Space Science News: from archive to teaching resource, the secret life of newspapers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClune, Billy; Jarman, Ruth

2004-03-01

This article illustrates the use of newspapers as a resource for teaching and learning about science. Science teachers in Northern Ireland have produced a special edition news magazine, Space Science News, to support the teaching and learning of aspects of space science in secondary school. The resource is based on authentic newspaper articles and was developed in partnership with a local newspaper and with the support of the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC). Articles have been grouped into curriculum-related 'themes' and are accompanied by a range of classroom activities designed to support learning in this area, to develop literacy skills and to promote awareness of media- and citizenship-related issues.

Teaching Triple Science: GCSE Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Learning and Skills Network (NJ3), 2007

2007-01-01

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

Why Implementing History and Philosophy in School Science Education Is a Challenge: An Analysis of Obstacles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hottecke, Dietmar; Silva, Cibelle Celestino

2011-01-01

Teaching and learning with history and philosophy of science (HPS) has been, and continues to be, supported by science educators. While science education standards documents in many countries also stress the importance of teaching and learning with HPS, the approach still suffers from ineffective implementation in school science teaching. In order…

The implementation of equitable teaching strategies by high school biology student teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scantlebury, Kate; Butler Kahle, Jane

Teachers can perpetuate stereotypic cultural beliefs regarding girls' ability in, aptitude for, and suitability for science by their teaching practices and behaviors. As teachers have a major influence on girls' career choices their equitable teaching practices in the classroom are important to encourage all students, but especially girls, to continue with science. Researchers have studied science classrooms and have defined common strategies and practices that can help create an equitable classroom environment. The purpose of this study was to determine if high school biology student teachers could transfer learned equitable teaching strategies to actual teaching and the support conditions necessary for that transfer. Two support conditions were assessed: cooperating teacher and peer group support. Seven preservice teachers were placed into three groups. One group had both support conditions, the second group had only one condition (peer support), and the third group did not have either support condition. Both qualitative and quantitative data sources were collected. Results showed that preservice teachers could transfer learned equitable teaching into actual teaching practice. However, they were more successful in achieving the transfer if they were supervised by cooperating teachers who are sensitized to the issue of gender equity in education. Being involved in a peer support group was not as crucial to using the strategies as having a supportive cooperative teacher.

Capturing and portraying science student teachers' pedagogical content knowledge through CoRe construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thongnoppakun, Warangkana; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is an essential kind of knowledge that teacher have for teaching particular content to particular students for enhance students' understanding, therefore, teachers with adequate PCK can give content to their students in an understandable way rather than transfer subject matter knowledge to learner. This study explored science student teachers' PCK for teaching science using Content representation base methodology. Research participants were 68 4th year science student teachers from department of General Science, faculty of Education, Phuket Rajabhat University. PCK conceptualization for teaching science by Magnusson et al. (1999) was applied as a theoretical framework in this study. In this study, Content representation (CoRe) by Loughran et al. (2004) was employed as research methodology in the lesson preparation process. In addition, CoRe consisted of eight questions (CoRe prompts) that designed to elicit and portray teacher's PCK for teaching science. Data were collected from science student teachers' CoRes design for teaching a given topic and student grade. Science student teachers asked to create CoRes design for teaching in topic `Motion in one direction' for 7th grade student and further class discussion. Science student teachers mostly created a same group of science concepts according to subunits of school science textbook rather than planned and arranged content to support students' understanding. Furthermore, they described about the effect of student's prior knowledge and learning difficulties such as students' knowledge of Scalar and Vector quantity; and calculating skill. These responses portrayed science student teacher's knowledge of students' understanding of science and their content knowledge. However, they still have inadequate knowledge of instructional strategies and activities for enhance student learning. In summary, CoRes design can represented holistic overviews of science student teachers' PCK related to the teaching of a particular topic and also support them to gain more understanding about how to teach for understanding. Research implications are given for teacher education and educational research to offer a potential way to enhance science student teachers' PCK for teaching science and support their professional learning.

Developing Interpretive Power in Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2016-01-01

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

Supporting Beginning Teacher Planning and Enactment of Investigation-based Science Discussions: The Design and Use of Tools within Practice-based Teacher Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kademian, Sylvie M.

Current reform efforts prioritize science instruction that provides opportunities for students to engage in productive talk about scientific phenomena. Given the challenges teachers face enacting instruction that integrates science practices and science content, beginning teachers need support to develop the knowledge and teaching practices required to teach reform-oriented science lessons. Practice-based teacher education shows potential for supporting beginning teachers while they are learning to teach in this way. However, little is known about how beginning elementary teachers draw upon the types of support and tools associated with practice-based teacher education to learn to successfully enact this type of instruction. This dissertation addresses this gap by investigating how a practice-based science methods course using a suite of teacher educator-provided tools can support beginning teachers' planning and enactment of investigation-based science lessons. Using qualitative case study methodologies, this study drew on video-records, lesson plans, class assignments, and surveys from one cohort of 22 pre-service teachers (called interns in this study) enrolled in a year-long elementary education master of the arts and teaching certification program. Six focal interns were also interviewed at multiple time-points during the methods course. Similarities existed across the types of tools and teaching practices interns used most frequently to plan and enact investigation-based discussions. For the focal interns, use of four synergistic teaching practices throughout the lesson enactments (including consideration of students' initial ideas; use of open-ended questions to elicit, extend, and challenge ideas; connecting across students' ideas and the disciplinary core ideas; and use of a representation to organize and highlight students' ideas) appeared to lead to increased opportunities for students to share their ideas and engage in data analysis, argumentation and explanation construction. Student opportunities to engage in practices that prioritize scientific discourse also occurred when interns were using dialogic voice and the tools designed to foster development of teacher knowledge for facilitating investigation-based science discussions. However, several intern characteristics likely moderated or mediated intern use of tools, dialogic voice, and productive teaching practices to capitalize on student contributions. These characteristics included intern knowledge of the science content and practices and initial beliefs about science teaching. Missed opportunities to use a combination of several teaching practices and tools designed to foster the development of knowledge for science teaching resulted in fewer opportunities for students to engage in data analysis, argumentation based on evidence, and construction of scientific explanations. These findings highlight the potential of teacher-educator provided tools for supporting beginning teachers in learning to facilitate investigation-based discussions that capitalize on student contributions. These findings also help the field conceptualize how beginning teachers use tools and teaching practices to plan and enact investigation-based science lessons, and how intern characteristics relate to tool use and planned and enacted lessons. By analyzing the investigation-based science lessons holistically, this study begins to unpack the complexities of facilitating investigation-based discussions including the interplay between intern characteristics and tool use, and the ways intern engagement in synergistic teaching practices provide opportunities for students to engage in data analysis, explanation construction, and argumentation. This study also describes methodological implications for this type of whole-lesson analysis and comments on the need for further research investigating beginning teachers' use of tools over time. Finally, I propose the need for iterative design of scaffolds to further support beginning teacher facilitation of investigation-based science lessons.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenny, John Daniel

2012-01-01

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

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelton, Mythianne

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

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillies, Robyn M.; Nichols, Kim

2015-01-01

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

The Departmental Script as an Ongoing Conversation into the Phronesis of Teaching Science as Inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melville, Wayne; Campbell, Todd; Fazio, Xavier; Bartley, Anthony

2012-12-01

This article investigates the extent to which a science department script supports the teaching and learning of science as inquiry and how this script is translated into individual teachers' classrooms. This study was completed at one school in Canada which, since 2000, has developed a departmental script supportive of teaching and learning of science as inquiry. Through a mixed-method strategy, multiple data sources were drawn together to inform a cohesive narrative about scripts, science departments, and individual classrooms. Results of the study reveal three important findings: (1) the departmental script is not an artefact, but instead is an ongoing conversation into the episteme, techne and phronesis of science teaching; (2) the consistently reformed teaching practices that were observed lead us to believe that a departmental script has the capacity to enhance the teaching of science as inquiry; and, (3) the existence of a departmental script does not mean that teaching will be `standardized' in the bureaucratic sense of the word. Our findings indicate that a departmental script can be considered to concurrently operate as an epistemic script that is translated consistently across the classes, and a social script that was more open to interpretation within individual teachers' classrooms.

Investigating the Self-Perceived Science Teaching Needs of Local Elementary Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carver, Cynthia G.

Elementary teachers in one school system have expressed low self-efficacy teaching science and desire more support teaching science. However, little research has been conducted on how best to meet these teachers' needs. The theories of perceived self-efficacy, social cognition, and behaviorism make up the conceptual framework of this study. The focus of this qualitative project study was on the needs of local elementary educators. These teachers were asked what they felt they needed most to be more effective science educators. The methodology of phenomenology was used in this study in which local elementary teachers were questioned in focus groups regarding their own science teaching efficacy and perceived needs. Using inductive analysis, data were coded for links to discussion questions as well as any additional patterns that emerged. Findings indicated that local elementary teachers desire improved communication among administrators and teachers as well as better science content support and training. Focus group participants agreed that teacher self-efficacy affects the time spent, effort toward, and quality of elementary science education. Using the results of the study, a science mentor program was developed to support the needs of elementary teachers and increase teacher self-efficacy, thus improving local elementary science education. Implications for positive social change include the development and support of elementary science programs in other school systems with the goal of improving science education for elementary students.

Computer Simulations to Support Science Instruction and Learning: A Critical Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smetana, Lara Kathleen; Bell, Randy L.

2012-01-01

Researchers have explored the effectiveness of computer simulations for supporting science teaching and learning during the past four decades. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive, critical review of the literature on the impact of computer simulations on science teaching and learning, with the goal of summarizing what is…

Learning by doing? Prospective elementary teachers' developing understandings of scientific inquiry and science teaching and learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haefner, Leigh Ann; Zembal-Saul, Carla

This study examined prospective elementary teachers' learning about scientific inquiry in the context of an innovative life science course. Research questions included: (1) What do prospective elementary teachers learn about scientific inquiry within the context of the course? and (2) In what ways do their experiences engaging in science investigations and teaching inquiry-oriented science influence prospective elementary teachers' understanding of science and science learning and teaching? Eleven prospective elementary teachers participated in this qualitative, multi-participant case study. Constant comparative analysis strategies attempted to build abstractions and explanations across participants around the constructs of the study. Findings suggest that engaging in scientific inquiry supported the development more appropriate understandings of science and scientific inquiry, and that prospective teachers became more accepting of approaches to teaching science that encourage children's questions about science phenomena. Implications include careful consideration of learning experiences crafted for prospective elementary teachers to support the development of robust subject matter knowledge.

Preparing graduate student teaching assistants in the sciences: An intensive workshop focused on active learning.

PubMed

Roden, Julie A; Jakob, Susanne; Roehrig, Casey; Brenner, Tamara J

2018-03-12

In the past ten years, increasing evidence has demonstrated that scientific teaching and active learning improve student retention and learning gains in the sciences. Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), who play an important role in undergraduate education at many universities, require training in these methods to encourage implementation, long-term adoption, and advocacy. Here, we describe the design and evaluation of a two-day training workshop for first-year GTAs in the life sciences. This workshop combines instruction in current research and theory supporting teaching science through active learning as well as opportunities for participants to practice teaching and receive feedback from peers and mentors. Postworkshop assessments indicated that GTA participants' knowledge of key topics increased during the workshop. In follow-up evaluations, participants reported that the workshop helped them prepare for teaching. This workshop design can easily be adapted to a wide range of science disciplines. Overall, the workshop prepares graduate students to engage, include, and support undergraduates from a variety of backgrounds when teaching in the sciences. © 2018 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2018. © 2018 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Background experiences, time allocation, time on teaching and perceived support of early-career college science faculty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagendorf, Kenneth S.

The purposes of this research were to create an inventory of the research, teaching and service background experiences of and to document the time allocation and time spent on teaching by early-career college science faculty members. This project is presented as three distinct papers. Thirty early-career faculty in the science disciplines from sixteen different institutions in their first year of employment participated in this study. For the first two papers, a new survey was developed asking participants to choose which experiences they had acquired prior to taking their current faculty position and asking them to document their time allocation and time spent on teaching activities in an average work week. In addition, a third component documents the support early-career college faculty in the sciences are receiving from the perspective of faculty members and their respective department chairpersons and identifies areas of disagreement between these two different groups. Twenty early-career college science faculty and their respective department chairpersons completed a newly-designed survey regarding the support offered to new faculty. The survey addressed the areas of feedback on performance, clarity of tenure requirements, mentoring, support for teaching and scholarship and balancing faculty life. This dissertation presents the results from these surveys, accounting for different demographic variables such as science discipline, gender and institutional category.

Quality Teaching in Science: an Emergent Conceptual Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordens, J. Zoe; Zepke, Nick

2017-09-01

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

Design of Personalized Blended Learning Environments Based on Web-Assisted Modelling in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çetinkaya, Murat

2016-01-01

Positive results of science teaching studies supported with the means provided by technology require the enrichment of the content of blended learning environments to provide more benefits. Within this context, it is thought that preparing a web-assisted model-based teaching, which is frequently used in science teaching, based on the "Matter…

The Role of Research on Science Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Teachers Association (NJ1), 2010

2010-01-01

Research on science teaching and learning plays an important role in improving science literacy, a goal called for in the National Science Education Standards (NRC 1996) and supported by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA 2003). NSTA promotes a research agenda that is focused on the goal of enhancing student learning through effective…

The Teaching Challenge: Science, Engineering and the Knowledge Economy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dowling, Patrick

2001-01-01

Presents the presidential address delivered to the Association for Science Education (ASE) at its annual meeting held at the University of Surrey, January 2001. Consists of three sections: (1) science and engineering and the knowledge economy; (2) teaching challenge and the role of science teachers; and (3) partnerships to support science,…

Determining discourses: Constraints and resources influencing early career science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grindstaff, Kelly E.

This study explores the thinking and practices of five early-career teachers of grades eight to ten science, in relation to their histories, schools, students, and larger cultural and political forces. All the teachers are young women, two in their fourth year of teaching, who teach together in an affluent suburb, along with one first-year teacher. The other two are first-year teachers who teach in an urban setting. All of these teachers most closely associated good science teaching with forming relationships with students. They filtered science content through a lens of relevance (mostly to everyday life) and interest for students. Thus they filtered science content through a commitment to serving students, which makes sense since I argue that the primary motivations for teaching had more to do with working with students and helping people than the disciplines of science. Thus, within the discourse of the supremacy of curriculum and the prevalence of testing, these teachers enact hybrid practices which focus on covering content -- to help ensure the success of students -- and on relevance and interest, which has more to do with teaching styles and personality than disciplines of science. Ideas of good teaching are not very focused on science, which contradicts the type of support they seek and utilize around science content. This presents a challenge to pre- and in-service education and support to question what student success means, what concern for students entails and how to connect caring and concern for students with science.

Teachers' perceptions on primary science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kijkuakul, Sirinapa

2018-01-01

This qualitative research aimed to review what primary teachers think about how to teach science in rural school contexts. Three primary schools in Thailand were purposively chosen for this study. Eleven primary science teachers of these schools were the research participants. Questionnaires, interviews, and observations were implemented to reveal the primary school teachers' educational backgrounds, science teaching context, and need for self-driven professional development. Content and discourse analysis indicated that the non-science educational background and the science teaching context implied a need for self-driven professional development. The non-science educational background teachers were generally unfamiliar with the current national science curriculum, and that they would not be comfortable when the researcher observed their science teaching practice. They also believed that experimentation was the only one strategy for teaching science, and that the priority for their teaching support was teaching media rather than their understanding of scientific concepts or teaching strategies. As implication of this research, subsequent developments on science teacher profession in rural context, therefore, need to promote teachers' understandings of nature of science and technological and pedagogical content knowledge. In addition, they should be challenged to practice on critically participatory action research for academic growth and professional learning community.

Que es la Ciencia? What Is Science? A Question for All Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spurlin, Quincy; Blanco, George

This teacher's guide offers classroom techniques for teaching science to bilingual elementary students. Recommendations are made for improving teaching by: lowering students' affective filters; providing comprehensible input; providing for language output; creating a supportive environment; adjusting classroom teaching style; teaching…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wishart, Jocelyn

2017-01-01

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

Affording Explicit-Reflective Science Teaching by Using an Educative Teachers' Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Shu-Fen; Lieu, Sang-Chong; Chen, Sufen; Huang, Mao-Tsai; Chang, Wen-Hua

2012-01-01

Although researchers have achieved some success in effective nature of science (NOS) teaching, helping teachers teach NOS continues to be a great challenge. The development of an educative teachers' guide would provide support for NOS teaching. In this study, we explored the effects that a research-based guide had on affording elementary school…

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

PubMed

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

2010-01-01

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

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

PubMed Central

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

2010-01-01

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

Teaching with Visuals in the Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Michelle

2012-01-01

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

Why Teach Science with an Interdisciplinary Approach: History, Trends, and Conceptual Frameworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

You, Hye Sun

2017-01-01

This study aims to describe the history of interdisciplinary education and the current trends and to elucidate the conceptual framework and values that support interdisciplinary science teaching. Many science educators have perceived the necessity for a crucial paradigm shift towards interdisciplinary learning as shown in science standards.…

Coaching to Build Support for Inquiry-Based Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bransfield, Paula; Holt, Patrice; Nastasi, Patricia

2007-01-01

In teaching science today, the emphasis is on inquiry-based pedagogies, with the expectation that students in the science classroom will be exposed to the theories and practices of scientists in the science community. However, for many science teachers, implementing inquiry in the classroom is a daunting task. In the traditional classroom setting,…

A Truth-Based Epistemological Framework for Supporting Teachers in Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zinyeka, Gracious; Onwu, Gilbert O.M.; Braun, Max

2016-01-01

Integrating indigenous knowledge (IK) into school science teaching is one way of maximising the socio-cultural relevance of science education for enhanced learners' performance. The epistemological differences however between the nature of science (NOS) and nature of indigenous knowledge (NOIK) constitute a major challenge for an inclusive…

Self Reflections of Undergraduate Students on Using Web-Supported Counterintuitive Science Demonstrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, David Devraj; Dunn, Jessica

2018-03-01

Analysis of self-reflections of undergraduate education students in a project involving web-supported counterintuitive science demonstrations is reported in this paper. Participating students (N = 19) taught science with counterintuitive demonstrations in local elementary school classrooms and used web-based resources accessed via wireless USB adapters. Student reflections to seven questions were analyzed qualitatively using four components of reflection (meeting objectives/perception of learning, dynamics of pedagogy, special needs accommodations, improving teaching) deriving 27 initial data categories and 12 emergent themes. Overall the undergraduates reported meeting objectives, engaging students in pedagogically relevant learning tasks including, providing accommodations to students with special needs, and gaining practice and insight to improve their own teaching. Additional research is needed to arrive at generalizable findings concerning teaching with web-supported counterintuitive science demonstrations in elementary classrooms.

Views from the Chalkface. Values of Teaching Nature of Science in Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Zhi Hong; Wong, Siu Ling

2016-12-01

Although the goal of developing school students' understanding of nature of science (NOS) has long been advocated, there is still a lack of research that focuses on probing how science teachers, a kind of major stakeholder in NOS instruction, perceive the values of teaching NOS. Through semi-structured interviews, this study investigated the views of 15 Hong Kong in-service senior secondary science teachers about the values of teaching NOS. These values as perceived by the teachers fall into two types. The first type is related to students' learning of science in the classroom and involves: (i) facilitating the study of subject knowledge, (ii) increasing the interest in learning science, (iii) supporting the conduct of scientific inquiry, (iv) meeting the needs of public examinations, and (v) fulfilling the requirement of learning science. The second type goes beyond learning science and includes (i) developing thinking skills, (ii) cultivating scientific ethics in students, and (iii) supporting the participation in public decisions on socioscientific issues. Although rich relationships were perceived by these teachers between NOS instruction and students' learning of science, few values were stated from broad social and cultural perspectives. Suggestions are made about developing teachers' views of the values of teaching NOS so as to influence their intention of teaching it.

