellectually rich and self-affirming. Additionally, teachers have trouble embarking on professional growth related to issues of equity and diversity in science. The purpose of this dissertation research is to develop a multi-dimensional framework for equitable science pedagogy (ESP) through analyzing the efforts and struggles of high school science teachers. This study is grounded in a conceptual framework derived from scholarship in science education, multicultural education, critical science studies, and teacher learning. The following questions guide this research: 1) What visions and enactments emerge in teachers' practices towards equitable science pedagogy? 2) How are teachers' practice decisions towards ESP influenced by their personal theories of race/culture, science, and learning and sociocultural contexts? 3) Why are there consistencies and variances across teachers' practices? This study employs a qualitative multiple case study design with ethnographic data collection to explore the practices of three urban high school science teachers who were identified as being committed to nurturing the science learning of students of color. Data include over 120 hours of classroom observation, 60 hours of teacher interviews, and 500 teacher- and student-generated artifacts. Data analysis included coding teachers' practices using theory- and participant generated codes, construction of themes based on emergent patterns, and cross-case analysis. The affordances and limitations of the participants' pedagogical approaches inform the following framework for equitable science pedagogy: 1) Seeing race and culture and sharing responsibility for learning form foundational dimensions. Practices from the other three dimensions--- nurturing students' identities, re-centering students' epistemologies, and critiquing structural inequities---emerge from the foundation. As emergent practices, they are constituted by but not reduced to practices in the initial dimensions. 2) Ideas from the foundational dimensions are filtered through teachers' stances on science. Thus, teachers' practices in the emergent dimensions and the foundational dimensions are mediated by teachers' pedagogical ideas about science and school science. 3) Teachers' articulations of practice influence the possibility of on-going work towards equitable science pedagogy.

Equitable Mathematics Teaching and Learning in Practice: Exploring Students' Negotiations of Identity and Power

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Frances Kay

2017-01-01

This dissertation builds on and extends research on the relationship between equity-minded mathematics teaching, specifically teaching mathematics for social justice, complex instruction, and project-based learning, and students' learning and identity development. Although different in their structures and strategies, equity-minded mathematics…

Developing Culturally Responsive Teaching through Professional Noticing within Teacher Educator Modelling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Averill, Robin; Anderson, Dayle; Drake, Michael

2015-01-01

Much evidence exists that culturally responsive and equitable teaching practices are challenging to develop. Evidence exists that in-the-moment coaching of "rehearsals" of practice can help foster mathematics teaching strategies, but how such coaching can assist the development of culturally responsive practice is less clear. Drawn from…

Finding pathways to more equitable and meaningful public-scientist partnerships

Treesearch

Daniela Soleri; Jonathan W. Long; Monica D. Ramirez-Andreotta; Ruth Eitemiller; Rajul Pandyaǁ

2016-01-01

For many, citizen science is exciting because of the possibility for more diverse, equitable partnerships in scientific research with outcomes considered meaningful and useful by all, including public participants. This was the focus of a symposium we organized at the 2015 conference of the Citizen Science Association. Here we synthesize points made by symposium...

Equitable science education in urban middle schools: Do reform efforts make a difference?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hewson, Peter W.; Butler Kahle, Jane; Scantlebury, Kathryn; Davies, Darleen

2001-12-01

A central commitment of current reforms in science education is that all students, regardless of culture, gender, race, and/ or socioeconomic status, are capable of understanding and doing science. The study Bridging the Gap: Equity in Systemic Reform assessed equity in systemic reform using a nested research design that drew on both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. As part of the study, case studies were conducted in two urban middle schools in large Ohio cities. The purpose of the case studies was to identify factors affecting equity in urban science education reform. Data were analyzed using Kahle's (1998) equity metric. That model allowed us to assess progress toward equity using a range of research-based indicators grouped into three categories critical for equitable education: access to, retention in, and achievement in quality science education. In addition, a fourth category was defined for systemic indicators of equity. Analyses indicated that the culture and climate of the case study schools differentially affected their progress toward equitable reform in science education.

