A Survey of K-12 Teachers' Utilization of Social Networks as a Professional Resource

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Leah J.; Hall, Cristin M.

2018-01-01

Teachers are increasingly using social networks, including social media and other Internet applications, to look for educational resources. This study shares results from a survey examining patterns of social network application use among K-12 teachers in the United States. A sample of 154 teachers (18 males, 136 females) in the United States…

K-12 Professional Development at the Harvard Forest LTER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, K.

2012-12-01

As part of the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program, the Harvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts seeks to train the next generation of researchers, by involving K-12 grade students and their teachers in hands-on, field-based, ecological research in their own schoolyard and community. Students learn to collect data on important long-term ecological issues and processes. Student data are then shared on the Harvard Forest website. To prepare teachers for project protocols, teachers are given direct access to Harvard ecologists with professional development workshops and on-line resources. With the Harvard Forest Schoolyard LTER program, students can participate in three different research projects focusing on phenology, invasive insects, and vernal pools. Teachers attend the Summer Institute for Teachers to learn project content and methods. They return in fall to participate in one of three levels of data workshops to learn how to input, manage, and analyze project data. In the spring, teachers again meet with the Harvard ecologists about project protocols, and to share, through a series of teacher presentations, the ways these project themes are being integrated into class curricula. These professional development opportunities result in long term collaborative partnerships with local schools and the Harvard Forest LTER. In addition to the LTER Schoolyard Ecology Program, the Harvard Forest has supported a successful Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program for the last six years. Throughout the summer, teachers work on research projects alongside Harvard Forest and affiliated scientists, post-docs, graduate students, and REU's (Research Experience for Undergraduates). The RET program provides teachers with the opportunity to build scientific knowledge, develop an understanding of research methods, and translate their new knowledge and experiences into cutting edge classroom lessons. The past two summers I have worked with Dr. Andrew Richardson

K-12 science education: A teacher`s view

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moore, P.

1994-12-31

Science education has experienced significant changes over the past two decades. Science is now vital to good citizenship, performance in the workplace, and everyday life.It is time to re-tool and re-design the entire K-12 science education system, employing the same principles and methods used in the practice of science itself. We can no longer ignore the special needs of science instruction. All students need a course that develops their scientific literacy and critical thinking skills every year. Each science program needs meaningful, useful content and skill standards to drive and continuously update the curriculum content and enabel usefull assessment. Sciencemore » teachers must articulate their needs and develop opportunities for professional development and the strengthening of their profession. We need a national plan that gets the many different participants working coherently towards a common goal.« less

Energy Project professional development: Promoting positive attitudes about science among K-12 teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, Amy D.; Daane, Abigail R.

2017-12-01

Promoting positive attitudes about science among teachers has important implications for teachers' classroom practice and for their relationship to science as a discipline. In this paper, we report positive shifts in teachers' attitudes about science, as measured by the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science (CLASS) survey, over the course of their participation in a professional development course that emphasized the flexible use of energy representations to understand real world scenarios. Our work contributes to the larger effort to make the case that professional development matters for teacher learning and attitudes.

Teacher Field Research Experiences: Building and Maintaining the Passion for K-12 Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunton, K.; Schonberg, S.

2006-12-01

Academic scientists and researchers are increasingly encouraged to develop connections with K-12 educators to promote scientific literacy and bring excitement into the classroom. Such partnerships carry long-term benefits to both teachers and researchers. Teachers gain the tools, confidence, and knowledge to develop research activities with their students that promote scientific inquiry, and researchers benefit from outreach activities that improve communication skills for sharing scientific knowledge with the public. Our K-12 programs have been field based under a theme of Classrooms Without Walls, to take advantage of our local marine environment and a long-term research program on the Alaskan Arctic coast. Our professional development programs for teachers have included the creation of an annual summer graduate level course (Application of Field Research Experiences for K-12 Science and Math Educators) as an introduction to scientific methodology, observation, and inquiry based learning. We provide graduate students as resources in classrooms and for field trip experiences and provide supplies and instrumentation to teachers for K-12 field projects. Finally, teachers have an opportunity to join our researchers to remote sites under various competitive programs that receive federal support (e.g. GK-12, ARMADA). We provide examples of our activities, which are based on recent needs assessment surveys of science teachers; these included development of content knowledge and providing students with opportunities to connect concepts with experiences. Our goal is to provide field experiences to teachers and students that enable them to relate science concepts to the real world.

Connecting with Teachers and Students through K-12 Outreach Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, Susan; Lindbo, David; Robinson, Clay

2014-05-01

The Soil Science Society of America has invested heavily in a significant outreach effort to reach teachers and students in the primary/secondary grades (K-12 grades in US/Canada) to raise awareness of soil as a critical resource. The SSSA K-12 committee has been charged with increasing interest and awareness of soil science as a scientific pursuit and career choice, and providing resources that integrate more information on soil science into biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science areas taught at multiple grade levels. Activities center around five main areas: assessment and standards, learning modules/lesson plans, website development, and books and materials, and partnership activities. Members (professionals and students) of SSSA are involved through committee participation, local events, materials review, and project development.

Test Of Astronomy STandards TOAST Survey of K-12 Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slater, Timothy F.; Slater, Stephanie; Stork, Debra J.

2015-01-01

Discipline-based education research in astronomy is focused on understanding the underlying mental mechanisms used by students when learning astronomy and teachers when teaching astronomy. Systematic surveys of K-12 teacher' knowledge in the domain of astronomy are conducted periodically in order to better focus and improve professional development. These surveys are most often done when doing contemporary needs assessments or when new assessment instruments are readily available. Designed by Stephanie J. Slater of the CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education Research, the 29-item multiple-choice format Test Of Astronomy STandards - TOAST is a carefully constructed, criterion-referenced instrument constructed upon a solid list of clearly articulated and widely agreed upon learning objectives. The targeted learning concepts tightly align with the consensus learning goals stated by the American Astronomical Society - Chair's Conference on ASTRO 101, the American Association of the Advancement of Science's Project 2061 Benchmarks, and the National Research Council's 1996 National Science Education Standards. Without modification, the TOAST is also aligned with the significantly less ambitious 2013 Next Generation Science Standards created by Achieve, Inc., under the auspices of the National Research Council. This latest survey reveals that K-12 teachers still hold many of the same fundamental misconceptions uncovered by earlier surveys. This includes misconceptions about the size, scale, and structure of the cosmos as well as misconceptions about the nature of physical processes at work in astronomy. This suggests that professional development in astronomy is still needed and that modern curriculum materials are best served if they provide substantial support for implementation.

Practical Application of Research in Science Education (PARSE) -- A New Collaboration for K-12 Science Teacher Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwicker, Andrew; Lopez, Jose; Clayton, James

2008-11-01

A new collaboration between PPPL, St. Peter's College, the Liberty Science Center, and the Jersey City Public School District was formed in order to create a unique K-12 teacher professional development program. St. Peter's College, located in Jersey City, NJ, is a liberal arts college in an urban setting. The Liberty Science Center (LSC) is the largest education resource in the New Jersey-New York City region. The Jersey City School District has 28,000 students of which approximately 90% are from populations traditionally under-represented in science. The new program is centered upon topics surrounding energy and the environment. In the first year, beginning in 2009, 15-20 teachers will participate in a pilot course that includes hands-on research at PPPL and St. Peter's, the creation of new curricular materials, and pedagogical techniques. Scientists, master teachers, and education professors will teach the course. In subsequent years, the number of participants will be significantly expanded and the curricular material disseminated to other school districts. In addition, an outside evaluator will measure the educational outcome throughout the project.

Retaining K-12 Online Teachers: A Predictive Model for K-12 Online Teacher Turnover

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larkin, Ingle M.; Lokey-Vega, Anissa; Brantley-Dias, Laurie

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to measure and explore factors influencing K-12 online teachers' turnover intentions, with job satisfaction and organizational commitment serving as moderating variables. Using Fishbein and Ajzen's Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior (1975), this study was conducted in public, private, charter, for-profit,…

"It's worth our time": a model of culturally and linguistically supportive professional development for K-12 STEM educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charity Hudley, Anne H.; Mallinson, Christine

2017-09-01

Professional development on issues of language and culture is often separate from professional development on issues related to STEM education, resulting in linguistic and cultural gaps in K-12 STEM pedagogy and practice. To address this issue, we have designed a model of professional development in which we work with educators to build cultural and linguistic competence and to disseminate information about how educators view the relevance of language, communication, and culture to STEM teaching and learning. We describe the design and facilitation of our model of culturally and linguistically responsive professional development, grounded in theories of multicultural education and culturally supportive teaching, through professional development workshops to 60 K-12 STEM educators from schools in Maryland and Virginia that serve African American students. Participants noted that culturally and linguistically responsive approaches had yet to permeate their K-12 STEM settings, which they identified as a critical challenge to effectively teaching and engaging African-American students. Based on pre-surveys, workshops were tailored to participants' stated needs for information on literacy (e.g., disciplinary literacies and discipline-specific jargon), cultural conflict and mismatch (e.g., student-teacher miscommunication), and linguistic bias in student assessment (e.g., test design). Educators shared feedback via post-workshop surveys, and a subset of 28 participants completed in-depth interviews and a focus group. Results indicate the need for further implementation of professional development such as ours that address linguistic and cultural issues, tailored for K-12 STEM educators. Although participants in this study enumerated several challenges to meeting this need, they also identified opportunities for collaborative solutions that draw upon teacher expertise and are integrated with curricula across content areas.

NSF GK-12 Fellows as Mentors for K-12 Teachers Participating in Field Research Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellins, K.; Perry, E.

2005-12-01

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG) recognizes the value of providing educational opportunities to K-12 teachers who play a critical role in shaping the minds of young people who are the future of our science. To that end, UTIG established the "Texas Teachers in the Field" program in 2000 to formalize the participation of K-12 teachers in field programs that included UTIG scientists. In 2002, "Texas Teachers in the Field" evolved through UTIG's involvement in a University of Texas at Austin GK-12 project led by the Environmental Sciences Institute, which enabled UTIG to partner a subset of GK-12 Fellows with teachers participating in geophysical field programs. During the three years of the GK-12 project, UTIG successfully partnered four GK-12 Fellows with five K-12 teachers. The Fellows served as mentors to the teachers, as liaisons between UTIG scientists leading field programs and teachers and their students, and as resources in science, mathematics, and technology instruction. Specifically, Fellows prepared teachers and their students for the field investigations, supervised the design of individual Teacher Research Experience (TRE) projects, and helped teachers to develop standards-aligned curriculum resources related to the field program for use in their own classrooms, as well as broader distribution. Although all but one TRE occurred during the school year, Texas school districts and principals were willing to release teachers to participate because the experience and destinations were so extraordinary (i.e., a land-based program in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina; and research cruises to the Southeast Caribbean Sea and Hess Deep in the Pacific Ocean) and carried opportunities to work with scientists from around the world. This exceptional collaboration of GK-12 Fellows, K-12 teachers and research scientists enriches K-12 student learning and promotes greater enthusiasm for science. The level of mentoring, preparation and follow-up provided

Developing Open Education Literacies with Practicing K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimmons, Royce M.

2014-01-01

This study seeks to understand how to use formal learning activities to effectively support the development of open education literacies among K-12 teachers. Considering pre-and post-surveys from K-12 teachers (n = 80) who participated in a three-day institute, this study considers whether participants entered institutes with false confidence or…

K-4 Keepers Collection: A Service Learning Teacher Professional Development Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwerin, T. G.; Blaney, L.; Myers, R. J.

2011-12-01

This poster focuses on the K-4 Keepers Collection, a service-learning program developed for the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA). ESSEA is a NOAA-, NASA- and NSF-supported program of teacher professional development that increases teachers' pedagogical content knowledge of climate-related Earth system science. The ESSEA program -- whether used in formal higher education courses or frequented by individual teachers who look for classroom activities in the environmental sciences -- provides a full suite of activities, lessons and units for teachers' use. The ESSEA network consists of 45 universities and education centers addressing climate and environment issues. K-4 Keepers Collection - ESSEA K-4 module collections focus on five specific themes of content development: spheres, Polar Regions, oceans, climate and service learning. The K-4 Keepers collection provides the opportunity for teachers to explore topics and learning projects promoting stewardship of the Earth's land, water, air and living things. Examination of the impacts of usage and pollution on water, air, land and living things through service-learning projects allows students to become informed stewards. All of the modules include short-term sample projects that either educate or initiate action involving caring for the environment. The K-4 Keepers course requires teachers to develop similar short or long-term projects for implementation in their classrooms. Objectives include: 1. Increase elementary teachers' environmental literacy addressing ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, stewardship, weather and climate science standards and using NOAA and NASA resources. 2. Develop elementary teachers' efficacy in employing service learning projects focused on conserving and preserving Earth's land, air, water and living things. 3. Prepare college faculty to incorporate service learning and environmental literacy into their courses through professional development and modules on the ESSEA website.

Preparing Teachers of Young Children: The Current State of Knowledge, and a Blueprint for the Future. Part 1: Teacher Preparation and Professional Development in Grades K-12 and in Early Care and Education: Differences and Similarities, and Implications for Research. Policy Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitebook, Marcy; Gomby, Deanna; Bellm, Dan; Sakai, Laura; Kipnis, Fran

2009-01-01

When it comes to teacher preparation, the support provided to new teachers, and ongoing professional development for working teachers, Grades K-12 and the field of early care and education (ECE) are two very different worlds. While both worlds assume that teachers' classroom skills and behavior can be influenced at multiple points in time (through…

PBS TeacherLine National Survey of Teacher Professional Development, 2005-2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hezel Associates (NJ1), 2007

2007-01-01

PBS TeacherLine, an initiative funded under the U.S. Department of Education's Ready To Teach program, is designed to provide high-quality online professional development for K-12 teachers. Through the first five-year grant cycle, ending in 2005, PBS TeacherLine produced approximately 100 online facilitated courses in reading, mathematics,…

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.

Professional Development for Teachers of English Language Learners: Discursive Norms, Learning Processes, and Professional Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molle, Daniella

2010-01-01

The lack of empirical scholarship on professional development initiatives for teachers of English language learners (ELLs) in US schools has been repeatedly documented in educational research. The present dissertation project examines a professional development course specifically designed for K-12 teachers of ELLs. The course aims to foster the…

Supporting Change in Teacher Practice: Examining Shifts of Teachers' Professional Development Preferences and Needs for Technology Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liao, Yin-Chan; Ottenbreit-Leftwich, Anne; Karlin, Michael; Glazewski, Krista; Brush, Thomas

2017-01-01

Studies have shown that when K-12 school districts implement a new technology initiative, it is not always accompanied by effective teacher professional development (PD). Many teachers have indicated that effective technology PD experiences should incorporate their individual PD needs. The authors surveyed technology-using K-12 teachers at two…

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

Professional Development Needs of Online Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roy, Mamta; Boboc, Marius

2016-01-01

Keeping in mind the rising rate of K-12 enrollment, and the increased demand for online teachers, the need for professional development of online teachers is keenly felt. The skills needed for teaching in face-to-face environments are not always transferable to online settings. There is a pointed change in the way teaching takes place in an online…

Rethinking Museums' Adult Education for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcus, Alan S.

2008-01-01

This article explores the importance of developing strong adult education programs within a broader collaborative effort between museum staff and K-12 teachers. Focusing on history museums, the first section discusses the importance of museum visits for K-12 history learning and how we need to reconsider some of the primary purposes for these…

Professional Development Tools to Enhance the Abilities of Veteran Teachers in Pre-K through Eighth Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuykendall, Salvatrice Domenica

2017-01-01

"Professional Development Tools to Enhance the Abilities of Veteran Teachers in Pre-K Through Eighth Grades" examined the variety of professional development tools available to veteran educators. The quasi-experimental study allowed veteran teachers to participate in a pretest survey consisting of questions about teachers' desire for…

K-12 Teachers Encounter Digital Games: A Qualitative Investigation of Teachers' Perceptions of the Potential of Digital Games for K-12 Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickey, Michele D.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers' perceptions of the integration of digital games for K-12 education. Specifically, this qualitative investigation focuses on reflective dialogued gathered from a group of K-12 educators about their experiences and perceptions of learning about and playing digital games for teaching and learning.…

Development of an Attitude Scale to Assess K-12 Teachers' Attitudes toward Nanotechnology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, Yu-Ling

2012-05-01

To maximize the contributions of nanotechnology to this society, at least 60 countries have put efforts into this field. In Taiwan, a government-funded K-12 Nanotechnology Programme was established to train K-12 teachers with adequate nanotechnology literacy to foster the next generation of Taiwanese people with sufficient knowledge in nanotechnology. In the present study, the Nanotechnology Attitude Scale for K-12 teachers (NAS-T) was developed to assess K-12 teachers' attitudes toward nanotechnology. The NAS-T included 23 Likert-scale items that can be grouped into three components: importance of nanotechnology, affective tendencies in science teaching, and behavioural tendencies to teach nanotechnology. A sample of 233 K-12 teachers who have participated in the K-12 Nanotechnology Programme was included in the present study to investigate the psychometric properties of the NAS-T. The exploratory factor analysis of this teacher sample suggested that the NAS-T was a three-factor model that explained 64.11% of the total variances. This model was also confirmed by the confirmatory factor analysis to validate the factor structure of the NAS-T. The Cronbach's alpha values of three NAS-T subscales ranged from 0.89 to 0.95. Moderate to strong correlations among teachers' NAS-T domain scores, self-perception of own nanoscience knowledge, and their science-teaching efficacy demonstrated good convergent validity of the NAS-T. As a whole, psychometric properties of the NAS-T indicated that this instrument is an effective instrument for assessing K-12 teachers' attitudes toward nanotechnology. The NAS-T will serve as a valuable tool to evaluate teachers' attitude changes after participating in the K-12 Nanotechnology Programme.

Designing GIS Learning Materials for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Jung Eun

2017-01-01

Although previous studies have proven the usefulness and effectiveness of geographic information system (GIS) use in the K-12 classroom, the rate of teacher adoption remains low. The identified major barrier to its use is a lack of teachers' background and experience. To solve this limitation, many organisations have provided GIS-related teacher…

Teacher Perception of Barriers and Benefits in K-12 Technology Usage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carver, Lin B.

2016-01-01

This study explores K-12 teachers' perceptions of the benefits and barriers to technology integration by either teachers or students in K-12 instruction. The sample was composed of 68 students enrolled in online classes in the graduate studies in education department of a small private liberal arts institution in the southeast. Data was collected…

Inspiring the Next Generation: Astronomy Catalyzes K12 STEM Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borders, Kareen; Thaller, Michelle; Winglee, Robert; Borders, Kyla

2017-06-01

K-12 educators need effective and relevant astronomy professional development. NASA's Mission Science provides innovative and accessible opportunities for K-12 teachers. Science questions involve scale and distance, including Moon/Earth scale, solar system scale, and distance of objects in the universe. Teachers can gain an understanding of basic telescopes, the history of telescopes, ground and satellite based telescopes, and models of JWST Telescope. An in-depth explanation of JWST and Spitzer telescopes gave participants background knowledge for infrared astronomy observations. During teacher training, we taught the electromagnetic spectrum through interactive stations. The stations included an overview via lecture and power point, the use of ultraviolet beads to determine ultraviolet exposure, the study of lenticulars and diagramming of infrared data, looking at visible light through diffraction glasses and diagramming the data, protocols for using astronomy based research in the classroom, and infrared thermometers to compare environmental conditions around the observatory. An overview of LIDAR physics was followed up by a simulated LIDAR mapping of the topography of Mars.We will outline specific steps for K-12 infrared astronomy professional development, provide data demonstrating the impact of the above professional development on educator understanding and classroom use, and detail future plans for additional K-12 professional development.Funding was provided by Washington STEM, NASA, and the Washington Space Grant Consortium.

Teachers Helping Teachers: A Professional Development Model That Promotes Teacher Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghamrawi, Norma

2013-01-01

This mixed methods study reports on the outcomes of a professional development model (PDM) developed by a K-12 private school in Beirut, Lebanon, after 3 years of its employment. Specifically, an evaluation of this PDM is provided with special emphasis on its potential of developing teacher leaders at school. The PDM embraces a constructivist…

Teacher Professional Development by Selected Teacher and School Characteristics: 2011-12. Stats in Brief. NCES 2017-200

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rotermund, Susan; DeRoche, John; Ottem, Randolph

2017-01-01

This Statistics in Brief provides a snapshot of the state of teacher professional development activities among U.S. public school teachers using data collected through the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) Public School Teacher Questionnaire. This report relies on data provided by public school teachers about their professional…

Flipped Professional Development: An Innovation in Response to Teacher Insights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardin, Brooke L.; Koppenhaver, David A.

2016-01-01

This article reports on a study of K-12 teachers' responses to an innovative flipped professional development series focused on literacy instruction. Thirty-six participants voluntarily enrolled in one or more of three professional development courses. Findings address teacher evaluation of the efficacy of both the structure and the content of the…

AMS Professional Development Courses: Arming K-12 Teachers with the Tools Needed to Increase Students' Scientific Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brey, J. A.; Geer, I. W.; Weinbeck, R. S.; Moran, J. M.; Nugnes, K. A.

2012-12-01

To better prepare tomorrow's leaders, it is of utmost importance that today's teachers are science literate. To meet that need, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Education Program offers content-rich, professional development courses and training workshops for precollege teachers in the geosciences. During the fall and spring semesters, the AMS in partnership with NOAA, NASA, and SUNY Brockport, offers a suite of pre-college teacher development courses, DataStreme Atmosphere, DataStreme Ocean and DataStreme Earth's Climate System (ECS). These courses are delivered to small groups of K-12 teachers through Local Implementation Teams (LITs) positioned throughout the U.S. The courses use current, real-world environmental data to investigate the atmosphere, ocean, and climate system and consist of weekly online study materials, weekly mentoring, and several face-to-face meetings, all supplemented by a provided textbook and investigations manual. DataStreme ECS takes an innovative approach to studying climate science, by exploring the fundamental science of Earth's climate system and addressing the societal impacts relevant to today's students and teachers. The course investigates natural and human forcings and feedbacks to examine mitigation and adaptation strategies for the future. Information and data from respected organizations, such as the IPCC, the US Global Change Research Program, NASA, and NOAA are used throughout the course, including in the online and printed investigations. In addition, participants differentiate between climate, climate variability, and climate change through the AMS Conceptual Energy Model, a basic climate model that follows the flow of energy from space to Earth and back. Participants also have access to NASA's EdGCM, a research-grade Global Climate Model where they can explore various future climate scenarios in the same way that actual research scientists do. Throughout all of the courses, teachers have the opportunity to expand

Teacher Working Conditions: Perceptions of Novice and Experienced K-12 Virtual School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Tiffany

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine if there is a difference between novice and experienced teachers' perceptions of the working conditions at the K-12 virtual school. This study examined the teachers' total years employed at the school to determine if a difference exists in the groups' perceptions of the teacher working conditions. Teacher…

Increasing the Roles and Significance of Teachers in Policymaking for K-12 Engineering Education: Proceedings of a Convocation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Steve

2017-01-01

Engineering is a small but growing part of K-12 education. Curricula that use the principles and practices of engineering are providing opportunities for elementary, middle, and high school students to design solutions to problems of immediate practical and societal importance. Professional development programs are showing teachers how to use…

From Teacher to Teacher Educator: Should You Move from a K-12 Classroom into Higher Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clement, Mary C.

2011-01-01

College teaching can be as rewarding as a K-12 career and, whether in elementary school or college, students deserve good teachers. College professors who prepare teachers can have a tremendous impact on K-12 classrooms for decades into the future. However, career paths vary widely, and the path to teaching in higher education is as unique as the…

Twenty Years of One Astronomy Teacher Professional Development - The EXES Teacher Associate Program at UT Austin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finkelstein, Keely; Hemenway, Mary Kay; Sneden, Chris; Lacy, John; Richter, Matthew J.; EXES Teacher Associates

2018-01-01

The Astronomy Department and McDonald Observatory at the University of Texas at Austin has and continues to offer a suite of different astronomy based K-12 teacher professional development programs. One of our longest running, and most successful programs, is reaching its 20th anniversary, the EXES Teacher Associate Program, which was started in 1998. The EXES Teacher Associate program features sustained and continued professional development opportunities for K-12 science and math educators. It consists of 6 times per year day-long meetings, coupled with other professional development opportunities provided at various times. In total, there are approximately 30 active members of the group currently, but more than 90 teachers have participated in this group over its 20 year history. The program has had astronomy education as its focus throughout its history, but different partnerships and collaborations with other programs have supported the group and have allowed for a variety of professional development opportunities and themes for educators to engage in. We will give an overview of this program, present evaluation data and teacher feedback related to program success and student impact, and highlight a few specific program opportunities that are unique and have been shown to be most impactful for participants.

K-12 Teachers' Perceptions of School Policy and Fear of School Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricketts, Melissa L.

2007-01-01

Since the 1990s, schools have focused their attention on policies designed to improve school safety. Most researches on school violence policies have concentrated on the needs of students and administrators. This study investigated the impact of school violence policies on K-12 teachers' fear. Using self-report data from 447 K-12 teachers from a…

Developing Partnerships between Higher Education Faculty, K-12 Science Teachers, and School Administrators via MSP initiatives: The RITES Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caulkins, J. L.; Kortz, K. M.; Murray, D. P.

2011-12-01

The Rhode Island Technology Enhanced Science Project (RITES) is a NSF-funded Math and Science Partnership (MSP) project that seeks to improve science education. RITES is, at its core, a unique partnership that fosters relationships between middle and high school science teachers, district and school administrators, higher education (HE) faculty members, and science education researchers. Their common goal is to enhance scientific inquiry, increase classroom technology usage, and improve state level science test scores. In one of the more visible examples of this partnership, middle and high school science teachers work closely with HE science faculty partners to design and teach professional development (PD) workshops. The PD sessions focus on technology-enhanced scientific investigations (e.g. use of probes, online simulations, etc.), exemplify inquiry-based instruction, and relate expert content knowledge. Teachers from these sessions express substantial satisfaction in the program, report increased comfort levels in teaching the presented materials (both via post-workshop surveys), and show significant gains in content knowledge (via pre-post assessments). Other benefits to this kind of partnership, in which K-12 and HE teachers are considered equals, include: 1) K-12 teachers are empowered through interactions with HE faculty and other science teachers in the state; 2) HE instructors become more informed not only about good pedagogical practices, but also practical aspects of teaching science such as engaging students; and 3) the PD sessions tend to be much stronger than ones designed and presented solely by HE scientists, for while HE instructors provide content expertise, K-12 teachers provide expertise in K-12 classroom practice and implementation. Lastly, the partnership is mutually beneficial for the partners involved because both sides learn practical ways to teach science and inquiry at different levels. In addition to HE faculty and K-12 science teacher

The Effect of Professional Development on Teacher Efficacy and Teachers' Self-Analysis of Their Efficacy Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoo, Julia H.

2016-01-01

The current study examined the effect of an online professional development learning experience on teachers' self-efficacy through 148 (Male = 22; Female = 126) K-12 teachers and school educators. The Teachers' Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES) developed by Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy (2001) was administered twice with a five-week gap. Additionally,…

Facilitating Professional Development for Teachers of English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molle, Daniella

2013-01-01

The study explores the process of facilitation in professional development for educators. The study relies on discourse analysis of interaction among K-12 teachers and administrators in a Midwestern U.S. state during a semester-long professional development program especially designed for educators working with English language learners (ELLs).…

CSPAP Professional Preparation: Takeaways from Pioneering Physical Education Teacher Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carson, Russell L.; Castelli, Darla M.; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges

2017-01-01

As comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) professional development becomes increasingly available to current K-12 physical education teachers, this special feature shifts attention to the preparation of future PE teachers and teacher educators for CSPAP. The purpose of this concluding article is to summarize the undergraduate- and…

An Examination of the Factors That Influence the Transfer of Learning among K-12 Educators Participating in Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCullum, Charcelor Channing

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify the factors that either support or inhibit learning transfer among educators within K-12 professional learning communities (PLCs) as well as to obtain a better understanding of how adult education principles relate to teacher learning and job satisfaction within this environment. Although…

Engaging Scientists in K-12 Professional Development and Curriculum Development in the Context of Alaska's Large Marine Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sigman, M.; Anderson, A.; Deans, N. L.; Dublin, R.; Dugan, D.; Matsumoto, G. I.; Warburton, J.