Champions or Helpers: Leadership in Curriculum Reform in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Elizabeth D.; Bird, Fiona L.; Fyffe, Jeanette; Yench, Emma

2012-01-01

This study describes the perceptions of embedded teaching and learning leadership teams working on curriculum reform in science teaching departments. The teams combined a formally recognised leader, School Director of Learning and Teaching, with a project-based, more junior academic, Curriculum Fellow, to better leverage support for curriculum…

News

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2002-09-01

11-14 Curriculum: Supporting Physics Teaching (11-14) Europe: Sci-tech couldn't be without it! Art-Science: Makrolab in Mountain Year Digital Curriculum: Should the BBC learn from the past? Scotland: Teachers get Rocket Science Malaysia: Controversy over the language medium for science teaching UK Science: Next stage of Science Year announced Special Educational Needs: Science for special needs students Folk Physics: Good vibrations Environment: IoM3 - a move towards sustainability? UK Primary Science: The threat of afternoon science

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2014-12-01

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

The distinctiveness and effectiveness of science teaching in the Malaysian `Smart school'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tek Ong, Eng; Ruthven, Kenneth

2010-04-01

A recent reform initiative in the Malaysian educational system has sought to develop 'Smart schools', intended to better prepare students for adult life in a developing economy and to increase the flow of young people prepared for scientific and technological careers. The study reported in this paper examined lower-secondary science teaching, comparing two Smart schools officially judged to be successfully implementing the reform, with two neighbouring mainstream schools. Through analysis of classroom observation, supported by teacher interview and student report, the distinctive features of science teaching in the Smart schools were found to be use of ICT-based resources and of student-centred approaches, often intertwined to provide extended support for learning; accompanied by a near absence of the note giving and copying prevalent in the mainstream schools. Through analysis of measures of student attitude to science, science process skills and general science attainment, science teaching in Smart schools was found to be relatively effective overall. However, while the positive attitude effect was general, both academic effects were much weaker amongst students who had been of lower attainment on entry to secondary school.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzey, S. Selcen; Roehrig, Gillian H.

2009-01-01

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

Inquiry-Based Instruction and Teaching about Nature of Science: Are They Happening?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capps, Daniel K.; Crawford, Barbara A.

2013-01-01

Anecdotal accounts from science educators suggest that few teachers are teaching science as inquiry. However, there is little empirical evidence to support this claim. This study aimed to provide evidence-based documentation of the state-of-use of inquiry-based instruction and explicit instruction about nature of science (NOS). We examined the…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timoštšuk, Inge

2016-01-01

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

Developing Preservice Teachers' Knowledge of Science Teaching through Video Clubs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Heather J.; Cotterman, Michelle E.

2015-01-01

Though an adequate understanding of content is a natural prerequisite of teaching (Carlsen in "Journal of Research in Science Teaching" 30:471-481, 1993), teachers also need to be able to interpret content in ways that facilitate student learning. How to best support novice teachers in developing and refining their content knowledge for…

The effects of a STEM professional development intervention on elementary teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dailey, Deborah D.

To improve and sustain science teaching and learning in the elementary grades, experts recommended school districts afford time in the day for science instruction, secure the necessary resources for an investigative classroom, and provide teachers with increased professional development opportunities that target content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and confidence in teaching science (e.g. Buczynski & Hansen, 2010; Brand & Moore, 2011; NSB, 2010). In particular, researchers recommended teachers receive quality professional development that is sustained over time and embedded in the real world of the classroom (e.g. Buczynski & Hansen, 2010; Cotabish & Robinson, 2012). The purpose of this dissertation was to examine changes in elementary teachers' science teaching perceptions, concerns, and science process skills during and after participation in a STEM-focused professional development intervention involving embedded support using peer coaching. The positive effects of sustained, embedded professional development programs on science instruction have been documented by multiple research studies (e.g. Buczynski & Hansen, 2010; Cotabish, Dailey, Hughes, & Robinson, 2011; Duran & Duran, 2005; Levitt, 2011); however, few studies have investigated the effects after removal of the professional development support (Johnson, Kahle, & Fargo, 2007; Shymansky, Yore, & Anderson, 2004). By examining the changes across three years (including one year after the conclusion of the professional development intervention), the researcher in the present study considered the dosage of intervention needed to bring about and preserve significant changes in the participant teachers. To measure the impact of the intervention on teachers, the researcher used quantitative data supported by qualitative interviews. Results indicated that changes in science teaching perceptions were realized after one year or 60 hours of intervention; however, it took two years or 120 hours of intervention to see significant changes in teachers' science process skills. Of particular significance, the changes in teachers' science teaching perceptions, concerns, and science process skills held constant one year after removal of the professional development support.

Job Sharing Their First Year: A Narrative of Two Partnered Teachers' Induction into Middle School Science Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eick, Charles J.

2002-01-01

Examines the induction of two middle school science teachers as partners in a job sharing arrangement in lieu of student teaching, describing how they worked together and supported each other's attempts to implement student-centered practices and likening their mutual support to a marriage partnerships. The two teachers mentored each other through…

Shake It All About! Using Earthquake Science to Enhance Geology and Physics Teaching in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Phillip; Murphy, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

A three-year project aimed at embedding seismology into schools in northern England to support the teaching of the earth science strands in the National Curriculum for England and Wales is described. Seismometers were deployed in a range of high schools across the Yorkshire and Humberside region. Deployment was supported by a programme of staff…

The Role of Struggle in Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Experiences as Students and Approaches to Facilitating Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Rachel E.; Kittleson, Julie M.

2012-01-01

Science education researchers are concerned with preparing pre-service elementary teachers (PSETs) to teach in ways that support students to learn science in a meaningful way. Preparing elementary teachers to teach science is complicated given that they tend to be generalists and may not have the same experience with science as secondary teachers.…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathew, Nishi Mary

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

Optimizing biomedical science learning in a veterinary curriculum: a review.

PubMed

Warren, Amy L; Donnon, Tyrone

2013-01-01

As veterinary medical curricula evolve, the time dedicated to biomedical science teaching, as well as the role of biomedical science knowledge in veterinary education, has been scrutinized. Aside from being mandated by accrediting bodies, biomedical science knowledge plays an important role in developing clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic reasoning skills in the application of clinical skills, in supporting evidence-based veterinary practice and life-long learning, and in advancing biomedical knowledge and comparative medicine. With an increasing volume and fast pace of change in biomedical knowledge, as well as increased demands on curricular time, there has been pressure to make biomedical science education efficient and relevant for veterinary medicine. This has lead to a shift in biomedical education from fact-based, teacher-centered and discipline-based teaching to applicable, student-centered, integrated teaching. This movement is supported by adult learning theories and is thought to enhance students' transference of biomedical science into their clinical practice. The importance of biomedical science in veterinary education and the theories of biomedical science learning will be discussed in this article. In addition, we will explore current advances in biomedical teaching methodologies that are aimed to maximize knowledge retention and application for clinical veterinary training and practice.

Teaching Physical Science through Children's Literature. 20 Complete Lessons for Elementary Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gertz, Susan E.; Portman, Dwight J.; Sarquis, Mickey

This guide focuses on teaching hands-on, discovery-oriented physical science in the elementary classroom using children's literature. Each lesson is an integrated learning episode with a clearly defined science content objective which is supported and enriched through literature, writing, and mathematics. The three sections are: (1) "Properties of…

Science Supports Education: The Behavioral Research Base for Psychology's Top 20 Principles for Enhancing Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucariello, Joan M.; Nastasi, Bonnie K.; Anderman, Eric M.; Dwyer, Carol; Ormiston, Heather; Skiba, Russell

2016-01-01

Psychological science has much to contribute to preK-12 education because substantial psychological research exists on the processes of learning, teaching, motivation, classroom management, social interaction, communication, and assessment. This article details the psychological science that led to the identification, by the American Psychological…

Not Just Good Science Teaching: Supporting Academic Language Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silva, Cecilia; Weinburgh, Molly; Smith, Kathy Horak

2013-01-01

In this article, the authors explore ways in which they have worked together in understanding the complexities of academic language within the science classroom and discuss strategies they have used to teach academic language to young adolescent English Language Learners (ELLs) within inquiry-based science lessons. They discuss strategies they use…

Action Research Study. A Framework To Help Move Teachers toward an Inquiry-Based Science Teaching Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staten, Mary E.

This action research study developed a framework for moving teachers toward an inquiry-based approach to teaching science, emphasizing elements, strategies, and supports necessary to encourage and sustain teachers' use of inquiry-based science instruction. The study involved a literature review, participant observation, focus group discussions,…

A review of Computer Science resources for learning and teaching with K-12 computing curricula: an Australian case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falkner, Katrina; Vivian, Rebecca

2015-10-01

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 children, with the intention to engage children and increase interest, rather than to formally teach concepts and skills. What is the educational quality of existing Computer Science resources and to what extent are they suitable for classroom learning and teaching? In this paper, an assessment framework is presented to evaluate the quality of online Computer Science resources. Further, a semi-systematic review of available online Computer Science resources was conducted to evaluate resources available for classroom learning and teaching and to identify gaps in resource availability, using the Australian curriculum as a case study analysis. The findings reveal a predominance of quality resources, however, a number of critical gaps were identified. This paper provides recommendations and guidance for the development of new and supplementary resources and future research.

Developing Preservice Teachers' Knowledge of Science Teaching Through Video Clubs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Heather J.; Cotterman, Michelle E.

2015-06-01

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

The Role of Induction in Learning to Teach toward Equity: A Study of Beginning Science and Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bianchini, Julie A.; Brenner, Mary E.

2010-01-01

We investigated how an induction program supported and constrained beginning teachers' efforts to teach science or mathematics in equitable and effective ways. We focused our investigation on the teaching and learning of equitable instructional practices; we conceived of such practices as attention to students' experiences, instruction for English…

Learning to Teach Argumentation: Research and Development in the Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Shirley; Erduran, Sibel; Osborne, Jonathan

2006-01-01

The research reported in this study focuses on an investigation into the teaching of argumentation in secondary science classrooms. Over a 1-year period, a group of 12 teachers from schools in the greater London area attended a series of workshops to develop materials and strategies to support the teaching of argumentation in scientific contexts.…

School Innovation in Science: A Model for Supporting School and Teacher Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tytler, Russell

2007-01-01

"School Innovation in Science" represents a model, developed through working with more than 200 Victorian schools, to improve science teaching and learning. SIS works at the level of the science team and the teacher, providing resources to challenge and support the change process. Its emphasis is on strategic planning supported by a…

Physics Education: Effect of Micro-Teaching Method Supported by Educational Technologies on Pre-Service Science Teachers' Misconceptions on Basic Astronomy Subjects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gurbuz, Fatih

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research study is to explore pre-service science teachers' misconceptions on basic astronomy subjects and to examine the effect of micro teaching method supported by educational technologies on correcting misconceptions. This study is an action research. Semi- structured interviews were used in the study as a data collection…

Evaluating Junior Secondary Science Textbook Usage in Australian Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, Christine V.

2016-08-01

A large body of research has drawn attention to the importance of providing engaging learning experiences in junior secondary science classes, in an attempt to attract more students into post-compulsory science courses. The reality of time and resource constraints, and the high proportion of non-specialist science teachers teaching science, has resulted in an overreliance on more transmissive pedagogical tools, such as textbooks. This study sought to evaluate the usage of junior secondary science textbooks in Australian schools. Data were collected via surveys from 486 schools teaching junior secondary (years 7-10), representing all Australian states and territories. Results indicated that most Australian schools use a science textbook in the junior secondary years, and textbooks are used in the majority of science lessons. The most highly cited reason influencing choice of textbook was layout/colour/illustrations, and electronic technologies were found to be the dominant curricula material utilised, in addition to textbooks, in junior secondary science classes. Interestingly, the majority of respondents expressed high levels of satisfaction with their textbooks, although many were keen to stress the subsidiary role of textbooks in the classroom, emphasising the textbook was `one' component of their teaching repertoire. Importantly, respondents were also keen to stress the benefits of textbooks in supporting substitute teachers, beginning teachers, and non-specialist science teachers; in addition to facilitating continuity of programming and staff support in schools with high staff turnover. Implications from this study highlight the need for high quality textbooks to support teaching and learning in Australian junior secondary science classes.

Science teachers' attempts at integrating feminist pedagogy through collaborative action research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capobianco, Brenda M.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of three science teachers attempting to transform their practice by conducting action research on feminist science teaching. The teachers engaged in systematic, self-critical inquiry of their own practice and joined 8 other science teachers to engage in collaborative conversations about the nature of science, science teaching, and science education as a way of coming to a better understanding of how science can be taught for a more diverse group of students. Data were gathered via semistructured interviews, whole-group discussions, classroom observations, and review of supporting documents. Data analysis was based on narrative inquiry, where particular attention was given to the construction and reconstruction of the teachers' stories of their practical inquiries. Results indicated that the teachers as researchers of their own practice gained new knowledge about feminist science teaching and, furthermore, generated a cluster of pedagogical possibilities for inclusive, dynamic science teaching.

Jordanian Preservice Primary Teachers' Perceptions of Mentoring in Science Teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abed, Osama H.; Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad

2015-03-01

Quality mentoring is fundamental to preservice teacher education because of its potential to help student and novice teachers develop the academic and pedagogical knowledge and skills germane to successful induction into the profession. This study focused on Jordanian preservice primary teachers' perceptions of their mentoring experiences as these pertain to science teaching. The Mentoring for Effective Primary Science Teaching instrument was administered to 147 senior preservice primary teachers in a university in Jordan. The results indicated that the greater majority of participants did not experience effective mentoring toward creating a supportive and reflexive environment that would bolster their confidence in teaching science; further their understanding of primary science curriculum, and associated aims and school policies; help with developing their pedagogical knowledge; and/or furnish them with specific and targeted feedback and guidance to help improve their science teaching. Substantially more participants indicated that their mentors modeled what they perceived to be effective science teaching. The study argues for the need for science-specific mentoring for preservice primary teachers, and suggests a possible pathway for achieving such a model starting with those in-service primary teachers-much like those identified by participants in the present study-who are already effective in their science teaching.

De-Marginalizing Science in the Early Elementary Classroom: Fostering Reform-Based Teacher Change through Professional Development, Accountability, and Addressing Teachers' Dilemmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berg, Alissa

To develop a scientifically literate populace, students must acquire the motivation and foundational skills for success in science beginning at an early age. Unfortunately, science instruction is often marginalized in elementary schools for reasons including teachers' lack of confidence in teaching science and an overemphasis on literacy and mathematics. This study employed a case study design to examine the impact of teachers' dilemmas, career stage, coaching, and other forms of support on elementary teachers' abilities to teach science more often and in more reform-based ways. The conceptual lenses used to guide this dissertation include the theory related to teacher change, dilemmas, reform-oriented science teaching, and the professional learning continuum. Findings suggest that teachers' dilemmas must be addressed in order for them to move toward more reform-based science teaching practices. It was found that how teachers reconcile their dilemmas is due in part to their career stage, level of readiness, and access to a more knowledgeable other who can assist them in learning and enacting reform-based instruction. Moreover, the likelihood and extent of teacher change appears to be related to teachers recognizing a need to change their practice, developing the capacity to change, feeling accountable to change, and possessing the motivation to change. Implications for teacher educators, professional development providers, and curriculum developers are presented. It is argued that teachers require support the length of their career and, to be effective, this support must be personalized to their diverse and changing needs and responsive to the context in which they teach.

Intervening in the Professional Development of Science Teachers: The Colorado Science Teaching Enhancement Program. Interim Report of the Formative Evaluation of CO-STEP.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, James D.; Maxwell, Donald E.

The purposes of the Colorado Science Teaching Enhancement Program (CO-STEP) are to improve the background in science content and the instructional skills of teachers in grades four through six throughout Colorado and to support the implementation of effective instruction. A network of six Teacher Development Centers in Colorado coordinate teacher…

Educational technologies and the teaching of ethics in science and engineering.

PubMed

Loui, Michael C

2005-07-01

To support the teaching of ethics in science and engineering, educational technologies offer a variety of functions: communication between students and instructors, production of documents, distribution of documents, archiving of class sessions, and access to remote resources. Instructors may choose to use these functions of the technologies at different levels of intensity, to support a variety of pedagogies, consistent with accepted good practices. Good pedagogical practices are illustrated in this paper with four examples of uses of educational technologies in the teaching of ethics in science and engineering. Educational technologies impose costs for the purchase of hardware, licensing of software, hiring of support personnel, and training of instructors. Whether the benefits justify these costs is an unsettled question. While many researchers are studying the possible benefits of educational technologies, all instructors should assess the effectiveness of their practices.

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.

Investigating Purposeful Science Curriculum Adaptation as a Strategy to Improve Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debarger, Angela Haydel; Penuel, William R.; Moorthy, Savitha; Beauvineau, Yves; Kennedy, Cathleen A.; Boscardin, Christy Kim

2017-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the potential and conditions for using curriculum adaptation to support reform of science teaching and learning. With each wave of reform in science education, curriculum has played a central role and the contemporary wave focused on implementation of the principles and vision of the "Framework for K-12 Science…

The Transparent and the Invisible in Professional Pedagogical Vision for Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Scott P.

2016-01-01

Science teacher educators use examples of practice to support teacher candidates (TCs) learning to engage in new forms of science teaching. However, interpretation of these examples assumes a level of expertise about practice TCs lack. This article describes a study designed to determine some of the differences between expert teachers' and TCs'…

The Status of Secondary Science Education in the United States: Factors That Predict Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Adrienne A.; Banilower, Eric R.; Nelson, Michele M.; Smith, P. Sean

2013-01-01

New K-12 science education standards emphasize teaching and learning grounded in authentic scientific practices. A first step toward supporting teachers' adoption of scientific practice-based pedagogies is to develop a clear picture of how teachers are currently teaching science, and what factors predict their pedagogical choices. A recently…

Eisenhower Southwest Consortium for the Improvement of Mathematics and Science Teaching Cumulative Report for FY96-00.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southwest Educational Development Lab., Austin, TX. Southwest Consortium for the Improvement of Mathematics and Science Teaching.

This report presents activities, accomplishments, and conclusions of the Eisenhower Southwest Consortium for the Improvement of Mathematics and Science Teaching (SCIMAST) for the fiscal years 1996-2000. SCIMAST was established in 1992 and supports mathematics and science learning in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and…

Evolving Roles For Teaching Assistants In Introductory Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunbar, R. W.; Egger, A. E.; Schwartz, J. K.

2008-12-01

As we bring new research-based learning approaches, curricular innovations, and student engagement practices into the introductory science classroom, expectations of teaching assistants (TAs) should have, and have, changed. Similarly, the 21st century teaching assistant has different expectations of us. Maintaining relevance in this context means bringing TAs into an integrated teaching team that supports effective learning for students and provides structured professional development opportunities for TAs. A number of support efforts on our campus, with counterparts at many other universities, seek to optimize the instructional impact of faculty and teaching assistants, thus opening the door to enhanced student engagement (e.g. the quality of effort students put forth, their persistence in science and/or engineering courses, and their perception of scientific relevance in everyday life). Among these efforts, School of Earth Sciences course development TAs work 1:1 in advance of the term with introductory course faculty to design exercises and course materials that meet clearly articulated student learning goals or pedagogical challenges. Throughout the process, TAs are mentored by the faculty as well as science pedagogy experts. Initially funded by a major teaching award, the School is now moving to institutionalize this successful program which has broadened the definition of the TA role. Another area of optimization, reflecting Shulman's concept of pedagogical content knowledge, is our campus mandate that TA development take place within a departmental, as well as general, context. Both Chemistry and Physics expect introductory course TAs to lead interactive, guided-inquiry or tutorial-style sections. Integrating these sections with lecture and positively reinforcing course goals requires TA buy-in and a set of pedagogical facilitation skills cultivated through course-specific training and active mentoring while teaching. To better support the mentoring process in these and other departments, the MinT (Mentors in Teaching) program provides resources and a learning community for advanced graduate students who mentor TAs. There is clearly more to do, but we have come a long way from sink or swim toward an enriched infrastructure of support for teaching and learning in the introductory science classroom.

A colorful approach to teaching optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magnani, Nancy J.; Donnelly, Judith

2014-09-01

In a traditional Connecticut elementary school setting, the classroom teacher will teach language arts, social studies and science curriculum. For 5th grade, the science curriculum includes learning about the senses and moon phases, in addition to the fundamentals of light. For art, music and physical education, students are sent to teachers who have certifications in teaching these subjects. In support of the science curriculum, we have traditionally provided workshops to enhance and supplement existing science curriculum. This method of instruction has become a routine. What if we invigorate the curriculum by using visual art to teach science? Will the students achieve a greater understanding of the principals of light? In this paper, we will explore the use of art to enhance the understanding of color and light phenomena.

Teaching science content in nursing programs in Australia: a cross-sectional survey of academics.

PubMed

Birks, Melanie; Ralph, Nicholas; Cant, Robyn; Hillman, Elspeth; Chun Tie, Ylona

2015-01-01

Professional nursing practice is informed by biological, social and behavioural sciences. In undergraduate pre-registration nursing programs, biological sciences typically include anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, physics and pharmacology. The current gap in the literature results in a lack of information about the content and depth of biological sciences being taught in nursing curricula. The aim of this study was to establish what priority is given to the teaching of science topics in these programs in order to inform an understanding of the relative importance placed on this subject area in contemporary nursing education. This study employed a cross-sectional survey method. This paper reports on the first phase of a larger project examining science content in nursing programs. An existing questionnaire was modified and delivered online for completion by academics who teach science to nurses in these programs. This paper reports on the relative priority given by respondents to the teaching of 177 topics contained in the questionnaire. Of the relatively small population of academics who teach science to nursing students, thirty (n = 30) completed the survey. Findings indicate strong support for the teaching of science in these programs, with particular priority given to the basic concepts of bioscience and gross system anatomy. Of concern, most science subject areas outside of these domains were ranked as being of moderate or low priority. While the small sample size limited the conclusions able to be drawn from this study, the findings supported previous studies that indicated inadequacies in the teaching of science content in nursing curricula. Nevertheless, these findings have raised questions about the current philosophy that underpins nursing education in Australia and whether existing practices are clearly focused on preparing students for the demands of contemporary nursing practice. Academics responsible for the design and implementation of nursing curricula are encouraged to review the content of current programs in light of the findings of this research.