10 Things to Know about Mentoring Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larkin, Douglas B.

2013-01-01

Learning to teach is hard. Student teachers are still learning the content, and most are struggling with both teaching equitably to all students and keeping pace with district curriculum guidelines. It is challenging for student teachers to integrate their own ideas about good teaching with those of their teacher education programs. How…

Is "Connected Teaching" in Mathematics a Gender-Equitable Pedagogy for Adults?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller-Reilly, Barbara

2008-01-01

"Connected teaching" is a feminist theory first proposed by Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger and Tarule (1996, p. 214) then related to the teaching of mathematics by Becker (1995, 1996), Buerk (1994b) and Morrow (1996). The theory of intellectual development elaborated by Belenky and her colleagues uncovered themes common to many women's…

Time-to-Credit Gender Inequities of First-Year PhD Students in the Biological Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldon, David F.; Peugh, James; Maher, Michelle A.; Roksa, Josipa; Tofel-Grehl, Colby

2017-01-01

Equitable gender representation is an important aspect of scientific workforce development to secure a sufficient number of individuals and a diversity of perspectives. Biology is the most gender equitable of all scientific fields by the marker of degree attainment, with 52.5% of PhDs awarded to women. However, equitable rates of degree completion…

School Librarian, Teacher Collaborator, and Independent Learner: A Symbiosis for Equitable Education in an Alternative High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaaskelainen, Kristal; Deneen, Musetta

2018-01-01

As the future arrives faster and faster one must ask continually, what do kids actually need from their formal education today and tomorrow? Continuous innovation of method and strategy must be integral to the practice of all teaching professionals. Equitable educators must take a look at the learners in front of them, when and where they stand,…

A Case Study of One Teach for America Corps Member's Use of Equity Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Lindsay Anne Kwock

2009-01-01

This study investigates equitable practices used by a Teach For America (TFA) corps member (CM) in her second year of teaching low income, minority students. This study's conceptual framework is based on a contemporary conceptualization of equity pedagogy that includes: (a) tools of power and access (Delpit, 1988); (b) culturally relevant…

Making science accessible through collaborative science teacher action research on feminist pedagogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capobianco, Brenda M.

The underrepresentation of women and minorities in science is an extensively studied yet persistent concern of our society. Major reform movements in science education suggest that better teaching, higher standards, and sensitivity to student differences can overcome long-standing obstacles to participation among women and minorities. In response to these major reform movements, researchers have suggested teachers transform their goals, science content, and instructional practices to make science more attractive and inviting to all students, particularly young women and minorities (Barton, 1998; Brickhouse, 1994; Mayberry & Rees, 1999; Rodriguez, 1999; Roychoudhury, Tippins, & Nichols, 1995). One of the more dominant approaches currently heralded is the use of feminist pedagogy in science education. The purpose of this study was to examine the ways eleven middle and high school science teachers worked collaboratively to engage in systematic, self-critical inquiry of their own practice and join with other science teachers to engage in collaborative conversations in effort to transform their practice for a more equitable science education. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews, whole group discussions, classroom observations, and review of supporting documents. Data analysis was based on grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) and open coding (Miles and Huberman, 1994). This study described the collective processes the science teachers and university researcher employed to facilitate regular collaborative action research meetings over the course of six months. Findings indicated that engaging in collaborative action research allowed teachers to gain new knowledge about feminist science teaching, generate a cluster of pedagogical possibilities for inclusive pedagogy, and enhance their understanding for science teaching. Additional findings indicated dilemmas teachers experienced including resistance to a feminist agenda and concerns for validity in action research. This study revealed that there are no uniform solutions or standard methods to address issues of equity and accessibility in science education. This study recommends teachers be given time, support, and freedom to collaborate with other teacher-researchers, enact decisions for change, and reflect on and make public the results of their work. Additional implications suggest science teacher educators collaborate with practicing science teachers to devise practical applications and feasible resources for a wider audience.

Institutional and Departmental Cultures: The Relationship Between Teaching and Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Ann E.

