Understanding the Development of a Hybrid Practice of Inquiry-Based Science Instruction and Language Development: A Case Study of One Teacher's Journey Through Reflections on Classroom Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capitelli, Sarah; Hooper, Paula; Rankin, Lynn; Austin, Marilyn; Caven, Gennifer

2016-04-01

This qualitative case study looks closely at an elementary teacher who participated in professional development experiences that helped her develop a hybrid practice of using inquiry-based science to teach both science content and English language development (ELD) to her students, many of whom are English language learners (ELLs). This case study examines the teacher's reflections on her teaching and her students' learning as she engaged her students in science learning and supported their developing language skills. It explicates the professional learning experiences that supported the development of this hybrid practice. Closely examining the pedagogical practice and reflections of a teacher who is developing an inquiry-based approach to both science learning and language development can provide insights into how teachers come to integrate their professional development experiences with their classroom expertise in order to create a hybrid inquiry-based science ELD practice. This qualitative case study contributes to the emerging scholarship on the development of teacher practice of inquiry-based science instruction as a vehicle for both science instruction and ELD for ELLs. This study demonstrates how an effective teaching practice that supports both the science and language learning of students can develop from ongoing professional learning experiences that are grounded in current perspectives about language development and that immerse teachers in an inquiry-based approach to learning and instruction. Additionally, this case study also underscores the important role that professional learning opportunities can play in supporting teachers in developing a deeper understanding of the affordances that inquiry-based science can provide for language development.

Situating Computer Simulation Professional Development: Does It Promote Inquiry-Based Simulation Use?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonczi, Amanda L.; Maeng, Jennifer L.; Bell, Randy L.; Whitworth, Brooke A.

2016-01-01

This mixed-methods study sought to identify professional development implementation variables that may influence participant (a) adoption of simulations, and (b) use for inquiry-based science instruction. Two groups (Cohort 1, N = 52; Cohort 2, N = 104) received different professional development. Cohort 1 was focused on Web site use mechanics.…

Collaborative Practitioner Inquiry: Providing Leadership and Action Research for Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Gnechten, Mitchell P.

2011-01-01

Professional development is best when embedded in one's practice and linked directly to the classroom. Opportunities for teachers to identify specific areas of concern in their classroom and problem solve solutions via action research promotes a culture of inquiry. This culture of inquiry is enhanced when teams of teachers collaborate and share…

Teaching Aquatic Science as Inquiry through Professional Development: Teacher Characteristics and Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan Seraphin, Kanesa; Harrison, George M.; Philippoff, Joanna; Brandon, Paul R.; Nguyen, Thanh Truc T.; Lawton, Brian E.; Vallin, Lisa M.

2017-01-01

We present an inquiry-based, aquatic science professional development (PD) for upper-elementary, middle, and high school teachers and examine changes in student outcomes in light of participating teachers' characteristics and the grade band of the students. Our study lends support to the assertion that inquiry- and content-focused PD, paired with…

Collaborative Inquiry and Distributed Agency in Educational Change: A Case Study of a Multi-Level Community of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Deborah L.; Schnellert, Leyton; MacNeil, Kimberley

2015-01-01

Teacher professional development has been identified as essential to educational reform. Moreover, research suggests the power of inquiry communities in spurring teacher professional learning and shifts in classroom practice. However, not enough is known about what conditions within a community of inquiry might be necessary to inspire, support,…

Using the Communication in Science Inquiry Project Professional Development Model to Facilitate Learning Middle School Genetics Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Dale R.; Lewis, Elizabeth B.; Uysal, Sibel; Purzer, Senay; Lang, Michael; Baker, Perry

2011-01-01

This study describes the effect of embedding content in the Communication in Inquiry Science Project professional development model for science and language arts teachers. The model uses four components of successful professional development (content focus, active learning, extended duration, participation by teams of teachers from the same school…

Impact of a Professional Development Program Using Data-Loggers on Science Teachers' Attitudes towards Inquiry-Based Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tosa, Sachiko; Martin, Fred

2010-01-01

This study examined how a professional development program which incorporates the use of electronic data-loggers could impact on science teachers' attitudes towards inquiry-based teaching. The participants were 28 science or technology teachers who attended workshops offered in the United States and Japan. The professional development program…

Tracking Perceived and Observed Growth of Inquiry Practice: A Formative Plan to Improve Professional Development Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Jeff C.; Smart, Julie; Horton, Robert M.

2011-01-01

The authors worked with 22 middle school math and science teachers for one year with the goal of improving the quantity and quality of inquiry-based instruction implemented in the classroom. The professional development experience was framed by the 4E x 2 Instruction Model, which combines key components of inquiry instruction (Engage, Explore,…

What Is a Scientific Experiment? The Impact of a Professional Development Course on Teachers' Ability to Design an Inquiry-Based Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pérez, María del Carmen B.; Furman, Melina

2016-01-01

Designing inquiry-based science lessons can be a challenge for secondary school teachers. In this study we evaluated the development of in-service teachers' lesson plans as they took part in a 10-month professional development course in Peru which engaged teachers in the design of inquiry-based lessons. At the beginning, most teachers designed…

Chemistry Teachers' Emerging Expertise in Inquiry Teaching: The Effect of a Professional Development Model on Beliefs and Practice

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Rushton, Gregory T.; Lotter, Christine; Singer, Jonathan

2011-02-01

This study investigates the beliefs and practices of seven high school chemistry teachers as a result of their participation in a year-long inquiry professional development (PD) project. An analysis of oral interviews, written reflections, and in-class observations were used to determine the extent to which the PD affected the teachers' beliefs and practice. The data indicated that the teachers developed more complete conceptions of classroom inquiry, valued a "phenomena first" approach to scientific investigations, and viewed inquiry approaches as helpful for facilitating improved student thinking. Analysis of classroom observations with the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol indicated that features of the PD were observed in the teachers' practice during the academic year follow-up. Implications for effective science teacher professional development models are discussed.

At the Elbows of Scientists: Shaping Science Teachers' Conceptions and Enactment of Inquiry-Based Instruction

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McLaughlin, Cheryl A.; MacFadden, Bruce J.

2014-12-01

This study stemmed from concerns among researchers that reform efforts grounded in promoting inquiry as the basis for teaching science have not achieved the desired changes in American science classrooms. Many science teachers assume that they are employing inquiry-based strategies when they use cookbook investigations with highly structured step-by-step instructions. Additionally, most science teachers equate hands-on activities with classroom inquiry and, as such, repeatedly use prepackaged, disconnected activities to break the monotony of direct instruction. Despite participation in numerous professional development activities, many science teachers continue to hold misconceptions about inquiry that influence the way they design and enact instruction. To date, there is very limited research exploring the role of inquiry-based professional development in facilitating desired changes in science teachers' conceptions of inquiry. This qualitative study of five high school science teachers explores the ways in which authentic inquiry experiences with a team of scientists in Panama shaped their conceptions and reported enactments of inquiry-based instruction. Our findings suggest that professional development experiences engaging science teachers in authentic research with scientists have the potential to change teachers' naïve conceptions of inquiry, provided that necessary supports are provided for reflection and lesson design.

Teaching Energy Science as Inquiry: Reflections on Professional Development as a Tool to Build Inquiry Teaching Skills for Middle and High School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seraphin, Kanesa Duncan; Philippoff, Joanna; Parisky, Alex; Degnan, Katherine; Warren, Diana Papini

2013-01-01

A hybrid (face-to-face and online) professional development (PD) course focused on energy science for middle and high school teachers (N = 47) was conducted using the teaching science as inquiry (TSI) framework. Data from the PD indicates that online opportunities enhanced participation and that the TSI structure improved teachers' inquiry…

Developing Leadership for Early Childhood Professionals through Oral Inquiry: Strengthening Equity through Making Particulars Visible in Dilemmas of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholson, Julie Marie; Kroll, Linda

2015-01-01

Developing leadership among early childhood professionals has become increasingly important as investing in children's early years has been championed as a public and private national and international priority. Two case studies present how oral inquiry and specifically, the Prospect Center's Descriptive Review of a Professional Dilemma of…

Investigating the Influence of a Mixed Face-to-Face and Website Professional Development Course on the Inquiry-Based Conceptions of High School Science and Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuan, Hsiao-Lin; Yu, Chung-Chieh; Chin, Chi-Chin

2017-01-01

The purposes of this study are to report the influences of a mixed delivery professional development [PD] course involving face-to-face classes and the mentoring assisted inquiry-based teaching [MAIT] website that addressed the conceptual change and self-efficacy of high school mathematics and science teachers' conceptions of inquiry-based…

Teaching Inquiry using NASA Earth-System Science: Lessons Learned for Blended, Scaffolded Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, T. D.; TeBockhorst, D.

2013-12-01

Teaching Inquiry using NASA Earth-System Science (TINES) is a NASA EPOESS funded program exploring blended professional development for pre- and in-service educators to learn how to conduct meaningful inquiry lessons and projects in the K-12 classroom. This project combines trainings in GLOBE observational protocols and training in the use of NASA Earth Science mission data in a backward-faded scaffolding approach to teaching and learning about scientific inquiry. It also features a unique partnership with the National Science Teachers Association Learning Center to promote cohort building and blended professional development with access to NSTA's collection of resources. In this presentation, we will discuss lessons learned in year one and two of this program and how we plan to further develop this program over the next two years.

Enhancing Teacher Beliefs through an Inquiry-Based Professional Development Program

PubMed Central

McKeown, Tammy R.; Abrams, Lisa M.; Slattum, Patricia W.; Kirk, Suzanne V.

2017-01-01

Inquiry-based instructional approaches are an effective means to actively engage students with science content and skills. This article examines the effects of an ongoing professional development program on middle and high school teachers’ efficacy beliefs, confidence to teach research concepts and skills, and science content knowledge. Professional development activities included participation in a week long summer academy, designing and implementing inquiry-based lessons within the classroom, examining and reflecting upon practices, and documenting ways in which instruction was modified. Teacher beliefs were assessed at three time points, pre- post- and six months following the summer academy. Results indicate significant gains in reported teaching efficacy, confidence, and content knowledge from pre- to post-test. These gains were maintained at the six month follow-up. Findings across the three different time points suggest that participation in the professional development program strongly influenced participants’ fundamental beliefs about their capacity to provide effective instruction in ways that are closely connected to the features of inquiry-based instruction. PMID:29732236

Enhancing Teacher Beliefs through an Inquiry-Based Professional Development Program.

PubMed

McKeown, Tammy R; Abrams, Lisa M; Slattum, Patricia W; Kirk, Suzanne V

2016-01-01

Inquiry-based instructional approaches are an effective means to actively engage students with science content and skills. This article examines the effects of an ongoing professional development program on middle and high school teachers' efficacy beliefs, confidence to teach research concepts and skills, and science content knowledge. Professional development activities included participation in a week long summer academy, designing and implementing inquiry-based lessons within the classroom, examining and reflecting upon practices, and documenting ways in which instruction was modified. Teacher beliefs were assessed at three time points, pre- post- and six months following the summer academy. Results indicate significant gains in reported teaching efficacy, confidence, and content knowledge from pre- to post-test. These gains were maintained at the six month follow-up. Findings across the three different time points suggest that participation in the professional development program strongly influenced participants' fundamental beliefs about their capacity to provide effective instruction in ways that are closely connected to the features of inquiry-based instruction.

Assessing Dimensions of Inquiry Practice by Middle School Science Teachers Engaged in a Professional Development Program

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Lakin, Joni M.; Wallace, Carolyn S.

2015-03-01

Inquiry-based teaching promotes students' engagement in problem-solving and investigation as they learn science concepts. Current practice in science teacher education promotes the use of inquiry in the teaching of science. However, the literature suggests that many science teachers hold incomplete or incorrect conceptions of inquiry. Teachers, therefore, may believe they are providing more inquiry experiences than they are, reducing the positive impact of inquiry on science interest and skills. Given the prominence of inquiry in professional development experiences, educational evaluators need strong tools to detect intended use in the classroom. The current study focuses on the validity of assessments developed for evaluating teachers' use of inquiry strategies and classroom orientations. We explored the relationships between self-reported inquiry strategy use, preferences for inquiry, knowledge of inquiry practices, and related pedagogical content knowledge. Finally, we contrasted students' and teachers' reports of the levels of inquiry-based teaching in the classroom. Self-reports of inquiry use, especially one specific to the 5E instructional model, were useful, but should be interpreted with caution. Teachers tended to self-report higher levels of inquiry strategy use than their students perceived. Further, there were no significant correlations between either knowledge of inquiry practices or PCK and self-reported inquiry strategy use.

Increasing Bellevue School District's elementary teachers' capacity for teaching inquiry-based science: Using ideas from contemporary learning theory to inform professional development

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Maury, Tracy Anne

This Capstone project examined how leaders in the Bellevue School District can increase elementary teachers' capacity for teaching inquiry-based science through the use of professional learning activities that are grounded in ideas from human learning theory. A framework for professional development was constructed and from that framework, a set of professional learning activities were developed as a means to support teacher learning while project participants piloted new curriculum called the Isopod Habitat Challenge. Teachers in the project increased their understanding of the learning theory principles of preconceptions and metacognition. Teachers did not increase their understanding of the principle of learning with understanding, although they did articulate the significance of engaging children in student-led inquiry cycles. Data from the curriculum revision and professional development project coupled with ideas from learning theory, cognition and policy implementation, and learning community literatures suggest Bellevue's leaders can encourage peer-to-peer interaction, link professional development to teachers' daily practice, and capitalize on technology as ways to increase elementary teachers' capacity for teaching inquiry-based science. These lessons also have significance for supporting teacher learning and efficacy in other subject areas and at other levels in the system.

The Science ELF: Assessing the Enquiry Levels Framework as a Heuristic for Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, Lindsay B.; Bell, Randy L.; Whitworth, Brooke A.; Maeng, Jennifer L.

2015-01-01

This study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach to explore randomly assigned treatment and control participants' frequency of inquiry instruction in secondary science classrooms. Eleven treatment participants received professional development (PD) that emphasized a structured approach to inquiry instruction, while 10 control…

Caricature and Hyperbole in Preservice Teacher Professional Development for Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollock, Mica; Bocala, Candice; Deckman, Sherry L.; Dickstein-Staub, Shari

2016-01-01

Professional development (PD) "for diversity" aims to prepare teachers to support students from varying backgrounds to succeed, often in under-resourced contexts. Although many teachers invite such inquiry as part of learning to teach, others resist "diversity" inquiry as extra to teaching, saying they cannot "do it…

Comparing Two Inquiry Professional Development Interventions in Science on Primary Students' Questioning and Other Inquiry Behaviours

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nichols, Kim; Burgh, Gilbert; Kennedy, Callie

2017-01-01

Developing students' skills to pose and respond to questions and actively engage in inquiry behaviours enables students to problem solve and critically engage with learning and society. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of providing teachers with an intervention in inquiry pedagogy alongside inquiry science curriculum in comparison…

Teacher Learning in a Mathematics and Science Inquiry Professional Development Program: First Steps in Emergent Teacher Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yow, Jan A.; Lotter, Christine

2016-01-01

This study investigates the role of an inquiry professional development institute in empowering middle school mathematics and science teachers to develop as teacher leaders. Teachers and coaches jointly attended content sessions and participated in practice teaching sessions with students. The coaches led reflection sessions following the practice…

The Narrative Documentation of Pedagogical Experiences and the Democratization of Professional Development and Schooling in Argentina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suarez, Daniel Hugo

2017-01-01

This article represents the culmination of several decades of the development of collaborative forms of teacher inquiry in Argentina and Chile. Inspired by education ethnographers in the 1970s and 1980s, the "talleres" (workshops) movement led to forms of professional development grounded in critical ethnographic inquiry by teachers and…

A cognitive framework to inform the design of professional development supporting teachers' classroom assessment of inquiry-based science

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Matese, Gabrielle

Inquiry-based science places new demands on teachers for assessing students' growth, both of deep conceptual understanding as well as developing inquiry skills. In addition, new ideas about classroom assessment, such as the importance of formative assessment, are gaining currency. While we have ideas about what classroom assessment consistent with inquiry-based pedagogy might look like, and why it is necessary, we have little understanding of what it takes to implement it. That teachers face a challenge in doing so is well-documented. Researchers have noted that teachers attempting changes in classroom assessment often bring with them incompatible beliefs, knowledge, and practices. However, noting general incompatibility is insufficient to support addressing these issues through professional development. In response to this need, I initiated a research project to identify and describe in more detail the categories of beliefs, knowledge and skills that play an important role in inquiry-based science assessment practices. I created an assessment framework outlining specific categories of beliefs, knowledge, and skills affecting particular classroom assessment practices. I then used the framework to examine teachers' classroom assessment practices and to create comparative cases between three middle-school science teachers, highlighting how the different cognitive factors affect four particular assessment practices. The comparative cases demonstrate the framework's utility for analyzing and explicating teacher assessment practices. As a tool for analyzing and understanding teacher practice, the framework supports the design of professional development. To demonstrate the value of the framework, I draw on the comparative cases to identify implications for the design of professional development to support teachers' classroom assessment of inquiry-based science. In this dissertation I provide a brief overview of the framework and its rationale, present an example of the comparative case studies demonstrating the application of the framework and what it reveals about the cognitive influences on teacher practice, and outline the resulting design implications for professional development. This research allows us to better understand the cognitive factors underlying classroom assessment in inquiry-based science, and to design professional development to support teachers engaging in these practices.

A Study of Physics Faculty's Instructional Practices: Implications for Experiential STEM Faculty Development Model

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Soto, Marissa; Suskavcevic, Miliana; Forrest, Rebecca; Cheung, Margaret; Kapral, Andrew; Khon, Lawrence

When teaching physics, many factors determine the final impact the course will have on a student. Using STEP, a teacher content professional development program, we are studying the incorporation of inquiry-based teaching strategies in the professional development of university professors through an active engagement program. Through the professors' involvement in the program, they gain experience with inquiry-based instruction that can be put into effect in their own classrooms to possibly create a shift in understanding and success ratesat physics undergraduate courses. This model consists of faculty peer mentoring, facilitating instruction within a community of practice, and implementation of undergraduate inquiry-based physics teaching strategies. Here, professors are facilitating the physics lessons to in-service high school teachers while using inquiry strategies and interactive activities rather than traditional lecture. This project aided the creation of an undergraduate inquiry-based physics course at the University of Houston. It could lead to a new form of professor professional development workshop that does not only benefit the professor, but also highschoolteachers not properly trained in the field of physics.

Using Stems and Supported Inquiry to Help an Elementary Teacher Move toward Dialogic Reading Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McElhone, Dot

2015-01-01

Classroom talk patterns are notoriously resistant to change. This article examines changes in one fifth-grade teacher's discourse practices and beliefs as she and the author engaged in inquiry-driven professional development. Discourse analysis of class discussions and qualitative analysis of transcripts of professional development sessions…

Preservice Teachers' Inquiry in a Professional Development School Context: Implications for the Practicum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mule, Lucy

2006-01-01

Professional development school (PDS) contexts are increasingly being viewed as powerful sites for the preparation of future teachers in the USA. One of their documented strengths is in the fostering of preservice teachers' inquiry within collaborative frameworks that result from the partnerships between university teacher education programmes and…

Impact of Professional Development on Teacher Practice: Uncovering Connections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buczynski, Sandy; Hansen, C. Bobbi

2010-01-01

An Inquiry Learning Partnership (ILP) for professional development (PD) was formed between a university, science centre, and two urban school districts to offer 4-6th grade teachers specific science content and pedagogical techniques intended to integrate inquiry-based instruction in elementary classrooms. From pre/post content exams, PD surveys,…

Exploring Quadrilaterals to Reveal Teachers' Use of Definitions: Results and Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salinas, Tracie McLemore; Lynch-Davis, Kathleen; Mawhinney, Katherine J.; Crocker, Deborah A.

2014-01-01

About 80 middle and secondary school teachers participated in the professional development sequence as a part of a larger professional development project. Sessions provided participants with half-day experiences in an inquiry-oriented classroom taught by a master teacher, in which they experienced examples of inquiry lessons as both student and…

Exploring a Model of Situated Professional Development: Impact on Classroom Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singer, Jonathan; Lotter, Christine; Feller, Robert; Gates, Harry

2011-04-01

A hallmark of current science education reform involves teaching through inquiry. However, the widespread use of inquiry-based instruction in many classrooms has not occurred (Roehrig and Luft in Int J Sci Educ 26:3-24, 2004; Schneider et al. in J Res Sci Teach 42:283-312, 2005). The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a professional development program on middle school science teachers' ability to enact inquiry-based pedagogical practices. Data were generated through evaluation of teacher practice using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) (Sawada et al. in School Sci Math 102:245-253, 2002) at three distinct junctures, before, during, and after the professional development treatment. Analysis of teacher-participant post-institute reflections was then utilized to determine the perceived role of the various institute components. Statistical significant changes in RTOP scores indicated that the teachers were able to successfully transfer the enactment of the inquiry-based practices into their classrooms. The subsequent discussion provides connection between these pedagogical changes with use of professional development strategies that provide a situated learning environment.

The Impact of Collaborative Reflections on Teachers' Inquiry Teaching

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Lin, Huann-shyang; Hong, Zuway-R.; Yang, Kuay-keng; Lee, Sung-Tao

2013-12-01

This study investigates the impact of collaborative reflections on teachers' inquiry teaching practices and identifies supportive actions relating to their professional development. Three science teachers in the same elementary school worked as a cooperative and collaborative group. They attended workshops and worked collaboratively through observing colleagues' teaching practices and discussing with university professors about their own inquiry teaching. The pre- and post-treatment classroom observations and comparisons of their teaching reveal that the three teachers were more focussed on asking inquiry-oriented questions in the post-treatment teaching. With additional qualitative data analysis, this study identified supportive resources of professional development. Workshop training sessions and sample unit served as the initiative agent in the beginning stage. Discussions with peers and reflective observation of peer teaching acted as a facilitative agent. Finally, student responses and researchers' on-site visit comments worked as a catalytic agent for their professional development.

Examining Science Teachers' Development of Interdisciplinary Science Inquiry Pedagogical Knowledge and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chowdhary, Bhawna; Liu, Xiufeng; Yerrick, Randy; Smith, Erica; Grant, Brooke

2014-01-01

The current literature relates to how teachers develop knowledge and practice of science inquiry, but little has been reported on how teachers develop interdisciplinary science inquiry (ISI) knowledge and practice. This study examines the effect of university research experiences, ongoing professional development, and in-school support on…

Introducing the Cycle of Inquiry System: A Reflective Inquiry Practice for Early Childhood Teacher Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broderick, Jane Tingle; Hong, Seong Bock

2011-01-01

The Cycle of Inquiry (COI) is a tool for emergent curriculum planning and for professional development of early childhood teachers and teacher education students. The COI includes a sequence of five organizational forms connecting analysis of documentation data with intentional planning for long-term emergent inquiry inspired by the Reggio Emilia…

It takes a village: supporting inquiry- and equity-oriented computer science pedagogy through a professional learning community

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Ryoo, Jean; Goode, Joanna; Margolis, Jane

2015-10-01

This article describes the importance that high school computer science teachers place on a teachers' professional learning community designed around an inquiry- and equity-oriented approach for broadening participation in computing. Using grounded theory to analyze four years of teacher surveys and interviews from the Exploring Computer Science (ECS) program in the Los Angeles Unified School District, this article describes how participating in professional development activities purposefully aimed at fostering a teachers' professional learning community helps ECS teachers make the transition to an inquiry-based classroom culture and break professional isolation. This professional learning community also provides experiences that challenge prevalent deficit notions and stereotypes about which students can or cannot excel in computer science.

Through the eyes of professional developers: Understanding the design of learning experiences for science teachers

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Higgins, Tara Eileen

Professional development is important for improving teacher practice and student learning, particularly in inquiry-oriented and technology-enhanced science instruction. This study examines professional developers' practices and their impact on teachers' classroom instruction and student achievement. It analyzes professional developers designing and implementing a five-year professional development program designed to support middle school science teachers. The professional developers are four university-based researchers who worked with sixteen science teachers over three years, setting program goals, facilitating workshops, providing in-classroom support for teachers, and continually refining the program. The analysis is guided by the knowledge integration perspective, a sociocognitive framework for understanding how teachers and professional developers integrate their ideas about teaching and learning. The study investigates the professional developers' goals and teachers' interpretations of those goals. It documents how professional developers plan teacher learning experiences and explores the connection between professional development activities and teachers' classroom practice. Results are based on two rounds of interviews with professional developers, audio recordings of professional developers' planning meetings and videotaped professional development activities. Data include classroom observations, teacher interviews, teacher reflections during professional development activities, and results from student assessments. The study shows the benefit of a professional development approach that relies on an integrated cycle of setting goals, understanding teachers' interpretations, and refining implementation. The professional developers based their design on making inquiry and technology accessible, situating professional development in teachers' work, supporting collaboration, and sustaining learning. The findings reflect alignment of the design goals with the perspective guiding the curriculum design, and consider multiple goals for student and teacher learning. The study has implications for professional development design, particularly in supporting inquiry-oriented science and technology-enhanced instruction. Effective professional developers formulate coherent conceptions of program goals, use evidence of teacher outcomes to refine their goals and practices, and connect student and teacher learning. This study illustrates the value of research on the individuals who design and lead professional development programs.

The Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP): A Project to Enhance Scientific Literacy through the Creation of Science Classroom Discourse Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Dale R.; Lewis, Elizabeth B.; Purzer, Senay; Watts, Nievita Bueno; Perkins, Gita; Uysal, Sibel; Wong, Sissy; Beard, Rachelle; Lang, Michael

2009-01-01

This study reports on the context and impact of the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP) professional development to promote teachers' and students' scientific literacy through the creation of science classroom discourse communities. The theoretical underpinnings of the professional development model are presented and key professional…

Characterizing Teaching Assistants' Knowledge and Beliefs Following Professional Development Activities within an Inquiry-Based General Chemistry Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, Lindsay B.; Maeng, Jennifer L.; Whitworth, Brooke A.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to explore changes in undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants' (TAs') content knowledge and beliefs about teaching within the context of an inquiry-based laboratory course. TAs received professional development (PD), which was informed by the TA training literature base and was designed for TAs…

Under Pressure: Controlling Factors Faced by Classroom Literacy Teachers as They Work through a Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Faith H.

2006-01-01

This critical constructivist inquiry was designed to understand controlling factors faced by classroom literacy teachers involved in a professional development program. Two guiding questions framed this critical inquiry: (1) how can I describe controlling factors faced by teachers in their respective school cultures; and (2) what is the resultant…

Reframing Professional Development for South African Schools: An Appreciative Inquiry Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steyn, G. M.

2012-01-01

Often research on the professional development (PD) of staff is framed within a problem-based context that focuses on the PD-related problems experienced by staff. This study pursued a different approach by using the appreciative inquiry (AI) theoretical perspective to study the positive experiences of staff in respect of PD and their desire to…

The influence of the Inquiry Institute on elementary teachers' perceptions of inquiry learning in the science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams-Rossi, Dara

Despite the positive outcomes for inquiry-based science education and recommendations from national and state standards, many teachers continue to rely upon more traditional methods of instruction This causal-comparative study was designed to determine the effects of the Inquiry Institute, a professional development program that is intended to strengthen science teachers' pedagogical knowledge and provide practice with inquiry methods based from a constructivist approach. This study will provide a understanding of a cause and effect relationship within three levels of the independent variable---length of participation in the Inquiry Institute (zero, three, or six days)---to determine whether or not the three groups differ on the dependent variables---beliefs, implementation, and barriers. Quantitative data were collected with the Science Inquiry Survey, a researcher-developed instrument designed to also ascertain qualitative information with the use of open-ended survey items. One-way ANOVAs were applied to the data to test for a significant difference in the means of the three groups. The findings of this study indicate that lengthier professional development in the Inquiry Institute holds the most benefits for the participants.

Enhancing Teachers' Application of Inquiry-Based Strategies Using a Constructivist Sociocultural Professional Development Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brand, Brenda R.; Moore, Sandra J.

2011-05-01

This two-year school-wide initiative to improve teachers' pedagogical skills in inquiry-based science instruction using a constructivist sociocultural professional development model involved 30 elementary teachers from one school, three university faculty, and two central office content supervisors. Research was conducted for investigating the impact of the professional development activities on teachers' practices, documenting changes in their philosophies, instruction, and the learning environment. This report includes teachers' accounts of philosophical as well as instructional changes and how these changes shaped the learning environment. For the teachers in this study, examining their teaching practices in learner-centered collaborative group settings encouraged them to critically analyze their instructional practices, challenging their preconceived ideas on inquiry-based strategies. Additionally, other factors affecting teachers' understanding and use of inquiry-based strategies were highlighted, such as self-efficacy beliefs, prior experiences as students in science classrooms, teacher preparation programs, and expectations due to federal, state, and local mandates. These factors were discussed and reconciled, as they constructed new understandings and adapted their strategies to become more student-centered and inquiry-based.

Thou shalt not tweet unprofessionally: an appreciative inquiry into the professional use of social media

PubMed Central

Pereira, Ian; Cunningham, Anne Marie; Moreau, Katherine; Sherbino, Jonathan; Jalali, Alireza

2015-01-01

Background Social media may blur the line between socialisation and professional use. Traditional views on medical professionalism focus on limiting motives and behaviours to avoid situations that may compromise care. It is not surprising that social media are perceived as a threat to professionalism. Objective To develop evidence for the professional use of social media in medicine. Methods A qualitative framework was used based on an appreciative inquiry approach to gather perceptions and experiences of 31 participants at the 2014 Social Media Summit. Results The main benefits of social media were the widening of networks, access to expertise from peers and other health professionals, the provision of emotional support and the ability to combat feelings of isolation. Conclusions Appreciative inquiry is a tool that can develop the positive practices of organisations and individuals. Our results provide evidence for the professional use of social media that may contribute to guidelines to help individuals realise benefits and avoid harms. PMID:26294333

Elementary Teachers' Comprehension of Flooding through Inquiry-Based Professional Development and Use of Self-Regulation Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Elizabeth B.; van der Hoeven Kraft, Katrien J.; Watts, Nievita Bueno; Baker, Dale R.; Wilson, Meredith J.; Lang, Michael

2011-01-01

This study focuses on elementary teachers' comprehension of flooding before and after inquiry-based professional development (PD). There was an improvement in teachers' understanding toward a normative view from pre- to post-test (n = 17, mean gain = 4.3, SD = 3.27). Several misunderstandings and a general lack of knowledge about flooding emerged…

Chemistry Teachers' Emerging Expertise in Inquiry Teaching: The Effect of a Professional Development Model on Beliefs and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rushton, Gregory T.; Lotter, Christine; Singer, Jonathan

2011-01-01

This study investigates the beliefs and practices of seven high school chemistry teachers as a result of their participation in a year-long inquiry professional development (PD) project. An analysis of oral interviews, written reflections, and in-class observations were used to determine the extent to which the PD affected the teachers' beliefs…

The Relation between Middle School Science Teachers' Science Content Preparation, Professional Development, and Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Their Attitudes and Beliefs towards Inquiry-Based Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cwik, Lawrence C.

2012-01-01

This study is a quantitative investigation of the relation of middle school science teachers' attitudes and beliefs about inquiry-based instruction to their accumulated amounts of science content preparation, content and pedagogical professional development, and their pedagogical content knowledge. Numerous researchers have found that even though…

Effects of Two Scientific Inquiry Professional Development Interventions on Teaching Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grigg, Jeffrey; Kelly, Kimberle A.; Gamoran, Adam; Borman, Geoffrey D.

2013-01-01

In this article, we examine classroom observations from a 3-year large-scale randomized trial in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to investigate the extent to which a professional development initiative in inquiry science influenced teaching practices in in 4th and 5th grade classrooms in 73 schools. During the course of the study,…

Examining the Sustainability of Teacher Learning Following a Year-Long Science Professional Development Programme for Inservice Primary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drits-Esser, Dina; Gess-Newsome, Julie; Stark, Louisa A.

2017-01-01

This two-year, mixed-methods study explored teacher learning during a year-long professional development programme and during the year following the programme. The study examined patterns of change in primary school teachers' inquiry practices, inquiry beliefs and physical science content knowledge during both years as well as the effects of…

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.…

Scientists' Participation in Teacher Professional Development: The Impact on Fourth to Eighth Grade Teachers' Understanding and Implementation of Inquiry Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, Judith A.

2014-01-01

The impact of a professional development experience involving scientists and fourth to eighth grade teachers of science was explored. Teachers attended a summer program at a research facility where they had various experiences such as job shadowing and interviewing scientists. They also participated in authentic inquiry investigations and planned…

Going Public with Pedagogical Inquiries: SoTL as a Methodology for Faculty Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fanghanel, Joëlle

2013-01-01

In this paper, I discuss SoTL as a methodology for the professional development of academics. I propose that as an agentic form of inquiry that focuses on processes, boundary-crossing, and making public its findings, SoTL is a sophisticated methodology that brings the activities of teaching and research in close alignment, and contributes to…

An educational ethnography of teacher-developed science curriculum implementation: Enacting conceptual change-based science inquiry with Hispanic students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunsell, Eric Steven

An achievement gap exists between White and Hispanic students in the United States. Research has shown that improving the quality of instruction for minority students is an effective way to narrow this gap. Science education reform movements emphasize that science should be taught using a science inquiry approach. Extensive research in teaching and learning science also shows that a conceptual change model of teaching is effective in helping students learn science. Finally, research into how Hispanic students learn best has provided a number of suggestions for science instruction. The Inquiry for Conceptual Change model merges these three research strands into a comprehensive yet accessible model for instruction. This study investigates two questions. First, what are teachers' perceptions of science inquiry and its implementation in the classroom? Second, how does the use of the Inquiry for Conceptual Change model affect the learning of students in a predominantly Hispanic, urban neighborhood. Five teachers participated in a professional development project where they developed and implemented a science unit based on the Inquiry for Conceptual Change model. Three units were developed and implemented for this study. This is a qualitative study that included data from interviews, participant reflections and journals, student pre- and post-assessments, and researcher observations. This study provides an in-depth description of the role of professional development in helping teachers understand how science inquiry can be used to improve instructional quality for students in a predominantly Hispanic, urban neighborhood. These teachers demonstrated that it is important for professional development to be collaborative and provide opportunities for teachers to enact and reflect on new teaching paradigms. This study also shows promising results for the ability of the Inquiry for Conceptual Change model to improve student learning.

Developing occupational therapy students' practice habits via qualitative inquiry education.

PubMed

Marterella, Abbey L; Aldrich, Rebecca M

2015-04-01

Accreditation standards and practice competencies underscore the importance of research for occupational therapy practice, but they do not guide how occupational therapy education addresses research. Despite the prominence of qualitative research in the health professions, there exists a need to articulate how and why qualitative inquiry is taught in occupational therapy education. We discuss how qualitative inquiry education can develop habits of reflection and reflexivity, criticality, and active engagement in preparation for occupational therapy practice. We hold that our students' professional abilities to practice in a well-reasoned, ethical, and responsive manner are enhanced by experiences with qualitative inquiry and suggest that there is potential in linking qualitative inquiry experiences to professional habit formation in occupational therapy education. In addition to teaching research for its own sake, we suggest that educators can adopt a broader view of how qualitative inquiry functions within occupational therapy education.

40 CFR 312.21 - Results of inquiry by an environmental professional.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... should take into account information provided to the environmental professional as a result of the... inspections), 312.30 (commonly known or reasonably ascertainable information), and 312.31 (degree of... gaps (as defined in § 312.10) in the information developed as part of the inquiry that affect the...

Using Teachers' Inquiry-Oriented Curriculum Materials as a Means to Examine Their Pedagogical Design Capacity and Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papaevripidou, Marios; Irakleous, Maria; Zacharia, Zacharias C.

2017-01-01

The study aimed at examining preservice elementary teachers' inquiry-oriented curriculum materials in an attempt to unravel their pedagogical design capacity (PDC) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for inquiry-based learning (IBL), after attending a professional development program (PDP) centered around inquiry-based teaching and learning.…

4-H Science Inquiry Video Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Jeremy W.; Black, Lynette; Willis, Patrick

2013-01-01

Studies support science inquiry as a positive method and approach for 4-H professionals and volunteers to use for teaching science-based practices to youth. The development of a science inquiry video series has yielded positive results as it relates to youth development education and science. The video series highlights how to conduct science-rich…

The Science ELF: Assessing the enquiry levels framework as a heuristic for professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheeler, Lindsay B.; Bell, Randy L.; Whitworth, Brooke A.; Maeng, Jennifer L.

2015-01-01

This study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach to explore randomly assigned treatment and control participants' frequency of inquiry instruction in secondary science classrooms. Eleven treatment participants received professional development (PD) that emphasized a structured approach to inquiry instruction, while 10 control participants received no PD. Two representative treatment participants were interviewed and observed to provide an in-depth understanding of inquiry instruction and factors affecting implementation. Paired t-tests were used to analyze quantitative data from observation forms, and a constant comparative approach was used to analyze qualitative data from surveys, interviews, purposeful observations and artifacts. Results indicated that treatment participants implemented inquiry significantly more frequently than control participants (p < .01). Two treatment participants' instruction revealed that both used a similar structure of inquiry but employed different types of interactions and emphasized different scientific practices. These differences may be explained by the participants' understandings of and beliefs about inquiry and structuring inquiry. The present study has the potential to inform how methods of structuring inquiry instruction and teaching scientific practices are addressed in teacher preparation.

Thou shalt not tweet unprofessionally: an appreciative inquiry into the professional use of social media.

PubMed

Pereira, Ian; Cunningham, Anne Marie; Moreau, Katherine; Sherbino, Jonathan; Jalali, Alireza

2015-10-01

Social media may blur the line between socialisation and professional use. Traditional views on medical professionalism focus on limiting motives and behaviours to avoid situations that may compromise care. It is not surprising that social media are perceived as a threat to professionalism. To develop evidence for the professional use of social media in medicine. A qualitative framework was used based on an appreciative inquiry approach to gather perceptions and experiences of 31 participants at the 2014 Social Media Summit. The main benefits of social media were the widening of networks, access to expertise from peers and other health professionals, the provision of emotional support and the ability to combat feelings of isolation. Appreciative inquiry is a tool that can develop the positive practices of organisations and individuals. Our results provide evidence for the professional use of social media that may contribute to guidelines to help individuals realise benefits and avoid harms. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Collaborative Professional Learning through Lesson Study: Identifying the Challenges of Inquiry-Based Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutierez, Sally Baricaua

2015-01-01

In the Philippines, inquiry-based teaching has been promoted and implemented together with recently instigated curriculum reforms. Serious teacher professional development efforts are being used extensively to properly orient and present the benefits of inquirybased teaching. Despite these efforts, there still exists a big gap in the effective…

ERESE Professional Development in Science Education: A collaboration of scientists, teachers, and information technologists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staudigel, H.; Helly, M.; Massel Symons, C.; Koppers, A.; Helly, J.; Miller, S.

2005-12-01

The Enduring Resources in Earth Science Education (ERESE) project promotes inquiry based teaching of plate tectonics through professional development and distribution of digital library objects in the National Science Digital Library network. The overall ERESE goal is to bridge the gap between the scientists and educators, and our experience has shown that much can be gained by establishing a close collaboration between all parties involved in earth science education, from high school student to teacher -educator, and scientist. These collaborations yield substantial gains in terms of effective educational approaches, contents selection, and to produce an authentic class room research experience. ERESE professional development workshops promote a model of inquiry-based teaching that keeps the educator as far in the background as possible, while empowering the student to carry out a maximally independent inquiry. Key components in this process are: (1) use of a well selected provocative phenomenon to promote student's curiosity and to start the inquiry process, (2) care in the student guidance towards selection and formulation of a researchable question, (3) the involvement of teachers and scientists, in a close collaboration (4) teaching resource development with a strong feed-back from professional development workshops and classroom practice, (5) integration of science inquiry resources on all expert levels providing an environment that allows continuous access to science information from the most basic to the full scale science level. We expanded ERESE resource development into a volcanology field class on Hawaii to produce a website and digital library contents including field reports, exercises and images and field data. We further expanded our resource development through the participation of three high school students in a three-week seagoing expedition to the Samoan Archipelago. The high school seniors maintained a live expedition website and they participated in all science activities. Their work impacted ERESE by the development of digital resources, and introducing peer - mentoring into the inquiry process.

Using Reflective Practice to Facilitate Conversations and Transform Instructional Practice for Middle School Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higdon, Robbie L.

The process of teaching, especially inquiry, is complex and requires extended time for developing one's instructional practice (Loucks-Horsley, Stiles, Mundry, Love, & Hewson, 2010). The implementation of a continued cycle of self-reflection can engage teachers in analyzing their prior experiences and understandings about their instructional practice to promote the accommodation of new concepts and transform their practice. However, many teachers have difficulty engaging in the cognitive dissonance needed to identify those problems and promote their own growth without support. As one's professional practice becomes more repetitive and routine, it is difficult for the practitioner to recognize opportunities in which to contemplate one's habitual actions (Schon, 1983). In this multi-case study, two middle school science teachers who were engaged within a sustained professional development initiative participated in a series of one-on-one reflective dialogues regarding the decisions they made about the utilization of inquiry-based instruction. In addition, these teachers were asked to reflect upon the criteria used to determine how and when to implement these inquiry-based practices. These reflective dialogue sessions provided the opportunity to observe teacher conceptions and stimulate teacher cognitive dissonance about instructional practice. Qualitative analysis of data collected from these reflective dialogues along with informal and formal classroom observations of instructional practice uncovered diverse perceptions regarding the implementation of inquiry-based methods into present teaching practice. The use of reflective dialogue within the existing structure of the professional development initiative allowed for the facilitators of the professional development initiative to tailor ongoing support and their effective implementation of inquiry-based instruction. Additional research is needed to investigate the impact of reflective dialogue in achieving accommodation of new concepts leading to lasting conceptual change about inquiry-based instruction.

Assessing Dimensions of Inquiry Practice by Middle School Science Teachers Engaged in a Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lakin, Joni M.; Wallace, Carolyn S.