An Instructional Consultation Service for Graduate Teaching Assistants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Habel, J. C.; Graveel, J. G.

1988-01-01

Described is a support program that guides prospective college teachers in teaching an introductory soil science laboratory course. Ideas are presented about the preparation for teaching and concerns of teaching assistants. A table citing classroom observation protocol is included. (RT)

Factors Impacting on Teachers' Job Satisfaction Related to Science Teaching: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, S.; Mustafa, M.

2015-01-01

Science teachers' job satisfaction is identified as a major factor that affects the quality of a science program. This research investigated to what extent a science program supports science teachers in terms of curriculum materials or extracurricular activities. It also examined the relationships among schools' curriculum support, the number of…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2015-01-01

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

Reversing the Downward Spiral of Science Instruction in K-2 Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandholtz, Judith Haymore; Ringstaff, Cathy

2011-10-01

This study investigated the extent to which teacher professional development led to changes in science instruction in K-2 classrooms in rural school districts. The research specifically examined changes in (a) teachers' content knowledge in science; (b) teachers' self-efficacy related to teaching science; (c) classroom instructional time allotted to science; and (d) instructional strategies used in science. The study also investigated contextual factors contributing to or hindering changes in science instruction. Data sources included a teacher survey, a self-efficacy assessment, content knowledge tests, interviews, and classroom observations. After one year in the program, teachers showed increased content knowledge and self-efficacy in teaching science; they spent more instructional time on science and began using different instructional strategies. Key contextual factors included curricular demands, resources, administrative support, and support from other teachers.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucero, Maria; Valcke, Martin; Schellens, Tammy

2013-01-01

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

A Multi-Year Program Developing an Explicit Reflective Pedagogy for Teaching Pre-Service Teachers the Nature of Science by Ostention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Mike U.; Scharmann, Lawrence

2008-01-01

This investigation delineates a multi-year action research agenda designed to develop an instructional model for teaching the nature of science (NOS) to preservice science teachers. Our past research strongly supports the use of explicit reflective instructional methods, which includes Thomas Kuhn's notion of learning by ostention and treating…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad

2013-09-01

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

Improving Early Career Science Teachers' Ability to Teach Space Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2012-12-01

The GEMS Space Science Sequence is a high quality, hands-on curriculum for elementary and middle schools, created by a national team of astronomers and science educators with NASA funding and support. The standards-aligned curriculum includes 24 class sessions for upper elementary grades targeting the scale and nature of Earth's, shape, motion and gravity, and 36 class sessions for middle school grades focusing on the interactions between our Sun and Earth and the nature of the solar system and beyond. These materials feature extensive teacher support materials which results in pre-test to post-test content gains for students averaging 22%. Despite the materials being highly successful, there has been a less than desired uptake by teachers in using these materials, largely due to a lack of professional development training. Responding to the need to improve the quantity and quality of space science education, a collaborative of space scientists and science educators - from the University of California, Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) and Center for Science Education at the Space Sciences Laboratory (CSE@SSL), the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), the University of Wyoming, and the CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education - experimented with a unique professional development model focused on helping master teachers work closely with pre-service teachers during their student teaching internship field experience. Research on the exodus of young teachers from the teaching profession clearly demonstrates that early career teachers often leave teaching because of a lack of mentoring support and classroom ready curriculum materials. The Advancing Mentor and Novice Teachers in Space Science (AMANTISS) team first identified master teachers who supervise novice, student teachers in middle school, and trained these master teachers to use the GEMS Space Science Sequence for Grades 6-8. Then, these master teachers were mentored in how to coach their assigned interning student teachers in using the GEMS Space Science Sequence. As such, the project targeted the high leverage point of early career teachers who may well go on to use the GEMS materials for the next 30 years of their teaching careers, impacting potentially many hundreds of students. External evaluation showed that the novice teachers mentored by the master teachers felt knowledgeable about the topics covered in the four units after teaching the Space Science units. However, they seemed relatively less confident about the solar system, and objects beyond the solar system, which are covered in Units 3 and 4, respectively. This may be due to the fact that not all of them taught these units. Overall, mentees felt strongly on the post-survey taken 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. The main challenges reported by the novice teachers were not having time to meet or talk with their mentors, and having different approaches to teaching from their mentors. In general, however, the novice teachers had very positive experiences with their mentor teachers and the curriculum materials provided.

An Added Layer of Support: Introducing a Heterarchical Peer Mentoring Intervention to a Preservice Science Teacher Education Cohort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neesemann, Lisa Ann

2017-01-01

In an effort to support preservice science teachers during their concurrent student teaching experiences and masters coursework, I created and implemented a Peer Mentoring Intervention to add an additional layer of support to those most traditionally curated. In this intervention, preservice secondary science teachers were paired into…

The perceptions of pre-service and in-service teachers regarding a project-based STEM approach to teaching science.

PubMed

Siew, Nyet Moi; Amir, Nazir; Chong, Chin Lu

2015-01-01

Whilst much attention has focused on project-based approaches to teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, little has been reported on the views of South-East Asian science teachers on project-based STEM approaches. Such knowledge could provide relevant information for education training institutions on how to influence innovative teaching of STEM subjects in schools. This article reports on a study that investigated the perceptions of 25 pre-service and 21 in-service Malaysian science teachers in adopting an interdisciplinary project-based STEM approach to teaching science. The teachers undertook an eight hour workshop which exposed them to different science-based STEM projects suitable for presenting science content in the Malaysian high school science syllabus. Data on teachers' perceptions were captured through surveys, interviews, open-ended questions and classroom discussion before and at the end of the workshop. Study findings showed that STEM professional development workshops can provide insights into the support required for teachers to adopt innovative, effective, project-based STEM approaches to teaching science in their schools.

Guiding science expeditions: The design of a learning environment for project-based science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polman, Joseph Louis

Project-based pedagogy has been revived recently as a teaching strategy for promoting students' active engagement in learning science by doing science. Numerous reform efforts have encouraged project-based teaching in high schools, along with a range of supports for its implementation, often including computers and the Internet. History has shown, however, that academic research and new technologies are not enough to effect real change in classrooms. Ultimately, teachers accomplish activity with their students daily in classrooms. Putting the idea of project-based teaching into practice depends on many particulars of teachers' situated work with students. To better understand the complexity of project-based science teaching in schools, I conducted an interpretive case study of one exceptional teacher's work. The teacher devotes all class time after the beginning of the year to open-ended, student-designed Earth Science research projects. Over four years of involvement with the Learning through Collaborative Visualization (CoVis) reform effort, this teacher has developed, implemented, and refined strategies for supporting and guiding students in conducting open-ended inquiry. Through a close examination of the teacher's work supporting student projects, I explore the design issues involved in such an endeavor, including affordances, constraints, and tradeoffs. In particular, I show how time constrains both student and teacher action, how the traditional school culture and grading create stumbling blocks for change, and how conflicting beliefs about teaching and learning undermine the accomplishment of guided inquiry. I also show how Internet tools including Usenet news, email, and the World Wide Web afford students an opportunity to gather and make use of distributed expertise and scientific data resources; how an activity structure, combined with a corresponding structure to the artifact of the final written product, supports student accomplishment of unfamiliar practices; and how the teacher guides students in real time through mutually transformative communication. I synthesize the important design elements into a framework for conducting project-based science, especially in settings where such pedagogy is relatively new. This study will inform teachers and reformers of the practical and complex work of implementing project-based teaching in schools.

Bonding Ideas About Inquiry: Exploring Knowledge and Practices of Metacognition in Beginning Secondary Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivero Arias, Ana Margarita

Metacognition, identified generally as "thinking about thinking", plays a fundamental role in science education. It enhances the understanding of science as a way to generate new knowledge using scientific concepts and practices. Moreover, metacognition supports the development of students' life-long problem solving, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. When teachers use metacognition with intention, it can promote students' agency and responsibility for their own learning. However, despite all of its benefits, metacognition is rarely seen in secondary science classrooms. Thus, it is important to understand what beginning teachers know and how they use metacognition during their first years in order to find ways to prepare and support them in incorporating metacognitive practices into their science teaching. The purpose of this multimethod study was to describe the metacognitive knowledge and experiences of beginning science teachers. For the quantitative research strand, I surveyed 36 secondary science teachers about their awareness of metacognition and used classroom observations coded from a larger research study to identify how often teachers were using metacognition to teach science. For the qualitative strand, I interviewed 15 participants about their knowledge and experiences of metacognition (including reflective practices) and spent two weeks observing two of the teachers who described exemplary metacognitive teaching practices. I found that participants had a solid awareness of metacognition, but considered the term complicated to enact, difficult for students, and less important to focus on during their first years of teaching than other elements such as content. Additionally, teaching experience seemed to have an effect on teachers' knowledge and experiences of metacognition. However, participants who were using metacognitive practices had recognized their importance since the beginning of their teaching. Reflective practices can help improve teaching, but what seems more effective is for teachers to have an experience using metacognition embedded in science content. The results of this study include a description of metacognitive teaching practices that could be helpful for secondary science teachers. The study also provides recommendations for future research, especially for teacher education programs, to promote a better understanding of metacognition while preparing secondary science teachers.

The adventures of Ann: A case study of a kindergarten teacher and her beliefs as she explored integrating science into her literacy curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potter, Gregory Ralph

Science education is an often neglected portion of the curriculum in elementary school, particularly in the primary grades. While early childhood educators have many choices in their curricula, two constants remain, literacy and math education. Ideally, young children need science along with literacy and mathematics. This study investigated how one kindergarten teacher used science to enhance her literacy program and how this use of science in her classroom affected her teaching beliefs. The case study took place in a publicly funded early childhood education center devoted to teaching kindergarten children in the small town of Summers in rural northern California. "Ann" was a master kindergarten teacher who historically used developmentally appropriate activities to support her literacy instruction. She was posed with the suggestion of infusing science into her literacy program and over the course of one school year, she was observed planning, implementing, and reflecting on six integrated science and literacy units. Ann's general teaching beliefs as well as her beliefs about teaching literacy and science were explored in order to investigate whether her experience with the integrated science and literacy units had altered her teaching beliefs. It was discovered that not only had Ann significantly changed the way she taught science, her beliefs about teaching science had changed and had moved towards mimicking her pro-active and positive beliefs about teaching literacy.

Professional development in college science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Aimee Kathryn

Graduate students earning a doctorate in the sciences historically focus their work on research and not professional development in college science teaching. However, for those who go on to a career in academia, a majority of their time will be dedicated to teaching. During the past few years, graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) have been prepared to teach by attending a daylong workshop that included logistical information, but left pedagogy largely unexplored. Since that time, a seminar has been added to provide an introduction to pedagogical theory and practices and to provide practice teaching in the biological sciences laboratory course. Yet, more pedagogical preparation is needed. This study was conducted to determine if there was a need for a teaching certificate program for doctoral students in the College of Science and Technology (CoST) at The University of Southern Mississippi. The GTA respondents studied set teaching goals that were consistent with faculty members across the country; however, this research went further by finding out how competent the GTAs perceived they were and how much support they perceived they needed with respect to teaching and professional development. The GTAs did not differ in their perceived level of competence based on experience level; however, the less experienced GTAs did perceive they needed more support than the experienced GTAs. To help GTAs develop a skill set that many CoST graduates currently lack, it is recommended that the University provide ample training and supervision. Establishing a certificate program can potentially impact the community in the following ways: (1) the training of GTAs contributes to the academic preparation of future academic professionals who will be teaching in various institutions; (2) GTA training provides professional development and awareness that teaching requires life long professional development; (3) ensuring competent academicians, not only in content but also in pedagogy; (4) GTAs can encourage or incite undergraduates' interest to choose a career in the sciences; and (5) make our graduates more marketable. Since 68% of current GTAs were interested in a teaching position, the University should allocate time to educate the GTAs who are currently teaching or plan to teach as a profession.

Getting into Gear

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobbs, Georgia A.; Cranor-Buck, Edith

2011-01-01

This article describes a particular activity, the Motorized Toy unit, which supports science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) goals and teaches students the basic concept of ratio. The unit addresses both mathematics and science standards and is part of a team-teaching activity. The unit comes from a curriculum titled A World In…

Supporting STEM Teachers to Inspire through Everyday Innovation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bienkowski, Marie; Shechtman, Nicole; Remold, Julie; Knudsen, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Science teachers inspire in part by their constant adaptation to the learning needs of their students and to evolving content, curriculum, technology, and student populations. Innovation--bringing novel things to a situation to confer a benefit--is an integral part of teaching overall, and in especially inspired science teaching. While innovation…

Maximizing Uncertified Teachers' Potential

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sterling, Donna R.; Frazier, Wendy M.

2010-01-01

New teachers, especially those who are not certified in education, need support to succeed at teaching and remain in the profession. Because there is a growing national shortage of science teachers, many school districts are forced to hire teachers who have science degrees but little training in education or experience teaching. Research shows…

Transforming Teaching Challenges into Learning Opportunities: Interdisciplinary Reflective Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callaghan, Ronel

2015-01-01

Teaching in higher education poses unique sets of challenges, especially for academics in the engineering, built sciences and information science education disciplines. This article focuses on how reflective collaboration can support academics in their quest to find unique solutions to challenges in different academic contexts. A reflective…

Status of teaching elementary science for English learners in science, mathematics and technology centered magnet schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Alyson Kim

According to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (2001), one in three students speaks a language other than English. Additionally, the Commission stated that a student is considered to be an English learner if the second language acquisition is English. In California more than 1.4 million English learners enter school speaking a variety of languages, and this number continues to rise. There is an imminent need to promote instructional strategies that support this group of diverse learners. Although this was not a California study, the results derived from the nationwide participants' responses provided a congruent assessment of the basic need to provide effective science teaching strategies to all English learners. The purpose of this study was to examine the status of elementary science teaching practices used with English learners in kindergarten through fifth grade in public mathematics, science, and technology-centered elementary magnet schools throughout the country. This descriptive research was designed to provide current information and to identify trends in the areas of curriculum and instruction for English learners in science themed magnet schools. This report described the status of elementary (grades K-5) school science instruction for English learners based on the responses of 116 elementary school teachers: 59 grade K-2, and 57 grade 3-5 teachers. Current research-based approaches support incorporating self-directed learning strategy, expository teaching strategy, active listening strategies, questioning strategies, wait time strategy, small group strategy, peer tutoring strategy, large group learning strategy, demonstrations strategy, formal debates strategy, review sessions strategy, mediated conversation strategy, cooperative learning strategy, and theme-based instruction into the curriculum to assist English learners in science education. Science Technology Society (STS) strategy, problem-based learning strategy, discovery learning strategy, constructivist learning strategy, learning cycle strategy, SCALE technique strategy, conceptual change strategy, inquiry-based strategy, cognitive academic language learning approach (CALLA) strategy, and learning from text strategy provide effective science teaching instruction to English learners. These science instructional strategies assist elementary science teachers by providing additional support to make science instruction more comprehensible for English learners.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2007-12-01

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

Enhanced Resource Descriptions Help Learning Matrix Users.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roempler, Kimberly S.

2003-01-01

Describes the Learning Matrix digital library which focuses on improving the preparation of math and science teachers by supporting faculty who teach introductory math and science courses in two- and four-year colleges. Suggests it is a valuable resource for school library media specialists to support new science and math teachers. (LRW)

What Account of Science Shall We Give? a Case Study of Scientists Teaching First-Year University Subjects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Dorothy V.; Mulhall, Pamela J.; Gunstone, Richard F.; Hart, Christina E.

2015-01-01

This article presents a case study of four academic scientists. These academics teach in the first year of a Bachelor of Science degree at a large research-focused Australian university that has demanded and supported a greater focus on undergraduate learning. Taken as a whole, the accounts of science that the first-year academics in this case…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perkins, Catherine J.

This dissertation consists of two articles to be submitted for publication. The first, a literature review, makes visible common influences on science teaching self-efficacy beliefs and also points to potentially invisible validation concerns regarding the instrument used. The second investigates the participants' invisible science teaching self-efficacy beliefs and, through the use of a more focused interview, makes those beliefs visible. Science teaching self-efficacy beliefs are science teachers' perceptions of their abilities to teach science effectively. The construct "teaching self-efficacy" originated in social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1977). The first article reviews the mixed results from teaching self-efficacy research in science contexts. The review focuses upon factors that facilitate or inhibit the development of self-efficacy beliefs among science teachers across stages of their careers. Although many studies of science teaching self-efficacy beliefs have utilized the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument - STEBI (Enochs & Riggs, 1990; Riggs & Enochs, 1990), this review also includes non-STEBI studies in order to represent diverse lines of research methodology. The review's findings indicate that antecedent factors such as science activities in and out of school, teacher preparation, science teaching experiences and supportive job contexts are significant influences on the development of science teaching self-efficacy beliefs. The review also indicates that the majority of these studies are short term and rely on a single STEBI administration with the collection of antecedent/demographic and/or interview data. The second article documents a study that responded to the above literature review findings. This study utilized multiple STEBI administrations during the preservice and beginning year of teaching for two science teachers. Rather than general questions, these participants were asked item specific, yet open-ended, questions to determine what events or experiences the participants felt influenced their survey answers. This methodological approach was chosen to add clarity to the STEBI scores and to add another layer in the ongoing process of instrument validation. Unlike some studies in science teaching self-efficacy, both participants' STEBI scores continued to increase as they transitioned from preservice to beginning teachers. The participant responses to the focused interview probes also validated their STEBI scores 77% of the time.

Technologies and Reformed-Based Science Instruction: The Examination of a Professional Development Model Focused on Supporting Science Teaching and Learning with Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Todd; Longhurst, Max L.; Wang, Shiang-Kwei; Hsu, Hui-Yin; Coster, Dan C.

2015-01-01

While access to computers, other technologies, and cyber-enabled resources that could be leveraged for enhancing student learning in science is increasing, generally it has been found that teachers use technology more for administrative purposes or to support traditional instruction. This use of technology, especially to support traditional…

Beginning science teachers' strategies for communicating with families

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloom, Nena E.

Science learning occurs in both formal and informal spaces. Families are critical for developing student learning and interest in science because they provide important sources of knowledge, support and motivation. Bidirectional communication between teachers and families can be used to build relationships between homes and schools, leverage family knowledge of and support for learners, and create successful environments for science learning that will support both teaching and student learning. To identify the communication strategies of beginning science teachers, who are still developing their teaching practices, a multiple case study was conducted with seven first year secondary science teachers. The methods these teachers used to communicate with families, the information that was communicated and shared, and factors that shaped these teachers' continued development of communication strategies were examined. Demographic data, interview data, observations and documentation of communication through logs and artifacts were collected for this study. Results indicated that the methods teachers had access to and used for communication impacted the frequency and efficacy of their communication. Teachers and families communicated about a number of important topics, but some topics that could improve learning experiences and science futures for their students were rarely discussed, such as advancement in science, student learning in science and family knowledge. Findings showed that these early career teachers were continuing to learn about their communities and to develop their communication strategies with families. Teachers' familiarity with their school community, opportunities to practice strategies during preservice preparation and student teaching, their teaching environment, school policies, and learning from families and students in their school culture continued to shape and influence their views and communication strategies. Findings and implications for teacher preparation programs, teachers, schools and organizations are discussed.

The Natural Science Program at the University of New Mexico: Geosciences Play a Central Role in Preservice Teacher Training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyman, M. W.; Ellwein, A. L.; Geissman, J. W.; McFadden, L. D.; Crossey, L. J.

2007-12-01

An important component for future directions of geoscience departments is public education. The role of geoscience departments in the preparation and professional development of K-12 teachers is particularly critical, and merges with other teaching missions within the University. The importance of geoscience content for teachers (and the general public) is evident in the numerous earth science related public policy issues that are the subject of ever-increasing attention (climate change, energy resources, water utilization, etc.). The earth and space sciences are not only included in both state and federal science content education standards but are also inherently interesting to students and therefore provide an important gateway to foster interest in science as well as other scientific disciplines. For over 10 years, the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) at the University of New Mexico (UNM) has housed and supported the Natural Science Program (NSP), which provides science content courses and numerous programs for K-12 pre- and in-service teachers. Classes and laboratories are integrated, and are capped at 21 students in the 200-level courses, assuring an active and supportive learning environment for students who are typically science-phobic with negative or no experiences with science. Enrollments are maintained at ~150 preservice teachers per semester. The program is staffed by two lecturers, who have advanced degrees in the geosciences as well as K-12 teaching experience, and several part time instructors, including graduate students who gain valuable teaching experience through teaching in the NSP. With continued support from the department, the NSP has expanded to develop robust and functional relationships related to science teacher professional development with Sandia National Laboratories and local school districts, initiated development of a graduate certificate in science teaching and, advanced a proposal for the development of an Energy Education Program at UNM. Finally, the NSP provides a ready avenue for the incorporation of grant funded faculty research into teacher education programs, thus providing a viable and functional method for addressing broader impacts related to NSF funded programs.