1996-01-01

The influence of institutional and departmental cultures on the relationship between college teaching and research is discussed, and suggestions for assessing these factors and nurturing a positive relationship between them are made. Approaches include making reward systems more equitable, strengthening administrative leadership, encouraging…

Teacher candidates' beliefs about including socioscientific issues in physics and chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrett, Sarah Elizabeth

Teaching science for social justice involves a deliberate effort to reconstruct society into something more equitable and just. Introducing socioscientific issues (SSI) into science is one strategy toward this end. However, research indicates that SSI are rarely discussed in the physical sciences even though they exist. This may be due to the beliefs of chemistry and physics teachers with respect to what belongs in these subjects. If we wish to begin to influence these beliefs through initial teacher education, it is essential for teacher educators to understand the origins of these beliefs. In this qualitative study 12 teacher candidates were interviewed at 3 points during a 9 month teacher education program: at the beginning of the course (in September), after the first practicum (in November) and after the second practicum (in March). Teacher candidates' beliefs did not change significantly from the beginning of the study to the end. They displayed varying degrees of commitment to including SSI in their teaching. Based on their (a) conception of the ethics of science, (b) goals for science education, (c) idea of the place of ethics in science (education), and (d) beliefs about including SSI, the teacher candidates were divided into four groups. Four archetypes were derived: "Model Scientist/Engineer", "Model Individual", "Model Teacher", and "Model Citizen". Since these groups are archetypes, none of the participants fits into the categories perfectly but individual teacher candidates demonstrated more characteristics of one archetype than others. Only the 3 Model Citizens were committed to including SSI in their teaching while the others placed the priority on preparing students for the next level of schooling. A model was developed to serve as a microgeneology of teacher candidates' beliefs about including SSI in their teaching. It traced their beliefs from (a) life experiences to (b) conception of ethics and nature of science to (c) goals for science education to (d) inclusion or non-inclusion of SSI. Based on the archetypes, current beliefs were extrapolated into future beliefs. How teacher educators could use this model to influence the future beliefs of their students is discussed.

Community Science: creating equitable partnerships for the advancement of scientific knowledge for action.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, E. S.; Gehrke, G. E.

2017-12-01

In a historical moment where the legitimacy of science is being questioned, it is essential to make science more accessible to the public. Active participation increases the legitimacy of projects within communities (Sidaway 2009). Creating collaborations in research strengthens not only the work by adding new dimensions, but also the social capital of communities through increased knowledge, connections, and decision making power. In this talk, Lewis will discuss how engagement at different stages of the scientific process is possible, and how researchers can actively develop opportunities that are open and inviting. Genuine co-production in research pushes scientists to work in new ways, and with people from different backgrounds, expertise, and lived experiences. This approach requires a flexible and dynamic balance of learning, sharing, and creating for all parties involved to ensure more meaningful and equitable participation. For example, in community science such as that by Public Lab, the community is at the center of scientific exploration. The research is place-based and is grounded in the desired outcomes of community members. Researchers are able to see themselves as active participants in this work alongside community members. Participating in active listening, developing plans together, and using a shared language built through learning can be helpful tools in all co-production processes. Generating knowledge is powerful. Through genuine collaboration and co-creation, science becomes more relevant. When community members are equitable stakeholders in the scientific process, they are better able to engage and advocate for the changes they want to see in their communities. Through this talk, session attendees will learn about practices that promote equitable participation in science, and hear examples of how the community science process engages people in both the knowledge production, and in the application of science.

Equity Issues in Teaching and Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Penny Jane; Whitty, Geoff

2018-01-01

Concerns about creating greater equity in education are often projected outside of teaching. Yet the creation by teachers of more equitable and inclusive educational experiences and opportunities can play an important part in wider struggles for social justice. We argue that equity must become a central dimension of teacher education to challenge…

An Examination of the Association between Observed and Self-Reported Culturally Proficient Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debnam, Katrina J.; Pas, Elise T.; Bottiani, Jessika; Cash, Anne H.; Bradshaw, Catherine P.