2015-01-01

Inquiry-based teaching promotes students' engagement in problem-solving and investigation as they learn science concepts. Current practice in science teacher education promotes the use of inquiry in the teaching of science. However, the literature suggests that many science teachers hold incomplete or incorrect conceptions of inquiry.…

A self-study of designing and implementing an inquiry-based chemistry course for elementary education majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, Teresa

2011-12-01

This self-study examines my experiences with implementing an inquiry-based version of a chemistry course (Chemistry 299) designed for elementary education majors. The inquiry-based curriculum design and teaching strategies that I implement in Chemistry 299 is the focus of this study. Since my previous education and professional experiences were in the physical sciences, I position myself in this study as a scientist who engages in self-study as a form of professional development for the purpose of developing an inquiry-based curriculum and instructional practices. My research provides an inside perspective of the curriculum development process. This process involves implementing the inquiry-oriented ideas and knowledge I acquired in my graduate studies to design the curriculum and influence my teaching practice. My analysis of the curriculum and my instruction is guided by two questions: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the inquiry-based Chemistry 299 curriculum design? What does the process of developing my inquiry-based teaching practice entail and what makes is challenging? Schwab's (1973) The Practical 3: Translation into Curriculum serves as the theoretical framework for this study because of the emphasis Schwab places on combining theoretical and practical knowledge in the curriculum development process and because of the way he characterizes the curriculum. The findings in this study are separated into curriculum and instruction domains. First, the Chemistry 299 curriculum was designed to make the epistemological practices of scientists "accessible" to students by emphasizing epistemic development with respect to their ideas about scientific inquiry and science learning. Using student learning as a gauge for progress, I identify specific design elements that developed transferable inquiry skills as a means to support scientific literacy and pre-service teacher education. Second, the instruction-related findings built upon the insight I gained through my analysis of the curriculum. The data reveals four areas of inner conflict I dealt with throughout the study that related to underlying beliefs I held about science teaching and learning. The implications of the study position the Chemistry 299 curriculum in the field and speak to issues related to developing science courses for elementary education majors and professional development for scientists.

Teacher-student interaction: The overlooked dimension of inquiry-based professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Oliveira, Alandeom Wanderlei

This study explores the teacher-student interactional dimension of inquiry-based science instruction. In it, microethnographic and grounded theory analyses are conducted in order to assess the impact of a professional development program designed to enhance in-service elementary teachers' interactional views (i.e., their understandings of inquiry-based social roles and relationships) and discursive practices (i.e., teachers' abilities to interact with student engaged in classroom inquiries) through a combination of expert instruction, immersion in scientific inquiry, and collaborative analysis of video-recorded classroom discourse. A sociolinguistic theoretical perspective on language use is adopted, viewing classroom discourse as comprising multiple linguistic signs (questions, responses, personal pronouns, hedges, backchannels, reactive tokens, directives, figures of speech, parallel repetitions) that convey not only semantic meanings (the literal information being exchanged) but also pragmatic meanings (information about teachers and students' social roles and relationships). A grounded theory analysis of the professional development activities uncovered a gradual shift in teachers' interactional views from a cognitive, monofunctional and decontextualized perspective to a social, multifunctional and contextualized conception of inquiry-based discourse. Furthermore, teachers developed increased levels of pragmatic awareness, being able to recognize the authoritative interactional functions served by discursive moves such as display questions, cued elicitation, convergent questioning, verbal cloze, affirmation, explicit evaluations of students' responses, verbatim repetitions, IRE triplets, IR couplets, second-person pronouns, "I/you" contrastive pairs, and direct or impolite directives. A comparative microethnographic analysis of teachers' classroom practices revealed that after participating in the program teachers demonstrated an improved ability to share authority and to transfer expert interactional rights to students by strategically adopting (1) questioning behaviors that were relatively more student-centered, divergent, reflective, and sincere; (2) reactive behaviors that were more neutral and informative; (3) directive behaviors that were more polite, indirect and inclusive; and, (4) poetic behaviors that fostered more involvement. Such ability allowed teachers to establish more symmetric and involved social relationships with students engaged in classroom inquiries. The above changes in teachers' interactional views and discursive practices are taken as evidence of the effectiveness of an explicit, reflective, authentic and contextualized approach to inquiry-based professional development.

A Feminist Case Study of Five Women Preschool Practitioners' Engagement in the Collaborative Inquiry Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Felicia V.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this feminist case study was two-fold: (1) to describe the ways that Collaborative Inquiry (CI) can be proposed as a counter-discourse of professional development that acknowledges the multiple forms of personal and professional knowledge among five women preschool practitioners, and (2) to explore alternative constructs of the…

Investigating the Impact of NGSS-Aligned Professional Development on PreK-3 Teachers' Science Content Knowledge and Pedagogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuttle, Nicole; Kaderavek, Joan N.; Molitor, Scott; Czerniak, Charlene M.; Johnson-Whitt, Eugenia; Bloomquist, Debra; Namatovu, Winnifred; Wilson, Grant

2016-11-01

This pilot study investigates the impact of a 2-week professional development Summer Institute on PK-3 teachers' knowledge and practices. This Summer Institute is a component of [program], a large-scale early-childhood science project that aims to transform PK-3 science teaching. The mixed-methods study examined concept maps, lesson plans, and classroom observations to measure possible changes in PK-3 teachers' science content knowledge and classroom practice from 11 teachers who attended the 2014 Summer Institute. Analysis of the concept maps demonstrated statistically significant growth in teachers' science content knowledge. Analysis of teachers' lesson plans demonstrated that the teachers could design high quality science inquiry lessons aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards following the professional development. Finally, examination of teachers' pre- and post-Summer Institute videotaped inquiry lessons showed evidence that teachers were incorporating new inquiry practices into their teaching, especially regarding classroom discourse. Our results suggest that an immersive inquiry experience is effective at beginning a shift towards reform-aligned science and engineering instruction but that early elementary educators require additional support for full mastery.

Professional development in inquiry-based science for elementary teachers of diverse student groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Okhee; Hart, Juliet E.; Cuevas, Peggy; Enders, Craig

2004-12-01

As part of a larger project aimed at promoting science and literacy for culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students, this study has two objectives: (a) to describe teachers' initial beliefs and practices about inquiry-based science and (b) to examine the impact of the professional development intervention (primarily through instructional units and teacher workshops) on teachers' beliefs and practices related to inquiry-based science. The research involved 53 third- and fourth-grade teachers at six elementary schools in a large urban school district. At the end of the school year, teachers reported enhanced knowledge of science content and stronger beliefs about the importance of science instruction with diverse student groups, although their actual practices did not change significantly. Based on the results of this first year of implementation as part of a 3-year longitudinal design, implications for professional development and further research are discussed.

Professional development that works: Impacting elementary science teachers' learning and practice during the implementation of an inquiry-oriented science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlang, Jodi A.

One of the most important factors for developing science literacy for all students is teacher knowledge of science content and pedagogy. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of professional development on teacher learning, changes in teacher behavior, and student learning. The goal was to develop a deeper understanding of how the Elementary Science Teaching and Learning (ESTL) program affected teacher learning and changed teacher behavior in the classroom. This study also provided insight into the effect of the ESTL program on student learning during the first year of the professional development. This mixed method case study was used to examine the link between participation in the ESTL program, teacher learning, changes in teacher classroom behavior, and student learning. Qualitative observations and videotaped sessions provided rich description of the professional development and implementation of inquiry-oriented strategies in participant's classrooms. Artifacts and interviews provided evidence of teacher learning and changes in teacher behaviors. Quantitative data included self-report survey data examining changes in teacher behavior and the measurement of student learning used both science district assessment scores and CSAP writing scores. Key findings include: (1) teacher learning was reported in the areas of questioning and scope and sequence of the curriculum occurred; (2) statistically significant changes teacher behavior were reported and were noted in teacher interviews; (3) participation in the ESTL program did not positively impact student learning; (4) unanticipated findings include the role of camaraderie in professional development and the role of additional training in teacher's confidence in both their own teaching and in helping others; and, (5) teacher's perceptions identified the role of inquiry-based science curriculum as providing the rich experiences necessary for improved student writing. Overall participation in the ESTL program increased the implementation of inquiry-oriented strategies and it strengthened teacher inquiry-based science teaching in the classroom even though no increases were found in student test scores.

Improving Inquiry Teaching through Reflection on Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lotter, Christine R.; Miller, Cory

2017-01-01

In this paper, we explore middle school science teachers' learning of inquiry-based instructional strategies through reflection on practice teaching sessions during a summer enrichment program with middle level students. The reflection sessions were part of a larger year-long inquiry professional development program in which teachers learned…

Journeying "Down the Rabbit Hole"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rossman, Alan; Dummer, John

2004-01-01

In describing the professional development journey of science teachers, the National Science Standards (NRC 1996) provides a useful cartography. Inquiry, those standards suggest, is the central strategy for the teaching of science. By illustrating the parallels between inquiry as a form of scientific investigation and inquiry as a classroom…

Teacher Collaborative Inquiry as a Professional Development Intervention: Benefits and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deni, Ann Rosnida Md.; Malakolunthu, Suseela

2013-01-01

The paper reports on a collaborative learning project coded as the teacher inquiry community that was carried out over a year in a private higher education institution to improve the professional capability of language-based subject teachers. Nine teachers completed the project all of whom were females and shared work experience of 2-29 years. Six…

A narrative inquiry into teaching physics as inquiry: An examination of in-service exemplars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Paige K.

Studies show that teachers who have experienced inquiry are more likely to practice the inquiry method in their own classrooms (McDermott, 2007; Olson, 1995; Pereira, 2005; Windschitl, 2002). This study explores changes in science teachers' personal practical knowledge (Clandinin, 1986) after participating in a graduate level physics inquiry course and subsequent professional development throughout the school year. In addition, teacher participants were studied to determine the roadblocks they encountered when altering curriculum mandates in ways that would enable them to work with the inquiry method. The results of this course and subsequent professional development sessions were analyzed for the benefits of using the inquiry method to teacher learning and to ascertain whether the teacher participants would be more apt to employ the inquiry method in their own classrooms. Moreover, the results of this study were analyzed to inform my personal practice as a leader preparing undergraduate science teachers in the teachHOUSTON program as well as in my continuing work with in-service teachers. An inquiry course may be added to the teachHOUSTON course sequence, based on the discoveries unearthed by this thesis study. This research study is conducted as a narrative inquiry (Clandinin & Connelly, 1992, 2000; Craig, 2011; Polkinghorne, 1995) where story works as both a research method and a form of representation (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990). Narrative inquiry is strongly influenced by John Dewey (1938) who believed that one must rely on past experiences and knowledge to solve current and future problems and that life experience is in fact education. This study inquires into the narratives of two teachers who are teaching secondary science in public schools. These stories illuminate the teachers' lived experiences as they co-constructed curriculum with their students. The images of teacher as a curriculum maker vs. teacher as a curriculum implementer (Craig & Ross, 2008; Craig, 2010) demonstrate what needs to be taken into account when teachers live physics curriculum alongside their students in physics classroom settings. The exemplars featured in this thesis illuminate teachers' developing knowledge as they expand their understandings of inquiry in a physics inquiry course undertaken for professional development purposes and their subsequent enactment of science curriculum in their own classrooms with their students as they, too, inquire into physics.

Transitioning to Inquiry-Based Teaching: Exploring Science Teachers' Professional Development Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazempour, Mahsa; Amirshokoohi, Aidin

2014-01-01

The literature on professional development is replete with studies that utilize survey, interview, and classroom observation data, primarily collected post professional development experience, to explore teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and actions; however, we lack a clear understanding of teachers' learning process and reflections during the…

Professional development in person: identity and the construction of teaching within a high school science department

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deneroff, Victoria

2016-06-01

This is a narrative inquiry into the role of professional development in the construction of teaching practice by an exemplary urban high school science teacher. I collected data during 3 years of ethnographic participant observation in Marie Gonzalez's classroom. Marie told stories about her experiences in ten years of professional development focused on inquiry science teaching. I use a social practice theory lens to analyze my own stories as well as Marie's. I make the case that science teaching is best understood as mediated by socially-constructed identities rather than as the end-product of knowledge and beliefs. The cognitive paradigm for understanding teachers' professional learning fails to consistently produce transformations of teaching practice. In order to design professional development with science teachers that is generative of new knowledge, and is self-sustaining, we must understand how to build knowledge of how to problematize identities and consciously use social practice theory.

Inquiry-based instruction in secondary science classrooms: A survey of teacher practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gejda, Linda Muggeo

The purpose of this quantitative investigation was to describe the extent to which secondary science teachers, who were certified through Connecticut's BEST portfolio assessment process between 1997 and 2004 and had taught secondary science during the past academic year, reported practicing the indicators of inquiry-based instruction in the classroom and the factors that they perceived facilitated, obstructed, or informed that practice. Indicators of inquiry-based instruction were derived from the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) 5E model (Bybee, 1997). The method for data collection was a researcher-developed, self-report, questionnaire entitled "Inquiry-based Instruction in Secondary Science Classrooms: A Survey", which was developed and disseminated using a slightly modified Dillman (2000) approach. Almost all of the study participants reported practicing the 5Es (engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate) of inquiry-based instruction in their secondary science classrooms. Time, resources, the need to cover material for mandatory assessments, the science topics or concepts being taught, and professional development on inquiry-based instruction were reported to be important considerations in participants' decisions to practice inquiry-based instruction in their science classrooms. A majority of the secondary science teachers participating in this study indicated they had the time, access to resources and the professional development opportunities they needed to practice inquiry-based instruction in their secondary classrooms. Study participants ranked having the time to teach in an inquiry-based fashion and the need to cover material for mandated testing as the biggest obstacles to their practice of inquiry-based instruction in the secondary classroom. Classroom experience and collegial exchange informed the inquiry-based instruction practice of the secondary science teachers who participated in this study. Recommendations for further research, practice, and policy were made based upon the results of this study.

Professional Development of Teacher-Educators towards Transformative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meijer, Marie-Jeanne; Kuijpers, Marinka; Boei, Fer; Vrieling, Emmy; Geijsel, Femke

2017-01-01

This study explores the specific characteristics of teacher-educator professional development interventions that enhance their transformative learning towards stimulating the inquiry-based attitude of students. An educational design research method was followed. Firstly, in partnership with five experienced educators, a professional development…

Animating Inquiry-Based Teaching in Grade-School Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinash, Shelley

2007-01-01

This paper describes interpretive empirical research with five teachers who: a) articulate their pedagogy as defined by an inquiry-based stance, b) use digital technologies within their teaching, and c) engaged in online and/or face-to-face professional development with the Galileo Educational Network (GENA). Four questions guided the inquiry:…

Developing as Teachers and as Researchers: Emerging Professionals' Experiences with Cooperative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bower-Phipps, Laura; Cruz, Maria; Albaladejo, Cristina; Johnson, Arlette; Homa, Thomas

2016-01-01

This article details the second cycle of cooperative inquiry undertaken by emerging educators who self-identify as "other" because of gender, language, ethnicity, and/or sexual orientation. The current cycle focuses on the impact participation in cooperative inquiry had on researchers' teaching practices. Data sources include transcripts…

Promoting Multi-Site Collaborative Inquiry: Initial Efforts and Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rafferty, Cathleen D.

This paper explores perspectives, issues, and experiences related to initiating collaborative inquiry across multiple levels and sites, based on school-university partnerships developed between Indiana State University (ISU) and 10 professional development schools (five elementary schools, one middle school, and four high schools). Principles…

Collaboration and Self-Regulation in Teachers' Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Deborah L.; Lauscher, Helen Novak; Jarvis-Selinger, Sandra; Beckingham, Beverly

2004-01-01

This paper describes a professional development model with promise for supporting meaningful shifts in practice. We begin by introducing the theoretical principles underlying our professional development model, with a focus on explicating the interface between collaborative inquiry in a learning community (Lave, 1991, In L.B. Resnick, J.M. Levine,…

Providing Support to Inner-city Students and Teachers Through the Physics Van Inservice Institute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabella, Mel S.

2007-02-01

There are many programs for the professional development of high school physics teachers that have proven to be effective in preparing these teachers to conduct inquiry-based activities in the classroom. In this paper, we describe a small-scale professional development program called the Physics Van Inservice Institute. During the program, teachers are engaged in inquiry-based physics modules and are then able to borrow the equipment so that they can conduct the activities in their own classes.

NGSS aligned Earth science resources and professional development programs from the Exploratorium.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muller, E.

2016-12-01

The Exploratorium is a museum of science, art and human perception located in San Francisco, CA. The Exploratorium has been offering resources and professional development to primary and secondary teachers since 1972. We focus on inquiry based, hands-on learning, with an emphasis on Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) implementation. This brief, invited presentation will feature the programs and online resources developed by the Exploratorium's "Institute for Inquiry" and "Teacher Institute" that may help formal and informal educators engage, implement and promote three dimensional learning in the Earth Sciences.

A Case Study of Coaching in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeChenne, Sue Ellen; Nugent, Gwen; Kunz, Gina; Luo, Linlin; Berry, Brandi; Craven, Katherine; Riggs, April

2012-01-01

A professional development experience for science and mathematics teachers that included coaches was provided for ten science and math teachers. This professional development experience had the teachers develop a lesson that utilized the engineering context to teach a science or mathematics concept through guided inquiry as an instructional…

Science Teacher Efficacy and Extrinsic Factors Toward Professional Development Using Video Games in a Design-Based Research Model: The Next Generation of STEM Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Annetta, Leonard A.; Frazier, Wendy M.; Folta, Elizabeth; Holmes, Shawn; Lamb, Richard; Cheng, Meng-Tzu

2013-02-01

Designed-based research principles guided the study of 51 secondary-science teachers in the second year of a 3-year professional development project. The project entailed the creation of student-centered, inquiry-based, science, video games. A professional development model appropriate for infusing innovative technologies into standards-based curricula was employed to determine how science teacher's attitudes and efficacy where impacted while designing science-based video games. The study's mixed-method design ascertained teacher efficacy on five factors (General computer use, Science Learning, Inquiry Teaching and Learning, Synchronous chat/text, and Playing Video Games) related to technology and gaming using a web-based survey). Qualitative data in the form of online blog posts was gathered during the project to assist in the triangulation and assessment of teacher efficacy. Data analyses consisted of an Analysis of Variance and serial coding of teacher reflective responses. Results indicated participants who used computers daily have higher efficacy while using inquiry-based teaching methods and science teaching and learning. Additional emergent findings revealed possible motivating factors for efficacy. This professional development project was focused on inquiry as a pedagogical strategy, standard-based science learning as means to develop content knowledge, and creating video games as technological knowledge. The project was consistent with the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) framework where overlapping circles of the three components indicates development of an integrated understanding of the suggested relationships. Findings provide suggestions for development of standards-based science education software, its integration into the curriculum and, strategies for implementing technology into teaching practices.

Research and Policy: Can Online Learning Communities Foster Professional Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beach, Richard

2012-01-01

This column posits enhancing professional development through uses of digital tools to create professional learning communities (PLCs) designed to support collective inquiry and action research leading to schoolwide improvement. These digital tools include a social networking/discussion forum for teacher collaboration; teachers' individual…

Pathways of professional learning for elementary science teachers using computer learning environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Latonya Michelle

This dissertation reports on a three year study designed to investigate the trajectories of two urban elementary school teachers---a novice and an experienced teacher---learning to teach a science curriculum unit using an inquiry approach supported by the Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE). This research investigated teachers' development in knowledge and practice. Through analyses of video records of classroom instruction and professional development meetings, repeated interviews, and student assessments, I have produced case studies of teachers' journeys as they implement the technological inquiry-based instructional model. This study captures the interplay between the teachers' pedagogical content knowledge, enacted practice, and insights into students' thinking about complex science ideas. I trace the factors that encouraged and supported the teachers' development, in addition to the kinds of struggles they faced and overcame. I discuss the social supports I provided for the teachers, including scaffolding them in reflecting on their practice, assisting them with curriculum customizations, and supporting their learning such as arranging online interactions with scientists. I analyze spontaneous activities such as teachers' own reflections. The results suggest that the novice and experienced teacher's classroom practices became more inquiry oriented across time. For both teachers, use of technology accompanied an increase in science dialogue with small groups in years two and three. The novice teacher began asking inquiry questions in her second year of classroom experience, after a great deal of professional support. Both teachers improved in their pedagogical content knowledge from years one through three as a result of the varied professional development supports. The results suggest that teachers' improvement in instructional strategies and pedagogical content knowledge accompanied students' improvement in understanding of the science content.

The "Starving Time" Wikinquiry: Using a Wiki to Foster Historical Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoddard, Jeremy D.; Hofer, Mark J.; Buchanan, Molly G.

2008-01-01

During our careers as teachers, professional development specialists, and teacher educators, we have made perpetual attempts to develop instructional strategies and tools for engaging students in historical inquiry. Emphasis in recent years in the field of social studies education has been on the development and use of digitized historical…

Teaching Inquiry using NASA Earth-System Science: Preparing Pre- and Inservice K-12 Educators to Use Authentic Inquiry in the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, T. D.; Tebockhorst, D.

2012-12-01

Teaching Inquiry using NASA Earth-System Science (TINES) is a comprehensive program to train and support pre-service and in-service K-12 teachers, and to provide them with an opportunity to use NASA Earth Science mission data and Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) observations to incorporate scientific inquiry-based learning in the classroom. It uses an innovative blended-learning professional development approach that combines a peer-reviewed pedagogical technique called backward-faded scaffolding (BFS), which provides a more natural entry path to understanding the scientific process, with pre-workshop online content learning and in-situ and online data resources from NASA and GLOBE. This presentation will describe efforts to date, share our impressions and evaluations, and discuss the effectiveness of the BFS approach to both professional development and classroom pedagogy.

We Look More, Listen More, Notice More: Impact of Sustained Professional Development on Head Start Teachers' Inquiry-Based and Culturally-Relevant Science Teaching Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roehrig, Gillian H.; Dubosarsky, Mia; Mason, Annie; Carlson, Stephan; Murphy, Barbara

2011-10-01

Despite many scholars' recommendations, science is often avoided during early childhood education. Among the reasons provided by early childhood teachers for the exclusion of science from their daily routines included science anxiety, low self-efficacy with respect to teaching science, lack of experience participating in science activities as students, or the notion that literacy and language are more important during the early years. In minority populations the problem is even greater due to identification of science with the `culture of. This article presents results from Ah Neen Dush, a sustained and transformative professional development program for Head Start teachers on an American Indian Reservation. The goal of the program is to support early childhood teachers in developing inquiry-based and culturally-relevant teaching practices. Through analysis of teachers' classroom practices, surveys and interviews, we explore changes in teachers' attitudes toward science and inquiry-based practices. Classroom observations were conducted using CLASS (Classroom assessment Scoring System), a tool used to evaluate the quality of classroom interactions. After 1 year of professional development teachers' attitudes were found to improve and after 2 years teachers classroom practices were more inquiry-based with statistically significant increases in CLASS observation scores.

Toward a New Way of Learning -- Promoting Inquiry and Reflection in Palestinian Early Childhood Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khales, Buad; Meier, Daniel

2013-01-01

The article describes the integration of inquiry, reflective practice, and child-centered teaching approaches in preservice teacher education at the early childhood level. The article reviews relevant literature on the forms and functions of inquiry and reflection as a form of professional development and teacher learning and also describes the…

Teachers' Practices, Values and Beliefs for Successful Inquiry-Based Teaching in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Twigg, Vani Veikoso

2010-01-01

Through narrative inquiry, this study investigated the role of personal and professional aspects of teaching and learning which teachers have developed and practiced, in relation to the dispositions, values, beliefs and knowledge that may assist them in successfully transforming to inquiry-based teaching, specifically in the implementation of the…

Addition Chains: A reSolve Lesson

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Paul; Thornton, Steve

2017-01-01

This article draws on some ideas explored during and after a writing workshop to develop classroom resources for the reSolve: Mathematics by Inquiry (www.resolve.edu.au) project. The project develops classroom and professional learning resources that will promote a spirit of inquiry in school mathematics from Foundation to year ten. The…

Digital Ethnography: Understanding Faculty Use of an Online Community of Practice for Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richmond, Nancy

2014-01-01

This doctoral thesis explored how faculty members in higher education use an online community of practice for professional development in teaching and, if so, in what ways and for what purposes? Answering this inquiry involved the knowledge of social constructivism, higher education, teaching, professional development, and online communities.…

A Qualitative Inquiry of Elementary Co-Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Development for Co-Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Jason S.

2017-01-01

This dissertation investigated regular and special education co-teachers' perceptions of professional development programs and their readiness to co-teach in the elementary mathematics classroom. A gap in co-teaching literature exists regarding how teachers perceived co-teaching professional development and how it impacts their readiness to…

An analysis of elementary teachers' perceptions of teaching science as inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domjan, Heather Nicole

The purpose of this study is to describe elementary school teachers' perceptions of science as inquiry in science instruction. A descriptive survey research design was used to collect data regarding elementary science teachers' knowledge and beliefs related to inquiry and its role in science education. The written section of the survey was analyzed and interpreted descriptively through phenomenological data and the constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Lincoln & Guba, 1985). The researcher used the constant comparative method to identify statements, perceptions, and impressions that occurred over time during the study (Janesick, 1994). Ninety-two elementary school teachers who teach science in a large suburban district southwest of Houston, Texas were administered a three part Understanding Science as Inquiry Survey (USAI) developed by the researcher. Participants communicated in writing personal definitions of inquiry in elementary science as well as determined to what extent inquiry was used in four elementary science classroom scenarios. The survey items were based on the following four components of inquiry described by Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards (2000): (1) conceptual knowledge, (2) process skills, (3) nature of science, and (4) affect. The study describes elementary school teachers' perceptions about science as inquiry. Conclusions for Part A of the USAI Survey indicate that participants define inquiry as: mostly process skills, some conceptual knowledge, and very little affect with no perception of the nature of science. The Likert scale ratings for the scenarios in Part B of the USAI Survey reveal that participants have varied perceptions regarding teaching science as inquiry. The written section of Part B reveals participants' perceptions to be similar to that of their Likert scale ratings except in scenario one. The researcher concludes that the participants in this study appear to have an incomplete understanding of teaching science as inquiry. This study suggests that elementary teachers might benefit from increased and sustained professional development programs centered on inquiry teaching strategies. Professional development activities on teaching science as inquiry create opportunities for teachers to confront and develop ways of thinking about inquiry and ultimately enhance inquiry-based teaching in their classrooms.

Using Professional Development to Achieve Classroom Reform and Science Proficiency: An Urban Success Story from Southern Nevada, USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crippen, Kent J.; Biesinger, Kevin D.; Ebert, Ellen K.

2010-01-01

This paper provides a detailed description and evaluation of a three-year professional development project in a large urban setting in the southwestern United States. The impetus for the project was curriculum development focused on integrated scientific inquiry. Project goals included the development of a professional learning community, reformed…

Collaborative Professional Development for Statistics Teaching: A Case Study of Two Middle-School Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Oliveira Souza, Leandro; Lopes, Celi Espasandin; Pfannkuch, Maxine

2015-01-01

The recent introduction of statistics into the Brazilian curriculum has presented a multi-problematic situation for teacher professional development. Drawing on research in the areas of teacher development and statistical inquiry, we propose a Teacher Professional Development Cycle (TPDC) model. This paper focuses on two teachers who planned a…

A program evaluation of Protovation Camp at an elementary school in North Carolina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavoly, Denise Y.

The purpose of this program evaluation was to investigate the impact over time teachers' self-efficacies and the outcome expectancies of those who participated in an inquiry-based, hands-on, constructivist professional development program to learn science content. The hope was that after active participation in this inquiry-based professional development program that provides science inquiry experiences, the teachers, graduate students and elementary students would gain content knowledge, increase self-efficacies, and provide the outcome expectancies of the learning development program that provides science inquiry experiences. The mixed-methods approach used quantitative and qualitative data for campers, which consisted of pre-test and post-test scores on the Test of Science-Related Attitudes (TOSRA), the Draw-A-Scientist Test, Science Process Skills Inventory (SPSI) and content tests based on the camp activities. Additionally, TOSRA scores, Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES), and Thinking about Science Survey (TSSI) results for the graduate students and elementary teachers were used along with qualitative data collected from plusdelta charts and interviews to determine the impact of participation in Protovation Camp on teachers and students. Results of the program evaluation indicated that when students were taught inquiry-based lessons that ignite wonder, both their attitudes toward science and their knowledge about science improved. An implication for teacher preparation programs was that practicing inquiry-based lessons on actual elementary students was an important component for teachers and graduate students as they prepare to positively impact student learning in their own classrooms. The findings of this study suggest that it is not just the length of the professional development program that is crucial, but the need for an implementation period while teachers work to transfer the learning to the classroom to their own students is critical to the success of process.

Constructing inquiry: One school's journey to develop an inquiry-based school for teachers and students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sisk-Hilton, Stephanie Lee

This study examines the two way relationship between an inquiry-based professional development model and teacher enactors. The two year study follows a group of teachers enacting the emergent Supporting Knowledge Integration for Inquiry Practice (SKIIP) professional development model. This study seeks to: (a) identify activity structures in the model that interact with teachers' underlying assumptions regarding professional development and inquiry learning; (b) explain key decision points during implementation in terms of these underlying assumptions; and (c) examine the impact of key activity structures on individual teachers' stated belief structures regarding inquiry learning. Linn's knowledge integration framework facilitates description and analysis of teacher development. Three sets of tensions emerge as themes that describe and constrain participants' interaction with and learning through the model. These are: learning from the group vs. learning on one's own; choosing and evaluating evidence based on impressions vs. specific criteria; and acquiring new knowledge vs. maintaining feelings of autonomy and efficacy. In each of these tensions, existing group goals and operating assumptions initially fell at one end of the tension, while the professional development goals and forms fell at the other. Changes to the model occurred as participants reacted to and negotiated these points of tension. As the group engaged in and modified the SKIIP model, they had repeated opportunities to articulate goals and to make connections between goals and model activity structures. Over time, decisions to modify the model took into consideration an increasingly complex set of underlying assumptions and goals. Teachers identified and sought to balance these tensions. This led to more complex and nuanced decision making, which reflected growing capacity to consider multiple goals in choosing activity structures to enact. The study identifies key activity structures that scaffolded this process for teachers, and which ultimately promoted knowledge integration at both the group and individual levels. This study is an "extreme case" which examines implementation of the SKIIP model under very favorable conditions. Lessons learned regarding appropriate levels of model responsiveness, likely areas of conflict between model form and teacher underlying assumptions, and activity structures that scaffold knowledge integration provide a starting point for future, larger scale implementation.

Improving Teaching through Lesson Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rock, Tracy C.; Wilson, Cathy

2005-01-01

This article presents a professional development initiative developed by a university-school partnership based on the Japanese lesson-study model described by Stigler and Hiebert (1999) in "The Teaching Gap." Lesson study ("jugyoukenkyu"), an inquiry model of teacher professional development, is used extensively throughout…

Sharing the Environment: Cultural Exchange through Inquiry-Based Environmental Education in Trinidad and Tobago (T & T) and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McHenry, Nadine; Alvare, Bretton; Bowes, Kathleen; Childs, Ashley

2013-01-01

This study examined the effects of Sharing the Environment (STE), a situated professional development pilot program that uses an inquiry-based approach to teaching Environmental Education (EE) to elementary students in the US and Trinidad. Inquiry is difficult to incorporate in both cultures because proficient performance on national tests is a…

Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs about Inquiry-Based Learning after a Professional Development Course--An International Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maass, Katja; Swan, Malcolm; Aldorf, Anna-Maria

2017-01-01

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is a more student-centered approach to mathematics teaching that is recommended by many policy and curriculum documents across Europe. However, it is not easy for teachers to change from a more teacher-centered way of teaching to inquiry-based teaching as this involves a change of their role in class. Professional…

Impactful Practitioner Inquiry: The Ripple Effect on Classrooms, Schools, and Teacher Professionalism. Practitioner Inquiry Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nichols, Sue; Cormack, Phil

2016-01-01

How does practitioner inquiry impact education? Examining the experiences of practitioners who have participated in inquiry projects, the authors present ways in which this work has enabled educators to be positive change agents. They reveal the difference that practitioner inquiry has made in their professional practice, their understanding of…

Transformative Professional Development: Inquiry-Based College Science Teaching Institutes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Ningfeng; Witzig, Stephen B.; Weaver, Jan C.; Adams, John E.; Schmidt, Frank

2012-01-01

Two Summer Institutes funded by the National Science Foundation were held for current and future college science faculty. The overall goal was to promote learning and practice of inquiry-based college science teaching. We developed a collaborative and active learning format for participants that involved all phases of the 5E learning cycle of…

Scientific Inquiry Based Professional Development Models in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corlu, Mehmet Ali; Corlu, M. Sencer

2012-01-01

Scientific inquiry helps students develop critical thinking abilities and enables students to think and construct knowledge like a scientist. The study describes a method course implementation at a major public teachers college in Turkey. The main goal of the course was to improve research and teaching abilities of prospective physics teachers…

Snapshots of Authentic Scientific Inquiry and Teacher Preparation: Undergraduate STEM Courses, Preservice and Inservice Teachers' Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

French, Debbie Ann

2016-01-01

In this dissertation, the researcher describes authentic scientific inquiry (ASI) within three stages of teacher preparation and development: a1) undergraduate STEM courses, b2) preservice secondary science education methods courses, and c3) inservice teacher professional development (PD). Incorporating (ASI)--pedagogy closely modeling the…

Turning the Table on Professional Development in Mathematics by Setting the Stage for Teacher-Led Inquiry: An Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCullough, Sabrina D.

2016-01-01

This action research study investigated the change in professional development model in the acquisition of content knowledge for fourth-grade math teachers. The current professional development atmosphere is a traditional "sit and get" opportunity. However, research offers that teachers should be active participants in their learning.…

Teacher Research as a Robust and Reflective Path to Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Sherron Killingsworth; Crawford, Patricia A.; Hickmann, Rosemary

2010-01-01

This article explores the role of teacher research as part of a robust program of professional development. Teacher research offers teachers at every stage of development a recursive and reflective means of bridging the gap between current practice and potential professional growth. The purpose of this dual level inquiry was to probe the concept…

Collaborative Professional Development and Curriculum Enactment: Teacher Reflection to Inform Inquiry-Based Discussions in High School Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alozie, Nonyelum M.

2010-01-01

Professional development for practicing science teachers has been a goal in education for the last two decades. Studies have shown that the quality of teacher instruction may be linked to teacher participation and involvement in professional development programs (Fishman, Marx, Best, & Tal, 2003). Furthermore, reflection during professional…

The Impact of Professional Development on Poverty, Schooling, and Literacy Practices: Teacher Narratives and Reformation of Mindset

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciuffetelli Parker, Darlene

2017-01-01

The study examines the impact of professional development on the topic of poverty in one high poverty school community located in a small city in southern Ontario, Canada. It considers narrative-based experiences of teachers' collaborative inquiry on literacy practices after a significant amount of professional development was provided to…

A Culture of Collaborative Inquiry: Learning to Develop and Support Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Tamara Holmlund; Slavit, David; Perkins, Mart; Hathorn, Tom

2008-01-01

Background/Context: The type of professional development provided for teachers has been undergoing change from a one-time workshop approach to a more embedded, long-term, reflective, and collaborative structure. Although findings on the impact of new forms of professional development (PD) are beginning to emerge in the literature, there is little…

Bridging Communities: Culturing a Professional Learning Community that Supports Novice Teachers and Transfers Authentic Science and Mathematics to the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbert, B. E.; Miller, H. R.; Loving, C. L.; Pedersen, S.

2006-12-01

Professional Learning Community Model for Alternative Pathways (PLC-MAP) is a partnership of North Harris Montgomery Community Colleges, Texas A&M University, and 11 urban, suburban, and rural school districts in the Greater Houston area focused on developing a professional learning community that increases the retention and quality of middle and high school mathematics and science teachers who are being certified through the NHMCCD Alternative Certification Program. Improved quality in teaching refers to increased use of effective inquiry teaching strategies, including information technology where appropriate, that engage students to ask worthy scientific questions and to reason, judge, explain, defend, argue, reflect, revise, and/or disseminate findings. Novice teachers learning to adapt or designing authentic inquiry in their classrooms face two enormous problems. First, there are important issues surrounding the required knowledgebase, habit of mind, and pedagogical content knowledge of the teachers that impact the quality of their lesson plans and instructional sequences. Second, many ACP intern teachers teach under challenging conditions with limited resources, which impacts their ability to implement authentic inquiry in the classroom. Members of our professional learning community, including scientists, mathematicians and master teachers, supports novice teachers as they design lesson plans that engage their students in authentic inquiry. The purpose of this research was to determine factors that contribute to success or barriers that prevent ACP secondary science intern and induction year teachers from gaining knowledge and engaging in classroom inquiry as a result of an innovative professional development experience. A multi-case study design was used for this research. We adopted a two-tail design where cases from both extremes (good and poor gains) were deliberately chosen. Six science teachers were selected from a total of 40+ mathematics and science teachers. These six, on average, demonstrated either the highest gain in knowledge and/or engagement in inquiry-based teaching or the lowest gain among all the novice science teachers through the year of participation in the PLC-MAP program. Certain patterns emerged across all six cases, even when the other variables are acknowledged. The principal external factors were school climate—its culture, its mandates, its degree of teacher autonomy. The internal factors were teacher beliefs about learning through inquiry, about their own need for additional knowledge, and about managing inquiry--all tied to degrees of self-efficacy.

Supporting In-Service Teachers' Professional Teaching Knowledge with Educatively Scaffolded Digital Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callahan, Cory; Saye, John; Brush, Thomas

2015-01-01

This article advances a continuing line of inquiry into the potential of digital educative curriculum materials to support teachers' development of professional teaching knowledge. Instead of standalone levers of change, the educative curricula in this study were featured resources within a novel professional development approach. The qualitative,…

Who Are the Science Teachers That Seek Professional Development in Research Experience for Teachers (RET's)? Implications for Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saka, Yavuz

2013-01-01

To address the need to better prepare teachers to enact science education reforms, the National Science Foundation has supported a Research Experience for Teachers (RET's) format for teacher professional development. In these experiences, teachers work closely with practicing scientists to engage in authentic scientific inquiry. Although…

Understanding the Development of a Hybrid Practice of Inquiry-Based Science Instruction and Language Development: A Case Study of One Teacher's Journey through Reflections on Classroom Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capitelli, Sarah; Hooper, Paula; Rankin, Lynn; Austin, Marilyn; Caven, Gennifer

2016-01-01

This qualitative case study looks closely at an elementary teacher who participated in professional development experiences that helped her develop a hybrid practice of using inquiry-based science to teach both science content and English language development (ELD) to her students, many of whom are English language learners (ELLs). This case study…

Collaborative Inquiry with Technology in Secondary Science Classrooms: Professional Learning Community Development at Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harnisch, Delwyn L.; Comstock, Sharon L.; Bruce, Bertram C.

2014-01-01

The development of critical scientific literacy in primary and secondary school classrooms requires authentic inquiry with a basis in the real world. Pairing scientists with educators and employing informatics and visualization tools are two successful ways to achieve this. This article is based on rich data collected over eight years from middle…

Developing Inquiry for Learning: Reflecting Collaborative Ways to Learn How to Learn in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ovens, Peter; Wells, Frances; Wallis, Patricia; Hawkins, Cyndy

2011-01-01

"Developing Inquiry for Learning" shows how university tutors can help students to improve their abilities to learn and to become professional inquirers. An increasing proportion of students entering higher education seem to assume that learning is a relatively passive process. This may be the largest single limitation to their achievement.…

40 CFR 312.21 - Results of inquiry by an environmental professional.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Results of inquiry by an environmental... CONDUCTING ALL APPROPRIATE INQUIRIES Standards and Practices § 312.21 Results of inquiry by an environmental... should take into account information provided to the environmental professional as a result of the...

40 CFR 312.21 - Results of inquiry by an environmental professional.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Results of inquiry by an environmental... CONDUCTING ALL APPROPRIATE INQUIRIES Standards and Practices § 312.21 Results of inquiry by an environmental... should take into account information provided to the environmental professional as a result of the...

An Inquiry Safari

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomson, Norman; Chapman, Seri

2004-01-01

The Virtual Gorilla Modeling Project--a professional development project--is a collaboration of middle and high school inservice teachers, Zoo Atlanta primatologists, science and computer educators, and students. During a 10-day professional development summer workshop, middle and high school teachers explore the world of the gorilla through…

Professional Development at ERESE: Refining the inquiry process and moving towards a modularized templeate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helly, M.; Massell Symons, C.; Reining, J.; Staudigel, H.; Koppers, A.; Helly, J.; Miller, S.

2005-12-01

The Enduring Resources for Earth Science Education (ERESE) project has now held two professional development workshops to teach and apply the five stage inquiry lesson model for teaching plate tectonics. This development based on a collaborative effort between earth scientists, educators, librarians, and data archive managers, and works towards a classroom practice that focuses on transferring ownership of a classroom inquiry to the learner. The ERESE inquiry model features a modular, five stage approach: (1) a thoughtful orientation to create an environment of physical and intellectual safety for the learner, (2) a carefully chosen provocative phenomenon used to allow the learner to develop a wide range of scientific questions (3) a debriefing that reviews and honors the learners' questions along with the development of a testable hypothesis, (4) learners consult with ERESE resource matrices and the internet to obtain data and other information to test the hypothesis, and (5) the learners present their results in a presentation. The process of ERESE inquiry lessons is guided by a master template and involves a detailed teachers log for documentation of all activities. All products of the process are archived. The master template and teachers log are designed in a modular fashion that ultimately will accommodate a wide range of inquiry lesson styles and the variety of resources available to support the process. Key ERESE modules include: (1) a master template that provides a framework for lesson development, (2) provocative phenomenon for question generation and hypothesis development by the learner, (3) the ERESE resource matrix (which archives text, images and data by expert level for a wide range of scientific questions), and (4) a reflective essay that monitors the ownership transfer to the learner. Modular design of ERESE products allows for the archival of specific types of materials that can be independently accessed and applied to different inquiry styles. The broad appeal is an important step toward a more general product for inquiry based teaching.