Newly qualified teachers' visions of science learning and teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Deborah L.

2011-12-01

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

The College Science Learning Cycle: An Instructional Model for Reformed Teaching

PubMed Central

Withers, Michelle

2016-01-01

Finding the time for developing or locating new class materials is one of the biggest barriers for instructors reforming their teaching approaches. Even instructors who have taken part in training workshops may feel overwhelmed by the task of transforming passive lecture content to engaging learning activities. Learning cycles have been instrumental in helping K–12 science teachers design effective instruction for decades. This paper introduces the College Science Learning Cycle adapted from the popular Biological Sciences Curriculum Study 5E to help science, technology, engineering, and mathematics faculty develop course materials to support active, student-centered teaching approaches in their classrooms. The learning cycle is embedded in backward design, a learning outcomes–oriented instructional design approach, and is accompanied by resources and examples to help faculty transform their teaching in a time-efficient manner. PMID:27909030

The Influence of Informal Science Education Experiences on the Development of Two Beginning Teachers' Science Classroom Teaching Identity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katz, Phyllis; Randy McGinnis, J.; Riedinger, Kelly; Marbach-Ad, Gili; Dai, Amy

2013-12-01

In case studies of two first-year elementary classroom teachers, we explored the influence of informal science education (ISE) they experienced in their teacher education program. Our theoretical lens was identity development, delimited to classroom science teaching. We used complementary data collection methods and analysis, including interviews, electronic communications, and drawing prompts. We found that our two participants referenced as important the ISE experiences in their development of classroom science identities that included resilience, excitement and engagement in science teaching and learning-qualities that are emphasized in ISE contexts. The data support our conclusion that the ISE experiences proved especially memorable to teacher education interns during the implementation of the No Child Left Behind policy which concentrated on school-tested subjects other than science.

Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Teaching Material

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saeli, Mara; Perrenet, Jacob; Jochems, Wim M. G.; Zwaneveld, Bert

2012-01-01

The scope of this article is to understand to what extent Computer Science teachers can find support for their Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) in teaching material. We report the results of a study in which PCK is used as framework to develop a research instrument to examine three high school computer science textbooks, with special focus on…

Teaching the Nature of Physics through Art: A New Art of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colletti, Leonardo

2018-01-01

Science and art are traditionally represented as two disciplines with completely divergent goals, methods, and public. It has been claimed that, if rightly addressed, science and art education could mutually support each other. In this paper I propose the recurrent reference to certain famous paintings during the ordinary progress of physics…

Transition to Science Teacher Educator: Tensions Experienced While Learning to Teach Lesson Sequencing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiebke, Heidi; Park Rogers, Meredith

2014-01-01

This self-study investigated the tensions that I (Heidi) encountered when teaching elementary preservice teachers how to develop a coherent sequence of five science lessons. Four lesson planning components guided me in developing a series of lessons to support the preservice teachers with this exercise. Employing self-study methodology, data…

Supporting Academic Language Development in Elementary Science: A Classroom Teaching Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Karl Gerhard

2017-01-01

Academic language is the language that students must engage in while participating in the teaching and learning that takes place in school (Schleppegrell, 2012) and science as a content area presents specific challenges and opportunities for students to engage with language (Buxton & Lee, 2014; Gee, 2005). In order for students to engage…

What Teachers Want: Supporting Primary School Teachers in Teaching Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Angela; Schneider, Katrin

2013-01-01

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

A Study of Physics First Curricula in Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dreon, Oliver, Jr.

2005-01-01

Physics First has gained momentum across the country. Providing a radically different paradigm to teaching science at the high school level, the Physics First movement inverts the traditional science sequence by teaching physics to ninth grade students. One of the benefits of this change, supporters claim, is that it provides a foundation to teach…

The Challenges Faced by New Science Teachers in Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alsharari, Salman

Growing demand for science teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, fed by increasing numbers of public school students, is forcing the Saudi government to attract, recruit and retain well-qualified science teachers. Beginning science teachers enter the educational profession with a massive fullfilment and satisfaction in their roles and positions as teachers to educating children in a science classroom. Nevertheless, teachers, over their early years of practice, encounter numerous challenges to provide the most effective science instruction. Therefore, the current study was aimed to identify academic and behavioral classroom challenges faced by science teachers in their first three years of teaching in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In addition, new science teacher gender, school level and years of teaching experience differences in perceptions of the challenges that they encountered at work were analyzed. The present study also investigated various types of support that new science teachers may need to overcome academic and behavioral classroom challenges. In order to gain insights about ways to adequately support novice science teachers, it was important to examine new science teachers' beliefs, ideas and perceptions about effective science teaching. Three survey questionnaires were developed and distributed to teachers of both sexes who have been teaching science subjects, for less than three years, to elementary, middle and high school students in Al Jouf public schools. A total of 49 novice science teachers responded to the survey and 9 of them agreed to participate voluntarily in a face-to-face interview. Different statistical procedures and multiple qualitative methodologies were used to analyze the collected data. Findings suggested that the top three academic challenges faced by new science teachers were: poor quality of teacher preparation programs, absence of appropriate school equipment and facilities and lack of classroom materials and instructional supplies. Moreover, excessive student absenteeism, student readiness to learn science and student lack of interest in science were the three most behavioral challenges encountered by beginning science teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Results also indicated that the perceptions of academic and behavioral classroom challenges may vary according to new science teacher gender, school level and years of teaching experience. More importantly, to become more effective science teachers, novice science teachers are expecting to receive more and better support from their schools. School principals and administrators should provide opportunities for beginning science teachers to attend effective new teacher orientation programs, use complete and well-developed curriculum materials with detailed sequence of teaching procedures, help in dealing with classroom management, and opportunities to participate in successful mentoring programs, coherent in-service training programs and regular professional development programs. Implications for Saudi Arabia government and policy makers, school principals and administrators, students and their parents were discussed and recommendations were made.

Investigating engagement, thinking, and learning among culturally diverse, urban sixth graders experiencing an inquiry-based science curriculum, contextualized in the local environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, Sybil Schantz

This mixed-methods study combined pragmatism, sociocultural perspectives, and systems thinking concepts to investigate students' engagement, thinking, and learning in science in an urban, K-8 arts, science, and technology magnet school. A grant-funded school-university partnership supported the implementation of an inquiry-based science curriculum, contextualized in the local environment through field experiences. The researcher worked as co-teacher of 3 sixth-grade science classes and was deeply involved in the daily routines of the school. The purposes of the study were to build a deeper understanding of the complex interactions that take place in an urban science classroom, including challenges related to implementing culturally-relevant instruction; and to offer insight into the role educational systems play in supporting teaching and learning. The central hypothesis was that connecting learning to meaningful experiences in the local environment can provide culturally accessible points of engagement from which to build science learning. Descriptive measures provided an assessment of students' engagement in science activities, as well as their levels of thinking and learning throughout the school year. Combined with analyses of students' work files and focus group responses, these findings provided strong evidence of engagement attributable to the inquiry-based curriculum. In some instances, degree of engagement was found to be affected by student "reluctance" and "resistance," terms defined but needing further examination. A confounding result showed marked increases in thinking levels coupled with stasis or decrease in learning. Congruent with past studies, data indicated the presence of tension between the diverse cultures of students and the mainstream cultures of school and science. Findings were synthesized with existing literature to generate the study's principal product, a grounded theory model representing the complex, interacting factors involved in teaching and learning. The model shows that to support learning and to overcome cultural tensions, there must be alignment among three main forces or "causal factors": students, teaching, and school climate. Conclusions emphasize system-level changes to support science learning, including individualized support for students in the form of differentiated instruction; focus on excellence in teaching, particularly through career-spanning professional support for teachers; and attention to identifying key leverage points for implementing effective change.

Learning to teach science in a professional development school program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hildreth, David P.

1997-09-01

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

Teachers' Perspectives of the New Western Australian Earth and Environmental Science Course: Lessons for the Australian Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawson, Vaille; Moore, Leah

2011-01-01

In 2007, a new upper secondary course, Earth and Environmental Science (EES) was introduced in Western Australia. The development and implementation of the course was supported by Earth Science Western Australia (ESWA), a consortium of universities, the CSIRO and other organisations. The role of ESWA is to support the teaching of earth science in…

Fermilab Friends for Science Education | Programs

Science.gov Websites

Fermilab Friends for Science Education FFSE Home About Us Join Us Support Us Contact Us Programs and conducts programs to enhance the teaching and learning of science and mathematics at the inception in 1983, sponsored more than 30 programs; most of them are still offered today. FFSE supports the

Teachers' Use of Educative Curriculum Materials to Engage Students in Science Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arias, Anna Maria; Davis, Elizabeth A.; Marino, John-Carlos; Kademian, Sylvie M.; Palincsar, Annemarie Sullivan

2016-01-01

New reform documents underscore the importance of integrating science practices into the learning of science. This integration requires sophisticated teaching that does not often happen. Educative curriculum materials--materials explicitly designed to support teacher and student learning--have been posited as a way to support teachers to achieve…

The effect of concept mapping on preservice elementary teachers' knowledge of science inquiry teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Diann Carol

This study examined the effect of concept mapping as a method of stimulating reflection on preservice elementary teachers' knowledge of science inquiry instruction methods. Three intact classes of science education preservice teachers participated in a non-randomized comparison group with a pretest and posttest design to measure the influence of mapping on participants' knowledge of inquiry science instruction. All groups followed the same course syllabus, in class activities, readings, assignments and assessment tasks. The manner in which they presented their ideas about inquiry science teaching varied. Groups constructed pre-lesson, post-lesson, and homework lists or maps across three inquiry based instruction modules (ecosystems, food chains, and electricity). Equivalent forms of the Teaching Science Inventory (TSI) were used to investigate changes in preservice teachers' propositional knowledge about how to teach using inquiry science instruction methods. Equivalent forms of the Science Lesson Planning (SLP) test were used to investigate changes in preservice teachers' application knowledge about how to teach using inquiry science instruction methods. Data analysis included intrarater reliability, ANOVAs, ANCOVAs, and correlations between lists and maps and examination responses. SLP and TSI scores improved from the pretest to the posttest in each of the three study groups. The results indicate that, in general, there were basically no relationships between the treatment and outcome measures. In addition, there were no significant differences between the three groups in their knowledge about how to teach science. Conclusions drawn from this study include, first, the learners did learn how to teach science using inquiry. Second, in this study there is little evidence to support that concept mapping was more successful than the listing strategy in improving preservice elementary teachers' knowledge of teaching science using inquiry science instruction methods.

Professional Journals as a Source of PCK for Teaching Nature of Science: An Examination of Articles Published in The Science Teacher (TST) (an NSTA Journal), 1995-2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aydın, Sevgi; Demirdöğen, Betül; Muslu, Nilay; Hanuscin, Deborah L.

2013-10-01

A number of science education policy documents recommend that students develop an understanding of the enterprise of science and the nature of science (NOS). Despite this emphasis, there is still a gap between policy and practice. Teacher professional literature provides one potential venue for bridging this gap, by providing “activities that work” (Appleton in elementary science teacher education: International perspectives on contemporary issues and practice. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ, 2006) that can scaffold teachers’ developing pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for teaching NOS. We analyzed articles published in the NSTA journal The Science Teacher (1995-2010) in terms of the degree to which they provide appropriate model activities and specific information that can support the development of teachers’ PCK for teaching NOS. Our analysis revealed a diversity of NOS aspects addressed by the authors and a wide range of variation in the percent of articles focused on each aspect. Additionally, we found that few articles provided robust information related to all the component knowledge bases of PCK for NOS. In particular, within the extant practitioner literature, there are few models for teaching the aspects of NOS, such as the function and nature of scientific theory. Furthermore, though articles provided information relevant to informing teachers’ knowledge of instructional strategies for NOS, relevant information to inform teachers’ knowledge of assessment in this regard was lacking. We provide recommendations for ways in which the practitioner literature may support teachers’ teaching of NOS through more robust attention to the types of knowledge research indicates are needed in order to teaching NOS effectively.

The SERC K12 Educators Portal to Teaching Activities and Pedagogic Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsen, K.; Kirk, K. B.; Manduca, C. A.; Ledley, T. S.; Schmitt, L.

2013-12-01

The Science Education Resource Center (SERC) has created a portal to information for K12 educators to provide high-quality grade level appropriate materials from a wide variety of projects and topics. These materials were compiled across the SERC site, showcasing materials that were created for, or easily adaptable to, K12 classrooms. This resource will help support implementation of Next Generation Science Standards by assisting educators in finding innovative resources to address areas of instruction that are conceptually different than previous national and state science standards. Specifically, the K12 portal assists educators in learning about approaches that address the cross-cutting nature of science concepts, increasing students quantitative reasoning and numeracy skills, incorporating technology such as GIS in the classroom, and by assisting educators of all levels of K12 instruction in using relevant and meaningful ways to teach science concepts. The K12 portal supports educators by providing access to hundreds of teaching activities covering a wide array of science topics and grade levels many of which have been rigorously reviewed for pedagogic quality and scientific accuracy. The portal also provides access to web pages that enhance teaching practices that help increase student's system thinking skills, make lectures interactive, assist instructors in conducting safe and effective indoor and outdoor labs, providing support for teaching energy and climate literacy principles, assisting educators in addressing controversial content, provide guidance in engaging students affective domain, and provides a collection of tools for making teaching relevant in 21st century classrooms including using GIS, Google Earth, videos, visualizations and simulations to model and describe scientific concepts. The portal also provides access to material for specific content and audiences by (1) Supporting AGIs 'Map your World' week to specifically highlight teaching activities and approaches that use maps as the basis of instruction for a wide range of topics commonly taught in K12 science courses such as natural hazards, urban development, plate tectonics, climate change, ocean science, and water resources; and (2) Providing easy access to a vast collection of materials specifically for teachers of AP and IB classes including collections of teaching activities for all science disciplines as well as pedagogic approaches that are appropriate for the lab-intensive nature of these classes. The contents of the K12 portal are drawn from a number of projects and collaborations, including CLEAN, Earth Exploration Toolbook, Minnesota Science Teachers Education Project, Pedagogy in Action, EarthLabs, NAGT and On the Cutting Edge. Teachers can add their own materials to the site by sharing lessons plans, activities, and labs. K12 educators of all levels will find a wide variety of resources to spark the curiosity and interest of students. Explore the SERC K12 Educators Portal at: http://serc.carleton.edu/k12/index.html

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2016-04-01

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

The efficacy beliefs of preservice science teachers in professional development school and traditional school settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newsome, Demetria Lynn

Teachers' efficacy beliefs have been shown to correlate positively with to the successful implementation of science reform measures (National Research Council, 1996) and are context specific (Koul & Rubba, 1999). Studies on teacher efficacy in specific contexts have been conducted including the availability of resources and parent support (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2002), classroom management (Emmer & Hickman, 1990; Raudenbush, Rowen, & Cheong, 1992); and institutional climate and behavior of the principal (Hoy & Woolfolk, 1993). The purpose of this study was to compare the science teaching efficacy beliefs of teacher interns prepared in professional development schools with those of student teachers prepared in traditional school settings. Other variables examined included academic level, academic major, and area of science concentration. Preservice science teacher efficacy beliefs were measured using the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument for Preservice Science Teachers, STEBI Form B (Enoch & Riggs, 1990) with demographic information being collected by an accompanying questionnaire. Analyses included scoring the surveys on two scales, Personal Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Scale and the Outcome Expectancy Scale, calculating descriptive statistics, as well as performing MANOVAS and correlations. Results indicate that preservice science teachers working in professional development schools exhibit higher personal science teaching efficacy beliefs. This finding corroborates previous studies on the efficacy beliefs of preservice teachers working in PDS schools (Long, 1996; Sandholtz & Dadlez, 2000). Results also show a strong correlation between the personal science teaching efficacy beliefs and the setting where student teaching takes place. In addition, significant differences were found in the personal science teaching efficacy beliefs between elementary education majors and science majors, science education majors, and secondary education majors. Findings of the study have implications for the design of preservice science teacher clinical experiences including providing longer, organized clinical experiences and preferential selection of preservice science teachers for PDS practicum assignments.

Science education and literacy: imperatives for the developed and developing world.

PubMed

Webb, Paul

2010-04-23

This article explores current language-based research aimed at promoting scientific literacy and examines issues of language use in schools, particularly where science teaching and learning take place in teachers' and learners' second language. Literature supporting the premise that promoting reading, writing, and talking while "doing science" plays a vital role in effective teaching and learning of the subject is highlighted. A wide range of studies suggest that, whether in homogenous or language-diverse settings, science educators can make a significant contribution to both understanding science and promoting literacy.

Teaching professionalism in science courses: anatomy to zoology.

PubMed

Macpherson, Cheryl C

2012-02-01

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

Improving Science Teacher Preparation through the APS PhysTEC and NSF Noyce Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Tasha; Tyler, Micheal; van Duzor, Andrea; Sabella, Mel

2013-03-01

Central to the recruitment of students into science teaching at a school like CSU, is a focus on the professional nature of teaching. The purpose of this focus is twofold: it serves to change student perceptions about teaching and it prepares students to become teachers who value continued professional development and value the science education research literature. The Noyce and PhysTEC programs at CSU place the professional nature of teaching front and center by involving students in education research projects, paid internships, attendance at conferences, and participation in a new Teacher Immersion Institute and a Science Education Journal Reading Class. This poster will focus on specific components of our teacher preparation program that were developed through these two programs. In addition we will describe how these new components provide students with diverse experiences in the teaching of science to students in the urban school district. Supported by the NSF Noyce Program (0833251) and the APS PhysTEC Program.

University and Elementary School Perspectives of Ideal Elementary Science Teacher Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sewart, Bethany Bianca

Teacher education knowledge, skills, and dispositions have recently become a well-discussed topic among education scholars around the nation, mainly due to its attention by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) over the past few years. Accrediting agencies, such as NCATE and the Interstate New Teacher and Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), have sought to improve the quality of teacher education programs by examining knowledge, skills, and dispositions as factors in preparing highly-qualified teachers. There is a paucity of research examining these factors for elementary science teachers. Because these factors influence instruction, and students are behind in scientific and mathematical knowledge, elementary science teachers should be studied. Teacher knowledge, skills, and dispositions should be further researched in order to ultimately increase the quality of teachers and teacher education programs. In this particular case, by determining what schools of education and public schools deem important knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to teach science, higher education institutions and schools can collaborate to further educate these students and foster the necessary qualities needed to teach effectively. The study of knowledge, skills, and dispositions is crucial to nurturing effective teaching within the classroom. Results from this study demonstrated that there were prominent knowledge, skills, and dispositions identified by teachers, administrators, and science teacher educators as important for effective teaching of elementary science. These characteristics included: a willingness to learn, or open-mindedness; content knowledge; planning, organization, and preparation; significance of teaching science; and science-related assessment strategies. Interestingly, administrators in the study responded differently than their counterparts in the following areas: their self-evaluation of teacher effectiveness; how the teaching of science is valued; the best approach to science teaching; and planning for science instruction. When asked of their teaching effectiveness while teaching science, principals referred to enjoying science teaching and improving their practice, while teachers and science teacher educators discussed content knowledge. Administrators valued conducting experiments and hands-on science while teaching science, while their educational counterparts valued creating student connections and providing real-life applications to science for students. In their professional opinions, administrators preferred a hands-on approach to science teaching. Teachers and science teacher educators stated that they view scientific inquiry, exploration, and discovery as effective approaches to teaching within their classrooms. Administrators predicted that teachers would state that lack of resources affects their lesson planning in science. However, teachers and science teacher educators asserted that taking time to plan for science instruction was most important.

"Miss, How do you Write Hipotesis?" Learning to Teach Science to English Language Learners While Navigating Affordances and Constraints: A Longitudinal Multiple Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortega, Irasema

Early career science teachers are often assigned to classrooms with high numbers of English language learners (ELL students). As these teachers learn to become effective practitioners, the circumstances surrounding them merit a thorough examination. This study examines the longitudinal changes in Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and practices of six early career science teachers who taught in urban schools. The teachers participated in the Alternative Support for Induction Science Teachers (ASIST) program during their initial two years of teaching. Our research team followed the participants over a five-year period. This study focuses on data from Years 1, 3, and 5. The data collected included classroom observations and interviews. In addition, classroom artifacts were collected periodically for the purpose of triangulation. The analysis of the data revealed that with the support of the ASIST program, the teachers implemented inquiry lessons and utilized instructional materials that promoted academic language skills and science competencies among their ELL students. Conversely, standardized testing, teaching assignment, and school culture played a role in constraining the implementation of inquiry-based practices. The results of this study call for collaborative efforts among university science educators and school administrators to provide professional development opportunities and support for the implementation of inquiry and language practices among early career science teachers of ELL students.