2015-01-01

A critical next step in advancing our understanding of teacher practices that can equitably engage and support learning in diverse classrooms is determining the effectiveness of culturally responsive interventions. Yet, quantitative measurement indicators of the effectiveness of culturally responsive teaching interventions are scarce. Most…

Investigations in the Science of Sports.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammrich, Penny L.; Fadigan, Kathleen

2003-01-01

Describes the Sisters in Sport Science (SISS) program which provides equitable access for girls to science and mathematics through sports. Includes a sample SISS activity that integrates track and physical sciences. (YDS)

The Global Ethics Corner: foundations, beliefs, and the teaching of biomedical and scientific ethics around the world.

PubMed

Jakubowski, Henry; Xie, Jianping; Kumar Mitra, Arup; Ghooi, Ravindra; Hosseinkhani, Saman; Alipour, Mohsen; Hajipour, Behnam; Obiero, George

2017-09-01

The profound advances in the biomolecular sciences over the last decades have enabled similar advances in biomedicine. These advances have increasingly challenged our abilities to deploy them in an equitable and ethically acceptable manner. As such, it has become necessary and important to teach biomedical and scientific ethics to our students who will become the researchers, medical professionals, and global citizens of the future. As advances in the biosciences and medicine are made, developed, and used across the globe, our survival on an endangered planet requires global dialog and consensual action. To that end, a group of us from around the world have come together to describe the differing foundations of our ethical beliefs, and how ethical issues in biomedicine and in science are described and confronted in our countries. We hope to show the commonality in our beliefs and practices and to encourage readers from around the world to contribute to a continuing discussion through a new section of the journal, The Global Ethics Corner. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(5):385-395, 2017. © 2017 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Authentic Project-Based Design of Professional Development for Teachers Studying Online and Blended Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dabner, Nicki; Davis, Niki; Zaka, Pinelopi

2012-01-01

Online learning and teaching is rapidly increasing in many countries, including high schools in the USA and teacher education worldwide. Online and blended approaches to professional and organizational development are, therefore, becoming essential to enable effective and equitable education. Authentic project-based learning to support the…

Equitable Classroom Assessment: Promoting Self-Development and Self-Determination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Deirdre M.; Brandes, Gabriella Minnes

2008-01-01

Assessment of students' learning in school is deeply implicated in teaching for social justice. Yet classroom assessment is neglected relative to other aspects of curriculum and pedagogy in the literature on teaching for social justice. Some books have a relatively clear theory of anti-oppression education at their core but do not provide details…

Government Funding as Leverage for Quality Teaching and Learning: A South African Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Essack, Sabiha Y.; Naidoo, Indirani; Barnes, Glen

2010-01-01

The South African Higher Education Funding Framework uses funding as a lever to achieve equitable student access, quality teaching and research, and improved student retention and success. Maximising a university subsidy from the national Department of Education necessitates innovative strategies at the pre- and post-student admission stages. This…

The Individualized Teacher Improvement Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamlin, Erica

2013-01-01

This author states her belief that there must be an answer to devising an effective and credible way to link compensation to professional development and improved teaching. Such a model would need to be transparent, equitable, and financially manageable for the school. It would need to marry objectivity with the art of teaching, and have buy-in…

Teaching for Inclusion: Eight Principles for Effective and Equitable Practice. Disability, Culture, and Equity Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naraian, Srikala

2017-01-01

"Teaching for Inclusion" shows how educators navigate the competing demands of everyday practice with examples from urban, suburban, elementary, and secondary schools. The author offers eight guiding principles that can be used to advance an inclusive pedagogy. These principles permit teachers to both acknowledge and draw from the…

Goals of telephone nursing work--the managers' perspectives: a qualitative study on Swedish Healthcare Direct.

PubMed

Kaminsky, Elenor; Carlsson, Marianne; Holmström, Inger K; Larsson, Jan; Fredriksson, Mio