Educational Forum: A Journal of Teaching, Learning & Professional Development, Spring 1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fideler, Elizabeth F., Ed.

1992-01-01

Designed to promote discourse on teaching, learning, and professional development, this spring 1992 issue of Massachusetts Bay Community College's (MBCC's) "Educational Forum" documents modes of inquiry and faculty development activities that MBCC has found promising. The following articles are contained in the issue: (1) "Education Through…

The Characteristics of Resiliency Development and Adult Learning: Examining Teacher Perspective through Narrative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Painter, Rachel L.

2013-01-01

Originating from the literature on resiliency, adult learning, and professional development, this qualitative study investigated how the relationship between resiliency and adult learning influenced professional development in one suburban-rural school district in Litchfield County, Connecticut. Data represent findings on the perceptions of…

Inquiry in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stohl, Christina

2010-01-01

(Purpose) As schools scramble to restructure in the hope of thwarting failure, administrators often appropriate money for outside experts who counsel on professional development as well as outside magic-pill programs for student achievement. High-stakes testing remains the arbiter. Perhaps the use of the best practice of inquiry, or classroom…

Teacher Use of Evidence to Customize Inquiry Science Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerard, Libby F.; Spitulnik, Michele; Linn, Marcia C.

2010-01-01

This study investigated how professional development featuring evidence-based customization of technology-enhanced curriculum projects can improve inquiry science teaching and student knowledge integration in earth science. Participants included three middle school sixth-grade teachers and their classes of students (N = 787) for three consecutive…

The Impact of Collaborative Reflections on Teachers' Inquiry Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Huann-shyang; Hong, Zuway-R.; Yang, Kuay-keng; Lee, Sung-Tao

2013-01-01

This study investigates the impact of collaborative reflections on teachers' inquiry teaching practices and identifies supportive actions relating to their professional development. Three science teachers in the same elementary school worked as a cooperative and collaborative group. They attended workshops and worked collaboratively through…

Two Dimensions of an Inquiry Stance toward Student-Learning Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Tamara Holmlund; Slavit, David; Deuel, Angie

2012-01-01

Background/Context: Schools and districts are increasingly emphasizing evidence-based decision making as a means for improving teaching and learning. In response, professional development efforts have shifted toward situated, sustained activities that involve groups of teachers in reflective inquiry about student learning data, instructional…

The Impact of a Multi-Year, Multi-School District K-6 Professional Development Programme Designed to Integrate Science Inquiry and Language Arts on Students' High-Stakes Test Scores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shymansky, James A.; Wang, Tzu-Ling; Annetta, Leonard A.; Yore, Larry D.; Everett, Susan A.

2013-04-01

This paper is a report of a quasi-experimental study on the impact of a systemic 5-year, K-6 professional development (PD) project on the 'high stakes' achievement test scores of different student groups in rural mid-west school districts in the USA. The PD programme utilized regional summer workshops, district-based leadership teams and distance delivery technologies to help teachers learn science concepts and inquiry teaching strategies associated with a selection of popular science inquiry kits and how to adapt inquiry science lessons in the kits to teach and reinforce skills in the language arts-i.e. to teach more than science when doing inquiry science. Analyses of the school district-level pre-post high-stakes achievement scores of 33 school districts participating in the adaptation of inquiry PD and a comparative group of 23 school districts revealed that both the Grade 3 and Grade 6 student-cohorts in the school districts utilizing adapted science inquiry lessons significantly outscored their student-cohort counterparts in the comparative school districts. The positive school district-level high-stakes test results, which serve as the basis for state and local decision making, suggest that an inquiry adaptation strategy and a combination of regional live workshop and distance delivery technologies with ongoing local leadership and support can serve as a viable PD option for K-6 science.

Implementing inquiry-based kits within a professional development school model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Mark Thomas

2005-07-01

Implementation of guided inquiry teaching for the first time carries inherent problems for science teachers. Reform efforts on inquiry-based science teaching are often unsustainable and are not sensitive to teachers' needs and abilities as professionals. Professional development schools are meant to provide a research-based partnership between a public school and a university. These collaborations can provide support for the professional development of teachers. This dissertation reports a study focused on the implementation of inquiry-based science kits within the support of one of these collaborations. The researcher describes the difficulties and successful adaptations experienced by science teachers and how a coteaching model provided support. These types of data are needed in order to develop a bottom-up, sustainable process that will allow teachers to implement inquiry-based science. A qualitative methodology with "researcher as participant" was used in this study of two science teachers during 2002--2003. These two teachers were supported by a coteaching model, which included preservice teachers for each teacher as well as a supervising professor. Data were collected from the researcher's direct observations of coteachers' practice. Data were also collected from interviews and reflective pieces from the coteachers. Triangulation of the data on each teacher's case supported the validity of the findings. Case reports were prepared from these data for each classroom teacher. These case reports were used and cross-case analysis was conducted to search for major themes and findings in the study. Major findings described the hurdles teachers encounter, examples of adaptations observed in the teachers' cases and the supportive interactions with their coteachers while implementing the inquiry-based kits. In addition, the data were used to make recommendations for future training and use of the kits and the coteaching model. Results from this study showed that the kit's guided structure of inquiry and the collaboration both affected the inservice teachers in the following ways: The coteaching model supported behavioral and material management issues caused by the implementation of the kits; collaboration with preservice teachers created a "smaller-class-size" effect, which allowed teachers to attend to a smaller number of students for cooperative learning and assessment, and the elementary inservice teachers learned pedagogical strategies and science content from collaborating with secondary preservice teachers in kit use and from the kits' curriculum. Results were used as a self-study for future training and support for implementation of inquiry-based kits.

Science Teacher Efficacy and Extrinsic Factors toward Professional Development Using Video Games in a Design-Based Research Model: The Next Generation of STEM Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annetta, Leonard A.; Frazier, Wendy M.; Folta, Elizabeth; Holmes, Shawn; Lamb, Richard; Cheng, Meng-Tzu

2013-01-01

Designed-based research principles guided the study of 51 secondary-science teachers in the second year of a 3-year professional development project. The project entailed the creation of student-centered, inquiry-based, science, video games. A professional development model appropriate for infusing innovative technologies into standards-based…

Barriers Inhibiting Inquiry-Based Science Teaching and Potential Solutions: Perceptions of Positively Inclined Early Adopters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzgerald, Michael; Danaia, Lena; McKinnon, David H.

2017-07-01

In recent years, calls for the adoption of inquiry-based pedagogies in the science classroom have formed a part of the recommendations for large-scale high school science reforms. However, these pedagogies have been problematic to implement at scale. This research explores the perceptions of 34 positively inclined early-adopter teachers in relation to their implementation of inquiry-based pedagogies. The teachers were part of a large-scale Australian high school intervention project based around astronomy. In a series of semi-structured interviews, the teachers identified a number of common barriers that prevented them from implementing inquiry-based approaches. The most important barriers identified include the extreme time restrictions on all scales, the poverty of their common professional development experiences, their lack of good models and definitions for what inquiry-based teaching actually is, and the lack of good resources enabling the capacity for change. Implications for expectations of teachers and their professional learning during educational reform and curriculum change are discussed.

33 CFR 137.35 - Inquiries by an environmental professional.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... known or reasonably ascertainable information) and 137.85 (degree of obviousness of the presence or likely presence of oil). In addition, the inquiry should take into account information provided to the... property on which the facility is located. (2) An identification of data gaps in the information developed...

Future Approaches for Inner Ear Protection and Repair

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shibata, Seiji B.; Raphael, Yehoash

2010-01-01

Health care professionals tending to patients with inner ear disease face inquiries about therapy options, including treatments that are being developed for future use but not yet available. The devastating outcome of sensorineural hearing loss, combined with the permanent nature of the symptoms, make these inquiries demanding and frequent. The…

Uncovering "Unwelcome Truths" through Student Voice: Teacher Inquiry into Agency and Student Assessment Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charteris, Jennifer; Thomas, Eryn

2017-01-01

Learner agency is often seen unproblematically as an integral aspect of "twenty-first century lifelong learning". Agency and instrumentalist forms of teacher professional development are problematised through this qualitative case study that explores a teacher's inquiry into assessment for learning practices. This article illustrates how…

Appreciative Inquiry and Student Affairs: A Positive Approach to Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehner, Rachelle; Hight, Donna L.

2006-01-01

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is an organization development (OD) philosophy that utilizes and builds on past successes, using these as positive momentum for future change. AI provides student affairs with an alternative and generative approach to improving their organizations' processes and culture. As student affairs professionals look to the future…

Narrative reflective practice in medical education for residents: composing shifting identities

PubMed Central

Clandinin, Jean; Cave, Marie Thérèse; Cave, Andrew

2011-01-01

As researchers note, medical educators need to create situations to work with physicians in training to help them attend to the development of their professional identities. While there is a call for such changes to be included in medical education, educational approaches that facilitate attention to the development of medical students’ professional identities, that is, who they are and who they are becoming as physicians, are still under development. One pedagogical strategy involves narrative reflective practice as a way to develop physician identity. Using this approach, medical residents first write narrative accounts of their experiences with patients in what are called “parallel charts”. They then engage in a collaborative narrative inquiry within a sustained inquiry group of other residents and two researcher/facilitators (one physician, one narrative researcher). Preliminary studies of this approach are underway. Drawing on the experiences of one medical resident in one such inquiry group, we show how this pedagogical strategy enables attending to physician identity making. PMID:23745070

Narrative reflective practice in medical education for residents: composing shifting identities.

PubMed

Clandinin, Jean; Cave, Marie Thérèse; Cave, Andrew

2011-01-01

As researchers note, medical educators need to create situations to work with physicians in training to help them attend to the development of their professional identities. While there is a call for such changes to be included in medical education, educational approaches that facilitate attention to the development of medical students' professional identities, that is, who they are and who they are becoming as physicians, are still under development. One pedagogical strategy involves narrative reflective practice as a way to develop physician identity. Using this approach, medical residents first write narrative accounts of their experiences with patients in what are called "parallel charts". They then engage in a collaborative narrative inquiry within a sustained inquiry group of other residents and two researcher/facilitators (one physician, one narrative researcher). Preliminary studies of this approach are underway. Drawing on the experiences of one medical resident in one such inquiry group, we show how this pedagogical strategy enables attending to physician identity making.

What students learn about professionalism from faculty stories: an "appreciative inquiry" approach.

PubMed

Quaintance, Jennifer L; Arnold, Louise; Thompson, George S

2010-01-01

To develop a method for teaching professionalism by enabling students and faculty members to share positive examples of professionalism in a comfortable environment that reflects the authentic experiences of physicians. Medical educators struggle with the teaching of professionalism. Professionalism definitions can guide what they teach, but they must also consider how they teach it, and constructs such as explicit role modeling, situated learning, and appreciative inquiry provide appropriate models. The project consisted of students interviewing faculty members about their experiences with professionalism and then reflecting on and writing about the teachers' stories. In 2004, 62 students interviewed 33 faculty members, and 193 students observed the interviews. Using a project Web site, 36 students wrote 132 narratives based on the faculty's stories, and each student offered his or her reflections on one narrative. The authors analyzed the content of the narratives and reflections via an iterative process of independent coding and discussion to resolve disagreements. Results showed that the narratives were rich and generally positive; they illustrated a broad range of the principles contained in many definitions of professionalism: humanism, accountability, altruism, and excellence. The students' reflections demonstrated awareness of the same major principles of professionalism that the faculty conveyed. The reflections served to spark new ideas about professionalism, reinforce the values of professionalism, deepen students' relationships with the faculty, and heighten students' commitment to behaving professionally. Narrative storytelling, as a variant of appreciative inquiry, seems to be effective in deepening students' understanding and appreciation of professionalism.

Professional Development in Person: Identity and the Construction of Teaching within a High School Science Department

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deneroff, Victoria

2016-01-01

This is a narrative inquiry into the role of professional development in the construction of teaching practice by an exemplary urban high school science teacher. I collected data during 3 years of ethnographic participant observation in Marie Gonzalez's classroom. Marie told stories about her experiences in ten years of professional development…

Convincing Science Teachers for Inquiry-Based Instruction: Guskey's Staff Development Model Revisited

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zambak, V. Serbay; Alston, Daniel M.; Marshall, Jeff. C.; Tyminski, Andrew M.

2017-01-01

For many years, changing beliefs has been considered a prerequisite for changing classroom practices. However, professional development research has also shown that the opposite relationship is also true--change in practice can precede change in beliefs. This study investigated the effect of a one-year professional development program on…

Participatory Action Research for Development of Prospective Teachers' Professionality during Their Pedagogical Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strode, Aina

2015-01-01

Implementation of participatory action research during pedagogical practice facilitates sustainable education because its objective is to understand professional practice, enrich the capacity of involved participants and an opportunity to make inquiries for the improvement of quality. In the research of professional practice, subjects explore…

Vertically Integrating Professional Skills throughout a Mathematics Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dziak, Clarice; Leventhal, Brian; Luttman, Aaron; Skufca, Joseph

2014-01-01

In response to a university mandate to include "professional issues" as a component of every major, we have developed a vertically integrated approach to incorporating the study of professional skills and issues into the mathematics curriculum. Beginning in the first year of study, mathematics majors take an inquiry-based course in…

Holding the Reins of the Professional Learning Community: Eight Themes from Research on Principals' Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cranston, Jerome

2009-01-01

Using a naturalistic inquiry approach and thematic analysis, this paper outlines the findings of a research study that examined 12 Manitoba principals' conceptions of professional learning communities. The study found that these principals consider the development of professional learning communities to be a normative imperative within the…

Raising Teachers' Voices: An In-Depth Qualitative Inquiry into Teachers' Working Conditions and Professional Development Needs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a Province of Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Takbir

2018-01-01

This study documented in detail teachers' voices about their working conditions, professional development needs and opportunities to cater to these needs. The study reported in this paper was conducted as part of a large-scale study that used mixed methods to assess teachers' professional development needs. The qualitative data reported in this…

Elementary teachers' perceptions of science inquiry and professional development challenges and opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Kathleen M.

Inquiry science, including a focus on evidence-based discourse, is essential to spark interest in science education in the early grades and maintain that interest throughout children's schooling. The researcher was interested in two broad areas: inquiry science in the elementary classroom and the need/desire for professional development opportunities for elementary teachers related to science education, and specifically professional development focused on inquiry science. A cross sectional survey design was prepared and distributed in May 2005 and usable responses were received from 228 elementary teachers from the south-central area of Pennsylvania which was a representative sample of socio-economical and geographical factors. Areas of particular interest in the results section include: (1) The use of Science Kits which is popular, but may not have the desired impact since they are "adjusted" by teachers often removing the opportunity for evidence-based discourse by the students. This may be partly based on the lack of time dedicated to science instruction and, secondly, the teachers' lack of comfort with the science topics. Another issue arising from science kits is the amount of preparation time required to utilize them. (2) Teachers demonstrated understanding of the high qualities of professional development but, when it came to science content professional development, they were more inclined to opt for short-term opportunities as opposed to long-term learning opportunities. Since elementary teachers are generalists and most schools are not focusing on science, the lack of attention to a subject where they are least comfortable is understandable, but disappointing. (3) There is a great need for more training in evidence--based discourse so teachers can implement this needed skill and increase students' understanding of science content so they are more able to compete in the international science and math measurements. (4) Professional development, especially in the science area, needs to be a long-term, grass-roots effort in all schools. We need to dedicate funding, and make time available for teachers to participate in long-term collaborative learning opportunities. Teachers want to observe each other and collaborate on lessons but, unless it becomes a priority of the school, it will not happen. Time must be dedicated throughout the day that allows small groups of teachers across the board to get together and share, learn, attempt new approaches, reflect and revise. Various forms of professional learning are available, and each school must choose the one that works for them. (5) The principal as the educational leader in the school needs to be more fully engaged with the learning process of the teachers and the students. The principal should not be viewed only as the evaluator of teachers, but as a collaborator of learning and teaching. Suggestions for further research include longitudinal studies of the impact on students of long term professional development of the teachers that specifically targets science content, inquiry and evidence--based discourse.

Fostering Teacher Educators' Professional Development on Practice-Based Research through Communities of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willemse, T. Martijn; Boei, Fer; Pillen, Marieke

2016-01-01

Practice-based research and supervising students' research has become an important task for higher vocational institutes, including the teacher education departments. However, conducting practice-based research is not always common practice for a great number of teacher educators. Therefore, professional development activities are undertaken to…

Motivation, Professional Development, and the Experienced Music Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angeline, Vincent R.

2014-01-01

Drawing from inquiry on human motivation can serve to inform seasoned educators in questing for a more individualized form of professional development. Experienced music teachers who have moved beyond the formative stages benefit from crafting self-defined experiences that satisfy needs-based states. Research in self-determination theory reveals…

Professional Development in Relational Learning Communities: Teachers in Connection. Practitioner Inquiry Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raider-Roth, Miriam B.

2016-01-01

In this book, Raider-Roth offers an innovative approach to teacher professional development that builds on the intellectual strength and practical wisdom of practitioners. Focusing on nurturing relationships between and among participants, facilitators, subject matter, texts, and the school environment, this book helps educators create a…

Pedagogical Reasoning and Action: Affordances of Practice-Based Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pella, Shannon

2015-01-01

A common theme has been consistently woven through the literature on teacher professional development: that practice-based designs and collaboration are two components of effective teacher learning models. In addition to collaboration and practice-based designs, inquiry cycles have been long recognized as catalysts for teacher professional…

Elementary Teachers' Simulation Adoption and Inquiry-Based Use Following Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonczi, Amanda; Maeng, Jennifer; Bell, Randy

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to characterize and compare 64 elementary science teachers' computer simulation use prior to and following professional development (PD) aligned with Innovation Adoption Theory. The PD highlighted computer simulation affordances that elementary teachers might find particularly useful. Qualitative and quantitative…

Inquiry-based Science Instruction in High School Biology Courses: A Multiple Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aso, Eze

A lack of research exists about how secondary school science teachers use inquiry-based instruction to improve student learning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how science teachers used inquiry-based instruction to improve student learning in high school biology courses. The conceptual framework was based on Banchi and Bell's model of increasing levels of complexity for inquiry-based instruction. A multiple case study research design was conducted of biology programs at 3 high schools in an urban school district in the northeastern region of the United States. Participants included 2 biology teachers from each of the 3 high schools. Data were collected from individual interviews with biology teachers, observations of lessons in biology, and documents related to state standards, assessments, and professional development. The first level of data analysis involved coding and categorizing the interview and observation data. A content analysis was used for the documents. The second level of data analysis involved examining data across all sources and all cases for themes and discrepancies. According to study findings, biology teachers used confirmation, structure, and guided inquiry to improve student learning. However, they found open inquiry challenging and frustrating to implement because professional development about scaffolding of instruction over time was needed, and students' reading and writing skills needed to improve. This study contributes to positive social change by providing educators and researchers with a deeper understanding about how to scaffold levels of inquiry-based science instruction in order to help students become scientifically literate citizens.

Teachers Learning to Research Climate: Development of hybrid teacher professional development to support climate inquiry and research in the classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odell, M. R.; Charlevoix, D. J.; Kennedy, T.

2011-12-01

The GLOBE Program is an international science and education focused on connecting scientists, teachers and students around relevant, local environmental issues. GLOBE's focus during the next two years in on climate, global change and understanding climate from a scientific perspective. The GLOBE Student Climate Research Campaign (SCRFC) will engage youth from around the world in understanding and researching climate through investigations of local climate challenges. GLOBE teachers are trained in implementation of inquiry in the classroom and the use of scientific data collection protocols to develop inquiry and research projects of the Earth System. In preparation for the SCRC, GLOBE teachers will need additional training in climate science, global change and communicating climate science in the classroom. GLOBE's reach to 111 countries around the world requires development of scalable models for training teachers. In June GLOBE held the first teacher professional development workshop (Learning to Research Summer Institute) in a hybrid format with two-thirds of the teachers participating face-to-face and the remaining teachers participating virtually using Adobe Connect. The week long workshop prepared teachers to integrate climate science inquiry and research projects in the classrooms in the 2011-12 academic year. GLOBE scientists and other climate science experts will work with teachers and their students throughout the year in designing and executing a climate science research project. Final projects and research results will be presented in May 2012 through a virtual conference. This presentation will provide the framework for hybrid teacher professional development in climate science research and inquiry projects as well as summarize the findings from this inaugural session. The GLOBE Program office, headquartered in Boulder, is funded through cooperative agreements with NASA and NOAA with additional support from NSF and the U.S. Department of State. GLOBE is supported in countries around the world through bi-lateral agreements between U.S. Department of state and national governments.

Enhancing Teaching Assistants' (TAs') Inquiry Teaching by Means of Teaching Observations and Reflective Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Kristen; Brickman, Peggy; Oliver, J. Steve

2014-01-01

Recent education reform efforts advocate teaching the process of science (inquiry) in undergraduate lecture and laboratory classes. To meet this challenge, professional development for the graduate student instructors (teaching assistants, or TAs) often assigned to teach these classes is needed. This study explored the implementation of an…

Grappling with Language Barriers: Implications for the Professional Development of Immigrant Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abramova, Inna

2013-01-01

In this narrative inquiry, I explored the role of language in the lives of six Russian-speaking immigrant teachers. Theoretical perspectives emphasized experience, context, and culture in understanding their beliefs, and language served as an interpretive lens through which the experiences were explored. The inquiry revealed the following…

Using Technology to Enhance Science Inquiry in an Outdoor Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cantrell, Pamela; Knudson, Mark S.

2006-01-01

Participants in a science professional development field experience were surveyed for their perceptions of the impacts of integrating a wireless local area network (WLAN), pocket PCs, and laptops as tools for enhancing science inquiry. Pocket PCs and laptops were used for data collection and analysis and for communication of research results to…

Practitioner Research and Professional Development in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Anne; McNamara, Olwen; Gilroy, Peter

2004-01-01

This book aims to support and prepare practitioners to undertake small-scale inquiries and research investigations. The processes of research and inquiry-based learning help teachers come to terms with the complexities and challenges of teaching as their responsibilities widen to include the notion of the teacher as researcher. This major shift in…

Negotiating Competing Goals in the Development of an Urban Ecology Practitioner Inquiry Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piazza, Peter; McNeill, Katherine L.

2013-01-01

Teacher learning communities are hailed by many as vehicles for reforming and elevating the professional status of teaching. While much research explores teacher community as a venue for measurable gains, our research examines the orientation of practitioner inquiry toward critical debate about effective instruction. Specifically, our study…

Blended Online Learning in Initial Teacher Education: A Professional Inquiry into Pre-Service Teachers' Inquiry Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Anne-Marie

2015-01-01

Online and blended learning bring opportunities and challenges, including more opportunities for authentic activities (Gikandi, Morrow, & Davis, 2011). Blended online environments are now a common mode for pre-service teacher education, providing interesting opportunities to develop and showcase alternative approaches that blend with practice…

Off to the Duck Races: Planning for Inquiry in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephan, Michelle

2016-01-01

Although most tasks that STEM professionals engage in--like identifying problems, making models, and testing those models--involve inquiry, many STEM classes still rely on direct instruction. Stephan argues that even as new resources for active learning are being developed for STEM instruction, many teachers aren't using these resources and tasks…

A Naturalistic Inquiry of a Distance Learning University TESOL Program for In-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Summers-Rocha, Lonna

2015-01-01

In this naturalistic inquiry, I explore a professional development program which provided Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) graduate coursework from a university in Northeast Kansas to in-service teachers in Southwest Kansas through distance learning. Data sources included interviews, participant observation, and document and…

Re-Envisioning Literacy in a Teacher Inquiry Group in a Native American Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaughn, Margaret

2016-01-01

The present study describes a yearlong collaborative inquiry involving six teachers and their professional discussions about literacy instruction as they developed a curriculum to support the cultural and linguistic needs of their school's 88% Native American student population. Participants in this study were four Native American teachers and two…

Kindergarten Teachers' Understanding of the Elements of Implementing Inquiry-Based Science Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blevins, Kathryn

The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to identify the extent to which kindergarten teachers understand and implement inquiry-based instruction in their science classrooms. This study was conducted in response to the indication that traditional didactic teaching methods were not enough to adequately prepare American students to compete in the global economy. Inquiry is a teaching method that could prepare students for the critical thinking skills needed to enter society in the 21st century. It is vital that teachers be sufficiently trained in teaching using the necessary components of inquiry-based instruction. This study could be used to inform leaders in educational administration of the gaps in teachers' understanding as it pertains to inquiry, thus allowing for the delivery of professional development that will address teachers' needs. Existing literature on inquiry-based instruction provides minimal information on kindergarten teachers' understanding and usage of inquiry to teach science content, and this information would be necessary to inform administrators in their response to supporting teachers in the implementation of inquiry. The primary research question for this study was "To what extent do kindergarten teachers understand the elements of implementing inquiry-based lessons in science instruction?" The 10 participants in this study were all kindergarten teachers in a midsized school district in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Data were collected using face-to-face semistructured interviews, observations of the teachers implementing what they perceived to be inquiry-based instruction, and the analysis of lesson plans to indicate the components used to plan for inquiry-instruction. The findings of this study indicated that while teachers believed inquiry to be a beneficial method for teaching science, they did not understand the components of inquiry and tended to implement lesson plans created at the district level. By analyzing the findings of this study, it became evident that kindergarten teachers could benefit from scaffolded, ongoing professional development focusing on the components of inquiry and how to implement inquiry in their science instruction.

Bringing Inquiry Science to K-5 Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schachtel, Paula L.; Messina, D. L.; McDermott, L. C.

2006-12-01

As a science coach in the Seattle School District, I am responsible for helping other elementary teachers teach science. For several years, I have been participating in a program that consists of intensive NSF Summer Institutes and an ongoing academic-year Continuation Course. Teachers in this program work through modules in Physics by Inquiry, a research-based curriculum developed by the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington.1 I will discuss how this type of professional development has deepened my understanding of topics in physical science, helped me to teach science by inquiry to my own students, and enabled me to assist my colleagues in implementing inquiry science in their K-5 classrooms. Sponsored by Lillian C. McDermott. 1. A research-based curriculum developed by L.C. McDermott and the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington, Physics by Inquiry, New York, NY, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1996.)

Impact of Chemistry Teachers' Knowledge and Practices on Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scantlebury, Kathryn

2008-10-01

Professional development programs promoting inquiry-based teaching are challenged with providing teachers content knowledge and using pedagogical approaches that model standards based instruction. Inquiry practices are also important for undergraduate students. This paper focuses on the evaluation of an extensive professional development program for chemistry teachers that included chemistry content tests for students and the teachers and the impact of undergraduate research experiences on college students' attitudes towards chemistry. Baseline results for the students showed that there were no gender differences on the achievement test but white students scored significantly higher than non-white students. However, parent/adult involvement with chemistry homework and projects, was a significant negative predictor of 11th grade students' test chemistry achievement score. This paper will focus on students' achievement and attitude results for teachers who are mid-way through the program providing evidence that on-going, sustained professional development in content and pedagogy is critical for improving students' science achievement.

Designing Higher Education Courses and other Professional Development to Engender Science Teachers' Enthusiasm to Embrace the New Generation Science Standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welstead, C.; Forder, S. E.

2014-12-01

This presentation is an overview of best practices in the design of continuing education courses and professional development workshops for Science teachers to enable them to transition to the NGSS; to share their enthusiasm in a way that engages students and leads to increased student achievement; and to become change agents in their educational settings and in their communities, in order to garner widespread support for an inquiry-based, NGSS-based curriculum. Proposed strands for teacher preparation programmes include a focus on higher level conceptual thinking; problem-solving opportunities for learning; inquiry-based learning; experiential learning and fieldwork; the authentic and effective incorporation of technology in teaching and learning; integrated and cross-curricular teaching and learning; learning that supports diversity and equity; and the appropriate, reliable and valid assessment of understanding. A series of three courses has been developed to prepare teachers in a graduate programme for implementing an inquiry-based, standards-based Science curriculum that incorporates the above-mentioned strands.

Developing Elementary Teachers' Understandings of Hedges and Personal Pronouns in Inquiry-Based Science Classroom Discourse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveira, Alandeom W.

2010-02-01

This study examined the effectiveness of introducing elementary teachers to the scholarly literature on personal pronouns and hedges in classroom discourse, a professional development strategy adopted during a summer institute to enhance teachers’ social understanding (i.e., their understanding of the social functions of language in science discussions). Teachers became aware of how hedges can be employed to remain neutral toward students’ oral contributions to classroom discussions, invite students to share their opinions and articulate their own ideas, and motivate students to inquire. Teachers recognized that the combined use of I and you can render their feedback authoritative, you can shift the focus from the investigation to students’ competence, and we can lead to authority loss. It is argued that explicitness, reflectivity, and contextualization are essential features of professional development programs aimed at improving teachers’ understandings of the social dimension of inquiry-based science classrooms and preparing teachers to engage in inquiry-based teacher-student interactions.

From Professional Development to Classroom Instruction: Addressing Issues Related to Science Inquiry Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliveira, Alandeom W.

2009-01-01

In this rejoinder, I first provide a more detailed account of the discourse-focused professional development activities facilitated as part of the SMIT'N program, specifically addressing issues raised by van Zee with regard to the institute's overall format, goals and development strategies. Next, I resort to Peter Medawar's metaphorical view of…

Comparing Two Inquiry Professional Development Interventions in Science on Primary Students' Questioning and Other Inquiry Behaviours

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nichols, Kim; Burgh, Gilbert; Kennedy, Callie

2017-02-01

Developing students' skills to pose and respond to questions and actively engage in inquiry behaviours enables students to problem solve and critically engage with learning and society. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of providing teachers with an intervention in inquiry pedagogy alongside inquiry science curriculum in comparison to an intervention in non-inquiry pedagogy alongside inquiry science curriculum on student questioning and other inquiry behaviours. Teacher participants in the comparison condition received training in four inquiry-based science units and in collaborative strategic reading. The experimental group, the community of inquiry (COI) condition, received training in facilitating a COI in addition to training in the same four inquiry-based science units. This study involved 227 students and 18 teachers in 9 primary schools across Brisbane, Australia. The teachers were randomly allocated by school to one of the two conditions. The study followed the students across years 6 and 7 and students' discourse during small group activities was recorded, transcribed and coded for verbal inquiry behaviours. In the second year of the study, students in the COI condition demonstrated a significantly higher frequency of procedural and substantive higher-order thinking questions and other inquiry behaviours than those in the comparison condition. Implementing a COI within an inquiry science curriculum develops students' questioning and science inquiry behaviours and allows teachers to foster inquiry skills predicated by the Australian Science Curriculum. Provision of inquiry science curriculum resources alone is not sufficient to promote the questioning and other verbal inquiry behaviours predicated by the Australian Science Curriculum.

Mapping Changes in Science Teachers' Content Knowledge: Concept Maps and Authentic Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, Barbara A.; Lubin, Ian A.; Slater, Janis L.; Walden, Susan E.

2013-01-01

Two studies were conducted to examine content knowledge changes following 2 weeks of professional development that included scientific research with university scientists. Engaging teachers in scientific research is considered to be an effective way of encouraging knowledge of both inquiry pedagogy and content knowledge. We used concept maps with…

Becoming Music Teacher Educators: Learning from and with Each Other in a Professional Development Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellegrino, Kristen; Sweet, Bridget; Derges Kastner, Julie; Russell, Heather A.; Reese, Jill

2014-01-01

During this heuristic phenomenological inquiry, we examined our lived experiences as five women (three doctoral students, two early career faculty) in the process of becoming music teacher educators participating in a year-long, online, group-facilitated professional development community (PDC). Data included recorded meetings via Skype, journal…

Fostering Structurally Transformative Teacher Agency through Science Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivera Maulucci, Maria S.; Brotman, Jennie S.; Fain, Shoshana Sprague

2015-01-01

This study draws on data from a 10-month critical narrative inquiry of science teaching and learning in a third grade, dual language, integrated co-teaching classroom. The teachers were participants in a 14-week science professional development seminar that enrolled inservice and preservice teachers and focused on enhancing science teaching and…

Improving Elementary Science Instruction and Student Achievement: The Impact of a Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borman, Kathryn M.; Cotner, Bridget A.; Lee, Reginald S.; Boydston, Theodore L.; Lanehart, Rheta

2009-01-01

This study was designed to establish the efficacy of Teaching SMART (Teaching Science, Mathematics and Relevant Technologies); a science professional development program for teachers with students in grades 3 through 5. Teaching SMART promotes scientific inquiry and emphasizes the importance of equity, empowerment, exploration, and fun in the…

To Improve the Academy: Resources for Student, Faculty, and Institutional Development, Volume 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurfiss, Joanne Gainen, Ed.

This collection of papers, the seventh in an annual series, presents views of members of the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education on classroom research, the fostering of student inquiry, the realities and possibilities of academic life, and the training and support of academic professionals. Articles and authors…

Study Abroad as Professional Development: Voices of In-Service Spanish Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jochum, Christopher J.; Rawlings, Jared R.; Tejada, Ana María

2015-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to understand how four in-service Spanish teachers interpreted their participation in a summer study abroad program and how the experience contributed to their ongoing professional development and language proficiency. Using a multiple case design (Simons, 2009; Stake, 2005; Yin, 2009), the researchers…

In Support of Teachers' Learning: Specifying and Contextualising Teacher Inquiry as Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardy, Ian

2016-01-01

Drawing upon research into a case study of teacher inquiry in one school in Queensland, Australia, recent theorising into professional practice, and relevant literature on teachers' learning, this article reveals the complexity and particularity of teacher inquiry processes in support of teachers' learning. Specifically, the research reveals how…

The Curriculum Workshop: A Place for Deliberative Inquiry and Teacher Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Klaus-Henning

2008-01-01

In this article, the curriculum workshop (CW) is elaborated as an approach to professional learning, deliberation and inquiry. It offers a comprehensive framework for school-based deliberation and inquiry, is rooted in curriculum theory, promises a broad range of applications in teacher education and provides tools to assess the trustworthiness of…

A Self-Study Investigation of Using Inquiry Groups in a Professional Development School Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garin, Eva; Harper, Mya

2016-01-01

Inquiry Group participation for PDS teachers and teacher candidates is one of the signature programs of the Bowie State University PDS Network and provides PDS teachers and teacher candidates the opportunity to collaborate on teaching strategies and methodologies to use in their classrooms. This article uses self-study methodology to explore the…

Using a Sociocultural Perspective to Establish Teaching and Social Presences within a Hybrid Community of Mentor Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caudle, Lori A.

2013-01-01

Within the last decade, the Community of Inquiry framework (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000) has received increased attention in the field of online learning, yet little is known about applying key tenets of Community of Inquiry while leading a hybrid professional development initiative. This study describes how I established teaching and…

The Collaborative Teacher Inquiry Project: A Purposeful Professional Development Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jao, Limin; McDougall, Douglas

2015-01-01

The transition from Grade 8 to Grade 9 is particularly difficult for students who were not very successful in mathematics in Grade 8. Research into ways to improve this transition as well as improve the teaching practices at the Applied level will be helpful for teachers, administrators, and policy makers. The Collaborative Teacher Inquiry Project…

Exploring Action Research as an Enduring Experience of Professional Development for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hummel, Robin Ellen

2017-01-01

This study was an inquiry into the influence of action research on teachers' practice and an exploration of the idea that teaching is synonymous with learning. After 14 participants engaged in individual action research projects that were facilitated by the researcher, the qualitative method of narrative inquiry was used to gather data from the…

Introducing Inquiry-Based Methodologies during Initial Secondary Education Teacher Training Using an Open-Ended Problem about Chemical Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodríguez-Arteche, In~igo; Martínez-Aznar, M. Mercedes

2016-01-01

In this paper, the characteristics of an initial training program for secondary school physics and chemistry teachers are presented. This program is based on the resolution of professional problems, in order to develop preservice teachers' competencies for integrating inquiry-based science education (IBSE) into their future teaching. With this…

An Examination of the Relationship between Professional Development Providers' Epistemological and Nature of Science Beliefs and Their Professional Development Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia Arriola, Alfonso

In the last twenty years in US science education, professional development has emphasized the need to change science instruction from a direct instruction model to a more participatory and constructivist learning model. The result of these reform efforts has seen an increase in science education professional development that is focused on providing teaching strategies that promote inquiry learning to learn science content. Given these reform efforts and teacher responses to professional development, research seems to indicate that whether teachers actually change their practice may depend on the teachers' basic epistemological beliefs about the nature of science. The person who builds the bridge between teacher beliefs and teacher practice is the designer and facilitator of science teacher professional development. Even though these designers and facilitators of professional development are critical to science teacher change, few have studied how these professionals approach their work and what influence their beliefs have on their professional development activities. Eight developers and designers of science education professional development participated in this study through interviews and the completion of an online questionnaire. To examine the relationship between professional development providers' science beliefs and their design, development, and implementation of professional development experiences for science teachers, this study used the Views on Science Education Questionnaire (VOSE), and interview transcripts as well as analysis of the documents from teacher professional development experiences. Through a basic interpretive qualitative analysis, the predominant themes that emerged from this study suggest that the nature of science is often equated with the practice of science, personal beliefs about the nature of science have a minimal impact on the design of professional development experiences, current reform efforts in science education have a strong influence on the design of professional development, and those providing science education professional development have diverse views about epistemology and the nature of science. The results and conclusions from this study lead to a discussion of implications and recommendations for the planning and design of professional development for science teachers, including the need to making equity and social justice issues an integral part of inquiry and scientific practice.

Lecture to inquiry: The transformation of a tech prep biology teacher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haskell, Deborah Harris

As teachers implement the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996) many have to reform the instructional methods they have used throughout their careers. This case study examines the transformation of Laurie, a 20-year teacher, during her first year of change from a "traditional" textbook/lecture style of teaching to a facilitator of an inquiry-based classroom. Implementing change requires not only pedagogical expertise, but also the belief that the modifications can be made and that the outcomes are significant. Using Bandura's social cognitive theory as a framework, changes in Laurie's self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and motivation are followed throughout the transition. During her first year of change, Laurie used worksheets, small group activities, and guided inquiry activities, all strategies in which she had high self-efficacy and experienced positive student outcomes. She rarely used class forums, authentic assessment, and formative assessment. Factors that influenced her change were experiential professional development opportunities that allowed her to practice inquiry-based techniques, a change in her teaching environment from college prep chemistry to tech prep biology, autonomy regarding classroom decisions, and reflective decision making as she learned through experience. Using a standards-based biology textbook increased her self-efficacy toward using inquiry-based practices. The textbook format of embedding text in activities rather than adding activities to the text resulted in an increase of the number and frequency of activities done. Facilitating the textbook's Guided Inquiries and Extended Inquiries helped Laurie gain experience with inquiry-based methods. She also realized that when building from the students' concrete experiences, her students were able to attain higher-level thinking skills. The study revealed six factors contributing to Laurie's change process: (a) experiential professional development, (b) motivation for change, (c) classroom autonomy, (d) growth through reflective practice, (e) curricular support, and (f) time.

Examining the Impact of a DSP Project through a Comparative Adult Education Lens: A Snapshot of Principal Professional Development for Education Internationalization in Beijing, China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Haijun; Lyu, Lei; Sun, Qi

2016-01-01

Through the lenses of comparative adult education and international educational leadership development, this study explores the learning experiences of local school principals after they participated in a professional development program named "Domestic Study Program" (DSP) in Beijing. A qualitative narrative inquiry was applied and four…

Characterizing the changes in teaching practice during first semester implementation of an argument-based inquiry approach in a middle school science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinney, Brian Robert John

The purpose of this study was to characterize ways in which teaching practice in classroom undergoing first semester implementation of an argument-based inquiry approach changes in whole-class discussion. Being that argument is explicitly called for in the Next Generation Science Standards and is currently a rare practice in teaching, many teachers will have to transform their teaching practice for inclusion of this feature. Most studies on Argument-Based Inquiry (ABI) agree that development of argument does not come easily and is only acquired through practice. Few studies have examined the ways in which teaching practice changes in relation to the big idea or disciplinary core idea (NGSS), the development of dialogue, and/or the development of argument during first semester implementation of an argument-based inquiry approach. To explore these areas, this study posed three primary research questions: (1) How does a teacher in his first semester of Science Writing Heuristic professional development make use of the "big idea"?, (1a) Is the indicated big idea consistent with NGSS core concepts?, (2) How did the dialogue in whole-class discussion change during the first semester of argument-based inquiry professional development?, (3) How did the argument in whole-class discussion change during the first semester of argument-based inquiry professional development? This semester-long study that took place in a middle school in a rural Midwestern city was grounded in interactive constructivism, and utilized a qualitative design to identify the ways in which the teacher utilized big ideas and how dialogue and argumentative dialogue developed over time. The purposefully selected teacher in this study provided a unique situation where he was in his first semester of professional development using the Science Writing Heuristic Approach to argument-based inquiry with 19 students who had two prior years' experience in ABI. Multiple sources of data were collected, including classroom video with transcripts, teacher interview, researcher field notes, student journals, teacher lesson plans from previous years, and a student questionnaire. Data analysis used a basic qualitative approach. The results showed (1) only the first time period had a true big idea, while the other two units contained topics, (2) each semester contained a similar use for the given big idea, though its role in the class was reduced after the opening activity, (3) the types of teacher questions shifted toward students explaining their comprehension of ideas and more students were involved in discussing each idea and for more turns of talk than in earlier time periods, (4) understanding science term definitions became more prominent later in the semester, with more stating science terms occurring earlier in the semester, (5) no significant changes were seen to the use of argument or claims and evidence throughout the study. The findings have informed theory and practice about science argumentation, the practice of whole-class dialogue, and the understanding of practice along four aspects: (1) apparent lack of understanding about big ideas and how to utilize them as the central organizing feature of a unit, (2) independent development of dialogue and argument, (3) apparent lack of understanding about the structure of argument and use of basic terminology with argument and big ideas, (4) challenges of ABI implementation. This study provides insight into the importance of prolonged and persistent professional development with ABI in teaching practice.