2012-12-01

Alaska marine ecosystem-based professional development workshops have proven to be a robust context for engaging scientists from a variety of disciplines in overcoming barriers to communication and collaboration among scientists and educators. Scientists came away from scientist-teacher workshops with effective K-12 outreach strategies as well as a deeper understanding about how to contribute meaningfully to K-12 education. The establishment of the Alaskan Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE-AK) in 2009 was the catalyst for a series of professional development workshops related to the North Pacific Research Board's (NPRB) marine focus areas (Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands, Gulf of Alaska, and Arctic Ocean) for Integrated Ecosystem Research Programs (IERPs). During 2010-2012, COSEE-AK and NPRB partnered with the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS), the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) to support a five-day professional development workshop focused on each ecosystem. The workshops brought together three types of participants: 1) Alaska-focused marine ecosystem scientists; 2) rural Alaskan teachers living within each ecosystem; and 3) teachers from outside Alaska who had research experiences with scientists in the ecosystem. Over the course of the workshops, we developed a workshop model with four objectives: 1) to increase the science content knowledge of educators and their ability to teach ecosystem science; 2) to provide the scientists an opportunity to have broader impacts from their research on educators and Alaska Native and rural students; 3) to increase the knowledge and skills of educator and scientist participants to provide effective learning experiences for K-12 students; and 4) to facilitate the collaborative development of lesson plans. A total of 28 scientists and 41 educators participated in the three workshops. The success of the workshop for the educators was

Re-Envisioning Professional Learning in Mathematics: Teachers' Performance, Perceptions, and Practices in Blended Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luebeck, Jennifer; Roscoe, Matt; Cobbs, Georgia; Diemert, Kacey; Scott, Lisa

2017-01-01

This paper reports findings from a study that followed K-12 mathematics teachers through the components of a blended professional development program, highlighting their engagement in a series of online modules that connect face-to-face gatherings across the school year. Data collected over four years illuminate the teachers' performance,…

Educators in Industry: An Exploratory Study to Determine How Teacher Externships Influence K-12 Classroom Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, Bradley; Shume, Teresa

2018-01-01

This exploratory study investigates the impacts of industry-based externships for K-12 teachers, and reports teachers' perspectives on how these experiences influenced K-12 classroom practices. The program of focus in this research study is the Educators in Industry: K-12 Externship Program. For four weeks in the summer, teacher-participants are…

Interactive Teaching as a Recruitment and Training Tool for K-12 Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenberg, J. L.

2004-12-01

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Teacher Preparation (STEMTP) program at the University of Colorado has been designed to recruit and train prospective K-12 science teachers while improving student learning through interactive teaching. The program has four key goals: (1) recruit undergraduate students into K-12 science education, (2) provide these prospective teachers with hands-on experience in an interactive teaching pedagogy, (3) create an intergrated program designed to support (educationally, socially, and financially) and engage these prospective science teachers up until they obtain liscensure and/or their masters degree in education, and (4) improve student learning in large introductory science classes. Currently there are 31 students involved in the program and a total of 72 students have been involved in the year and a half it has been in existence. I will discuss the design of the STEMTP program, the success in recruiting K-12 science teachers, and the affect on student learning in a large lecture class of implementing interactive learning pedagogies by involving these prospective K-12 science teachers. J. L. Rosenberg would like to acknowledge the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Fellowship for support for this work. The course transformation project is also supported by grants from the National Science Foundation.

K-12 Teacher Perceptions Regarding the Flipped Classroom Model for Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gough, Evan; DeJong, David; Grundmeyer, Trent; Baron, Mark

2017-01-01

A great deal of evidence can be cited from higher education literature on the effectiveness of the flipped classroom; however, very little research was discovered on the flipped classroom at the K-12 level. This study examined K-12 teachers' perceptions regarding the flipped classroom and differences in teachers' perceptions based on grade level…

Transforming K-12 Rural Education through Blended Learning: Teacher Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellerer, Paula; Kellerer, Eric; Werth, Eric; Werth, Lori; Montgomery, Danielle; Clyde, Rozella; Cozart, Joe; Creach, Laura; Hibbard, Laura; LaFrance, Jason; Rupp, Nadine; Walker, Niki; Carter, Theresa; Kennedy, Kathryn

2014-01-01

A qualitative study exploring rural teacher perspectives on the impact of blended learning on students and teachers was conducted in Idaho during the Fall of 2013. Researchers from Northwest Nazarene University's DOCEO Center in partnership with Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) and the International Association for K-12 Online Learning…

Preservice Teachers' Microblogging: Professional Development via Twitter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

Twitter has demonstrated potential to facilitate learning at the university level, and K-12 educators' use of the microblogging service Twitter to facilitate professional development appears to be on the rise. Research on microblogging as a part of teacher education is, however, limited. This paper investigates the use of Twitter by preservice…

Teacher Directed Design: Content Knowledge, Pedagogy and Assessment under the Nevada K-12 Real-Time Seismic Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cantrell, P.; Ewing-Taylor, J.; Crippen, K. J.; Smith, K. D.; Snelson, C. M.

2004-12-01

Education professionals and seismologists under the emerging SUN (Shaking Up Nevada) program are leveraging the existing infrastructure of the real-time Nevada K-12 Seismic Network to provide a unique inquiry based science experience for teachers. The concept and effort are driven by teacher needs and emphasize rigorous content knowledge acquisition coupled with the translation of that knowledge into an integrated seismology based earth sciences curriculum development process. We are developing a pedagogical framework, graduate level coursework, and materials to initiate the SUN model for teacher professional development in an effort to integrate the research benefits of real-time seismic data with science education needs in Nevada. A component of SUN is to evaluate teacher acquisition of qualified seismological and earth science information and pedagogy both in workshops and in the classroom and to assess the impact on student achievement. SUN's mission is to positively impact earth science education practices. With the upcoming EarthScope initiative, the program is timely and will incorporate EarthScope real-time seismic data (USArray) and educational materials in graduate course materials and teacher development programs. A number of schools in Nevada are contributing real-time data from both inexpensive and high-quality seismographs that are integrated with Nevada regional seismic network operations as well as the IRIS DMC. A powerful and unique component of the Nevada technology model is that schools can receive "stable" continuous live data feeds from 100's seismograph stations in Nevada, California and world (including live data from Earthworm systems and the IRIS DMC BUD - Buffer of Uniform Data). Students and teachers see their own networked seismograph station within a global context, as participants in regional and global monitoring. The robust real-time Internet communications protocols invoked in the Nevada network provide for local data acquisition

Engineering a Dynamic Science Learning Environment for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardre, Patricia L.; Nanny, Mark; Refai, Hazen; Ling, Chen; Slater, Janis

2010-01-01

The present study follows a cohort of 17 K-12 teachers through a six-week resident learning experience in science and engineering, and on into the planning and implementation of applications for their classrooms. This Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program was examined using the strategic approach of design-based research, with its fluid,…

K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents, Administrators and Higher Education Faculty: Partners Helping Rural Disadvantaged Students Stay on the Pathway to a Geoscience Career

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slattery, W.; Antonucci, C.; Myers, R. J.

2013-12-01

The National Science Foundation funded project K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents, Administrators and Higher Education Faculty: Partners Helping Rural Disadvantaged Students Stay on the Pathway to a Geoscience Career is a research-based proof of concept track 1 pilot project that tests the effectiveness of an innovative model for simultaneous K-12 teacher professional development, student learning and workforce development. The project builds a network of science experiences designed to keep eighth and ninth grade students from the Ripley, Union, Lewis, Huntington (RULH) Ohio school district on the path to a geoscience career. During each summer of the ongoing two-year project teams of RULH students, parents, teachers, administrators and college faculty traveled to the facilities of the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium at Sandy Hook, New Jersey to study science from an Earth system perspective. Teachers had the opportunity to engage in professional development alongside their students. Parents participated in the science activities alongside their children. Administrators interacted with students, parents and their teachers and saw them all learning science in an engaging, collaborative setting. During the first academic year of the project professional development was provided to RULH teachers by a team of university scientists and geoscience educators from the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA), a National Science Foundation funded project. Teachers selected for professional development were from science disciplines, mathematics, language arts and civics. The teachers selected, taught and assessed ESSEA Earth system science modules to all eighth and ninth grade students, not just those that were selected to go on the summer trips to New Jersey. In addition, all ninth grade RULH students had the opportunity to take a course that includes Earth system science concepts that will earn them both high school and college science credits. Professional

Teachers' Perceptions of Digital Badges as Recognition of Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, W. Monty; Hope, Samantha; Adams, Brianne

2018-01-01

This mixed methods study examined teachers' perceptions and uses of digital badges received as recognition of participation in a professional development program. Quantitative and qualitative survey data was collected from 99 K-12 teachers who were awarded digital badges in Spring 2016. In addition, qualitative data was collected through…

Raising Climate Literacy of K-12 Teachers with Datastreme Earth's Climate System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brey, J. A.; Geer, I.; Weinbeck, R. S.; Mills, E. W.; Nugnes, K. A.

2014-12-01

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) DataStreme Project is a free professional development program for in-service K-12 teachers, in which they gain considerable subject matter content and confidence in Earth science instruction. DataStreme Atmosphere, Ocean, and Earth's Climate System (ECS) are offered each fall and spring semester by Local Implementation Teams (LITs) across the country in coordination with a team of AMS Education Program scientists and educators who develop instructional materials, provide logistical support to the LITs, and administer the project. The 3-member LITs mentor about 8 teachers and in some instances an emergency manager, per semester through a given DataStreme course. Teachers may receive 3 tuition-free graduate credits through State University of New York's The College at Brockport upon completion of each DataStreme course. DataStreme is in close alignment with A Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Investigating the scientific basis of the workings of Earth's atmosphere, ocean, and climate system follows the cross-cutting theme of the Framework and the NGSS and is the cornerstone of the DataStreme courses. In particular, DataStreme ECS explores the fundamental science of Earth's climate system and addresses the societal impacts relevant to today's teachers and students. The course utilizes resources from respected organizations, such as the IPCC and U.S. Global Change Research Program. Key to the NGSS is that students learn disciplinary core ideas in the context of science and engineering practices. In order for the students to learn in this way, the AMS believes that it is important to train the teachers in this context. DataStreme ECS emphasizes investigation of real-word and current NASA and NOAA data. Participants also are made aware of NASA's EdGCM, a research-grade Global Climate Model where they can explore various future climate scenarios in the same way that actual

Preparing Teacher Candidates for Virtual Field Placements via an Exposure to K-12 Online Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luo, Tian; Hibbard, Laura; Franklin, Teresa; Moore, David Richard

2017-01-01

Aim/Purpose: The goal of this project was to determine what effects exposure to online K-12 teaching and learning activities had on teacher candidates' perceptions of K-12 online learning, how the exposure allowed teacher candidates to reach greater understanding of online pedagogy, and what effect such exposure had on teacher candidates'…

Partners in Earth System Science: a Field, Laboratory and Classroom Based Professional Development Program for K-12 Teachers Designed to Build Scientific and Pedagogical Understandings of Teaching Climate Change.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slattery, W.; Lunsford, S.; Diedrick, A.; Crane, C.

2015-12-01

The purpose of the Partners in Earth System Science summer and academic year professional development program for Ohio K-12 teachers is to build their understandings of the scientific observations, methods and resources that scientists use when studying past and present climate change. Participants then use these tools to develop inquiry-based activities to teach their K-12 students how the scientific method and data are used to understand the effects of global climate change. The summer portion of the program takes teachers from throughout Ohio to the Duke University Marine Laboratory in Beaufort, North Carolina. There they engage in a physical and biological exploration of the modern and ancient ocean. For example, they collect samples of sediment and test water samples collected from modern coastal environments and connect their findings with evidence of the fauna living in those environments. Then, using observations from the geological record of the Eocene through Pleistocene sediments exposed in eastern North Carolina and inferences from observations made from the modern ocean they seek to answer scientifically testable questions regarding the physical and biological characteristics of the ocean during Cenozoic climate change events. During the academic year participants connect with each other and project faculty online to support the development of inquiry based science activities for their K-12 students. These activities focus on how evidence and observations such as outcrop extent, sediment type and biological assemblages can be used to infer past climates. The activities are taught in participant's classrooms and discussed with other participants in an online discussion space. Assessment of both teachers and K-12 students document significant positive changes in science knowledge, their confidence in being able to do science and a clearer understanding of how oceans are impacted by global climate change.

Einstein Online: A Web-based Course for K-12 Teachers from the American Museum of Natural History

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steiner, Robert

2004-05-01

Einstein Online: A Web-based Course for K-12 Teachers from the American Museum of Natural History Robert V. Steiner, Ph.D. Project Director, Seminars on Science American Museum of Natural History The American Museum of Natural History, in collaboration with Hebrew University and the Skirball Cultural Center, has created a major exhibit on Albert Einstein, including extensive coverage of his contributions to relativity, quantum mechanics and unified field theories as well as the social and political dimensions of his life. Leveraging the assets of this exhibit as well as the expertise of the Museum's Department of Astrophysics and its Education Department, a six-week online professional development course for K-12 teachers has been created, providing inquires into some of the frontiers of physics through rich media resources, facilitated discussion forums and assignments. The course, which requires only minimal Web access, offers a unique opportunity for teachers across the United States to explore modern physics guided by a working scientist and a skilled online facilitator. The course includes original essays by Museum scientists, images, video, simulations, web links and digital resources for classroom use. The course design, development, implementation and evaluation are reviewed.

Teaching GUI-Programming Concepts to Prospective K12 ICT Teachers: MIT App Inventor as an Alternative to Text-Based Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mihci, Can; Ozdener Donmez, Nesrin

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research is to investigate the short and long-term effects of using GUI-oriented visual Blocks-Based Programming languages (BBL) as a 2nd tier tool when teaching programming to prospective K12 ICT teachers. In a mixed-method approach, the effect on academic success as well as the impact on professional opinions and preferences…

Surveying Chinese In-Service K12 Teachers' Technology, Pedagogy, and Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Qingtang; Zhang, Si; Wang, Qiyun

2015-01-01

Technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) has been considered as a promising theoretical framework to guide teacher educators in designing and developing in-service K12 teacher education programs. However, it seems unclear whether in-service teachers have different TPACK perceptions when entering the education programs. This study…

Native Chinese-Speaking K-12 Language Teachers' Beliefs and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lü, Chan; Lavadenz, Magaly

2014-01-01

This study investigated the relationships between the beliefs and practices of K-12 native Chinese teachers on Chinese language and literacy instruction. Using a descriptive-exploratory design, this study employed a mixed-methods approach consisting of three steps: (1) a teacher beliefs questionnaire, (2) classroom observations and videotaping,…

Engineering Professional Development Design for Secondary School Teachers: A Multiple Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daugherty, Jenny Lynn

2009-01-01

The complexity of engineering and its integration into K-12 education have resulted in a variety of issues requiring sustained empirical research (Johnson, Burghardt, & Daugherty, 2008). One particular area of need, given the emphasis on teacher effects on student learning, is to research engineering-oriented teacher professional development. A…

Teacher Research as Professional Development for P-12 Music Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conway, Colleen; Edgar, Scott; Hansen, Erin; Palmer, C. Michael

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of seven music educators who conducted teacher research in their classrooms and to document whether the teachers and the local school district considered the project as professional development. Research questions included: (1) How do these music educators describe the experience of planning…

iSTEM Summer Institute: An Integrated Approach to Teacher Professional Development inSTEM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anne Seifert; Louis Nadelson

The importance of STEM education to our national prosperity and global competitiveness was recently reinforced by the Obama administration support for Change the Equation. Change the Equation is a multi-entity initiative formed in response to the rapidly increasing demand for STEM related careers and the potential lack of preparation by many Americans to be employed in these positions. To address the issue many are calling for increased emphasis on K-12 STEM education, as early preparation in STEM provides the foundation essential for further learning and competencies (National Research Council, 2007). Achieving and sustaining depth and breadth of K-12 STEM educationmore » is inextricably linked to ongoing professional development of K-12 educators. The need for teacher continuing education in STEM education and the link between teacher effectiveness and student preparation in STEM was the impetus behind our i- STEM professional development summer institute. The i-STEM initiative is a collaborative effort between business, industry, government, K-12, and higher education. Although the organization is working on a number of projects, including policy, research, communication, and collaborations, the i-STEM group has directed significant resources toward K-12 educator professional development opportunities in STEM. Our report focuses on the structure and impact of the intensive four-day i-STEM residential professional development institute which we designed to increase the capacity of grade 4-9 teachers to teach STEM content. We structured the summer institute using the outcome of a survey we conducted of grade 4-9 teachers’ to assess their STEM professional development needs, the extant literature on teacher development, the increasing need for a STEM informed society, and our desire to use evidence based practices to enhance teacher capacity to teach STEM content. We developed this investigation to determine if our summer institute influenced the participating

Fostering Collaboration with Families of Children with Disabilities: Online Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collier, Margo; Kingsley, Karla V.; Ovitt, Brigid; Lin, Yi-Ling; Romero Benavidez, Juliette

2017-01-01

Technology has reshaped conceptions of professional development by increasing access to information, enabling sustained follow-up efforts, and fostering teacher reflection and collaboration. Drawing on theoretical models of parent involvement and an ethic of caring, this study examined the perceptions and attitudes of educators toward…

First Steps Toward K-12 Teacher Professional Development Using Internet-based Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berryhill, K. J.; Gershun, D.; Slater, T. F.; Armstrong, J. D.

2012-12-01

How can science teachers become more familiar with emerging technology, excite their students and give students a taste of astronomy research? Astronomy teachers do not always have research experience, so it is difficult for them to convey to students how researchers use telescopes. The nature of astronomical observation (e.g., remote sites, expensive equipment, and odd hours) has been a barrier to providing teachers with insight into the process. Robotic telescopes (operated automatically with queued observing schedules) and remotely controlled telescopes (controlled by the user via the Internet) allow scientists to conduct observing sessions on research-grade telescopes half a world away. The same technology can now be harnessed by STEM educators to engage students and reinforce what is being taught in the classroom, as seen in some early research in elementary schools (McKinnon and Mainwaring 2000 and McKinnon and Geissinger 2002), and middle/high schools (Sadler et al. 2001, 2007 and Gehret et al. 2005). However, teachers need to be trained to use these resources. Responding to this need, graduate students and faculty at the University of Wyoming and CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education Research are developing teacher professional development programs using Internet-based telescopes. We conducted an online course in the science education graduate program at the University of Wyoming. This course was designed to sample different types of Internet-based telescopes to evaluate them as resources for teacher professional development. The 10 participants were surveyed at the end of the course to assess their experiences with each activity. In addition, pre-test/post-test data were collected focusing specifically on one of the telescopes (Gershun, Berryhill and Slater 2012). Throughout the course, the participants learned to use a variety of robotic and remote telescopes including SLOOH Space Camera (www.slooh.com), Sky Titan Observatory (www

Frameworks Shaping an Online Professional Development Program for K-12 Teachers of ELLs: Toward Supporting the Sharing of Ideas for Empowering Classroom Teachers Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Sedef Uzuner

2014-01-01

In efforts to maintain America's global competitiveness in the knowledge-based economy, teacher professional development has moved to center stage. With increasing numbers of English language learners (ELLs) in U.S. schools, several states have adopted mandatory professional development for classroom teachers to equip them with the knowledge…

Teacher Participation in Online Communities: Why Do Teachers Want to Participate in Self-Generated Online Communities of K-12 Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hur, Jung Won; Brush, Thomas A.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine reasons for teacher participation in online communities of K-12 teachers. The authors interviewed 23 teachers from three self-generated online communities and analyzed more than 2,000 postings in those communities. The findings indicated five reasons for participation: (a) sharing emotions, (b) utilizing…

Space Science Field Workshops for K-12 Teacher-Scientist Teams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, P. B.; Kiefer, W. S.; Treiman, A. H.; Irving, A. J.; Johnson, K. M.

2002-01-01

In collaboration with NASA Space Grant Consortia and other partners, we developed workshops for K-12 teachers that involve intensive, direct interaction with scientists. Field trips allow informal and spontaneous interaction, encouraging active participation. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Online Professional Development for High-School Biology Teachers: Effects on Teachers' and Students' Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldenberg, Lauren B.; Culp, Katherine McMillan; Clements, Margaret; Pasquale, Marian; Anderson, Alice

2014-01-01

One chronic challenge facing professional development providers is the need to convene and support groups of role-alike K-12 teachers who require similar kinds of discipline-and grade-level-specific training. Online courses have become an increasingly common way to meet this challenge. This article reports on a randomized control trial that tested…

i-STEM Summer Institute: An Integrated Approach to Teacher Professional Development in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nadelson, Louis S.; Seifert, Anne; Moll, Amy J.; Coats, Bradley

2012-01-01

The importance of STEM education to societal developments provides justification for assuring K-12 teachers are prepared to teach the related content. Inservice teacher professional development is critical to achieving the goal of enhanced student knowledge of STEM. Combining the need for increased capacity to teach STEM and the extant literature…

The Role of University Science Faculty in Promoting Meaningful Educational Change Through Inservice Teacher Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuster, D. A.

2005-12-01

The role of university faculty in promoting meaningful educational change through inservice teacher professional development has long been theorized, but seldom modeled. Cordial relations and clear mutual goals shared between discipline specialists, such as university scientists and the K - 12 staff development communities, have not existed, and dysfunctional relationships between K-12 schools and the university over the past century have inhibited the solidification of these meaningful professional development partnerships. Our research suggest that inservice teachers tend to learn more about scientific processes in settings where they have the opportunity to interact and engage in an environment where opportunities for learning are promoted by participation and work with professionals in the sciences: University scientists that fostered collaborative flexible environments and treated teachers as professionals appear to have had greater impacts on teachers' learning about the creative, imaginative, social, and cultural aspect of science than the university scientists who treated teachers as technicians. Our work challenges many of the seminal studies and in-depth literature reviews of the last 15 years that assert that an explicit/reflective approach is most effective in promoting adequate conceptions of science among both prospective and practicing teachers. It should be noted, however, that all of these previous studies were conducted in the context of preservice elementary and secondary science methods courses and the process of generalizing these findings to practicing teachers appears to have occurred only in literature reviews and is not clearly substantiated in published research reports. Our study recommends that science teacher professional development should involve initiating inservice teachers into the ideas and practices of the scientific community. Teaching is a learning profession and professional development contexts need to assign teachers a

Development of an Attitude Scale to Assess K-12 Teachers' Attitudes toward Nanotechnology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lan, Yu-Ling

2012-01-01

To maximize the contributions of nanotechnology to this society, at least 60 countries have put efforts into this field. In Taiwan, a government-funded K-12 Nanotechnology Programme was established to train K-12 teachers with adequate nanotechnology literacy to foster the next generation of Taiwanese people with sufficient knowledge in…

Few and Far Between: Describing K-12 Online Teachers' Online Professional Development Opportunities for Students with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Mary F.

2017-01-01

Online teacher professional development (oTPD) researchers have been concerned with design features, teacher change in practice, and student learning, as well as establishing guidelines for directing funding support. Even so, previous work suggests that high-quality instructional support for all students with disabilities is still on the horizon.…

Partnerships Between K-12 Schools and Universities: Who Benefits?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regens, N.; Hall-Wallace, M. K.

2001-05-01

Collaborations between K-12 schools and universities for the purpose of improving science education are growing in number, but many question their effectiveness. After many years of outreach to local teachers, schools and districts, we have developed a collaboration that more effectively addresses school district goals and needs while providing university faculty and graduate students with real opportunities to contribute to science education in the schools. Funded by the NSF GK-12 program, we are working directly with school district curriculum specialists and classroom teachers to implement inquiry-based science investigations. Projects range from developing long-term research projects in middle and high school classrooms to assisting K-6 teachers in using kit-based science curriculum. As part of our program, we have gathered several types of data to document the impact of our efforts. Using surveys of knowledge and attitudes, we measured significant improvements in college student's knowledge and attitudes about inquiry teaching methods and the K-12 education system. Through analysis of the college student's journals, we have also documented critical elements of an effective collaboration. These journals, combined with evaluations by classroom teachers, provide evidence of how the program impacts the graduate students professionally. We have also surveyed classroom teachers to measure the impact of the college students on their attitudes about teaching science and the long-term impact of the collaboration on their classroom teaching.

Temporary Fix or Lasting Solution? Investigating the Longitudinal Impact of Teacher Professional Development on K-2 Science Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haymore Sandholtz, Judith; Ringstaff, Cathy; Matlen, Bryan

2016-01-01

This study investigated the extent to which a state-funded teacher professional development program designed to improve K-2 science education led to changes that persisted beyond the funding period. The study used a longitudinal, mixed-methods approach and examined persistence of changes in teachers' content knowledge, self-efficacy, instructional…

Field-Based Professional Development of Teachers Engaged in Distance Education: Experiences from the Arctic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veletsianos, George; Doering, Aaron; Henrickson, Jeni

2012-01-01

We examine the experiences of five teachers who traveled with a team of educators, scientists, and explorers on circumpolar Arctic expeditions to deliver adventure learning (AL) programs to K-12 students at a distance. Results highlight the personal and professional impacts this opportunity had on teachers, including their empowering, fulfilling,…

What Do K-12 Teachers Think about Including Student Surveys in Their Performance Ratings?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dretzke, Beverly J.; Sheldon, Timothy D.; Lim, Alicia

2015-01-01

This study investigated K-12 teachers' opinions about the use of student surveys as a component of a teacher evaluation system. Surveys were administered to teachers at the beginning of the school year and again in the spring. Analyses of teachers' responses on the fall survey indicated tentative support for the inclusion of student feedback in…

Features and Strategies of Supervisor Professional Community as a Means of Improving the Supervision of Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levine, Thomas H.

2011-01-01

This article explores whether features associated with effective professional communities among K-12 teachers are relevant and sufficient for improving the practice of supervisors in teacher education programs. Interview and observational data from nineteen supervisors in one teacher education program illuminate what supervisors want in order to…

The Preparation of Teacher Candidates for K-12 Online Learning Environments: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Nicole V.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine how teacher education programs may better prepare teacher candidates to teach in K-12 online learning environments. The primary research question addressed was: What specific knowledge, skills, and dispositions should teacher education programs include in their curriculum to better prepare teacher…

21st Century Learning Skills Embedded in Climate Literacy Teacher Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, R. J.; Schwerin, T. G.; Blaney, L.

2011-12-01

Trilling and Fadel's "21st Century Learning Skills" defines a vision of how to infuse an expanded set of skills, competencies and flexibilities into the classroom. Among these skills are global awareness, health and environmental literacy. The authors contend that in order for our students to compete, they will need critical thinking and problem solving skills, communication and collaboration, and creativity and innovation. Students will also need to be digital savvy. This poster outlines a program of preparing teachers to implement inquiry-based modules that allow students to exercise hypothetical deductive reasoning to address climate literacy issues such as: the Dust Bowl, thermohaline circulation, droughts, the North Atlantic Oscillation, climate variability and energy challenges. This program is implemented through the Earth System Science Education Alliance. ESSEA supports the educational goal of "attracting and retaining students in science careers" and the associated goal of "attracting and retaining students in science through a progression of educational opportunities for students, teachers and faculty." ESSEA provides long-duration educator professional development that results in deeper content understanding and confidence in teaching global climate change and science disciplines. The target audience for this effort is pre-service and in-service K-12 teachers. The ESSEA program develops shared educational resources - including modules and courses - that are based on NASA and NOAA climate science and data. The program is disseminated through the ESSEA Web site: http://essea.courses.strategies.org. ESSEA increases teachers' access to high-quality materials, standards-based instructional methods and content knowledge. Started in 2000 and based on online courses for K-12 teachers, ESSEA includes the participation of faculty at 45 universities and science centers. Over 3,500 pre- and in-service K-12 teachers have completed ESSEA courses. In addition to 21st

Survey of Teachers' Use of Planetary Data for Authentic Research in K-12 Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, S. J.; Slater, T. F.; Shipp, S.; Lowes, L.

2007-12-01

Science education reform documents universally call for students to have authentic experiences using real data in the context of their science education that mimic actual research. In order for planetary scientists to provide the most useful data or professional development for K-12 teachers, a survey was undertaken to determine how teachers are currently using planetary science data and, if not, why not. A national survey collected data from 320 teachers from 42 states. Teachers targeted for this survey were those who are most likely to be knowledgeable in the ins and outs of using online planetary data. When asked to identify the ESS online resources that they access five or more days per year the three more commonly used websites were USGS.gov (28%), GoogleEarth (23%), and Volcano World (12%). However, at this time, the use of online data for inquiry and analysis in the classroom is actually quite rare. Survey results indicate that 41-24% of teachers use student collected data and teacher- produced hard copies of data for the bulk of any inquiry or analysis that is conducted in class. Most often (52%) teachers' primary use of the internet in ESS involves the downloading of images to share with students. Only 25- 32% of these teachers report that they use online data, in the forms of large WWW data sets real time data, or virtual online data, to engage students in inquiry or data analysis. The most noteworthy finding is that 89% of teachers report that they rarely use the most open and authentic forms of inquiry when instructing students. Data shows that the types of inquiry always or usually used by teachers are confirmation activities (38%) or structured inquiry (46%), in which students investigate the teacher-provided question, using a prescribed procedure. 81% of ESS teachers stated that the amount of time allocated to inquiry in their classrooms is either not enough, or wholly insufficient. Teachers did not perceive that inquiry increases students

The Next Generation Science Standards: An Historic Opportunity for K-12 Earth and Space Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, R. M.; Passow, M. J.; Holzer, M. A.; Moore, J.