Why Do They Stay? A Phenomenological Study of Secondary Science Teacher Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lastica, Joelle Ramirez

In 2004, The U.S. Department of Education reported that 20% of schoolteachers (public and private) leave their classrooms during the first year of teaching, and nearly twice as many leave within the first three years of teaching (Koppich, 2004). According to the 2007 Condition of Education report, the U.S. Department of Education estimated there were nearly 380,000 public school math and science teachers during the 2003-2004 school year, and of those, approximately 23,000 left the teaching profession the following school year. Yet despite these reports, in 2004-2005, approximately 360,000 public school math and science teachers remained in their classrooms. In this phenomenological dissertation study, I sought to discover how eight secondary science teachers (whose years of teaching experience range from five to 30 years) make meaning of their decisions to remain in teaching. Through semi-structured interviews, these teacher participants and I discussed how each of them decided to become a science teacher, how each of them think of themselves as a science teacher, and how each of them decided to remain teaching despite the ever-growing list of challenges (s)he faces in and out of his/her classroom. These teacher participants chose to become science teachers because they loved their subject area and working with secondary students. These teachers enjoyed working with their students and their teaching colleagues. However, they acknowledged there were also tensions and frustrations in their work, including not feeling supported by school and district administrators and being overwhelmed with the demands of their workload and time. These eight science teachers chose to remain classroom teachers because they have a profound love for their students, a deep admiration for their colleagues, and a strong sense of mission in their work. It is my intent that the stories shared by the teacher participants in this study will shed light upon concerns, tensions and experiences that are critical in supporting, encouraging and sustaining the work of new and experienced science teachers in their classrooms. This work also contributes to the research literature in the realms of teacher education, teacher attrition and retention, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education.

A New Virtual and Remote Experimental Environment for Teaching and Learning Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lustigova, Zdena; Lustig, Frantisek

This paper describes how a scientifically exact and problem-solving-oriented remote and virtual science experimental environment might help to build a new strategy for science education. The main features are: the remote observations and control of real world phenomena, their processing and evaluation, verification of hypotheses combined with the development of critical thinking, supported by sophisticated relevant information search, classification and storing tools and collaborative environment, supporting argumentative writing and teamwork, public presentations and defense of achieved results, all either in real presence, in telepresence or in combination of both. Only then real understanding of generalized science laws and their consequences can be developed. This science learning and teaching environment (called ROL - Remote and Open Laboratory), has been developed and used by Charles University in Prague since 1996, offered to science students in both formal and informal learning, and also to science teachers within their professional development studies, since 2003.

Integrating Engineering into Delaware's K-5 Classrooms: A Study of Pedagogical and Curricular Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grusenmeyer, Linda Huey

2017-01-01

This study examines the personal and curricular resources available to Delaware's elementary teachers during a time of innovative curriculum change, i.e., their knowledge, goals and beliefs regarding elementary engineering curriculum and the pedagogical support to teach two Science and Engineering Practices provided by science teaching materials.…

Methods and Strategies: Literacy in the Learning Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everett, Susan; Moyer, Richard

2009-01-01

Trade books can be used in all phases of the learning cycle to support effective teaching and learning. Romance and Vitale (1992) found that texts and other nonfiction science books can be effective tools for teaching reading, as the science activities give learners a purpose for their reading. In this article, the authors share ways to…

Teaching Kindergarten Students about the Water Cycle through Arts and Invention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Latisha L.; Samarakoon, Deepanee

2016-01-01

Research evidence for the benefits of arts integration is mounting. The purpose of this study was to determine if integration of the arts was an effective strategy for teaching the water cycle to kindergarten students. The study included lessons that supported both a science and an engineering standard of the Next Generation Science Standards and…

Rigor in Elementary Science Students' Discourse: The Role of Responsiveness and Supportive Conditions for Talk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colley, Carolyn; Windschitl, Mark

2016-01-01

Teaching that is responsive to students' ideas can create opportunities for rigorous sense-making talk by young learners. Yet we have few accounts of how thoughtful attempts at responsive teaching unfold across units of instruction in elementary science classrooms and have only begun to understand how responsiveness encourages rigor in…

Sims for Science: Powerful Tools to Support Inquiry-Based Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkins, Katherine K.; Loeblein, Patricia J.; Dessau, Kathryn L.

2010-01-01

Since 2002, the PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado has been working to provide learning tools for students and teachers. The project has developed over 85 interactive simulations--or sims--for teaching and learning science. Although these sims can be used in a variety of ways, they are specifically designed to make…

A Dynamic Intranet-Based Online-Portal Support for Computer Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iyer, Viswanathan K.

2017-01-01

This paper addresses the issue of effective content-delivery of Computer Science subjects taking advantage of a university intranet. The proposal described herein for teaching a subject like Combinatorics and Graph Theory (CGT) is to supplement lectures with a moderated online forum against an associated intranet portal, which is referred to as a…

The Development of Teaching Skills to Support Active Learning in University Science (ALIUS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bedgood, Danny R., Jr.; Bridgeman, Adam J.; Buntine, Mark; Mocerino, Mauro; Southam, Daniel; Lim, Kieran F.; Gardiner, Michael; Yates, Brian; Morris, Gayle; Pyke, Simon M.; Zadnik, Marjan

2010-01-01

This paper describes an Australian Learning and Teaching Council funded project for which Learning Design is encompassed in the broadest sense. ALIUS (Active Learning In University Science) takes the design of learning back to the learning experiences created for students. ALIUS is not about designing a particular activity, or subject, or course,…

Family Consumer Sciences Teachers' Use of Technology to Teach Higher Order Thinking Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirose, Beth Erica

2009-01-01

Family and consumer sciences (FACS) high school teachers were surveyed on their use of technology to teach higher order thinking skills (HOTS). This study determined if teachers had enough support and training to use technology. Lesson plans were accumulated that required both technology and higher order thinking skills. These lessons were then…

Service Learning within a Secondary Math and Science Teacher Education Program: Preservice MAT Teachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borgerding, Lisa A.; Caniglia, Joanne

2017-01-01

Previous literature suggests that service learning may offer new opportunities to support the development of preservice science and math teachers, but few studies examine service learning beyond isolated teaching events. In this qualitative study, we attempt to improve upon this literature by following Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) students'…

Investigation the opinions of the primary science teachers toward practice of teaching and learning activities in science learning area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chamnanwong, Pornpaka; Thathong, Kongsak

2018-01-01

In preparing a science lesson plan, teachers may deal with numerous difficulties. Having a deep understanding of their problems and their demands is extremely essential for the teachers in preparing themselves for the job. Moreover, it is also crucial for the stakeholders in planning suitable and in-need teachers' professional development programs, in school management, and in teaching aid. This study aimed to investigate the primary school science teachers' opinion toward practice of teaching and learning activities in science learning area. Target group was 292 primary science teachers who teach Grade 4 - 6 students in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand in the academic year of 2014. Data were collected using Questionnaire about Investigation the opinions of the primary science teachers toward practice of teaching and learning activities in science learning area. The questionnaires were consisted of closed questions scored on Likert scale and open-ended questions that invite a sentence response to cover from LS Process Ideas. Research findings were as follow. The primary science teachers' level of opinion toward teaching and learning science subject ranged from 3.19 - 3.93 (mean = 3.43) as "Moderate" level of practice. The primary school science teachers' needs to participate in a training workshop based on LS ranged from 3.66 - 4.22 (mean = 3.90) as "High" level. The result indicated that they were interested in attending a training course under the guidance of the Lesson Study by training on planning of management of science learning to solve teaching problems in science contents with the highest mean score 4.22. Open-ended questions questionnaire showed the needs of the implementation of the lesson plans to be actual classrooms, and supporting for learning Medias, innovations, and equipment for science experimentation.

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…

Formative Assessment to Support Students' Competences in Inquiry-Based Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grob, Regula; Holmeier, Monika; Labudde, Peter

2017-01-01

Inquiry-based education has been part of innovative science teaching for the last few decades. With the competence orientation now underlying many national curricula, one of the emerging questions is how the development of student competences can be fostered in the context of inquiry-based science education. One approach to supporting students in…

ASK4Labs: A Web-Based Repository for Supporting Learning Design Driven Remote and Virtual Labs Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zervas, Panagiotis; Fiskilis, Stefanos; Sampson, Demetrios G.

2014-01-01

Over the past years, Remote and Virtual Labs (RVLs) have gained increased attention for their potential to support technology-enhanced science education by enabling science teachers to improve their day-to-day science teaching. Therefore, many educational institutions and scientific organizations have invested efforts for providing online access…

Environmental Inquiry by College Students: Original Research and Peer Review Using Web-Based Collaborative Tools. Preliminary Quantitative Data Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cakir, Mustafa; Carlsen, William S.

The Environmental Inquiry (EI) program (Cornell University and Pennsylvania State University) supports inquiry based, student-centered science teaching on selected topics in the environmental sciences. Texts to support high school student research are published by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) in the domains of environmental…

Investigating the Nature of Third Grade Students' Experiences with Concept Maps to Support Learning of Science Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merrill, Margaret L.

2012-01-01

To support and improve effective science teaching, educators need methods to reveal student understandings and misconceptions of science concepts and to offer all students an opportunity to reflect on their own knowledge construction and organization. Students can benefit by engaging in scientific activities in which they build personal…

Using Educational Computer Games in the Classroom: Science Teachers' Experiences, Attitudes, Perceptions, Concerns, and Support Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

An, Yun-Jo; Haynes, Linda; D'Alba, Adriana; Chumney, Frances

2016-01-01

Science teachers' experiences, attitudes, perceptions, concerns, and support needs related to the use of educational computer games were investigated in this study. Data were collected from an online survey, which was completed by 111 science teachers. The results showed that 73% of participants had used computer games in teaching. Participants…

Towards a More Authentic Science Curriculum: The contribution of out-of-school learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braund, Martin; Reiss, Michael

2006-10-01

In many developed countries of the world, pupil attitudes to school science decline progressively across the age range of secondary schooling while fewer students are choosing to study science at higher levels and as a career. Responses to these developments have included proposals to reform the curriculum, pedagogy, and the nature of pupil discussion in science lessons. We support such changes but argue that far greater use needs to be made of out-of-school sites in the teaching of science. Such usage will result in a school science education that is more valid and more motivating. We present an “evolutionary model” of science teaching that looks at where learning and teaching take place, and draws together thinking about the history of science and developments in the nature of learning over the past 100 years or so. Our contention is that laboratory-based school science teaching needs to be complemented by out-of-school science learning that draws on the actual world (e.g., through fieldtrips), the presented world (e.g., in science centres, botanic gardens, zoos and science museums), and the virtual worlds that are increasingly available through information technologies.

Elementary teachers past experiences: A narrative study of the past personal and professional experiences of elementary teachers who use science to teach math and reading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acre, Andrea M.

This qualitative study investigated the experiences of four elementary teachers who have elected to use science to teach math and reading/language arts in an attempt to identify what motivates them to do so. Identifying what experiences have motivated these teachers to go against the gain and teach elementary science in this current era of high-stakes tests is of the upmost importance given that science is being eliminated from the elementary curriculum and it is during the elementary years that students' nurture and develop their interest in science. Additionally, the United States is failing to produce enough college graduates in STEM areas to fill the thousands of STEM jobs each year. Through a review of the literature, the past trends and current trends of elementary science education were explored as well as teacher training. Furthermore, the literature reviewed inquiry teaching which is considered to be the most effective teaching method when teaching science at any level. Using John Dewey's Interest and Effort Relationship Theory and the Self-Determination Motivation Theory to guide this study, there were five prominent themes which emerged from the reconstructed stories of the four teachers: positive experiences with science, neutral/negative experiences with science, seeks meaningful professional development, influence and support from others, and regret/wants to do more.

`Intelligent Design' Poses ContinuedThreat to Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geissman, John W.

2006-01-01

Science education in the United States has been the subject of more than usual attention, especially since 1 August 2005 when President George W. Bush stoked the fire by responding to a reporter's question about the teaching of `intelligent design' (ID) in science classrooms by saying that ``both sides ought to be properly taught. . . so people can understand what the debate is about.'' Prior to the 20 December 2005 ruling against the teaching of ID in public schools, by U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III in the Pennsylvania case Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, anti-evolutionists and ID proponents seemed to be enjoying a new momentum in the aftermath of President Bush's statements. William Dembski, senior fellow with the Discovery Institute's Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture in Seattle, Wash., a group that supports intelligent design, wrote on 4 August 2005 at http://www.designinference.com that President Bush ``is to be commended for his courage, wisdom, and foresight'' for supporting the teaching of ID alongside evolution.

Interacting Science through Web Quests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unal, Ahmet; Karakus, Melek Altiparmak

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of WebQuests on elementary students' science achievement, attitude towards science and attitude towards web supported education in teaching 7th grade subjects (Ecosystems, Solar System). With regard to this research, "Science Achievement Test," "Attitude towards Science Scale"…

Literacy and science: each in the service of the other.

PubMed

Pearson, P David; Moje, Elizabeth; Greenleaf, Cynthia

2010-04-23

We use conceptual and empirical lenses to examine synergies between inquiry science and literacy teaching and learning of K-12 (kindergarten through high school) curriculum. We address two questions: (i) how can reading and writing be used as tools to support inquiry-based science, and (ii) how do reading and writing benefit when embedded in an inquiry-based science setting? After elaborating the theoretical and empirical support for integrated approaches, we discuss how to support their implementation in today's complicated curricular landscape.

Interdisciplinary Facilities that Support Collaborative Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asoodeh, Mike; Bonnette, Roy

2006-01-01

It has become widely accepted that the computer is an indispensable tool in the study of science and technology. Thus, in recent years curricular programs such as Industrial Technology and associated scientific disciplines have been adopting and adapting the computer as a tool in new and innovative ways to support teaching, learning, and research.…

Reflection after teaching a lesson: Experiences of secondary school science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halstead, Melissa A.

Secondary science teachers spend most of their time planning, collaborating, and teaching, but spend little time reflecting after teaching a single lesson. The theoretical framework of the adult learning theory and the transformative learning theory was the basis of this study. This qualitative research study was conducted to understand the reflective experiences of secondary science educators after teaching a single or several lessons. The collection of data consisted of interviews from a group of purposefully selected secondary science teachers who met the criteria set forth by the researcher. Through a qualitative analysis of interviews and field notes, the researcher determined that the secondary science teachers in this study shared similar as well as different experiences regarding collaborative and individual reflection after teaching a single or several lessons. The findings from this study also suggested that secondary science educators prefer to collaboratively reflect and then reflect alone to allow for further thought. Additionally, a supportive school culture increases the secondary science teacher’s desire to engage in collaborative as well as individual reflection. The information from this study could be used to close the gaps that exist in the teacher professional development programs.

The Earth Science Education Unit's Professional Development Workshop on "The Carbon Question--Cycling, Releasing, Capturing" for Teachers of Key Stages 3 and 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Chris

2014-01-01

The revised National Curriculum for Science for key stages 3 and 4 (ages 11-16) in England provides the opportunity to develop a new coherent approach to teaching about the carbon cycle, the use of carbon as a fuel and the resulting issues. The Earth Science Education Unit (ESEU) intends to develop a new workshop to support the teaching of this…

Can I Blow It Up? Can I Eat It? Exploring the Science of Food

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Gill; Holyman, Sam

2017-01-01

Easy-to-use classroom resources that support science teaching are always welcomed by time-poor teachers. Ideally these resources should be easy to find, useful and have the flexibility to be incorporated with minimal adaptation into an already full teaching day. Using food in the classroom is certainly not a new idea--especially for primary school…

""I Wonder How This Little Seed Can Have so Much Potential"": Critical Exploration Supports Preservice Teachers' Development as Science Researchers and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes-McDonnell, Fiona

2009-01-01

A teacher educator and student of Duckworth's critical exploration approach to teaching shares three episodes taken from science methods courses she teaches for preservice teachers in graduate and undergraduate programs in elementary education. The episodes reveal the pedagogy of critical exploration to be particularly well suited to the…

Supporting Scientific Conceptual Consciousness or Learning in "A Roundabout Way" in Play-Based Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleer, Marilyn

2009-01-01

Little change has been noted over 10 years of research into teacher knowledge and confidence to teach science in the early and primary years of schooling. There is a significant body of research demonstrating that early childhood and primary teachers lack confidence and competence in teaching science. However, much of this research blames the…

Re-designing an Earth Sciences outreach program for Rhode Island public elementary schools to address new curricular standards and logistical realities in the community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, N.; Vachula, R. S.; Pascuzzo, A.; Prilipko Huber, O.

2017-12-01

In contrast to middle and high school students, elementary school students in Rhode Island (RI) have no access to dedicated science teachers, resulting in uneven quality and scope of science teaching across the state. In an attempt to improve science education in local public elementary schools, the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (DEEPS) at Brown University initiated a student-driven science-teaching program that was supported by a NSF K-12 grant from 2007 to 2014. The program led to the development of an extensive in-house lesson plan database and supported student-led outreach and teaching in several elementary and middle school classrooms. After funding was terminated, the program continued on a volunteer basis, providing year-round science teaching for several second-grade classrooms. During the 2016-2017 academic year, New Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were introduced in RI public schools, and it became apparent that our outreach efforts required adaptation to be more efficient and relevant for both elementary school students and teachers. To meet these new needs, DEEPS, in collaboration with the Providence Public School District, created an intensive summer re-design program involving both graduate and undergraduate students. Three multi-lesson units were developed in collaboration with volunteer public school teachers to specifically address NGSS goals for earth science teaching in 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades. In the 2017-2018 academic year DEEPS students will co-teach the science lessons with the public school teachers in two local elementary schools. At the end of the next academic year all lesson plans and activities will be made publically available through a newly designed DEEPS outreach website. We herein detail our efforts to create and implement new educational modules with the goals of: (1) empowering teachers to instruct science, (2) engaging students and fostering lasting STEM interest and competency, (3) optimizing volunteer resources, (4) meeting new state curricular standards, (5) developing publicly available lesson plans for other teachers and outreach programs, (6) institutionalizing the outreach program within the DEEPS community, and (7) cultivating STEM retention at the grassroots level.

The effects of a new constructivist science curriculum (PIPS) for prospective elementary teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Ling L.

This study examines the effectiveness of a new constructivist curriculum model (Powerful Ideas in Physical Science, PIPS) in promoting preservice teachers' understanding of science concepts, in fostering a learning environment supporting conceptual change, and in improving preservice teachers' attitudes toward science as well as their science teaching efficacy beliefs. The PIPS curriculum model integrates a conceptual change perspective with a hands-on, inquiry-based approach and other promising effective teaching strategies such as cooperative learning. Three instructors each taught one class section using the PIPS and one using the existing curriculum for an introductory science course. Their students were 121 prospective elementary teachers at a large mid-western university. ANCOVA and Repeated Measures Analyses of Variance were performed to analyze the scores on concept tests and attitude surveys. Data from videotaped observations of lab sessions and interviews of prospective teachers and their instructors were analyzed by employing a naturalistic inquiry method to get insights into the process of science learning and teaching for the prospective teachers. The interpretations were made based on the findings that could be corroborated by both methodologies. For the twelve prospective teachers interviewed, it was found that the PIPS model was more effective in promoting conceptual understanding and positive attitudes toward science learning for those with lower past science performance. The PIPS approach left more room for self-reflection on the development of understanding of science concepts in contrast to the lecture-lab type teaching. Factors that might have influenced the teacher trainees' attitudes and beliefs about learning and teaching science were identified and discussed. It was also found that better cooperative learning and a more supportive learning environment have been promoted in the PIPS classrooms. However, the differential treatment effects on learning outcomes for all participants of the study, as measured by the paper-pencil instruments, were not statistically significant. Both students' and instructors' perspectives of the PIPS approach are presented in the study. Limitations of the present study as well as recommendations for future revision of the PIPS curriculum and effective implementation of the constructivist teaching in general, are also included.

Preservice Teachers' TPACK: Using Technology to Support Inquiry Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maeng, Jennifer L.; Mulvey, Bridget K.; Smetana, Lara K.; Bell, Randy L.