Exploring the meaning of practicing classroom inquiry from the perspectives of National Board Certified Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karaman, Ayhan

Inquiry has been one of the most prominent terms of the contemporary science education reform movement (Buck, Latta, & Leslie-Pelecky, 2007; Colburn, 2006; Settlage, 2007). Practicing classroom inquiry has maintained its central position in science education for several decades because science education reform documents promote classroom inquiry as the potential savior of science education from its current problems. Likewise, having the capabilities of teaching science through inquiry has been considered by National Board for Professional Teaching Standards [NBPTS] as one of the essential elements of being an accomplished science teacher. Successful completion of National Board Certification [NBC] assessment process involves presenting a clear evidence of enacting inquiry with students. Despite the high-profile of the word inquiry in the reform documents, the same is not true in schools (Crawford, 2007). Most of the science teachers do not embrace this type of approach in their everyday teaching practices of science (Johnson, 2006; Luera, Moyer, & Everett, 2005; Smolleck, Zembal-Saul, & Yoder, 2006; Trumbull, Scarano, & Bonney, 2006). And the specific meanings attributed to inquiry by science teachers do not necessarily match with the original intentions of science education reform documents (Matson & Parsons, 2006; Wheeler, 2000; Windschitl, 2003). Unveiling the various meanings held by science teachers is important in developing better strategies for the future success of science education reform efforts (Jones & Eick, 2007; Keys & Bryan, 2001). Due to the potential influences of National Board Certified Science Teachers [NBCSTs] on inexperienced science teachers as their mentors, examining inquiry conceptions of NBCSTs is called for. How do these accomplished practitioners understand and enact inquiry? The purpose of this dissertation research study was twofold. First, it investigated the role of NBC performance assessment process on the professional development of science teachers. Second, it examined the meaning of practicing classroom inquiry for National Board Certified Science Teachers [NBCSTs]. Based on the specific cases of four NBCSTs, this naturalistic inquiry study was conducted to answer to those questions with the involvement of the following qualitative data sources: classroom observations, in-depth teacher interviews, and document analyses of teacher portfolios. The specific cases in this study indicated that undergoing the performance assessment process of NBC played an affirmational role for National Board Certified Science Teachers [NBCSTs] in their professional development. Their successful completion of the portfolio assessment process created a sharpened confidence into their existing notions and ways of teaching science. In the study, not all teachers were equally open to science education reform ideas. This meant that NBC experience strengthened the conventional notions of teaching science held by some teachers rather than generating a higher affiliation with the reform ideas. The teacher cases presented in this study denoted that teachers' conceptions of classroom inquiry were driven both by scientific and constructivist rationales. However, NBCSTs failed to create broader operational definitions of classroom inquiry. They tended to reduce the meaning of classroom inquiry into empirical investigations of students. The conventional representation of the scientific method as a stepwise linear process influenced teachers' understandings and practices of classroom inquiry. NBCSTs used inquiry in their classrooms to introduce their students to the cognitive processes and the actions of practicing scientists but not necessarily to teach scientific principles. Their reluctance to teach scientific principles through inquiry developed in parallel to their tendency of associating classroom inquiry with the highest levels of student autonomy. Participant teachers' particular understandings of scientific literacy produced a tension between embracing inquiry more in their teaching practices of science and educating scientifically literate students. The teachers in the study attributed the hurdles that kept them from using more inquiry with their students to external factors. In the final chapter of the dissertation study, these findings were discussed in connection with the education literature.

The impact of inquiry-based instructional professional development upon instructional practice: An action research study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broom, Frances A.

This mixed method case study employs action research, conducted over a three month period with 11 elementary math and science practitioners. Inquiry as an instructional practice is a vital component of math and science instruction and STEM teaching. Teachers examined their beliefs and teaching practices with regard to those instructional factors that influence inquiry instruction. Video-taped lessons were compared to a rubric and pre and post questionnaires along with two interviews which informed the study. The results showed that while most beliefs were maintained, teachers implemented inquiry at a more advanced level after examining their teaching and reflecting on ways to increase inquiry practices. Because instructional practices provide only one component of inquiry-based instruction, other components need to be examined in a future study.

Using Appreciative Inquiry to Explore the Professional Practice of a Midwife Lecturer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Lynn; Giles, David

2009-01-01

This paper reports on an exploration into the professional practice of a lecturer using the appreciative inquiry (AI) approach. This facilitated inquiry intentionally sought to apply the AI approach to the practice of an individual, an application that is different to its predominant usage with groups. The context for this research was the…

Stories of Self and Other: Four In-Service Social Studies Teachers Reflect on Their International Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Timothy

2013-01-01

This study is an examination of the stories four social studies teachers told after participating in one international professional development program. Drawing on theories of postcolonialism, this narrative inquiry uses interviews, observations, and artifacts to investigate if and to what degree travel to and study in China influences the…

Fostering Self-Reflection and Meaningful Learning: Earth Science Professional Development for Middle School Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monet, Julie A.; Etkina, Eugenia

2008-01-01

This paper describes the analysis of teachers' journal reflections during an inquiry-based professional development program. As a part of their learning experience, participants reflected on what they learned and how they learned. Progress of subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge was assessed though surveys and pre- and posttests. We…

Professional Development School Triads Inquiring about Student Work in Elementary Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coon-Kitt, Mary Jayne; Nolan, James F.; Lloyd, Gwendolyn M.; Romig, Gail

2015-01-01

This article reports on a case of cross-role triads (mentor, intern, and supervisor) in a professional development school (PDS) setting engaged in the process of looking at student work in elementary mathematics over time. The study represents a significant effort to understand what inquiry-oriented behavior looks like in this context. By…

Professional Development through Collaborative Inquiry for an Art Education Archipelago

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gates, Leslie

2010-01-01

The culture of isolation in schools leaves many art educators feeling that they are, in a sense, islands. Working from the idea of an island, I use the geographic metaphor of an archipelago as a means to understand the tensions between isolation and collaboration related to professional development for art educators. In this article, I describe…

CSI: Creating Student (and Teacher) Investigators--Using Popular Culture in Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yanowitz, Karen L.; McKay, Tanja; Ross, C. Ann; Vanderpool, Staria S.

2010-01-01

The goal of this article is to present a description of a professional development program designed to immerse middle and high school teachers in an inquiry-based learning environment using a forensic science context and the consequent impact participating in this program had on teachers' pedagogy. Teachers participated in a year-long program…

Action Research as Primary Vehicle for Inquiry in the Professional Development School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tunks, Jeanne L.

2011-01-01

This Yearbook chapter, a compilation of multiple sources, presents both the history of action research and an analysis of reported action research in the professional development school (PDS) between 1992 and 2010. The history begins prior to the inception of the PDS and provides a theoretical premise for action research in the PDS in subsequent…

Changes in High School Chemistry Teacher Beliefs and Practice after a Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spraker, Ralph Everett, Jr.

2010-01-01

This study proposed that when professional development modeled the inquiry-approach and provided time for peer-observed enactment and reflection, it would produce change in in-service chemistry teachers' beliefs and practices. Case study methodology was used to collect a variety of in-depth data on teachers' beliefs and practice including…

A Practice-Centered Approach to Professional Development: Teacher-Librarian Collaboration in Capstone Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harada, Violet H.

2016-01-01

This paper reports on a professional development initiative that targeted teams of teachers and librarians working with high school students on strengthening an inquiry approach to capstone projects. While much has been written about student-focused models for information search and use, little has been reported on how training for the…

The Path from Insight to Action: The Case of an Online Learning Community in Support of Collaborative Teacher Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sessums, Christopher Davis

2009-01-01

Teacher professional development is a complex enterprise (Sprinthall, Reiman, and Thies-Sprinthall, 1996). While many online professional development programs have been introduced over the past several years that provide continuous, job-embedded support, empirical evidence relating what works and what does not has been limited (Whitehouse, Breit,…

Relational Agency and Teacher Development: A CHAT Analysis of a Collaborative Professional Inquiry Project with Biology Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNicholl, Jane

2013-01-01

Teacher quality largely determines student outcomes and many argue for high quality teacher training and professional development (PD). Much PD has been heavily critiqued and what constitutes effective provision for teachers remains contested. Disenfranchisement of teachers, through neglect of prior expertise and failure to acknowledge teachers'…

Illuminating exemplary professionalism using appreciative inquiry dialogues between students and mentors.

PubMed

Butani, Lavjay; Bogetz, Alyssa; Plant, Jennifer

2018-05-25

To explore the types of exemplary professional behaviors and the facilitators and barriers to professional behavior discussed by student-mentor dyads during appreciative inquiry (AI) dialogs. We conducted a qualitative analysis of AI narratives discussing exemplary professional practice written by third-year medical students following a dialog with mentors. Narratives were thematically analyzed using directed content analysis to explore the types of exemplary professional behaviors discussed and the facilitators and barriers to professional practice. Narratives were coded independently by two investigators; codes were finalized, themes were derived, and a model on how exemplary professional behaviors are nurtured and reinforced was developed. Themes addressed humanism toward others and excellence, with altruism being an underlying implicit guiding principle behind professional behavior. Humanism toward self was infrequently discussed as an aspect of professionalism, but when discussed, was perceived to foster resilience. Principle-based attitudes and emotional intelligence facilitated professional behaviors. Programmatic scaffolds facilitated professional behavior and included curricula on reflective practice, mentorship, promoting learner autonomy and connectedness, and a safe environment. AI is an effective strategy that can be used to stimulate learner reflection on professionalism, humanism, and wellness and promote learner acknowledgement of positive aspects of the learning environment.

Mapping the Terrain of Teachers' Professional Lives in Moving Landscapes and Shifting Identities: An Inquiry into a Literacy Coach's Interaction with Title I Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chawla, Santosh

2017-01-01

This study examined how the professional development initiative of Reading Apprenticeship (RA), which included the support of a school-based literacy coach, impacted two high school Title I teachers and their students. In the field of education, much is known about the qualities of professional development which lead to improved learning on the…

Effects of Scaled-Up Professional Development Courses about Inquiry-Based Learning on Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maass, Katja; Engeln, Katrin

2018-01-01

Although well researched in educational studies, inquiry-based learning, a student-centred way of teaching, is far away from being implemented in day-to-day science and mathematics teaching on a large scale. It is a challenge for teachers to adopt this new way of teaching in an often not supportive school context. Therefore it is important to…

The experiences of science teachers' particpation in an inquiry-based professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Emily A.

Once a leader in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, the United States (U.S.) is now far behind many countries. There is growing concern that the U.S. is not preparing a sufficient number of students in the areas of STEM. Despite advancement of inquiry learning in science, the extent to which inquiry learning has been implemented on a classroom level falls short. The purpose of this study was to learn about the experiences of science teachers' participation in an inquiry-based professional development. A mixed method research design was used for this study to collect data from ten Project MISE participants. The qualitative data was collected using semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews, focus group interviews, observations, and document analysis of teacher portfolios and analyzed using constant comparative method. The quantitative data were collected through administration of a pretest and posttest instrument that measures the content knowledge of the science teachers and analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test. The participants of this mixed methods study provided compelling evidence that Project MISE has a profound impact on their instructional practice, networking abilities, opportunities for reflection, and content knowledge.

Promoting cognitive and social aspects of inquiry through classroom discourse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Hui; Wei, Xin; Duan, Peiran; Guo, Yuying; Wang, Wenxia

2016-01-01

We investigated how Chinese physics teachers structured classroom discourse to support the cognitive and social aspects of inquiry-based science learning. Regarding the cognitive aspect, we examined to what extent the cognitive processes underlying the scientific skills and the disciplinary reasoning behind the content knowledge were taught. Regarding the social aspect, we examined how classroom discourse supported student learning in terms of students' opportunities to talk and interaction patterns. Our participants were 17 physics teachers who were actively engaged in teacher education programs in universities and professional development programs in local school districts. We analyzed one lesson video from each participating teacher. The results suggest both promises and challenges. Regarding the cognitive aspect of inquiry, the teachers in general recognized the importance of teaching the cognitive processes and disciplinary reasoning. However, they were less likely to address common intuitive ideas about science concepts and principles. Regarding the social aspect of inquiry, the teachers frequently interacted with students in class. However, it appeared that facilitating conversations among students and prompting students to talk about their own ideas are challenging. We discuss the implications of these findings for teacher education programs and professional development programs in China.

Designing Inquiry Starters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kluger-Bell, B.

2010-12-01

The term "Inquiry Starter" comes from the Institute for Inquiry's model for teaching and learning science through inquiry. It refers to the first phase of an inquiry activity where learners engage in actions that stimulate their curiosity and generate questions for further investigation. In the Professional Development Program, staff and participants have designed a wide variety of inquiry activities with a number of variations on the inquiry starter. This has provided a laboratory for examining inquiry starter design. In this paper, I describe and examine in detail the elements of this design and how the design of those elements is related to achieving learning objectives. There are a number of important common objectives in all inquiry starters. For example, all starters must define a domain for investigation and engage the learner's curiosity in that domain. There are also critical differences in learning objectives depending on the content area being studied, the learners' background knowledge and skills, and many other factors. In this paper I examine designs for both of these types of objectives.

Measuring Model-Based High School Science Instruction: Development and Application of a Student Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fulmer, Gavin W.; Liang, Ling L.

2013-02-01

This study tested a student survey to detect differences in instruction between teachers in a modeling-based science program and comparison group teachers. The Instructional Activities Survey measured teachers' frequency of modeling, inquiry, and lecture instruction. Factor analysis and Rasch modeling identified three subscales, Modeling and Reflecting, Communicating and Relating, and Investigative Inquiry. As predicted, treatment group teachers engaged in modeling and inquiry instruction more than comparison teachers, with effect sizes between 0.55 and 1.25. This study demonstrates the utility of student report data in measuring teachers' classroom practices and in evaluating outcomes of a professional development program.

Mentoring and Coaching in Schools: Professional Learning through Collaborative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burley, Suzanne; Pomphrey, Cathy

2011-01-01

Can mentoring and coaching really improve professional practice? How can research and inquiry improve mentoring and coaching practice? "Mentoring and Coaching in Schools" explores the ways in which mentoring and coaching can be used as a dynamic collaborative process for effective professional learning. It demonstrates how the use of practitioner…

Short-Term Research Experiences with Teachers in Earth and Planetary Sciences and a Model for Integrating Research into Classroom Inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgan, P.; Bloom, J. W.

2006-12-01

For the past three summers, we have worked with in-service teachers on image processing, planetary geology, and earthquake and volcano content modules using inquiry methods that ended with mini-research experiences. Although almost all were science teachers, very few could give a reasonable definition of science at the start of the modules, and very few had a basic grasp of the processes of scientific research and could not include substantive scientific inquiry into their lessons. To build research understanding and confidence, an instructor-student interaction model was used in the modules. Studies have shown that children who participate in classrooms as learning and inquiry communities develop more complex understandings. The same patterns of complex understandings have resulted in similarly structured professional communities of teachers. The model is based on professional communities, emphasizing from the beginning that inquiry is a form of research. Although the actual "research" component of the modules was short, the teachers were identified as professionals and researchers from the start. Research/inquiry participation is therefore an excellent example by which to allow their teachers to learn. Initially the teachers were very reluctant to pose questions. As they were encouraged to share, collaborate, and support each other, the role of the instructor became less of a leader and more of a facilitator, and the confidence of the teachers as professionals and researchers grew. One teacher even remarked, "This is how we should be teaching our kids!' Towards the end of the modules the teachers were ready for their mini- research projects and collaborated in teams of 2-4. They selected their own research topics, but were guided toward research questions that required data collection (from existing studies), some data manipulation, interpretation, and drawing conclusions with respect to the original question. The teachers were enthusiastic about all of their research experiences and overall expressed a new understanding of science and research.

Situating teacher learning in the practice of mathematics and science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartman, Monica Louise

Education reforms propose new content and pedagogy for students. Making such reforms possible in schools depends on creating new content and pedagogy for teachers' learning. This study investigated an approach to support teachers' learning which has been rapidly growing in popularity. Specifically, the study was designed to learn how a collaborative professional development experience, situated in teachers' own practice, might help elementary teachers develop knowledge for teaching. Eleven fourth and fifth grade teachers from two public schools participated in this professional development which was modeled after Japanese Lesson Study. A qualitative research methodology of critical inquiry was used to analyze the data. The researcher was both designer and participant. This intervention gave these teachers opportunities to learn content, pedagogy, and skills for collaborative inquiry, but not all the teachers continued their involvement. Challenges of time, talk and individualism were problems for all and were among the main reasons teachers in one group gave for leaving the program. Three characteristics of the teachers who completed the project included: (a) dissatisfaction with the learning outcomes of their students; (b) participation with colleagues in social activities throughout the school year; (c) an existing trusting relationship with the program facilitator. The features of this new pedagogy of professional development require teachers to break from typical orientations to practice. This produces a paradox. On one hand, many American teachers do not have the skills needed to be expert at this, for the professional culture does not support such work. On the other hand, if teachers are not given opportunities to collaborate in meaningful ways, the skills they need cannot develop. Although, these teachers were not yet experts in this collaborative inquiry process, the skills required began to develop in the course of engaging in this professional development activity. Future research should seek to identify how to address these challenges more directly by design and how to develop structures to change teachers' environment, to help teachers learn to think of themselves as part of a collective rather than individuals, and to learn the language and the nature of criticism when talking to other professionals.

Factors That Advance and Restrict Programme Change and Professional Development in Dental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behar-Horenstein, Linda S.; Roberts, Kellie W.; Zafar, Mueen A.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a professional development initiative using organisational change research studies to frame the inquiry. Two faculty groups and two student groups participated in a total of four focus group interviews to ascertain their perceptions of a new model of pre-clinical dental education. Using a…

We Don't Get Any Training: The Impact of a Professional Development Model on Teaching Practices of Chemistry and Biology Graduate Teaching Assistants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mutambuki, Jacinta M.; Schwartz, Renee

2018-01-01

This study investigated the implementation of best teaching practices by science graduate teaching assistants [GTAs] (3 chemists and 2 biologists) in five inquiry-based, interdisciplinary chemistry-biology experiments during a six-week professional development (PD) program, Engage PD. Additionally, we examined GTAs' experiences in implementing…

Participant-Directed Evaluation: Using Teachers' Own Inquiries to Evaluate Professional Development in Technology Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ham, Vince

2010-01-01

Considering the high levels of time and money invested in teacher professional development programmes in information technologies over recent decades, questions arise as to how effective these programmes have been and by whose lights we are to judge. Based on a critical review of the evaluations of several of our own action-research-based…

A Unique Marine and Environmental Science Program for High School Teachers in Hawai'i: Professional Development, Teacher Confidence, and Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivera, Malia Ana J.; Manning, Mackenzie M.; Krupp, David A.

2013-01-01

Hawai'i is a unique and special place to conduct environmental science inquiry through place based learning and scientific investigation. Here, we describe and evaluate a unique professional development program for science teachers in Hawai'i that integrates the traditional approach of providing training to improve content knowledge, with the…

Preservice Teachers' Professional Development in a Community of Practice Summer Literacy Camp for Children At-Risk: A Sociocultural Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, Janet C.

2006-01-01

This inquiry applied an innovative sociocultural framework to examine transformations in preservice teachers' professional development as they worked with children at-risk in a summer literacy camp. The camp incorporated a community of practice model in which teams of masters and doctoral students mentored small groups of preservice teachers. The…

Applying Program Theory-Driven Approach to Design and Evaluate a Teacher Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Su-ching; Wu, Ming-sui

2016-01-01

This study was the first year of a two-year project which applied a program theory-driven approach to evaluating the impact of teachers' professional development interventions on students' learning by using a mix of methods, qualitative inquiry, and quasi-experimental design. The current study was to show the results of using the method of…

Blending the CoI Model with Jigsaw Technique for Pre-Service Foreign Language Teachers' Continuing Professional Development Using Open Sim and Sloodle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellas, Nikolaos; Boumpa, Anna

2017-01-01

This study seeks to investigate the effect of pre-service foreign language teachers' interactions on their continuing professional development (CPD), using a theoretical instructional design framework consisted of the three presence indicators of a Community of Inquiry (CoI) model and the Jigsaw teaching technique. The investigation was performed…

Exploring a Model of Situated Professional Development: Impact on Classroom Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer, Jonathan; Lotter, Christine; Feller, Robert; Gates, Harry

2011-01-01

A hallmark of current science education reform involves teaching through inquiry. However, the widespread use of inquiry-based instruction in many classrooms has not occurred (Roehrig and Luft in "Int J Sci Educ" 26:3-24, 2004; Schneider et al. in "J Res Sci Teach" 42:283-312, 2005). The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a…

Reading in Mirrors: Using Street Literature to Facilitate Practitioner Inquiry with Urban Public Service Librarians

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irvin Morris, Vanessa

2012-01-01

This dissertation is about a group of African American inner-city public librarians who, over the course of 16 months, read the literary genre Street Lit in an inquiry-based book club for the purpose of professional development. I explore their literary responses to Street Literature to learn what it means to be an educated, African American…

Enriching a Collaborative Teacher Inquiry Discourse: Exploring Teachers' Experiences of a Theory-Framed Discourse in a Singapore Case of Lesson Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Yuen Sze Michelle

2014-01-01

This paper explores how a learning theory enriched a collaborative teacher inquiry discourse where lesson study was adopted as the educational action research model to promote teacher professional development. Four Grade 9-10 biology teachers in Singapore drew from variation theory to collaboratively plan and teach new genetics content as part of…

Scientific Modeling for Inquiring Teachers Network (SMIT'N): The Influence on Elementary Teachers' Views of Nature of Science, Inquiry, and Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akerson, Valarie L.; Townsend, J. Scott; Donnelly, Lisa A.; Hanson, Deborah L.; Tira, Praweena; White, Orvil

2009-01-01

This paper summarizes the findings from a K-6 professional development program that emphasized scientific inquiry and nature of science within the theme of scientific modeling. During the 2-week summer workshop and follow up school year workshops, the instruction modeled a 5-E learning cycle approach. Pre and posttesting measured teachers' views…

From inside the black box: Teacher perceptions of science instruction at the elementary level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrini, Cynthia D.

Science education reform projects aimed at elementary school children arose in the 1960's. The most prevalent of these reforms utilized the inquiry, or hands-on, science method. Billions of dollars have been invested in these reforms. Yet, reports indicate that science is not being taught at the level one might expect in elementary schools. This research was an analysis of the problems and concerns teachers at one school district faced as they tried to implement and sustain elementary inquiry science instruction. The district chosen was a large suburban district in the Western United States. The population was ninety percent Caucasian with a slightly more ethnically diverse school population. This district was chosen because it had an elementary science program for over twenty years and had received national acclaim for that program. The district had a stable and homogeneous staff there was a low administrator and teacher turnover rate and the elementary teaching population was ninety percent Caucasian and ninety percent female. Interviews with administrators and teachers were conducted. Data were collected from focus groups of teachers and science partners. Observations of elementary science classroom instruction and professional development sessions were made. Results of this research indicated that one important key to elementary science reform rests in the hands of teachers. Once the door to the classroom is closed, the teacher can decide to teach or not to teach science. The findings of this research illustrate that teachers hold ideas about science and science instruction that are antithetical to some tenets of inquiry science. Until these ideas are addressed it will be difficult, if not impossible, to implement a systemic elementary inquiry science program. This study demonstrates that professional development for elementary teachers in science needs to change from a focus on the mechanical usage of individual units to a focus on teacher expectations for student achievement. Professional development for teachers in inquiry science must address the cognitive foundations for inquiry science and the benefits students derive from this educational approach. Institutions delivering pre-service training for elementary teachers in science must change the curriculum to reflect these needs.

Developing the critical thinking skills of astrobiology students through creative and scientific inquiry.

PubMed

Foster, Jamie S; Lemus, Judith D

2015-01-01

Scientific inquiry represents a multifaceted approach to explore and understand the natural world. Training students in the principles of scientific inquiry can help promote the scientific learning process as well as help students enhance their understanding of scientific research. Here, we report on the development and implementation of a learning module that introduces astrobiology students to the concepts of creative and scientific inquiry, as well as provide practical exercises to build critical thinking skills. The module contained three distinct components: (1) a creative inquiry activity designed to introduce concepts regarding the role of creativity in scientific inquiry; (2) guidelines to help astrobiology students formulate and self-assess questions regarding various scientific content and imagery; and (3) a practical exercise where students were allowed to watch a scientific presentation and practice their analytical skills. Pre- and post-course surveys were used to assess the students' perceptions regarding creative and scientific inquiry and whether this activity impacted their understanding of the scientific process. Survey results indicate that the exercise helped improve students' science skills by promoting awareness regarding the role of creativity in scientific inquiry and building their confidence in formulating and assessing scientific questions. Together, the module and survey results confirm the need to include such inquiry-based activities into the higher education classroom, thereby helping students hone their critical thinking and question asking skill set and facilitating their professional development in astrobiology.

Mary Budd Rowe: a storyteller of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bianchini, Julie A.

2008-12-01

This article examines Mary Budd Rowe's groundbreaking and far-reaching contributions to science education. Rowe is best known for her research on wait-time: the idea that teachers can improve the quality and length of classroom discussions by waiting at least 3 s before and after student responses. Her wait-time research grew from and helped inform her staunch advocacy of science education as inquiry; Rowe saw wonder and excitement as central to the teaching and learning of science. She spent much of her professional life designing professional development experiences and innovative curriculum materials to help teachers, particularly elementary school teachers, enact inquiry in their classrooms.

Professional Learning in Action: An Inquiry Approach for Teachers of Literacy. Common Core State Standards in Literacy Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riski, Victoria J.; Vogt, Mary Ellen

2016-01-01

Risko and Vogt provide a unique and progressive approach for engaging the professional learning of teachers of literacy, reading specialists, literacy coaches and instructional leaders, content specialists, and administrators. Their deliberate use of Professional Learning signals the importance of educators engaging in authentic and inquiry-based…

Science teachers' utilization of Internet and inquiry-based laboratory lessons after an Internet-delivered professional development program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kathryn Martell

Much of the professional development in the past decades has been single incident experiences. The heart of inservice growth is the sustained development of current knowledge and practices, vital in science education, as reflected in the National Science Education Standards' inquiry and telecommunications components. This study was an exploration of an Internet-delivered professional development experience, utilizing multiple session interactive real-time data sources and semester-long sustained telementoring. Two groups of inservice teachers participated in the study, with only one group receiving a telementored coaching component. Measures of the dependent variable (delivery of an inquiry-based laboratory lesson sequence) were obtained by videotape, and predictive variables (self-analysis of teaching style and content delivery interviews) were administered to the forty veteran secondary school science teacher volunteers. Results showed that teachers in the group receiving semester-long coaching performed significantly better on utilizing the Internet for content research and inquiry-based lesson sequence delivery than the group not receiving the coaching. Members of the coached group were able to select a dedicated listserv, e-mail, chatline or telephone as the medium of coaching. While the members of the coached group used the listserv, the overwhelming preference was to be coached via the telephone. Qualitative analysis indicated that the telephone was selected for its efficiency of time, immediacy of response, and richer dialogue. Perceived barriers to the implementation of the Internet as a real-time data source in science classrooms included time for access, obsolesce of equipment, and logistics of computer to student ratios. These findings suggest that the group of science teachers studied (1) benefited from a sustained coaching experience for inquiry-based lesson delivery, (2) perceived the Internet as a source of content for their curriculum rather than a communication source, and (3) preferred the telephone as a coaching tool for its efficiency and convenience. Utilizing current pedagogy in science and telecommunication tools has served to whet the appetite of the study teachers to develop utilization of the Internet in their classes for real-time data acquisition.

Neuroscience in middle schools: a professional development and resource program that models inquiry-based strategies and engages teachers in classroom implementation.

PubMed

MacNabb, Carrie; Schmitt, Lee; Michlin, Michael; Harris, Ilene; Thomas, Larry; Chittendon, David; Ebner, Timothy J; Dubinsky, Janet M

2006-01-01

The Department of Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota and the Science Museum of Minnesota have developed and implemented a successful program for middle school (grades 5-8) science teachers and their students, called Brain Science on the Move. The overall goals have been to bring neuroscience education to underserved schools, excite students about science, improve their understanding of neuroscience, and foster partnerships between scientists and educators. The program includes BrainU, a teacher professional development institute; Explain Your Brain Assembly and Exhibit Stations, multimedia large-group presentation and hands-on activities designed to stimulate student thinking about the brain; Class Activities, in-depth inquiry-based investigations; and Brain Trunks, materials and resources related to class activities. Formal evaluation of the program indicated that teacher neuroscience knowledge, self-confidence, and use of inquiry-based strategies and neuroscience in their classrooms have increased. Participating teachers increased the time spent teaching neuroscience and devoted more time to "inquiry-based" teaching versus "lecture-based teaching." Teachers appreciated in-depth discussions of pedagogy and science and opportunities for collegial interactions with world-class researchers. Student interest in the brain and in science increased. Since attending BrainU, participating teachers have reported increased enthusiasm about teaching and have become local neuroscience experts within their school communities.

Neuroscience in Middle Schools: A Professional Development and Resource Program That Models Inquiry-based Strategies and Engages Teachers in Classroom Implementation

PubMed Central

MacNabb, Carrie; Schmitt, Lee; Michlin, Michael; Harris, Ilene; Thomas, Larry; Chittendon, David; Ebner, Timothy J.

2006-01-01

The Department of Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota and the Science Museum of Minnesota have developed and implemented a successful program for middle school (grades 5–8) science teachers and their students, called Brain Science on the Move. The overall goals have been to bring neuroscience education to underserved schools, excite students about science, improve their understanding of neuroscience, and foster partnerships between scientists and educators. The program includes BrainU, a teacher professional development institute; Explain Your Brain Assembly and Exhibit Stations, multimedia large-group presentation and hands-on activities designed to stimulate student thinking about the brain; Class Activities, in-depth inquiry-based investigations; and Brain Trunks, materials and resources related to class activities. Formal evaluation of the program indicated that teacher neuroscience knowledge, self-confidence, and use of inquiry-based strategies and neuroscience in their classrooms have increased. Participating teachers increased the time spent teaching neuroscience and devoted more time to “inquiry-based” teaching versus “lecture-based teaching.” Teachers appreciated in-depth discussions of pedagogy and science and opportunities for collegial interactions with world-class researchers. Student interest in the brain and in science increased. Since attending BrainU, participating teachers have reported increased enthusiasm about teaching and have become local neuroscience experts within their school communities. PMID:17012205

An examination of how middle school science teachers conduct collaborative inquiry and reflection about students' conceptual understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todd-Gibson, Christine

This qualitative case study examined how middle school science teachers conducted collaborative inquiry and reflection about students' conceptual understanding, and how individual teachers in the middle school science group acted and made reflections in response to their collaborative inquiry. It also examined external influences that affected the teachers' ability to engage in collaborative inquiry. Observational, written, and interview data were collected from observations of teachers' face-to-face meetings and reflections, individual interviews, a focus group interview, and online reflections. The results of this study revealed that collaborative inquiry is a form of professional development that includes answering curricular questions through observation, communication, action, and reflection. This approach was developed and implemented by middle school science teachers. The premise of an inquiry is based on a need with students. Middle school science teachers came to consensus about actions to affect students' conceptual understanding, took action as stated, and shared their reflections of the actions taken with consideration to current and upcoming school activities. Activities involved teachers brainstorming and sharing with one another, talking about how the variables were merged into their curriculum, and how they impacted students' conceptual understanding. Teachers valued talking with one another about science content and pedagogy, but did find the inquiry portion of the approach to require more development. The greatest challenge to conducting collaborative inquiry and reflection was embedding teacher inquiry within a prescribed inquiry that was already being conducted by the Sundown School District. Collaborative inquiry should be structured so that it meets the needs of teachers in order to attend to the needs of students. A conducive atmosphere for collaborative inquiry and reflection is one in which administrators make the process mandatory and facilitate the process by removing an existing inquiry.

The Essence of Teacher Leadership: A Phenomenological Inquiry of Professional Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowery-Moore, Hollis; Latimer, Robin M.; Villate, Vanessa M.

2016-01-01

Teacher leadership is a key to school reform (Fullan, 2005), yet it is not a widely practiced educational application (Crowther, 2009). Collay (2006) called for education faculty to assist teachers in developing powerful professional identities, but in order for university faculty to become partners in preparing teacher leaders, programs must…

An Exploration of Emerging Professional Identity in Women Osteopathic Medical Students: Does Gender Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunatov, Linda J.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this narrative inquiry study was to gain a richer understanding from the perspective of gender about how third and fourth year women osteopathic medical students at the University of Pikeville-Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (KYCOM) constructed their developing professional identities as future osteopathic physicians. This…

California School Boards: Professional Development and the Masters in Governance Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canal, Sergio Alfredo

2013-01-01

The California School Board Association's (CSBA) Professional Governance Standards, Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal's framework for leadership and management, and the Lighthouse Inquiry of the Iowa Association of School Boards provided the framework to understand the impact of the Masters in Governance (MIG) training provided by the CSBA on school…

Developing and Embedding Inquiry-Guided Learning across an Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Martin; Healey, Mick

2012-01-01

The University of Gloucestershire, located in the southwest of the United Kingdom, is a small university with approximately 7,500 full-time students and 400 teaching staff. It has three faculties, all with a professional or applied focus: (1) Media, Art, and Technology; (2) Business, Education, and Professional Studies; and (3) Applied Sciences.…

University/School District Reflection in Teacher Education: A Collaborative Inquiry Approach. (The Portland State University/East Multnomah County Project: "Classroom As Families" Teacher Education Program).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driscoll, Amy; Nagel, Nancy

This study describes two phases of the planning of a professional development center for teaching and teacher education, utilizing a reflective and collaborative inquiry approach. Two themes guided the study: (1) the dissonance between teacher education and teaching; and (2) preparation of teachers to respond to the changing population of children…

Creating pedagogical spaces for developing doctor professional identity.

PubMed

Clandinin, D Jean; Cave, Marie-Therese

2008-08-01

Working with doctors to develop their identities as technically skilled as well as caring, compassionate and ethical practitioners is a challenge in medical education. One way of resolving this derives from a narrative reflective practice approach to working with residents. We examine the use of such an approach. This paper draws on a 2006 study carried out with four family medicine residents into the potential of writing, sharing and inquiring into parallel charts in order to help develop doctor identity. Each resident wrote 10 parallel charts over 10 weeks. All residents met bi-weekly as a group with two researchers to narratively inquire into the stories told in their charts. One parallel chart and the ensuing group inquiry about the chart are described. In the narrative reflective practice process, one resident tells of working with a patient and, through writing, sharing and inquiry, integrates her practice and how she learned to be a doctor in one cultural setting into another cultural setting; another resident affirms her relational way of practising medicine, and a third resident begins to see the complexity of attending to patients' experiences. The process shows the importance of creating pedagogical spaces to allow doctors to tell and retell, through narrative inquiry, their stories of their experiences. This pedagogical approach creates spaces for doctors to individually develop their own stories by which to live as doctors through narrative reflection on their interwoven personal, professional and cultural stories as they are shaped by, and enacted within, their professional contexts.

33 CFR 137.35 - Inquiries by an environmental professional.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... professional. 137.35 Section 137.35 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND...: STANDARDS FOR CONDUCTING ALL APPROPRIATE INQUIRIES UNDER THE INNOCENT LAND-OWNER DEFENSE Standards and... the specific qualifications based on education, training, and experience to assess the nature, history...

33 CFR 137.35 - Inquiries by an environmental professional.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... professional. 137.35 Section 137.35 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND...: STANDARDS FOR CONDUCTING ALL APPROPRIATE INQUIRIES UNDER THE INNOCENT LAND-OWNER DEFENSE Standards and... the specific qualifications based on education, training, and experience to assess the nature, history...

33 CFR 137.35 - Inquiries by an environmental professional.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Inquiries by an environmental professional. 137.35 Section 137.35 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE POLLUTION FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND COMPENSATION OIL SPILL LIABILITY...

33 CFR 137.35 - Inquiries by an environmental professional.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Inquiries by an environmental professional. 137.35 Section 137.35 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE POLLUTION FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND COMPENSATION OIL SPILL LIABILITY...

Developing the Critical Thinking Skills of Astrobiology Students through Creative and Scientific Inquiry

PubMed Central

Lemus, Judith D.

2015-01-01

Abstract Scientific inquiry represents a multifaceted approach to explore and understand the natural world. Training students in the principles of scientific inquiry can help promote the scientific learning process as well as help students enhance their understanding of scientific research. Here, we report on the development and implementation of a learning module that introduces astrobiology students to the concepts of creative and scientific inquiry, as well as provide practical exercises to build critical thinking skills. The module contained three distinct components: (1) a creative inquiry activity designed to introduce concepts regarding the role of creativity in scientific inquiry; (2) guidelines to help astrobiology students formulate and self-assess questions regarding various scientific content and imagery; and (3) a practical exercise where students were allowed to watch a scientific presentation and practice their analytical skills. Pre- and post-course surveys were used to assess the students' perceptions regarding creative and scientific inquiry and whether this activity impacted their understanding of the scientific process. Survey results indicate that the exercise helped improve students' science skills by promoting awareness regarding the role of creativity in scientific inquiry and building their confidence in formulating and assessing scientific questions. Together, the module and survey results confirm the need to include such inquiry-based activities into the higher education classroom, thereby helping students hone their critical thinking and question asking skill set and facilitating their professional development in astrobiology. Key Words: Scientific inquiry—Critical thinking—Curriculum development—Astrobiology—Microbialites. Astrobiology 15, 89–99. PMID:25474292

An investigation of a professional development model in science education: A systems approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, Glenda Love

The Mathematics and Science Cooperative (MSEC), a four year longevity model of professional development education for in-service teachers, is closely aligned with the spirit and tenets of science for all. This partnership of a university, a school district, and a higher education coordinating board, seeks to promote and improve science and mathematics achievement for underserved and underrepresented populations. This study sought to explore how this model affects elementary in-service teachers' feelings of self-efficacy toward science and science teaching. Interactive Qualitative Research (IQR), a systems approach of natural inquiry, was used for this study. Theory is grounded in the data collected and analyzed through group processes. A core group of teachers, key teachers representing grades one through six and lead teachers the campus contact representatives, received professional development education from university professors in semi-monthly after school workshops and in a three week summer science institute held on-site. In this study, (N = 18) key and lead teachers participated in a focus group, a picture board exercise (a projective type exercise), interviews, and classroom observations. Within the system of the MSEC professional development model, cause and effect relationships among eleven phenomena were identified which had the greatest impact on the teachers' feelings of self-efficacy and science teaching practices. Changed teaching practices were indicated by inquiry-based science lessons with students as active learners. Five principles of self-efficacy: (1) efficacy; (2) goals setting; (3) values; (4) expectancy; and, (5) control beliefs were used to evaluate efficacy beliefs. Findings from the data collection and analysis identified two phenomena, the university instructional leadership role and teacher time commitments and time constraints, both internally and externally imposed, which seemed to have the greatest impact on elementary teachers' efficacy and science teaching practices. Provision of science materials and equipment and college level science content, process skills, and pedagogical skills knowledge facilitated by the university and the amount of time teachers chose to commit to professional development education work sessions and to the preparation and implementation of inquiry-based instruction in contrast to other professional and personal commitments were significant factors.

Cultivating a Community of Learners in a Distance Learning Postgraduate Course for Language Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konstantinidis, Angelos; Goria, Cecilia

2016-01-01

The purpose of this contribution is to share reflections and practices in cultivating a community of learners in the context of a professional development programme at Master's level for language teachers. The programme implements a highly participatory pedagogical model of online learning which combines the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model…

Masks as Self-Study. Challenging and Sustaining Teachers' Personal and Professional Personae in Early-Mid Career Life Phases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leitch, Ruth

2010-01-01

Drawing on previous research identifying how teachers' capacities to sustain their effectiveness in different phases of their professional lives are affected positively and/or negatively by their sense of identity, this paper illuminates three early-mid career teachers' self-study inquiries, centring on mask work. The creative development of…

Cycles of Inquiry: Formative Assessment in Service of Learning in Classrooms and in School-Based Professional Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birenbaum, Menucha; Kimron, Helena; Shilton, Hany; Shahaf-Barzilay, Rinat

2009-01-01

The paper reports results of three studies that used a formative assessment (FA) framework to compare schools that vary in their level of functioning as professional learning communities with respect to three processes: classroom assessment (study 1), development and implementation of school-based curriculum (study 2), and pedagogical…

Survey of K-12 Science Teachers' Educational Product Needs from Planetary Scientists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slater, Stephanie J.; Slater, Timothy F.; Olsen, Julia K.

2009-01-01

Most education reform documents of the last two decades call for students to have authentic science inquiry experiences that mimic scientific research using real scientific data. In order for professional planetary scientists to provide the most useful data and professional development for K-12 teachers in support of science education reform, an…

Schools as Artifacts: Critical Autoethnography and Teacher Renewal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benoit, Brian Andrew

2016-01-01

This article examines how past memories can shape how we see the present and future in the context of teacher education and professional development. Using qualitative inquiry, drawing in particular on self-study and memory-work, I explore the ways in which critical autoethnography can serve as a tool for personal and professional growth in the…

Teaching Environmental Geochemistry: An Authentic Inquiry Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koretsky, Carla M.; Petcovic, Heather L.; Rowbotham, Katherine L.