2014-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) provide an historic opportunity to significantly improve Earth and space science (ESS) education nationally at the K-12 level. The increased emphasis on ESS related topics in the NGSS relative to previous standards provides a real opportunity for ensuring all K-12 students in adopting states learn about the ESS - allowing us to reach many more students than are currently are exposed to our discipline. The new standards are also exciting in that they explicitly couple science and engineering practice, cross-cutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas in such a way that student must actively demonstrate their understanding through actions rather than through mere regurgitation of memorized responses. Achieving mastery of NGSS Performance Expectations will require practice with higher-order learning skills - with students engaging in the practices of scientists and engineers. Preparing students for this mastery will be a challenging task for teachers, since in many states professional development support is limited at best for the current curriculum - let alone the curricula that will be developed to address the NGSS. As adoption of the NGSS expands across the country, states will be at various levels of implementation of the new standards over the next several years - and there is real concern that teachers must have sufficient professional development to be able to be successful in preparing their students - particularly in view of likely coupled assessments and teacher evaluations. NESTA strongly supports implementation of the NGSS, and the rigorous and compelling ESS education it will engender, when coupled with a strong emphasis nationwide on teacher professional development. For the past two years, the National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA) has continued our leadership in K-12 ESS education through workshops, web seminars, events and publications that emphasize implementation of the NGSS in ESS

Identifying and Reconstructing Common Cold Misconceptions among Developing K-12 Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Marcus Lee; Bungum, Timothy

2013-01-01

Background: Common cold misconceptions may contribute to ill-informed decisions and recommendations made by K-12 educators who often encounter infected students. Understanding the structure of educators' misconceptions can be used to improve health instruction in teacher professional preparation programs. Purpose: The purposes of this project were…

At the Crossroads of Clinical Practice and Teacher Leadership: A Changing Paradigm for Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawyer, Richard D.; Neel, Michael; Coulter, Matthew

2016-01-01

This paper examines the endemic separation between K-12 schools and colleges of education in teacher preparation. Specifically, we examine a new approach related to the promise of clinical practice--a clinical practice program that overlaps a public high school, a graduate-level teacher preparation program, and a professional practice doctoral…

Supporting Science Teachers in Alignment with State Curriculum Standards through Professional Development: Teachers' Preparedness, Expectations and Their Fulfillment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paik, Sunhee; Zhang, Meilan; Lundeberg, Mary A.; Eberhardt, Jan; Shin, Tae Seob; Zhang, Tianyi

2011-08-01

Since A Nation at Risk was released in the 1980s, standards-based reform has been the most dominant trend in American educational policy, and the No Child Left Behind Act pushed the trend further by requiring states to develop rigorous curriculum standards. Though much has been said about these new standards, less has been said about whether or how well professional development helps teachers link their instruction to these standards. This study examined the impact of a professional development program for K-12 science teachers in helping teachers meet state curriculum standards. Seventy-five science teachers in Michigan participated in a 2-week summer workshop that used Problem-Based Learning for improving teachers' content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. Researchers surveyed participating teachers about the change of teachers' preparedness for standards-based teaching, their expectations to meet state curriculum standards, and whether their expectations were met. In addition, the usefulness of workshop activities was examined. Data analysis showed that to align teaching with state curriculum standards, participating teachers expected to learn instructional strategies and enhance science content knowledge through professional development, and by and large their expectations were well met. Collaboration with colleagues and facilitators helped teachers achieve their goals in terms of teaching within state curriculum standards. These findings have important implications for designing professional development to help teachers align instruction with curriculum standards.

Functional anatomy of the cardiovascular system: professional development for PreK-3 teachers using a "train and equip" method results in learning opportunities for students.

PubMed

Burns, E Robert

2008-01-01

Preadolescent students are interested in learning the structure and function of the human body. However, their teachers are not trained in this content. The purpose of this project was to expand a successful outreach effort in the health sciences for grade 7-12 teachers to include PreK-3 teachers. A "Healthy Hearts" workshop was offered to train the teachers in relevant content and also to give them a resource kit of supplies and equipment to facilitate the transference of the training into educational opportunities for their students. The workshop included many role-playing activities and use of all items in the resource kit. A total of 25 workshops were conducted in 14 different community locations with 716 PreK-3 teachers attending from 169 communities representing 59 (79%) of the state's 75 counties. African American (AA) teacher participation was 35%, twice the state AA population rate and 3.5x the AA public school teacher rate. Pre to Posttest scores increased an average of 15%. The results of the evaluation measures regarding the workshop and the transference of the training and use of resource kit items into learning opportunities for students were excellent. Universities have the capability, perhaps the responsibility, to provide the much-needed professional development training to PreK-12 teachers. Anatomists in medical and nonmedical school settings are well positioned to participate in this process and help close the gap between the interest young children have in learning about the human body and the lack of teacher training in this content. (c) 2008 American Association of Anatomists.

Pioneering the Digital Age of Instruction: Learning from and about K-12 Online Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archambault, Leanna; Larson, Jean

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to examine the needs of K-12 online teachers, including the dominant factors and career paths that influenced their decision to teach online; (2) to discover what online teachers viewed as the most important attributes an online teacher must have to be highly effective; and (3) to highlight the nature…

High-Quality Music Teacher Professional Development: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bautista, Alfredo; Yau, Xenia; Wong, Joanne

2017-01-01

Most published journal articles describing professional development (PD) initiatives for K-12 music teachers have not explicitly alluded to the "features of high-quality PD", a solid theoretical framework arisen in content areas with more tradition in PD research (e.g. mathematics and science education). The goal of this review was to…

Physical Education Teacher Educator's Perceptions toward and Understanding of K-12 Online Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daum, David N.; Woods, Amelia M.

2015-01-01

K-12 online physical education (OLPE) is as an educational opportunity in at least 30 states in the US (NASPE, 2006; 2010; 2012). The purpose of this study was to examine physical education teacher educators' perceptions toward and understanding of K-12 OLPE. Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (1986) served as the theoretical framework for this…

Quality Science Teacher Professional Development and Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubner, J.

2007-12-01

Studies show that socio-economic background and parental education accounts for 50-60 percent of a child's achievement in school. School, and other influences, account for the remaining 40-50 percent. In contrast to most other professions, schools require no real apprenticeship training of science teachers. Overall, only 38 percent of United States teachers have had any on-the-job training in their first teaching position, and in some cases this consisted of a few meetings over the course of a year between the beginning teacher and the assigned mentor or master teacher. Since individual teachers determine the bulk of a student's school experiences, interventions focused on teachers have the greatest likelihood of affecting students. To address this deficiency, partnerships between scientists and K-12 teachers are increasingly recognized as an excellent method for improving teacher preparedness and the quality of science education. Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers' (founded in 1990) basic premise is simple: teachers cannot effectively teach science if they have no firsthand experience doing science, hence the Program's motto, "Practice what you teach." Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers provides strong evidence that a teacher research program is a very effective form of professional development for secondary school science teachers and has a direct correlation to increased student achievement in science. The author will present the methodology of the program's evaluation citing statistically significant data. The author will also show the economic benefits of teacher participation in this form of professional development.

Impact of Mentoring on K-12 Beginning Teachers' Efficacy and Commitment: A Comparative Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mozdzanowski, Sandra Kay

2016-01-01

Despite a growing body of literature on the needs of beginning teachers, little is known about the impact of mentoring on K-12 beginning teachers' efficacy and commitment to teaching, and why beginning teachers in special education received less mentoring than their counterparts in general education. This qualitative phenomenological study…

Leveraging the Potential of Personal Learning Networks for Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maloney, Katherine J.

2016-01-01

In times of exponential change, high quality, cost-effective teacher professional development is an urgent need that personal learning networks (PLNs) promise to address. The purpose of the qualitative case study was to (a) explore, understand, and describe how PreK-12 educators, who are members of The Educator's PLN and Classroom 2.0 communities,…

Teachers' Perceptions of K-12 Online: Impacting the Design of a Graduate Course Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbour, Michael K.; Harrison, Kelly Unger

2016-01-01

While K-12 online learning in the United States has increased exponentially, the ability of teacher education programs to adequately prepare teachers to design, deliver, and support has been deficient. A small number of universities have begun to address this deficit through the introduction of graduate certificates in online teaching. This…

K-12 Online Teacher Beliefs: Relationships among Intelligence, Confidence, Teacher-Student Interactions, and Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vander Ploeg, Guadalupe

2012-01-01

The vigorous expansion of online learning in K-12 education is a recent change to the conceptualization of schooling that has been occurring for more than 10 years. However, methods used for recruiting, hiring, and preparing online teachers have not been altered beyond the current federal standard defined by No Child Left Behind of Highly…

A Review of Computer Science Resources for Learning and Teaching with K-12 Computing Curricula: An Australian Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falkner, Katrina; Vivian, Rebecca

2015-01-01

To support teachers to implement Computer Science curricula into classrooms from the very first year of school, teachers, schools and organisations seek quality curriculum resources to support implementation and teacher professional development. Until now, many Computer Science resources and outreach initiatives have targeted K-12 school-age…

Earth Exploration Toolbook Workshops: Web-Conferencing and Teleconferencing Professional Development Bringing Earth Science Data Analysis and Visualization Tools to K-12 Teachers and Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McAuliffe, C.; Ledley, T.

2008-12-01

The Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) Workshops Project provides a mechanism for teachers and students to have successful data-using educational experiences. In this professional development project, teachers learn to use National Science Digital Library (NSDL), the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE), and an Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) chapter. In an EET Data Analysis Workshop, participants walk through an Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) chapter, learning basic data analysis techniques and discussing ways to use Earth science datasets and analysis tools with their students. We have offered twenty-eight Data Analysis Workshops since the project began. The total number of participants in the twenty-eight workshops to date is three hundred eleven, which reflects one hundred eighty different teachers participating in one or more workshops. Our workshops reach middle and high school teachers across the United States at schools with lower socioeconomic levels and at schools with large numbers of minority students. Our participants come from thirty-eight different states including Alaska, Maine, Florida, Montana, and many others. Eighty-six percent of our participants are classroom teachers. The remaining fourteen percent are staff development specialists, university faculty, or outreach educators working with teachers. Of the classroom teachers, one third are middle school teachers (grades 6 to 8) and two thirds are high school teachers (grades 9 to 12.) Thirty-four percent of our participants come from schools where minority populations are the majority make up of the school. Twenty-five percent of our participants are at schools where the majority of the students receive free or reduced cost lunches. Our professional development workshops are helping to raise teachers' awareness of both the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) and the National Science Digital Library (NSDL). Prior to taking one of our workshops, forty-two percent of

Online Teaching in K-12: Models, Methods, and Best Practices for Teachers and Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryans-Bongey, Sarah, Ed.; Graziano, Kevin J., Ed.

2016-01-01

"Online Teaching in K-12" is the essential hands-on reference and textbook for education professionals seeking success in the planning, design, and teaching of K-12 online courses and programs. This skillfully edited book brings together more than two dozen experts and practitioners to present an array of innovative models and methods,…

Professional Development for Transformational Technology Integration: An Experimental Study of In-Service Teachers' Self-Perceptions of Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tachau, Elena M.

2017-01-01

Professional Development for Transformational Technology Integration: An Experimental Study of In-Service Teachers' Self-Perceptions of Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge Elena M. Tachau Drexel University Chairperson: Brian K. Smith, Ph.D. The rapid advancement of technology tasks K-12 schools with providing professional development…

K-12 Online and Blended Teacher Licensure: Striking a Balance between Policy and Preparedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archambault, Leanna; DeBruler, Kristen; Freidhoff, Joseph

2014-01-01

As the number of K-12 students participating in various forms of online learning steadily rises, teacher quality is of paramount concern. This article explores the theoretical underpinnings surrounding quality teaching in online settings as well as practical considerations for what teachers should know and be able to do in online environments.…

A phenomenological case study concerning science teacher educators' beliefs and teaching practices about culturally relevant pedagogy and preparing K-12 science teachers to engage African American students in K-12 science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Underwood, Janice Bell

Due to the rising diversity in today's schools, science teacher educators (STEs) suggest that K-12 teachers must be uniquely prepared to engage these students in science classrooms. Yet, in light of the increasing white-black science achievement gap, it is unclear how STEs prepare preservice teachers to engage diverse students, and African Americans in particular. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to find out how STEs prepare preservice teachers to engage African American students in K-12 science. Thus, using the culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) framework, this phenomenological case study explored beliefs about culturally relevant science teaching and the influence of reported beliefs and experiences related to race on STEs' teaching practices. In the first phase, STE's in a mid-Atlantic state were invited to participate in an electronic survey. In the second phase, four participants, who were identified as exemplars, were selected from the survey to participate in three semi-structured interviews. The data revealed that STEs were more familiar with culturally responsive pedagogy (CResP) in the context of their post-secondary classrooms as opposed to CRP. Further, most of the participants in part one and two described modeling conventional ways they prepare their preservice teachers to engage K-12 students, who represent all types of diversity, without singling out any specific race. Lastly, many of the STEs' in this study reported formative experiences related to race and beliefs in various manifestations of racism have impacted their teaching beliefs and practices. The findings of this study suggest STEs do not have a genuine understanding of the differences between CRP and CResP and by in large embrace CResP principles. Secondly, in regards to preparing preservice teachers to engage African American students in science, the participants in this study seemed to articulate the need for ideological change, but were unable to demonstrate pedagogical changes

"I Never Feel Alone in My Classroom": Teacher Professional Growth within a Blended Community of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trust, Torrey; Horrocks, Brian

2017-01-01

Well-designed face-to-face and virtual communities of practice provide opportunities for teachers to learn, grow as professionals and make changes to their practice with the support of peers. However, as more K-12 teachers become Connected Educators and act as conduits between online spaces and communities in their schools, the boundaries between…

The USDA and K-12 Partnership: A Model Program for Federal Agencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Timothy P.; Wilson, Craig; Upchurch, Dan R.; Goldberg, Maria; Bentz, Adrienne

2011-01-01

The Future Scientists Program of Texas A&M University and the Agricultural Research Service branch of USDA serves as a model program of effective collaboration between a federal agency and K-12. It demonstrates true partnership that contextualizes learning of science and provides quality professional development, benefiting teachers and their…

Teacher Professionalism: Analysis of Professionalism Phases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wardoyo, Cipto; Herdiani, Aulia; Sulikah

2017-01-01

Teacher professionalism has become a distinctive concern in educational discussions. Based on Teacher and Lecturer Act No.14 2005 carried out by Indonesian Government, teacher professionalism, considered as an assessment aspect of teacher quality, could be drawn by four competences, pedagogical competence, personal, competence, social competence,…

NGSS-Aligned, K-12 Climate Science Curricula, taught with citizen science and teacher-led inquiry methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainfeld, S.

2017-12-01

Teacher-led inquiry into student learning is a promising method of formative assessment to gain insight into student achievement. NGSS-aligned K-12 Climate Science curricula taught with citizen science and teacher-led inquiry methods are described, along with results from a scientist-teacher collaboration survey.

An Exploratory Study on K-12 Teachers' Use of Technology and Multimedia in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Florence; Carr, Marsha L.

2015-01-01

21st century has seen new technology and multimedia made available for integration in K-12 classrooms. This exploratory study examines K-12 teachers' use of technology and multimedia in the classroom in two southern counties in the Southeastern United States. The purpose of the study was to answer the following five research questions: 1) What…

In Search of Solutions to the Obesity Epidemic: K-12 Physical Education Teachers' Ratings of Their Knowledge, Skills, Preparation, Attitudes, Barriers, and Efforts to Address the Obesity Epidemic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Kristie

2013-01-01

The New York State Physical Education Learning Standards for K-12 students were transformed into a survey administered to a sample of teachers of physical education (N = 261), ascertaining their ratings of their knowledge, ability/skill, education/training, and attitudes on the importance of future professionals receiving training to teach…

Educational Technology Use among K-12 Teachers: What Technologies Are Available and What Barriers Are Present?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francom, Gregory M.

2016-01-01

In order to prepare teachers to integrate technology into teaching and learning activities, teacher educators and administrators need current information about the types of technologies available in classrooms. The current survey research study of K-12 public school teachers in a rural North Midwestern state provides updated information on…

Evaluation of a District-Wide Inservice Professional Development Program for Science Teachers: Challenges Faced and Lessons Learned.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dass, Pradeep Maxwell

Nation-wide dissemination of the Iowa Chautauqua Model for inservice professional development of K-12 science teachers has led to new professional development programs in many states. The Collier Chautauqua Program (CCP) implemented the Iowa Chautauqua model at the district level in Collier County, Florida. A formative evaluation of the…

First Year K-12 Teachers as High Leverage Point to Implement GEMS Space Science Curriculum Sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2013-01-01

The recurring challenge for curriculum developers is how to efficiently prepare K-12 classroom teachers to use new curricula. First-year teachers, numbering nearly 250,000 in the US each year, have the greatest potential to impact the largest number of students because they have potential to be in the classroom for thirty years. At the same time, these novice teachers are often the most open minded about adopting curricular innovation because they are not yet deeply entrenched in existing practices. To take advantage of this high leverage point, a collaborative of space scientists and science educators at the University of California, Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and Center for Science Education at the Space Sciences Laboratory with experts from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the University of Wyoming, and the CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education experimented with a unique professional development model focused on helping master teachers work closely with pre-service teachers during their student teaching internship field experience. The Advancing Mentor and Novice Teachers in Space Science (AMANTISS) team first identified master teachers who supervise novice, student teachers and trained these master teachers to use the GEMS Space Science Curriculum Sequence. Then, these master teachers were mentored in coaching interning student teachers assigned to them in using GEMS materials. Evaluation showed that novice teachers mentored by the master teachers felt knowledgeable after teaching the GEMS units. However, they seemed relatively less confident about the solar system and objects beyond the solar system. Overall, mentees felt strongly at the end of the year that they have acquired good strategies for teaching the various topics, suggesting that the support they received while teaching and working with a mentor was of real benefit to them. Funding provided in part by NASA ROSES AMANTISS NNX09AD51G

The No Waste Anthology: A Teacher's Guide to Environmental Activities K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Toxic Substance Control, Sacramento.

This book is designed to provide teachers with interdisciplinary, action oriented environmental activities for grades K-12 concerning the issue of waste. The activities are organized into three sections and several subsections. The first section contains 29 activities pertaining to natural resources and pollution in subsections involving needs and…

Starting a Community-Wide Internet Turnkey Training Program for K-12 Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrath, Beth; Baron, Joshua

Based on the work of the New Jersey Networking Infrastructure in Education (NJNIE) project, it has been demonstrated that thoughtful integration into the curriculum of Internet-based resources has enormous potential to improve teaching and learning. "The Alliance for Training K-12 Teachers in Instructional Technologies: A National…

Exploring an Invisible Medium: Teacher Language Awareness among Preservice K12 Educators of English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindahl, Kristen Marie

2013-01-01

This study investigates the construct of Teacher Language Awareness (TLA) in a group of preservice mainstream K-12 teachers who are developing skills to work with English Language Learners (ELLs) in United States (US) public school contexts. Specifically, the study seeks to explore how preservice teachers' participation in directed university…

The Role of Electronic Portfolios in the Hiring of K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strawhecker, Jane; Messersmith, Ken; Balcom, Amanda

2008-01-01

This mixed-method study explored the perspectives of principals involved in the hiring process of K-12 teachers in one Midwestern state. Participants' survey data was used to examine the pros and cons of portfolios, to determine preferences in portfolio contents and electronic delivery method, and to investigate what predictors significantly…

Living in a Materials World: Materials Science Engineering Professional Development for K-12 Educators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anne Seifert; Louis Nadelson

2011-06-01

Advances in materials science are fundamental to technological developments and have broad societal impacs. For example, a cellular phone is composed of a polymer case, liquid crystal displays, LEDs, silicon chips, Ni-Cd batteries, resistors, capacitors, speakers, microphones all of which have required advances in materials science to be compacted into a phone which is typically smaller than a deck of cards. Like many technological developments, cellular phones have become a ubiquitous part of society, and yet most people know little about the materials science associated with their manufacture. The probable condition of constrained knowledge of materials science was the motivationmore » for developing and offering a 20 hour fourday course called 'Living in a Materials World.' In addition, materials science provides a connection between our every day experiences and the work of scientists and engineers. The course was offered as part of a larger K-12 teacher professional development project and was a component of a week-long summer institute designed specifically for upper elementary and middle school teachers which included 20 hour content strands, and 12 hours of plenary sessions, planning, and collaborative sharing. The focus of the institute was on enhancing teacher content knowledge in STEM, their capacity for teaching using inquiry, their comfort and positive attitudes toward teaching STEM, their knowledge of how people learn, and strategies for integrating STEM throughout the curriculum. In addition to the summer institute the participating teachers were provided with a kit of about $300 worth of materials and equipment to use to implement the content they learned in their classrooms. As part of this professional development project the participants were required to design and implement 5 lesson plans with their students this fall and report on the results, as part of the continuing education course associated with the project. 'Living in a Materials World

Technology-Based Professional Development for Teaching and Learning in K-12 Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrd, Nijia

2017-01-01

In an urban Georgia school district, teacher satisfaction surveys revealed that technology-based professional development was not equipping teachers with the skills or support needed to implement technology into their teaching practices. The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to explore teachers' experiences and perceptions of…

Standards Based Design: Teaching K-12 Educators to Build Quality Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quiroz, René E.; Ritter, Nicola L.; Li, Yun; Newton, Rhonda C.; Palkar, Trupti

2016-01-01

The number of online courses, programs, and schools are growing exponentially in K-12 education. Given the unique nature of online courses and the distinct skills necessary to create a quality online course, it is essential that effective professional development be provided for teachers designing online courses. Online courses need to be of the…

Addressing the NETS*S in K-12 Classrooms: Implications for Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niederhauser, Dale S.; Lindstrom, Denise L.; Strobel, Johannes

2007-01-01

The National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS*S) were developed to provide guidelines for effective and meaningful technology use with K-12 students. In the present study we used the NETS*S as a framework to analyze ways that teachers integrated instructional technology use and provided opportunities for their students to…

A Study of the Barriers K-12 Teachers Encounter when Integrating Technology into the Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown-Joseph, Theresa Denise

2010-01-01

This study utilized an outlined plan for a qualitative case study to explore the perceived barriers that teachers in K-12 grades encounter when integrating technology into the curriculum. A purposive sample of 20 teachers from both elementary and high schools provided information during structured interviews about their experiences with…

Teachers as Researcher: Bringing authentic research experiences into the K-12 classroom through the NOAA Teacher-at-Sea program and PolarTREC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pella-Donnelly, M. A.

2009-12-01

Inviting and coordinating a field experience so that a K-12 teacher may participate can create benefits to the school community, the regional community and to a scientific research team. Students are inspired by their teachers’ adventures, are excited to experience real science and begin to consider science careers as possibilities. When a support program is in place; with media outreach mandated, and presentations in the community are encouraged, the greater local community that the teacher lives in becomes more scientifically literate. The community may also become much more aware of the details of the research being done, so that the research itself gains publicity. This educational experience and subsequent outreach may also place the research program in a better position to obtain NSF funding. This presentation will showcase how one teacher provided outreach that directly reached thousands of students and used media contacts to bring the research to more than 100,000 individuals, developed curriculum units based on her research experience, and . The impacts on science teacher retention may also be positive, when science teachers are informed and encouraged by hearing about the potential opportunities that await them. The opportunity for the teachers to grow professionally in content and science process knowledge is also an additional benefit. There have been, in the last few years, national grants available to assist in the retention of science and math teachers, since a high attrition rate also exists. It is opportunities such as those offered by pairing a teacher with a research team, that give teachers some added revitalization to their teaching and renew their drive to involve students in science literacy and understanding.

A Case Study of Rural New Mexico K-12 Teachers' Perceptions of Standardized Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hite-Pope, Kim

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to examine K-12 teachers' classroom experiences with standardized testing in rural New Mexico schools. Standardized tests have significantly changed the landscape of education with the use of students' test scores as a determining factor for advancement or failure for teachers (Simpson, Lacava, & Graner, 2013).…

In Search of the Active Site of PMMO Enzyme: Partnership between a K-12 Teacher, a Graduate K-12 Teaching Fellow, and a Research Mentor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bearden, Katherine K.; Mainardi, Daniela S.; Culligan, Tanya

2009-01-01

The partnership between a K-12 teacher (Culligan), an NSF GK-12 Teaching Fellow graduate student (Bearden), and a Louisiana Tech faculty member (Mainardi) collaborating in a research and education project is described in this work. The unique grouping of these three researchers allows for maximum dissemination of developed modules. By the end of…

On Teacher Professional Development: Improving Professional Qualifications and Membership in Professional Teacher Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sobkin, V. S.; Adamchuk, D. V.

2015-01-01

The article examines issues related to the professional development of teachers. The presented material is structured according to four main themes: teacher self-assessment of their professional competence; their attitude toward traditional forms of training; their participation in events organized by the educational community and associations;…

K-12 Teachers' Preparedness for Utilizing Technology to Reduce Classroom Administrative Workload

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parizo, Daniel C.

2013-01-01

Research on technology in the K-12 classroom has focused on student learning initiatives. Few studies, however, have addressed whether technology is being used to reduce classroom administrative workload or whether teachers are prepared to utilize technology for reducing administrative workload. The problem this study addressed was the unclear…

Georgia's Pre-K Professional Development Evaluation: Technical Appendix. Publication #2015-02B

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Early, Diane M.; Pan, Yi; Maxwell, Kelly L.

2014-01-01

The primary purpose of the accompanying final study was to evaluate the impact of two professional development models on teacher-child interactions in Georgia's Pre-K classrooms. Teachers were randomly selected to participate and were randomly assigned to one of the professional development conditions or to a control group. Because of this…

Rural outreach in Maine: A research-driven professional development teacher community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wittmann, Michael

2016-03-01

In the Maine Physical Sciences Partnership (MainePSP), researchers at the University of Maine have joined together with the state's Department of Education, non-profits, and teachers in multiple school districts to create a dynamic and growing community dedicated to improving K12 education of the physical sciences. Through ongoing efforts to introduce and adapt instructional materials, guided by education research and research-guided professional development, we have built a community responsive to student and teacher needs. This work has fed back into the university setting, where teachers are playing a role in graduate courses taken by our Master of Science in Teaching students. In this talk, I will focus on the role of education research in the partnership, showing how we use research in professional development, the development of assessments, and the analysis of the resulting data. I will describe two projects, one to understand how teachers' content knowledge affects the development of items assessing knowledge of acceleration, the other to see how teachers use their content knowledge of systems and energy to make pedagogical choices based on students' incorrect ideas about conservation of energy. Sponsored in part by NSF Grants MSP-0962805, DRL-1222580, and DUE-1340033.

Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Mission EARTH (GME) program delivers climate change science content, pedagogy, and data resources to K12 educators, future teachers, and professional development providers.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostrom, T.

2017-12-01

This presentation will include a series of visuals that discuss how hands-on learning activities and field investigations from the the Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Mission EARTH (GME) program deliver climate change science content, pedagogy, and data resources to K12 educators, future teachers, and professional development providers. The GME program poster presentation will also show how teachers strengthen student preparation for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM)-related careers while promoting diversity in the future STEM workforce. In addition to engaging students in scientific inquiry, the GME program poster will show how career exploration and preparation experiences is accomplished through direct connection to scientists and real science practices. The poster will show which hands-on learning activities that are being implemented in more than 30,000 schools worldwide, with over a million students, teachers, and scientists collecting environmental measurements using the GLOBE scientific protocols. This poster will also include how Next Generation Science Standards connect to GME learning progressions by grade strands. The poster will present the first year of results from the implementation of the GME program. Data is currently being agrigated by the east, midwest and westen regional operations.

Survey on Teaching Science to K-12 Students with Disabilities: Teacher Preparedness and Attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahn, Sami; Lewis, Anna R.

2014-12-01

Students with disabilities are increasingly included in general education science classrooms and are expected to demonstrate academic proficiency on standardized assessments. Teacher preparation and attitudes have been cited as major factors contributing to either the success or failure of students with disabilities in science. In order to assess the current state of what could be facilitative or inhibitory influences, a national online survey to which 1,088 K-12 science teachers responded was conducted. Mixed methods' analyses suggest that science teachers receive little formal training and feel underprepared to teach students with disabilities. Results identify specific gaps in science teachers' education, as well as attitudinal and institutional barriers that may inhibit students with disabilities' success. However, science teachers remain highly receptive to training and collaboration. Implications for science teacher education are discussed.