2013-01-01

This investigation provides detailed descriptions of preservice secondary science teachers' technology-enhanced inquiry instruction and their developing TPACK. Prior to student teaching, 27 preservice teachers were introduced to general guidelines for integrating technology to support reform-based science instruction. This instruction was in…

Mathematics and Science Instruction in Southern California.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Edwin C.; Mineo, R. James

To provide information to support school district considerations of changes in mathematics and science instruction, three issues were considered: (1) the adequacy of the California Basic Education Data System (CBEDS) for supporting an analysis of subject matter instruction; (2) the distribution of teaching effort and student enrollments among…

Using Innovative Resources and Programs to Prepare Pre- and In-Service Teachers for New Science Standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinzler, R. J.; Short, J.; Contino, J.; Cooke-Nieves, N.; Howes, E.; Kravitz, D.; Randle, D.; Trowbridge, C.

2014-12-01

Leveraging the Rose Center for Earth and Space and active research departments in Earth and Planetary Science, Astrophysics, and Paleontology, the Education Department at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) offers an MAT program to prepare new Earth Science teachers (~100 new teachers by 2018) as well as a range of professional development (PD) opportunities for over 3,000 K-12 teachers annually, providing opportunities to learn with scientists; inquiry-based experiences; and standards-aligned resources. The AMNH produces innovative geoscience and other STEM resources supporting teacher and student science investigations with data visualizations and analysis tools, teaching case materials and other resources that provide rich nonfiction reading and writing opportunities for use in Earth and space science curricula that are integrated in the MAT and PD programs. Museum resources and the MAT and PD programs are aligned to support the recently released Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Common Core State Standards. The NGSS is a set of science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts and disciplinary core ideas to help cultivate teachers' and K-12 students' scientific habits of mind, develop their knowledge and abilities to engage in scientific investigations, and teach them how to reason in context; goals that closely align with those of the AMNH's teacher preparation and professional development programs. A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas (NRC, 2012) is a required text for the MAT program, and this text as well as the NGSS Performance Expectations guide the PD programs as well. Researchers working with Museum scientists and educators find it is not enough for programs for pre- and in-service teachers to provide access to resources. Research suggests that these programs need to engage pre- and in-service teachers in using and reflecting on these types of resources, as well as take into account school environments and support for pre- and in-service teachers with different levels of knowledge and teaching expertise. Evaluation findings from AMNH programs indicate pre- and in-service teachers deepen their science content knowledge and develop new ways of supporting inquiry-based learning and teaching.

Teachers' Views of the School Community Support in the Context of a Science Curricular Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deslandes, Rollande; Barma, Sylvie; Massé-Morneau, Julie

2016-01-01

This study examines teachers' perceptions and comprehension of their school community support for change in implementing a new teaching approach in science and technology in the context of a reform initiative at the secondary level. It is part of a two-year research-intervention conducted with science teachers from a private school. Data was first…

4-H Science Inquiry Video Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2013-01-01

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

Staying within the Law

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hermann, Ronald S.

2017-01-01

Evolution, due to its importance in science, holds a prominent place in national science standards and many state standards. Scientists nearly universally agree that the theory of evolution best explains the unity and diversity of life. Accordingly, numerous science, science education, and religious organizations support the teaching of evolution…

Reconceptualizing Elementary Teacher Preparation: A case for informal science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avraamidou, Lucy

2015-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to explore the ways in which 3 different informal science experiences in the context of an elementary methods course influenced a group of prospective elementary teachers' ideas about science teaching and learning as well as their understandings about the role of informal science environments to teaching and learning. In order to address this question, data were collected in a period of an academic semester through the following sources: journal entries for each of the 3 experiences, a personal teaching philosophy statement and a 2-hour long semi-structured interview with each of the 12 participants. Open coding techniques were used to analyze the data in order to construct categories and subcategories and eventually to identify emerging themes. The outcomes of the analysis showed that the inclusion of informal science experiences in the context of teacher preparation has the potential to support beginning elementary teachers' development of contemporary ideas about science teaching and learning related to inquiry-based science, the nature of scientific work and the work of scientists, connecting science with everyday life, and making science fun and personally meaningful. These findings are discussed alongside implications for policy, teacher preparation, and research under these themes: (a) addressing reform recommendations; (b) developing positive orientations toward science and science teaching; and (c) constructing understandings about scientists' work.

Moral Values and Science Teaching: A Malaysian School Curriculum Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Sok Khim

Implicit in teaching science has been the teaching of a set of values. However, its presence has remained unacknowledged because of assumptions made that its products are value-free and that work of science involves positive values. Malaysian schools have introduced a set of noble values to be taught as a subject called moral education while at the same time expecting all subjects, including the sciences to actively inculcate these noble values in their lessons. A search for values related to science included studies from science education curriculums, studies by scientists and philosophers of science, feminist and Indian critics of science. These values could be categorized into four categories representing epistemological values, supporting values, societal and moral values and power-oriented values. While some categories compliment each other, others are in contention. This paper argues for the inclusion of societal and moral values in the science classrooms. A compassionate scientist should be a reality. The task for Malaysian science educators is to find a way to raise awareness of these values.

Teaching Evolution: A Heuristic Study of Personal and Cultural Dissonance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grimes, Larry G.

2012-01-01

Darwinian evolution is a robustly supported scientific theory. Yet creationists continue to challenge its teaching in American public schools. Biology teachers in all 50 states are responsible for teaching science content standards that include evolution. As products of their backgrounds and affiliations teachers bring personal attitudes and…

Creativity-Supporting Learning Environment--CSLE

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Apiola, Mikko; Lattu, Matti; Pasanen, Tomi A.

2012-01-01

Despite much public discussion about the importance of creativity and innovation-friendly teaching in Finnish higher education, the impact of the general opinion on actual teaching practices has been limited. In the Finnish computer science education the teaching mostly follows a pattern of lectures, fixed exercise sets, and exams. With this…

Physics teaching in developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talisayon, V. M.

1984-05-01

The need for endogeneous learning materials that will relate physics to the student's culture and environment spurred countries like India, Thailand, The Philippines and Indonesia to develop their own physics curriculum materials and laboratory equipment. Meagre resources and widespread poverty necessitated the development of laboratory materials from everyday items, recycled materials and other low-cost or no-cost local materials. The process of developing learning materials for one's teaching-learning needs in physics and the search from within for solutions to one's problems contribute in no small measure to the development of self-reliance in physics teaching of a developing country. Major concerns of developing countries are food supply, livelihood, health, nutrition and growth of economy. At the level of the student and his family, food, health, and livelihood are also primary concerns. Many physics teaching problems can be overcome on a large scale, given political support and national will. In countries where national leadership recognises that science and technology developed is essential to national development and that science education in turn is crucial to science and technology development, scarce resources can be allocated to science education. In developing countries where science education receives little or no political support, the most important resource in the physics classroom is the physics teacher. A highly motivated and adequately trained teacher can rise above the constraining circumstances of paucity of material resources and government apathy. In developing countries the need is great for self-reliance in physics teaching at the country level, and more importantly at the teacher level.

Investigating elementary principals' science beliefs and knowledge and its relationship to students' science outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Uzma Zafar

The aim of this quantitative study was to investigate elementary principals' beliefs about reformed science teaching and learning, science subject matter knowledge, and how these factors relate to fourth grade students' superior science outcomes. Online survey methodology was used for data collection and included a demographic questionnaire and two survey instruments: the K-4 Physical Science Misconceptions Oriented Science Assessment Resources for Teachers (MOSART) and the Beliefs About Reformed Science Teaching and Learning (BARSTL). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to assess the separate and collective contributions of background variables such as principals' personal and school characteristics, principals' science teaching and learning beliefs, and principals' science knowledge on students' superior science outcomes. Mediation analysis was also used to explore whether principals' science knowledge mediated the relationship between their beliefs about science teaching and learning and students' science outcomes. Findings indicated that principals' science beliefs and knowledge do not contribute to predicting students' superior science scores. Fifty-two percent of the variance in percentage of students with superior science scores was explained by school characteristics with free or reduced price lunch and school type as the only significant individual predictors. Furthermore, principals' science knowledge did not mediate the relationship between their science beliefs and students' science outcomes. There was no statistically significant variation among the variables. The data failed to support the proposed mediation model of the study. Implications for future research are discussed.

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

PubMed Central

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

2014-01-01

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

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

PubMed

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

2014-06-17

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

Combining Project-based Instruction, Earth Science Content, and GIS Technology in Teacher Professional Development: Is this Holistic Approach Sustainable?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubino-Hare, L.; Bloom, N.; Claesgens, J.; Fredrickson, K.; Henderson-Dahms, C.; Sample, J. C.

2012-12-01

From 2009-2011, with support from the National Science Foundation (ITEST, DRL-0929846) and Science Foundation Arizona (MSAG-0412-09), educators, geologists and geographers at Northern Arizona University (NAU) partnered to offer professional development for interdisciplinary teams of secondary and middle school teachers with a focus on project-based instruction (PBI) using geospatial technologies (GST). While participating in professional development teachers received support and were held accountable to NAU staff. They implemented activities and pedagogical strategies presented, increased knowledge, skills, and confidence teaching with project-based instruction integrating GST, and their students demonstrated learning gains. Changes in student understanding are only observed when teachers continue to implement change, so the question remained: did these changes in practice sustain after official project support ended? In order to determine what, if anything, teachers sustained from the professional development and the factors that promoted or hindered sustained use of teaching with GST and PBI, data were collected one to two years following the professional development. Research questions included a) what pedagogical practices did teachers sustain following the professional learning experiences? and b) what contexts were present in schools that supported or limited the use of geospatial technologies as a teaching and learning tool? Findings from this study indicate that teachers fall into three categories of sustaining implementation - reformed implementers, mechanical implementers and non-implementers. School context was less of a factor in level of implementation than teachers' beliefs and philosophy of teaching and teachers' understanding of technology integration (teaching with technology vs. teaching technology). Case studies of teacher experiences will be presented along with implications for future professional development.

Preservice elementary teachers learning to use curriculum materials to plan and teach science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunckel, Kristin Lee

New elementary teachers rely heavily on curriculum materials, but available science curriculum materials do not often support teachers in meeting specified learning goals, engaging students in the inquiry and application practices of science, or leveraging students' intellectual and cultural resources for learning. One approach to supporting new elementary teachers in using available science curriculum materials is to provide frameworks to scaffold preservice teachers' developing lesson planning and teaching practices. The Inquiry-Application Instructional Model (I-AIM) and the Critical Analysis and Planning (CA&P) tool were designed to scaffold preservice teachers' developing practice to use curriculum materials effectively to plan and teach science. The I-AIM identifies functions for each activity in an instructional sequence. The CA&P provides guides preservice teachers in modifying curriculum materials to better fit I-AIM and leverage students' resources for learning. This study followed three elementary preservice teachers in an intern-level science method course as they learned to use the I-AIM and CA&P to plan and teach a science unit in their field placement classrooms. Using a sociocultural perspective, this study focused on the ways that the interns used the tools and the mediators that influenced how they used the tools. A color-coding analysis procedure was developed to identify the teaching patterns in the interns' planned instructional approaches and enacted activity sequences and compare those to the patterns implied by the I-AIM and CA&P tools. Interviews with the interns were also conducted and analyzed, along with the assignments they completed for their science methods course, to gain insight into the meanings the interns made of the tools and their experiences planning and teaching science. The results show that all three interns had some successes using the I-AIM and CA&P to analyze their curriculum materials and to plan and teach science lessons. However, all three interns used the tools in different ways, and some of their ways of using the tools were different from the intentions for the tools. These differences can be accounted for by the variety of mediators that influenced the interns' use of the I-AIM and CA&P tools. These mediators were rooted in the Discourses at play in the various communities in which the interns participated during their teacher preparation program. Some of the practices and resources of these various Discourses interfered with or supported the interns' use of the I-AIM and CA&P tools. Each intern took a different trajectory through these Discourses and encountered different practices that mediated how each used the I-AIM and CA&P tools. The results of this study suggest that the goal of preparing preservice teachers to use the I-AIM and CA&P tools should be to provide preservice teachers with opportunities to use the tools and help them develop the metaknowledge about the tools necessary to critically analyze the affordances and weaknesses of different approaches to teaching science.

Supporting new science teachers in pursuing socially just science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruggirello, Rachel; Flohr, Linda

2017-10-01

This forum explores contradictions that arose within the partnership between Teach for America (TFA) and a university teacher education program. TFA is an alternate route teacher preparation program that places individuals into K-12 classrooms in low-income school districts after participating in an intense summer training program and provides them with ongoing support. This forum is a conversation about the challenges we faced as new science teachers in the TFA program and in the Peace Corps program. We both entered the teaching field with science degrees and very little formal education in science education. In these programs we worked in a community very different from the one we had experienced as students. These experiences allow us to address many of the issues that were discussed in the original paper, namely teaching in an unfamiliar community amid challenges that many teachers face in the first few years of teaching. We consider how these challenges may be amplified for teachers who come to teaching through an alternate route and may not have as much pedagogical training as a more traditional teacher education program provides. The forum expands on the ideas presented in the original paper to consider the importance of perspectives on socially just science education. There is often a disconnect between what is taught in teacher education programs and what teachers actually experience in urban classrooms and this can be amplified when the training received through alternate route provides a different framework as well. This forum urges universities and alternate route programs to continue to find ways to authentically partner using practical strategies that bring together the philosophies and goals of all stakeholders in order to better prepare teachers to partner with their students to achieve their science learning goals.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naidoo, Kara

Elementary teachers are criticized for failing to incorporate meaningful science instruction in their classrooms or avoiding science instruction altogether. The lack of adequate science instruction in elementary schools is partially attributed to teacher candidates' anxiety, poor content and pedagogical preparation, and low science teaching self-efficacy. The central premise of this study was that many of these issues could be alleviated through course modifications designed to address these issues. The design tested and presented here provided prospective elementary educators' authentic science teaching experiences with elementary students in a low-stakes environment with the collaboration of peers and science teacher educators. The process of comprehensive reflection was developed for and tested in this study. Comprehensive reflection is individual and collective, written and set in dialogic discourse, focused on past and future behavior, and utilizes video recordings from shared teaching experiences. To test the central premise, an innovative science methods course was designed, implemented and evaluated using a one-group mixed-method design. The focus of the analysis was on changes in self-efficacy, identity and teaching practices as a function of authentic science teaching experiences and comprehensive reflection. The quantitative tools for analysis were t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA on the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument-B (STEBI-B) and weekly self-rating on confidence as a learner and a teacher of science, respectively. The tools used to analyze qualitative data included thematic analysis and interpretative phenomenological analysis. In addition, theoretically grounded tools were developed and used in a case study to determine the ways one prospective educator's science teaching identity was influenced by experiences in the course. The innovative course structure led the development of teacher candidates' science teaching identity, supported science teaching self-efficacy development, positioned teachers as agents in their learning and development, provided the opportunity for teacher candidates to problematize teaching experiences to improve practice, developed teacher candidates who were able to critically question and create science curricula with the primary purpose of mediating student learning, and improved teacher candidates questioning skills and assistance with student performance in order to better mediate student learning. Implications for teacher education and future directions for research are discussed.

How to implement the Science Fair Self-Help Development Program in schools

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

Menicucci, D.

1994-01-01

This manual is intended to act as a working guide for setting up a Science Fair Volunteer Support Committee at your school. The Science Fair Volunteer Support Committee, or SFVSC, is the key component of the Science Fair Self-Help program, which was developed by Sandia National Laboratories and is designed to support a school`s science activities. The SFVSC is a team of parents and community volunteers who work in concert with a school`s teaching staff to assist and manage all areas of a school Science and Engineering Fair. The main advantage of creating such a committee is that it freesmore » the science teachers from the organizational aspects of the fair and lets them concentrate on their job of teaching science. This manual is based on information gained through a Self-Help Development pilot program that was developed by Sandia National Laboratories during the 1991--92 school year at three Albuquerque, NM, middle schools. The manual describes the techniques that were successful in the pilot program and discusses how these techniques might be implemented in other schools. This manual also discusses problems that may be encountered, including suggestions for how they might be resolved.« less

Digital teaching tools and global learning communities.

PubMed

Williams, Mary; Lockhart, Patti; Martin, Cathie

2015-01-01

In 2009, we started a project to support the teaching and learning of university-level plant sciences, called Teaching Tools in Plant Biology. Articles in this series are published by the plant science journal, The Plant Cell (published by the American Society of Plant Biologists). Five years on, we investigated how the published materials are being used through an analysis of the Google Analytics pageviews distribution and through a user survey. Our results suggest that this project has had a broad, global impact in supporting higher education, and also that the materials are used differently by individuals in terms of their role (instructor, independent learner, student) and geographical location. We also report on our ongoing efforts to develop a global learning community that encourages discussion and resource sharing.

Teachers' perspectives of why and how they use the resources of informal science education sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youker, Christian Rene

There has been a growing interest in fostering increased connections between schools and community resources---such as informal science sites. This is due, in part, to the recognition that museum learning has many potential advantages, including improving motivation and attitudes, and nurturing curiosity. Some teachers are using the resources of informal science sites more than others. The purpose of this study was to determine why and how some teachers have continually used the resources of informal science education sites. The study was situated within a constructivist paradigm and employed a naturalistic inquiry strategy. Emergent interviews were conducted with six elementary teachers who regularly used the resources of informal science sites. Observations of informal science use and relevant documents were also used in data analysis. Using a qualitative data analysis program, data were unitized, coded and emergent themes were identified. Findings indicated that the teachers shared many characteristics in terms of why they used informal science, and they situated this within the context of their approaches to science teaching. Yet they valued different aspects of informal science as a resource. Support, especially emotional and social support, for using informal science was also important to these teachers, although where this support came from differed among them. All of the teachers had a strong interest in science, were leaders in science education on many levels and tended to seek out science-related projects and activities. While they shared many characteristics in terms of their approach to science teaching, there was great variation in how these teachers used informal science sites and in the amount and kind of support they received. These findings support the notion that there may be many definitions of the effective use of informal science by elementary teachers.

Learning to teach science for all in the elementary grades: What do preservice teachers bring?

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Howes, Elaine V.

2002-11-01

Implicit in the goal of recent reforms is the question: What does it mean to prepare teachers to teach science for all? Through a teacher research study, I have encountered characteristics that may assist prospective elementary teachers in developing effective, inclusive science instruction. I describe these strengths, link them to requirements for teaching, and suggest how science teacher educators might draw on the strengths of their own students to support teaching practices aimed at universal scientific literacy. My conceptual framework is constructed from scholarship concerning best practice in elementary science education, as well as that which describes the dispositions of successful teachers of diverse learners. This study is based on a model of teacher research framed by the concept of research as praxis and phenomenological research methodology. The findings describe the research participants' strengths thematically as propensity for inquiry, attention to children, and awareness of school/society relationships. I view these as potentially productive aspects of knowledge and dispositions about science and about children that I could draw on to further students' development as elementary science teachers.

One foot on the dock and one foot on the boat: Differences among preservice science teachers' interpretations of field-based science methods in culturally diverse contexts

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Yerrick, Randy K.; Hoving, Timothy J.

2003-05-01

To support lasting change in science classrooms, efforts must be made to assist teachers in understanding the outcomes of their pedagogical choices. The process of reflection is not limited to experienced teachers' experiences, though we must recognize that preservice teachers do not draw upon the same vast repertoire and knowledge. The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice science teachers' beliefs about science teaching and learning through reflections on their own teaching with lower track science students. Using the major data sources of videotapes of teaching, stimulated recall interviews, and student journals we studied preservice teachers enrolled in a field based secondary science methods course working predominantly with rural Black children. Initially, preservice science teachers demonstrated similar practices, made similar inferences about teaching and learning, and relied upon similar domains of knowledge to gauge their teaching. By the end of the study, two discrete categories of preservice teachers emerged: (1) those who demonstrated an ability to reflect on and revise their practices and engage in the production of new teacher knowledge and (2) those who seemingly deflected efforts to shift their thinking and instead reproduced their own educational experience with a new student population. Implications for teacher education and research are discussed.

Methods & Strategies: Put Your Walls to Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Julie; Durham, Annie

2016-01-01

This column provides ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This month's issue discusses planning and using interactive word walls to support science and reading instruction. Many classrooms have word walls displaying vocabulary that students have learned in class. Word walls serve as visual scaffolds to support instruction. To…

Using ICT-Supported Narratives in Teaching Science and Their Effects on Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekici, Fatma Taskin; Pekmezci, Sultan

2015-01-01

Effective and sustainable science education is enriched by the use of visuals, auditory, and tactile experiences. In order to provide effective learning, instruction needs to include multimodal approaches. Integrating ICT supported narrations into learning environments may provide effective and sustainable learning methods. Investigated in this…

Technology and Reform-Based Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dani, Danielle E.; Koenig, Kathleen M.