2012-01-01

A field-based environmental geochemistry course was developed at Western Michigan University for undergraduate geosciences and environmental studies students to (1) improve student understanding of complex environmental systems, specifically targeting lake systems; (2) facilitate student development of professional-level, field- and…

Epistemology, development, and integrity in a science education professional development program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hancock, Elizabeth St. Petery

This research involved interpretive inquiry to understand changes in the notion of "self" as expressed by teachers recently enrolled as graduate students in an advanced degree program in science education at Florida State University. Teachers work in a context that integrates behavior, social structure, culture, and intention. Within this context, this study focused on the intentional realm that involves interior understandings, including self-epistemology, professional self-identity, and integrity. Scholarship in adult and teacher development, especially ways of knowing theory, guided my efforts to understand change in these notions of self. The five participants in this study were interviewed in depth to explore their "self"-related understandings in detail. The other primary data sources were portfolios and work the participants submitted as part of the program. Guided by a constructivist methodology, I used narrative inquiry and grounded theory to conduct data analysis. As learners and teachers, these individuals drew upon epistemological orientations emphasizing a procedural orientation to knowledge. They experienced varying degrees of interior and exterior development in self and epistemology. They created integrity in their efforts to align their intentions with their actions with a dynamic relationship to context. This study suggests that professional development experiences in science education include consideration of the personal and the professional, recognize and honor differing perspectives, facilitate development, and assist individuals to recognize and articulate their integrity.

The Professional Identity of Three Innovative Teachers Engaging in Sustained Knowledge Building Using Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vokatis, Barbara; Zhang, Jianwei

2016-01-01

Diffusing inquiry-based pedagogy in schools for deep and lasting change requires teacher transformation and capacity building. This study characterizes the professional identity of three elementary school teachers who have productively engaged in inquiry-based classroom practice using knowledge building pedagogy and Knowledge Forum, a…

Educator Exploration of Authentic Environmental Issues of the Coastal Margin Through Information Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbert, B. E.; Schielack, J. F.

2004-12-01

Teachers immersed in authentic science inquiry in professional development programs, with the goal of transferring the nature of scientific research to the classroom, face two enormous problems: (1) issues surrounding the required knowledgebase, skills set, and habits of mind of the teachers that control, to a large degree, the ability of teachers to immerse themselves in authentic scientific research in the available time, and (2) the difficulties in transferring this experience to the classroom. Most professional development programs utilize one of two design models, the first limits the authenticity of the scientific experience while placing more emphasis on pedagogical issues, and second where teachers are immersed in scientific research, often through mentoring programs with scientists, but with less explicit attention to problems of transfer to the classroom. The ITS Center for Teaching and Learning (its.tamu.edu), a five-year NSF-funded collaborative program that engages scientists, educational researchers, and educators in the use of information technology to improve science teaching and learning at all levels, has developed a model that supports teachers' learning about authentic scientific research, pedagogical training in inquiry-based learning, and educational research in their own classrooms on the impacts of using information technology to promote authentic science experiences for their students. This connection is achieved through scaffolding by information technology that supports the modeling, visualization and exploration of complex data sets to explore authentic scientific questions that can be integrated within the 7-16 curriculum. Our professional development model constitutes a Learning Research Cycle, which is characterized as a seamless continuum of inquiry activities and prolonged engagement in a learning community of educators, scientists, and mathematicians centered on the development of teachers' pedagogical content knowledge as it relates to the use of information technology in doing, learning, and teaching science. This talk will explore the design changes of the geoscience team of the ITS as it moved from Phase I (the planned program designed in-house) to Phase II (the experimental program being tested in-house) over two, two-year cohorts. We have assessed the impact of our Learning Research Cycle model on ITS participants using both a mixed model assessment of learning products, surveys, interviews, and teacher inquiry projects. Assessment results indicate that teachers involved in the second cohort improved their understanding of geoscience and inquiry-based learning, while improving their ability to establish authentic inquiry in their classrooms through the use of information technology and to assess student learning.

Modeling Teacher Professional Development Through a Telescope Making Workshop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meredith, J. T.; Schleigh, S. P.; Lee, T. D.

2010-08-01

The International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) provides a springboard to develop innovative enduring educational programming directed toward astronomy education. We examine current professional development models focusing on astronomy and discuss the need for improvement. We propose a professional development design that follows the medical field philosophy using a low cost telescope making workshop as a vehicle to test and modify the model. The workshop promotes teacher content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and develops skills and confidence in an inquiry, integrative lesson. This model can be shared with professional development leaders, coordinators and teachers in any topic or level of education. Professional development designs such as the proposed promote excitement and interest in astronomy and makes it possible for underserved and economically depressed regions to have opportunities to promote the values of scientific investigation, STEM education, and public awareness of astronomy.

Collaborative Inquiry and the Professional Development of Science Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Gaalen L.

1991-01-01

Argues that the nature and meaning of collaborative relationships depend upon their particular, practical context. Describes an ongoing collaborative research project, the Students' Intuitions and Science Instruction Group (University of British Columbia), detailing its research agenda, postulates pertaining to teacher development, collaborative…

Professional development, practice, and teacher discourse communities: How an urban high school science teacher negotiated inquiry practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deneroff, Victoria Matzenauer

This is an ethnographic case study of one urban high school science teacher who was attempting to use inquiry-based teaching in her practice. Rather than focusing on pedagogy, the study examines the social networks and communities of practice in which Marie Gonzalez participated. I make the argument that science teaching is a Discourse (Gee, 1990), and that teaching inquiry science means constructing an identity as a participant in what I call the Discourse of Inquiry. I also use discourse analysis to tease out a Discourse of Traditional Science Teaching. I conclude that the Traditional and Inquiry Discourses mediate a teacher's ideas of what it means to teach, and that, while Inquiry teachers are "bilingual", that is, able to participate in both Discourses, Traditional teachers are deaf to the Discourse of Inquiry. Moreover, in my study there is convincing evidence that administrators charged with evaluation were also unfamiliar with the Discourse of Inquiry and were therefore unable to provide support for Marie's inquiry practice. In light of these findings, it is not at all surprising that Marie found it quite difficult to use inquiry-based pedagogy. In order for teachers to adopt discourse-based reforms such as inquiry, the Discourse must be available to teachers in their workplaces.

Effects of an Interdisciplinary Science Professional Development Program on Teacher Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Science Inquiry Instruction, and Student Understanding of Science Crosscutting Concepts in Twelve Public Schools: A Multi-Level Modeling Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Yang

2017-01-01

Systematic studies on effectiveness of in-service teacher professional development (PD) are important for science education research and practice. Previous studies mostly focus on one certain aspect of the entire program, for example, effectiveness of PD on improvement of teachers' knowledge or students' learning outcomes. This study, however,…

Teacher learning in technology professional development and its impact on student achievement in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyunju; Longhurst, Max; Campbell, Todd

2017-07-01

This research investigated teacher learning and teacher beliefs in a two-year technology professional development (TPD) for teachers and its impact on their student achievement in science in the western part of the United States. Middle-school science teachers participated in TPD focused on information communication technologies (ICTs) and their applications in science inquiry pedagogy. Three self-reporting teacher instruments were used alongside their student achievement scores on the end-of-year state-science-test. The teacher self-reporting measures investigated technological literacy, ICT capabilities, and pedagogical beliefs about science inquiry pedagogy. Data were collected every year, and descriptive statistics, t-tests, and Pearson's correlations were used for analysis. We found teachers' technological skills and ICT capabilities increasing over time with significant gains each year. Additionally, teachers' pedagogical beliefs changed to become more science inquiry oriented over time; however, the gains were not significant until after the second year of TPD. Comparisons of teacher learning and belief measures with student achievement revealed that the students' performance was correlated to teachers' pedagogical beliefs about science inquiry, but not to their technological skills nor to their ICT capabilities. This research suggests that pedagogical considerations should be foregrounded in TPD and that this may require more longitudinal TPD to ensure that technology integration in science instruction is consequential to student learning.

From Pre-Service to In-Service Teachers: A Longitudinal Investigation of the Professional Development of English Language Teachers in Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gu, Mingyue Michelle

2013-01-01

This study reports on a longitudinal inquiry into professional identity construction among six novice cross-border English language teachers from mainland China, who completed their pre-service teacher education in Hong Kong (HK) and began their teaching practice in local HK schools. The findings indicate that the participants navigated obstacles…

Adult Education in the Federal Republic of Germany: Scholarly Approaches and Professional Practice. Monographs on Comparative and Area Studies in Adult Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mader, Wilhelm, Ed.

This monograph offers insight into the development of the conceptual basis, scholarly inquiry, and professional practice of adult education in West Germany from the end of World War II to the German reunification. Introductory materials are an "Introduction" (Wilhelm Mader) and "Translator's Note and Acknowledgements" (Martin…

Autoethnography: Inquiry into Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoppes, Steve

2014-01-01

This chapter provides guidelines and suggestions for assessing student development using autoethnography, a qualitative research method. Autoethnography guides students in examining the nexus between personal and professional identities, including skills, challenges, values, histories, and hopes for the future.

Collaborative Inquiry Uses Data To Get Results.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ready, Diane E.

2001-01-01

Describes the Concorde model and its training sessions, which are funded by the U.S. Department of Education, for the professional development of mathematics teachers. Uses practical data collection and analysis to improve student learning. (YDS)

The Chameleon on a Tartan Rug: Adaptations of Three Academic Developers' Professional Identities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kensington-Miller, Barbara; Renc-Roe, Joanna; Morón-García, Susan

2015-01-01

This paper builds on discussions of academic developers' identity experienced as a discomfiting, troubled, and often marginal space. Three experienced academic developers, located in research-intensive institutions in three different countries, using auto-ethnographic writing and a shared narrative inquiry, explore moments of congruence and…

Elementary Teacher's Conceptions of Inquiry Teaching: Messages for Teacher Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ireland, Joseph E.; Watters, James J.; Brownlee, Jo; Lupton, Mandy

2012-02-01

This study explored practicing elementary school teacher's conceptions of teaching in ways that foster inquiry-based learning in the science curriculum (inquiry teaching). The advocacy for inquiry-based learning in contemporary curricula assumes the principle that students learn in their own way by drawing on direct experience fostered by the teacher. That students should be able to discover answers themselves through active engagement with new experiences was central to the thinking of eminent educators such as Pestalozzi, Dewey and Montessori. However, even after many years of research and practice, inquiry learning as a referent for teaching still struggles to find expression in the average teachers' pedagogy. This study drew on interview data from 20 elementary teachers. A phenomenographic analysis revealed three conceptions of teaching for inquiry learning in science in the elementary years of schooling: (a) The Experience-centered conception where teachers focused on providing interesting sensory experiences to students; (b) The Problem-centered conception where teachers focused on engaging students with challenging problems; and (c) The Question-centered conception where teachers focused on helping students to ask and answer their own questions. Understanding teachers' conceptions has implications for both the enactment of inquiry teaching in the classroom as well as the uptake of new teaching behaviors during professional development, with enhanced outcomes for engaging students in Science.

Teachers' Inquiry Stance: Collaboration through Data Analysis in a Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haack, Darin Marcus

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how teachers experience a stance toward inquiry through participation in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). In order to meet this objective, the following questions framed this research: (1) How do individual teachers make meaning of the epistemological and dialogic aspects of…

Collaborative Inquiry and the Shared Workspace of Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, Daniel

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore educator collaborative inquiry in the shared workspace in professional learning communities (PLCs). Specifically, this investigation was part of an ongoing investigation of well-established PLC collaborative interactions and self-directed learning of educators as part of the shared workspace as a…

The Soul of Teaching and Professional Learning: An Appreciative Inquiry into the Enneagram of Reflective Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luckcock, Tim

2007-01-01

This paper makes a contribution to the theory and practice of educational action research by introducing two theoretical and methodological resources as part of a personal review of sustained professional experience: "appreciative inquiry" and the "enneagram". It is more than a theoretical exercise, however, because it also…

The Effects of a Science-Focused STEM Intervention on Gifted Elementary Students' Science Knowledge and Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Ann; Dailey, Debbie; Hughes, Gail; Cotabish, Alicia

2014-01-01

To develop Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) talents, both researchers and policy developers recommend that educators begin early. In this randomized study, we document the efficacy of teacher professional development and a rich problem-based inquiry curriculum to develop the science talent of elementary students. The…

Teacher Collaborative Inquiry in the Context of Literacy Education: Examining the Effects on Teacher Self-Efficacy, Instructional and Assessment Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciampa, Katia; Gallagher, Tiffany L.

2016-01-01

This case study research reports on elementary (grade 8) and secondary school (grade 9) teachers' participation in job-embedded, professional learning and engagement in collaborative inquiry. Teachers constructed an inquiry-oriented media literacy unit following the collaborative inquiry model. The current study sought to investigate how…

Teacher Perceptions of Inquiry and STEM Education in Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahidullah, Kazi K.

This dissertation reports lower secondary science teachers perceptions of current practice in Dhaka, Bangladesh concerning inquiry and STEM Education in order to establish a baseline of data for reform of science education in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has been trying to incorporate inquiry-based science curricula since the 1970s. Over time, the science curricula also aligned with different international science education movements such as Science for All, Scientific Literacy, Science, Technology, and Society. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is the most recent science education movement in international science education. This study explored current practices and perceptions of lower secondary science teachers in order to establish a baseline of current practice so that future reform recommendations may be pursued and recommendations made for Bangladesh to overcome the inquiry-based challenges and to incorporate new STEM-based science education trends happening in the US and throughout the world. The study explored science teachers perceptions and readiness to transform their science classrooms based on self-reported survey. The survey utilized Likert-type scale with range 1 (very strongly disagree) to 6 (very strongly agree) among four hundred lower secondary science teachers, teacher training college faculty, and university faculty. The data is presented in four different categories: curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development. Results indicated that the participants understand and practice a certain level of inquiry in their science classrooms, though they do not have adequate professional development. Participants also stated that they do not have sufficient instructional materials and the curriculum is not articulated enough to support inquiry. On the other hand, the participants reported that they understand and practice a certain degree of inquiry and STEM-based science education, but they also state that the current curriculum and instructional materials are not sufficient to practice inquiry nor to integrate more than one or two disciplines with science as is required in STEM integrated teaching. Finally, this study recommends a framework for science education reform for Bangladesh based upon a combination of successful international science education reformation practices.

Inquiry-based science: Preparing human capital for the 21 st century and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyd, Yolanda F.

High school students need to graduate with 21st century skills to be college and career ready and to be competitive in a global marketplace. A positive trend exists favoring inquiry-based instructional practices that purportedly not only increase science content knowledge, but also 21 st century skill development. A suburban school district, Areal Township (pseudonym), implemented an inquiry-based science program based on this trend; however, the degree to which the program has been meeting students' needs for science content knowledge and 21st century skills development has not been explored. If we were to understand the process by which an inquiry-based science program contributes to attainment of science content and 21st century skill development, then we might be able to improve the delivery of the program and provide a model to be adopted by other schools. Therefore, the purpose of this descriptive case study was to engage with multiple stakeholders to formatively assess the successes and obstacles for helping students to achieve science content and 21st century skills through an inquiry-based curriculum. Using constructivist theory, this study aimed to address the following central research question: How does the implementation of an inquiry-based program within the Areal Township School District (ATSD) support the acquisition of science content knowledge and the development of 21st century skills? This study found that 21st century skill development is embedded in inquiry-based instructional practices. These practices engage students in meaningful learning that spirals in content and is measured using diverse assessments. Time to do inquiry-based science and adequate time for collegial collaboration were obstacles for educators in grades K-5. Other obstacles were turnkey professional development and a lack of ongoing program monitoring, as a result of imposed extrinsic factors from state and federal mandates. Lastly, it was discovered that not all parts of the curriculum adopted a full inquiry-based approach.

Primary teachers conducting inquiry projects: effects on attitudes towards teaching science and conducting inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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 about teaching science and felt less dependent on contextual factors compared to the control group. With regard to attitude towards conducting inquiry, teachers felt less anxious and more able to conduct an inquiry project. There were no effects on other attitude components, such as self-efficacy beliefs or relevance beliefs, or on self-reported science teaching behaviour. These results indicate that practitioner research may have a partially positive effect on teachers' attitudes, but that it may not be sufficient to fully change primary teachers' attitudes and their actual science teaching behaviour. In comparison, a previous study showed that attitude-focused professional development in science education has a more profound impact on primary teachers' attitudes and science teaching behaviour. In our view, future interventions aiming to stimulate science teaching should combine both approaches, an explicit focus on attitude change together with familiarisation with inquiry, in order to improve primary teachers' attitudes and classroom practices.

GeoInquiries: Addressing a Grand Challenge for Teaching with GIS in Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DiBiase, D.; Baker, T.

2016-12-01

According to the National Research Council (2006), geographic information systems (GIS) is a powerful tool for expanding students' abilities to think spatially, a critical skill for future STEM professionals. However, educators in mainstream subjects in U.S. education have struggled for decades to use GIS effectively in classrooms. GeoInquiries are no cost, standards-based (NGSS or AP), Creative Commons-licensed instructional activities that guide inquiry around map-based concepts found in key subjects like Earth and environmental science. Web maps developed for GeoInquiries expand upon printed maps in leading textbooks by taking advantage of 21st GIS capabilities. GeoInquiry collections consist of 15 activities, each chosen to offer a map-based activity every few weeks throughout the school year. GeoInquiries use a common inquiry instructional framework, learned by many educators during their teacher preparation coursework. GeoInquiries are instructionally flexible - acting as much like building blocks for crafting custom activities as finished instructional materials. Over a half million geoinquiries will be accessed in the next twelve months - serving an anticipated 15 million students. After a generation of outreach to the educators, GIS is finally finding its way the mainstream.

Synchronous Online Collaborative Professional Development for Elementary Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Krista; Jacobsen, Michele

2013-01-01

Math is often taught poorly emphasizing rote, procedural methods rather than creativity and problem solving. Alberta Education developed a new mathematics curriculum to transform mathematics teaching to inquiry driven methods. This revised curriculum provides a new vision for mathematics and creates opportunities and requirements for professional…

It Takes a Village: Supporting Inquiry- and Equity-Oriented Computer Science Pedagogy through a Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryoo, Jean; Goode, Joanna; Margolis, Jane

2015-01-01

This article describes the importance that high school computer science teachers place on a teachers' professional learning community designed around an inquiry- and equity-oriented approach for broadening participation in computing. Using grounded theory to analyze four years of teacher surveys and interviews from the Exploring Computer Science…

Dramatizing the Authentic Research of a Local Scientist to Urban Elementary Students through Professional Theater

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgin, Stephen R.; Alonzo, Jenifer; Hill, Victoria J.

2016-01-01

This article focuses on the impact of a professional play that we developed in order to introduce elementary learners of an urban school to the research of a scientist working at a local university. The play was written in a way that might increase student understandings of the nature of science, scientific inquiry, the identity of scientists, and…

The Lifenet View: Fostering Contextual Understanding in the Professional Education Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Jan

2010-01-01

The work described in this article represents an effort to foster a contextual understanding of human development in culturally and developmentally diverse classrooms through autobiographical reflection and reflexive inquiry. The author's goal is to use the exercise to foster "deep learning" about human development and to develop a classroom…

Recognizing the Importance of Critical and Postmodern Possibilities for Instructional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jamison, P. K.

This presentation is based on two essays by the author (P. K. Jamison): (1) "Providing Alternative Views of Contexts, Instruction, and Learning in Graduate and Continuing Professional Education Courses in Instructional Development"; and (2) "How Is Instructional Development a Social Practice?". The first essay presents a critical inquiry,…

Using guided inquiry and the information search process to develop research confidence among first year anatomy students.

PubMed

Bentley, Danielle Christine; Robinson, Andrea Cristina; Ruscitti, Robert Joseph

2015-01-01

With the growing volume of obtainable medical information and scientific literature, it is crucial that students in the field of allied health professions develop and refine the research skill set necessary to effectively find, retrieve, analyze, and use this information. This skill set can be effectively developed using student inquiry; an active learning process where students answer questions using research and data analysis. Therefore, with the pedagogical goal of developing information literacy among a cohort of allied health professional trainees, first year students studying human anatomy completed inquiry-based projects that were structured within the framework of the Information Search Process. This article thoroughly describes the conceptualization, creation, improvement, implementation, and assessment of the projects beginning with version one, the Student Inquiry Projects. Following a pilot of the Student Inquiry Projects various evidence-based improvements resulted in the final project version called the Inquiry Guided Learning Projects (IGLPs). A full assessment of the IGLPs revealed that students' self-perceived confidence improved for all tested research skills including: research question development, research question selection, exploration of peer-review literature, acquisition of resources, effective communication of results, and literature citation (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, six months following project completion students retained improved confidence in research question development and effective communication of results, with 90% of students indicating the IGLPs were directly responsible for these improvements. By guiding students through the Information Search Process, the IGLPs successfully developed research confidence among allied health trainees. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

Interrupting Situated Practices: Critical Incidents in International Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flint, Amy Seely; Albers, Peggy; Matthews, Mona

2018-01-01

This paper examines the initial steps of an internationally funded project focused on enhancing teachers' conceptual and pedagogical knowledge of literacy development in the Western Cape of South Africa. We asked what are the tensions and breakthroughs when engaged in international teacher professional development? Four lines of inquiry support…

Developing New Understandings of PDS Work: Better Problems, Better Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dana, Nancy Fitchman; Silva, Diane Yendol; Gimbert, Belinda; Nolan, Jim, Jr.; Zembal-Saul, Carla; Tzur, Ron; Mule, Lucy; Sanders, Lynne

2001-01-01

Demonstrates how analyzing the evolution of long-term Professional Development School (PDS) problems can serve as indicators of PDS growth, identifying three persistent problems (building trust and relationships between university and school personnel, reconceptualizing existing coursework to fit in the PDS context, and making inquiry a central…

MOOCs and Museums: Not Such Strange Bedfellows

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazzola, Lisa

2015-01-01

In April 2013, The Museum of Modern Art entered into a partnership with MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) provider Coursera to offer professional development opportunities for K-12 teachers all over the world. Since entering into that partnership, MoMA has developed two MOOCs: "Art and Inquiry: Museum Teaching Strategies for Your…

Exemplary Science: Best Practices in Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yager, Robert E.

2005-01-01

This collection of 16 essays is ideal for staff development providers (university faculty, district supervisors, lead teachers, and principals) as well as preservice science methods instructors. Each essay describes a specific program designed to train current or future teachers to carry out the constructivist, inquiry-based approach of the…

Tangled paths: Three experienced teachers' growth in understanding during an extended science community of practice professional development effort

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Nancy Melamed

This qualitative investigation extends the study of teacher learning within a reform-based community of practice model of professional development. This long-term, multiple case study examined three experienced teachers' transformations in thinking about science instruction. Data were collected during the three years of the Guided Inquiry supporting Multiple Literacies research project, designed to develop instructional practices informed by a socio-cultural, inquiry-based orientation. Data sources included: transcripts of semi-structured interviews collected at strategic points, the teacher's journals, initial application information, and teachers' written case studies. Using an interpretive case study approach, tenets of the teachers' orientations were identified through a recursive process. Results are organized to reflect two principles that were integral to the design of the professional development community. The first principle describes changes in teachers' orientations about the goals and characteristics of science instruction in the elementary grades. The second describes changes about teachers' knowledge about themselves as learners and the influence of this knowledge on their thinking about science instruction and student learning. Illustrative findings indicate that: (a) it is possible for teachers' language regarding conceptions of their practice to change with only superficial change in their orientations, (b) teachers can hold dualistic ways of thinking about their practice, (c) in some cases, teachers use a significant amount of autobiography about their own learning to explain their practice; over time, this was replaced with warrants using the language that developed within the professional development community, and (d) long-term case studies revealed differences in orientations that emerged and were refined over time. These findings provide strong support for communities of practice as a model of professional development and hold implications for advancing teacher learning.

A cooperative inquiry into action learning and praxis development in a community nursing module.

PubMed

Jenkins, Emrys R; Mabbett, Gaynor M; Surridge, Andrea G; Warring, Joanna; Gwynn, Elizabeth D

2009-09-01

As nurse lecturers we investigated practice development and action learning approaches aimed at enabling postregistration bachelor's- and master's-level nursing students (Community Health Studies, Nursing in the Home) to advance practice in the context of policy and professional developments. A patchwork text was used to assess summatively what students achieved (practice change/development) and how this was informed critically, via an extended epistemology. First-person inquiry supplemented by cooperative inquiry postcourse completion (including reflective discussions with 16 students and 16 practice mentors) were used to assist coresearcher constructions of meaning. A relational, tripartite approach to learning and assessment (students', teachers', and practice mentors' collective contributions) depends on continuing reflective attention. Action learning enhances interrelation of experience with dialectic thinking. The patchwork text functions to promote creative writing, evaluative thinking, and praxis development. Role modeling by all, being genuine and not just "talking" genuine, is challenging yet crucial if people are to function as mutual resources for learning.

Agriscience Student Engagement in Scientific Inquiry: Representations of Scientific Processes and Nature of Science.

PubMed

Grady, Julie R; Dolan, Erin L; Glasson, George E

2010-01-01

Students' experiences with science integrated into agriscience courses contribute to their developing epistemologies of science. The purpose of this case study was to gain insight into the implementation of scientific inquiry in an agriscience classroom. Also of interest was how the tenets of the nature of science were reflected in the students' experiments. Participants included an agriscience teacher and her fifteen students who were conducting plant experiments to gain insight into the role of a gene disabled by scientists. Data sources included classroom observations, conversations with students, face-to-face interviews with the teacher, and students' work. Analysis of the data indicated that the teacher viewed scientific inquiry as a mechanical process with little emphasis on the reasoning that typifies scientific inquiry. Students' participation in their experiments also centered on the procedural aspects of inquiry with little attention to scientific reasoning. There was no explicit attention to the nature of science during the experiments, but the practice implied correct, incorrect, and underdeveloped conceptions of the nature of science. Evidence from the study suggests a need for collaboration between agriscience and science teacher educators to design and conduct professional development focused on scientific inquiry and nature of science for preservice and practicing teachers.

Agriscience Student Engagement in Scientific Inquiry: Representations of Scientific Processes and Nature of Science

PubMed Central

Grady, Julie R.; Dolan, Erin L.; Glasson, George E.

2013-01-01

Students’ experiences with science integrated into agriscience courses contribute to their developing epistemologies of science. The purpose of this case study was to gain insight into the implementation of scientific inquiry in an agriscience classroom. Also of interest was how the tenets of the nature of science were reflected in the students’ experiments. Participants included an agriscience teacher and her fifteen students who were conducting plant experiments to gain insight into the role of a gene disabled by scientists. Data sources included classroom observations, conversations with students, face–to–face interviews with the teacher, and students’ work. Analysis of the data indicated that the teacher viewed scientific inquiry as a mechanical process with little emphasis on the reasoning that typifies scientific inquiry. Students’ participation in their experiments also centered on the procedural aspects of inquiry with little attention to scientific reasoning. There was no explicit attention to the nature of science during the experiments, but the practice implied correct, incorrect, and underdeveloped conceptions of the nature of science. Evidence from the study suggests a need for collaboration between agriscience and science teacher educators to design and conduct professional development focused on scientific inquiry and nature of science for preservice and practicing teachers. PMID:23935256

Genuine Inquiry: Widely Espoused Yet Rarely Enacted

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Fevre, Deidre M.; Robinson, Viviane M. J.; Sinnema, Claire E. L.

2015-01-01

The concept of inquiry is central to contemporary discussions of teacher and leader professional learning and problem solving in interpersonal contexts. However, while few would debate its value, there has been little discussion of the significant challenges inherent in engaging in genuine inquiry. In this article, we distinguish between genuine…

Best Practices Inquiry: A Multidimensional, Value-Critical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petr, Christopher G.; Walter, Uta M.

2005-01-01

This article offers a multidimensional framework that broadens current approaches to "best practices" inquiry to include (1) the perspectives of both the consumers of services and professional practitioners and (2) a value-based critique. The predominant empirical approach to best practices inquiry is a necessary, but not sufficient, component of…

Understanding Teacher Perceptions in a Professional Development Program for a Middle Grade Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deloney, Dericka B.

The standards-based framework requires teachers to evaluate and in some cases change their instructional approach to more student-centered and inquiry-based in an effort to help students meet the standards. The rationale for this study was to determine the skills needed for teachers to be effective in a standard-based, problem-based learning (PBL) constructivist classroom. Traditionally, teachers in this school district transitioning from teacher to student-centered classrooms need new skills when implementing this type of instruction. A qualitative case study design served to highlight the research questions for this project study. The participants in this study participated in data collection activities that include a multiple-choice survey, an interview, and the sharing of their PBL units. Artifacts, professional development teaching resources, from the workshop added credence to the survey and interview responses. The findings from each research question addressed the teachers' perception of their understanding and the obstacles of instructional design, development, and implementation the participants encountered. The results of this study indicated that teachers had problems with designing and implementing this instructional strategy due to lack of time and resources. This data assisted the development of district specific PBL sustainable professional development program that could be adaptable to other curriculums and school systems. Social change resulting from this study could include a framework for developing K-12 professional development as well as instructional programs that incorporates PBL curriculum design to enhance the student's inquiry, problem-solving, and decision-making skills that in turn should change their academic achievement and scores on high stakes test in science.

Developing a Deeper Understanding of Community-Based Pedagogies with Teachers: Learning with and from Teachers in Colombia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharkey, Judy; Clavijo Olarte, Amparo; Ramírez, Luz Maribel

2016-01-01

Here we share findings from a 9-month qualitative case study involving a school-university professional development inquiry into how teachers develop, implement, and interpret community-based pedagogies (CBPs), an asset-based approach to curriculum that acknowledges mandated standards but begins with recognizing and valuing local knowledge. After…

Developing New Teacher Inquiry and Criticality: The Role of Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unwin, Adam

2015-01-01

This work concerns the professional development of UK teachers in their first year of teaching. It is interested in how the online discussions (ODs) these teachers undertook as part of the Master of Teaching contributed to this development process. The teachers worked in online tutor groups made up of teachers from different schools, phases…

Teaching Science with Technology: Case Studies of Science Teachers' Development of Technology, Pedagogy, and Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzey, S. Selcen; Roehrig, Gillian H.

2009-01-01

This study examines the development of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) in four in-service secondary science teachers as they participated in a professional development program focusing on technology integration into K-12 classrooms to support science as inquiry teaching. In the program, probeware, mind-mapping tools (CMaps),…

A Journal of Critical Inquiry and Professional Learning: Telling Tales of Community Art, Aesthetics, and Cultures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krug, Don H.; Parker, Ann

2009-01-01

In this article, the authors share some of their learning about art, aesthetics, and people's ways of living. They discuss why the renewal of professional learning is important and demonstrate how K-12 teachers can engage in this process by creating a journal of critical inquiry about their own local communities' art, aesthetics, and cultures.…

Influence of subject matter discipline and science content knowledge on National Board Certified science teachers' conceptions, enactment, and goals for inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breslyn, Wayne Gene

The present study investigated differences in the continuing development of National Board Certified Science Teachers' (NBCSTs) conceptions of inquiry across the disciplines of biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics. The central research question of the study was, "How does a NBCST's science discipline (biology, chemistry, earth science, or physics) influence their conceptions, enactment, and goals for inquiry-based teaching and learning?" A mixed methods approach was used that included an analysis of the National Board portfolio entry, Active Scientific Inquiry, for participants (n=48) achieving certification in the 2007 cohort. The portfolio entry provided detailed documentation of teachers' goals and enactment of an inquiry lesson taught in their classroom. Based on the results from portfolio analysis, participant interviews were conducted with science teachers (n=12) from the 2008 NBCST cohort who represented the science disciplines of biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics. The interviews provided a broader range of contexts to explore teachers' conceptions, enactment, and goals of inquiry. Other factors studied were disciplinary differences in NBCSTs' views of the nature of science, the relation between their science content knowledge and use of inquiry, and changes in their conceptions of inquiry as result of the NB certification process. Findings, based on a situated cognitive framework, suggested that differences exist between biology, chemistry, and earth science teachers' conceptions, enactment, and goals for inquiry. Further, individuals teaching in more than one discipline often held different conceptions of inquiry depending on the discipline in which they were teaching. Implications for the research community include being aware of disciplinary differences in studies on inquiry and exercising caution in generalizing findings across disciplines. In addition, teachers who teach in more than one discipline can highlight the contextual and culturally based nature of teachers' conceptions of inquiry. For the education community, disciplinary differences should be considered in the development of curriculum and professional development. An understanding of disciplinary trends can allow for more targeted and relevant representations of inquiry.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a laboratory-based professional development program for science educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amolins, Michael Wayne

The development of effective science educators has been a long-standing goal of the American education system. Numerous studies have suggested a breadth of professional development programs that have sought to utilize constructivist principles in order to orchestrate movement toward student-led, inquiry-based instruction. Very few, however, have addressed a missing link between the modern scientific laboratory and the traditional science classroom. While several laboratory-based training programs have begun to emerge in recent years, the skills necessary to translate this information into the classroom are rarely addressed. The result is that participants are often left without an outlet or the confidence to integrate these into their lessons. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a laboratory-based professional development program focused on classroom integration and reformed science teaching principles. This was measured by the ability to invigorate its seven participants in order to achieve higher levels of success and fulfillment in the classroom. These participants all taught at public high schools in South Dakota, including both rural and urban locations, and taught a variety of courses. Participants were selected for this study through their participation in the Sanford Research/USD Science Educator Research Fellowship Program. Through the use of previously collected data acquired by Sanford Research, this study attempted to detail the convergence of three assessments in order to demonstrate the growth and development of its participants. First, pre- and post-program surveys were completed in order to display the personal and professional growth of its participants. Second, pre- and post-program classroom observations employing the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol allowed for the assessment of pedagogical modifications being integrated by each participant, as well as the success of such modifications in constructively administering student-led and inquiry-based instruction. Finally, pre- and post-program focus groups allowed for an intimate view into how each participant utilized their time in the classroom, and how each perceived job satisfaction, challenges, and self-efficacy. The findings of these assessments supported the hypothesis that laboratory-based professional development and focused instruction on the pedagogy and integration of reformed teaching principles were constructive in cultivating the student-led and inquiry-based environment desired in the modern science classroom.

Physiotherapists' stories about professional development.

PubMed

Pettersson, Anna F; Bolander Laksov, Klara; Fjellström, Mona

2015-01-01

A professional career may extend over a period of 40 years. Although learning is a feature of professional competence, little is known about learning and development after professional entry education. Narrative inquiry was used to understand how physiotherapists learned and developed over time, and stories from a purposeful sample of 12 physiotherapists were collected. Stories were thematically analyzed with regard to key elements related to learning and development, and common themes were identified across stories. Four themes emerged from the analysis where physiotherapists learned and developed in working life: (1) facing challenges; (2) contrasting perspectives; (3) drawing on hundreds of educators; and (4) building on personal experience. Non-formal ways of learning in working life may help physiotherapists learn and develop confidence, communication strategies and different approaches to treatment. Besides reflection on personal experience and patient encounters, learning and development may be promoted and supported by taking on challenges and changing settings.

Toward the Development of Reporting Standards for Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montrosse-Moorhead, Bianca; Griffith, James C.

2017-01-01

This article first makes a case for the need to establish evaluation reporting standards, support for which is rooted in the growing demand for professionalization, in the growing meta evaluation literature, and in growing efforts to develop reporting standards for inquiry efforts. Then, a case is made for a particular set of such standards…

Teacher Research at the Middle Level: Strengthening the Essential Attributes of Education for Young Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiLucchio, Connie; Leaman, Heather; Elicker, Kathleen; Mathisen, Denise

2014-01-01

Teacher research (practitioner inquiry) is an effective form of professional development for middle level teachers. Through teacher research, classroom teachers develop the skills needed to demonstrate mastery of the performance standards for middle level master teacher candidates. Using well-established research methods, middle level educators…

A Case Study of the Land of Enchantment Teacher Quality Partnership for Aspiring School Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mizell, Kimberly

2013-01-01

What are the considerations required to developing a leadership preparation program, and a professional development plan that bridges the theoretical perspective to the practitioners' perspective? An inquiry was conducted to gain insight into the individual perspectives of three diverse women administrators who participated in the Land of…

Teacher Action Research: The Impact of Inquiry on Curriculum Improvement and Professional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berlin, Donna F.

The Berlin-White Action Research Model (BWARM) described here was designed to prepare and support teachers in the development, implementation, and evaluation of innovation within their classroom. The year-long program consists of three interrelated phases over four academic quarters: (1) "Pedagogical Awareness," designed to provide knowledge and…

Re-Learning from Experience: Using Autoethnography for Teacher Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinner, Richard S.

2018-01-01

This inquiry had two primary aims; firstly to evaluate the feasibility of using autoethnography to gain an informed and more descriptive view of past teaching experiences and secondly to understand more about the experience of a teacher's professional development in order to become a more reflective practitioner. This paper presents a narrative…

Connecting Practice, Theory and Method: Supporting Professional Doctoral Students in Developing Conceptual Frameworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Swapna; Antonenko, Pavlo

2014-01-01

From an instrumental view, conceptual frameworks that are carefully assembled from existing literature in Educational Technology and related disciplines can help students structure all aspects of inquiry. In this article we detail how the development of a conceptual framework that connects theory, practice and method is scaffolded and facilitated…

Exploring Teacher Leadership in a Rural, Secondary School: Reciprocal Learning Teams as a Catalyst for Emergent Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherkowski, Sabre; Schnellert, Leyton

2017-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to examine how teachers experienced professional development as collaborative inquiry, and how their experiences contributed to their development as teacher leaders. Three overarching themes were identified through iterative qualitative analysis of multiple data sources including interviews, observations,…

Collaborative Lesson Hook Design in Science Teacher Education: Advancing Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCauley, Veronica; Davison, Kevin; Byrne, Corinna

2015-01-01

This article documents the process of collaboratively developing lesson hook e-resources for science teachers to establish a community of inquiry and to strengthen the pedagogy of science teaching. The authors aim to illustrate how the development and application of strategic hooks can bridge situational interest and personal interest so that…

Supporting Inquiry-based Earth System Science Instruction with Middle and High School Earth Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finkel, L.; Varner, R.; Froburg, E.; Smith, M.; Graham, K.; Hale, S.; Laura, G.; Brown, D.; Bryce, J.; Darwish, A.; Furman, T.; Johnson, J.; Porter, W.; von Damm, K.

2007-12-01

The Transforming Earth System Science Education (TESSE) project, a partnership between faculty at the University of New Hampshire, Pennsylvania State University, Elizabeth City State University and Dillard University, is designed to enrich the professional development of in-service and pre-service Earth science teachers. One goal of this effort is to help teachers use an inquiry-based approach to teaching Earth system science in their classrooms. As a part of the TESSE project, 42 pre-service and in-service teachers participated in an intensive two-week summer institute at UNH taught by Earth scientists and science educators from TESSE partnership institutions. The institute included instruction about a range of Earth science system topics as well as an introduction to teaching Earth science using an inquiry-based approach. In addition to providing teachers with information about inquiry-based science teaching in the form of sample lesson plans and opportunities to revise traditional lessons and laboratory exercises to make them more inquiry-based, TESSE instructors modeled an inquiry- based approach in their own teaching as much as possible. By the end of the Institute participants had developed lesson plans, units, or year-long course overviews in which they were expected to explain the ways in which they would include an inquiry-based approach in their Earth science teaching over the course of the school year. As a part of the project, graduate fellows (graduate students in the earth sciences) will work with classroom teachers during the academic year to support their implementation of these plans as well as to assist them in developing a more comprehensive inquiry-based approach in the classroom.

Improving Teacher Education through Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortlieb, Evan T.; Lu, Lucia

2011-01-01

Preservice educators face daunting challenges throughout their professional development, but no challenge is greater than that of contextualizing their instruction within multicultural environments. Addressing the increasing diversity and ever-changing cultures within student populations is often skimmed over within teacher education curriculums;…

Second-career science teachers' classroom conceptions of science and engineering practices examined through the lens of their professional histories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antink-Meyer, Allison; Brown, Ryan A.

2017-07-01

Science standards in the U.S. have shifted to emphasise science and engineering process skills (i.e. specific practices within inquiry) to a greater extent than previous standards' emphases on broad representations of inquiry. This study examined the alignment between second-career science teachers' personal histories with the latter and examined the extent to which they viewed that history as a factor in their teaching. Four, second-career science teachers with professional backgrounds in engineering, environmental, industrial, and research and development careers participated. Through the examination of participants' methodological and contextual histories in science and engineering, little evidence of conflict with teaching was found. They generally exemplified the agency and motivation of a second-career teacher-scientist that has been found elsewhere [Gilbert, A. (2011). There and back again: Exploring teacher attrition and mobility with two transitioning science teachers. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 22(5), 393-415; Grier, J. M., & Johnston, C. C. (2009). An inquiry into the development of teacher identities in STEM career changers. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 20(1), 57-75]. The methodological and pedagogical perspectives of participants are explored and a discussion of the implications of findings for science teacher education are presented.

Mediating Artifact in Teacher Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Svendsen, Bodil

2015-07-01

This article focuses on teacher professional development (TPD) in natural science through the 5E model as mediating artifact. The study was conducted in an upper secondary school, grounded in a school-based intervention research project. My contribution to the field of research on TPD is founded on the hypothesis that teachers would be best facilitated to make their practice more inquiry based if they are provided with a mediating artifact. In this study the artifact is a model 5E, which is a conceptual way of thinking, to help teachers reflect on their practice. The aim is to encourage teachers to make changes themselves, by applying extended use of inquiry into their practice. This mediated artifact could thus be used across different national contexts. The main research question is; how can the 5E model as a mediating artifact enhance TPD? The article addresses the processes of the use of the 5E model and its influence on teachers' perception of the model. This is in order for teachers to conceptualize their goals related to inquiry and scientific thinking, and to solve the problems involved in achieving those goals in their own contexts. The study concludes that, after the intervention, the teachers' approaches and strategies demonstrate greater emphasis on learning.