STEM Professional Volunteers in K-12 Competition Programs: Educator Practices and Impact on Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zintgraff, Alfred Clifton

2016-01-01

This mixed methods dissertation study explored how secondary school educators in specific K-12 competition programs recruited and deployed STEM professional volunteers. The study explored which practices were viewed as most important, and how practices related to constructivist pedagogy, all from the viewpoint of educators. The non-positivist…

Handbook for Safety Education. A Teacher's Handbook for Safety Education Grades K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Scott V.; And Others

This handbook is designed to assist classroom teachers and administrators in organizing, planning, and implementing a comprehensive safety program K-12 at the local school or district level. The handbook is organized in three sections. The first section contains 28 units for the elementary level that cover the following topics: first aid training;…

Comparing Cross-Cultural Multicultural Self-Awareness among K-12 In-Service School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koyama, Chieko; Plash, Shawn; Davis, Kirk

2012-01-01

The present study explored multicultural self-awareness among 134 K-12 in-service school teachers using the Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory (CDAI). The results were compared to Yeung's (2006), allowing for a comparison between Eastern and Western cultures. A composite score was generated for each of the five areas measured by the CDAI. A…

An Evaluation of the Conditions, Processes, and Consequences of Laptop Computing in K-12 Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanaugh, Cathy; Dawson, Kara; Ritzhaupt, Albert

2011-01-01

This article examines how laptop computing technology, teacher professional development, and systematic support resulted in changed teaching practices and increased student achievement in 47 K-12 schools in 11 Florida school districts. The overview of a large-scale study documents the type and magnitude of change in student-centered teaching,…

Immigration and Education: What Should K-12 Teachers, School Administrators, and Staff Know?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubinstein-Avila, Eliane

2017-01-01

We are currently living in an era of mass global migration. Therefore, it is a pertinent time to reflect on the challenges and the possibilities inherent in educating immigrant and refugee children. Because of the importance immigration has played in the history of the United States, it may be assumed that American K-12 teachers and school…

Professional Environment for Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zascerinska, Jelena

2010-01-01

Introduction. Teaching and training are at the heart of the knowledge society where the continuing professional development of teachers and trainers provides the cornerstone for the development of a high quality education and training systems. The Aim of the Study. To identify a design of professional environment for teacher professional…

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Engaging K-12 Educators, Students, and the General Public in Space Science Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

The session "Engaging K-12 Educators, Students, and the General Public in Space Science Exploration" included the following reports:Training Informal Educators Provides Leverage for Space Science Education and Public Outreach; Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education: K-12 Teacher Retention, Renewal, and Involvement in Professional Science; Telling the Tale of Two Deserts: Teacher Training and Utilization of a New Standards-based, Bilingual E/PO Product; Lindstrom M. M. Tobola K. W. Stocco K. Henry M. Allen J. S. McReynolds J. Porter T. T. Veile J. Space Rocks Tell Their Secrets: Space Science Applications of Physics and Chemistry for High School and College Classes -- Update; Utilizing Mars Data in Education: Delivering Standards-based Content by Exposing Educators and Students to Authentic Scientific Opportunities and Curriculum; K. E. Little Elementary School and the Young Astronaut Robotics Program; Integrated Solar System Exploration Education and Public Outreach: Theme, Products and Activities; and Online Access to the NEAR Image Collection: A Resource for Educators and Scientists.

Teacher Professional Development to Support Teacher Professional Learning: Systemic Factors from Irish Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Fiona

2016-01-01

Teacher professional learning is widely accepted as a mediating factor for enhancing student outcomes. While many teachers across the world engage in professional development (PD) to enhance their professional learning, what is less evident is how to support that learning to result in change following teacher PD. Acknowledging that not all teacher…

Infusing Multicultural Education into the Curriculum: Preparing Pre-Service Teachers to Address Homophobia in K-12 Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Joseph R.

2015-01-01

This article discusses the role multicultural education can play in addressing homophobia in K-12 schools. The author explores the lack of multiculturalism courses in undergraduate teacher education programs. To address the lack of multiculturalism courses, three instructional activities are offered that faculty in teacher education programs can…

Settler Grammars and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moodie, Nikki; Patrick, Rachel

2017-01-01

In 2011, the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership introduced new Professional Standards for Teachers, which require that graduate teachers possess knowledge and understanding of Indigenous students and cultures. The authors conducted interviews with 12 non-Indigenous teacher educators at one Australian university in order to…

UTIG's Contributions to Seismology in K-12 Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellins, K. K.

2004-12-01

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG) conducts research in many areas of seismology, including the study of earthquakes, the structure of Earth's interior and targeted geologic settings, and the development of methods to monitor nuclear explosions. In addition, UTIG scientists engage in educational outreach that takes seismology and its applications into K-12 classrooms. Activities include (1) the development of standards-aligned, inquiry-based curriculum materials that use real seismic data to convey concepts in earthquake seismology and which introduce modern technologies based on the principles of seismology; (2) a year-long teacher professional development institute that incorporates seismology and teacher workshops at which scientists, GK-12 Fellows and teachers team up to deliver science content and learning activities; and (3) a "Teacher in the Field" program through which teachers have participated in marine geophysical cruises to study tectonic processes in the Bransfield Strait, Hess Deep, Terror Rift in the Ross Sea, the southeastern Caribbean, and the Blanco Fracture Zone. UTIG has supported these efforts through grants from the NSF and state agencies, and by partnering with other programs and organizations. For example, teacher workshops were organized around public lectures by IRIS/SSA Distinguished Speakers Roger Bilham (Global Death and Construction: Earthquakes on an Urban Planet) and David Wald (Rapid Earthquake Information: Citizen Science and New Tools for Emergency Response) and presented as part of The University of Texas Environmental Science Institute Outreach Lecture Series.

Exploring Climate Science with WV Educators: A Regional Model for Teacher Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruberg, L. F.; Calinger, M.

2014-12-01

The National Research Council Framework for K-12 Science Literacy reports that children reared in rural agricultural communities, who experience regular interactions with plants and animals, develop more sophisticated understanding of ecology and biological systems than do urban and suburban children of the same age. West Virginia (WV) is a rural state. The majority of its residents live in communities of fewer than 2,500 people. Based on the features of the population being served and their unique strengths, this presentation focuses on a regional model for teacher professional development that addresses agricultural and energy vulnerabilities and adaptations to climate change in WV. The professional development model outlined shows how to guide teachers to use a problem-based learning approach to introduce climate data and analysis techniques within a scenario context that is locally meaningful. This strategy engages student interest by focusing on regional and community concerns. Climate science standards are emphasized in the Next Generation Science Standards, but WV has not provided its teachers with appropriate instructional resources to meet those standards. The authors addressed this need by offering a series of climate science education workshops followed by online webinars offered to WV science educators free of charge with funding by the West Virginia Space Grant Consortium. The authors report on findings from this series of professional development workshops conducted in partnership with the West Virginia Science Teachers Association. The goal was to enhance grades 5-12 teaching and learning about climate change through problem-based learning. Prior to offering the climate workshops, all WV science educators were asked to complete a short questionnaire. As Figure 1 shows, over 40% of the teacher respondents reported being confident in teaching climate science content. For comparison post workshops surveys measure teacher confidence in climate science

A Study of K-12 Teacher Interns' Incorporation of Multicultural Content and Theory into Their Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dzoole, Edith Mechelle

2012-01-01

This research study examined 394 K-12 teacher interns' incorporation of multicultural content and theory into their teaching practices during a 16-week internship in schools, mostly located within a 30-mile radius of Mississippi State University. The teacher interns had completed all coursework and practicum hours required by their teacher…

Connecting K-12 Educators with Current Scientific Research Through the DataStreme Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brey, J. A.; Geer, I. W.; Mills, E. W.; Nugnes, K. A.; Stimach, A. E.

2016-02-01

One of the greatest challenges in scientific education is finding ways to incorporate recent discoveries into a classroom setting to help students engage in the subject. The American Meteorological Society (AMS) responds to this challenge by connecting K-12 teachers to current Earth science research through the DataStreme Project. The DataStreme Project is a free professional development program for in-service K-12 teachers. DataStreme Atmosphere, Ocean, and Earth's Climate System are offered each fall and spring semester by Local Implementation Teams (LITs) across the country in coordination with AMS Education Program scientists and educators who develop instructional materials, provide logistical support to the LITs, and administer the project. Teachers may receive 3 tuition-free graduate credits through State University of New York's The College at Brockport upon completion of each DataStreme course and construction of a Plan of Action for educational peer-training. This plan is the first step for participants to become an Earth system science education resource teacher for their students, peers, and community. While each DataStreme course focuses on its respective topic, there are many sections that accentuate the many ways that atmosphere, ocean, and climate science interact; for example, the effects of climate change on the ocean system are covered at the end of the DataStreme Ocean course. DataStreme emphasizes investigation of real-word and current NASA and NOAA data and utilizes resources from respected organizations in activities and assignments for participants, such as the IPCC and U.S. Global Change Research Program. Since 1996, more than 19,000 teachers have completed a DataStreme course, directly impacting hundreds of thousands of additional teachers and more than 1 million students. As more extensive research is done in the field of environmental science, DataStreme courses will continue to be an excellent resource for teacher professional

Energy Project Professional Development: Promoting Positive Attitudes about Science among K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Amy D.; Daane, Abigail R.

2017-01-01

Promoting positive attitudes about science among teachers has important implications for teachers' classroom practice and for their relationship to science as a discipline. In this paper, we report positive shifts in teachers' attitudes about science, as measured by the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science (CLASS) survey, over the course of…

The Power of Reflective Professional Development in Changing Elementary School Teachers' Instructional Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavedon, Carolina Christmann

With the new goal of K-12 education being to prepare students to be college and career ready at the end of high school, education needs to start changing at the elementary school level. The literature suggests that teachers need reflective professional development (PD) to effectively teach to the new standards and to demonstrate change to their current instructional practices. This mixed-method multiple-case study investigated the impacts of a reflective professional development (PD) in changing elementary school teachers' instructional practices. Teachers Instructional Portfolios (TIPs) were scored with a TIP rubric based on best practices in teaching mathematics problem-solving and science inquiry. The TIPs were also analyzed with a qualitative coding scheme. Case descriptions were written and all the collected data were used to explain the impacts of the reflective PD on changes in teachers' instructional practices. While we found no predictive patterns in relation to teachers changing their classroom practices based on the reflective PD, we claim that teachers' desire to change might contribute to improvements in instruction. We also observed that teachers' self-assessment scores tend to be higher than the actual TIP scores corroborating with the literature on the usage of self-assessment to evaluate teachers' instructional practices.

Introducing Algebraic Structures through Solving Equations: Vertical Content Knowledge for K-12 Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasserman, Nicholas H.

2014-01-01

Algebraic structures are a necessary aspect of algebraic thinking for K-12 students and teachers. An approach for introducing the algebraic structure of groups and fields through the arithmetic properties required for solving simple equations is summarized; the collective (not individual) importance of these axioms as a foundation for algebraic…

AIAA Educator Academy: Enriching STEM Education for K-12 Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slagle, E.; Bering, E. A.; Longmier, B. W.; Henriquez, E.; Milnes, T.; Wiedorn, P.; Bacon, L.

2012-12-01

balloon equipped with HD cameras. To better assist teachers in implementing one or more of these Curriculum Modules, teacher workshops are held to give teachers a hands-on look at how this curriculum is used in the classroom. And, to provide further support, teachers are each provided with an AIAA professional member as a mentor for themselves and/or their students. These curriculum modules, provided by AIAA are available to any K-12 teachers as well as EPO officers for use in formal or informal education settings.

Receptivity to Telecommunications among K-12 Teachers in a Rural State: Results of a West Virginia Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howley, Aimee A.; Howley, Craig B.

Distance education is a way to provide needed instructional resources to rural schools, and the Internet and other telecommunications networks are the newest addition to the distance education toolkit. However, little is known about rural teachers' technological skills and attitudes in this area. A mail survey of 262 K-12 teachers in West…

A mixed-methods study of mid-career science teachers: The growth of professional empowerment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreland, Amy Laphelia

The purpose of this concurrent, mixed-methods study was to examine the professional empowerment qualities of mid-career (years 4-8), science teachers. I used the construct of professional empowerment as the theoretical frame to explore K-12 mid-career science teachers' career trajectories and consider how they can be supported professionally and ideally retained over time. In investigating the qualities of these teachers, I also constructed a new teaching trajectory model and tested the differences between mid-career and veteran science teachers. I analyzed seventy-eight surveys of mid-career science teachers across Texas, including six in-depth, interview-based case studies. The qualitative piece used behavior-over-time graphing combined with the interviews and the quantitative component used survey data from the Teacher Empowerment Survey (TES). Results indicated that science content knowledge gain through professional development opportunities was an especially important factor in supporting mid-career teachers' sense of empowerment. This increased content knowledge connected positively with the dimensions of decision-making, status, and impact. In a between-group analysis using a larger subset of TES data, I analyzed 254 surveys by conducting a nonparametric statistical test. A statistically significant difference was found between the two groups, in that mid-career science teachers had a lower sense of "status" than their more experienced counterparts (p < .05). I could infer that, for this sample, as teaching experience increases, so does at least one dimension of empowerment. The study was situated within a broader scope of exploring how educational leaders and professional development providers can understand and support science teachers of varying experience levels. A well-designed and possibly differentiated professional development program could successfully connect with these kind of empowered and receptive mid-career science teachers, and thus increase

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Factors that Influence the Retention, Turnover, and Attrition of K-12 Music Teachers in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Robert D.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to construct a profile of K-12 music teachers in the United States and develop a model to predict their retention, turnover, and attrition. Responses to the "Schools and Staffing Survey" from 47,857 K-12 public and private school teachers, including 1,903 music teachers, were analyzed using comparative…

The Internet Resource Directory for K-12 Teachers and Librarians. 97/98 Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Elizabeth B.

This directory is the fourth in an annual series of Internet guides for educators, librarians, and school administrators, and provides tips on access to, as well as addresses for, online resources that support and enrich the K-12 curriculum and supplement the school library core collection. Sites that help educators develop professionally are also…

Ensuring Teacher Education Program Success through Formative Assessments: An Overview of the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Jennie F.; Mollica, Jamie; Windjue, Sara

2013-01-01

The Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) is a statewide education program located in the Midwest of the United States. The goal of the program is to leverage teacher education to improve and increase energy literacy in Wisconsin's K-12 schools as a means of contributing to statewide energy savings. Created in 1995, the program continues…

Development of Constructivist-Based Distance Learning Environments: A Knowledge Base for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herring, Mary Corwin

2004-01-01

In response to societal shifts, K-12 teachers are struggling to design effective learning environments. The advent of increased access to world-linking technology has extended the use of distance education to enrich and expand the learning landscape for students. A number of individuals have suggested that a body of learning theory,…

Unsatisfactory Performance: How California's K-12 Education System Protects Mediocrity and How Teacher Quality Can Be Improved.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawson, Thomas C.; Billingsley, K. Lloyd

This study examines the quality of California's K-12 education, discussing how the system protects mediocrity and how to improve educational quality in the state. It explains that what most ails the teaching force is that excellent teachers are not rewarded for superior work, and failing teachers are rarely held accountable for poor performance.…

The Effects of the Layoff Process on K-12 Teachers: How Do Multiple Years of Layoff Notices Affect Teacher Attitude, Persistence, and Practice?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendoza, Cara Ann

2013-01-01

This qualitative study examines the effects of multiple years of layoff notices on first- or second-year, K-12 teachers employed in a Northern California, suburban school district in 2008-2009. During years of budget crisis in California, teachers new to the profession experienced ongoing employment uncertainty. This study endeavored to understand…

EFL Teachers' Self-Initiated Professional Development: Perceptions and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simegn, Birhanu

2014-01-01

This study assessed perceptions and practices of secondary schools (Grade 9-12) EFL teachers' self-initiated professional development. A questionnaire of likert scale items and open-ended questions was used to gather data from thirty-two teachers. The teachers were asked to fill out the questionnaire at Bahir Dar University during their…

Rescuing Teacher Professionalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillard, Derek

2005-01-01

If teachers are to reclaim any sort of agenda--let alone a radical one--they need to be taken seriously as professionals. Why aren't they? Derek Gillard surveys the history of teaching in England and argues that teacher professionalism was a short-lived phenomenon which has been in decline for thirty years. Far from rescuing it from the Tories,…

Engaging Science Faculty in Teacher Professional Development: Renewable Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czajkowski, K. P.; Czerniak, C.; Struble, J.; Mentzer, G.; Brooks, L.; Hedley, M.

2011-12-01

The LEADERS Program (Leadership for Educators: Academy for Driving Economic Revitalization in Science) is an NSF funded Math and Science Partnership program that aims to link economic revitalization in the Great Lakes region with K-12 education through renewable energy technology using a project-based learning approach. The LEADERS Program brings teacher leaders together with science and education faculty from the University of Toledo. Teacher leaders, from Toledo Public and Catholic Schools, attended a six week long institute in the summers of 2010 and 2011 and offered professional development for their colleagues during the school year. The teacher leaders took two science courses during the summer of 2010 in Physics and Chemistry of Renewable Energy as well as classes in Project-Based Science and Leadership and three courses in the summer of 2011, Earth Technologies, Climate Change and Biofuels. In addition, teachers were introduced to industry leaders in renewable energies as well as conservation. This presentation will discuss the implementation of the program and focus on the involvement of science faculty. We will discuss the challenges and successes in bringing together science faculty with teachers including how the experience has changed the teaching style of the scientists.

The Perceived Work Ethic of K-12 Teachers by Generational Status: Generation X vs. Baby Boom Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petty, Gregory C.

2013-01-01

This was an investigation of the work ethic of K-12 educators from Generation X and Baby Boomer generations. Teachers of the baby boom generation were born between 1946 and 1964, and many are beginning to retire. There is an impending teacher shortage due to the large numbers of this group retiring or leaving the profession. School administrators…

Perceptions of Professional and Educational Skills Learning Opportunities Made Available through K-12 Robotics Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakke, Christine K.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine whether participation in robotics provides opportunities for educational and professional skill development, significant enough to merit the recommendation of robotics courses as a part of mainstream curriculum offerings in K-12 schools. This non-experimental, mixed methods study examined current junior high…

Tech-Savvy Science Education? Understanding Teacher Pedagogical Practices for Integrating Technology in K-12 Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hechter, Richard; Vermette, Laurie Anne

2014-01-01

This paper examines the technology integration practices of Manitoban K-12 inservice science educators based on the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content knowledge (TPACK) framework. Science teachers (n = 433) completed a 10-item online survey regarding pedagogical beliefs about technology integration, types of technology used, and how often…

Listening to the soloists in the choir: A study of the life experience of exemplary K--12 environmental educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Robert L.

Following the environmental awakening of the last third of the twentieth century, anchored by the enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, education, and its frontline providers---teachers---were expected to become the dominant engines for realizing the new ideal of an environmentally literate populace. In reality, no such change has yet occurred despite continuous efforts from a variety of governmental and nongovernmental entities. A review of the literature revealed that there was something missing in research on the preparation of teachers for environmental education. There did not appear to be any research into why teachers who embrace the idea of environmental education as a fundamental part of education do so in the first place. In this study, described as basic qualitative research, I used a multiple-session interview technique to explore, in depth, the life experiences of the phenomenon I refer to as "an exemplary K-12 environmental educator." The pool of potential participants was composed of environmental education award winners from several states in the upper Midwest. Ten teachers were recruited from the available pool. Among these 10 were represented both genders, teaching in grades ranging from grade 2 through grade 12. The results of this study provide a look into a complex set of interactions which were eventually manifested as the phenomenon of interest. Highlights of the findings indicate that (1) a strong connection to the environment was developed early in life, (2) this connection was the result of experiences shared in the outdoors with significant others, (3) a love of learning and self-directedness are both integral to who these individuals are, (4) the study participants, as K-12 educators, draw heavily from the support of relevant professional associations. Implications for the continuing professional education of teachers in environmental education are that more emphasis is needed on awareness and affect as components

Soil Science Society of America - K-12 Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindbo, David L.; Loynachan, Tom; Mblia, Monday; Robinson, Clay; Chapman, Susan

2013-04-01

The Soil Science Society of America created its K12 Committee in 2006 in part to compliment the Dig It! The Secrets of Soil exhibit that opened in July 2008 at the Smithsonian's Institution's Nation Museum of Natural History (of which SSS was a founding sponsor). The committee's work began quickly with a website designed to provide resources for K12 teachers. The first accomplishments included reviewing and posting links to web based information already available to teachers. These links were sorted by subject and grade level to make it easier for teachers to navigate the web and find what they needed quickly. Several presentations and lessons designed for K12 teachers were also posted at this time. Concurrent with this effort a subcommittee review and organized the national teaching standards to show where soils could fit into the overall K12 curriculum. As the website was being developed another subcommittee developed a soils book (Soil! Get the Inside Scoop, 2008) to further compliment the Dig It! exhibit. This was a new endeavor for SSSA having never worked with the non-academic audience in developing a book. Peer-reviews of this book included not only scientist but also students in order to make sure the book was attractive to them. Once the book was published and the website developed it became clear more outreach was needed. SSSA K12 Committee has attended both the National Science Teachers Association (since 2008) the USA Science and Engineering Festival (since 2010) with exhibits and workshops. It has cooperated and contributed to the American Geologic Institutes' Earth Science Week materials with brochures and lesson plans and with National Association of Conservation Districts by providing peer-review and distribution of materials. The most recent developments from the committee include a web redesign that is more student and teacher friendly, the development of a peer-review system to publish K12 Lesson Plans, and finally the publication of a new soils

K-5 mentor teachers' journeys toward reform-oriented science within a professional development school context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manno, Jacqueline L.

between mentor teachers' engagement in PDS activities and their thinking about classroom practice. The main focus of this research study was on change in science teaching within the context of a professional development school. PDS literature and current literature on the learning and teaching of science in grades K-8 provided a theoretical orientation to guide the research. Additionally, literature on the process of change in schools helped to narrow the focus of the study while using a lens of situated learning provided additional insight. Analysis of the interview data generated seven assertions that captured the nature of the change process of mentor teachers. Science-specific professional development as well as strong support and encouragement within an active community of learners played significant roles in the transformation of mentor teachers from traditional or activity-based science teachers into educators who use reform-oriented methods and a lens of evidence and explanation to guide their science teaching. Mentor teachers acknowledged an increase in student interest and excitement toward science as a result of these changes in science teaching practices. In addition, data revealed that mentor teachers remained committed to their changed practice after several years. By examining the change process of mentor teachers in a PDS environment, findings from this study are discussed based on implications regarding the factors that contribute to and affect change as reform-oriented practices are implemented in science, a curricular area that is often neglected by elementary teachers.

Preservice Teachers' Beliefs about Using Maker Activities in Formal K-12 Educational Settings: A Multi-Institutional Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, W. Monty; Smith, Shaunna; Cohen, Jonathan

2017-01-01

This qualitative study examined preservice teachers' beliefs about using maker activities in formal educational settings. Eighty-two preservice and early-career teachers at three different universities in the United States took part in one-time workshops designed to introduce them to various maker tools and activities applicable to K-12…

Our Year of Dissonance: Teacher Identity and the Transition to Teaching Pre-K

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delaney, Katherine K.

2014-01-01

This dissertation is a single case study of a teacher, Wanda, transitioning from teaching Kindergarten to teaching pre-K. A veteran public school Kindergarten teacher with more than ten years experience, Wanda saw teaching pre-K as an opportunity for professional growth and development. Wanda's transition to teaching pre-K was also a transition…

Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and Turnover Intention of Online Teachers in the K-12 Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larkin, Ingle M.; Brantley-Dias, Laurie; Lokey-Vega, Anissa

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to measure and explore factors influencing K-12 online teachers' job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions. Using Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (1954), Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory of Satisfaction (1959, 1968), Meyer and Allen's measure of Organizational Commitment (1997), and Fishbein and…

K-12 Teachers' Perceptions of and Their Satisfaction with Interaction Type in Blended Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuo, Yu-Chun; Belland, Brian R.; Schroder, Kerstin E. E.; Walker, Andrew E.

2014-01-01

Blended learning is an effective approach to instruction that combines features of face-to-face learning and computer-mediated learning. This study investigated the relationship between student perceptions of three types of interaction and blended learning course satisfaction. The participants included K-12 teachers enrolled in a graduate-level…

Online K-12 Charter School Administrators' Perceptions of Newly Hired Teachers' Transferal Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, Julin

2017-01-01

When hired to teach courses online, traditionally trained teachers may struggle to transition from non-online instructional delivery skills to research-based best practice strategies designed for the online classroom. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine how online K-12 charter school administrators perceived the…

C-MORE Science Kits: Putting Technology in the Hands of K-12 Teachers and Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Achilles, K.; Weersing, K.; Daniels, C.; Puniwai, N.; Matsuzaki, J.; Bruno, B. C.

2008-12-01

The Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE) is a NSF Science and Technology Center based at the University of Hawaii. The C-MORE education and outreach program offers a variety of resources and professional development opportunities for science educators, including online resources, participation in oceanography research cruises, teacher-training workshops, mini-grants to incorporate microbial oceanography-related content and activities into their classroom and, most recently, C- MORE science kits. C-MORE science kits provide hands-on classroom, field, and laboratory activities related to microbial oceanography for K-12 students. Each kit comes with complete materials and instructions, and is available free of charge to Hawaii's public school teachers. Several kits are available nationwide. C-MORE science kits cover a range of topics and technologies and are targeted at various grade levels. Here is a sampling of some available kits: 1) Marine Murder Mystery: The Case of the Missing Zooxanthellae. Students learn about the effect of climate change and other environmental threats on coral reef destruction through a murder-mystery experience. Participants also learn how to use DNA to identify a suspect. Grades levels: 3-8. 2) Statistical sampling. Students learn basic statistics through an exercise in random sampling, with applications to microbial oceanography. The laptops provided with this kit enable students to enter, analyze, and graph their data using EXCEL. Grades levels: 6-12. 3) Chlorophyll Lab. A research-quality fluorometer is used to measure the chlorophyll content in marine and freshwater systems. This enables students to compare biomass concentrations in samples collected from various locations. Grades levels: 9-12. 4) Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD). Students predict how certain variables (e.g., temperature, pressure, chlorophyll, oxygen) vary with depth. A CTD, attached to a laptop computer, is deployed into deep water

The impact of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) professional development on the self-efficacy of science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akella, Somi Devi M.

In 2012, the National Research Council introduced the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which were created to improve the K-12 education in the U.S. and stress the importance of providing professional development (PD) to acquire the knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy to design lessons to meet high standards of teaching and learning. Bandura's (1977) theory of self-efficacy posits that people are motivated to perform an action if they are confident that they can perform the action successfully. The purpose of this survey research was to investigate the impact of professional development on the self-efficacy of science teachers with regard to the NGSS practice of Analyzing and Interpreting Data as well as to probe teachers' perceptions of barriers to their self-efficacy in applying this practice. The study found that focused and targeted PD helped improve participants' self-efficacy in incorporating the NGSS practices and addressed several barriers to teacher self-efficacy. In response to findings, Akella's Science Teaching Efficacy Professional Development (ASTEPD) model is proposed as a tool to guide PD practice and, thus, helps improve teacher self-efficacy.