2008-01-01

Current reforms in science education call for the integration of digital technologies into science teaching, advocating that students learn science content and processes through technology. In this article, we provide practical examples, situated within the literature, of how digital technologies can be used to support the development and…

Teaching students ideas-about-science: Five dimensions of effective practice

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Bartholomew, Hannah; Osborne, Jonathan; Ratcliffe, Mary

2004-09-01

In this paper, we report work undertaken with a group of 11 UK teachers over a period of a year to teach aspects of the nature of science, its process, and its practices. The teachers, who taught science in a mix of elementary, junior high, and high schools, were asked to teach a set of ideas-about-scienc for which consensual support had been established using a Delphi study in the first phase of the project. Data were collected through field notes, videos of the teachers' lessons, teachers' reflective diaries, and instruments that measured their understanding of the nature of science and their views on the role and value of discussion in the classroom. In this paper, drawing on a sample of the data we explore the factors that afforded or inhibited the teachers' pedagogic performance in this domain. Using these data, we argue that there are five critical dimensions that distinguish and determine a teacher's ability to teach effectively about science. Whilst these dimensions are neither mutually independent nor equally important, they serve as a valuable analytical tool for evaluating and explaining the success, or otherwise, that individual teachers of science have when confronted with teaching aspects about science. In addition, we argue that they are an important means of identifying salient aspects of pedagogy for initial and in-service training of science teachers for curricula that incorporate elements of ideas-about-science

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

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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.

An Examination of the Changes in Science Teaching Orientations and Technology-Enhanced Tools for Student Learning in the Context of Professional Development

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Campbell, Todd; Zuwallack, Rebecca; Longhurst, Max; Shelton, Brett E.; Wolf, Paul G.

2014-07-01

This research examines how science teaching orientations and beliefs about technology-enhanced tools change over time in professional development (PD). The primary data sources for this study came from learning journals of 8 eighth grade science teachers at the beginning and conclusion of a year of PD. Based on the analysis completed, Information Transmission (IT) and Struggling with Standards-Based Reform (SSBR) profiles were found at the beginning of the PD, while SSBR and Standards-Based Reform (SBR) profiles were identified at the conclusion of PD. All profiles exhibited Vision I beliefs about the goals and purposes for science education, while only the SBR profile exhibited Vision II goals and purposes for science teaching. The IT profile demonstrated naïve or unrevealed beliefs about the nature of science, while the SSBR and SBR profiles had more sophisticated beliefs in this area. The IT profile was grounded in more teacher-centered beliefs about science teaching and learning as the other two profiles revealed more student-centered beliefs. While no beliefs about technology-enhanced tools were found for the IT profile, these were found for the other two profiles. Our findings suggest promising implications for (a) Roberts' Vision II as a central support for reform efforts, (b) situating technology-enhanced tools within the beliefs about science teaching and learning dimension of science teaching orientations, and (c) revealing how teacher orientations develop as a result of PD.

Concerns and professional development needs of science faculty at Taibah University in adopting blended learning

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Al-Sarrani, Nauaf

The purpose of this study was to obtain Science faculty concerns and professional development needs to adopt blended learning in their teaching at Taibah University. To answer these two research questions the survey instrument was designed to collect quantitative and qualitative data from close-ended and open-ended questions. The participants' general characteristics were first presented, then the quantitative measures were presented as the results of the null hypotheses. The data analysis for research question one revealed a statistically significant difference in the participants' concerns in adopting BL by their gender sig = .0015. The significances were found in stages one (sig = .000) and stage five (sig = .006) for female faculty. Therefore, null hypothesis 1.1 was rejected (There are no statistically significant differences between science faculty's gender and their concerns in adopting BL). The data analysis indicated also that there were no relationships between science faculty's age, academic rank, nationality, country of graduation and years of teaching experience and their concerns in adopting BL in their teaching, so the null hypotheses 1.2-7 were accepted (There are no statistically significant differences between Science faculty's age and their concerns in adopting BL, there are no statistically significant differences between Science faculty's academic rank and their concerns in adopting BL, there are no statistically significant differences between Science faculty's nationality and their concerns in adopting BL, there are no statistically significant differences between Science faculty's content area and their concerns in adopting BL, there are no statistically significant differences between Science faculty's country of graduation and their concerns in adopting BL and there are no statistically significant differences between Science faculty's years of teaching experience and their concerns in adopting BL). The data analyses for research question two revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between science faculty's use of technology in teaching by department and their attitudes towards technology integration in the Science curriculum. Lambda MANOVA test result was sig =.019 at the alpha = .05 level. Follow up ANOVA result indicated that Chemistry department was significant in the use of computer-based technology (sig =.049) and instructional technology use (sig =.041). Therefore, null hypothesis 2.1 was rejected (There are no statistically significant differences between science faculty's attitudes towards technology integration in the Science curriculum and faculty's use of technology in teaching by department). The data also revealed that there was no statistically significant difference (p<.05) between science faculty's use of technology in teaching by department and their instructional technology use on pedagogy. Therefore, null hypothesis 2.2 was accepted (There are no statistically significant differences between science faculty's perceptions of the effects of faculty IT use on pedagogy and faculty's use of technology in teaching by department). The data also revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between science faculty's use of technology in teaching by department and their professional development needs in adopting BL. Lambda MANOVA test result was .007 at the alpha = .05 level. The follow up ANOVA results showed that the value of significance of Science faculty's professional development needs for adopting BL was smaller than .05 in the Chemistry department with sig =.001 in instructional technology use. Therefore, null hypothesis 2.3 was rejected (There are no statistically significant differences between Science faculty's perceptions of technology professional development needs and faculty's use of technology in teaching by department). Qualitative measures included analyzing data based on answers to three open-ended questions, numbers thirty-six, seventy-four, and seventy-five. These three questions were on blended learning concerns comments (question 36, which had 10 units), professional development activities, support, or incentive requested (question 74, which had 28 units), and the most important professional development activities, support, or incentive (question 75, which had 37 units). These questions yielded 75 units, 23 categories and 8 themes that triangulated with the quantitative data. These 8 themes were then combined to obtain overall themes for all qualitative questions in the study. The two most important themes were "Professional development" with three categories; Professional development through workshops (10 units), Workshops (10 units), Professional development (5 units) and the second overall theme was "Technical support" with two categories: Internet connectivity (4 units), and Technical support (4 units). Finally, based on quantitative and qualitative data, the summary, conclusions, and recommendations for Taibah University regarding faculty adoption of BL in teaching were presented. The recommendations for future studies focused on Science faculty Level of Use and technology use in Saudi universities.

What Does Three-Dimensional Teaching and Learning Look Like?: Examining the Potential for Crosscutting Concepts to Support the Development of Science Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fick, Sarah J.

2018-01-01

Science education reforms focus on the integration of three dimensions: disciplinary core ideas (DCIs), scientific and engineering practices (SEPs), and crosscutting concepts (CCCs). While research has examined the role of DCIs and SEPs in teaching and learning, little research has explored how the CCCs might be integrated. This research proposes…

Developing a User Guide to Integrating New Technologies in Science Teaching and Learning: Teachers' and Pupils' Perceptions of Their Affordances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Winter, James; Winterbottom, Mark; Wilson, Elaine

2010-01-01

This paper reports outcomes of a project in which five teachers developed a web-based user guide to integrating new technologies in secondary science teaching. The guide aimed to support the initial education of trainee teachers, and the professional development of mentors, in working with, and understanding the affordances of, new technologies.…

Interactive Story Development for the Unit of Turks on the Silk Road in Social Sciences Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karamete, Aysen; Topraklioglu, Kivanç

2017-01-01

With this study, creating interactive story that includes interaction factors was purposed in order to support teaching of the unit of Turks on the Silk Road in Social Sciences course of 6th grades. The research method was defined as Design and Development Research and ADDIE pattern that is one of the teaching design pattern was based while…

Supporting Academic Language Development in Elementary Science: A Classroom Teaching Experiment

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Jung, Karl Gerhard

Academic language is the language that students must engage in while participating in the teaching and learning that takes place in school (Schleppegrell, 2012) and science as a content area presents specific challenges and opportunities for students to engage with language (Buxton & Lee, 2014; Gee, 2005). In order for students to engage authentically and fully in the science learning that will take place in their classrooms, it is important that they develop their abilities to use science academic language (National Research Council, 2012). For this to occur, teachers must provide support to their students in developing the science academic language they will encounter in their classrooms. Unfortunately, this type of support remains a challenge for many teachers (Baecher, Farnsworth, & Ediger, 2014; Bigelow, 2010; Fisher & Frey, 2010) and teachers must receive professional development that supports their abilities to provide instruction that supports and scaffolds students' science academic language use and development. This study investigates an elementary science teacher's engagement in an instructional coaching partnership to explore how that teacher planned and implemented scaffolds for science academic language. Using a theoretical framework that combines the literature on scaffolding (Bunch, Walqui, & Kibler, 2015; Gibbons, 2015; Sharpe, 2001/2006) and instructional coaching (Knight, 2007/2009), this study sought to understand how an elementary science teacher plans and implements scaffolds for science academic language, and the resources that assisted the teacher in planning those scaffolds. The overarching goal of this work is to understand how elementary science teachers can scaffold language in their classroom, and how they can be supported in that work. Using a classroom teaching experiment methodology (Cobb, 2000) and constructivist grounded theory methods (Charmaz, 2014) for analysis, this study examined coaching conversations and classroom instruction to identify and understand what scaffolds are planned and implemented, and how that planning and implementation occurred through an instructional coaching partnership. Findings from this study showed the elementary science teacher planned and implemented a number of scaffolds for science academic language, focusing primarily on the use of sentence starters as a scaffolding strategy. The findings also indicated that the instructional coaching partnership played a vital role as the main resource that assisted the planning of scaffolds. These findings provide insights into the types of scaffolds that elementary science teachers can implement to scaffold science academic language, and the role that instructional coaching can play in supporting teachers as they work to provide instruction that scaffolds their students' language use and development.

Data Driven Professional Development Design for Out-of-School Time Educators Using Planetary Science and Engineering Educational Materials

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Clark, J.; Bloom, N.

2017-12-01

Data driven design practices should be the basis for any effective educational product, particularly those used to support STEM learning and literacy. Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science (PLANETS) is a five-year NASA-funded (NNX16AC53A) interdisciplinary and cross-institutional partnership to develop and disseminate STEM out-of-school time (OST) curricular and professional development units that integrate planetary science, technology, and engineering. The Center for Science Teaching and Learning at Northern Arizona University, the U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center, and the Museum of Science Boston are partners in developing, piloting, and researching the impact of three out of school time units. Two units are for middle grades youth and one is for upper elementary aged youth. The presentation will highlight the data driven development process of the educational products used to provide support for educators teaching these curriculum units. This includes how data from the project needs assessment, curriculum pilot testing, and professional support product field tests are used in the design of products for out of school time educators. Based on data analysis, the project is developing and testing four tiers of professional support for OST educators. Tier 1 meets the immediate needs of OST educators to teach curriculum and include how-to videos and other direct support materials. Tier 2 provides additional content and pedagogical knowledge and includes short content videos designed to specifically address the content of the curriculum. Tier 3 elaborates on best practices in education and gives guidance on methods, for example, to develop cultural relevancy for underrepresented students. Tier 4 helps make connections to other NASA or educational products that support STEM learning in out of school settings. Examples of the tiers of support will be provided.

Integrating Engineering into Delaware's K-5 Classrooms: A Study of Pedagogical and Curricular Resources

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Grusenmeyer, Linda Huey

This study examines the personal and curricular resources available to Delaware's elementary teachers during a time of innovative curriculum change, i.e., their knowledge, goals and beliefs regarding elementary engineering curriculum and the pedagogical support to teach two Science and Engineering Practices provided by science teaching materials. Delaware was at the forefront of K-12 STEM movement, first to adopt statewide elementary curriculum materials to complement existing science units, and one of the first to adopt the new science standards--Next Generation Science Standards. What supports were available to teachers as they adapted and adopted this new curriculum? To investigate this question, I examined (1) teachers' beliefs about engineering and the engineering curriculum, and (2) the pedagogical supports available to teachers in selected science and engineering curriculum. Teachers' knowledge, goals, and beliefs regarding Delaware's adoption of new elementary engineering curriculum were surveyed using an adapted version of the Design, Engineering, and Technology Survey (Hong, Purser, & Gardella, 2011; Yaser, Baker, Carpius, Krauss, & Roberts, 2006). Also, three open ended questions sought to reveal deeper understanding of teacher knowledge and understanding of engineering; their concerns about personal and systemic resources related to the new curriculum, its logistics, and feasibility; and their beliefs about the potential positive impact presented by the engineering education initiative. Teacher concerns were analyzed using the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (Hall & Hord, 2010). Lay understandings of engineering were analyzed by contrasting naive representations of engineering with three key characteristics of engineering adapted from an earlier study (Capobianco Diefes-Dux, Mena, & Weller, 2011). Survey findings for teachers who had attended training and those who have not yet attended professional development in the new curriculum were compared with few notable differences. Almost all elementary teacher respondents were familiar with engineering and able to define it using one or more key characteristics. They valued the inclusion of engineering in the elementary curriculum; however trained and untrained teachers reported they were not confident about teaching it and were unaware of the new standards related to engineering. Teachers saw potential advantages or benefits of the new curriculum as helping improve science and math understanding, an opportunity to increase vocational awareness, and engaging students and motivating them to learn. Most teachers saw similar barriers to implementation- lack of teacher knowledge, lack of time to learn about engineering and how to teach engineering, and lack of administrative support. Almost all were open to additional in-service training to learn more about this new curriculum. Three fifth grade science units were examined for evidence of teacher pedagogical support in teaching two Science and Engineering Practices (SEP) advocated by the Next Generation Science Standards. An analytic framework was developed based upon two NGSS SEPs: Asking questions, defining problems and Engaging in argument from evidence. Findings revealed that the kits varied greatly in their pedagogical approaches to the two SEPs and differences might be explained by each kit's underlying orientations to the teaching-learning process. Findings from these investigations have implications for the design of professional development and for engineering curricula. They highlight the importance of considering teacher beliefs about curriculum implementation and subject matter, as well as the importance of creating curriculum materials that focus teacher attention toward student thinking and the language rich science and engineering practices. Recommendations also include ongoing professional development to allow teachers time to try out and revise pedagogical routines that support the SEPs studied here.

From Science Studies to Scientific Literacy: A View from the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allchin, Douglas

2014-01-01

The prospective virtues of using history and philosophy of science in science teaching have been pronounced for decades. Recently, a role for nature of science in supporting scientific literacy has become widely institutionalized in curriculum standards internationally. This short review addresses these current needs, highlighting the concrete…

Supporting Teachers for Race-, Class-, and Gender-Responsive Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stapleton, Sarah Riggs

2015-01-01

In this response to Tang Wee Teo's article "Inside versus outside the science classroom: examining the positionality of two female science teachers at the boundaries of science education," I will extend the conversation around Teo's finding that the teachers in her study had difficulty translating their "politicized…

In Support of Access and Inclusion: Joint Professional Development for Science and Special Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brusca-Vega, Rita; Alexander, Jan; Kamin, Colleen

2014-01-01

Collaborative professional development of science and special educators leads to improved access and inclusion of students with disabilities. Yet, despite poor science achievement of students with disabilities, their increasing presence in general education science classrooms, and research that demonstrates effective teaching strategies for…

Effectiveness of a Constructivist Approach to Science Instruction for Prospective Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liang, Ling L.; Gabel, Dorothy L.

2005-01-01

This study examines the effectiveness of a new constructivist curriculum model (Powerful Ideas in Physical Science) in improving prospective teachers' understanding of science concepts, in fostering a learning environment supporting conceptual understanding, and in promoting positive attitudes toward learning and teaching science and chemistry in…

Links in the Chain: Bringing Together Literacy and Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Neil; Hansford, Diane; Rizk, Nadya; Taylor, Subhashni

2017-01-01

In Australia, the Federal Government and the Australian Academy of Science have developed a programme entitled "Primary Connections" (primaryconnections.org. au), aimed at supporting the teaching of science in the primary sector. The programme makes strong and explicit links between science and literacy through the use of word walls,…

Effective Science Instruction: Impact on High-Stakes Assessment Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Carla C.; Zhang, Danhui; Kahle, Jane Butler

2012-01-01

This longitudinal prospective cohort study was conducted to determine the impact of effective science instruction on performance on high-stakes high school graduation assessments in science. This study provides powerful findings to support authentic science teaching to enhance long-term retention of learning and performance on state-mandated…

Reform-based science teaching: A mixed-methods approach to explaining variation in secondary science teacher practice

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Jetty, Lauren E.

The purpose of this two-phase, sequential explanatory mixed-methods study was to understand and explain the variation seen in secondary science teachers' enactment of reform-based instructional practices. Utilizing teacher socialization theory, this mixed-methods analysis was conducted to determine the relative influence of secondary science teachers' characteristics, backgrounds and experiences across their teacher development to explain the range of teaching practices exhibited by graduates from three reform-oriented teacher preparation programs. Data for this study were obtained from the Investigating the Meaningfulness of Preservice Programs Across the Continuum of Teaching (IMPPACT) Project, a multi-university, longitudinal study funded by NSF. In the first quantitative phase of the study, data for the sample (N=120) were collected from three surveys from the IMPPACT Project database. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to examine the separate as well as the combined influence of factors such as teachers' personal and professional background characteristics, beliefs about reform-based science teaching, feelings of preparedness to teach science, school context, school culture and climate of professional learning, and influences of the policy environment on the teachers' use of reform-based instructional practices. Findings indicate three blocks of variables, professional background, beliefs/efficacy, and local school context added significant contribution to explaining nearly 38% of the variation in secondary science teachers' use of reform-based instructional practices. The five variables that significantly contributed to explaining variation in teachers' use of reform-based instructional practices in the full model were, university of teacher preparation, sense of preparation for teaching science, the quality of professional development, science content focused professional, and the perceived level of professional autonomy. Using the results from phase one, the second qualitative phase selected six case study teachers based on their levels of reform-based teaching practices to highlight teachers across the range of practices from low, average, to high levels of implementation. Using multiple interview sources, phase two helped to further explain the variation in levels of reform-based practices. Themes related to teachers' backgrounds, local contexts, and state policy environments were developed as they related to teachers' socialization experiences across these contexts. The results of the qualitative analysis identified the following factors differentiating teachers who enacted reform-based instructional practices from those who did not: 1) extensive science research experiences prior to their preservice teacher preparation; 2) the structure and quality of their field placements; 3) developing and valuing a research-based understanding of teaching and learning as a result of their preservice teacher preparation experiences; 4) the professional culture of their school context where there was support for a high degree of professional autonomy and receiving support from "educational companions" with a specific focus on teacher pedagogy to support student learning; and 5) a greater sense of agency to navigate their districts' interpretation and implementation of state polices. Implications for key stakeholders as well as directions for future research are discussed.

Feedback about Teaching in Higher Ed: Neglected Opportunities to Promote Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gormally, Cara; Evans, Mara; Brickman, Peggy

2014-01-01

Despite ongoing dissemination of evidence-based teaching strategies, science teaching at the university level is less than reformed. Most college biology instructors could benefit from more sustained support in implementing these strategies. One-time workshops raise awareness of evidence-based practices, but faculty members are more likely to make…

Integrating Educational Technology into the Secondary Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzey, S. Selcen; Roehrig, Gillian H.

2012-01-01

The integration of technology in teaching is still challenging for most teachers, even though there has been a historical growth of Internet access and available educational technology tools in schools. Teachers have not incorporated technology into their teaching for various reasons, such as lack of knowledge of technology, time, and support. In…

Discerning selective traditions in science education: a qualitative study of teachers' responses to what is important in science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sund, Per

2016-06-01

Science teachers have differing views about what students should learn. Their teaching experience often leads them to develop habitual answers to students' questions, such as—why should I learn this? Some teachers argue that students need to learn more `canonical' science knowledge so that they can become scientists, while others tell students to apply scientific knowledge in order to make their everyday lives easier. If a group of teachers argue and act in similar ways in similar situations, they can be described as working in a similar collective habit. In this study these are called selective traditions in science teaching. In practical terms they work well in everyday, multifaceted, hectic teaching situations. However, the traditions can obstruct the inclusion of socio-scientific issues in national science education tests. Some research has been conducted on selective traditions in written curriculum material, although little is known about how they can be discerned in teachers' descriptions of their science teaching. This study draws on Dewey's discussion of the interplay between individual and collective habits to discern teaching traditions by regarding them as institutionalized teaching habits. A firmly developed analytical tool is applied to the extensive data consisting of twenty-nine Swedish science teachers' responses in semi-structured interviews. The methodology used in this study is inspired by earlier environmental and sustainability education research. The results are discussed in relation to earlier research on `scientific literacy' and how research can support teachers' changes of practice to encourage students to perform better in large-scale tests.