Using Discursive Strategies, Playing Policy Games and Shaping the Future of Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swabey, Karen; Penney, Dawn

2011-01-01

This paper presents a critical analysis of the representation of physical education (PE) in the 1992 Senate inquiry into "Physical and Sport Education" in Australia. Analysis focuses specifically upon how and why a new professional discourse, fundamental motor skills (FMS), gained a privileged position in the inquiry, the inquiry report…

New Evaluation Vector through the Stanford Mobile Inquiry-Based Learning Environment (SMILE) for Participatory Action Research

PubMed Central

An, Ji-Young

2016-01-01

Objectives This article reviews an evaluation vector model driven from a participatory action research leveraging a collective inquiry system named SMILE (Stanford Mobile Inquiry-based Learning Environment). Methods SMILE has been implemented in a diverse set of collective inquiry generation and analysis scenarios including community health care-specific professional development sessions and community-based participatory action research projects. In each scenario, participants are given opportunities to construct inquiries around physical and emotional health-related phenomena in their own community. Results Participants formulated inquiries as well as potential clinical treatments and hypothetical scenarios to address health concerns or clarify misunderstandings or misdiagnoses often found in their community practices. From medical universities to rural village health promotion organizations, all participatory inquiries and potential solutions can be collected and analyzed. The inquiry and solution sets represent an evaluation vector which helps educators better understand community health issues at a much deeper level. Conclusions SMILE helps collect problems that are most important and central to their community health concerns. The evaluation vector, consisting participatory and collective inquiries and potential solutions, helps the researchers assess the participants' level of understanding on issues around health concerns and practices while helping the community adequately formulate follow-up action plans. The method used in SMILE requires much further enhancement with machine learning and advanced data visualization. PMID:27525157

Taiwanese medical students' narratives of intercultural professionalism dilemmas: exploring tensions between Western medicine and Taiwanese culture.

PubMed

Ho, Ming-Jung; Gosselin, Katherine; Chandratilake, Madawa; Monrouxe, Lynn V; Rees, Charlotte E

2017-05-01

In an era of globalization, cultural competence is necessary for the provision of quality healthcare. Although this topic has been well explored in non-Western cultures within Western contexts, the authors explore how Taiwanese medical students trained in Western medicine address intercultural professionalism dilemmas related to tensions between Western medicine and Taiwanese culture. A narrative interview method was employed with 64 Taiwanese medical students to collect narratives of professionalism dilemmas. Noting the prominence of culture in students' narratives, we explored this theme further using secondary analysis, identifying tensions between Western medicine and Taiwanese culture and categorizing students' intercultural professionalism dilemmas according to Friedman and Berthoin Antal's 'intercultural competence' framework: involving combinations of advocacy (i.e., championing one's own culture) and inquiry (i.e., exploring one's own and others' cultures). One or more intercultural dilemmas were identified in nearly half of students' professionalism dilemma narratives. Qualitative themes included: family relations, local policy, end-of-life care, traditional medicine, gender relations and Taiwanese language. Of the 62 narratives with sufficient detail for further analysis, the majority demonstrated the 'suboptimal' low advocacy/low inquiry approach (i.e., withdrawal or inaction), while very few demonstrated the 'ideal' high advocacy/high inquiry approach (i.e., generating mutual understanding, so 'intercultural competence'). Though nearly half of students' professionalism narratives concerned intercultural dilemmas, most narratives represented disengagement from intercultural dilemmas, highlighting a possible need for more attention on intercultural competence training in Taiwan. The advocacy/inquiry framework may help educators to address similar disconnects between Western medicine and non-Western cultures in other contexts.

Plants and Pollution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brunsell, Eric; Hug, J. William

2007-01-01

Investigations with Wisconsin Fast Plants can make the subject matter come alive...or dead, depending on the experimental treatment. This became apparent when a university-based teacher educator and a fifth-grade teacher collaborated on a professional development experience aimed at increasing understanding of how science inquiry could be used…

Teacher Research as Continuous Process Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Charles; Castle, Kathryn

2010-01-01

Purpose: Teacher research (inquiry) has been characterized as practice improvement, professional development and action research, among numerous names and descriptions. The purpose of this paper is to support the case that teacher research is also a form of quality improvement known as continuous process improvement (CPI).…

The influence of a train-the-trainer professional development on teacher perceptions of science integration and inquiry-based instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blythe, Jessica Marie

The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of the train-the-trainer professional development form of professional development on participants' perceptions of agriscience integration and inquiry-based instruction (IBI). The independent variables considered were elements of high-quality professional development, such as duration, active participation, coherence, and school culture; teacher attitudes towards professional development; and teacher demographics. The dependent variables assessed were teachers' perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. This study utilized a quasi-experimental design to assess the impacts of a teacher professional development program and experimental follow-up support on secondary teachers' perceptions of science integration and IBI. This study was a census of all teachers who attended a 2012 professional development workshop facilitated by a National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador at the FFA and/or NAAE National Convention. Participants completed four surveys over the subsequent year to assess their perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. Descriptive methods were used to analyze teachers' perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. Correlations and follow-up regression analysis were conducted to determine the relationships between the teachers' perceptions and the elements of high-quality teacher professional development. Results of the study revealed that respondents had favorable perceptions of science integration into agriculture programs and planned to increase the levels of science integration in their programs. Additionally, a majority of respondents reported utilizing IBI more than once a week. Because participants of the study did not utilize the experimental follow-up support system for the workshop, clear effects could not be determined. There was a positive correlation between science integration and IBI. A variation of positive and negative correlations was found between the dependent and independent variables. Five models were found to be significant predictors of respondents' perceptions of science integration three models were found to be significant predictors of IBI. These findings indicate that teachers perceive science integration and IBI as positive influences in secondary agriculture education which supports the integration of science and science teaching techniques in secondary agriculture education programs. Though relationships exist between science integration and IBI, and various elements of school culture and professional development, further investigation is needed to better understand these relationships and their predictive variability.

Early science education and astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilgenbus, David; Léna, Pierre

2011-06-01

Inquiry-based science education is currently receiving a consensus as a pedagogy to teach science at primary and middle school levels, with the goal to reach all children and youngsters, no matter what their future professional choices will be. By the same token, it also greatly increases the fraction of the school population in which future technicians, engineers and sciences could be recruited for further training. La main à la pâte is the name of the action undertaken by the French Académie des Sciences to develop inquiry in France, and then in many collaborating countries. The focus is on science as a whole, and not on particular disciplines such as physics, biology, and so on, since it is the understanding of scientific method and use of evidence which is at the heart of inquiry. Yet, astronomy is offering so many opportunities to demonstrate the scientific method that La main à la pâte has developed a number of inquiry activities in this field, which are presented here, such as Measuring the Earth, Calendars and cultures, the use of One Laptop per Child for Moon observations, etc.

Inquiry-based science in the middle grades: Assessment of learning in urban systemic reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marx, Ronald W.; Blumenfeld, Phyllis C.; Krajcik, Joseph S.; Fishman, Barry; Soloway, Elliot; Geier, Robert; Tali Tal, Revital

2004-12-01

Science education standards established by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the National Research Council (NRC) urge less emphasis on memorizing scientific facts and more emphasis on students investigating the everyday world and developing deep understanding from their inquiries. These approaches to instruction challenge teachers and students, particularly urban students who often have additional challenges related to poverty. We report data on student learning spanning 3 years from a science education reform collaboration with the Detroit Public Schools. Data were collected from nearly 8,000 students who participated in inquiry-based and technology-infused curriculum units that were collaboratively developed by district personnel and staff from the University of Michigan as part of a larger, district-wide systemic reform effort in science education. The results show statistically significant increases on curriculum-based test scores for each year of participation. Moreover, the strength of the effects grew over the years, as evidenced by increasing effect size estimates across the years. The findings indicate that students who historically are low achievers in science can succeed in standards-based, inquiry science when curriculum is carefully developed and aligned with professional development and district policies. Additional longitudinal research on the development of student understanding over multiple inquiry projects, the progress of teacher enactment over time, and the effect of changes in the policy and administrative environment would further contribute to the intellectual and practical tools necessary to implement meaningful standards-based systemic reform in science.

Student Learning through Participation in Inquiry Activities: Two Case Studies in Teacher and Computer Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damsa, Crina I.; Nerland, Monika

2016-01-01

The two case studies reported in this article contribute to a better understanding of how inquiry tasks and activities are employed as resourceful means for learning in higher professional education. An observation-based approach was used to explore characteristics of and challenges in students' participation in collaborative inquiry activities in…

"Shifts in Thinking" in Arts Teachers' Narratives: Documentation as Inquiry and Artifact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meier, Mary Elizabeth

2012-01-01

In this narrative inquiry, I analyzed art and music teachers' stories of professional learning as they engaged in the study of their teaching practice in a collaborative inquiry group (CIG). During two years of data collection, I examined stories that arts teachers told when describing classroom photographs, images of student work, video…

Creating and Sustaining Inquiry Spaces for Teacher Learning and System Transformation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaser, Linda; Halbert, Judy

2014-01-01

Over a 15-year period, one Western Canadian province, British Columbia, has been exploring the potential of inquiry learning networks to deepen teacher professional learning and to influence the system as a whole. During this time, we have learned a great deal about shifting practice through inquiry networks. In this article, we provide a…

Redefining Our Roles as Teachers, Learners, and Leaders through Continuous Cycles of Practitioner Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacDonald, Michelina; Weller, Kristin

2017-01-01

Practitioner inquiry is an alternative form of professional learning that can result in significant changes in teacher practice and student learning. We share our evolution as teacher learners within our classrooms and teacher leaders within our school as we progressed through 10 years of continuous cycles of practitioner inquiry. Beginning as…

Applying the Brakes: How Practical Classroom Decisions Affect the Adoption of Inquiry Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarnall, Louise; Fusco, Judi

2014-01-01

If college science instructors are to use inquiry practices more in the classroom, they need both professional support to foster comfort with the pedagogy and practical ways to engage students in inquiry. Over a semester, we studied 13 community college biology instructors as they adopted bioinformatics problem-based learning (PBL) modules in…

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.

Training Teachers to Use Technology and Inquiry-based Learning Practices in the Geosciences through an Industry-University Partnership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeal, K.; Buell, R.; Eiland, L.

2009-12-01

Teacher professional development centered about the Geosciences is necessary in order to train K-12 teachers about this science field and to effectively educate K-12 students about Earth processes. The partnership of industries, universities, and K-12 schools is a collaborative pathway to support these efforts by providing teachers access to technology, inquiry-based learning, and authentic field experiences within the Geosciences context. This research presents the results of Project SMARTER (Science and Mathematics Advancement and Reform utilizing Technology and Enhanced Resources), a co-lead industry-university partnership and teacher professional development workshop program that focused on technology and inquiry-based learning in the Geosciences. The workshop included fifteen teachers from five distressed counties in Mississippi as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission. Three (one science, once math, one technology) 7-12 grade teachers were selected from each school district and worked together during activities as a team to foster a cooperative learning experience. The two week workshop trained teachers on the use of a variety of technologies including: Vernier Probes and software, TI-calculators and presenter, Mimio Boards, GPS receivers, Google Earth, Excel, PowerPoint, projectors, and the use of historic geologic datasets. Furthermore, teachers were trained on proper field collection techniques, the use of Hach Kits and field probes, and the interpretation of geologic data. Each daily program incorporated the use of technology-rich and inquiry-based activities into one of the five Earth spheres: atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and anthrosphere. Results from the pre-post technology attitude survey showed that participating teachers significantly (p < 0.05) increased their confidence level in using technology. Furthermore, all participants self-reflected that the workshop both increased their interest in the Geosciences and their plans to integrate technology in future classroom activities. Qualitative responses from daily feedback forms and journal entries indicated that participating teachers were enthusiastic about inquiry-, technology-, and field-based learning activities and were willing to incorporate cross-discipline lesson plans. Evaluation of final lesson plans developed by the teachers during the workshop combined with follow-up classroom visits illustrated that the teachers appropriately developed classroom lessons to incorporate inquiry and technology and that they successfully implemented these lesson plans in their own classroom as a direct result of participating in workshop activities.

Teacher-Researchers in the "Zone of Proximal Development": Insights for Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torres, Myriam N.

This study is part of a larger project on teacher research and professional development in the Teacher Enhancement Program (TEP), a master's degree mid-career collaborative program for inservice teachers. Research was initially planned and implemented as a new course which required teachers to do a Systematic Inquiry Project (SIP) in their…

Developing Portfolios in Education: A Guide to Reflection, Inquiry, and Assessment [with CD-ROM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Ruth S.; Mims, J. Sabrina; Doyle-Nichols, Adelaide

2006-01-01

Within a conceptual and research framework about the usefulness of portfolios, this book suggests methods to organize the process, and provides tools that will be used not only during preparation programs but also for professional and academic advancement. Key features include: (1) Provides a conceptual framework for portfolio development: Readers…

Cone-Deciphered Modes of Problem Solving Action (MPSA Cone): Alternative Perspectives on Diversified Professions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Su-Huei

A conceptual framework of the modes of problem-solving action has been developed on the basis of a simple relationship cone to assist individuals in diversified professions in inquiry and implementation of theory and practice in their professional development. The conceptual framework is referred to as the Cone-Deciphered Modes of Problem Solving…

Place and culture-based professional development: cross-hybrid learning and the construction of ecological mindfulness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinn, Pauline W. U.

2015-03-01

This paper approaches mindfulness, an awareness of internal and external realities, as a culturally-shaped habit of mind. Findings of a cross-cultural study and popular sayings that reflect America's cultural orientation to consumption and competition are contrasted with findings from Hawaiian language newspapers, traditional cultural practices, and Hawaiian sayings that indicate an orientation to ecological mindfulness that increased the resilience of fragile social ecosystems. Marginalization of indigenous culture, language, and knowledge and cultural differences between teachers and indigenous students are proposed as a contributing factor to lower science performance of Native Hawaiian students in mainstream schools. Two professional development projects designed to reduce conflicts between culture and science instruction are presented. Findings from these projects suggest alignment of science inquiry with indigenous cultural knowledge and practices oriented to sustainability supports the development of teachers' ecological mindfulness as indicated by increased awareness of, interest in, and incorporation of place and culture-based based resources into their instruction. Teacher feedback indicates that mapping technologies that enable teachers to visualize and integrate indigenous place-based Hawaiian knowledge with science inquiry are promising instructional strategies.

Do science coaches promote inquiry-based instruction in the elementary science classroom?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wicker, Rosemary Knight

The South Carolina Mathematics and Science Coaching Initiative established a school-based science coaching model that was effective in improving instruction by increasing the level of inquiry-based instruction in elementary science classrooms. Classroom learning environment data from both teacher groups indicated considerable differences in the quality of inquiry instruction for those classrooms of teachers supported by a science coach. All essential features of inquiry were demonstrated more frequently and at a higher level of open-ended inquiry in classrooms with the support of a science coach than were demonstrated in classrooms without a science coach. However, from teacher observations and interviews, it was determined that elementary schoolteacher practice of having students evaluate conclusions and connect them to current scientific knowledge was often neglected. Teachers with support of a science coach reported changes in inquiry-based instruction that were statistically significant. This mixed ethnographic study also suggested that the Mathematics and Science Coaching Initiative Theory of Action for Instructional Improvement was an effective model when examining the work of science coaches. All components of effective school infrastructure were positively impacted by a variety of science coaching strategies intended to promote inquiry. Professional development for competent teachers, implementation of researched-based curriculum, and instructional materials support were areas highly impacted by the work of science coaches.

CACD Journal, 1998-1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wickwire, Pat Nellor, Ed.

1999-01-01

This publication of the California Association for Counseling and Development for 1998-1999 supports the organizational goals of leadership, inquiry, discovery, excellence, and innovation. It attempts to identify the current issues of concern in the counseling field and to share research to help improve the professional learning community. As a…

Observing Peers Develops Practice, Changes Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reilly, Kathleen A.

2017-01-01

Teachers are too rarely supported in investing in the shared inquiry, embedded professional learning, and collaborative culture building that peer observation cycles facilitate. But teachers can disrupt these patterns by opening their doors to colleagues and engaging with them in critical reflection, dialogue, and shared innovation. In this…

Teacher and School Characteristics and Their Influence on Curriculum Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roehrig, Gillian H.; Kruse, Rebecca A.; Kern, Anne

2007-01-01

Reform-based curriculum materials have been suggested as a mechanism to make inquiry-based instruction more prevalent in secondary science classrooms, specifically when accompanied by comprehensive professional development (Loucks-Horsley, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, [1998]; Powell & Anderson, [2002]). This research examines the implementation of a…

"Kindergarten, can I have your eyes and ears?" politeness and teacher directive choices in inquiry-based science classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveira, Alandeom Wanderlei

2009-12-01

This study explores elementary teachers' social understandings and employment of directives and politeness while facilitating inquiry science lessons prior and subsequent to their participation in a summer institute in which they were introduced to the scholarly literature on regulative discourse (directives used by teachers to regulate student behavior). A grounded theory analysis of the institute professional development activities revealed that teachers developed an increased awareness of the authoritative functions served by impolite or direct directives (i.e., pragmatic awareness). Furthermore, a comparative microethnographic analysis of participants' inquiry-based classroom practices revealed that after the institute teachers demonstrated an increased ability to share authority with students by strategically making directive choices that were more polite, indirect, inclusive, involvement-focused and creative. Such ability led to a reduced emphasis on teacher regulation of student compliance with classroom behavioral norms and an increased focus on the discursive organization of the inquiry-based science learning/teaching process. Despite teachers' increased pragmatic awareness, teacher-student linguistic relationships did not become entirely symmetrical subsequent to their participation in the summer institute (i.e., teacher authority was not completely relinquished or lost). Based on such findings, it is argued that teachers need to develop higher levels of pragmatic awareness to become effectively prepared to engage in language-mediated teacher-student interaction in the context of inquiry-based science classroom discourse.

Sustaining Reform-Based Science Teaching of Preservice and Inservice Elementary School Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan-Watts, Barbara K.; Nowicki, Barbara L.; Shim, Minsuk K.; Young, Betty J.

2013-08-01

This study examined the influence of a professional development program based around commercially available inquiry science curricula on the teaching practices of 27 beginning elementary school teachers and their teacher mentors over a 2 year period. A quantitative rubric used to score inquiry elements and use of data in videotaped lessons indicated that education students assigned to inquiry-based classrooms during their methods course or student teaching year outperformed students without this experience. There was also a significant positive effect of multi-year access to the kit-based program on mentor teaching practice. Recent inclusion of a "writing in science" program in both preservice and inservice training has been used to address the lesson element that received lowest scores—evaluation of data and its use in scientific explanation.

Using Action Research to Engage K-6 Teachers in Nature of Science Inquiry as Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cullen, Theresa A.; Akerson, Valarie L.; Hanson, Deborah L.

2010-12-01

Teachers are required to work with data on a daily basis to assess the effectiveness of their teaching strategies, but may not approach it as research. This paper presents a reflective discussion of how and when a professional development team used an action research project to help 12 K-6 teachers explore the effectiveness of reform based Nature of Science (NOS) teaching strategies in their classrooms. The team encouraged community development and provided “just in time” supports to scaffold the steps of the action research process for teachers. The discussion includes concerns they addressed and issues related to management and support of the professional development model. Evaluation results are shared to suggest how this approach can be improved in the future.

Appreciative inquiry: a radically different approach to change.

PubMed

2002-07-01

Appreciative Inquiry, or Al, seeks to identify what went right and duplicate the experience. Adjustment in thinking may be difficult for defensive-minded health care professionals. Likelihood of success appears greater when smaller groups are involved.

A Multi-Year Study of the Impact of the Rice Model Teacher Professional Development on Elementary Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viorica Diaconu, Dana; Radigan, Judy; Suskavcevic, Milijana; Nichol, Carolyn

2012-04-01

A teacher professional development program for in-service elementary school science teachers, the Rice Elementary Model Science Lab (REMSL), was developed for urban school districts serving predominately high-poverty, high-minority students. Teachers with diverse skills and science capacities came together in Professional Learning Communities, one full day each week throughout an academic year, to create a classroom culture for science instruction. Approximately 80 teachers each year received professional development in science content and pedagogy using the same inquiry-based constructivist methods that the teachers were expected to use in their classrooms. During this four-year study, scientists and educators worked with elementary teachers in a year-long model science lab environment to provide science content and science pedagogy. The effectiveness of the program was measured using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods that allowed the researchers to triangulate the findings from quantitative measures, such as content test and surveys, with the emerging themes from the qualitative instruments, such as class observations and participant interviews. Results showed that, in all four years, teachers from the REMSL Treatment group have significantly increased their science content knowledge (p < 0.05). During the last two years, their gains in science content knowledge, use of inquiry-based instruction and leadership skills were significantly higher than those of the Control group teachers' (p < 0.01, p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). Three themes resonated in the interviews with participants: science content knowledge growth, constructivist pedagogy and leadership skills.

Challenges and Support When Teaching Science Through an Integrated Inquiry and Literacy Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ødegaard, Marianne; Haug, Berit; Mork, Sonja M.; Ove Sørvik, Gard

2014-12-01

In the Budding Science and Literacy project, we explored how working with an integrated inquiry-based science and literacy approach may challenge and support the teaching and learning of science at the classroom level. By studying the inter-relationship between multiple learning modalities and phases of inquiry, we wished to illuminate possible dynamics between science inquiry and literacy in an integrated science approach. Six teachers and their students were recruited from a professional development course for the current classroom study. The teachers were to try out the Budding Science teaching model. This paper presents an overall video analysis of our material demonstrating variations and patterns of inquiry-based science and literacy activities. Our analysis revealed that multiple learning modalities (read it, write it, do it, and talk it) are used in the integrated approach; oral activities dominate. The inquiry phases shifted throughout the students' investigations, but the consolidating phases of discussion and communication were given less space. The data phase of inquiry seems essential as a driving force for engaging in science learning in consolidating situations. The multiple learning modalities were integrated in all inquiry phases, but to a greater extent in preparation and data. Our results indicate that literacy activities embedded in science inquiry provide support for teaching and learning science; however, the greatest challenge for teachers is to find the time and courage to exploit the discussion and communication phases to consolidate the students' conceptual learning.

Teaching for Diversity in Teacher Education: Transformative Frameworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ragoonaden, Karen O.; Sivia, Awneet; Baxan, Victorina

2015-01-01

This paper examines the practice and professional development of teacher educators engaged in diversity pedagogy in Canadian teacher education programs. Using a reflective inquiry combined with a self-study of teacher and teacher education practices (S-STEP), three educators discuss the complexity of their research and teaching experiences through…

Biology in Context: Teachers' Professional Development in Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elster, Doris

2009-01-01

Biology in Context ("bik") is a project that aims to improve biology teaching in lower secondary schools in Germany. Based on a theoretical framework derived from the National Educational Standards, four competence areas should be fostered in biology education: subject knowledge; inquiry acquisition; subject-related communication; and…

Language Teacher Research in Australia and New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Anne, Ed.; Burton, Jill, Ed.

2008-01-01

Over the last 30 years, inquiry-based teaching has become a highly valued component of professional development and practitioner research in Australia and New Zealand. This volume of the Language Teacher Research Series focuses on teaching and learning experiences in those two countries, which encompass a large geographical area with diverse…

Beliefs into Practice: A Religious Inquiry into Teacher Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baurain, Bradley

2012-01-01

In the field of teacher knowledge, "beliefs" is a large term narrowly constructed. The beliefs theorized, researched, and discussed are beliefs about technique, methodology, curriculum, classroom management, professional development, and similarly. Spiritual and religious beliefs are for the most part omitted. This study argues that they should be…

A Dialogic Inquiry Approach to Working with Teachers in Developing Classroom Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hennessy, Sara; Mercer, Neil; Warwick, Paul

2011-01-01

Background/Context: This article describes how we refined an innovative methodology for equitable collaboration between university researchers and classroom practitioners building and refining theory together. The work builds on other coinquiry models in which complementary professional expertise is respected and deliberately exploited in order to…

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Teaching Presence within Online Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Melinda G.; Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie L.; Zygouris-Coe, Vicky

2014-01-01

The Community of Inquiry model provides a framework for recognizing and evaluating interpersonal behaviors in online educational settings. One of its three components, teaching presence, describes behaviors that are under the auspices of the online instructor. By examining behaviors through the theoretical lens provided by teaching presence, and…

Doctoral Student Socialization: Educating Stewards of the Physical Education Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Jared; Gaudreault, Karen Lux; Richards, K. Andrew

2016-01-01

In preparing the future stewards of the physical education profession, the occupational socialization and professional development of physical education doctoral students is important to consider. To date, there has been scant scholarly inquiry into doctoral education in physical education. However, there is an abundance of research related to…

Interrupting Adult Learning through Online Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart-Buttle, Ros

2014-01-01

This paper considers online pedagogy in relation to Christian adult learning and asks how this might be interpreted by theological educators. The online community of inquiry is proposed as one recognized pedagogical approach and illustrated by reference to a continuing professional development programme for online adult learners across the church…

American Evaluation Association: Guiding Principles for Evaluators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Journal of Evaluation, 2009

2009-01-01

The American Evaluation Association (AEA) strives to promote ethical practice in the evaluation of programs, products, personnel, and policy. This article presents the list of principles which AEA developed to guide evaluators in their professional practice. These principles are: (1) Systematic Inquiry; (2) Competence; (3) Integrity/Honesty; (4)…

Moving toward a Culture of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Ralph

2010-01-01

In this paper, the author aims to share some of the efforts, successes, challenges and lessons learned over approximately two decades of professional development projects both large and small. In retrospect the author contends that efforts toward change, improvement and advancement were always bumping against culture. So, this address attempts to…

Teachers' Personal Agency: Making Sense of Slope through Additive Structures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walter, Janet G.; Gerson, Hope

2007-01-01

In the context of a three-year professional development program in mathematics, practicing elementary teachers persistently engaged in collaborative inquiry and reflection to build connected meanings for slope. One teacher invented a compelling representation for slope as a process of repeated addition, using Cuisenaire rods, based on teachers'…

Not a One-Shot Deal: Generative Professional Development among Experienced Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flint, Amy Seely; Zisook, Karla; Fisher, Teresa R.

2011-01-01

This study examines two experienced teachers' transformations and sense of agency as they implemented a writer's workshop curriculum with multi-lingual third grade students. Multiple lines of inquiry guide the study including "communities of practice" (Lave & Wenger, 1991), "teacher identities in figured worlds" (Holland, Lachicotte, Skinner, &…

The Value of Coaching: Collaborative Relationships Spur Professional Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Grace Y.

2016-01-01

Teachers do not simply want resources given to them. They often seek out relationships from more knowledgeable or experienced colleagues to ask advice, model lessons, or start an inquiry group. Establishing relationships within collaboration is essential for learning and knowledge development (Putnam & Borko, 2000). This study's goal was to…

Improving Elementary Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning: Lessons from a School-University Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norman, Patricia J.; Nordine, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

The challenges of teaching elementary mathematics and science, particularly in urban settings, have been well documented. While evidence exists that sustained professional development in mathematics and science can promote inquiry-oriented instruction and bolster student achievement, little has been written about the particular challenges…

Reflective Practices in Foreign Language Teacher Education: A View through Micro and Macro Windows

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geyer, Naomi

2008-01-01

As professional development models of teacher education that allow for self-directed, collaborative, inquiry-based learning are increasingly replacing more traditional top-down models, researchers acknowledge the impact of teachers' reflective practices. Although many different types of reflective practices are reported, the differences across…

Inquiry based Teacher Professional development from a multidisciplinary perspective: The NEOGEO Lake Erie Earth Science Field Trip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz, J. D.; Munro-Stasiuk, M. J.; Hart, B. I.; Mokaren, D. M.; Arnold, B.; Chermansky, J. V.; Vlack, Y. A.

2006-12-01

State and national educational standards stress the need to incorporate inquiry-based approaches into the K- 12 science curriculum. However, many teachers either lack training in these pedagogical techniques or science content mastery. Both of these are needed to confidently approach science teaching in the less structured framework associated with a real world exploration of the natural environment. To overcome these barriers to implementation, we have developed an intensive, field-based professional development workshop which explores the connections between the bedrock geology, glacial geomorphology, ecology, and geography of the Lake Erie Islands and the shore of its western basin. This workshop is part of a series of three workshops that form the professional development activities of our NSF funded Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) project, the Northeast Ohio Geoscience Education Outreach (NEOGEO) Program which seeks to improve the quality of Earth Science education at the middle and high school levels in Northeast Ohio. During the workshop students explored the ecology and geomorphology of a series of coastal wetlands, collecting instrumental data and field observations to evaluate water quality and the forces that created these surface features. Exceptional exposure of glacial scours and striations at Kelleys Island and along the Marblehead Peninsula allowed the participants to reconstruct evolving ice flow paths to see how recent geological history shaped the landscape. Finally, stratigraphic observations in a local quarry enabled the students to understand why the observed glacial features varied as a function of bedrock type. Response to the workshop was overwhelming positive with participants commenting positively on quality and quantity of the material presented and the manner in which inquiry based teaching was modeled. End of term projects which included the conceptualization of a teaching plan to incorporate the approaches learned during the workshop demonstrated effective transference of the knowledge. NEOGEO graduate fellows are available during the academic year to help the workshop participants implement their teaching plans.

The Utility of Inquiry-Based Exercises in Mexican Science Classrooms: Reports from a Professional Development Workshop for Science Teachers in Quintana Roo, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Racelis, A. E.; Brovold, A. A.

2010-12-01

The quality of science teaching is of growing importance in Mexico. Mexican students score well below the world mean in math and science. Although the government has recognized these deficiencies and has implemented new policies aimed to improve student achievement in the sciences, teachers are still encountering in-class barriers to effective teaching, especially in public colleges. This paper reports on the utility of inquiry based exercises in Mexican classrooms. In particular, it describes a two-day professional development workshop with science teachers at the Instituto Tecnologico Superior in Felipe Carrillo Puerto in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. Felipe Carrillo Puerto is an indigenous municipality where a significant majority of the population speak Maya as their first language. This alone presents a unique barrier to teaching science in the municipality, but accompanied with other factors such as student apathy, insufficient prior training of both students and teachers, and pressure to deliver specific science curriculum, science teachers have formidable challenges for effective science teaching. The goals of the workshop were to (1) have a directed discussion regarding science as both content and process, (2) introduce inquiry based learning as one tool of teaching science, and (3) get teachers to think about how they can apply these techniques in their classes.

A Novel Approach to Professional Development in Middle School Science: Instructional Coaching by University Professors to Improve the Instructional Core

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mchenry, Nadine; Borger, Laurie; Liable-Sands, Louise

2017-01-01

The current study was constructed based on the recommendations of a previous study (McHenry & Borger, 2013). Though inquiry-based teaching has long been touted as an effective pedagogy, its application by middle school science teachers has been problematic. Using tools developed from the previous study in conjunction with professional…

Professional Development of, by, and for the Practitioners of the Washington Teachers Inquiry Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gasoi, Emily; Hare, Abby; Mallaney,Norah; Stevens-Morin, Hanna

2016-01-01

Descriptive Review, as developed by Patricia Carini and colleagues at the Prospect Center, is a process of deep observation and documentation that has proven to be an invaluable tool for teachers interested in gaining a more holistic view of their students and their work. In this article, a teacher educator and three classroom teachers share their…

"Tiny Talks" between Colleagues: Brief Narratives as Mediation in Teacher Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zoshak, Rebecca

2016-01-01

During my third semester as a student pursuing a Masters in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)--which was also my second semester as an ESL teacher--I was encouraged by a professor of a graduate seminar to think outside the box about professional development (PD). After all, inquiry-based approaches to PD and teacher education emphasize…

The influence inquiry-based science has on elementary teachers' perception of instruction and self-efficacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Felecia J.

The nature and purpose of this study was to examine the self-efficacy of teachers who use an inquiry-based science program to provide authentic experiences within the elementary school setting. It is essential to explore necessary improvements to bring about effective science education. Using a mixed methods study, the researcher conducted interviews with elementary teachers from five elementary schools within the same school district. The interviews focused on the teachers' experiences with inquiry-based science and their perceptions of quality science instruction. The Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale was used to collect quantitative data regarding the teachers' perception of instructional practice and student engagement. The study revealed that limited science content knowledge, inadequate professional development, and a low sense of self-efficacy have a substantial effect on teacher outcomes, instructional planning, and ability to motivate students to participate in inquiry-based learning. It will take a collective effort from administrators, teachers, parents, and students to discover ways to improve elementary science education.

Academic Crosswinds: When Professional Ethics and Professional Incentives Clash

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neil, Jane

2016-01-01

This article provides a useful and perhaps not uncommon anecdote for researchers thinking about sharing professional expectations, scarce resources, "public good" aspects of academic inquiry, and professional responsibility. It appears as follows: Two sets of researchers, using a respected national longitudinal data set, have been…

Crossing the GEM Frontier: Graduate Admissions Professionals' Participation in Enrollment Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, C. Dean; Smith, Jahmaine

2014-01-01

Using qualitative inquiry and professional socialization as a framework to draw meaning from the work experiences of graduate admissions professionals, this project examines individual beliefs and organizational behaviors as they relate to enrollment management.

Constructing professional and organisational fields.

PubMed

Gurney, Robert

2016-01-01

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to fill an apparent gap in the literature addressing issues of leadership and change - the development and activities of constructing and leading sports sciences and medicine professions, and similarly, the construction and leadership of multidisciplinary/inter-disciplinary organisations that practice sports sciences and medicine. Design/methodology/approach - This study incorporated explorations through conducting both interviews and survey questionnaires with members of Sports Medicine Australia (SMA). The interviews (qualitative) were semi-structured and asked questions addressing what changed, why change and how change was implemented. Findings - The health sciences and medicine professions moving to specialised sports sciences and medicine disciplines and SMA, evolved through forces driving the need for change (legitimacy, resource dependency, positioning and core competencies). Practical implications - The knowledge developed from understanding activities of change that traditional professions conducted to become specialised Disciplines and parallel changes in a single Discipline organisation evolving to an umbrella organisation (SMA), comprised a membership of specialised Disciplines, can act as a catalyst for inquiry by other professional and organisational groups. Originality/value - The findings of this study contributes to the literature investigating change in professional and organisations fields. More specifically, this study promotes inquiry into leadership practices of sports sciences and medicine, as contributors to the field of health services.

Fostering Self-Reflection and Meaningful Learning: Earth Science Professional Development for Middle School Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monet, Julie A.; Etkina, Eugenia

2008-10-01

This paper describes the analysis of teachers’ journal reflections during an inquiry-based professional development program. As a part of their learning experience, participants reflected on what they learned and how they learned. Progress of subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge was assessed though surveys and pre- and posttests. We found that teachers have difficulties reflecting on their learning and posing meaningful questions. The teachers who could describe how they reasoned from evidence to understand a concept had the highest learning gains. In contrast those teachers who seldom or never described learning a concept by reasoning from evidence showed the smallest learning gains. This analysis suggests that learning to reflect on one’s learning should be an integral part of teachers’ professional development experiences.

The Results of an Era of Teacher Professional Development at McDonald Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finkelstein, K. D.; Hemenway, M. K.; Preston, S.; Wetzel, M.; Meyer, J.; Rood, M.

2014-07-01

During the past decade, McDonald Observatory has been developing and refining its Teacher Professional Development Workshops, many of which have been supported by NASA. Metrics include attendance, perceived knowledge gain, and readiness to apply what was learned in the classroom. Evaluations show impact through the classroom application at five to six months after the workshops and through consistently high positive workshop results. This paper will show that a) our Teacher Professional Development Workshops are consistently well attended, b) the workshops improve teachers' confidence and their understanding of concepts, c) teachers enjoy unique interactions with astronomers and engineers, d) teachers appreciate hands-on and inquiry-based activities that are modeled and tied to state and national standards, and e) many teachers experience using the activities in their classrooms with good results.

The Impact of a Professional Development Programme on Primary Teachers' Classroom Practice and Pupils' Attitudes to Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Greg

2015-04-01

This study investigates the relationship, if any, between teacher participation in a targeted professional development programme and changes in participants' instructional practice and their pupils' attitudes to learning primary science. The programme took place over a 2-year period in 15 small rural schools in the West of Ireland. Data sources include teacher and pupil questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and informal classroom observations. The findings reveal that as a result of their involvement in the programme, (a) teachers' instructional practice in science lessons became more inquiry-based and they were engaging their pupils in substantially more hands-on activities in science lessons and (b) pupils developed more positive attitudes towards learning science. The findings from this study add to what is known about delivering effective professional development.

Building Preservice Teachers' Connections with Communities through Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholas, Trula Morehead; Baker-Sennett, Jacquelyn; McClanahan, Lauren; Harwood, Angela

2012-01-01

This study describes how a community-based interprofessional education approach designed to engage preservice teachers with community members and human services professionals contributes to preservice teachers' inquiry skills and their understanding of interprofessional collaboration. Preservice teachers were enrolled in a research methods course…

Mathematics Career Simulations: An Invitation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinn, Robb; Phipps, Marnie

2013-01-01

A simulated academic career was combined with inquiry-based learning in an upper-division undergraduate mathematics course. Concepts such as tenure, professional conferences and journals were simulated. Simulation procedures were combined with student-led, inquiry-based classroom formats. A qualitative analysis (ethnography) describes the culture…

Integrating Technology and Inquiry Pedagogy: Needs-Based Professional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berber, Brian; Brovey, Andrew

Valdosta State University (VSU), fulfills the academic needs of the South Georgia area. Student performance on the state mandated science assessment was well below achievement levels compared to other subject areas. VSU must reach out to science teachers in the area to improve teaching skills if their students are to become productive,…

The Board of Trustees' Professional Development and Effects on Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korelich, Kathryn; Maxwell, Gerri

2015-01-01

With the pressure for school districts to perform well on state assessments (Brown, Jones & Scheunermann, 2012) and the school boards blamed for the problems within a school district (Fridley, 2006), the inquiry of how to increase student achievement continues to be a forerunner in the circles of educators, parents, business and community…

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Teaching Presence within the Florida Online Reading Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevison, Melinda Gay

2009-01-01

The Community of Inquiry model provides a framework for recognizing and evaluating interpersonal behaviors in online educational settings. One of its three components, teaching presence (TP), describes those behaviors that are under the auspices of the online instructor. By examining these interactions and behaviors through the theoretical lens…

Raising the Curtain: Investigating the Practicum Experiences of Pre-Service Drama Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Christina C.; Wright, Peter R.; Pascoe, Robin

2017-01-01

The practicum is internationally recognised as a valuable component of teacher education. It is an opportunity for pre-service teachers to develop teaching skills in authentic ways and pursue professional inquiry into practice. While extensive research has been conducted into the practicum generally, little research focuses on the practicum…

Modeling Pedagogy for Teachers Transitioning to the Virtual Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canuel, Michael J.; White, Beverley J.

2014-01-01

This study is a review of the creation and evolution of a professional development program modeled on social constructivist principles and designed for online educators in a virtual high school who transitioned from the conventional classroom to the virtual educational environment. The narrative inquiry focuses on the critical events within the…

Disasters in the Classroom: Teaching about Disasters in the Third World. Second Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McPherson, Cluny; And Others

This middle school curriculum packet contains teaching ideas developed by United Kingdom professionals who then implemented the ideas in 15 day programs in West Yorkshire, England. The objectives were to stimulate communication and inquiry; to question accepted ideas on poverty; to challenge stereotypes; to value students' knowledge concerning…

Facilitating Small-Scale Implementation of Inquiry-Based Teaching: Encounters and Experiences of Experimento Multipliers in One South African Province

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dudu, Washington Takawira

2017-01-01

This paper explores the experiences of 37 physical science high school teachers who participated in a professional development (PD) programme coordinated by three Experimento multipliers. The Experimento programme is a Siemens Stiftung international educational programme aimed at providing didactic and methodological approaches to classroom…

An Inquiry into the Development of Future Speech-Language Pathologists: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plotts, Kimberly P.

2017-01-01

Upon graduating college, many students seek employment within the degree area in which they obtained. Employers are seeking skills in individuals that encompass interpersonal, technical, analytical, personal, and professional abilities. As with many careers, the allied health field requires content specific knowledge and specialized skills, which…

Changing School Culture: Using Documentation to Support Collaborative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Given, Heidi; Kuh, Lisa; LeeKeenan, Debbie; Mardell, Ben; Redditt, Susan; Twombly, Susan

2010-01-01

This article considers how documentation as a professional development tool acts as a change agent for teachers and how collective engagement in the documentation process mediates the inherent tensions of working and learning in a group. Three groups of educators, at three distinct schools, used Reggio Emilia-inspired documentation as the…

With a New Lens: How Partnering Impacts Teachers' Views of and Approaches to Teaching Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bainer, Deborah L.

The Partnering for Elementary Environmental Science program provides a professional development model to improve elementary science education. The program pairs teachers with science content experts and instructs the partnership teams in the pedagogy essential for effective inquiry science. This paper reports a year-long qualitative study of nine…

Using Educative Assessments to Support Science Teaching for Middle School English-Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buxton, Cory A.; Allexsaht-Snider, Martha; Suriel, Regina; Kayumova, Shakhnoza; Choi, Youn-jeng; Bouton, Bobette; Baker, Melissa

2013-01-01

Grounded in Hallidayan perspectives on academic language, we report on our development of an educative science assessment as one component of the language-rich inquiry science for English-language learners teacher professional learning project for middle school science teachers. The project emphasizes the role of content-area writing to support…

Building Action Research Teams: A Case of Struggles and Successes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Du, Fengning

2009-01-01

Teaching teams can hold the promise of being an ideal vehicle in which collaborative action research is conducted. This case documents the mixed results of a team leader's efforts to improve teaching and introduce inquiry-based professional development through action research in a community college. This case paints a realistic and…

Learning to Read Critically in Language and Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwyn, Andrew, Ed.; Stables, Andrew, Ed.

2005-01-01

This book is a "three-in-one" text that students may use to: (1) Develop their critical understanding of research literature through a focus on reviewing relatively small-scale investigations in a particular field of inquiry; (2) Increase their appreciation of what it is possible to achieve through professionally conducted research investigations…

Moving beyond the Barriers: Supporting Meaningful Teacher Collaboration to Improve Secondary School Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jao, Limin; McDougall, Doug

2016-01-01

The Collaborative Teacher Inquiry Project was a professional development initiative that sought to improve the teaching and learning of Grade 9 Applied mathematics by encouraging teachers to work collaboratively. The project brought together Grade 9 Applied mathematics teachers from 11 schools across four neighboring public school boards in the…

The Appreciative Pedagogy of Palliative Care: Arts-Based or Evidence-Based?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lander, Dorothy A.; Graham-Pole, John R.