Examining a math-science professional development program for teachers in grades 7-12 in an urban school district in New York State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaszczak, Lesia

With the adoption of the Common Core State Standards in New York State and the Next Generation Science Standards, it is more important than ever for school districts to develop professional development programs to provide teachers with the resources that will assist them in incorporating the new standards into their classroom instruction. This study focused on a mathematics and science professional development program known as STEMtastic STEM. The two purposes of the study were: to determine if there is an increase in STEM content knowledge of the participants involved in year two of a three year professional development program and to examine the teachers' perceptions of the impact of the professional development program on classroom instruction. The sample included teachers of grades 7-12 from an urban school district in New York State. The scores of a content knowledge pre-test and post-test were analyzed using a paired sample t-test to determine any significant differences in scores. In order to determine mathematics and science teachers' perceptions of the impact of the professional development program, responses from a 22 item Likert-style survey were analyzed to establish patterns of responses and to determine positive and negative perceptions of participants of the professional development program. A single sample t-test was used to determine if the responses were significantly positive. The results of this study indicated that there was no significant increase in content knowledge as a result of participation in the STEMtastic STEM professional development program. Both mathematics and science teachers exhibited significant positive perceptions of items dealing with hands-on participation during the professional development; support provided by STEMtastic STEM specialists; and the support provided by the administration. It was concluded that both mathematics and science teachers responded positively to the training they received during the professional

Teaching Decolonial Sounds on the Margins: Reflections on a K-12 Teacher Workshop Covering Black & Brown Musical Transculturation in Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cervantes, Marco Antonio

2015-01-01

To demonstrate the significance of cultural crossings in Texas and how cultural exchanges can inform teachers and students in the areas of history, fine arts, geography, and social studies, the author constructed a Summer 2013 teacher workshop for Texas K-12 teachers through the Smithsonian Affiliated Institute of Texan Cultures. The author…

"It's Worth Our Time": A Model of Culturally and Linguistically Supportive Professional Development for K-12 STEM Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudley, Anne H. Charity; Mallinson, Christine

2017-01-01

Professional development on issues of language and culture is often separate from professional development on issues related to STEM education, resulting in linguistic and cultural gaps in K-12 STEM pedagogy and practice. To address this issue, we have designed a model of professional development in which we work with educators to build cultural…

Teacher Experience, Learning, and Change: An Investigation of the Effects of Long-Term Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coffino, Kara Lee

2012-01-01

As US public schools become increasingly diverse and teachers are expected to teach across cultural differences, teacher educators must consider how different professional development models shape teacher learning and practice. This study explores how a cohort of 55 P-12 teachers experienced and perceived long-term professional development focused…

Engineering Professional Development: Elementary Teachers' Self-efficacy and Sources of Self-efficacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, Donna Louise

Currently, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is a popular buzz word in P-12 education as it represents a means to advance American competitiveness in the global economy. Proponents of the engineering component of STEM advocate additional benefits in teaching engineering, such as its capacity to engage students in collaboration, and to apply critical thinking, systems thinking, negotiation, and communication skills to solve real-life contextual problems. Establishing a strong foundation of engineering knowledge at a young age will provide students with internal motivation as it taps into their curiosity toward how things work, and it also prepares them for secondary science courses. Successful STEM education is often constrained by elementary teachers' low perception of self-efficacy to teach science and engineering. Elementary teachers with low self-efficacy in science are more likely to spend less instructional time teaching science, which suggests that teachers with little to no training in engineering might avoid teaching this topic. Therefore, the purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to examine the effects of engineering professional development on elementary (K-6) teachers' content and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and perceptions of self-efficacy to teach engineering, and (b) to identify and explain sources influencing self-efficacy. Professional development was conducted in a metropolitan area in the Pacific Northwest. Results revealed that after the engineering professional development, teachers experienced statistically significant gains in content, PCK, and self-efficacy to teach engineering. Increases in self-efficacy were mainly attributed to mastery experiences and cultivation of a growth mindset by embracing the engineering design process.

Schooling Teachers, Schooling Ourselves: Insights and Reflections from Teaching K-12 Teachers How to Use Hip-Hop to Educate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irby, Decoteau J.; Hall, H. Bernard; Hill, Marc L.

2013-01-01

Hip-hop-based education (HHBE) research analyzes how hip-hop culture is used to produce favorable educational outcomes. Despite its richness, the work reveals little about how to prepare practicing K-12 teachers to use HHBE toward the critical ends reflected in extant HHBE literature. In this article, we challenge many tacit assumptions of HHBE…

Early Career Teacher Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCormack, Ann; Gore, Jennifer; Thomas, Kaye

2006-01-01

Becoming a teacher requires not only the development of a professional identity but the construction of professional knowledge and practice through continued professional learning. This study tracked a sample group of 16 early career teachers through their first year of teaching. The participants were encouraged to write about their experiences in…

Ocean Science in a K-12 setting: Promoting Inquiry Based Science though Graduate Student and Teacher Collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lodico, J. M.; Greely, T.; Lodge, A.; Pyrtle, A.; Ivey, S.; Madeiros, A.; Saleem, S.

2005-12-01

The University of South Florida, College of Marine Science Oceans: GK-12 Teaching Fellowship Program is successfully enriching science learning via the oceans. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the program provides a unique opportunity among scientists and K-12 teachers to interact with the intention of bringing ocean science concepts and research to the classroom environment enhance the experience of learning and doing science, and to promote `citizen scientists' for the 21st century. The success of the program relies heavily on the extensive summer training program where graduate students develop teaching skills, create inquiry based science activities for a summer Oceanography Camp for Girls program and build a relationship with their mentor teacher. For the last year and a half, two graduate students from the College of Marine Science have worked in cooperation with teachers from the Pinellas county School District, Southside Fundamental Middle School. Successful lesson plans brought into a 6th grade Earth Science classroom include Weather and climate: Global warming, The Geologic timescale: It's all about time, Density: Layering liquids, and Erosion processes: What moves water and sediment. The school and students have benefited greatly from the program experiencing hands-on inquiry based science and the establishment of an after school science club providing opportunities for students to work on their science fair projects and pursuit other science interests. Students are provided scoring rubrics and their progress is creatively assessed through KWL worksheets, concept maps, surveys, oral one on one and classroom discussions and writing samples. The year culminated with a series of hands on lessons at the nearby beach, where students demonstrated their mastery of skills through practical application. Benefits to the graduate student include improved communication of current science research to a diverse audience, a better understanding of the

Climate Literacy: Supporting Teacher Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haddad, N.; Ledley, T. S.; Dunlap, C.; Bardar, E.; Youngman, B.; Ellins, K. K.; McNeal, K. S.; Libarkin, J.

2012-12-01

Confronting the Challenges of Climate Literacy (CCCL) is an NSF-funded (DRK-12) project that includes curriculum development, teacher professional development, teacher leadership development, and research on student learning, all directed at high school teachers and students. The project's evaluation efforts inform and guide all major components of the project. The research effort addresses the question of what interventions are most effective in helping high school students grasp the complexities of the Earth system and climate processes, which occur over a range of spatial and temporal scales. The curriculum unit includes three distinct but related modules: Climate and the Cryosphere; Climate, Weather, and the Biosphere; and Climate and the Carbon Cycle. Climate-related themes that cut across all three modules include the Earth system, with the complexities of its positive and negative feedback loops; the range of temporal and spatial scales at which climate, weather, and other Earth system processes occur; and the recurring question, "How do we know what we know about Earth's past and present climate?" which addresses proxy data and scientific instrumentation. The professional development component of the project includes online science resources to support the teaching of the curriculum modules, summer workshops for high school teachers, and a support system for developing the teacher leaders who plan and implement those summer workshops. When completed, the project will provide a model high school curriculum with online support for implementing teachers and a cadre of leaders who can continue to introduce new teachers to the resource. This presentation will introduce the curriculum and the university partnerships that are key to the project's success, and describe how the project addresses the challenge of helping teachers develop their understanding of climate science and their ability to convey climate-related concepts articulated in the Next Generation

Evaluation of Teacher Perceptions and Potential of OpenOffice in a K-12 School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vajda, James; Abbitt, Jason T.

2011-01-01

Through this mixed-method evaluation study the authors investigated a pilot implementation of an open-source productivity suite for teachers in a K-12 public school district. The authors evaluated OpenOffice version 3.0 using measures identified by the technology acceptance model as predictors of acceptance and use of technology systems. During a…

Reconsidering Research on Teachers' Professional Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beijaard, Douwe; Meijer, Paulien C.; Verloop, Nico

2004-01-01

The studies considered in this review of recent research on teachers' professional identity can be divided into three categories: (1) studies in which the focus was on teachers' professional identity formation, (2) studies in which the focus was on the identification of characteristics of teachers' professional identity, and (3) studies in which…

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.

The Satellites, Weather and Climate (SWAC) Teacher Professional Development Program: Making the Case for Climate and Geospatial Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dupigny-Giroux, Lesley-Ann; Toolin, Regina; Hogan, Stephen; Fortney, Michael D.

2012-01-01

In July 2008, a new professional development program called Satellites, Weather and Climate (SWAC) began at the University of Vermont. Its goal was to enhance the competency of in-service K-12 science and mathematics Vermont teachers in the atmospheric, climate, and geospatial sciences. The pilot program ran until 2010, during which time 14…

Teacher Professionalization and Gender Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tabakin, Geoffrey; Densmore, Kathleen

1986-01-01

This article presents an overview of theories of teacher professionalization, a discussion of feminist theories and the definition of gender analysis, and an argument for the appropriateness of gender analysis of teacher professionalization. (MT)

Scientists and K-12: Experience from The Science House

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haase, David G.

2003-03-01

In working with K-12 science and mathematics education, scientists may take on many different roles - from presenter to full-time partner. These roles are illustrated in the activities of The Science House, a K-12 education program of North Carolina State University, (www.science-house.org) which partners with teachers and students across the state to promote inquiry-based learning in mathematics and science. While it is important to involve scientists in K-12, most universities do not have effective means to make the connections. In our efforts to do so, which began with a few teacher workshops and now encompasses six offices across NC, we have sought to join the interests of the university (research, teaching, student recruiting) to the needs of K-12. Our programs now include teacher training workshops, student science camps and curriculum projects in several states. We are reminded that K-12 science education is interdisciplinary; local and political; and a process, not a problem to be solved and forgotten. Partially supported by NSF (CHE-9876674 and DBI-0115462), the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.

Improving Teachers' Assessment Literacy through Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koh, Kim H.

2011-01-01

This study examined the effects of professional development on teachers' assessment literacy between two groups of teachers: (1) teachers who were involved in ongoing and sustained professional development in designing authentic classroom assessment and rubrics; and (2) teachers who were given only short-term, one-shot professional development…

Mastering the Blend: A Professional Development Program for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Michelle; Robinson, Heather A.; Sheffield, Anneliese; Phillips, Alana S.

2017-01-01

Blended learning is an instructional approach meant to enhance students' learning experiences by merging and deliberately integrating online technology into a face-to-face learning environment. With the increase in online instruction and blended learning comes the need for quality professional development programs that foster learning and…

Ice, Ice, Baby: A Program for Sustained, Classroom-Based K-8 Teacher Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamilton, C.

2009-12-01

Ice, Ice, Baby is a K-8 science program created by the education team at the Center for the Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS), an NSF-funded science and technology center headquartered at the University of Kansas. The twenty-four hands-on activities, which constitute the Ice, Ice, Baby curriculum, were developed to help students understand the role of polar ice sheets in sea level rise. These activities, presented in classrooms by CReSIS' Educational Outreach Coordinator, demonstrate many of the scientific properties of ice, including displacement and density. Student journals are utilized with each lesson as a strategy for improving students' science process skills. Journals also help the instructor identify misconceptions, assess comprehension, and provide students with a year-long science reference log. Pre- and post- assessments are given to both teachers and students before and after the program, providing data for evaluation and improvement of the Ice, Ice, Baby program. While students are actively engaged in hands-on learning about the unusual topics of ice sheets, glaciers, icebergs and sea ice, the CReSIS' Educational Coordinator is able to model best practices in science education, such as questioning and inquiry-based methods of instruction. In this way, the Ice, Ice, Baby program also serves as ongoing, in-class, professional development for teachers. Teachers are also provided supplemental activities to do with their classes between CReSIS' visits to encourage additional science lessons, reinforce concepts taught in the Ice, Ice, Baby program, and to foster teachers' progression toward more reform-based science instruction.

For Teachers, by Teachers: An Exploration of Teacher-Generated Online Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodesiler, Luke

2017-01-01

Participatory online professional development opportunities created for teachers by teachers have emerged with the proliferation of social media. This article presents an investigation of a voluntary, participant-driven, 5-week online professional development offering in which two high school English teachers invited colleagues at a distance to…

Professional Development Initiative. Proposal for Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University (NJ1), 2004

2004-01-01

With the support of the Education Cabinet, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation launched the Professional Development Initiative in early 2004. The Initiative's Implementation Work Group focused on four key areas to enhance North Carolina's system of professional development for K-12 teachers. Those areas were: (1) Professional Development Online…

Offering a Geoscience Professional Development Program to Promote Science Education and Provide Hands-on Experiences for K-12 Science Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fakayode, Sayo O.; Pollard, David A.; Snipes, Vincent T.; Atkinson, Alvin

2014-01-01

Development of an effective strategy for promoting science education and professional development of K-12 science educators is a national priority to strengthen the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This article reports the outcomes of a Geoscience Professional Development Program (GPDP) workshop…

Teachers' Professional Development: A Theoretical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Postholm, May Britt

2012-01-01

Background and purpose: The article reviews studies that focus on the professional development of teachers after they have completed their basic teacher training. Teacher professional development is defined as teachers' learning: how they learn to learn and how they apply their knowledge in practice to support pupils' learning. The research…

Comparing Teacher and Administrator Perspectives on Multiple Dimensions of Teacher Professionalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tichenor, Mercedes; Tichenor, John

2009-01-01

In this paper, we compare teacher and administrator perspectives on multiple dimensions of teacher professionalism. An instrument with a total of 51 professional behaviors and characteristics that operationalize the multiple dimensions of professionalism was developed. Survey participants, including 216 teachers and 89 administrators, were asked…

Scientific Participation at the Poles: K-12 Teachers in Polar Science for Careers and Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowley, S.; Warburton, J.

2012-12-01

PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded program in which K-12 teachers participate in hands-on field research experiences in the polar regions. PolarTREC highlights the importance of involving teachers in scientific research in regards to their careers as educators and their ability to engage students in the direct experience of science. To date, PolarTREC has placed over 90 teachers with research teams in the Arctic and Antarctic. Published results of our program evaluation quantify the effect of the field experience on the teachers' use of the real scientific process in the classroom, the improvement in science content taught in classrooms, and the use of non-fiction texts (real data and science papers) as primary learning tools for students. Teachers and students both report an increase of STEM literacy in the classroom content, confidence in science education, as well as a markedly broadened outlook of science as essential to their future. Research conducted with science teams affirms that they are achieving broader impacts when PolarTREC teachers are involved in their expeditions. Additionally, they reported that these teachers making vital contributions to the success of the scientific project.

A Professional Experience Learning Community for Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanagh, Michael S.; Garvey, Thomas

2012-01-01

This paper reports the development and implementation of a collaborative professional experience learning community for a group of nine pre-service secondary mathematics teachers. The pre-service teachers and their methods lecturer made 12 school visits over one academic year to a local secondary school. The pre-service teachers observed and…

WestEd Eisenhower Regional Consortium: Helping to Build a Presence for Science With Online Professional Development Opportunities for K-12 Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rognier, E.

2002-12-01

The WestEd Eisenhower Regional Consortium (WERC) is in its third year of offering two Earth Systems Science On-line Graduate courses from IGES - one for High School teachers, and one for Middle School teachers. These high-quality courses support WERC's commitment to "supporting increased scientific and mathematical literacy among our nation's youth through services and other support aimed at enhancing the efforts of those who provide K-12 science and mathematics education." These courses also support our NSTA-sponsored "Building a Presence for Science" program in California, providing professional development opportunities to help achieve our vision of increased quantity and quality of science education statewide. Our students have included classroom teachers from upper elementary through high school, community college science teachers, and environmental science center staff who provide inservice for teachers. Educators from Hawaii to New Jersey have provided diverse personal experiences of Earth Systems Science events, and add richness to the online discussions. Students have consistently embraced the concept of a systems-based approach to science instruction, commenting on how these courses have forever changed their teaching practices and provided a successful means for engaging and involving their students in scientific inquiry. Through offering these online courses, we have learned valuable lessons about recruitment, retention, team-building, and facilitating discussions for classes with no "face to face" component. This format is both rich and challenging, with teammates from diverse geographic regions and timezones, with a variety of connectivity and accessibility issues. In this third year of offering the courses, we are pleased to have students taking their second course with us, wanting to continue learning content and stragtegies to improve their skills as science teachers.

Teachers' Professional Development: The Case of WhatsApp

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cansoy, Ramazan

2017-01-01

In this study, the kinds of shares made by science teachers in a WhatsApp group as an online community of practice to support professional development were examined. The netnographic research method, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. The messages shared by 12 science teachers, who worked at a private school between…

Using doubly latent multilevel analysis to elucidate relationships between science teachers' professional knowledge and students' performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahler, Daniela; Großschedl, Jörg; Harms, Ute

2017-01-01

Teachers make a difference for the outcome of their students in science classrooms. One focus in this context lies on teachers' professional knowledge. We describe this knowledge according to three domains, namely (1) content knowledge (CK), (2) pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and (3) curricular knowledge (CuK). We hypothesise a positive relationship between these three domains and students' performance in science. Students' science performance was conceptualised by system thinking performance in the context of biology teaching. In order to test our hypothesis, we examined the relationship between the knowledge triplet CK, PCK, and CuK and students' performance. 48 biology teachers and their students (N = 1036) participated in this study. Teachers' content-related professional knowledge and students' performance were measured by paper-and-pencil tests. Moreover, we used concept maps to further assess students' performance. By specifying doubly latent models, we found a significant positive relationship between biology teachers' PCK and students' performance. On the contrary, the results reveal no relationship between CK and CuK and students' performance. These findings are discussed in respect to modelling the interrelationship of teachers' content-related professional knowledge and students' learning in science, as well as concerning their relevance for further research and teacher education programmes.

K-12 Art Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furney, Trudy; And Others

The development of students in various art fields is the focus of this K-12 art curriculum guide. The philosophy of the art program and the roles of administrator, teacher, and parent are outlined. The underlying school community relationships, and the objective, goals, and purposes of art education are described. Phases of child development in…

Professional Development Settings: More than Time, Place, Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosemary, Catherine A.; Feldman, Naomi

2009-01-01

Like authors who create settings as integral components of engaging narratives, thoughtful literacy coaches and other educators who plan and implement professional development consider elements of settings to engage teachers in continuous learning. Many teacher educators, researchers, administrators, literacy coaches, and K-12 teachers understand…

Laboratory Safety Guide for Arkansas K-12 Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arkansas State Dept. of Education, Little Rock.

This document presents laboratory safety rules for Arkansas K-12 schools which were developed by the Arkansas Science Teachers Association (ASTA) and the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). Contents include: (1) "Laboratory Safety Guide for Arkansas K-12 Schools"; (2) "Safety Considerations"; (3) "Safety Standards for Science Laboratories";…

Narrative Construction of Professional Teacher Identity of Teachers with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Eila; Bell, Sheena

2011-01-01

This paper considers the development of teachers' professional identity in the context of educators that have diverse backgrounds. We elucidate how teachers with dyslexia working in tertiary education use narrative resources to construct and negotiate their professional teacher identities. The analysis of narrative interviews, interpreted within…

Use of ePortfolios in K-12 Teacher Hiring in North Carolina: Perspectives of School Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndoye, Abdou; Ritzhaupt, Albert Dieter; Parker, Michele A.

2012-01-01

This study explored the perceptions of principals involved in the hiring process of K-12 teachers in 11 counties in southeastern North Carolina. Forty-nine principals responded to a survey on ePortfolio use in the hiring process: the pros and cons, desirable artifacts, stage of use, preferred delivery method, and improvements that can increase…

Understanding Teacher Professional Learning through Cyber Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Meg S.; Phalen, Lena; Moran, Cheryl

2018-01-01

Online professional learning websites provide a unique window into how teachers make self-directed choices about their own professional development. This study extends previous research on how teachers use online resource repositories to examine how teachers make choices about resource use on a professional learning website. The website, the…

Emerging Professional Roles for Teacher Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massanari, Karl; And Others

Emerging professional roles for teacher educators are examined by three educators from three different viewpoints, and a critique of the positions developed is undertaken by a spokesman for the teacher organization viewpoint of professional development. Karl Massanari examines the changes currently affecting the education of teachers--social,…

Teachers as Researchers: Supporting Professional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gennaoui, Michele; Kretschmer, Robert E.

1996-01-01

Contrasts traditional professional development and a teacher-as-researcher project implemented at the Saint Francis de Sales School for the Deaf. Discusses ways the project influenced the professional development of teachers, the effects on the school community of group collaboration among diverse professional staff, support mechanisms required,…

Fixing Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Heather C.

2009-01-01

The professional development "system" for teachers is, by all accounts, broken. Despite evidence that specific programs can improve teacher knowledge and practice and student outcomes, these programs seldom reach real teachers on a large scale. Typically, reformers address such perceptions of failure by discovering and celebrating new formats and…

Scientists Involved in K-12 Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robigou, V.

2004-12-01

The publication of countless reports documenting the dismal state of science education in the 1980s, and the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) report (1996) called for a wider involvement of the scientific community in K-12 education and outreach. Improving science education will not happen without the collaboration of educators and scientists working in a coordinated manner and it requires a long-term, continuous effort. To contribute effectively to K-12 education all scientists should refer to the National Science Education Standards, a set of policies that guide the development of curriculum and assessment. Ocean scientists can also specifically refer to the COSEE recommendations (www.cosee.org) that led to the creation of seven regional Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence. Scientists can get involved in K-12 education in a multitude of ways. They should select projects that will accommodate time away from their research and teaching obligations, their talent, and their interest but also contribute to the education reform. A few examples of effective involvement are: 1) collaborating with colleagues in a school of education that can lead to better education of all students and future teachers, 2) acting as a resource for a national program or a local science fair, 3) serving on the advisory board of a program that develops educational material, 4) speaking out at professional meetings about the value of scientists' involvement in education, 5) speaking enthusiastically about the teaching profession. Improving science education in addition to research can seem a large, overwhelming task for scientists. As a result, focusing on projects that will fit the scientist's needs as well as benefit the science reform is of prime importance. It takes an enormous amount of work and financial and personnel resources to start a new program with measurable impact on students. So, finding the right opportunity is a priority, and stepping

A Model of Professional Development: Teachers' Perceptions of Their Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avidov-Ungar, Orit

2016-01-01

This research aims to evaluate the manner in which teachers perceive their professional development process. Forty-three teachers from Israeli schools participated in the study. I used a semi-structured interview to understand the teachers' perceptions about their professional development. The qualitative analysis identified two dimensions that…

Are K-12 school environments harming students with obesity? A qualitative study of classroom teachers.

PubMed

Kenney, Erica L; Redman, Morgan T; Criss, Shaniece; Sonneville, Kendrin R; Austin, S Bryn

2017-03-01

Weight bias can negatively impact health, and schools may be risky environments for students with obesity. We aimed to explore teachers' perceptions of the school experiences and academic challenges of students with obesity. We conducted interviews with 22 teachers in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Midwest in July-August 2014. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed for important themes by two researchers using the immersion/crystallization approach. Most teachers felt that students with obesity were more likely to have academic difficulties. Two main perceptions of the reasons for these difficulties emerged: (1) obesity led to lower self-esteem that caused students to participate less, and (2) poorer nutrition, increased screen time, and reduced physical activity were simultaneously causing obesity and poorer academic performance. A few teachers described colleagues who felt students with obesity were not as motivated to work hard in school as their peers. Many teachers described school health promotion efforts focused on weight reduction that could exacerbate weight stigma and risk of disordered eating. Students with obesity, particularly girls, may be at risk for negative social and academic experiences in K-12 schools and may be perceived as struggling academically by their teachers.

Imagining a Future in PreK: How Professional Identity Shapes Notions of Early Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graue, Elizabeth; Karabon, Anne; Delaney, Katherine Kresin; Whyte, Kristin; Kim, Jiwon; Wager, Anita

2015-01-01

This article describes how early childhood teachers engaged in a public preK professional development program. We examine how developing teacher identities mediated engagement with the discourses of developmentally appropriate practice, early mathematics, and funds of knowledge and how they connected present practice to an imagined future. We…

Teacher Quality, Professionalism and Professional Development: Findings from a European Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilton, Gillian; Flores, Maria Assunção; Niklasson, Laila

2013-01-01

This paper presents and discusses findings from a European project concerning strengthening the teacher's voice in defining professional quality. In the project tools were developed and evaluated to help teachers reflect on their professional quality. Twelve countries participated and twelve tools were tested with help of student teachers,…

The Iowa K-12 Climate Science Education Initiative: a comprehensive approach to meeting in-service teachers' stated needs for teaching climate literacy with NGSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanier, C. O.; Spak, S.; Neal, T. A.; Herder, S.; Malek, A.; Miller, Z.

2017-12-01

The Iowa Board of Education voted unanimously in 2015 to adopt NGSS performance standards. The CGRER - College of Education Iowa K-12 Climate Science Education Initiative was established in 2016 to work directly with Iowa inservice teachers to provide what teachers need most to teach climate literacy and climate science content through investigational learning aligned with NGSS. Here we present teachers' requests for teaching climate with NGSS, and an approach to provide resources for place-based authentic inquiry on climate, developed, tested, and refined in partnership with inservice and preservice teachers. A survey of inservice middle school and high school science teachers was conducted at the 2016 Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics/Iowa Academy of Sciences - Iowa Science Teaching Section Fall Conference and online in fall 2016. Participants (n=383) were asked about their prior experience and education, the resources they use and need, their level of comfort in teaching climate science, perceived barriers, and how they address potential controversy. Teachers indicated preference for professional development on climate content and complete curricula packaged with lessons and interactive models aligned to Iowa standards, as well as training on instructional strategies to enhance students' ability to interpret scientific evidence. We identify trends in responses by teaching experience, climate content knowledge and its source, grade level, and urban and rural districts. Less than 20% of respondents reported controversy or negativity in teaching climate to date, and a majority were comfortable teaching climate science and climate change, with equal confidence in teaching climate and other STEM content through investigational activities. We present an approach and materials to meet these stated needs, created and tested in collaboration with Iowa teachers. We combine professional development and modular curricula with bundled standards, concepts, models, data

Understanding Teachers' Professional Learning Goals from Their Current Professional Concerns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louws, Monika L.; Meirink, Jacobiene A.; van Veen, Klaas; van Driel, Jan H.

2018-01-01

In the day-to-day workplace teachers direct their own learning, but little is known about what drives their decisions about what they would like to learn. These decisions are assumed to be influenced by teachers' current professional concerns. Also, teachers in different professional life phases have different reasons for engaging in professional…

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science Teacher, 2016

2016-01-01

Science teachers and mentors continue to be challenged to meet the high expectations of "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" and the "Next Generation Science Standards." Indeed the Framework urges teachers to help learners "[build] progressively more sophisticated explanations of natural phenomena..." while the…

Supporting Teacher Professionalism: Insights from TALIS 2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2016

2016-01-01

This report examines the nature and extent of support for teacher professionalism using the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2013, a survey of teachers and principals in 34 countries and economies around the world. Teacher professionalism is defined as the knowledge, skills, and practices that teachers must have in order to be…

Using Mixed Methods to Analyze Video Data: A Mathematics Teacher Professional Development Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeCuir-Gunby, Jessica T.; Marshall, Patricia L.; McCulloch, Allison W.

2012-01-01

This article uses data from 65 teachers participating in a K-2 mathematics professional development research project as an example of how to analyze video recordings of teachers' classroom lessons using mixed methods. Through their discussion, the authors demonstrate how using a mixed methods approach to classroom video analysis allows researchers…

Institutionalizing Professional Development Schools: Supporting the Principal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, Gail; Adkison, Judith

Professional-development schools are collaborations between universities and public schools to improve the nation's teaching force. Prospective teachers are assigned to K-12 schools for formal instruction, planned experiences in classrooms, and mentoring from master teachers. This paper presents findings of a qualitative study that described the…

Teacher Professional Learning in a Neoliberal Age: Audit, Professionalism and Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mockler, Nicole

2012-01-01

This paper examines the current shape of teacher professional learning, or in-service teacher education, in Australia. Increasingly, teacher professional learning is positioned as both a sure-fire solution to some of the intransigent educational problems of our time, as well as a policy problem in and of itself. In this paper I explore some of the…

From the Classroom to the Keyboard: How Seven Teachers Created Their Online Teacher Identities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Jennifer C.; Alsup, Janet

2015-01-01

Teacher identity is defined as a sense of teacher self that results from a productive combination of key personal and professional subjectivities or beliefs. Much empirical research has been done on the development of teacher identity in the K-12 arena, with a great deal of theoretical and philosophical scholarship about teaching at the college…

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.

Impact of Selected Professional Aspects on Teacher Burnout.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kudva, Pramila

This study investigated the relationship between several components of teacher burnout and various professional factors. Professional factors included professional qualifications, teaching level, professional growth, professional commitment, and role efficacy. Components of teacher burnout included development of negative attitudes toward students…

Analyzing Preservice Mathematics Teachers' Professional Noticing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amador, Julie M.; Carter, Ingrid; Hudson, Rick A.

2016-01-01

Recent research in mathematics education has highlighted the importance of teachers' abilities to professionally notice students' thinking. This study examined what preservice teachers professionally notice during lesson study to further describe their attention to students' mathematical thinking, their interpretations about students' reasoning,…

Teacher Professionalism in Technical and Vocational Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tampang, B. L. L.; Wonggo, D.