2014-04-24

Swedish Healthcare Direct (SHD) receives 6 million calls yearly and aims at increased public sense of security and healthcare efficiency. Little is known about what SHD managers perceive as the primary goals of telephone nursing (TN) work and how the organisation matches goals of health promotion and equitable healthcare, so important in Swedish healthcare legislation. The aim of the study was to explore and describe what the SHD managers perceive as the goals of TN work and how the managers view health promotion and implementation of equitable healthcare with gender as example at SHD. The study was qualitative using an exploratory and descriptive design. All 23 managers employed at SHD were interviewed and data analysis used deductive directed content analysis. The findings reveal four themes describing the goals of TN work as recommended by the SHD managers. These are: 'create feelings of trust', 'achieve patient safety', 'assess, refer and give advice', and 'teach the caller'. Most of the managers stated that health promotion should not be included in the goals, whereas equitable healthcare was viewed as an important issue. Varying suggestions for implementing equitable healthcare were given. The interviewed managers mainly echoed the organisational goals of TN work. The managers' expressed goal of teaching lacked the caller learning components highlighted by telenurses in previous research. The fact that health promotion was not seen as important indicates a need for SHD to clarify its goals as the organisation is part of the Swedish healthcare system, where health promotion should always permeate work. Time used for health promotion and dialogues in a gender equitable manner at SHD is well invested as it will save time elsewhere in the health care system, thereby facing one of the challenges of European health systems.

76 FR 43673 - Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-21

... environmental sciences, education, research management, international and security affairs, health physics, health sciences, or social sciences, with due regard given to the equitable representation of scientists...

Equitability, mutual information, and the maximal information coefficient.

PubMed

Kinney, Justin B; Atwal, Gurinder S

2014-03-04

How should one quantify the strength of association between two random variables without bias for relationships of a specific form? Despite its conceptual simplicity, this notion of statistical "equitability" has yet to receive a definitive mathematical formalization. Here we argue that equitability is properly formalized by a self-consistency condition closely related to Data Processing Inequality. Mutual information, a fundamental quantity in information theory, is shown to satisfy this equitability criterion. These findings are at odds with the recent work of Reshef et al. [Reshef DN, et al. (2011) Science 334(6062):1518-1524], which proposed an alternative definition of equitability and introduced a new statistic, the "maximal information coefficient" (MIC), said to satisfy equitability in contradistinction to mutual information. These conclusions, however, were supported only with limited simulation evidence, not with mathematical arguments. Upon revisiting these claims, we prove that the mathematical definition of equitability proposed by Reshef et al. cannot be satisfied by any (nontrivial) dependence measure. We also identify artifacts in the reported simulation evidence. When these artifacts are removed, estimates of mutual information are found to be more equitable than estimates of MIC. Mutual information is also observed to have consistently higher statistical power than MIC. We conclude that estimating mutual information provides a natural (and often practical) way to equitably quantify statistical associations in large datasets.

Teaching for Social Justice: Resources, Relationships, and Anti-Racist Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darling-Hammond, Linda

2017-01-01

Fear and bigotry have spread through schools on the heels of a presidential campaign that promoted divisiveness grounded in racism and discrimination. This article describes the need for and a path toward explicit anti-racist teaching and anti-racist action to counteract this surge of hate speech. In addition, to create a more equitable and just…

Moving towards Inclusive Learning and Teaching: A Synthesis of Recent Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrie, Gwen; Marquis, Elizabeth; Fuller, Eddie; Newman, Tara; Qiu, Mei; Nomikoudis, Milton; Roelofs, Frits; van Dam, Lianne

2017-01-01

The need for inclusive and equitable approaches to teaching and learning is a persistent theme in recent literature. In spite of relatively widespread agreement about this objective, inclusion remains elusive, and opinions about how best to achieve it proliferate. To provide a landscape view of the field and offer recommendations for research and…

Snapshots of Equitable Teaching in a Highly Diverse Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urbina-Lilback, Ruth N.

2016-01-01

The statistics about community college developmental math level and completion rates can seem disheartening, especially for those who work with these students day-to-day and know their life stories. When it comes to teaching her students, the author chooses not to focus on the statistics. Instead, she pays attention to their varied career goals…

A critical hermeneutic study: Third grade elementary African American students' views of the nature of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walls, Leon