2006-01-01

The authors integrate poetry and narrative into their self-study application of the research methodology known as Appreciative Inquiry (AI) focused on: (a) their personal and professional practice and development; (b) their teaching practice in universities and informal/popular education settings; and, (c) their educational research in the area of…

Weather, Climate, Web 2.0: 21st Century Students Speak Climate Science Well

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sundberg, Cheryl White; Kennedy, Teresa; Odell, Michael R. L.

2013-01-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) and inquiry learning (IL) employ extensive scaffolding that results in cognitive load reduction and allows students to learn in complex domains. Hybrid teacher professional development models (PDM) using 21st century social collaboration tools embedding PBL and IL shows promise as a systemic approach for increasing…

Finnish Science Teachers' Views on the Three Stage Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sormunen, K.; Keinonen, T.; Holbrook, J.

2014-01-01

The core idea of the PROFILES project is to support science teachers' continuous professional development. The instructional innovation of the PROFILES is the so called Three Stage Model (TSM) which aims to arouse students' intrinsic motivation, to offer a meaningful inquiry-based learning environment and to use the science learning in…

Using Sociotransformative Constructivism to Create Multicultural and Gender-Inclusive Classrooms: An Intervention Project for Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zozakiewicz, Cathy; Rodriguez, Alberto J.

2007-01-01

Maxima was an intervention project that focused on assisting teachers to establish more inquiry-based, gender-inclusive, and culturally relevant learning environments. The authors grounded the project by using sociotransformative constructivism as a theoretical framework to steer the implementation of three guiding concepts for professional…

Using Practitioner Inquiry within and against Large-Scale Educational Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hines, Mary Beth; Conner-Zachocki, Jennifer

2015-01-01

This research study examines the impact of teacher research on participants in a large-scale educational reform initiative in the United States, No Child Left Behind, and its strand for reading teachers, Reading First. Reading First supported professional development for teachers in order to increase student scores on standardized tests. The…

A Collaborative Inquiry to Promote Pedagogical Knowledge of Mathematics in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moghaddam, Alireza; Sarkar Arani, Mohammad Reza; Kuno, Hiroyuki

2015-01-01

The present study attempts to report a collaborative cycle of professional development in teaching elementary school mathematics through lesson study. It explores a practice of lesson study conducted by teachers aiming to improve their knowledge of pedagogy. The study adopts an ethnographic approach to examine how collaborative teaching within an…

The Effect of a State Department of Education Teacher Mentor Initiative on Science Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pruitt, Stephen L.; Wallace, Carolyn S.

2012-06-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of a southern state's department of education program to improve science achievement through embedded professional development of science teachers in the lowest performing schools. The Science Mentor Program provided content and inquiry-based coaching by teacher leaders to science teachers in their own classrooms. The study analyzed the mean scale scores for the science portion of the state's high school graduation test for the years 2004 through 2007 to determine whether schools receiving the intervention scored significantly higher than comparison schools receiving no intervention. The results showed that all schools achieved significant improvement of scale scores between 2004 and 2007, but there were no significant performance differences between intervention and comparison schools, nor were there any significant differences between various subgroups in intervention and comparison schools. However, one subgroup, economically disadvantaged (ED) students, from high-level intervention schools closed the achievement gap with ED students from no-intervention schools across the period of the study. The study provides important information to guide future research on and design of large-scale professional development programs to foster inquiry-based science.

"Martian Boneyards": Sustained Scientific Inquiry in a Social Digital Game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asbell-Clarke, Jordis

Social digital gaming is an explosive phenomenon where youth and adults are engaged in inquiry for the sake of fun. The complexity of learning evidenced in social digital games is attracting the attention of educators. Martian Boneyards is a proof-of-concept game designed to study how a community of voluntary gamers can be enticed to engage in sustained, high-quality scientific inquiry. Science educators and game designers worked together to create an educational game with the polish and intrigue of a professional-level game, striving to attract a new audience to scientific inquiry. Martian Boneyards took place in the high-definition, massively multiplayer online environment, Blue Mars, where players spent an average of 30 hours in the game over the 4-month implementation period, with some exceeding 200 hours. Most of the players' time was spent in scientific inquiry activities and about 30% of the players' in-game interactions were in the analysis and theory-building phases of inquiry. Female players conducted most of the inquiry, in particular analysis and theory building. The quality of scientific inquiry processes, which included extensive information gathering by players, and the resulting content were judged to be very good by a team of independent scientists. This research suggests that a compelling storyline, a highly aesthetic environment, and the emergent social bonds among players and between players and the characters played by designers were all responsible for sustaining high quality inquiry among gamers in this free-choice experience. The gaming environment developed for Martian Boneyards is seen as an evolving ecosystem with interactions among design, players' activity, and players' progress.

Neuroscience in Middle Schools: A Professional Development and Resource Program that Models Inquiry-Based Strategies and Engages Teachers in Classroom Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacNabb, Carrie; Schmitt, Lee; Michlin, Michael; Harris, Ilene; Thomas, Larry; Chittendon, David; Ebner, Timothy J.; Dubinsky, Janet M.

2006-01-01

The Department of Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota and the Science Museum of Minnesota have developed and implemented a successful program for middle school (grades 5-8) science teachers and their students, called Brain Science on the Move. The overall goals have been to bring neuroscience education to underserved schools, excite…

A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Perceptions of Software Professionals on the Asperger's Syndrome/High Functioning Autism Spectrum and the Success of Software Development Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kendall, Leslie R.

2013-01-01

Individuals who have Asperger's Syndrome/High-Functioning Autism, as a group, are chronically underemployed and underutilized. Many in this group have abilities that are well suited for various roles within the practice of software development. Multiple studies have shown that certain organizational and management changes in the software…

Teacher Inquiry: Living the Research in Everyday Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Anthony, Ed.; Erickson, Gaalen, Ed.

This book includes 22 papers in three parts. After (1) "Teacher Inquiry: A Defining Feature of Professional Practice" (Anthony Clarke and Gaalen Erickson), Part 1, "Enacting Teacher Research in Practice Settings," includes (2) "Writing Matters: Exploring the Relationship between Writing Instruction and Assessment"…

Leading Deep Conversations in Collaborative Inquiry Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Tamara Holmlund; Deuel, Angie; Slavit, David; Kennedy, Anne

2010-01-01

Collaborative inquiry groups, such as professional learning communities and lesson study groups, are proliferating in schools across the United States. In whatever form, the potential for impacting student learning through this collaborative work is expanded or limited by the nature of teachers' conversations. Polite, congenial conversations…

Urban schools' teachers enacting project-based science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tal, Tali; Krajcik, Joseph S.; Blumenfeld, Phyllis C.

2006-09-01

What teaching practices foster inquiry and promote students to learn challenging subject matter in urban schools? Inquiry-based instruction and successful inquiry learning and teaching in project-based science (PBS) were described in previous studies (Brown & Campione, [1990]; Crawford, [1999]; Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, Bass, & Fredricks, [1998]; Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, & Solloway, [1994]; Minstrell & van Zee, [2000]). In this article, we describe the characteristics of inquiry teaching practices that promote student learning in urban schools. Teaching is a major factor that affects both achievement of and attitude of students toward science (Tamir, [1998]). Our involvement in reform in a large urban district includes the development of suitable learning materials and providing continuous and practiced-based professional development (Fishman & Davis, in press; van Es, Reiser, Matese, & Gomez, [2002]). Urban schools face particular challenges when enacting inquiry-based teaching practices like those espoused in PBS. In this article, we describe two case studies of urban teachers whose students achieved high gains on pre- and posttests and who demonstrated a great deal of preparedness and commitment to their students. Teachers' attempts to help their students to perform well are described and analyzed. The teachers we discuss work in a school district that strives to bring about reform in mathematics and science through systemic reform. The Center for Learning Technologies in Urban Schools (LeTUS) collaborates with the Detroit Public Schools to bring about reform in middle-school science. Through this collaboration, diverse populations of urban-school students learn science through inquiry-oriented projects and the use of various educational learning technologies. For inquiry-based science to succeed in urban schools, teachers must play an important role in enacting the curriculum while addressing the unique needs of students. The aim of this article is to describe patterns of good science teaching in urban school.

The Overlapping Spheres of Medical Professionalism and Medical Ethics: A Conceptual Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruitenberg, Claudia W.

2016-01-01

This essay examines the concepts of "professionalism" and "ethics" as they are used in health professions education and, in particular, medical education. It proposes that, in order to make sense of the construct of "professional ethics," it would be helpful to conceive of professionalism and ethics as overlapping but…

Adoption, adaptation, and abandonment: Appropriation of science education professional development learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longhurst, Max L.

Understanding factors that impact teacher utilization of learning from professional development is critical in order maximize the educational and financial investment in teacher professional learning. This study used a multicase mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology to investigate the factors that influence teacher adoption, adaption, or abandonment of learning from science teacher professional development. The theoretical framework of activity theory was identified as a useful way to investigate the phenomenon of teacher appropriation of pedagogical practices from professional development. This framework has the capacity to account for a multitude of elements in the context of a learning experience. In this study educational appropriation is understood through a continuum of how an educator acquires and implements both practical and conceptual aspects of learning from professional development within localized context. The variability associated with instructional changes made from professional development drives this inquiry to search for better understandings of the appropriation of pedagogical practices. Purposeful sampling was used to identify two participants from a group of eighth-grade science teachers engaged in professional development designed to investigate how cyber-enabled technologies might enhance instruction and learning in integrated science classrooms. The data from this investigation add to the literature of appropriation of instructional practices by connecting eight factors that influence conceptual and practical tools with the development of ownership of pedagogical practices in the appropriation hierarchy. Recommendations are shared with professional development developers, providers, and participants in anticipation that future science teaching experiences might be informed by findings from this study.

Situating Teacher Inquiry: A Micropolitical Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeChasseur, Kimberly; Mayer, Anysia; Welton, Anjale; Donaldson, Morgaen

2016-01-01

Professional learning communities (PLCs) have become a popular strategy in various forms (e.g., data teams, grade-level teams) and with various champions (e.g., district leaders, university researchers, teacher advocates). Although well-implemented PLCs have been shown to distribute leadership, the tension between democratic inquiry processes and…

An exploratory study of the impact of an inquiry-based professional development course on the beliefs and instructional practices of urban inservice teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suters, Leslie Ann

Five urban teachers completed a total of 50 contact hours of professional development in which they: participated in authentic, inquiry-based experiences facilitated by a scientist; learned new science content related to the nature of science and scientific inquiry; developed inquiry-based lesson plans to implement in their classrooms; and developed science-specific strategies to mentor novice and experienced teachers. The focus of this research was to determine changes in their: beliefs and instructional practices; understanding of scientific literacy; and efficacy toward mentoring other teachers. A collective case study methodology was used in which participants completed questionnaires and were observed and interviewed, prior to and at the completion of the course. They were also asked to complete reflective journal questions during the course. While the teachers' beliefs did not change as measured by the Teacher's Pedagogical Philosophy Interview (TPPI) (teacher-centered beliefs for "Teacher Actions" and "Teacher and Content"; conceptual/student-centered for "Student Actions" and "Philosophy of Teaching"), their teacher-centered behaviors changed to conceptual/student-centered as measured by the Secondary Science Teachers Analysis Matrix (STAM). Their responses to the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) generally correlated with their post-STAM results. Participants gained a better understanding of the creative aspect of the nature of science as measured by the Modified Nature of Scientific Knowledge Scale (MNSKS) instrument, while two novice teachers improved their personal science teaching efficacy after participation in the course as measured by the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI). Four of the five teachers felt better prepared to mentor others to use inquiry-based instruction. In contrast to these positive trends, their outcome expectancy beliefs (STEBI subscale) were generally lower than their perceived personal teaching efficacy before and after the course, which could be an indicator of the environment in urban schools where there is often little support or equipment for innovative practices in science. Generally there was a shift from traditional to constructivist instructional practices as measured by the STAM, while results varied for teacher beliefs and efficacy regarding science instruction as measured by the TPPI, CLES, and STEBI and teachers' understanding of the nature of science as measured by the MNSKS.

Appreciative Inquiry as an intervention to change nursing practice in in-patient settings: An integrative review.

PubMed

Watkins, Sarah; Dewar, Belinda; Kennedy, Catriona

2016-08-01

High profile accounts of failures in patient care reflect an urgent need for transformational development in healthcare. Appreciative Inquiry is promoted as an approach to exploring and bringing about change in social systems. Appreciative Inquiry has been used extensively in North American business since the late 1980s. The application of Appreciative Inquiry may have merit in the complex world of human health experiences. To identify, evaluate and synthesise the evidence about the impact of Appreciative Inquiry on changing clinical nursing practice in in-patient settings. An integrative review and narrative synthesis. In-patient settings including paediatrics, maternity and mental health. Nurses of all grades, patients, carers, relatives, other healthcare professionals including allied healthcare staff, management and students. An electronic search of the following electronic databases was performed in January 2015 and updated in July 2015: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library (Cochrane database of systematic reviews), Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsychINFO, PsychARTICLES, Amed, Assia, Scopus and Web of Science. Hand searching of reference lists of included studies was undertaken. Limits were set to include literature published in English only and publications from 1990 to July 2015. Three reviewers independently assessed eligibility for inclusion and extracted data. Full text articles were systematically appraised using a standardised data extraction instrument in conjunction with criteria to assess whether change using Appreciative Inquiry is transformational. Eight studies (reported in 11 papers) met the inclusion criteria. Overall, these studies demonstrate poor application of Appreciative Inquiry criteria in a nursing context. This makes judgement of the impact difficult. One study achieved transformation against agreed criteria for Appreciative Inquiry. Other included studies demonstrated that Appreciative Inquiry is being perceived as a gateway to knowledge translation rather than transformative change in practice. Appreciative Inquiry offers potential for nurse practice development and change but not without cognisance of the pivotal components. If Appreciative Inquiry is to be perceived as a legitimate research endeavour, there must be engagement and attention to rigour. Findings suggest caution is required against the choreography of Appreciative Inquiry where participant experiences are moulded to fit a previously drafted master plan. Further research is needed to explore the role of expert facilitation in securing and sustaining successful outcomes of Appreciative Inquiry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Overcoming institutional challenges through continuous professionalism improvement: the University of Washington experience.

PubMed

Fryer-Edwards, Kelly; Van Eaton, Erik; Goldstein, Erika A; Kimball, Harry R; Veith, Richard C; Pellegrini, Carlos A; Ramsey, Paul G

2007-11-01

The University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine is in the midst of an emerging ecology of professionalism. This initiative builds on prior work focusing on professionalism at the student level and moves toward the complete integration of a culture of professionalism within the UW medical community of including staff, faculty, residents, and students. The platform for initiating professionalism as institutional culture is the Committee on Continuous Professionalism Improvement, established in November 2006. This article reviews three approaches to organizational development used within and outside medicine and highlights features that are useful for enhancing an institutional culture of professionalism: organizational culture, safety culture, and appreciative inquiry. UW Medicine has defined professional development as a continuous process, built on concrete expectations, using mechanisms to facilitate learning from missteps and highlighting strengths. To this end, the school of medicine is working toward improvements in feedback, evaluation, and reward structures at all levels (student, resident, faculty, and staff) as well as creating opportunities for community dialogues on professionalism issues within the institution. Throughout all the Continuous Professionalism Improvement activities, a two-pronged approach to cultivating a culture of professionalism is taken: celebration of excellence and attention to accountability.

The Concept Approach to Programming in Adult Education--With Special Application to Extension Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collings, Mary L., Ed.

The document reports a 10-year seminar effort to consider a framework for a series of inquiries valuable to all institutions engaged in curriculum development or programing. The work reported includes the study of the professional role of the extension adult educator and identifies concepts, propositions, procedures, and a model for use in…

Preliminary Results of Professional Development Program for School Science Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wuttiprom, Sura; Wuttisela, Karntarat; Phonchaiya, Sonthi; Athiwaspong, Wanwalai; Chitaree, Ratchapak; Sharma, Manjula Devi

2016-01-01

Teachers need to design their courses to be as similar to real-life situations as possible as genuine learning emerges in real life as opposed to studying in class. Research-based learning is an innovative approach exploring many critical strategies for success in the twenty-first century. In it, students drive their own learning through inquiry,…

Negotiating the Rub between Cultures: Teacher Talk and Sustained Shifts in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meth, Jessica Matthews; Azano, Amy

2012-01-01

This article examines the outcomes of an eight-month professional development initiative, designed to support six Writing Project teachers' classroom inquiry projects, each focused on improving an aspect of student writing. We begin by introducing the genesis of these classroom research projects as well as the structure and content of the support…

Behavioral Sciences in Secondary Schools: An Inquiry-Oriented Interdisciplinary Approach to the Human Behavioral Sciences in Social Studies. Professional Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Randall C.

Trends in secondary-level behavioral science curriculum development, informational background, and strategies for teaching behavioral science concepts are provided in this book. Chapters one through three define the behavioral sciences and examine their changing role and status in social studies education. Chapters four through six develop…

I Wish I Was a Lion[strikethrough] a Puppy: A Multimodal View of Writing Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collier, Diane R.; Kendrick, Maureen

2016-01-01

At the same time that creativity, play, and inquiry are receiving special focus in academic, professional, and educational settings, mandated assessments have never been more prominent, despite public debates that question the value of such testing. In the context of these apparently contradictory developments in literacy education, as a…

The Creation of a Culture of Inquiry: Engaging Teachers in Experiences with Art Objects in Museums

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Stacy

2012-01-01

The problem under investigation in this dissertation concerns teachers and their ability to continue to be lifelong learners through professional development initiatives in art museums. In this serial case study five teachers from elementary, middle and high schools visited the free choice learning environments of art museums and were interviewed…

From PDS Classroom Teachers to Urban Teacher Educators: Learning from Professional Development School Boundary Spanners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Teresa R.; Many, Joyce E.

2014-01-01

This qualitative inquiry explores perceptions and experiences of three urban educators who had been involved in PDS initiatives both from the school perspective as classroom teachers and mentors to interns and from the university perspective as urban teacher-educators. These ''boundary spanners'' provided insight into and appreciation for the…

Encounters with "Strangers": Towards Dialogical Ethics in English Language Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kostogriz, Alex; Doecke, Brenton

2007-01-01

This article takes the inquiry into "nativeness" and "non-nativeness" to the level of developing an ethical framework for professional practice in English language education. In so doing, our aim is firstly to use the "sociology of the stranger" as a framework to problematize discourses on the Other and Othering. We shall argue that these…

The Art of Perception: Museums Breaking Ground in Law Enforcement Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Amy E.

2011-01-01

The Art of Perception is a professional development program that uses the analysis of works of art to help participants re-examine their responsibilities in various agencies of law enforcement, refresh their sense of inquiry, and reinvigorate the language they use to communicate on the job. "The Art of Perception: Museums Breaking Ground in Law…

"Learning a Different Form of Communication": Experiences of Networked Learning and Reflections on Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Philippa

2006-01-01

This paper focuses on learners' experiences of text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC) as a means of self-expression, dialogue and debate. A detailed case study narrative and a reflective commentary are presented, drawn from a personal, practice-based inquiry into the design and facilitation of a professional development course for which…

Investigating the Impact of Snacks on Secondary School Students' Science Learning and Science Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowles, Reco T.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of Snacks on secondary school students' science learning and science self-efficacy. This study also explored the relationship between teacher science self-efficacy and confidence. The study utilized thirteen (13) teachers participating in an inquiry science professional development that…

Professional Identity Development of Teacher Candidates Participating in an Informal Science Education Internship: A focus on drawings as evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katz, Phyllis; McGinnis, J. Randy; Hestness, Emily; Riedinger, Kelly; Marbach-Ad, Gili; Dai, Amy; Pease, Rebecca

2011-06-01

This study investigated the professional identity development of teacher candidates participating in an informal afterschool science internship in a formal science teacher preparation programme. We used a qualitative research methodology. Data were collected from the teacher candidates, their informal internship mentors, and the researchers. The data were analysed through an identity development theoretical framework, informed by participants' mental models of science teaching and learning. We learned that the experience in an afterschool informal internship encouraged the teacher candidates to see themselves, and to be seen by others, as enacting key recommendations by science education standards documents, including exhibiting: positive attitudes, sensitivity to diversity, and increasing confidence in facilitating hands-on science participation, inquiry, and collaborative work. Our study provided evidence that the infusion of an informal science education internship in a formal science teacher education programme influenced positively participants' professional identity development as science teachers.

Cooperative Inquiry for Learning and Connectedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ospina, Sonia; El Hadidy, Waad; Hofmann-Pinilla, Amparo

2008-01-01

There has been rising concern about the disconnect between universities, their communities and society at large. This is of special interest to professional schools, whose missions are founded on connecting practice and theory. We argue that cooperative inquiry, an action-based methodology, can help foster connectedness and contribute to healing…

A Cogenerative Inquiry Using Postcolonial Theory to Envisage Culturally Inclusive Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Jennifer; Luitel, Bal Chandra; Afonso, Emilia; Taylor, Peter Charles

2008-01-01

This forum constitutes a cogenerative inquiry using postcolonial theory drawn from the review paper by Zembylas and Avraamidou. Three teacher educators from African, Asian and Caribbean countries reflect on problems confronting their professional practices and consider the prospects of creating culturally inclusive science education. We learn that…

Towards a framework for the elicitation of dilemmas.

PubMed

Burger, Marc J C

2008-08-01

This paper covers the main findings of the doctoral research that was concerned with seeking to extend aspects of dilemma theory. In professional practice, the Trompenaars Hampden-Turner Dilemma Reconciliation Process(TM) is a vehicle delivering dilemma theory in application. It informs a manager or leader on how to explore the dilemmas they face, how to reconcile the tensions that result, and how to structure the action steps for implementing the reconciled solutions. This vehicle forms the professional practice of the author who seeks to bring more rigor to consulting practice and thereby also contribute to theory development in the domain. The critical review of dilemma theory reveals that previous authors are inconsistent and variously invalid in their use of the terms 'dilemma theory,' 'dilemma methodology,' 'dilemma process,' 'dilemma reconciliation,' etc., and therefore an attempt is made to resolve these inconsistencies by considering whether 'dilemmaism' at the meta-level might be positioned as a new paradigm of inquiry for (management) research that embodies ontological, epistemological, and methodical premises that frame an approach to the resolution of real world business problems in (multi) disciplinary; (multi) functional and (multi) cultural business environments. This research offers contributions to knowledge, professional practice and theory development from the exploration of the SPID model as a way to make the elicitation of dilemmas more rigorous and structured and in the broader context of exploring 'dilemmaism' as a new paradigm of inquiry.

Science Teachers' Views and Stereotypes of Religion, Scientists and Scientific Research: A call for scientist-science teacher partnerships to promote inquiry-based learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansour, Nasser

2015-07-01

Despite a growing consensus regarding the value of inquiry-based learning (IBL) for students' learning and engagement in the science classroom, the implementation of such practices continues to be a challenge. If science teachers are to use IBL to develop students' inquiry practices and encourage them to think and act as scientists, a better understanding of factors that influence their attitudes towards scientific research and scientists' practices is very much needed. Within this context there is a need to re-examine the science teachers' views of scientists and the cultural factors that might have an impact on teachers' views and pedagogical practices. A diverse group of Egyptian science teachers took part in a quantitative-qualitative study using a questionnaire and in-depth interviews to explore their views of scientists and scientific research, and to understand how they negotiated their views of scientists and scientific research in the classroom, and how these views informed their practices of using inquiry in the classroom. The findings highlighted how the teachers' cultural beliefs and views of scientists and scientific research had constructed idiosyncratic pedagogical views and practices. The study suggested implications for further research and argued for teacher professional development based on partnerships with scientists.

Graduate Students' Perceptions of Professional Power in Social Work Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bundy-Fazioli, Kimberly; Quijano, Louise M.; Bubar, Roe

2013-01-01

The study of ways that professional power is perceived in social work practice is limited. This exploratory qualitative study analyzes second-year MSW students' perceptions of professional power in social work practice. This inquiry is guided by social constructivism and symbolic interactionism perspectives. The authors used constant comparison…

Key Ideas for Making and Using Virtual Fieldwork Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duggan-Haas, D.; Ross, R. M.

2016-12-01

Fieldwork is a signature pedagogy for the geosciences, but can be challenging to manage and challenging to bring to certain settings, like large lecture courses or K-12 classrooms. Virtual Fieldwork Experiences (VFEs) are helpful in meeting these challenges, though we do not suggest that VFEs replace actual fieldwork. In designing and using VFEs, for providing related professional development, and for designing and implementing actual fieldwork, key questions to consider are: What are the most important features and results of fieldwork? What aspects can be replicated through the use of multimedia? To what extent? How can the creation of VFEs be used to catalyze, extend, document, and share what is learned from doing actual fieldwork? A decade ago, we began developing curriculum materials and offering professional development programming in which VFEs are a key feature. Over the last ten years, both the technologies available and our pedagogical approaches have changed substantially. Technologically, things that used to take hours to create can now be done in minutes, and other things that were simply not practical have become simple for users to create. The rate of change of pedagogy is slower. Our initial goal of creating VFEs that offer a true inquiry experience by themselves has been tempered over time. While VFEs can offer inquiry experiences for students, a shorter route to inquiry is framing VFEs as models for student-created VFEs that document fieldwork done by students. The effective creation and use of VFEs is dependent upon Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK), the suite of understandings and skills that educators apply to teaching scientific content with technology. Educators working with VFEs often find themselves pushing their limits in one or more of the different realms of TPACK. Pushing limits is fundamental to professional growth. Our work has led to three key ideas for VFE development and use: There are questions that can be productively asked and investigated about any site. Investigating a landscape is an exercise in Earth systems science - no landscape is the product of a single process. Virtual fieldwork is a student-friendly way of documenting, analyzing, and sharing lessons learned from studying a field site. And scruffy VFEs are ok.

Narrative inquiry: a relational research methodology for medical education.

PubMed

Clandinin, D Jean; Cave, Marie T; Berendonk, Charlotte

2017-01-01

Narrative research, an inclusive term for a range of methodologies, has rapidly become part of medical education scholarship. In this paper we identify narrative inquiry as a particular theoretical and methodological framework within narrative research and outline its characteristics. We briefly summarise how narrative research has been used in studying medical learners' identity making in medical education. We then turn to the uses of narrative inquiry in studying medical learners' professional identity making. With the turn to narrative inquiry, the shift is to thinking with stories instead of about stories. We highlight four challenges in engaging in narrative inquiry in medical education and point toward promising future research and practice possibilities. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Review of Selected Dissertations Addressing School Public Relations, Administrator Communication, and Conflict Resolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decman, John M.; Simieou, Felix, III

2009-01-01

This article is an extension to Kowalski's (2005) identification of possible lines of scholarly inquiry into themes related to schools and public relations. The article first cites professional accreditation standards for educational leaders as significant factors in providing a framework for increased scholarly inquiry. It then summarizes the…

40 CFR 312.20 - All appropriate inquiries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... into account information gathered in the course of complying with the other standards and practices of... defined in § 312.10), as provided in § 312.21; (2) The collection of information pursuant to § 312.22 by... professional (see § 312.21(d)). (c) All appropriate inquiries may include the results of and information...

Towards a Caring Community: Modeling, Dialogue, Practice, and Confirmation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Charlotte Matthews

A teacher educator, engaged in ongoing practitioner inquiry to explore self as well as program, examines her evolution as a teacher of teachers through reflection, systematic inquiry, and collaboration. Relating autobiographically, she conjures up her professional stories and listens to her voice in an effort to define and refine her role, reflect…

Inquiry Resources Collection as a Boundary Object Supporting Meaningful Collaboration in a Wiki-Based Scientist-Teacher Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hye Jeong; Herbert, Bruce

2012-01-01

Different interpretations of scientific inquiry exist between the two different communities of scientists and science teachers. Thus, in order to achieve a successful partnership between science teachers and scientists in establishing effective communities of practice, the framework for instructional practice in teacher professional development…

Creating Teacher Communities of Inquiry through Lesson Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Widjaja, Wanty

2013-01-01

Opportunities for teachers to engage in collaborative learning to examine and reflect on their practice are vital for sustained professional learning. Lesson Study centres on teachers coming together with colleagues to plan, observe, and reflect on classroom teaching and learning as a Community of Inquiry. In this project, six teachers from three…

Applying the Community of Inquiry Framework to Inform the Instructional Design of Online Graduate Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutton, Jann Marie

2017-01-01

As institutions continue to expand their online learning programs, it becomes increasingly important to identify research-based strategies to support their design. Numerous professional organizations provide guidance to institutions to direct the mechanics of online delivery. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (Garrison, Anderson, Archer,…

Making sense of shared sense-making in an inquiry-based science classroom: Toward a sociocultural theory of mind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ladewski, Barbara G.

Despite considerable exploration of inquiry and reflection in the literatures of science education and teacher education/teacher professional development over the past century, few theoretical or analytical tools exist to characterize these processes within a naturalistic classroom context. In addition, little is known regarding possible developmental trajectories for inquiry or reflection---for teachers or students---as these processes develop within a classroom context over time. In the dissertation, I use a sociocultural lens to explore these issues with an eye to the ways in which teachers and students develop shared sense-making, rather than from the more traditional perspective of individual teacher activity or student learning. The study includes both theoretical and empirical components. Theoretically, I explore the elaborations of sociocultural theory needed to characterize teacher-student shared sense-making as it develops within a classroom context, and, in particular, the role of inquiry and reflection in that sense-making. I develop a sociocultural model of shared sense-making that attempts to represent the dialectic between the individual and the social, through an elaboration of existing sociocultural and psychological constructs, including Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and theory of mind. Using this model as an interpretive framework, I develop a case study that explores teacher-student shared sense-making within a middle-school science classroom across a year of scaffolded introduction to inquiry-based science instruction. The empirical study serves not only as a test case for the theoretical model, but also informs our understanding regarding possible developmental trajectories and important mechanisms supporting and constraining shared sense-making within inquiry-based science classrooms. Theoretical and empirical findings provide support for the idea that perspectival shifts---that is, shifts of point-of-view that alter relationships and proximities of elements within the interaction space---play an important role in shared sense-making. Findings further suggest that the mutually constitutive interaction of inquiry and reflection plays a key role in flexible shared sense-making. Finally, findings lend support to the idea of a dialectical relationship between human models of shared sense-making and human systems of shared sense-making; that is, the ways in which human minds are coordinated is a work in progress, shaping and shaped by human culture.

Teaching practices and professional development of biology professors at small, private, liberal arts colleges in the Southeast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallory, Sarah Elizabeth Bradford

Science teaching in pre-college institutions has been undergoing reform in recent years, particularly since 1996, when the National Science Education Standards were published. This reform includes inquiry-based teaching, student-centered classrooms, authentic assessment, and collaborative learning. Professional development is also recommended in the Standards document as the means for preparing teachers for reform-based teaching in pre-college classrooms. In post-secondary institutions, there is no curriculum-governing body to institute reform, and college faculty have devised their own standards and methods for teaching science, most often in the form of lecture and traditional procedure-driven laboratory exercises. This study was conducted to find examples of reform-based biology teaching in small, private, liberal arts colleges in the Southeast, where teaching innovations may be more likely to occur due to the size and independence of the schools. Professional development opportunities were also examined, since these would be important in the development of new curricula and methods of teaching. Data were collected from 151 participants, representing 78.3% of these colleges in eight southeastern states, by survey and from three volunteers by on-site interviews. Teaching was the main responsibility reported by all respondents, with both lower and upper level biology courses taught by all participants. Significant differences were found in the use of reform-based teaching in lower level biology courses versus upper level biology courses. Overall average use of inquiry-based teaching was 70.5%, while student-centered learning was reported on average by 57% of respondents, authentic assessment was reported on average by 56.6% of respondents, and collaborative learning was reported on average by 56% of respondents. Professional development opportunities most frequently used were reported to be journal, books, and videotapes. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that professional development which involves contact with colleagues at other institutions explained the variance in teaching practices in the simplest model, although much of the variance in the dependent variables of teaching practices remains unexplained. Qualitative data from the survey and also from interviews with volunteers served to further explain and corroborate the quantitative findings.

Virginia physical science teachers' content knowledge assessment and professional development preferences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrick, M. Georgeann

The course content for middle school physical science in Virginia is defined by the Standards of Learning. These eleven categories include topics in scientific experimentation, the nature of matter, chemistry and physics. Content knowledge is essential if teachers are to provide effective teaching, which includes analogies, illustrations, examples, and most importantly, hands-on experimentation. One means of assessing teacher content knowledge is by determining their academic major and minor. Teachers lacking a major or minor in the classes they teach are defined as "out-of-field" by Ingersoll (1996). When he examined data for middle school physical science teachers, 74% were "out-of-field." This survey study had two major facets. First, Virginia teachers were asked to assess their content knowledge in all eleven categories. They were also asked to provide descriptive and demographic data about themselves (including their academic degrees) and their schools. Secondly, the teachers were asked for their professional development preferences as well as organizational logistics including location, time, other participants, and use of technology. The survey was mailed to each school containing an eighth grade within the Commonwealth. The survey response rate was 73%. The data was analyzed descriptively and analytically, using frequency, percentages, T-tests, and ANOVA. Three major findings emerged. (1) The three areas which teachers assessed as lowest content knowledge included PS.11 (Electricity and Magnetism), PS.9 (Light), and PS.8 (Sound). These exactly match the three topics most desired for professional development. (2) Based on Ingersoll's definition, 68% of Virginia's teachers are providing "out-of-field" instruction. In addition, teachers with fewer years of teaching experience or mixed assignments, and/or those teaching in smaller, more rural schools report lower content knowledge. (3) Teachers desire professional development in all eleven categories. They are especially interested in programs which provide hands-on materials. Programs should be organized locally, enabling them to create collaborative teams. This study highlights the importance of professional development support for teachers who often lack an in-depth academic background in the physical sciences. This teacher input should inform program developers. In addition, inquiry into changing student SOL scores after teachers attend such programs could continue this line of inquiry.

Secondary science teachers' view toward and classroom translation of sustained professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Elizabeth Blake

This study concerns the phenomenon of secondary science teacher learning and enacting instructional strategies learned at the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP) teacher professional development events, as well as teacher perception of, and relationship to, this year-long professional development program. The CISIP program teaches science teachers how to build scientific classroom discourse communities with their students. Some of the science teachers were previous participants in the professional development, and acted as mentor teachers. The research design employed an integrated conceptual framework of situated learning theory with an analytical lens of teachers' professional, institutional and affinity, identities. A multi-method approach was used to generate data. Throughout the 2007-2008 academic year, the teachers' fidelity to the professional development model was measured using a classroom observation instrument aligned with the professional development model. From these observation data a longitudinal model, using hierarchical linear modeling, was constructed. In addition, surveys and interview data were used to construct both whole group and case studies of two high school science teachers who taught biology at the same school. The results indicated that there was a significant difference between previous and new participants; specifically, the longer teachers had participated in the professional development, and adopted a mentorship role, the greater their fidelity of classroom instruction to the CISIP model. Additionally, the case study teacher who developed a CISIP model-aligned affinity identity implemented more of the instructional strategies than the teacher who maintained his school-based institutional identity.

Collaboration in teacher workshops and citizen science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibbs, M. G.; Buxner, S.; Gay, P.; Crown, D. A.; Bracey, G.; Gugliucci, N.; Costello, K.; Reilly, E.

2013-12-01

The Moon and Earth system is an important topic for elementary and middle school science classrooms. Elementary and middle school teachers are challenged to keep current in science. The Planetary Science Institute created a program titled Workshops in Science Education and Resources (WISER): Planetary Perspectives to assist in-service K-12 teachers with their knowledge in earth and space science, using up-to-date science and inquiry activities to assist them in engaging their students. To augment the science and add a new aspect for teacher professional development, PSI is working in a new partnership collaborating with the Cosmoquest project in engaging teachers in authentic inquiry of the Moon. Teachers now learn about the Moon from PSI scientists and education staff and then engage in inquiry of the Moon using CosmoQuest's online citizen science project MoonMappers and its accompanying classroom curriculum TerraLuna. Through MoonMappers, teachers and students explore the lunar surface by viewing high-resolution pictures from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and marking craters and other interesting features. In addition, TerraLuna provides a unit of inquiry-based activities that bring MoonMappers and its science content into the classroom. This program addresses standards teachers need to teach and helps them not only teach about the Moon but also engage their students in authentic inquiry of the lunar surface.

Collective inquiry in the context of school-wide reform: Exploring science curriculum and instruction through team-based professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eddy Spicer, David Henning

Teacher collaboration and joint reflective inquiry have been viewed as central elements of progressive educational reform for more than two decades. More recently, researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners have heralded "blended" or "hybrid" approaches that combine online and on-site environments for collaborative learning as especially promising for "scaling up" instructional improvement. Yet, relatively little is known about how teachers working together navigate organizational and interpersonal constraints to develop and sustain conditions essential to collective inquiry. This in-depth study of meaning making about curriculum and instruction among a group of 11 physics teachers in a public, urban secondary school in the U.S. is an effort to explore collective inquiry as a resource for teacher learning and innovations in teaching practice. Through extended observations, multiple interviews, and close analyses of interaction, the study followed teachers for 7 months as they worked together across 3 settings organized in fundamentally different ways to promote joint inquiry into teaching practice. The explanatory framework of the study rests on the mutually-reinforcing conceptual underpinnings of sociocultural theory and systemic functional linguistics to establish connections between micro-social interactions and macro-social processes. Drawing on systemic functional linguistics, the study explores interpersonal meaning making through close analyses of speech function and speech role in 6 extended sequences of generative interaction. Concepts from activity theory elucidate those features of settings and school that directly impinged on or advanced teachers' collaborative work. Findings run counter to prevailing congenial views of teacher collegiality by identifying ways in which collective inquiry is inherently unstable. That instability makes itself apparent at two levels: (a) the dynamics of authority within the group, and (b) middle-level features of setting and school that favored preserving solidarity above developing a critical stance towards practice. The study offers a theoretically-informed description of collective inquiry and an analytic framework to trace its development in naturally-occurring interaction. The analytic framework extends the tools of functional analysis into a new realm, that of teachers' collaborative work, and offers means to understand better the complex array of forces shaping and shaped by teachers' everyday interactions around their practice.

Teachers as Expert Learners and Fellow Travelers: A Review of Professional Development Practices for Problem-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walton, Janet

2014-01-01

The label of "teacher" is something of a misnomer for the problem-based learning (PBL) practitioner. Rather than acting as a source of content knowledge, PBL educators are lead learners who demonstrate learning to students through their own authentic inquiry (Hmelo-Silver, 2004). PBL educators and students travel a road together that…

Get Out of the Rut and into a Circle--Cycle of Inquiry Professional Development for Central Office Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Eric A.

2010-01-01

Under the federal policy No Child Left Behind, school district central office administrators have been thrust into the role of orchestrating substantial increases in student learning. However, there is mounting research recognizing that most central office administrators are ill-prepared for the work of instructional improvement at a systems level…

The Nature of a Literacy-Based Tutoring Program for At-Risk Youth: Mentorship, Professional Development, and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez-Guerra, Maria Asusena

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research was to gain and provide an in-depth, holistic description and interpretation of the knowledge and literacy instruction tutors at Readers Advance provide students. Guided by a post-positivist realist framework and grounded theory methodology, qualitative inquiry design strategies were used to guide this research. This…

Early Intervention Special Instructors and Service Coordinators in One State: Characteristics, Professional Development, and Needed Lines of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Nicole Megan; Gallagher, Peggy A.

2016-01-01

The success of Early Intervention (EI) programs (Part C, IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004]) for infants and toddlers with special needs (birth to 36 months) is largely influenced by the quality of direct service providers. Little is known, however, about characteristics of providers or involvement in training…

Hitting the TARGET? A Case Study of the Experiences of Teachers in Steel Mill Learning Centers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Amy D.; Jeris, Laurel; Smith, Robert

Part of a larger study on the experience of teaching in the steel mill learning environment was an inquiry focused on professional development. Teachers and coordinators were all members of the Teachers Action Research Group for Educational Technology (TARGET), a group of adult educators interested in improving learning and teaching in career…

What's the Technology For? Teacher Attention and Pedagogical Goals in a Modeling-Focused Professional Development Workshop

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkerson, Michelle Hoda; Andrews, Chelsea; Shaban, Yara; Laina, Vasiliki; Gravel, Brian E.

2016-01-01

This paper explores the role that technology can play in engaging pre-service teachers with the iterative, "messy" nature of model-based inquiry. Over the course of 5 weeks, 11 pre-service teachers worked in groups to construct models of diffusion using a computational animation and simulation toolkit, and designed lesson plans for the…

A Personal and Collaborative Journey of Change: Lessons Learned about Leadership, Mentoring and Motivation from an Educational Community's Work with Donald Graves

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jasinski, Barbara Plummer

2013-01-01

Change is often expected as the logical outcome of large scale investments in professional development, yet research studies (e.g., Tyack & Cuban, 1995; Lipson, Mosenthal & Woodside-Jiron, 2000; Schraw & Olafson, 2002) note wide variations in instructional practice despite such efforts. This qualitative inquiry was designed to…

Ethnically Diverse Faculty in Higher Ed: Belonging, Respect, and Role as Cultural Broker

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vázquez-Montilla, Elia; Wilder, Lynn K.; Triscari, Robert

2012-01-01

The authors have completed a pilot study of the state of diverse faculty in higher education in the United States. Inquiries included the areas of belonging (if and how they developed a sense of belonging), professional respect (how colleagues regarded their achievements), and the role of cultural broker (how they functioned as cultural brokers in…

eMINTS Program Evaluation Report: An Investigation of Program Fidelity and Its Impact on Teacher Mastery and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Wendy; Strother, Scott; Weatherholt, Tara; Dechaume, Merav

2008-01-01

The eMINTS professional development programs are designed to help teachers learn how to integrate technology into their teaching, using instructional strategies that promote inquiry-based learning and encourage collaboration and community building among students and teachers. The eMINTS programs considered in this evaluation include: (1) eMINTS…

A Qualitative Study on the Obstacles Preventing the Successful Implementation of Web 2.0 in Corporate Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estrada, Luis

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the obstacles to the adoption of Web 2.0 technologies as part of corporate learning solutions and strategies. The study followed a qualitative inquiry approach. The sample consisted of 20 corporate learning professionals who are members of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) social…

Factors Influencing Science Content Accuracy in Elementary Inquiry Science Lessons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowicki, Barbara L.; Sullivan-Watts, Barbara; Shim, Minsuk K.; Young, Betty; Pockalny, Robert

2013-06-01

Elementary teachers face increasing demands to engage children in authentic science process and argument while simultaneously preparing them with knowledge of science facts, vocabulary, and concepts. This reform is particularly challenging due to concerns that elementary teachers lack adequate science background to teach science accurately. This study examined 81 in-classroom inquiry science lessons for preservice education majors and their cooperating teachers to determine the accuracy of the science content delivered in elementary classrooms. Our results showed that 74 % of experienced teachers and 50 % of student teachers presented science lessons with greater than 90 % accuracy. Eleven of the 81 lessons (9 preservice, 2 cooperating teachers) failed to deliver accurate science content to the class. Science content accuracy was highly correlated with the use of kit-based resources supported with professional development, a preference for teaching science, and grade level. There was no correlation between the accuracy of science content and some common measures of teacher content knowledge (i.e., number of college science courses, science grades, or scores on a general science content test). Our study concluded that when provided with high quality curricular materials and targeted professional development, elementary teachers learn needed science content and present it accurately to their students.