2018-02-01

The advancement of a nation is largely determined by the advancement of education, and the field of education is on the teachers’ shoulders. Therefore, professionalism of teachers should be improved in performing their duties as facilitators, initiators, and motivators in achieving the competence of graduates. Teachers should be able to facilitate the learning process and pay attention to the development of learners in its various dimensions, leading to the ownership and development of intelligence, learning skills, attitudes, work skills, and social independence. Vocational education carried by Vocational High School, should not only provide theory, but also be coupled with the application or application of theory. It is time for us to rise up to give birth to professional experts in their fields, in accordance with the needs of the workforce. A professional teacher is required to have a work ethic and a high commitment to his profession, and always through continuous development through professional organizations, the internet, books, seminars, and the like. With the professionalism of teachers, then the future teacher does not appear again only as a teacher (teacher), such a prominent function during this, but switch as coach, counselor, and learning manager. Each Educational Institution of Education Personnel graduate and other college graduates who wish to become teachers are required to have at least the competence of the standard. Thus, teacher professionalism is a life-long and never-ending process. Developing and developing vocational education is an important and absolute thing to do, considering that approximately 80% of the workforce in the field is lower middle-level workforce.

Implementing Professional Experiences to Prepare Preservice Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuangchalerm, Prasart

2009-01-01

In the correlation between professional experiences of preservice science teacher and classroom managerial skills, professional experiences were designed to prepare science teacher in the future. The effects of program were described the result of implementing professional experiences of 67 preservice science teachers. Data were collected by using…

Learning, Motivation, and Transfer: Successful Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Lex

2012-01-01

In this article, I am concerned with three key issues of teacher professional development--teacher learning, motivation, and transfer of learning. Each issue has received minimal attention in teacher professional development literature. The three issues are discussed, and a model of an integrative professional development approach is outlined,…

Main Factors of Teachers' Professional Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildirim, Kamil

2014-01-01

The purpose of the study was to reveal the main factors of teachers' professional well being. Theoretically constructed model was tested on large scale data belong to 72.190 teachers working at lower secondary level. Theoretical model included teachers' individual, professional and organizational characteristics. Professional well-being…

OER Quality and Adaptation in K-12: Comparing Teacher Evaluations of Copyright-Restricted, Open, and Open/Adapted Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimmons, Royce

2015-01-01

Conducted in conjunction with an institute on open textbook adaptation, this study compares textbook evaluations from practicing K-12 classroom teachers (n = 30) on three different types of textbooks utilized in their contexts: copyright-restricted, open, and open/adapted. Copyright-restricted textbooks consisted of those textbooks already in use…

Teachers' Experience from a School-Based Collaborative Teacher Professional Development Programme: Reported Impact on Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svendsen, Bodil

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to find out how science teachers who have participated in a one-year school-based collaborative teacher professional development programme, perceive the programme's impact on their professional development. Constant comparative analysis was used on data from three schools to generate the findings in this study. The…

Using an Interdisciplinary Approach to Enhance Climate Literacy for K-12 Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanselman, J. A.; Oches, E. A.; Sliko, J.; Wright, L.

2014-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (2014) will begin to change how K-12 teachers teach science. Using a scaffolding approach, the standards focus on a depth of knowledge across multiple content areas. This philosophy should encourage inquiry-based teaching methods, provided the teacher has both the knowledge and the confidence to teach the content. Although confidence to teach science is high among secondary science (biology, general science, chemistry) teachers, depth of knowledge may be lacking in certain areas, including climate science. To address this issue, a graduate course in climate science (Massachusetts Colleges Online Course of Distinction award winner) was developed to include inquiry-based instruction, connections to current research, and interdisciplinary approaches to teaching science. With the support of the InTeGrate program (SERC) at Carleton College, a module was developed to utilize cli-fi (climate science present in fictional literature) and related climate data. Graduate students gain an appreciation of scientific communication and an understanding of climate data and its connection to societal issues. In addition, the graduate students also gain the ability to connect interdisciplinary concepts for a deeper understanding of climate science and have the opportunity. By the end of the course, the graduate students use the content learned and the examples of pedagogical tools to develop their own activities in his or her classroom.

Fermilab Science Education Office - Educators/Teachers

Science.gov Websites

, university faculty, pre-service students, home school educators, the Teacher Resource Center is a one-stop Pre-K-12 STEM instructional materials and professional development resources you may utilize onsite Standards for Professional Learning to design and guide customized professional development. Through our

Examining Professional Learning and the Preparation of Professionally Competent Teachers in Initial Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Sylvia Y. F.; Wong, Angel K. Y.; Cheng, May M. H.

2016-01-01

The relative contributions of higher education and schools, and hence the conceptual and practical aspects of ITE, to student teachers' professional learning have been an issue of concern in teacher education. This article reports a mixed-methods study showing the relationship between student teachers' engagement with the practical and conceptual…

Professional "Development" and Professional "Learning": Bridging the Gap for Experienced Physical Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armour, Kathleen M.; Yelling, Martin

2004-01-01

This article analyses the career-long continuing professional development (CPD) of 85 experienced physical education (PE) teachers in England. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews (20 teachers) and open-ended profile questionnaires (a further 65 teachers) to find out what forms of professional development these teachers had…

Experiences and Perceptions of Professional Development Facilitators in a Job-Embedded School Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mashariki, Kaia Mariama

2017-01-01

Recent legislation and accountability efforts in K-12 schools have increased the need to support and maintain high-quality teachers through enhanced professional development and teacher training efforts. As districts and schools seek new and innovative ways to provide professional learning opportunities that are real-time and effective,…

Evolution of a Teacher Professional Development Program that Promotes Teacher and Student Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompea, S. M.; Croft, S. K.; Garmany, C. D.; Walker, C. E.

2005-12-01

The Research Based Science Education (RBSE) and Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science (TLRBSE) programs at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory have been evolving for nearly ten years. Our current program is actually a team of programs aiding teachers in doing research with small telescopes, large research-grade telescopes, astronomical data archives, and the Spitzer Space Telescope. Along the way, as these programs evolved, a number of basic questions were continuously discussed by the very talented program team. These questions included: 1) What is real research and why should we encourage it? 2) How can it be successfully brought to the classroom? 3) What is the relative importance of teacher content knowledge versus science process knowledge? 4) How frustrating should an authentic research experience be? 5) How do we measure the success of our professional development program? 6) How should be evaluate and publish student work? 7) How can teachers work together on a team to pursue research? 8) What is the model for interaction of teachers and researchers - equal partners versus the graduate student/apprentice model? 9) What is the ideal mix of skills for a professional development team at NOAO? 10) What role can distance learning play in professional preparation? 11) What tools are needed for data analysis? 12) How can we stay funded? Our evolving program has also been used as a test bed to examine new models of teacher's professional development that may aid our outreach efforts in the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope program, the Thirty-Meter Telescope program, and the National Virtual Observatory program. We will describe a variety of lessons learned (and relearned) and try to describe best practices in promoting teacher and student research. The TLRBSE Program is funded by the National Science Foundation under ESI 0101982, funded through the AURA/NSF Cooperative Agreement AST-9613615. NOAO is operated by the Association of Universities for Research

Diffusing Innovations: Adoption of Serious Educational Games by K-12 Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vallett, David; Annetta, Leonard; Lamb, Richard; Bowling, Brandy

2014-01-01

Innovation is a term that has become widely used in education; especially as it pertains to technology infusion. Applying the corporate theory of diffusing innovation to educational practice is an innovation in itself. This mixed-methods study examined 38 teachers in a science educational gaming professional development program that provided…

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.

Pacific CRYSTAL Teacher Professional Development Models: Lessons Learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Flier-Keller, E.; Yore, L.

2010-12-01

From 2005 to 2010 Pacific CRYSTAL (Centre for Research in Youth Science Teaching and Learning) has been engaged in community-based research fostering teacher leadership in innovative science education through a variety of approaches to teacher professional development. Pacific CRYSTAL is a University of Victoria based, NSERC funded project founded on a collaborative research model involving scentists, science educators and community members including schools, teachers, community groups and government. Pacific CRYSTAL professional development approaches embrace both in-service teachers and pre-service teachers, and include Lighthouse schools, workshops (ongoing as well as one-time), community-based partnerships in Pacific CRYSTAL research projects, teachers as researchers, and university science courses and workshops for pre-education and education students. A number of common themes, identified through these approaches, should be considered in the development and implementation of future science professional development initiatives. They include; teacher turnover, expanding and adding schools and participating teachers, teacher apprehension, building leadership capacity, further engagement of 'tourist' teachers, continuing professional support for teachers, as well as on-going mentoring.

Transformation and Framework of Teacher Professional Development in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Bo-Ruey

2016-01-01

This article describes the situation of teacher professional development in Taiwan, including the history and the framework of teacher professional development. With diversification of teacher education systems and institutions, teacher professional development in Taiwan is undergoing a gradual governance shift from the model of centralised state…

Teachers' Professional Agency and Learning--From Adaption to Active Modification in the Teacher Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pyhältö, Kirsi; Pietarinen, Janne; Soini, Tiina

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine teacher learning in terms of teachers' professional agency in the professional community of the school. Altogether 2310 Finnish comprehensive school teachers completed a survey. Results showed that teachers' active efforts to learn in the professional community and to promote school development cannot be…

Professional Communities in the Context of Teachers' Professional lives: A Case of Mathematics Specialists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nickerson, Susan D.; Moriarty, Gail

2005-01-01

We describe an urban school initiative aimed at teachers' professional development with the goal of increasing their mathematics content knowledge and helping them improve their practice. In the lowest performing schools, mathematics specialists were employed to teach only mathematics in upper-elementary grades (ages 9-12). One aspect of this…

Training Teachers to be Professional Development Leaders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leslie, Jessica B.

1982-01-01

A Teacher Corps project conducted by the Edgewood Independent School District and Trinity University (San Antonio, Texas) is described. A classroom teacher at each participating school is trained to lead professional development activities at his or her school. Teacher involvement in designing professional development at each school is emphasized.…

Reflecting on Teacher Professionalism: A Student Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crouse, Warren F.

2003-01-01

In this article, the author invites students to reflect on the characteristics of their own teachers. The author contends that this reflection can be a methodological process and model toward a better understanding of what identifies teachers as professionals. To "constructively reflect" on teacher professionalism, it is imperative that the four…

Coaching Discourse: Supporting Teachers' Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heineke, Sally F.

2013-01-01

Although coaching is used in many schools to facilitate teachers' professional learning, few studies look closely at coaching discourse. Exploring how coaching facilitates teachers' professional development, this study used tape-recorded coaching sessions and individual post-interviews to examine the one-on-one coaching interactions of 4…

Extending the Pathway: Building on a National Science Foundation Workforce Development Project for Underserved k-12 Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slattery, W.; Smith, T.

2014-12-01

With new career openings in the geosciences expected and a large number of presently employed geoscientists retiring in the next decade there is a critical need for a new cadre of geoscientists to fill these positions. A project funded by the National Science Foundation titled K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents, Administrators and Higher Education Faculty: Partners Helping Rural Disadvantaged Students Stay on the Pathway to a Geoscience Career involving Wright State University and the Ripley, Lewis, Union, Huntington k-12 school district in Appalachian Ohio took led to dozens of seventh and eighth grade students traveling to Sandy Hook, New Jersey for a one week field experience to study oceanography with staff of the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium. Teachers, parent chaperones, administrators and university faculty accompanied the students in the field. Teachers worked alongside their students in targeted professional development during the weeklong field experience. During the two academic years of the project, both middle school and high school teachers received professional development in Earth system science so that all students, not just those that were on the summer field experience could receive enhanced science learning. All ninth grade high school students were given the opportunity to take a high school/college dual credit Earth system science course. Community outreach provided widespread knowledge of the project and interest among parents to have their children participate. In addition, ninth grade students raised money themselves to fund a trip to the International Field Studies Forfar Field Station on Andros Island, Bahamas to study a tropical aquatic system. Students who before this project had never traveled outside of Ohio are currently discussing ways that they can continue on the pathway to a geoscience career by applying for internships for the summer between their junior and senior years. These are positive steps towards taking charge of their

Growth of Internet Use by Language Professionals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fidelman, Carolyn G.

1998-01-01

Presents results of a survey showing increased use of the Internet by language professionals (e.g., language teachers, translators, interpreters). Results of the survey show a qualitative improvement in the Internet for information retrieval, teaching, and idea exchange. If K-12 foreign-language teachers receive appropriate equipment and training,…

"Follow" Me: Networked Professional Learning for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Kathryn; Preston, Greg; Shaw, Kylie; Buchanan, Rachel

2013-01-01

Effective professional learning for teachers is fundamental for any school system aiming to make transformative and sustainable change to teacher practice. This paper investigates the efficacy of Twitter as a medium for teachers to participate in professional learning by analysing the tweets of 30 influential users of the popular medium. We find…

Teacher Professional Development: Who Is the Learner?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrie, Kirsten; McGee, Clive

2012-01-01

One of the challenges in in-service teacher education is how teachers can be given professional development (PD) that enables them to respond to national curriculum and policy change. In recent years primary teachers in New Zealand have been inundated with Ministry of Education-funded professional development programmes to help them implement a…

Unified Science Approach K-12, Proficiency Levels 7-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oickle, Eileen M., Ed.

Presented is the second part of the K-12 unified science materials used in the public schools of Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Detailed descriptions are made of the roles of students and teachers, purposes of the bibliography, major concepts in unified science, processes of inquiry, a scheme and model for scientific literacy, and program…

Factors within University-Based Teacher Education Relating to Preservice Teachers' Professional Vision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stürmer, Kathleen; Könings, Karen D.; Seidel, Tina

2015-01-01

Preservice teachers' professional vision is an important indicator of their initial acquisition of integrated knowledge structures within university-based teacher education. To date, empirical research investigating which factors contribute to explaining preservice teachers' professional vision is scarce. This study aims to determine which factors…

Profiling Teachers' Sense of Professional Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canrinus, Esther T.; Helms-Lorenz, Michelle; Beijaard, Douwe; Buitink, Jaap; Hofman, Adriaan

2011-01-01

This study shows that professional identity should not be viewed as a composed variable with a uniform structure. Based on the literature and previous research, we view teachers' job satisfaction, self-efficacy, occupational commitment and change in the level of motivation as indicators of teachers' professional identity. Using two-step cluster…

Functional Anatomy of the Cardiovascular System: Professional Development for PreK-3 Teachers Using a "Train and Equip" Method Results in Learning Opportunities for Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, E. Robert

2008-01-01

Preadolescent students are interested in learning the structure and function of the human body. However, their teachers are not trained in this content. The purpose of this project was to expand a successful outreach effort in the health sciences for grade 7-12 teachers to include PreK-3 teachers. A "Healthy Hearts" workshop was offered to train…

Making a College Course Matter for Pre-K Professionals: Supports Needed for Success. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatfield, Bridget E.; LoCasale-Crouch, Jennifer

2013-01-01

Given the increased enrollment in pre-K programs coupled with a lack of teacher education that consistently links to child development, this study examines a new course developed to support early childhood professionals in implementing effective teacher-child interactions. Findings suggest that an effective course can be scaled-up and used in…

Teacher Professional Development Strategies in Australian Government and Professional Associations Documents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kostina, Ludmyla

2015-01-01

Teacher in Australia is determined as an active participant of professional community with high level of collaboration, professional development coherent activities and collaborative learning practice. Thus, teacher quality is one of critical factors affecting student outcomes. The article touches upon the issue of the potential to improve…

Modeling Technology Integration for Preservice Teachers: A PT3 Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Leslie

2006-01-01

This case study describes the outcomes of 4 years of professional development funded by a PT3 grant. Participants included general education university faculty members, teacher education faculty members, school administrators, and K-12 teachers. All professional development activities were based on the "National Educational Technology…

Earth Science Content Guidelines Grades K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Geological Inst., Alexandria, VA.

Teams of teachers, other science educators, and scientists selected from a national search for project writers have proposed using the following set of questions to guide the inclusion of earth science content into the kindergarten through grade 12 curriculum. The Essential Questions are organized in a K-12 sequence by six content areas: (1) Solid…

Preparing culturally responsive teachers of science, technology, engineering, and math using the Geophysical Institute Framework for Professional Development in Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry Bertram, Kathryn

2011-12-01

The Geophysical Institute (GI) Framework for Professional Development was designed to prepare culturally responsive teachers of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Professional development programs based on the framework are created for rural Alaskan teachers who instruct diverse classrooms that include indigenous students. This dissertation was written in response to the question, "Under what circumstances is the GI Framework for Professional Development effective in preparing culturally responsive teachers of science, technology, engineering, and math?" Research was conducted on two professional development programs based on the GI Framework: the Arctic Climate Modeling Program (ACMP) and the Science Teacher Education Program (STEP). Both programs were created by backward design to student learning goals aligned with Alaska standards and rooted in principles of indigenous ideology. Both were created with input from Alaska Native cultural knowledge bearers, Arctic scientists, education researchers, school administrators, and master teachers with extensive instructional experience. Both provide integrated instruction reflective of authentic Arctic research practices, and training in diverse methods shown to increase indigenous student STEM engagement. While based on the same framework, these programs were chosen for research because they offer distinctly different training venues for K-12 teachers. STEP offered two-week summer institutes on the UAF campus for more than 175 teachers from 33 Alaska school districts. By contrast, ACMP served 165 teachers from one rural Alaska school district along the Bering Strait. Due to challenges in making professional development opportunities accessible to all teachers in this geographically isolated district, ACMP offered a year-round mix of in-person, long-distance, online, and local training. Discussion centers on a comparison of the strategies used by each program to address GI Framework cornerstones, on

An Analysis of K-12 Teachers' Conceptions of Agriculture Prior to and during Engagement in an Agricultural Literacy Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Shawn M.; Velez, Jonathan J.; Thompson, Gregory W.

2014-01-01

This study examined the K-12 teachers' conceptions of the agriculture industry prior to enrolling in an agricultural literacy program and how their conceptions changed throughout the program. The study used qualitative methods to analyze the data collected from entrance questionnaires, interviews, and reflective journals. Trustworthiness was…

Teacher Design in Teams as a Professional Development Arrangement for Developing Technology Integration Knowledge and Skills of Science Teachers in Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kafyulilo, Ayoub; Fisser, Petra; Voogt, Joke

2016-01-01

This study investigated the impact of teacher design teams as a professional development arrangement for developing technology integration knowledge and skills among in-service science teachers. The study was conducted at a secondary school in Tanzania, where 12 in-service science teachers participated in a workshop about technology integration in…

Learning to Teach Online: A Systematic Review of the Literature on K-12 Teacher Preparation for Teaching Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore-Adams, Brianne L.; Jones, W. Monty; Cohen, Jonathan

2016-01-01

There is a growing need for qualified online instructors to teach the expanding population of online K-12 students. To meet this need, teachers must be provided learning opportunities to acquire the specific types of knowledge and skills necessary to teach online. In this systematic review of the literature, we utilize the TPACK framework to…

School Leaders as Participants in Teachers' Professional Development: The Impact on Teachers' and School Leaders' Professional Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilton, Annette; Hilton, Geoff; Dole, Shelley; Goos, Merrilyn

2015-01-01

Over a two-year period, approximately 70 teachers from 18 schools participated in an on-going professional development program as part of a study to promote the teaching and learning of numeracy. Principals and other school leaders were invited to participate in the professional development program alongside their teachers, which 20 leaders from…

Professional Development Needs of Primary EFL Teachers: Perspectives of Teachers and Teacher Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zein, Mochamad Subhan

2017-01-01

This study investigates the professional development (PD) needs of primary English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers whose professional field has received significant interest at the global level in the past two decades. The study takes a different stance from previous research that exclusively generated data from teachers because it sought the…

The Arctic Climate Modeling Program: K-12 Geoscience Professional Development for Rural Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertram, K. B.

2009-12-01

Helping teachers and students connect with scientists is the heart of the Arctic Climate Modeling Program (ACMP), funded from 2005-09 by the National Science Foundation’s Innovative Technology Experience for Students and Teachers. ACMP offered progressive yearlong science, technology and math (STM) professional development that prepared teachers to train youth in workforce technologies used in Arctic research. ACMP was created for the Bering Strait School District, a geographically isolated area with low standardized test scores, high dropout rates, and poverty. Scientists from around the globe have converged in this region and other areas of the Arctic to observe and measure changes in climate that are significant, accelerating, and unlike any in recorded history. Climate literacy (the ability to understand Earth system science and to make scientifically informed decisions about climate changes) has become essential for this population. Program resources were designed in collaboration with scientists to mimic the processes used to study Arctic climate. Because the Bering Strait School District serves a 98 percent Alaska Native student population, ACMP focused on best practices shown to increase the success of minority students. Significant research indicates that Alaska Native students succeed academically at higher rates when instruction addresses topics of local interest, links education to the students’ physical and cultural environment, uses local knowledge and culture in the curriculum, and incorporates hands-on, inquiry-based lessons in the classroom. A seven-partner consortium of research institutes and Alaska Native corporations created ACMP to help teachers understand their role in nurturing STM talent and motivating students to explore geoscience careers. Research underscores the importance of increasing school emphasis in content areas, such as climate, that facilitate global awareness and civic responsibility, and that foster critical thinking and

Commodification of Teacher Professionalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Werler, Tobias

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the hypothesis that teacher education in European welfare states is commodified due to its governance by neoliberal policy making. The starting point for the analysis is a discussion of the relationship between the welfare state and teacher professionalism. For this purpose, the concept of the ill-defined problem is…

Critical Friends Group for EFL Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vo, Long Thanh; Nguyen, Hoa Thi Mai

2010-01-01

For the best student outcomes, teachers need to engage in continuous professional development. As a result, models of teacher professional development have been developed, among which is the Critical Friends Group (CFG) technique. However, whether it works well with EFL teachers in an Asian context like Vietnam, where EFL teachers in particular do…

Research-infused K-12 Science at the "Uttermost Part of the Earth:" An NSF GK-12 Fellow's Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perry, E.; Ellins, K.; Ormiston, C.; Dovzak, N.; Anderson, S.; Tingle, D.; Knettel, P.; Redding, S.; Odle, K.; Dalziel, I.

2005-12-01

In March 2005, four students and three teachers from Boerne High School in Texas accompanied UTIG GK-12 Co-PIs Katherine Ellins and Ian Dalziel, and NSF GK-12 Fellow Ethan Perry to Tierra del Fuego to join an international team of scientists studying the climate-tectonic history recorded in Lago Fagnano, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. For two weeks, students and teachers engaged in authentic scientific research that included geologic field mapping and reconnaissance, and student/teacher developed water and soils sampling routines. The Lago Fagnano experience enabled: (1) the Boerne High School group to be integrated into an active field research program and to bring tangible experiences, knowledge and high-quality data back to the classroom; (2) participating research scientists to convey the importance of their science to a wider audience; and (3) the NSF GK-12 Fellow to gain valuable experience in communicating the essential scientific knowledge and field skills to high school participants before field deployment. The GK-12 Fellow's bridging role through the course of the project enhanced his scientific understanding of the climate-tectonic setting of Tierra del Fuego, fostered the development of new professional contacts with research scientists and led to a fresh perspective on how research science can be integrated in high school science curriculum. The GK-12 Fellow served as the primary mentor to the K-12 participants and the liaison between UTIG research scientists and the Boerne High School group. The Fellow helped prepare the Boerne group for the field research experience and to design a research project using water and soil analyses to assess chemical and isotopic trends within the lake's watershed. Preparatory activities began three months prior to field deployment and included workshops, classroom visits and teleconferences aimed at teaching field skills (reading and creating geologic maps, compass measurements, GPS, field notebooks) and increasing

The development of integrated service centre system for professional teachers empowerment in North Sumatera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gultom, S.; Simanjorang, M. M.; Muchtar, Z.; Mansyur, A.

2018-03-01

Based on Act number 12 in year 2012 the function of higher education is related to individual, social community, knowledge and technology development. Hence, higher education providers need to think and develop policies in order to improve their service and fulfil the higher education function. As part of the effort to fulfil its function Universitas Negeri Medan (Unimed), which historically was a pre-service teacher training institute, should has a special interest on improving teachers’ professionalism. The Act number 14 in year 2005 described requirements for professional teacher, including academic qualification and set of competencies possessed by the teacher. The Act also guaranties teachers’ right to have opportunities for improving their competencies and academic qualification through training and other professionalism development programme. The question is how this guarantee can be implemented. In order to answer this question a developmental study has been done which aimed on developing an integrated service centre system for professional teachers empowerment. As the name implies, this integrated service centre system is expected to be a real manifestation of Unimed’s support towards the improvement of professional teachers quality, which in the end will boils down to the improvement of national education services quality. The result of this study is an integrated service centre system for professional teachers empowerment that fulfils the professionalism principles described in the Act number 14 in year 2005, which has been developed by considering problems faced by and also supports needed by teachers post certification programme.

Explore-Create-Share Study: An Evaluation of Teachers as Curriculum Innovators in Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Ayora

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a curriculum design-based (CDB) professional development model on K-12 teachers' capacity to integrate engineering education in the classroom. This teacher professional development approach differs from other training programs where teachers learn how to use a standard curriculum and…

Teachers Know Best: Teachers' Views on Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2014

2014-01-01

To gain insights into the roadblocks to implementing effective professional development, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation contracted with the Boston Consulting Group in 2014 to reach more than 1,300 teachers, professional development leaders in district and state education agencies, principals, professional development providers, and…

Kepler Mission IYA Teacher Professional Development Workshops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devore, E. K.; Harman, P.; Gould, A. D.; Koch, D.

2009-12-01

NASA's Kepler Mission conducted six teacher professional development workshops on the search for Earth-size in the habitable zone of Sun-like stars. The Kepler Mission launched in March, 2009. As a part of International Year of Astronomy 2009, this series of one-day workshops were designed and presented for middle and high school teachers, and science center and planetarium educators prior to and after the launch. The professional development workshops were designed using the best practices and principals from the National Science Education Standards and similar documents. Sharing the outcome of our plans, strategies and formative evaluation results can be of use to other Education and Public Outreach practitioners who plan similar trainings. Each event was supported by a Kepler team scientist, two Education & Public Outreach staff and local hosts. The workshops combined a science content lecture and discussion, making models, kinesthetic activities, and interpretation of transit data. The emphasis was on inquiry-based instruction and supported science education standards in grades 7-12. Participants’ kit included an orrery, optical sensor and software to demonstrate transit detection. The workshop plan, teaching strategies, and lessons learned from evaluation will be discussed. Future events are planned. Kepler's Education and Public Outreach program is jointly conducted by the SETI Institute and Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley in close coordination with the Kepler Mission at NASA Ames Research Center. The IYA Kepler Teacher Professional Development workshops were supported by NASA Grants to the E. DeVore, SETI Institute NAG2-6066 Kepler Education and Public Outreach and NNX08BA74G, IYA Kepler Mission Pre-launch Workshops. Teachers participate in human orrery.

Assisting Teachers' Thinking and Participation Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kale, Ugur; Brush, Thomas; Saye, John

2009-01-01

This study examines online messages in a discussion forum that a group of K-12 history teachers used to discuss curriculum implementations as part of their professional development. It has 3 main research foci. First, it focuses on identifying the types of assistances provided to the teachers in an online forum. Second, it examines teachers'…

Assessing professional behaviour: Overcoming teachers' reluctance to fail students.

PubMed

Mak-van der Vossen, Marianne; Peerdeman, Saskia; van Mook, Walther; Croiset, Gerda; Kusurkar, Rashmi

2014-06-17

Developing professional behaviour is an important goal of medical education in which teachers play a significant part. Many teachers can be reluctant to fail students demonstrating unprofessional behaviour. We hypothesize that supporting teachers in teaching and assessing professional behaviour and involving them in remediation will reduce this reluctance. In 2010, VUmc School of Medical Sciences Amsterdam introduced an educational theme on professional behaviour for the bachelor's and master's programmes in medicine with a special emphasis on supporting teachers in teaching and assessing professional behaviour and involving them in the remediation process. Information was extracted from the student database on the number of unprofessional behaviour judgments awarded over 2008-2010 (before the intervention), and 2010-2013 (after introducing the intervention), which was compared. To find out if teachers' reluctance to fail had decreased, qualitative feedback from the teachers was gathered and analysed. Since the implementation of the educational theme, the number of unprofessional behaviour judgments has risen. The teachers are positive about the implemented system of teaching and assessing professional behaviour, and feel less reluctant to award an unsatisfactory professional behaviour judgment. Supporting teachers in teaching and assessing professional behaviour and involving them in students' remediation appears to reduce their reluctance to fail students demonstrating unprofessional behaviour.