Nature of Science is one of the most fundamental aspects of understanding science. How different cultures, races and ethnicities see and interpret science differently is critical. However, the NOS views specific to African American teachers and learners have gone largely unresearched. The views of a purposeful sample of African American third grade children reported in this study contribute to efforts to make science equitable for all students. Conducted in two Midwest urban settings, within the students' regular classrooms, three instruments were employed: Views of Nature of Science Elementary (an interview protocol), Elementary Draw a Scientist Test (a drawing activity supplemented by an explicating narrative), and Identify a Scientist (a simple select-a-photo technique supported by Likert-measured sureness). The responses provided by twenty-three students were coded using qualitative content analysis. The findings are represented in three main categories: Science - is governed by experimentation, invention and discovery teach us about the natural world, school is not the only setting for learning science; Scientists - intelligent, happy, studious men and women playing multiple roles, with distinct physical traits working in laboratories; Students - capable users and producers of science and who view science as fun. This study advocates for: use of such instruments for constant monitoring of student views, using the knowledge of these views to construct inquiry based science lessons, and increased research about students of color.

The PULSE Vision & Change Rubrics, Version 1.0: A Valid and Equitable Tool to Measure Transformation of Life Sciences Departments at All Institution Types

PubMed Central

Brancaccio-Taras, Loretta; Pape-Lindstrom, Pamela; Peteroy-Kelly, Marcy; Aguirre, Karen; Awong-Taylor, Judy; Balser, Teri; Cahill, Michael J.; Frey, Regina F.; Jack, Thomas; Kelrick, Michael; Marley, Kate; Miller, Kathryn G.; Osgood, Marcy; Romano, Sandra; Uzman, J. Akif; Zhao, Jiuqing

2016-01-01

The PULSE Vision & Change Rubrics, version 1.0, assess life sciences departments’ progress toward implementation of the principles of the Vision and Change report. This paper reports on the development of the rubrics, their validation, and their reliability in measuring departmental change aligned with the Vision and Change recommendations. The rubrics assess 66 different criteria across five areas: Curriculum Alignment, Assessment, Faculty Practice/Faculty Support, Infrastructure, and Climate for Change. The results from this work demonstrate the rubrics can be used to evaluate departmental transformation equitably across institution types and represent baseline data about the adoption of the Vision and Change recommendations by life sciences programs across the United States. While all institution types have made progress, liberal arts institutions are farther along in implementing these recommendations. Generally, institutions earned the highest scores on the Curriculum Alignment rubric and the lowest scores on the Assessment rubric. The results of this study clearly indicate that the Vision & Change Rubrics, version 1.0, are valid and equitable and can track long-term progress of the transformation of life sciences departments. In addition, four of the five rubrics have broad applicability and can be used to evaluate departmental transformation by other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. PMID:27856548

Diversity and Equity in the Lab: Preparing Scientists and Engineers for Inclusive Teaching in Courses and Research Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunter, L.; Seagroves, S.; Metevier, A. J.; Kluger-Bell, B.; Raschke, L.; Jonsson, P.; Porter, J.; Brown, C.; Roybal, G.; Shaw, J.

2010-12-01

Despite high attrition rates in college-level science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses, with even higher rates for women and underrepresented minorities, not enough attention has been given to higher education STEM classroom practices that may limit the retention of students from diverse backgrounds. The Professional Development Program (PDP) has developed a range of professional development activities aimed at helping participants learn about diversity and equity issues, integrate inclusive teaching strategies into their own instructional units, and reflect on their own teaching practices. In the PDP, all participants develop and teach a STEM laboratory activity that enables their students to practice scientific inquiry processes as they gain an understanding of scientific concepts. In addition, they are asked to consider diversity and equity issues in their activity design and teaching. The PDP supports participants in this challenging endeavor by engaging them in activities that are aligned with a PDP-defined Diversity & Equity Focus Area that includes five emphases: 1) Multiple ways to learn, communicate and succeed; 2) Learners' goals, interests, motivation, and values; 3) Beliefs and perceptions about ability to achieve; 4) Inclusive collaboration and equitable participation; 5) Social identification within STEM culture. We describe the PDP Diversity & Equity focus, the five emphases, and the supporting activities that have been designed and implemented within the PDP, as well as future directions for our diversity and equity efforts.

Influence of a Hybrid Sport Education--Teaching Games for Understanding Unit on One Teacher and His Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hastie, Peter A.; Curtner-Smith, Matthew D.