New science teachers' descriptions of inquiry enactment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dreon, Oliver, Jr.

This phenomenological study demonstrates the influence that affective factors have on beginning teachers' ability to enact instructional practices. Through narratives shared in interviews and web log postings, two beginning science teachers' emotional engagement with their instructional practices, especially that of implementing inquiry-based instruction, and the resulting impact these emotions had on professional decision-making were evidenced. Anxiety emerged as the most significant impacting emotion on instructional decision-making with the participants. Through their stories, the two participants describe how their emotions and views of self influence whether they continue using inquiry pedagogy or alter their lesson to adopt more didactic means of instruction. These emotions arise from their feelings of being comfortable teaching the content (self-efficacy), from the unpredictability of inquiry lessons (control beliefs), from how they perceive their students as viewing them (teacher identity) and from various school constraints (agency). This research also demonstrates how intertwined these aspects are, informing each other in a complex, dialectical fashion. The participants' self-efficacy and professional identity emerge from their interactions with the community (their students and colleagues) and the perceived agency afforded by their schools' curricula and administration. By providing descriptions of teachers' experiences enacting inquiry pedagogy, this study expands our understanding of factors that influence teachers' instructional practices and provides a basis for reforming science teacher preparation.

Integrating Science Content and Pedagogy in the Earth, Life, and Physical Sciences: A K-8 Pre-Service Teacher Preparation Continuum at the University of Delaware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madsen, J.; Allen, D.; Donham, R.; Fifield, S.; Ford, D.; Shipman, H.; Dagher, Z.

2007-12-01

University of Delaware faculty in the geological sciences, biological sciences, and the physics and astronomy departments have partnered with faculty and researchers from the school of education to form a continuum for K- 8 pre-service teacher preparation in science. The goal of the continuum is to develop integrated understandings of content and pedagogy so that these future teachers can effectively use inquiry-based approaches in teaching science in their classrooms. Throughout the continuum where earth science content appears an earth system science approach, with emphasis on inquiry-based activities, is employed. The continuum for K-8 pre-service teachers includes a gateway content course in the earth, life, or physical sciences taken during the freshman year followed by integrated science content and methods courses taken during the sophomore year. These integrated courses, called the Science Semester, were designed and implemented with funding from the National Science Foundation. During the Science Semester, traditional content and pedagogy subject matter boundaries are crossed to stress shared themes that teachers must understand to teach standards-based science. Students work collaboratively on multidisciplinary problem-based learning (PBL) activities that place science concepts in authentic contexts and build learning skills. They also critically explore the theory and practice of elementary science teaching, drawing on their shared experiences of inquiry learning during the Science Semester. The PBL activities that are the hallmark of the Science Semester provide the backdrop through which fundamental earth system interactions can be studied. For example in a PBL investigation that focuses on kids, cancer, and the environment, the hydrologic cycle with emphasis on surface runoff and ground water contamination is studied. Those students seeking secondary certification in science will enroll, as a bridge toward their student teaching experience, in an additional content course within a science discipline that is concurrently taught with a science methods course. Emphasizing inquiry-based activities, these bridge courses also focus on developing integrated understandings of the sciences. The continuum extends beyond the student teaching experience by tracking cohorts of science teachers during their in-service years. With funding from the National Science Foundation's Teacher Professional Continuum program, we are conducting research on this inquiry-based professional development approach for K-8 teachers across this continuum.

Disciplining Professionals: A Feminist Discourse Analysis of Public Preschool Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sisson, Jamie Huff; Iverson, Susan V.

2014-01-01

Educational reforms across the globe have had implications for the work of preschool teachers and thus their professional identities. This article draws on a feminist discourse lens to examine data collected from a recent narrative inquiry focused on understanding the professional identities of five public preschool teachers in the USA. This…

Indonesian English Language Teachers' Professional Growth and Changing Identities: An Autoethnography and Narrative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yumarnamto, Mateus

2016-01-01

This study explores the factors that contribute to Indonesian English language teachers' (ELTs) professional growth and identity formation. The main question investigated in this study is: What are the factors and challenges that contribute to Indonesian ELTs' professional growth and identity formation as reflected in their life histories,…

The ERESE project: Bridging the gap between Digital Science Libraries and Education through Professional Development of Teachers and Database Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staudigel, H.; Helly, M.; Helly, J.; Koppers, A.; Massel-Symons, C.; Miller, S.

2004-12-01

The ERESE (Enduring Resources in Earth Science Education) project involves a close collaboration between teachers, librarians, educators, data archive managers and scientists in Earth sciences and information technology, to create a digital library environment for Earth science education. We report here on an ongoing (NSF-NSDL) project involving teachers' professional development in the pedagogy of plate tectonics in middle and high schools. This work included efforts in scientific database development in terms of contents and search tools, the development of an inquiry based learning approach, a two week professional development workshop attended by 15 teachers from across the nation, a classroom implementation of lesson plans developed by the teachers at the workshop and an evaluation/validation process for the success of their pedagogic approaches. This ERESE project offers a novel path for both science teaching and professional outreach for scientists, and includes four key components: (1) A true, long-term research partnership between educators and scientists, guiding each other with respect to the authenticity of the science taught and the educational soundness of a scientists' elaborations on science concepts. (2) Expansion of existing scientific databases through the use of metadata that tie scientific materials to a particular expert level and teaching goal. (3) The design of interfaces that make data accessible to the educational community. (4) The use of an inquiry based teaching approach that integrates the scientist-educator collaboration and the data base developments. Our pedagogic approach includes the development of a central hypotheses by the student in response to an initial general orientation and presentation of a well chosen central provocative phenomenon by the teacher. Then, the student develops a research plan that is devoted to address this hypothesis through the use of the materials provided by a scientific database allowing a students prove or disprove their hypothesis and to explore the limits of the (current) understanding of a particular science question. Our first experience with this ERESE project involved a steep learning curve, but the initial results are very promising, providing true professional development for educators as well as for the scientists, whereby the former learn about new ways of teaching science and the latter learn to communicate with teachers.

Defining the requisite knowledge for providers of in-service professional development for K--12 teachers of science: Refining the construct

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, Deborah L.

Purpose. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to refine, using a Delphi study process, the four categories of the theoretical model of the comprehensive knowledge base required by providers of professional development for K-12 teachers of science generated from a review of the literature. Methodology. This grounded theory study used data collected through a modified Delphi technique and interviews to refine and validate the literature-based knowledge base required by providers of professional development for K-12 teachers of science. Twenty-three participants, experts in the fields of science education, how people learn, instructional and assessment strategies, and learning contexts, responded to the study's questions. Findings. By "densifying" the four categories of the knowledge base, this study determined the causal conditions (the science subject matter knowledge), the intervening conditions (how people learn), the strategies (the effective instructional and assessment strategies), and the context (the context and culture of formal learning environments) surrounding the science professional development process. Eight sections were added to the literature-based knowledge base; the final model comprised of forty-nine sections. The average length of the operational definitions increased nearly threefold and the number of citations per operational definition increased more than twofold. Conclusions. A four-category comprehensive model that can serve as the foundation for the knowledge base required by science professional developers now exists. Subject matter knowledge includes science concepts, inquiry, the nature of science, and scientific habits of mind; how people learn includes the principles of learning, active learning, andragogy, variations in learners, neuroscience and cognitive science, and change theory; effective instructional and assessment strategies include constructivist learning and inquiry-based teaching, differentiation of instruction, making knowledge and thinking accessible to learners, automatic and fluent retrieval of nonscience-specific skills, and science assessment and assessment strategies, science-specific instructional strategies, and safety within a learning environment; and, contextual knowledge includes curriculum selection and implementation strategies and knowledge of building program coherence. Recommendations. Further research on the use of which specific instructional strategies identified in the refined knowledge base have positive, significant effect sizes for adult learners is recommended.

An Investigation of Primary School Teachers' PCK towards Science Subjects Using an Inquiry-Based Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alkis Küçükaydin, Mensure; Uluçinar Sagir, Safak

2016-01-01

In this study, the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of four experienced primary school teachers was investigated within the "Let's Solve the Riddle of Our Body Unit". The PCK investigation adopted a learning approach based on inquiry, content representation and pedagogical and professional-experience repertoires (PaP-eRs), and…

Peer Sharing Facilitates the Effect of Inquiry-Based Projects on Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Hui-Min; Behan, Kristina Jackson

2010-01-01

Authentic assessment exercises are similar to real-world tasks that would be expected by a professional. An authentic assessment in combination with an inquiry-based learning activity enhances students' learning and rehearses them for their future roles, whether as scientists or as informed citizens. Over a period of 2 years, we experimented with…

Voices of Identity in a Chicana Teacher's Occupational Narratives of the Self

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galindo, Rene

2007-01-01

The research area of teacher narrative inquiry has identified links between the personal and professional identities of teachers. Although teacher narrative inquiry takes narrative texts as its data, insufficient attention has been given to the functions of narratives as forms of discourse that are utilized in the construction of identity. In the…

Schoolteachers, Social Control and Professional Conflict: Government Procedures Brought against Schoolteachers in Galicia (1859-1910)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Gabriel, Narciso

2018-01-01

This article aims to analyse the disciplinary procedures brought against public schoolteachers in Galicia from 1859 until 1910. The article starts with the presentation of the legal basis for the government inquiries and the administrative framework in which they were implemented. Following is an examination of the evolution of the inquiries, the…

Changes in Teachers' Beliefs and Classroom Practices Concerning Inquiry-Based Instruction Following a Year-Long RET-PLC Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miranda, Rommel J.; Damico, Julie B.

2015-01-01

This mixed-methods study examines how engaging science teachers in a summer Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) followed by an academic-year Professional Learning Community (PLC) focused on translating teacher research experiences to inquiry-based classroom lessons might facilitate changes in their beliefs and classroom practices regarding…

From professional development for science teachers to student learning in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinoca, Luis Fonseca

This study investigates the effects of professional development for science teachers on student learning. It is usually expected that professional development programs positively impact student learning, however this dimension is not commonly incorporated in the programs evaluation. It is simply assumed that students will be indirectly impacted through their participating teachers in the work with their students. Two main research questions are addressed: (1) Are professional development programs effective in enhancing student learning in science? (2) What are the characteristics of the most and least effective programs? To answer these questions a meta-analysis of 37 professional development programs reporting their impact on student learning was performed. Program characteristics have been defined according to the categories defined by Loucks-Horsley et al (1998), the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996), as well as new categories developed by us analyzing other variables such as the programs length. A significant impact of professional development for science teachers on student learning has been found in the form of an overall correlation effect size of r = 0.22 (p < 0.001). Moreover, a Fixed Effects Model was used to differentiate between the impacts of the different characteristics of professional development programs for science teachers. In particular, programs emphasizing work on curriculum development, replacement, or implementation, scientific inquiry, pedagogical content knowledge, lasting over 6 month and with a total duration of at least 100 hours have been identified as having a larger impact on student learning. To enhance the findings vignettes have been developed based on the attained effect sizes describing possible professional development programs. Recommendations for present and future professional development programs are made based on what works best in order to maximize their impact on student learning.

Providing Effective Professional Development for Teachers through the Lunar Workshops for Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canipe, Marti; Buxner, Sanlyn; Jones, Andrea; Hsu, Brooke; Shaner, Andy; Bleacher, Lora

2014-11-01

In order to integrate current scientific discoveries in the classroom, K-12 teachers benefit from professional development and support. The Lunar Workshops for Educators is a series of weeklong workshops for grade 6-9 science teachers focused on lunar science and exploration, sponsored by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and conducted by the LRO Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Team. The Lunar Workshops for Educators, have provided this professional development for teachers for the last five years. Program evaluation includes pre- and post- content tests and surveys related to classroom practice, daily surveys, and follow-up surveys conducted during the academic year following the summer workshops to assess how the knowledge and skills learned at the workshop are being used in the classroom. The evaluation of the workshop shows that the participants increased their overall knowledge of lunar science and exploration. Additionally, they gained knowledge about student misconceptions related to the Moon and ways to address those misconceptions. The workshops impacted the ways teachers taught about the Moon by providing them with resources to teach about the Moon and increased confidence in teaching about these topics. Participants reported ways that the workshop impacted their teaching practices beyond teaching about the Moon, encouraging them to include more inquiry and other teaching techniques demonstrated in the workshops in their science classes. Overall, the program evaluation has shown the Lunar Workshops for Educators are effective at increasing teachers’ knowledge about the Moon and use of inquiry-based teaching into their classrooms. Additionally, the program supports participant teachers in integrating current scientific discoveries into their classrooms.

Achieving a coherent curriculum in second grade: Science as the organizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park Rogers, Meredith A.

The purpose of this study was to examine how a team of four second grade teachers used their approach to teaching science as a means for designing and implementing a coherent curriculum. Within this study, curriculum coherency refers to making logical instructional connections that are both visible and explicit for students. A teacher using a common teaching strategy or critical thinking skills in such a way that the commonalities between subject areas are clearly demonstrated to students is one example of curriculum coherency. The research framework guiding this study was phenomenology; I used a case study method for data analysis. The primary data source was field notes gathered during 10 weeks of classroom observations. Secondary data sources included observations of team meetings, two sets of interviews with each of the four teachers, an interview with the school principal, and artifacts used and developed by the teachers. An analysis of the data led me to interpret the following findings: (1) the teachers viewed science as a tool to motivate their students to learn and believed in teaching science through an inquiry-based approach; (2) they described science inquiry as a process of thinking organized around questions, and saw their teaching role as shifting between guided and open classroom inquiry; (3) they taught all subjects using an inquiry-based approach, emphasized the process skills associated with doing scientific inquiry, and consistently used the language of the process skills throughout their instruction of all disciplines; (4) their team's collaborative approach played a significant role in achieving their vision of a coherent curriculum; the successfulness of their collaboration relied on the unique contributions of each member and her commitment to professional development. This study demonstrates how an inquiry-based science curriculum can provide educators with an effective model for designing and implementing a coherent curriculum. Furthermore, the findings have implications for elementary preservice and inservice programs with respect to using science teaching as a foundation for developing curriculum coherency.

Portraits of Twelve High School Partner Schools in the National Network for Educational Renewal. National Network for Educational Renewal Reflections on Practice Series: No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington Univ., Seattle. Center for Educational Renewal.

In the portraits of this collection, school- and university-based educators document their efforts to establish and sustain secondary partner schools that accomplish four purposes: educating children and youth; preparing new educators; providing professional development to current educators; and conducting inquiry. The 12 papers are as follows: "A…

Open Sim and Sloodle Integration for Preservice Foreign Language Teachers' Continuing Professional Development: A Comparative Analysis of Learning Effectiveness Using the Community of Inquiry Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellas, Nikolaos; Boumpa, Anna

2016-01-01

A considerable interest in using three-dimensional multi-user virtual worlds for different educational disciplines has been widely observed. Despite the potential benefits of this technology, many questions still remain open, as far as the design of appropriate activities in well-defined instructional design frameworks and their effectiveness on…

A Two-Dimensional Model of Teacher Retention and Mobility: Classroom Teachers and Their University Partners Take a Closer Look at a Vexing Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swars, Susan L.; Meyers, Barbara; Mays, Lydia C.; Lack, Brian

2009-01-01

This mixed-methods study is a teacher-initiated, collaborative inquiry involving a professional development school (PDS) and a university. The investigation focused on teachers' perceptions of teacher retention and mobility at their PDS. Participants were 134 teachers at a high-needs elementary school with data sources including surveys,…

US Urban Elementary Teachers' Knowledge and Practices in Teaching Science to English Language Learners: Results from the First Year of a Professional Development Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santau, Alexandra O.; Secada, Walter; Maerten-Rivera, Jaime; Cone, Neporcha; Lee, Okhee

2010-01-01

The study examined US elementary teachers' knowledge and practices in four key domains of science instruction with English language learning (ELL) students. The four domains included: (1) teachers' knowledge of science content, (2) teaching practices to promote scientific understanding, (3) teaching practices to promote scientific inquiry, and (4)…

We Look More, Listen More, Notice More: Impact of Sustained Professional Development on Head Start Teachers' Inquiry-Based and Culturally-Relevant Science Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roehrig, Gillian H.; Dubosarsky, Mia; Mason, Annie; Carlson, Stephan; Murphy, Barbara

2011-01-01

Despite many scholars' recommendations, science is often avoided during early childhood education. Among the reasons provided by early childhood teachers for the exclusion of science from their daily routines included science anxiety, low self-efficacy with respect to teaching science, lack of experience participating in science activities as…

From a "University Agenda" to a "Collaborative Agenda"--An Inquiry into a Tendency in Swedish Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandberg, Hakan

2008-01-01

The aim of this paper is to focus on the development of HE/CE in Sweden as a transition from a non-academic context to an academic context and a current trend back to a non-academic context considering the nature of the transitions, facilitating factors in these processes and consequences of the transitions. Generally health professional higher…

Promoting 21st-Century Skills in the Science Classroom by Adapting Cookbook Lab Activities: The Case of DNA Extraction of Wheat Germ

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alozie, Nonye M.; Grueber, David J.; Dereski, Mary O.

2012-01-01

How can science instruction engage students in 21st-century skills and inquiry-based learning, even when doing simple labs in the classroom? We collaborated with teachers in professional development workshops to transform "cookbook" activities into engaging laboratory experiences. We show how to change the common classroom activity of DNA…

Improving Inquiry Teaching through Reflection on Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lotter, Christine R.; Miller, Cory

2017-08-01

In this paper, we explore middle school science teachers' learning of inquiry-based instructional strategies through reflection on practice teaching sessions during a summer enrichment program with middle level students. The reflection sessions were part of a larger year-long inquiry professional development program in which teachers learned science content and inquiry pedagogy. The program included a 2-week summer institute in which teachers participated in science content sessions, practice teaching to middle level students, and small group-facilitated reflection sessions on their teaching. For this study, data collection focused on teachers' recorded dialogue during the facilitator - run reflection sessions, the teachers' daily written reflections, a final written reflection, and a written reflection on a videotaped teaching session. We investigated the teachers' reflection levels and the themes teachers focused on during their reflection sessions. Teachers were found to reflect at various reflection levels, from simple description to a more sophisticated focus on how to improve student learning. Recurrent themes point to the importance of providing situated learning environments, such as the practice teaching with immediate reflection for teachers to have time to practice new instructional strategies and gain insight from peers and science educators on how to handle student learning issues.

Faculty Status, Tenure, and Professional Identity: A Pilot Study of Academic Librarians in New England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freedman, Shin

2014-01-01

Faculty status, tenure, and professional identity have been long-lasting issues for academic librarians for nearly forty years, yet there is little agreement on the benefits of faculty status. This paper examines faculty status and tenure for academic librarians and presents the results of a survey inquiry into professional identity, current and…

Applying a Cognitive-Affective Model of Conceptual Change to Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebert, Ellen K.; Crippen, Kent J.

2010-04-01

This study evaluated Gregoire’s (2003) Cognitive-Affective Conceptual Change model (CAMCC) for predicting and assessing conceptual change in science teachers engaged in a long-term professional development project set in a large school district in the southwestern United States. A multiple case study method with data from three teacher participants was used to understand the process of integrating and applying a reform message of inquiry based science teaching. Data sources included: responses to example teaching scenarios, reflective essays, lesson plans, classroom observations, and action research projects. Findings show that the CAMCC functioned well in predicting how these teachers made decisions that impacted how they processed the reform message. When the reform message was communicated in such a way as to initiate stress appraisal, conceptual change occurred, producing changes in classroom practice. If the reform message did not initiate stress appraisal, teachers rejected the professional development message and developed heuristic responses. In order to further research and improve practice, propositions for assessments related to the CAMCC are provided.

Teachers' implementation of reform-oriented instructional strategies in science: Lessons from two professional development programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, Nicole D.

This dissertation reports findings from two studies that investigated the relationship between professional development and teachers' instructional practices in Science,Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The first program, the Indiana Science Initiative (ISI) focused on K-8 teachers and their use of inquiry-based science instruction in conjunction with curricular modules provided by the ISI program. The second program, Research Goes to School (RGS), focused on high school STEM teachers and their use of problem-based learning (PBL) as they implemented curricular units that they developed themselves at the RGS summer workshop. In-service teachers were recruited from both programs. They were observed teaching their respective curricular materials and interviewed about their experiences in order to investigate the following research questions: 1. How do teachers implement the reform-oriented instructional strategies promoted by their professional development experiences with the ISI or RGS? 2. What are the challenges and supports that influence teachers' use of the reform-oriented instructional strategies promoted by their professional development experiences with the ISI or RGS? To investigate these questions the fidelity of implementation was it was conceptualized by Century, Rudnick, and Freeman (2010) was used as a theoretical framework. The study of the ISI program was conducted during the program's pilot year (2010-11). Five teachers of grades 3 through 6 were recruited from three different schools. Participants were observed as they taught lessons related to the modules and they were interviewed about their experiences. Based on analysis of the data from the observations, using a modified version of the Science Teacher Inquiry Rubric (STIR) (Bodzin & Beerer, 2003), the participants were found to exhibit partial fidelity of implementation to the model of inquiry-based instruction promoted by the ISI. Based on data from the interviews, the participants in this study perceived time for science instruction, limits in their students' abilities and behavior, and their own development as facilitators as challenges to their efforts to implement inquiry-based science instruction. They identified their participation in the ISI pilot, the curricular modules and a science notebook strategy promoted by the ISI as supports for their instruction. Two studies of the RGS program were conducted. The first was a pilot study that was conducted in the academic year following the first RGS summer workshop (2011-12). The second was a collective case study conducted after the second RGS workshop (2012-13). In both studies participants were videotaped as they implemented the PBL units that they had developed at their respective RGS workshops and interviewed about their experiences after they implemented the units. The data from the observations were examined using a rubric developed for the study to examine their use of PBL features. Based on the analysis of the data from the observations, the RGS participants exhibited partial fidelity of implementation to the features of PBL. Analysis of the data from the interviews indicated that participants were aware of features of PBL that they were not able to fully implement. Participants also identified several supports, particularly from the RGS program such as being able to order materials to implement their units, as well as supports that were specific to their teaching contexts. The findings from both the ISI study and RGS collective case study suggest that the professional development programs had some positive if limited influence on teachers' instructional practices. Across the studies, persistent challenges were identified regarding teachers' efforts to meaningfully engage students in practices that would develop their abilities to reason scientifically. Comments from participants in both studies about the supportive role of their respective curricula also lend support to arguments about the role of curriculum materials in achieving science education reform (Powell & Anderson, 2002).

Broadening Educational Practice to Include Translanguaging: An Outcome of Educator Inquiry into Multilingual Students' Learning Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Viegen Stille, Saskia; Bethke, Robin; Bradley-Brown, Jackie; Giberson, Janet; Hall, Gillian

2016-01-01

This paper reports research findings relating to a recent initiative to build capacity and support professional learning among educators to meet the needs of English language learners in Ontario schools. Drawing on data from case studies of educator teams in 16 school districts, the paper explores whether and how collaborative inquiry promoted…

An Instructional Model to Support Problem-Based Historical Inquiry: The Persistent Issues in History Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brush, Thomas; Saye, John

2014-01-01

For over a decade, we have collaborated with secondary school history teachers in an evolving line of inquiry that applies research-based propositions to the design and testing of a problem-based learning framework and a set of wise practices that represent a professional teaching knowledge base for implementing a particular model of instruction,…

Can a Seasoned Teacher Do Her Best Work on a Shifting College Landscape? An Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewer, Beverley A.

2013-01-01

Grounded in self study and personal and professional reflection, this is an inquiry into how seasoned, long time and close to retirement teachers can do their best work on a shifting college landscape in a changing world. Recognizing teaching and learning as the college's core business, the author explores mentorship, community among…

Second-Career Science Teachers' Classroom Conceptions of Science and Engineering Practices Examined through the Lens of Their Professional Histories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antink-Meyer, Allison; Brown, Ryan A.

2017-01-01

Science standards in the U.S. have shifted to emphasise science and engineering process skills (i.e. specific practices within inquiry) to a greater extent than previous standards' emphases on broad representations of inquiry. This study examined the alignment between second-career science teachers' personal histories with the latter and examined…

Adapting the Community of Inquiry Survey for an Online Graduate Program: Implications for Online Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Swapna; Ritzhaupt, Albert D.

2014-01-01

A cohort-based online professional doctorate program that consisted of both online coursework and research activities was designed using Garrison et al's community of inquiry (CoI) framework. The evaluation of the program proved a challenge because all existing CoI assessment methods in the past have dealt with online courses, not with online…

Professional identity in clinician-scientists: brokers between care and science.

PubMed

Kluijtmans, Manon; de Haan, Else; Akkerman, Sanne; van Tartwijk, Jan

2017-06-01

Despite increasing numbers of publications, science often fails to significantly improve patient care. Clinician-scientists, professionals who combine care and research activities, play an important role in helping to solve this problem. However, despite the ascribed advantages of connecting scientific knowledge and inquiry with health care, clinician-scientists are scarce, especially amongst non-physicians. The education of clinician-scientists can be complex because they must form professional identities at the intersection of care and research. The successful education of clinician-scientists requires insight into how these professionals view their professional identity and how they combine distinct practices. This study sought to investigate how recently trained nurse- and physiotherapist-scientists perceive their professional identities and experience the crossing of boundaries between care and research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 nurse- and physiotherapist-scientists at 1 year after they had completed MSc research training. Interviews were thematically analysed using insights from the theoretical frameworks of dialogical self theory and boundary crossing. After research training, the initial professional identity, of clinician, remained important for novice clinician-scientists, whereas the scientist identity was experienced as additional and complementary. A meta-identity as broker, referred to as a 'bridge builder', seemed to mediate competing demands or tensions between the two positions. Obtaining and maintaining a dual work position were experienced as logistically demanding; nevertheless, it was considered beneficial for crossing the boundaries between care and research because it led to reflection on the health profession, knowledge integration, inquiry and innovation in care, improved data collection, and research with a focus on clinical applicability. Novice clinician-scientists experience dual professional identities as care providers and scientists. The meta-position of being a broker who connects care and research is seen as core to the unique clinician-scientist identity. To develop this role, identity formation and boundary-crossing competencies merit explicit attention within clinician-scientist programmes. © 2017 The Authors Medical Education published by Association for the Study of Medical Education and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Professional development by scientists and teachers' understanding of the nature of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuster, Dwight A.

The educational literature suggests that the success of professional development is contingent upon both a professional developer's presentation of the curriculum and his/her comprehension of the complex interactions that occur between instructor and the adult learner. While these suggestions appear forthright and logical, very little research has been conducted to demarcate how professional development approaches defined by these notions impact teacher knowledge. This study investigates the effects of scientist-delivered teacher professional development on teachers' understanding of the nature of science. Using a mixed-method comparative case study, my goal was to build theory focusing specifically on two dimensions of professional development: the pedagogical approaches used by the scientist-instructors and their views/treatment of teachers as professionals or as technicians. Seven credit-bearing summer courses from multiple scientific disciplines were studied, and each course shared a number of important features (duration, general format, teacher recruitment and admission, location, number of participants, etc.); consequently, they comprise a unique dataset for comparative research on science teacher professional development. A wide variety of data collection approaches were used, including interviews, questionnaires, a VNOS instrument, and systematic classroom observation by ten trained observers (each course was continuously observed by at least two observers). Analysis shows that teachers were more likely to experience change in their views about the nature of science in courses in which they were treated as professionals, compared to courses in which they were treated as technicians. It also shows that syllabi and participant reports tend to overstate the use of inquiry methods when reviewed in the light of close classroom observation. By recognizing and defining professional development contexts that build teachers' knowledge, this study suggests how university-based professional development for science educators can be improved, helping to actualize the collaborative relationships that need to exist between staff developers and discipline specialists. In conclusion, I use the findings from this study to expand the current literature and suggest how improved university-based professional development contexts can be created.

Investigation of Inquiry-based Science Pedagogy among Middle Level Science Teachers: A Qualitative Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiland, Sunny Minelli

This study implemented a qualitative approach to examine the phenomenon of "inquiry-based science pedagogy or inquiry instruction" as it has been experienced by individuals. Data was collected through online open-ended surveys, focus groups, and teacher reported self-reflections to answer the research questions: 1) How do middle level science teachers conceptualize "inquiry-based instruction?" 2) What are preferred instructional strategies for implementation in middle level science classrooms? And 3) How do middle level science teachers perceive the connection between science instruction and student learning? The participants within this research study represent 33 percent of teachers in grades 5 through 9 within six school districts in northeastern Pennsylvania. Of the 12 consent forms originally obtained, 10 teachers completed all three phases of the data collection, including the online survey, participation in focus groups, and teacher self-reflection. 60 percent of the participants taught only science, and 40 percent taught all content areas. Of the ten participants, 50 percent were certified teachers of science and 50 percent were certified as teachers of elementary education. 70 percent of the research participants reflected having obtained a master's, with 60 percent of these degrees being received in areas of education, and 10 percent in the area of science. The research participants have a total of 85 collective years of experience as professional educators, with the average years of experience being 8.5 years. Analysis of data revealed three themes related to research question #1) How do middle-level science teachers conceptualize inquiry-based instruction? and sub-question #1) How do middle-level science teachers characterize effective instruction? The themes that capture the essence of teachers' formulation of inquiry-based instruction that emerged in this study were student centered, problem solving, and hands-on . Analysis of data revealed one theme related to research question #2) What are preferred instructional strategies for implementation in middle level science classrooms? and topical sub-question #2) How do middle level science teachers structure instruction. The theme that emerged was needs of students. Analysis of the data revealed one theme related to research question #3) How do middle level science teachers perceive the relationship between science instruction and student learning? and topical sub-question #3) How do middle level science teachers view their role in relation to student learning? This theme is meaning making. Analysis of the data related to meaning making revealed two sub-themes of application and relationships. It is clear that middle level science teachers have a vision for inquiry-based science instruction, but implementation is inhibited by a variety of factors including curricular programming that is very broad and lacks depth, the scheduling of time and resources for science, and the absence of a clear model of inquiry-based instruction. In addition, only one participant referenced students investigating their own authentic questions and no participants reflected on the importance of students using evidence in their explanations of scientific phenomenon. Additionally, participants continually reflected on the needs of their students informing instructional practices, and it is wondered if there is a clear understanding among middle level teachers of how students learn science. Real world applications were recognized as important within science learning and the researcher questions whether teachers of science have adequate opportunities to explore real world application of science concepts throughout their careers in order to foster connections within the classroom. These findings support the need for strong, job-embedded professional development, the cultivation of learning communities dedicated to the investigation and implementation of inquiry-based science, the focusing of curricular programming to allow for in depth investigation of scientific concepts, and the commitment of time and resources to support effective science instruction. In addition, it is recommended that additional support be provided to teachers of science to engage in job shadowing, field experiences and internships to allow for the uncovering of applications of science beyond the classroom. Throughout the United States, there continues to be a clear call for reform in the area of science education. These research findings must inform the work of the educational reformers, professional developers, teacher preparation programmers, and researchers as they aspire to improve the quality of student learning and science instruction. In addition, this research supports the need for ongoing reform efforts to science curriculum, instruction and assessment and the need for more effective teacher preparation programs and professional development programs for teachers of science.

In-service and pre-service teacher education in IBSE: The ESTABLISH approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ješková, Zuzana; Kireš, Marián; McLoughlin, Eilish; Finlayson, Odilla; Ottander, Christina; Ekborg, Margareta

2016-05-01

One of the main goals of the ESTABLISH 7fp project (available on line at http://www.establish-fp7.eu/) was the development and implementation of the professional development teacher education programmes (TEP) to support teachers in adopting inquiry-based strategies in their teaching. Within the project there was a model for in-service and pre-service teacher training in IBSE designed and implemented across 12 participating countries. The programme is based on 4 core elements and 4 additional elements that are built around the IBSE teaching units developed within the project. As accepted by ESTABLISH partners, all teacher training programmes include the minimum of the four elements, i.e. introduction to IBSE, industrial content knowledge, teacher as implementer and teacher as developer of IBSE teaching materials. There are also four additional elements designed in detail, i.e. ICT for IBSE, argumentation in the classroom, research and design projects for students, assessment of IBSE. These can be added to the programme optionally with regard to the level of teachers' IBSE skills and current situation in education and teachers' professional development within the country. This ESTABLISH model of TEP was followed in participating countries in order to change teachers' attitudes from traditional ways of teaching towards adopting inquiry strategies and their successful implementation in the classroom. Within the face-to-face workshops teachers experienced and developed their inquiry based teaching strategies using specifically developed materials. In addition, the e-platform has been developed to provide on-line support. This platform provides educators and teachers with all the necessary materials for the training and IBSE teaching units and other teaching materials for teachers' ongoing help. The teacher training programme was successfully implemented in Slovakia. There were two runs of teacher training workshops on IBSE already carried out. Moreover, the additional element ICT in IBSE was developed more deeply designing a separate teacher training course for it. The contribution discusses in more details the success and problems of implementation in the context of Slovak educational environment.

Mapping Science in Discourse-based Inquiry Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeneayhu, Demeke Gesesse

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate how discourse-based inquiry science lessons provided opportunities for students to develop a network of semantic relations among core ideas and concepts in science. It was a naturalistic inquiry classroom lessons observation study on three science teachers--- a middle school science teacher and two high school physics teachers in an urban school district located in the Western New York region. Discourse and thematic analysis drawn from the theory of Systemic Functional Linguistics were utilized as guiding framework and analysis tools. Analysis of the pre-observation and post-observation interviews of the participant teachers revealed that all of the three teachers participated in at least one inquiry-based science teaching teacher professional development program and they all thought their classroom teaching practice was inquiry-based. Analysis of their classroom lesson videos that each participant teacher taught on a specific science topic revealed that the middle school teacher was found to be a traditional teacher-dominated classroom whereas the two high school physics teachers' classroom teaching approach was found to be discourse-based inquiry. One of the physics teachers who taught on a topic of Magnetic Interaction used relatively structured and guided-inquiry classroom investigations. The other physics teacher who taught on a topic of Color Mixing utilized open-ended classroom investigations where the students planned and executed the series of classroom science investigations with minimal guidance from the teacher. The traditional teacher-based classroom communicative pattern was found to be dominated by Triadic Dialogue and most of the science thematics were jointly developed by the teacher and the students, but the students' role was limited to providing responses to the teacher's series questions. In the guided-inquiry classroom, the common communicative pattern was found to be True Dialogue and most of the science thematic patterns in the lessons were not only developed by the students but also resemble the standard thematics. Similarly, in the open-ended inquiry classroom, True Dialogue and Cross-discussion were the two most common communicative patterns and students did most of the science thematic patterns in the lessons but most of the student thematics were commonsense than resembling the standard thematics on the topic. This research showed that if teachers are to help students participate in classroom discourse that would enable them meaningfully connects core ideas and concepts in science, teachers could use various discourse tools and pedagogic resources that could fit into their particular classroom realities and contexts. This study demonstrated that when given the opportunity, students in challenging contexts such in typical inner city schools are able to engage in scientific processes and develop nuanced understandings of scientific phenomena.

Continuous Inquiry Meets Continued Critique: The Professional Learning Community in Practice and the Resistance of (Un)Willing Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elbousty, Youness; Bratt, Kirstin

2010-01-01

The term Professional Learning Community is commonplace, and it holds many meanings and suggestions. For the purpose of this essay, however, we discuss a specific Professional Learning Community (PLC) that was established in a high school, fifteen months prior to the application of a survey instrument to evaluate participants' perceptions on the…

A Study of Primary Teachers Participating in Professional Learning Communities with a Focus on Brain Compatible Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bachman, Karen S.

2012-01-01

This dissertation is the result of research which examined the implementation of professional learning communities in a primary school. Professional learning communities or PLCs are groups of educators coming together collaboratively in a process of inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. While there were…

The Dilemma of Being English Language Teachers: Interpreting Teachers' Motivation to Teach, and Professional Commitment in China's Hinterland Regions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Xuesong; Xu, Hao

2014-01-01

This article reports on an inquiry into a group of English language teachers' professional experiences that interpreted their motivation to teach and their shifting professional commitment with reference to representations and visions that they had and did not have about themselves in rural secondary schools in China's hinterland regions. It…

Negotiating Competing Goals in the Development of an Urban Ecology Practitioner Inquiry Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piazza, Peter; McNeill, Katherine L.

2013-11-01

Teacher learning communities are hailed by many as vehicles for reforming and elevating the professional status of teaching. While much research explores teacher community as a venue for measurable gains, our research examines the orientation of practitioner inquiry toward critical debate about effective instruction. Specifically, our study focuses on a group of middle and high school teachers who worked with a nonprofit organization to engage students in urban environmental field investigations. Teachers met regularly as a community with the common goal of teaching urban ecology in an outdoor setting. We collected interview data from members of the teacher community, and we observed teacher interaction during a meeting of the practitioner inquiry group. Interview results indicated that while the nonprofit aimed to support collaborative dialogue and self-critique, participants saw the community mainly as a venue for pursuing short-term goals, such as receiving new resources or socializing with colleagues. Observation data, however, suggested that the community was taking early steps toward building an environment oriented toward critical discussion. Juxtaposing results from our interviews and observations, we discuss the challenges communities face when they seek to develop shared beliefs and deal openly with conflict. Ultimately, we suggest that organizers of collaborative learning environments should work to actively develop structures for building the organizational trust necessary to support civil critique.

Inquiry projects in science teacher education: What can investigative experiences reveal about teacher thinking and eventual classroom practice?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Windschitl, Mark

2003-01-01

Science education reform documents emphasize the importance of inquiry experiences for young learners. This means that teachers must be prepared with the knowledge, skills, and habits of thinking to mentor their students through authentic investigations. This study examines how preservice teachers' inquiry experiences, in a science methods course, influenced and were influenced by their conceptions of inquiry. The study also assesses how these experiences were associated with eventual classroom practice. Six preservice secondary teachers were observed during a 2-month inquiry project and then followed into the classroom as they began a 9-week teaching practicum. Data revealed that participants' preproject conceptions of the inquiry process were related to the conduct and interpretation of their own inquiry project, and that the project experience modified the inquiry conceptions of those participants who already had sophisticated understandings of scientific investigations. Perhaps most importantly, the participants who eventually used guided and open inquiry during their student teaching were not those who had more authentic views of inquiry or reflected most deeply about their own inquiry projects, but rather they were individuals who had significant undergraduate or professional experiences with authentic science research. Finally, this article advocates that independent science investigations be part of preservice education and that these experiences should be scaffolded to prompt reflection specifically about the nature of inquiry and conceptually linked to ways in which inquiry can be brought into the K-12 classroom.

Using a Professional Development Program for Enhancing Chilean Biology Teachers' Understanding of Nature of Science (NOS) and Their Perceptions about Using History of Science to Teach NOS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pavez, José M.; Vergara, Claudia A.; Santibañez, David; Cofré, Hernán

2016-01-01

A number of authors have recognized the importance of understanding the nature of science (NOS) for scientific literacy. Different instructional strategies such as decontextualized, hands-on inquiry, and history of science (HOS) activities have been proposed for teaching NOS. This article seeks to understand the contribution of HOS in enhancing…

The Journal of Public Inquiry. Fall/Winter 2010-2011

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

She was also an editorial consultant for Tango Media. Currently, she continues to work as a freelance book editor and consultant, most recently for...develop the first set of federal sentencing guidelines. Mr. Martin began his professional career as a reporter with The Greenville News, a daily... career opportunities for their students and information that can be shared back in the classroom to a welcoming audience. In return, the

Providing undergraduate science partners for elementary teachers: benefits and challenges.

PubMed

Goebel, Camille A; Umoja, Aminata; DeHaan, Robert L

2009-01-01

Undergraduate college "science partners" provided content knowledge and a supportive atmosphere for K-5 teachers in a university-school professional development partnership program in science instruction. The Elementary Science Education Partners program, a Local Systemic Change initiative supported by the National Science Foundation, was composed of four major elements: 1) a cadre of mentor teachers trained to provide district-wide teacher professional development; 2) a recruitment and training effort to place college students in classrooms as science partners in semester-long partnerships with teachers; 3) a teacher empowerment effort termed "participatory reform"; and 4) an inquiry-based curriculum with a kit distribution and refurbishment center. The main goals of the program were to provide college science students with an intensive teaching experience and to enhance teachers' skills in inquiry-based science instruction. Here, we describe some of the program's successes and challenges, focusing primarily on the impact on the classroom teachers and their science partners. Qualitative analyses of data collected from participants indicate that 1) teachers expressed greater self-confidence about teaching science than before the program and they spent more class time on the subject; and 2) the college students modified deficit-model negative assumptions about the children's science learning abilities to express more mature, positive views.