Determinants of Teacher Professionalism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Y. L. Jack

1983-01-01

Reports a study of the effect of variables at the personal, school, and district/division level on these aspects of the attitudinal professionalism of 1,205 Manitoba teachers: use of professional organization as major referent, belief in public service, belief in self-regulation, sense of calling to the field, and autonomy. (SB)

Teacher Voice: How Teachers Perceive Evaluations and How Leaders Can Use This Knowledge to Help Teachers Grow Professionally

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, Paul

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine how K-12 public school teachers perceive the use of student performance data in teacher evaluations. The proprietary, utility, feasibility, and accuracy standards created by the Joint Committee on Standards for Education Evaluation served as a framework for the study. An online survey was deployed to a…

An analysis of zoo and aquarium provided teacher professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubarek-Sandor, Joy

Informal science institutions are a significant provider of science teacher professional development. As pressure continues to critically analyze the work of teachers and their effectiveness in the classroom, it is important to understand how informal science institutions contribute to effective change in teacher science content knowledge and pedagogy. This research study analyzed zoo and aquarium provided teacher professional development to respond to the research questions: How do zoos and aquaria determine and assess their goals for teacher professional development? How do these goals align with effective teacher change for science content knowledge and pedagogy? Theoretical frameworks for high quality teacher professional development, effective evaluation of teacher professional development, and learning in informal science settings guided the research. The sample for the study was AZA accredited zoos and aquariums providing teacher professional development (N=107). Data collection consisted of an online questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and content analysis of teacher professional development artifacts. Analysis revealed that by and large zoos and aquariums are lacking in their provision of science teacher professional development. Most professional development focuses on content or resources, neglecting pedagogy. Assessments mismatch the goals and rely heavily on self-report and satisfaction measures. The results demonstrate a marked difference between those zoos and aquariums that are larger in capacity versus those that are medium to small in size. This may be an area of research for the future, as well as analyzing the education resources produced by zoos and aquariums as these were emphasized heavily as a way they serve teachers.

Perspectives on Science Teacher Professional Development: A study of the ASSET Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reeves, Katrina; Miller, Scott; Foster, Andrea

2015-01-01

The Astronomy Summer School of East Texas (ASSET) is a two-year NASA-funded teacher professional development program created to help improve middle and high school science teachers' knowledge of and attitudes toward astronomy. During an intensive summer astronomy course experience, science teachers are taught astronomy concepts and principles through engaging pedagogical techniques. The workshop models hands-on/minds-on teaching strategies that strengthened teachers' own pedagogical content knowledge and ways of teaching astronomy to students.As part of our second year of ASSET, participants were observed and interviewed before, during and after the workshop experience to ascertain their perspectives on their own professional development and understanding of astronomy. Interview data, participant observations, surveys, and artifact data (journaling, one-minute papers, etc...) were analyzed and three broad themes emerged regarding the significance of the ASSET experience on teacher enhancement of content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and the significance of teacher professional development communities in teaching and learning science. We will discuss the major implications of our observations and outline what tools and techniques can be best implemented as part of professional development workshops such as ASSET.This project is supported by the NASA Science Mission Directorate Education and Public Outreach for Earth and Space Science (EPOESS), which is part of the Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES), Grant Number NNX12AH11G.

Second Career Teachers and (Mis)Recognitions of Professional Identities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Ann

2016-01-01

Since the late 1980s there has been an increase of "second career teachers" (SCTs), professionals that switch careers to become teachers. Little is known about SCTs and their sense of professional identity. Building from Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of power and cultural capital, the professional identities of teachers were examined…

The Investigation of Teachers' Metaphoric Perceptions about Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yurtseven, Nihal

2017-01-01

Professional development is an ongoing process in which teachers review their teaching practices and learn how to respond to their students' needs. To make the professional development process more effective, we need to define the identity of a teacher correctly and clarify the perspective about teachers' professional development. The purpose of…

Improving Young English Learners' Language and Literacy Skills through Teacher Professional Development: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babinski, Leslie M.; Amendum, Steven J.; Knotek, Steven E.; Sánchez, Marta; Malone, Patrick

2018-01-01

Using a randomized controlled trial, we tested a new teacher professional development program for increasing the language and literacy skills of young Latino English learners with 45 teachers and 105 students in 12 elementary schools. School-based teams randomly assigned to the intervention received professional development focused on cultural…

Investing in K-12 Technology Equipment: Strategies for State Policymakers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Good, Dixie Griffin

This report examines decisions regarding investments in K-12 technology. The first section presents an overview of technology in K-12 public schools, including a sampling of how technology is being used to further education goals for teachers, students, and administrators. The second section establishes a set of figures that indicate the current…

Preparing "Professional" Science Teachers: Critical Goals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dass, Pradeep Maxwell

This paper focuses on pre-service teacher education and elaborates on the critical importance of three attributes to the development of professional science teachers: (1) science teachers must be reflective practitioners of their profession; (2) all instructional practice and decisions of science teachers must be backed by a research-based…

Perception of Teacher Education and Professional Identity among Novice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ezer, Hanna; Gilat, Izhak; Sagee, Rachel

2010-01-01

This study examines student teachers' perceptions of teacher education and its contribution to their professional life, when they become novice teachers during their internship period. The sample comprised 97 student teachers in their fourth year of studies for a BEd degree. Data were collected through questionnaires which included both a…

What Does Professional Rank Mean to Teachers? A Survey of the Multiple Impacts of Professional Rank on Urban and Rural Compulsory Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuyou, Qin; Wenjing, Zeng

2018-01-01

Professional rank is an important indicator of the professional capacity of compulsory education teachers. A rational professional rank evaluation system plays an important role in mobilizing the enthusiasm of teachers, improving the overall quality of teachers, and promoting the development of education. Based on stratified random sample data…

Supporting Climate Literacy in the K12 Classroom by Identifying Educators' Perceived Barriers to and Gaps in Resources for Teaching Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tayne, K.

2015-12-01

As K12 teachers seek ways to provide meaningful learning opportunities for students to understand climate change, they often face barriers to teaching about climate and/or lack relevant resources on the topic. In an effort to better understand how to support K12 teachers in this role, a survey about "teaching climate change" was created and distributed. The results of the 2015 survey are presented, based on more than 200 teacher responses. Respondents included National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) members, 2015 STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Fellows and science teachers from several U.S. school districts. The survey identifies teachers' perceived barriers to teaching climate change, for example difficulty integrating climate change concepts into specific core courses (i.e., biology), as well as desired classroom resources, such as climate change project-based learning (PBL) units that connect to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Survey results also indicate possible pathways for federal agencies, non-profits, universities and other organizations to have a more significant impact on climate literacy in the classroom. In response to the survey results, a comprehensive guide is being created to teach climate change in K12 classrooms, addressing barriers and providing resources for teachers. For example, in the survey, some teachers indicated that they lacked confidence in their content knowledge and understanding of climate change, so this guide provides web-based resources to help further an educator's understanding of climate change, as well as opportunities for relevant online and in-person professional development. In this quest for desired resources to teach climate change, gaps in accessible and available online resources are being identified. Information about these "gaps" may help organizations that strive to support climate literacy in the classroom better serve teachers.

Vocational Teacher Professional Development. Practice Application Brief No. 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Bettina Lankard

Teacher shortages, new technologies, and vocational certification demands are directing attention to the need for professional development of vocational education (VE) teachers. VE teachers can use various strategies to enhance their performance and effectiveness through professional development. Worksite experiences give VE teachers opportunities…

Teachers Talking about Writing Assessment: Valuable Professional Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Lesley

2007-01-01

This article argues that the engagement of teachers in collaborative discussions about assessment can provide a fruitful context for valuable professional learning. It is of interest to those who provide Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for teachers and teachers themselves. It looks particularly at the value of writing…

Examining Mathematics Mentor Teachers' Practices in Professional Development Courses on Teaching Data Analysis: Implications for Mentor Teachers' Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuzle, Ana; Biehler, Rolf

2015-01-01

In this paper, we report on the training practices of 12 mathematics mentor teachers who developed and implemented five short professional development courses after participating in a 5-month continuous professional development course "Competence-oriented teaching and learning of data analysis." The intention of this course was to deepen…

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…

Exemplary Programs Supporting Teacher Professional Development in the U.S.A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Passow, Michael J.

2015-04-01

By Law, there is no national curriculum in the U.S.A., so each State sets its own regulations for teacher certification and professional development. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS, http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards) provide guidelines for teacher training and curriculum development in Earth Science, Life Science, and the physical sciences (chemistry and biology). Presented here are examples of effective programs designed to support in-service Earth Science teachers, especially at the middle school and high school level (grades 6 - 12, ages 12 - 18). The Earth2Class Workshops for Teachers at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University (E2C) provides monthly gatherings of research scientists and teachers to learn about cutting-edge investigations in a wide variety of fields, and develop lesson plans to share these discoveries. The E2C website, www.earth2class.org/site, also provides a wide variety of educational resources used by teachers and students to learn about the planet. The National Earth Science Teachers Association (www.nestanet.org) is the largest professional society focused on pre-college Earth Science education. Together with its partner, Windows to the Universe (www.windows2universe.org), NESTA offers workshops and other programs at national and regional teacher conferences, a quarterly journal designed for classroom use, monthly E-Newsletters, and one of the largest collection of web resources in education. For more than twenty years, the American Meteorological Society has trained teachers across the country through its online courses: DataStreme Weather, DataStreme Ocean, and DataStreme Earth's Climate System (www.ametsoc.org/amsedu). Informal science education institutions also provide strong in-person and web-based professional development programs. Among these are the American Museum of Natural History's "Seminars on Science" (http://www.amnh.org/learn/) and many programs for educators

Beyond the Four Walls: Teacher Professionalism in Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, Diane

In the spring of 1986 the United Federation of Teachers and the Edwin Gould Foundation for Children embarked on a six-month study, visiting schools and talking with staff about what comprises and influences teacher professionalism. This booklet presents nine case studies that illustrate teacher professionalism in actual New York City public school…

Applying Constructionist Principles to Online Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostashewski, Nathaniel; Moisey, Susan; Reid, Doug

2011-01-01

This report explores the first iteration of a teacher professional development courselet grounded in constructionist theory and activities. This online teacher professional development (oTPD) courselet provided opportunities for teachers to engage in just-in-time, ongoing TPD within a social networking site for educators. The topic of the oTPD was…

Inquiry identity and science teacher professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryce, Nadine; Wilmes, Sara E. D.; Bellino, Marissa

2016-06-01

An effective inquiry-oriented science teacher possesses more than the skills of teaching through investigation. They must address philosophies, and ways of interacting as a member of a group of educators who value and practice science through inquiry. Professional development opportunities can support inquiry identity development, but most often they address teaching practices from limited cognitive perspectives, leaving unexplored the shifts in identity that may accompany teachers along their journey in becoming skilled in inquiry-oriented instruction. In this forum article, we envision Victoria Deneroff's argument that "professional development could be designed to facilitate reflexive transformation of identity within professional learning environments" (2013, p. 33). Instructional coaching, cogenerative dialogues, and online professional communities are discussed as ways to promote inquiry identity formation and collaboration in ways that empower and deepen science teachers' conversations related to personal and professional efficacy in the service of improved science teaching and learning.

Contextualizing Teacher Professionalism: Findings from a Cross-Case Analysis of Union Active Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osmond-Johnson, Pamela

2016-01-01

This paper draws on data collected as part of a study of the discourses of teacher professionalism amongst union active teachers in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Ontario. Interviews revealed a triad of influences on the professionalism discourses of participants: engagement in teacher associations, the larger policy environment, and…

Science Professional Learning Communities: Beyond a singular view of teacher professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, M. Gail; Gardner, Grant E.; Robertson, Laura; Robert, Sarah

2013-07-01

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are frequently being used as a vehicle to transform science education. This study explored elementary teachers' perceptions about the impact of participating in a science PLC on their own professional development. With the use of The Science Professional Learning Communities Survey and a semi-structured interview protocol, elementary teachers' perceptions of the goals of science PLCs, the constraints and benefits of participation in PLCs, and reported differences in the impact of PLC participation on novice and experienced teachers were examined. Sixty-five elementary teachers who participated in a science PLC were surveyed about their experiences, and a subsample of 16 teachers was interviewed. Results showed that most of the teachers reported their science PLC emphasized sharing ideas with other teachers as well as working to improve students' science standardized test scores. Teachers noted that the PLCs had impacted their science assessment practices as well as their lesson planning. However, a majority of the participants reported a differential impact of PLCs depending on a teacher's level of experience. PLCs were reported as being more beneficial to new teachers than experienced teachers. The interview results demonstrated that there were often competing goals and in some cases a loss of autonomy in planning science lessons. A significant concern was the impact of problematic interpersonal relationships and communication styles on the group functioning. The role of the PLC in addressing issues related to obtaining science resources and enhancing science content knowledge for elementary science teachers is discussed.

Best Practices of Online Professional Development for K-12 Teachers: A Quantitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smirniotis-Giambatista, Cynthia

2017-01-01

Online flipped professional development allows direct instruction to take place through an interactive learning setting and allows the face-to-face contact to provide guidance and apply the concept. As technology advances, education needs instruments and tools used for effectively teaching using the enhanced technology to increase student…

Connecting Research to Teaching: Professional Communities: Teachers Supporting Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adajian, Lisa Byrd

1996-01-01

Reviews research on importance of strong professional communities for supporting reform. National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education (NCRMSE) found significant correlation between teachers' professional community and reformed mathematics instruction. Urban Mathematics Collaboratives (UMC), Quantitative Understanding: Amplifying…

Networked Teacher Professional Development: The Case of Globaloria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitehouse, Pamela

2011-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore a teacher professional development program embedded in a networked learning environment, and to offer an emerging model and analytic matrix of 21st century teacher professional development. The Globaloria program is based on theories of learning by design and facilitates teachers and students as they create…

Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Scientific Argumentation: The Impact of Professional Development on K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNeill, Katherine L.; Knight, Amanda M.

2013-01-01

One of the hallmarks of science and science education is the production of new knowledge about the natural world through objective argument and critique. Teachers' understanding of scientific argumentation impacts how they incorporate this important scientific practice into science classrooms. This study examined how three professional…

Evaluation of a District-wide Inservice Professional Development Program for Teaching Science: Challenges Faced and Lessons Learned.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dass, Pradeep Maxwell

1999-01-01

Nationwide dissemination of the Iowa Chautauqua Model for inservice professional development of K-12 science teachers has led to new professional development programs in many states. Discusses a formative evaluation of the implementation of the Collier Chautauqua Program (CCP) which focuses on teacher enhancement resulting from participation in…

Successes of a new NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET): Water-Energy Education for the Next Generation (WE2NG) Empowers K-12 Educators to Train Our Future Scientists to Solve Critical STEM Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaine, A. C.; Martin, A. C.; Hogue, T. S.

2016-12-01

Colorado School of Mines (CSM) recently kicked-off a three year K-12 teacher training program with an inaugural six-week summer Research Experience for Teachers (RET). The WE2NG, or Water-Energy Education for the Next Generation program, hosted nine Colorado public school teachers, giving them content and tools to enhance curricula and STEM topics in the classroom. WE2NG is an NSF (National Science Foundation) RET program that seeks to advance public knowledge and dialogue on the water-energy nexus through integration of teachers, and ultimately their students, by infusing standards-based, active-learning lessons with cutting-edge research in the water-energy nexus. The teachers' experience begins with a six week summer program at CSM that consists of different activities collectively integrated to give participants a holistic understanding of STEM research from inception to actualization. Three days a week, the participants focus on integration into a mentor faculty's research projects concerning water and/or energy. During the other two days, participants benefit from research presentations and lab tours from participating faculty, technical workshops on interdisciplinary topics, interaction with industry via field trips and speakers, and professional collaborative STEM curriculum development training. However, the teachers' experience does not end with the summer program; WE2NG also establishes long-term collaborative relationships with the summer participants by providing classroom support throughout the academic year. Graduate and undergraduate students from CSM Centers on campus are paired with the teachers to provide significant, sustained support and act as liaisons throughout the academic year. This presentation will highlight successes and lessons learned during the first year of the program, including a summary of how collaboration between K-12 teachers, Mines faculty and industry leaders can radically impact STEM education in Colorado.

The Effects of Professional Development Schools: A Literature Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pritchard, Flynn; Ancess, Jacqueline

This paper reviews research on the impact of Professional Development Schools (PDSs) on K-12 students, preservice teachers, inservice teachers, university faculty, school reform, and research. Section 1 examines what the research says about the impact of PDSs on these groups, using data from the ERIC database, and it discusses external support for…

Professional development for science teachers.

PubMed

Wilson, Suzanne M

2013-04-19

The Next Generation Science Standards will require large-scale professional development (PD) for all science teachers. Existing research on effective teacher PD suggests factors that are associated with substantial changes in teacher knowledge and practice, as well as students' science achievement. But the complexity of the U.S. educational system continues to thwart the search for a straightforward answer to the question of how to support teachers. Interventions that take a systemic approach to reform hold promise for improving PD effectiveness.

Using a Wiki in a Scientist-Teacher Professional Learning Community: Impact on Teacher Perception Changes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hye Jeong; Miller, Heather R.; Herbert, Bruce; Pedersen, Susan; Loving, Cathy

2012-01-01

In this study, a wiki was integrated into a professional development model that systemically addresses early-career teachers' needs. This study was conducted to examine the impact of wiki-based professional development activities in a scientist-teacher professional learning community and focused on early-career teachers' perceptions of the role of…

Teacher Social Capital and Student Achievement: Impact of a Cyber-Enabled Teacher Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Wei

2012-01-01

This is an evaluative research study of a NSF-funded, DRK-12 cyber-enabled teacher professional development program in elementary engineering education. The finding shows the significant impact of the program on students' science and engineering knowledge in the second year of the program's implementation. However, student learning gain…

Master Teachers as Professional Developers: Managing Conflicting Versions of Professionalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montecinos, Carmen; Pino, Mauricio; Campos-Martinez, Javier; Domínguez, Rosario; Carreño, Claudia

2014-01-01

As education's main workforce, teachers have been the target of policies designed to shape and affirm new versions of professionalism. This paper examines this issue as it is exemplified by the Teachers of Teachers Network (TTN), a program developed by Chile's Ministry of Education. As a program designed to identify and reward high quality…

Teacher Activist Organizations and the Development of Professional Agency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, Rand; Carl, Nicole Mittenfelner

2015-01-01

Teacher professional agency refers to the ability of teachers to control their work within structural constraints. In this paper, we show how teacher activist organizations can assist in the development of professional agency. We focus on a teacher activist organization in a large urban district in the United States and identify three…

Using Doubly Latent Multilevel Analysis to Elucidate Relationships between Science Teachers' Professional Knowledge and Students' Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahler, Daniela; Großschedl, Jörg; Harms, Ute

2017-01-01

Teachers make a difference for the outcome of their students in science classrooms. One focus in this context lies on teachers' professional knowledge. We describe this knowledge according to three domains, namely (1) content knowledge (CK), (2) pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and (3) curricular knowledge (CuK). We hypothesise a positive…

The Factors that Affect Science Teachers' Participation in Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roux, Judi Ann

Scientific literacy for our students and the possibilities for careers available in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas are important topics for economic growth as well as global competitiveness. The achievement of students in science learning is dependent upon the science teachers' effectiveness and experienced science teachers depend upon relevant professional development experiences to support their learning. In order to understand how to improve student learning in science, the learning of science teachers must also be understood. Previous research studies on teacher professional development have been conducted in other states, but Minnesota science teachers comprised a new and different population from those previously studied. The purpose of this two-phase mixed methods study was to identify the current types of professional development in which experienced, Minnesota secondary science teachers participated and the factors that affect their participation in professional development activities. The mixed-methods approach s utilized an initial online survey followed by qualitative interviews with five survey respondents. The results of the quantitative survey and the qualitative interviews indicated the quality of professional development experiences and the factors which affected the science teachers' participation in professional development activities. The supporting and inhibiting factors involved the availability of resources such as time and money, external relationships with school administrators, teacher colleagues, and family members, and personal intrinsic attributes such as desires to learn and help students. This study also describes implications for science teachers, school administrators, policymakers, and professional development providers. Recommendations for future research include the following areas: relationships between and among intrinsic and extrinsic factors, science-related professional development activities

Teacher Professional Development that Makes an Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borrego, H.; Ellins, K. K.

2012-12-01

Through four years of participation in the TeXas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution, an NSF-sponsored teacher professional development project, my knowledge of earth science and new pedagogical approaches has improved dramatically. In addition, I have received instructional materials, and learned how to access high quality online resources and use a variety of web-based tools. As a consequence, I have developed the confidence to use the TXESS model to deliver earth science professional development that makes an impact to other teachers in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas. In this session, I will share my experiences as an earth science professional development provider and describe how I have used my own learning to help both teachers and students become more earth science literate. Earth science test scores at the elementary and secondary level throughout South Texas are consistently low in comparison to other regional areas in the state. The majority of the teachers lack the content-knowledge, confidence, or experience to teach earth science. My background as teacher combined with the TXESS Revolution experience helped me to understand the needs of these teachers and to identify teaching resources that would be useful to them. Using educational resources provided by the TXESS Revolution I have offered professional development topics such as Energy, Geologic Time and Stratigraphy, Water and the Cryosphere, Plate Tectonics, and Climate to about 125 South Texas elementary and middle school teachers. These trainings have helped improve the content knowledge of South Texas teachers and given them tools that they can use to guide student learning through authentic scientific research. In addition to providing professional development to teachers, I have been recruited to serve as the representative of the Offshore Energy Center for South Texas. This curriculum complements the TXESS Revolution educational resources by expanding the Energy education

BiteScis: Connecting K-12 teachers with science graduate students to produce lesson plans on modern science research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battersby, Cara

2016-01-01

Many students graduate high school having never learned about the process and people behind modern science research. The BiteScis program addresses this gap by providing easily implemented lesson plans that incorporate the whos, whats, and hows of today's scienctific discoveries. We bring together practicing scientists (motivated graduate students from the selective communicating science conference, ComSciCon) with K-12 science teachers to produce, review, and disseminate K-12 lesson plans based on modern science research. These lesson plans vary in topic from environmental science to neurobiology to astrophysics, and involve a range of activities from laboratory exercises to art projects, debates, or group discussion. An integral component of the program is a series of short, "bite-size" articles on modern science research written for K-12 students. The "bite-size" articles and lesson plans will be made freely available online in an easily searchable web interface that includes association with a variety of curriculum standards. This ongoing program is in its first year with about 15 lesson plans produced to date.

Investigating Rural Teachers' Professional Development, Instructional Knowledge, and Classroom Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glover, Todd A.; Nugent, Gwen C.; Chumney, Frances L.; Ihlo, Tanya; Shapiro, Edward S.; Guard, Kirra; Koziol, Natalie; Bovaird, Jim

2016-01-01

Teachers Speak was a national survey study designed to investigate the characteristics of rural elementary school teachers' existing professional development; differences in professional development practices between rural and non-rural settings; and the potential influence of professional development characteristics on rural teachers' knowledge,…

Autobiographical Reflections for Teacher Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Tat Heung

2013-01-01

This article is based on the principle that teacher development is a life-long process when seeking to develop professional competencies. With the changing views of teacher education as background, the benefits to teachers associated with practice-oriented knowledge are predicated on a measure of empowerment through narration, self-expression and…

Foreign Language Teachers' Professional Development in Information Age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Xiying; Wu, Gang

Cultivation of students' learning autonomy has raised new challenges to teachers' professional development, dynamic, continuous, lifelong full-scale development, with emphasis on the creativity and constancy of the teachers' quality development. The teachers' professional development can take the following approaches: studying theories about foreign language teaching with the aid of modern information technology; organizing online teaching research activities supported by information technology and carrying peer observation and dialogue -teaching reflection in internet environment and fostering scholarly teachers.

Teacher Professionalism: The Wrong Conversation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulter, David; Orme, Liz

2000-01-01

Defining teachers as professionals in the same way that doctors or engineers are professionals is reductionist because such definition generally distorts the moral dimensions of teaching by using the wrong language (clients, customers), focusing on limited forms of knowledge, and ignoring the fundamental democratic character of education.…

Do less effective teachers choose professional development does it matter?

PubMed

Barrett, Nathan; Butler, J S; Toma, Eugenia F

2012-10-01

In an ongoing effort to improve teacher quality, most states require continuing education or professional development for their in-service teachers. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of various professional development programs have assumed a normal distribution of quality of teachers participating in the programs. Because participation in many professional development programs is either targeted or voluntary, this article suggests past evaluations of the effectiveness of professional development may be subject to selection bias and policy recommendations may be premature. This article presents an empirical framework for evaluating professional development programs where treatment is potentially nonrandom, and explicitly accounts for the teacher's prior effectiveness in the classroom as a factor that may influence participation in professional development. This article controls for the influence of selection bias on professional development outcomes by generating a matched sample based on propensity scores and then estimating the program's effect. In applying this framework to the professional development program examined in this article, less effective teachers are found to be more likely to participate in the program, and correcting for this selection leads to different conclusions regarding the program's effectiveness than when ignoring teacher selection patterns.

K-12 Students Flock To ToxTown In San Diego: Results of an SOT K-12 Education Outreach Workshop

EPA Science Inventory

Just prior to the start of the 2015 Annual Meeting in San Diego, hundreds of K-12 students, teachers, and science enthusiasts visited the ToxTown booth at the annual San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering grand finale event, EXPO Day. Over 20,000 attendees participated in ...

Providing Affordable, Community-Based Tutorial Services for K-8 Students Utilizing Master Teachers as Mentors to Preservice Education Majors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Mary Kathryn

The preservice teacher education practicum described in this practicum paper sought to provide affordable, convenient reading tutorial services for K-8 children. Participants were mentor teachers, preservice teachers, and students from the community. A twilight school was established that provided professional development opportunites for teachers…

Assessment of Clinical Teachers' Professionalism in Iran: From Residents and Fellowships' Perspective.

PubMed

Garshasbi, Sima; Bahador, Hamidollah; Fakhraei, Nahid; Farbod, Abolfazl; Mohammadi, Maryam; Ahmady, Soleiman; Emami Razavi, Seyed Hassan

2017-01-01

In the present study, professional conduct of clinical teachers in Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran was assessed by their residents (n=292) and fellowships (n=48) using a standard questioner called self-reported measurement equipment. This evaluation was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Professionalism was questioned in four domains including clinical teacher-patient, clinical teacher-student, inter-professional and clinical teacher-self relationships. Accordingly, mean scores of the teachers in cases of clinical teacher-patient; clinical teacher-student, inter-professional (teamwork) and clinical teacher-self relations were 61%, 62.2%, 60.6% and 57.6%, respectively. Generally, the teachers achieved 60.35% of the positive scores, and as a result, they were assessed intermediate in the professional behaviors. The residents and fellowships stated that they were not completely satisfied with their teacher's professional conduct and had hidden concerns. It shows that the clinical teachers in our project may not be ideal role models. As a result, developing a comprehensive professionalism and implementing regulations to ensure a successful professionalism are necessary. The precise evaluation of professional conduct in clinical faculty could encourage the maintenance of professional behaviors and potentially decrease negative role modeling and positively influence the hidden curriculums. Operational approaches to formulating regulations and appropriate measures for establishing professional ethics are of great importance.

Teachers Teaching Teachers: The Belen Goals 2000 Professional Development Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norton, Priscilla; Sprague, Debra

Belen Public Schools (New Mexico) received a Goals 2000 grant for teacher education and technology integration. The Belen Goals 2000 professional development project established two three-day teachers-teaching-teachers workshops. The first focused on using an integrated software package and the second focused on using e-mail and the Internet.…

Personal, Professional Coaching: Transforming Professional Development for Teacher and Administrative Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patti, Janet; Holzer, Allison A.; Stern, Robin; Brackett, Marc A.