2006-01-01

Background: Sport Education (SE) and Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) are two curriculum models that were developed to help students participate in fair and equitable ways and challenge their thinking beyond the replication of techniques and skills. Given that the general aim of both models is to employ more democratic pedagogies and…

Preparing Teachers to Apply Research to Mathematics Teaching: Using Design-Based Research to Define and Assess the Process of Evidence-Based Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Ingen, Sarah

2013-01-01

Persistent lack of mathematics achievement and disparity in achievement has led to the publication of research findings related to equitable teaching practices. Although the publication of such research provides insights about approaches for potentially increasing equity in mathematics education, teachers must be able to apply what has been…

Interest and Identity Convergence for Equitable Mathematics' Teaching: Reflections on the Interplay of the Institutional and Individual on Teacher Development and Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meister, Tara

2017-01-01

Propelled by Maxine Greene's (1988) continuum of freedom from normative structures to critical consciousness and action, I illuminate the institutional and individual influences on teacher development and action in mathematics teaching. I focus on the question: What barriers and openings, both individually and institutionally, spur teachers to…

Between Politics and Equations: Teaching Critical Mathematics in a Remedial Secondary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brantlinger, Andrew

2013-01-01

Proponents of critical mathematics (CM) argue that it has the potential to be more equitable and socially empowering than other approaches to mathematics education. In this article, the author presents results from a practitioner research study of his own teaching of CM to low-income students of color in a U.S. context. The results pertain to the…

Creating Equitable Classroom Climates: An Investigation of Classroom Strategies in Mathematics and Science Instruction for Developing Preservice Teachers' Use of Democratic Social Values.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Catherine A.

2002-01-01

Determined best practices for enhancing preservice teachers' knowledge of gender equity and use of innovative instructional methods for developing classroom democratic social values. Found that development in understanding and application of appropriate, equitable classroom practices emerged over a semester in which preservice teachers were…

Goals of telephone nursing work - the managers’ perspectives: a qualitative study on Swedish healthcare direct

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Swedish Healthcare Direct (SHD) receives 6 million calls yearly and aims at increased public sense of security and healthcare efficiency. Little is known about what SHD managers perceive as the primary goals of telephone nursing (TN) work and how the organisation matches goals of health promotion and equitable healthcare, so important in Swedish healthcare legislation. The aim of the study was to explore and describe what the SHD managers perceive as the goals of TN work and how the managers view health promotion and implementation of equitable healthcare with gender as example at SHD. Methods The study was qualitative using an exploratory and descriptive design. All 23 managers employed at SHD were interviewed and data analysis used deductive directed content analysis. Results The findings reveal four themes describing the goals of TN work as recommended by the SHD managers. These are: ‘create feelings of trust’, ‘achieve patient safety’, ‘assess, refer and give advice’, and ‘teach the caller’. Most of the managers stated that health promotion should not be included in the goals, whereas equitable healthcare was viewed as an important issue. Varying suggestions for implementing equitable healthcare were given. Conclusions The interviewed managers mainly echoed the organisational goals of TN work. The managers’ expressed goal of teaching lacked the caller learning components highlighted by telenurses in previous research. The fact that health promotion was not seen as important indicates a need for SHD to clarify its goals as the organisation is part of the Swedish healthcare system, where health promotion should always permeate work. Time used for health promotion and dialogues in a gender equitable manner at SHD is well invested as it will save time elsewhere in the health care system, thereby facing one of the challenges of European health systems. PMID:24762193

Science Education at Riverside Middle School A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smiley, Bettie Ann Pickens