2012-01-01

This article makes the case for a different approach to the professional development of teachers and school leaders called personal, professional coaching (PPC). Personal, professional coaching is grounded in reflective practices that cultivate self-awareness, emotion management, social awareness, and relationship management. Findings from two…

Teaching Motivations, Characteristics and Professional Growth: Results from the Great Expectations (GE) Programme in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomson, Margareta Maria; Turner, Jeannine

2015-01-01

This present study sought to explore reasons given by K-12 teachers about their motivation to remain in teaching, their motivation for engaging in professional development, and characteristics of their teaching. Participants (N = 151) were public teachers of different grade levels from the USA enrolled in a one-week professional development…

Uncovering a Hidden Professional Agenda for Teacher Educators: A Mixed Method Study on Flemish Teacher Educators and Their Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tack, Hanne; Valcke, Martin; Rots, Isabel; Struyven, Katrien; Vanderlinde, Ruben

2018-01-01

Taking into account the pressing need to understand more about what teacher educators' professional development characterises, this article adopts a mixed method approach to explore Flemish (Dutch-speaking part of Belgium) teacher educators' professional development needs and opportunities. Analysis results of a large-scale survey study with 611…

A Design Framework for Online Teacher Professional Development Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Katrina Yan

2012-01-01

This paper provides a design framework for building online teacher professional development communities for preservice and inservice teachers. The framework is based on a comprehensive literature review on the latest technology and epistemology of online community and teacher professional development, comprising four major design factors and three…

Measuring the Professional Identity of Hong Kong In-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheung, Hoi Yan

2008-01-01

A teacher professional identity scale was developed for Hong Kong in-service teachers to measure the professional identity of teachers. Most studies of professional identity have been qualitative. The present study tried to examine this important concept using a quantitative method. Based on various studies, one of the ways of understanding the…

Accountability or Authenticity? The Alignment of Professional Development and Teacher Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Su, Yahui; Feng, Liyia; Hsu, Chang-Hui

2017-01-01

The alignment of professional development and teacher evaluation has been a growing concern in teacher professional development practices. The issue of how teacher evaluation can help authentic professional development is important in that teachers only learn what is real, useful and valuable to them. Based on our reflections on current…

Enriching K-12 Science and Mathematics Education Using LEGOs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Keeshan; Igel, Irina; Poveda, Ronald; Kapila, Vikram; Iskander, Magued

2012-01-01

This paper presents a series of illustrative LEGO Mindstorms-based science and math activities, developed under an NSF GK-12 Fellows project, for elementary, middle, and high school grades. The activities, developed by engineering and science graduate Fellows in partnership with K-12 teachers, are grade appropriate, address pertinent learning…

Integration of Geospatial Technologies into K-12 Curriculum: An Investigation of Teacher and Student Perceptions and Student Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Donna L.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore outcomes of a GIS/GPS integration process: to (a) examine student responses to GIS and GPS inclusion in their curriculum, (b) determine whether a relationship exists between inclusion of GIS into existing K-12 curriculum and student achievement, (c) examine the effectiveness of GIS professional development…

MOOCs for Teacher Professional Development: Reflections, and Suggested Actions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Misra, Pradeep Kumar

2018-01-01

Teacher Professional Development (TPD) has become a major policy priority within education systems worldwide. But keeping teachers professionally up-to-date and providing them professional development opportunities on continuing basis is a big challenge. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) can be a cost and resource effective means to complement…

Codification and Validation of Professional Development Questionnaire of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayyoobi, Fatemah; Pourshafei, Hadi; Asgari, Ali

2016-01-01

Teacher in the educational system and the teaching-learning process, as a main leading should need to knowledge and professional skills. Therefore, evaluation of professional development is important. This study aims to design and modify Construction and Validation of professional development questionnaire of teachers. This research based on…

Professionally Present--Highlighting the Temporal Aspect of Teachers' Professional Judgment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frelin, Anneli

2014-01-01

Novice teachers need to develop their professional judgment. Teaching is performed in the face of imperfect, complex but above all continuously emergent situations. These matters have not received adequate attention in theories relating to professional judgment and professionality in teaching or in the contemporary discourse of education policy.…

Segments and Stutters: Early Years Teachers and Becoming-Professional

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fairchild, Nikki

2017-01-01

There has been extensive research and analysis of the professionalization of early childhood educators/teachers. The recent promotion of a teacher-led workforce in England has further focused discussions on the modelling of early years teachers as professionals. In this article, the author develops an alternative analysis using the concepts of…

The impact of telecommunications on science teacher professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatton, Mary E.

National education reform places emphasis on teachers moving towards empowering themselves and accepting responsibility for their own professional growth. Successful teacher in-service programs foster professional development by providing support in the school context (Baird, Ellis and Kuerbis, 1989; Lieberman, 1990). Research on national reform indicates that many teachers rely on communities of networks to sustain the assistance they need (McLaughlin & Talbert, 1993). Communities of teachers develop relationships with one another to enhance their personal and professional development while collaborating with colleagues (Lieberman, 1990). However, teachers within a school or the same district rarely have opportunities for collegial interactions because of schedules, lack of support for such interactions, or lack of interest among colleagues. This research study evaluates teachers interacting as a community via the Internet. Internet technology overcomes geographic barriers and time constraints, which limit the effectiveness of professional development programs (Gal, 1993). The communication opportunities in a network, together with the coordination of program staff, create an environment that provides teachers with support following a summer program (Gal, 1993). This case study examines the structure and change in three groups of science teachers who attended summer institutes and maintained interactions through a commercial network. The activities and interactions among members in the group, and the ways in which the members interacted with one another to create a community were studied. The network provided opportunities to interact with colleagues, both privately and publicly. Dialogue from these interactions were analyzed to determine patterns of teacher discourse that evolved following an in-service program. Teachers requested support for using program materials, shared experiences, shared resources, interacted socially, and reflected on their practice. This

Enabling Adaptive System Leadership: Teachers Leading Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boylan, Mark

2018-01-01

Internationally, there is increasing emphasis on teacher leadership of professional development. This provides opportunities for teachers to initiate and facilitate professional learning activities beyond their own schools. There is a need for theoretical tools to analyse their leadership activity and how to support it. Constructs from complexity…

BIOINFORMATICS IN THE K-8 CLASSROOM: DESIGNING INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHER IMPLEMENTATION

PubMed Central

Shuster, Michele; Claussen, Kira; Locke, Melly; Glazewski, Krista

2016-01-01

At the intersection of biology and computer science is the growing field of bioinformatics—the analysis of complex datasets of biological relevance. Despite the increasing importance of bioinformatics and associated practical applications, these are not standard topics in elementary and middle school classrooms. We report on a pilot project and its evolution to support implementation of bioinformatics-based activities in elementary and middle school classrooms. Specifically, we ultimately designed a multi-day summer teacher professional development workshop, in which teachers design innovative classroom activities. By focusing on teachers, our design leverages enhanced teacher knowledge and confidence to integrate innovative instructional materials into K-8 classrooms and contributes to capacity building in STEM instruction. PMID:27429860

Overcoming Constraints of Building Successful Partnerships Incorporating STEM Research Into K-12 Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radencic, S.; McNeal, K. S.; Pierce, D.; Hare, D.

2011-12-01

The Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education (INSPIRE) program at Mississippi State University (MSU), funded by the NSF Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education (GK12) program, focuses on the advancement of Earth and Space science education in K-12 classrooms. INSPIRE is currently in its second year of partnering ten graduate students from the STEM fields of Geosciences, Engineering and Chemistry at MSU with five teachers from local, rural school districts. The five year project serves to increase inquiry and technology experiences in science and math while enhancing graduate student's communication skills as they create interactive lessons linking their STEM research focus to the state and national standards covered in the classrooms. Each graduate student is responsible for the development of two lessons each month of the school year that are then published on the INSPIRE project webpage, www.gk12.msstate.edu, where they are a free resource for any K-12 classroom teacher seeking innovative activities for their classrooms. Many of the participating teachers and graduate students share activities developed with non-participating teachers, expanding INSPIRE's outreach throughout the local community. Numerous challenges were met during the formation of the program as well as throughout the first year in which the project management team worked together to find solutions ensuring that INSPIRE maintained successful partnerships for all involved. Proposed solutions of the following key components were identified by INSPIRE through the development, implementation, and continuous evaluation (internal and external) of the first year of the program as areas that can pose challenges to the construction of strong relationships between STEM research and K-12 classrooms: initializing the partnerships with the K-12 classrooms and STEM graduate fields at the university; maintaining strong partnerships; providing appropriate training and support; developing sound

TVET Teacher Professionalism in Leadership Personality Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muhammad, Siti Nur Hidayah; Jaafar, Siti Norain

2015-01-01

This study aims to look at the professionalism of teachers in Technical and Vocational Education and their role as teachers. Applying leadership personality drove to the skills of the teachers. Therefore, this article is important in helping the teachers TVET build basic knowledge with respect to the leadership personality who should be planted…

Professional and Creative Development of Natural Geographic Course Teachers within the Process of Professional Retraining

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samigullina, Galina Savelevna; Gilmanchina, Syriya Irekovna; Gaisin, Ilgisar Timergalievich; Gilmanshin, Iskander Rafailevich; Rafailevna, Akchurina Ilsia

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to analyse the professional and creative development of natural geographic course teachers of the Republic of Tatarstan in the process of professional retraining. The method for work performing is a retrospective analysis of professional retraining of natural geographic course teachers within the higher professional…

STEM professional volunteers in K-12 competition programs: Educator practices and impact on pedagogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zintgraff, Alfred Clifton

This mixed methods dissertation study explored how secondary school educators in specific K-12 competition programs recruited and deployed STEM professional volunteers. The study explored which practices were viewed as most important, and how practices related to constructivist pedagogy, all from the viewpoint of educators. The non-positivist approach sought new knowledge without pursuing generalized results. Review of the literature uncovered extensive anecdotal information about current practices, and suggested that large investments are made in engaging volunteers. One National Science Foundation-sponsored study was identified, and its recommendations for a sustained research agenda were advanced. Three study phases were performed, one to explore practices and operationalize definitions, a second to rate practice's importance and their relation to pedagogy, and a third to seek explanations. Educators preferred recruiting local, meaning recruiting parents and former students, versus from industry or other employers. Most educators preferred volunteers with mentoring skills, and placing them in direct contact with students, versus deploying volunteers to help with behind-the-scenes tasks supporting the educator. Relationships were identified between the highest-rated practices and constructivism in programs. In STEM professional volunteers, educators see affordances, in the same way a classroom tool opens affordances. A model is proposed which shows educators considering practicality, pedagogy, knowledge and skills, and rapport when accessing the affordances opened by STEM professional volunteers. Benefits are maximized when programs align with strong industry clusters in the community.

SENDIT: North Dakota's K-12 Telecommunications Network.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sackman, Gleason

SENDIT is a telecommunications network for North Dakota educators and students in the K-12 environment. Through SENDIT, both teachers and students have access to the Internet, and some of the isolation associated with the rurality of North Dakota has been diminished. SENDIT was developed by the North Dakota State University School of Education and…

Professional identity and pedagogical discontentment in high school science teachers participating in a professional development institute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hathcock, Stephanie J.

Although science teachers regularly participate in PD experiences involving reform-based practices, even our best teachers struggle to change their teaching practices to coincide with these pedagogics, and when they do change, it occurs at differential rates. The aim of this study was to better understand teachers' self-systems by analyzing their experiences in a PD institute program through the lens of professional identity. This multiple case study involved five high school science teachers participating in a summer PD initiative. Data were collected through interviews, written reflections and exploration and commitment cards, and a scale designed to capture participants' perceived level of pedagogical discontentment, or unease with teaching practices (Southerland, et al., 2012). Data were analyzed using the Theoretical Model of Professional Identity (Kaplan, et al., 2012), which highlights the dynamic interplay of teachers' self-perceptions, beliefs, purposes, and practices. Data were also analyzed for pedagogical discontentment, and the two were compared. Analysis led to patterns of change in professional identities, triggers for changes to professional identities, insights into perceptions of pedagogical discontentment, and ultimately, the potential relationship between professional identity and pedagogical discontentment. The model of professional identity served to capture teachers' experience of the PD, including tensions that arose as they began to explore portions of their professional identity. Pedagogical discontentment served to assist in better problematizing portions of the participants' professional identities, and assisted in identifying tensions and potential changes in less elaborative interviewees. However, the professional identity model was better able to capture the underlying causes of discontentment and planning associated with alleviating discontent. These emergent models can provide conceptual tools for future use, as well as guide

Evaluating a 5 year climate change research teacher professional development program in Southern Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buck, P.; Rudd, L.; McAlister, J.; Bonde, A.

2013-12-01

We present results of a 5 yr NSF funded project, part of Nevada ';s Climate Change Research Education and Outreach EPSCoR award. Goals of the K-12 portion of the project included: a replicable professional development model of K-12 climate change science education for Nevada and other institutions; strengthened relationships between secondary school teachers and NSHE climate change researchers; and greater teacher pedagogical content knowledge in climate change science and greater confidence in ability to teach effectively. Two overarching research questions formed the foundation of our teacher professional development program: 1) How will climate change affect Nevada's baseline water resources (groundwater and surface water) and linked ecosystem services? 2) How will climate change affect natural and anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., wildland fires, invasive species, and insect outbreaks)? All teachers participated in at least one (2-week long) summer institute and academic year follow up focused on one of two overarching research questions forming the basis of the award assisted by a disciplinary graduate student . An on-line class (ENV 794) was a 3 credit graduate credit bearing class from UNLV based on the fundamentals of climate change science was available free to participating teachers. A supplemental program in the final award year was added following advisory board recommendations to develop a cohort or "learning community" approach at an interested high school. The 'About Climate Change' Integrated Curriculum spans several subject areas and cuts across national standards for STEM English and Social Studies; a 2-week unit developed by Clark HS teachers for their classes. Our teachers increased their content knowledge about climate change science. This is indicated in student evaluations of the on-line course ENV 794, and in the summer institute post test of content knowledge which included about 25 questions. There was improvement for our one focus

Teacher Perspectives on Literacy and Mathematics Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Christie; Polly, Drew; Mraz, Maryann; Algozzine, Robert

2018-01-01

This study examines teacher's perspectives of the most beneficial professional development they have participated in over the last three years in the content areas of literacy and mathematics. It also investigates teachers views on how professional development influences student learning. Specifically, this study is grounded in the following…

Reforming Professional Development: Focusing on Teachers' Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leach, Laura M.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this position paper was to study professional development, specifically looking at teachers' practices. After problems with a recent charter renewal for a small charter school and conversations with teachers and administration, professional development arose as an area that needed improvement. A model for professional…

Lesson Study as Professional Development within Secondary Physics Teacher Professional Learning Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Tonya Monique Nicki

Two Professional Learning Communities of physics teachers from different high schools voluntarily participated in Lesson Study as a means of professional development. The five teacher-participants and one participant-researcher partook of two Lesson Study cycles, each of which focused on student physics misconceptions. The Lesson Study resulted in two topics of physics: projectiles and gravitation. The researcher aimed to determine what happens to secondary physics teachers who undergo Lesson Study through this phenomenological case study. Specifically, (1) What is the process of Lesson Study with secondary physics teachers? and (2) What are the teacher-reported outcomes of Lesson Study with secondary physics teachers? Overall, Lesson Study provided an avenue for secondary physics teachers to conduct inquiry on their students in an attempt to better understand student thinking and learning. As a result, teachers collaborated to learn how to better meet the needs of their students and self-reported growth in many areas of teaching and teacher knowledge. The study resulted in twelve hypotheses to be tested in later research centering on idealizing the process of Lesson Study and maximizing secondary physics teacher growth.

Enabling/Disabling English Teachers' Identities as Innovative Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kempe, Elspeth; Reed, Yvonne

2014-01-01

In the extensive literature on teacher professional development, very little attention has been paid to the role of post-graduate study groups, or to the role of on-going professional conversations, in constituting and sustaining teachers' identities as innovative professionals. The purpose of this article is to suggest that on-going…

Project BioEYES: Accessible Student-Driven Science for K-12 Students and Teachers.

PubMed

Shuda, Jamie R; Butler, Valerie G; Vary, Robert; Farber, Steven A

2016-11-01

BioEYES, a nonprofit outreach program using zebrafish to excite and educate K-12 students about science and how to think and act like scientists, has been integrated into hundreds of under-resourced schools since 2002. During the week-long experiments, students raise zebrafish embryos to learn principles of development and genetics. We have analyzed 19,463 participating students' pre- and post-tests within the program to examine their learning growth and attitude changes towards science. We found that at all grade levels, BioEYES effectively increased students' content knowledge and produced favorable shifts in students' attitudes about science. These outcomes were especially pronounced in younger students. Having served over 100,000 students, we find that our method for providing student-centered experiences and developing long-term partnerships with teachers is essential for the growth and sustainability of outreach and school collaborations.

Factor Analysis of Teacher Professional Development in Chinese Military Medical Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yue, Juan-Juan; Chen, Gang; Wang, Zhen-Wei; Liu, Wei-Dong

2017-01-01

Background and purpose: Teacher professional development potentially enhances teachers' professional morale, knowledge, skills and autonomy, which helps improve the quality of education. The military medical university is an important medical education institution in China; however, studies of teacher professional development within military…

Where Can We Find Future K-12 Science and Math Teachers? A Search by Academic Year, Discipline, and Academic Performance Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moin, Laura J.; Dorfield, Jennifer K.; Schunn, Christian D.

2005-01-01

Responding to the increasing math and science teacher shortage in the United States, this study intended to determine which science, engineering, and math (SEM) majors during which years in their undergraduate education and from which academic performance levels are most interested in K-12 teaching. Results may aid policymakers and practitioners…

Beyond Performativity: A Pragmatic Model of Teacher Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Margaret; Davis, James P.

2018-01-01

The intent and content of teacher professional learning has changed in recent times to meet the demands of performativity. In this article, we offer and demonstrate a pragmatic way to map teacher professional learning that both meets current demands and secures a place for teacher-led catalytic learning. To achieve this, we position identified…

Impact of a Scientist-Teacher Collaborative Model on Students, Teachers, and Scientists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shein, Paichi Pat; Tsai, Chun-Yen

2015-01-01

Collaborations between the K-12 teachers and higher education or professional scientists have become a widespread approach to science education reform. Educational funding and efforts have been invested to establish these cross-institutional collaborations in many countries. Since 2006, Taiwan initiated the High Scope Program, a high school…

Newly Qualified Teachers' Professional Digital Competence: Implications for Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gudmundsdottir, Greta Björk; Hatlevik, Ove Edvard

2018-01-01

The professional digital competence (PDC) of teachers is of growing importance in classrooms, now that digital resources and digital media are becoming important parts of teachers' everyday practice. This study explores how newly qualified teachers are prepared to use information and communication technology (ICT) in their initial teacher…

Measuring the utility of the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) Academy Measurement Tool in assessing the development of K-8 STEM academies as professional learning communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irish, Teresa J.

The aim of this study was to provide insights addressing national concerns in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education by examining how a set of six perimeter urban K-12 schools were transformed into STEM-focused professional learning communities (PLC). The concept of a STEM Academy as a STEM-focused PLC emphasizes the development of a STEM culture where professional discourse and teaching are focused on STEM learning. The STEM Academies examined used the STEM Academy Measurement Tool and Rubric (Tool) as a catalyst for discussion and change. This Tool was developed with input from stakeholders and used for school-wide initiatives, teacher professional development and K-12 student engagement to improve STEM teaching and learning. Two primary goals of this study were to assess the levels of awareness and use of the tool by all stakeholders involved in the project and to determine how the Tool assisted in the development and advancement of these schools as STEM PLCs. Data from the STEM Academy Participant Survey was analyzed to determine stakeholders' perceptions of the Tool in terms of (i) how aware stakeholders were of the Tool, (ii) whether they participated in the use of the Tool, (iii) how the characteristics of PLCs were perceived in their schools, and finally (iv) how the awareness of the Tool influenced teachers' perceptions of the presence of PLC characteristics. Findings indicate that school faculty were aware of the Tool on a number of different levels and evidence exists that the use of the Tool assisted in the development of STEM Academies, however impact varied from school to school. Implications of this study suggest that the survey should be used for a longer period of time to gain more in-depth knowledge on teachers' perceptions of the Tool as a catalyst across time. Additional findings indicate that the process for using the Tool should be ongoing and involve the stakeholders to have the greatest impact on school culture

Applications of Video-Conferencing Technology in Special Education Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Israel, Maya; Knowlton, Earle; Griswold, Deborah; Rowland, Amber

2009-01-01

Teacher educators must find ways to teach course content situated within realistic K-12 contexts so that their preservice teachers can better understand how to apply that content effectively in situations they will face as professionals. Video-conferencing (VC) technology has emerged as a useful tool in teacher education, evincing a wide range of…

Increasing participation in the Earth sciences through engagement of K-12 educators in Earth system science analysis, inquiry and problem- based learning and teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burrell, S.

2012-12-01

Given low course enrollment in geoscience courses, retention in undergraduate geoscience courses, and granting of BA and advanced degrees in the Earth sciences an effective strategy to increase participation in this field is necessary. In response, as K-12 education is a conduit to college education and the future workforce, Earth science education at the K-12 level was targeted with the development of teacher professional development around Earth system science, inquiry and problem-based learning. An NSF, NOAA and NASA funded effort through the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies led to the development of the Earth System Science Educational Alliance (ESSEA) and dissemination of interdisciplinary Earth science content modules accessible to the public and educators. These modules formed the basis for two teacher workshops, two graduate level courses for in-service teachers and two university course for undergraduate teacher candidates. Data from all three models will be presented with emphasis on the teacher workshop. Essential components of the workshop model include: teaching and modeling Earth system science analysis; teacher development of interdisciplinary, problem-based academic units for implementation in the classroom; teacher collaboration; daily workshop evaluations; classroom observations; follow-up collaborative meetings/think tanks; and the building of an on-line professional community for continued communication and exchange of best practices. Preliminary data indicate increased understanding of Earth system science, proficiency with Earth system science analysis, and renewed interest in innovative delivery of content amongst teachers. Teacher-participants reported increased student engagement in learning with the implementation of problem-based investigations in Earth science and Earth system science thinking in the classroom, however, increased enthusiasm of the teacher acted as a contributing factor. Teacher feedback on open

In the Round: Supporting Teachers' Authentic Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strand, Matt

2013-01-01

This is a study of teachers' authentic professional learning at a public school in Poudre School District in northern Colorado. At Polaris Expeditionary Learning School, teachers and administrators have developed a form of school-based instructional rounds referred to herein as PLC rounds (professional learning community rounds). In PLC rounds,…

Teachers' Beliefs about Using a Professional Development Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janssen, Sandra; Kreijns, Karel; Bastiaens, Theo J.; Stijnen, Sjef; Vermeulen, Marjan

2013-01-01

Professional development plans (PDPs) have recently been introduced in Dutch schools to support teachers' professional development. However, teachers' beliefs regarding the use of PDPs have not been systematically researched, whereas research on the use of PDPs indicates that the implementation is not always successful and depends on how use is…

Combining Marriage and Career: The Professional Adjustment of Marital Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizvi, Afroz Haider

2016-01-01

In the paper, the researcher attempted to assess Professional Adjustment status and level of teachers according to their marital status on a sample of 792 teachers. Teachers have been classified into two categories viz. married and unmarried. To evaluate the status of professional adjustment of teachers, a tool viz. "Manual on Teachers…

The Impact of a "Framework"-Aligned Science Professional Development Program on Literacy and Mathematics Achievement of K-3 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paprzycki, Peter; Tuttle, Nicole; Czerniak, Charlene M.; Molitor, Scott; Kadervaek, Joan; Mendenhall, Robert

2017-01-01

This study investigates the effect of a Framework-aligned professional development program at the PreK-3 level. The NSF funded program integrated science with literacy and mathematics learning and provided teacher professional development, along with materials and programming for parents to encourage science investigations and discourse around…

Persisters versus Nonpersisters: Characteristics of Teachers Who Stay in a Professional Development Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Jennifer L.; Green, Kathy E.

This study evaluated differences between persisters and nonpersisters in a 3-year teacher development program. Participants were K-12 teachers from a large school district with both urban and suburban schools. They were part of a grant to help teachers implement state content standards through cognitive coaching, nonverbal classroom management,…

Using Blogs to Support Reflection in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Leigh A.

2018-01-01

The use of blogging as an instructional practice has the potential to reshape teacher education. The purpose of this year-long project was to examine how blogging worked to support inservice K through 12 literacy teachers' professional development. I found that the blogging that occurred in this study demonstrated that, without support, teachers…

Empowering Teachers: The Influence of Transformational Leadership in Christian Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirika, John Irungu

2011-01-01

The object of this study was to investigate transformational leadership in Christian schools. The study investigated the perception of empowerment of K-12 Christian school teachers and its influence on organizational and professional commitment and job satisfaction. It explored correlations between teacher empowerment and selected demographic…

Turning into Teachers before Our Eyes: The Development of Professional Identity through Professional Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mantei, Jessica; Kervin, Lisa

2011-01-01

This paper examines the development of professional identity in early career teachers enrolled in an "add-on year" of an undergraduate teacher education degree. Through a series of readings focused on reflection and pedagogy, participants engaged in professional dialogue as they made connections between the themes in their professional…

Head Start Classroom Teachers' and Assistant Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Development Using a Learn Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nasser, Ilham; Kidd, Julie K.; Burns, M. Susan; Campbell, Trina

2015-01-01

This study investigates early childhood education teachers' and assistant teachers' views about a year-long professional development model that focuses on developing intentional teaching. The study shares the results of interviews conducted with the teachers at the end of the implementation of a one-year experimental professional model in Head…

Relational Dynamics in Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finkelstein, Carla

2013-01-01

Teacher professional development (PD) is considered essential to improving student achievement toward high standards. I argue that while current notions of high quality PD foreground cognitive aspects of learning, they undertheorize the influence of relational dynamics in teacher learning interactions. That is, current conceptions of high quality…

Measuring Characteristics of Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soine, Karen M.; Lumpe, Andrew

2014-01-01

The primary purpose of the study was to create and psychometrically test an instrument which measured teachers' perceptions of characteristics of professional development. The sample consisted of elementary teachers from five school districts in Washington State participating in a district improvement initiative. Results of exploratory factor…

Teachers' Professional Lives and Continuing Professional Development in Changing Times

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Sylvia Yee Fan; Choi, Pik Lin

2009-01-01

This paper presents a qualitative study about how teachers entering the profession at different times over the last five decades made sense of their professional lives and continuing professional development (CPD) experiences against the backdrop of the CPD policy infrastructure and wider educational context in Hong Kong. The life history method…

West Bloomfield Schools Social Studies Curriculum K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morse, James E.; And Others

The curriculum guide outlines behavioral objectives, learning activities, evaluation methods, and resources to help K-12 classroom teachers develop and implement social studies programs. Major objectives are to extend knowledge, develop skills to make effective use of this knowledge, and to facilitate the socialization process. The first section…

Sensing as an Ethical Dimension of Teacher Professionality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edling, Silvia; Frelin, Anneli

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to theoretically discuss how teacher professionality, as an aspect of teacher professionalism, can be understood in relation to the notion of sensing within the "ethics of alterity" and the "ethics of dissensus," both of which express a desire to contest the various forms of violence in society.…

The Viability of Online Education for Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Vivienne B.

2010-01-01

Information technology is influencing continuing education for K-12 administrators and in-service teachers, especially with regard to asynchronous education for professional development. Implementation of instructional technology applications has required a major restructuring of the learning environment. The restructuring has included the use of…

Examining the Relationship between Teacher Leadership Culture and Teacher Professionalism: Quantitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parlar, Hanifi; Cansoy, Ramazan; Kilinç, Ali Çagatay

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between schools' levels of having teacher leadership culture and teachers' professional behaviors. A total of 254 teachers working in primary and secondary schools located in Üsküdar district of Istanbul province participated in the study. The "Teacher Leadership Culture Scale" and…

Learning Outcomes of Teacher Professional Development Activities: A Meta-Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thurlings, Marieke; den Brok, Perry

2017-01-01

Former literature reviews suggested that if (student) teachers learn together in their professional development activities, professional development is enhanced. In the present literature review, we explored a variety of peer teacher professional development activities, conceptually divided into coaching, collaborating, and assessing activities.…

Investigation of Strategies to Promote Effective Teacher Professional Development Experiences in Earth Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engelmann, Carol A.

2014-01-01

This dissertation serves as a call to geoscientists to share responsibility with K-12 educators for increasing Earth science literacy. When partnerships are created among K-12 educators and geoscientists, the synergy created can promote Earth science literacy in students, teachers, and the broader community. The research described here resulted in…

Quality professional development for secondary science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mchazlett, Dwight Henry, Jr.

This record of study (ROS) explores the perceptions of three high school biology teachers who implemented a form of the Japanese originated Lesson Study Professional Development (LS PD) model. Additionally, this ROS reports on the perceptions of the internal stakeholders with regard to the model's viability as a potential solution to a proposed problem of practice where there was a lack of quality professional development for secondary biology teachers. The audience of internal stakeholders includes district administrators, high school teachers, and science teachers from the elementary and middle school grade levels. Participants of this study collaboratively explored the problem of practice in the fall semester of 2015, then implemented the LS PD model in the spring semester. The participants completed three cycles of LS that focused on collaboratively designing research-based lessons, teaching the lessons with peer observations, revising and re-teaching the lessons with peer observations, and reflecting on the participants' growth experiences. Four research questions were addressed: (a) What are the perceptions of the participants in regard to their own professional growth as a result of participating in the LS initiative? (b) What improvements to the LS PD model might facilitate future implementation? and (c) What are the perceptions of the LS dissemination audience toward LS as a viable solution to a lack of quality PD for secondary biology teachers? Results of the study suggested that LS PD may be a viable solution to the proposed problem of practice where there is a lack of quality professional development for secondary biology teachers. Long-term implications posit that LS PD can be adapted and scaled up to benefit all content areas and grade levels.