For more than thirty years the gender gap in science and related careers has been a key concern of researchers, teachers, professional organizations, and policy makers. Despite indicators of progress for women and girls on some measures of achievement, course enrollment patterns, and employment, fewer women than men pursue college degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. According to the results of national assessments, the gender gap in science achievement begins to be evident in the middle school years. Gender and school science achievement involve a complex set of factors associated with schools and child/family systems that may include school leadership, institutional practices, curriculum content, teacher training programs, teacher expectations, student interests, parental involvement, and cultural values. This ethnographic case study was designed to explore the context for science education reform and the participation of middle school girls. The study analyzed and compared teaching strategies and female student engagement in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade science classrooms. The setting was a middle school situated in a district that was well-known for its achievement in reading, math, and technology. Findings from the study indicated that while classroom instruction was predominantly organized around traditional school science, the girls were more disciplined and outperformed the boys. The size of the classrooms, time to prepare for hands-on activities, and obtaining resources were identified as barriers to teaching science in ways that aligned with recent national science reform initiatives. Parents who participated in the study were very supportive of their daughters' academic progress and career goals. A few of the parents suggested that the school's science program include more hands-on activities; instruction designed for the advanced learner; and information related to future careers. Overall the teachers and students perceived their science program to be gender fair. Eighth grade participants who had career goals related to science and engineering, indicated that their science instruction did not provide the rigor they needed to improve their critical skills for advanced placement in high school. Recommendations include the need for professional development on inquiry-based science, equitable student achievement, and diverse perspectives in science education.

77 FR 43094 - Advisory Committee on Organ Transplantation; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-23

..., law and bioethics, behavioral sciences, economics and statistics, as well as representatives of... available medical science, and assuring the public that the system is as effective and equitable as possible...

76 FR 7223 - Advisory Committee on Organ Transplantation; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-09

..., law and bioethics, behavioral sciences, economics and statistics, as well as representatives of... available medical science, and assuring the public that the system is as effective and equitable as possible...

78 FR 11657 - Advisory Committee on Organ Transplantation; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-19

..., law and bioethics, behavioral sciences, economics and statistics, as well as representatives of... available medical science, and assuring the public that the system is as effective and equitable as possible...

Advocating for Equitable Science-Learning Opportunities for Girls in an Urban City Youth Club and the Roadblocks Faced by Women Science Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Kathleen S.

2002-01-01

Reports on a study that examined the obstacles women science educators faced as they facilitated Explorers, an after-school science program for girls aged 6-12. The program provides girls with opportunities to legitimately participate in science activities. (Contains 39 references.) (Author/YDS)

Unequal Distribution of Resources for K-12 Science Instruction: Data from the 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, P. Sean; Nelson, Michele M.; Trygstad, Peggy J.; Banilower, Eric R.

2013-01-01

Equitable science education opportunities are shaped by factors originating inside and outside schools. Resources for science instruction--for example, laboratory equipment and course offerings--have historically been allocated unequally across schools serving different student communities. This paper addresses the equity of instructional resource…

Engaging Youth of Color in Applied Science Education and Public Health Promotion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sprague Martinez, Linda; Bowers, Edmond; Reich, Amanda J.; Ndulue, Uchenna J.; Le, Albert An; Peréa, Flavia C.

2016-01-01

Participation in inquiry-based science education, which focuses on student-constructed learning, has been linked to academic success. Whereas the benefits of this type of science education are evident, access to such high-quality science curriculum and programming is not equitable. Black and Latino students in particular have less access to…

The impact of the `Getting Practical: Improving Practical Work in Science' continuing professional development programme on teachers' ideas and practice in science practical work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abrahams, Ian; Reiss, Michael J.; Sharpe, Rachael

2014-09-01

Background:Despite the widespread use of practical work in school it has been recognised that more needs to be done to improve its effectiveness in developing conceptual understanding. The 'Getting Practical' CPD (Continuing Professional Development) programme was designed to contribute towards an improvement in the effectiveness of practical work through initiating changes in teachers' predominantly 'hands-on' approach to practical work to one which manifests a more equitable balance between 'hands-on' and 'minds-on'. Purpose:To evaluate the impact of the Getting Practical: Improving Practical Work in Science CPD programme on teachers' ideas and practice in science practical work in primary and secondary schools in England. Programme description:The CPD programme was designed to improve the effectiveness of science practical work in developing conceptual understanding in primary and secondary schools in England. Sample:Ten teachers of primary science and 20 secondary science teachers. Design and methods:The study employed a condensed fieldwork strategy with data collected using interviews, observational field notes and pre- and post-CPD training observations in practical lessons within 30 schools. Results:Whilst the CPD programme was effective in getting teachers to reflect on the ideas associated with the Getting Practical programme, it was much less effective in bringing about changes in actual teaching practice.