Surviving the Implementation of a New Science Curriculum

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Lowe, Beverly; Appleton, Ken

2015-12-01

Queensland schools are currently teaching with the first National Curriculum for Australia. This new curriculum was one of a number of political responses to address the recurring low scores in literacy, mathematics, and science that continue to hold Australia in poor international rankings. Teachers have spent 2 years getting to know the new science curriculum through meetings, training, and exploring the new Australian curriculum documents. This article examines the support and preparation for implementation provided in two regional schools, with a closer look at six specific teachers and their science teaching practices as they attempted to implement the new science curriculum. The use of a survey, field observations, and interviews revealed the schools' preparation practices and the teachers' practices, including the support provided to implement the new science curriculum. A description and analysis of school support and preparation as well as teachers' views of their experiences implementing the new science curriculum reveal both achievements and shortcomings. Problematic issues for the two schools and teachers include time to read and comprehend the curriculum documents and content expectations as well as time to train and change the current processes effectively. The case teachers' experiences reveal implications for the successful and effective implementation of new curriculum and curriculum reform.

Between a rock and a hard place: Learning to teach science-for-all in an urban district

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Galosy, Jodie A.

2005-07-01

Science-for-all, a contemporary science education reform initiative, envisions science classrooms where all students have opportunities to deepen their understanding of scientific concepts and practices. However, national science achievement tests indicate the reality of science-for-all is still very much a work-in-progress. Science-for-all demands much of teachers, especially those working with student populations typically underserved by science education---students of color, students with limited English proficiency, and those from families with limited economic means. A large proportion of those students attend urban districts where they are likely to encounter novice science teachers. This qualitative study investigated learning to teach science-for-all in an urban school district. Seven early career middle and high school science teachers participated in the study. Data collection took place over a period of fourteen months, through interviews and observations with teacher participants, their schools, and in their professional development activities (including new teacher support induction programs). The study examines how new teachers' use of their personal, social, and conventional resources influenced their beliefs and practices relative to science-for-all. Three reform ideals serve as the study's focal points: content goals that emphasize understanding scientific concepts and practices, hands-on activities that support students' intellectual engagement, and literacy strategies that provide access for all students to scientific content. Few novices developed beliefs and practices that supported science-for-all. Those who did brought several key personal resources to their teaching. While these personal resources were important for teacher development, they were not sufficient; novices needed additional resources. Some teachers had access to reform-based conventional resources others did not have. However, personal and social resources shaped how novices used those resources and, in turn, their beliefs about students and teaching practices. Context-specific assistance was a particularly important social resource that was in short supply for most novices. The study provides evidence that progress towards science-for-all will require substantial attention to, and investment in, teacher learning across all dimensions of the professional continuum---pre-service, induction, and in-service. The study also provides insights in two critical areas: strengthening the resources available to early career urban science teachers and shaping resource use towards the goals envisioned in science-for all.

What is taking place in science classrooms?: A case study analysis of teaching and learning in seventh-grade science of one Alabama school and its impact on African American student learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norman, Lashaunda Renea

This qualitative case study investigated the teaching strategies that improve science learning of African American students. This research study further sought the extent the identified teaching strategies that are used to improve African American science learning reflect culturally responsive teaching. Best teaching strategies and culturally responsive teaching have been researched, but there has been minimal research on the impact that both have on science learning, with an emphasis on the African American population. Consequently, the Black-White achievement gap in science persists. The findings revealed the following teaching strategies have a positive impact on African American science learning: (a) lecture-discussion, (b) notetaking, (c) reading strategies, (d) graphic organizers, (e) hands-on activities, (f) laboratory experiences, and (g) cooperative learning. Culturally responsive teaching strategies were evident in the seventh-grade science classrooms observed. Seven themes emerged from this research data: (1) The participating teachers based their research-based teaching strategies used in the classroom on all of the students' learning styles, abilities, attitudes towards science, and motivational levels about learning science, with no emphasis on the African American student population; (2) The participating teachers taught the state content standards simultaneously using the same instructional model daily, incorporating other content areas when possible; (3) The participating African American students believed their seventh-grade science teachers used a variety of teaching strategies to ensure science learning took place, that science learning was fun, and that science learning was engaging; (4) The participating African American students genuinely liked their teacher; (5) The participating African American students revealed high self-efficacy; (6) The African American student participants' parents value education and moved to Success Middle School district for better educational opportunities; and (7) Teachers were not familiar with the term "culturally responsive teaching," but there was evidence that several aspects of it were present in the seventh-grade science classroom environment. Critical Race Theory (CRT) was the framework for analysis and interpretation of this research study. The findings support the following tenets of CRT: (a) racism is normal, (b) interest-convergence or colorblindness, (c) contextual-historical analysis, (d) storytelling or counterstorytelling, and (e) social transformation. These findings indicate that racial inequalities remain an issue in the underachievement of African Americans and may be the solution to improving science learning of African Americans. The outcome of this study contributes to the limited research on utilizing culturally responsive teaching along with best teaching strategies to improve academic achievement of African American students, and CRT exposes the issues that contribute to the Black-White achievement gap in science widening.

Perceptions of Support, Induction, and Intentions by Secondary Science and Mathematics Teachers on Job Retention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bond, Sharon C.

This study was designed to examine the teacher characteristics, workplace factors, and type of induction supports that contribute to the retention of secondary science and mathematics teachers. Using the sample of secondary science and mathematics teachers extracted from the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) 2007--2008 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), research was conducted to analyze teachers' responses relative to induction and support by looking at what teachers valued, what they actually received, and what impacted their decision to remain in the teaching profession. In addition to predisposing characteristics that have been shown to influence retention, the research conceptualized the type of induction to include mentoring, professional development, and administrative supports, and employed logistic regression to estimate the individual and collective effects of these factors on teachers' decisions to stay in the profession. Consistent with many areas of education, the fields of science and mathematics in North Carolina remain predominantly White (81%) with Blacks holding 14%, while Asians and Native Americans represent less than 5%. The examination of the Schools and Staffing Survey 2007--2008 showed that the primary supports received by beginning teachers were seminars or classes, common planning, mentoring, and communication with principals. Controlling for certain teacher characteristics, research indicated that science and mathematics teachers in North Carolina rated positively many variables related to support, climate, and classroom practices. Primarily, secondary science and mathematics teachers indicated satisfaction in the areas of mentoring, working conditions, and administrative support, and remained in teaching.

Does one size fit all? A study of beginning science and mathematics teacher induction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kralik, Jeffrey M.

Over the past few years, many induction programs have been implemented across the country, primarily designed to limit the amount beginning teacher attrition. Few of these programs have focused on improving teacher quality or identifying the specific needs of individual teachers. Research suggests that beginning science and mathematics teachers have specific needs that are not being met by current induction models, possibly resulting in higher rates of attrition. Harry and Janet Knowles created the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (KSTF) to identify and support young scientists and mathematicians as they dedicate their lives to teaching young people. Through financial, curricular, and emotional support, KSTF encourages new teachers to remain in teaching and become leaders in their schools and districts. This dissertation is a sequential explanatory study, which first establishes national estimates for beginning teacher attrition rates and the reasons for the migration based on subject area taught, with an emphasis on mathematics and science teachers. This study then evaluates the KSTF model through multiple methods---analysis of KSTF survey data and interviews with KSTF participants and stakeholders.

Threshold Concepts as Focal Points for Supporting Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Katy; Tracy, Frances; Johnstone, Keith

2011-01-01

The Plant Sciences Pedagogy Project conducted research into undergraduate teaching and learning in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge and has translated the research findings into interventions to improve support for student learning. A key research objective for the project was to investigate how teachers within the…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Sara Hayes

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

The Effect of Reform-Based Science Teaching on SES-Associated Achievement Gap on PISA 2006: A Comparative Study of the United States and Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Nai-En

The goal of this study is to examine how reform-based science teaching has been implemented and whether reform-based science teaching has promoted education equity through being available and beneficial for students from different socioeconomic status (SES) family backgrounds in the U.S. and Taiwan. No existing study used large-scale assessment to investigate the implementation and outcomes of the science reform movement in the U.S. and Taiwan. This study was developed to fill this gap using the Program of International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006 data including 5,611 students in the United States and 5995 students in Taiwan. A Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to classify students into different science learning subgroups to understand how broadly reform-based science learning has been implemented in classrooms. The results showed that students in the U.S. had more opportunity to learn science through the reform-based learning activities than students in Taiwan. Latent Class Regression (LCR) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used for examining the availability of reform-based science teaching in both countries. The results showed that in the U.S., higher SES students had more opportunity to learn science reform-based learning activities. On the other hand, students' SES had no association with reform-based science learning in Taiwan. Regression Mixture Modeling and SEM were used to examine whether there was an association between reform-based science teaching and SES-associated achievement gaps. The results found no evidence to support the claim that reform-based science teaching helps to minimize SES-associated achievement gaps in both countries.

Teaching About the Epistemology of Science in Upper Secondary Schools: An Analysis of Teachers' Classroom Talk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryder, Jim; Leach, John

2008-02-01

We begin by drawing upon the available literature to identify four characteristics of teacher talk likely to support student learning about the epistemology of science: making appropriate statements about the epistemology of science in the classroom, linking the epistemology of science with specific science concepts, stating and justifying learning aims, and working with students’ ideas. These characteristics are then used in an analysis of the classroom talk of seven teachers as they use published resources for teaching about the epistemology of science for the first time. By focusing on teachers’ initial classroom experiences of using these published resources we identify feasible starting points for professional development activities likely to support these teachers in developing their expertise in this challenging area of teaching. Lessons focused on a specific aspect of the epistemology of science (the development of theoretical models) contextualised within two content areas: electromagnetism and cell membrane structure. Our analysis shows that none of these teachers made clearly inappropriate statements about the epistemology of science in the classroom. However, expertise related to the remaining three characteristics of teacher talk varied between teachers. For example, some teachers used a range of approaches to working with students’ ideas during whole class talk (e.g. asking students to justify their ideas and challenging students’ views) whereas for other teachers students’ ideas were not a strong feature of classroom discourse.

The science knowledge, conceptions of the nature of science, attitudes about teaching science, and science instructional strategies of bilingual and English-only elementary teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alegria, Adelina Victoria

The goal of this study was to explore bilingual and English-only elementary teachers' science knowledge, their conceptions of the nature of science, their attitudes about teaching science, and their self-reported science instructional skills. In this study, a bilingual teacher was defined as a teacher who provides instruction in Spanish and English in core academic subjects and has completed and/or is completing a bilingual certification program. An English-only teacher was defined as a monolingual teacher that only speaks and instructs in English. The principal questions guiding this dissertation investigation were the following: How do bilingual elementary teachers differ from English-only elementary teachers in (a) their science knowledge, (b) their conceptions of the nature of science, (c) their attitude about teaching science, and (d) their self-reported science instructional skills? This dissertation study is a component of a three-year long Eisenhower Project granted to Hueneme School District and the University of California, Santa Barbara Southcoast Science Project. While the Project will last three years (1997--2000), this dissertation study was developed to answer only a subset of questions of the entire project and data was collected in 1998. The research design for this study consisted of a self-administered questionnaire that was given to Hueneme School District elementary teachers that teach science and was developed by reviewing the relevant literature about teachers' science knowledge, their conceptions of the nature of science, their attitudes about teaching science, and the instructional strategies that support science learning. The findings showed that both the bilingual and the English-only respondents demonstrated a similar science knowledge base, which is suggested, by this researcher, to be limited. That both bilingual and English-only teacher respondents demonstrated similar positive attitudes about teaching science and both reported making use of similar instructional strategies, many of which are known to support science learning in the classroom (laboratory/hands-on activities, whole group discussion, questioning, and cooperative/small group activities). Concerning assessment strategies, both the bilingual and English-only groups reported very similar answers. They reported usually making use of students' projects, student's logs/journals/diaries, performance activities such as lab practicals and hands-on tests to assess science learning. They also reported seldom or never making use of paper/pencil quizzes nor end-of-chapter/unit tests. There was not enough clear information to decide whether bilingual and English-only elementary respondents hold similar or different views of science. This study's implications encompass two different areas: (a) changes that bilingual and elementary credentialing programs need to undergo and (b) further bilingual science teaching research. The findings concerned with science knowledge, that both bilingual and English-only elementary teachers possess a limited science knowledge base leads me to suggest, just as the science teaching literature has suggested, that elementary credentialing programs need to strengthen their candidates' science content by increasing the science content addressed in the science methodology courses and/or by requiring a greater number of science undergraduate courses (most liberal arts majors require no more than five courses, San Diego State University, 1999). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

"Look at what I am saying": Multimodal science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozzer-Ardenghi, Lilian

Language constitutes the dominant representational mode in science teaching, and lectures are still the most prevalent of the teaching methods in school science. In this dissertation, I investigate lectures from a multimodal and communicative perspective to better understand how teaching as a cultural-historical and social activity unfolds; that is, I am concerned with teaching as a communicative event, where a variety of signs (or semiotic resources), expressed in diverse modalities (or modes of communication) are produced and reproduced while the teacher articulates very specific conceptual meanings for the students. Within a trans-disciplinary approach that merges theoretical and methodical frameworks of social and cultural studies of human activity and interaction, communicative and gestures studies, linguistics, semiotics, pragmatics, and studies on teaching and learning science, I investigate teaching as a communicative, dynamic, multimodal, and social activity. My research questions include: What are the resources produced and reproduced in the classroom when the teacher is lecturing? How do these resources interact with each other? What meanings do they carry and how are these associated to achieve the coherence necessary to accomplish the communication of complex and abstract scientific concepts, not only within one lecture, but also within an entire unit of the curricula encompassing various lectures? My results show that, when lecturing, the communication of scientific concepts occur along trajectories driven by the dialectical relation among the various semiotic resources a lecturer makes available that together constitute a unit---the idea. Speech, gestures, and other nonverbal resources are but one-sided expressions of a higher order communicative meaning unit. The iterable nature of the signs produced and reproduced during science lectures permits, supports, and encourages the repetition, variation, and translation of ideas, themes, and languages and therefore permits, supports, and encourages conceptual development at the boundary between the mundane and discipline-specific cultures that students (have to) traverse in learning. It is only within this multimodal and dialectical communicative meaning unit that we can understand and investigate science teaching and learning as these processes naturally occur.

News

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-03-01

PHYSICS AT ASE Warm welcome for new-look Physics Education; TEACHING COMMUNITY Conference in the Netherlands; RESEARCH Evidence based practice; PHYSICS AT ASE Teacher of Physics Awards; PHYSICS AT ASE Festival encourages science teachers; AWARDS Bragg Medal; PHYSICS AT ASE Meteorites are cool! PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING March 2001 - a science odyssey; WEB RESOURCES New website launched to support the gifted and talented; PHYSICS TEACHING A Fun lesson; RESEARCH FRONTIERS Are cell phones safe? OBITUARY Roy Schofield 1924-2000

Providing a Set of Research-Based Practices to Support Preservice Teachers' Long-Term Professional Development as Learners of Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydin, Sevgi; Demirdogen, Betul; Tarkin, Aysegul; Kutucu, Selcan; Ekiz, Betul; Akin, Fatma Nur; Tuysuz, Mustafa; Uzuntiryaki, Esen

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research was twofold. The first was to investigate the development of preservice teachers' knowledge base for science teaching on the rate of reaction topic within the 14-week content representation (CoRe)-based mentoring-enriched practicum course. In this course, CoRe design was used as a form of lesson planning and…

The Use of Living Organisms in Schools: Advice and Support from Science Inspectors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lock, Roger

1996-01-01

Focuses on the advice and support from science inspectors or advisers with respect to the use of living organisms in schools. Reports that advice, support, and encouragement in the use of living organisms in teaching was widely available at the time of this study and schools have a great deal to lose from the shrinkage in the advisory service.…

The effect of guided inquiry-based instruction in secondary science for students with learning disabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eliot, Michael H.

Students with learning disabilities (SWLDs) need to attain academic rigor to graduate from high school and college, as well as achieve success in life. Constructivist theories suggest that guided inquiry may provide the impetus for their success, yet little research has been done to support this premise. This study was designed to fill that gap. This quasi-experimental study compared didactic and guided inquiry-based teaching of science concepts to secondary SWLDs in SDC science classes. The study examined 38 students in four classes at two diverse, urban high schools. Participants were taught two science concepts using both teaching methods and posttested after each using paper-and-pencil tests and performance tasks. Data were compared to determine increases in conceptual understanding by teaching method, order of teaching method, and exposure one or both teaching methods. A survey examined participants' perceived self-efficacy under each method. Also, qualitative comparison of the two test formats examined appropriate use with SWLDs. Results showed significantly higher scores after the guided inquiry method on concept of volume, suggesting that guided inquiry does improve conceptual understanding over didactic instruction in some cases. Didactic teaching followed by guided inquiry resulted in higher scores than the reverse order, indicating that SWLDs may require direct instruction in basic facts and procedures related to a topic prior to engaging in guided inquiry. Also application of both teaching methods resulted in significantly higher scores than a single method on the concept of density, suggesting that SWLDs may require more in depth instruction found using both methods. No differences in perceived self-efficacy were shown. Qualitative analysis both assessments and participants' behaviors during testing support the use of performance tasks over paper-and-pencil tests with SWLDs. Implications for education include the use of guided inquiry to increase SWLDs conceptual understanding and process skills, while improving motivation and participation through hands-on learning. In addition, teachers may use performance tasks to better assess students' thought process, problem solving skills, and conceptual understanding. However, constructivist teaching methods require extra training, pedagogical skills, subject matter knowledge, physical resources, and support from all stakeholders.

Teaching about the Epistemology of Science in Upper Secondary Schools: An Analysis of Teachers' Classroom Talk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryder, Jim; Leach, John

2008-01-01

We begin by drawing upon the available literature to identify four characteristics of teacher talk likely to support student learning about the epistemology of science: making appropriate statements about the epistemology of science in the classroom, linking the epistemology of science with specific science concepts, stating and justifying…

If We Teach Them, They Can Learn: Young Students Views of Nature of Science during an Informal Science Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quigley, Cassie; Pongsanon, Khemmawadee; Akerson, Valarie L.

2011-01-01

There have been substantial reform efforts in science education to improve students' understandings of science and its processes and provide continual support for students becoming scientifically literate (AAAS, "Benchmarks for science literacy," Oxford University Press, New York, 1993; NRC, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1996; NSTA,…

7 CFR 3405.4 - Purpose of the program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... agricultural sciences. In this context, CSREES has specific responsibility to initiate and support projects to strengthen college and university teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences. One national... food and agricultural sciences higher education programs and to provide them with an education of the...

Perceptions of science and art: An interdisciplinary investigation of preservice elementary teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleming, Michelle Ann

Science and art have been intertwined throughout history. Leading educational organizations and researchers support interdisciplinary connections to maximize teaching scope and effectiveness. Preservice elementary teachers face unique challenges in developing appropriate pedagogical content knowledge in a variety of disciplines, including science and art. This multi-method, case study investigated the relationship between science and art as an example of two disciplines that seem disparate but actually have strong similarities. Attitudes and perceptions towards science and art, and the teaching of science and art were studied with a cohort of twenty-six preservice elementary teachers at a large, Midwestern university. Data was generated from pre- and post-tests, interviews, and observations in the elementary science and art methods courses. Interests and attitudes towards teaching science increased, and participants came to perceive science as a more creative and imaginative endeavor. Perceived self-efficacies towards teaching science and art increased significantly. Attitudes towards art and perceptions of outcome expectancy and cooperative peer relationships in both science and art did not change. Qualitative results suggested inadequate and naive views of science and art at the beginning and more developed views of science and art by the end of the coursework. Creativity and imagination in scientific and artistic inquiry was a pervading theme in the post-course data. Implications are discussed for elementary teacher education and further research in this area.

Emerging Geoscience Education Research at the University of British Columbia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, F. M.; Harris, S.; Wieman, C.; Gilley, B.; Lane, E.; Caulkins, J.

2009-12-01

Geoscience education research (GER) in UBC’s Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences (EOS) began due to a well funded 5-yr Faculty of Science project called the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative (CWSEI). This initiative takes an evidence-based, scientific approach to improving education by 1) establishing what students should learn; 2) scientifically measuring what students are learning; 3) adapting instruction and curricula using effective technologies and pedagogical research; and 4) disseminating and adopting what works. The presentation will discuss how this initiative has fostered a growing GER presence within our Department. CWSEI funding has enabled the EOS Department to hire 4 full-time Science Teaching and Learning Fellows (STLFs) who work directly with faculty to optimize courses and curricula. Much of the effort goes into developing active learning opportunities and rigorous ways to measure student learning and attitudes. Results serve as feedback for both students and instructors. Over 10 research projects have so far been initiated as a result of course and curriculum transformation. Examples include studies about: student attitudes towards Earth and Ocean Sciences; the effects of multiple instructors in courses; links between student in-class engagement and pedagogy; how certain instructional interventions promote metacognition; and others. Also, many modified courses use pre- and post-testing to measure learning gains. One undergraduate honors thesis, about assessing conceptual understanding of geological time, has been completed. Keys to fostering GER in our setting include: (1) faculty commitment to change, based on funding from CWSEI, (2) full-time Earth scientists (STLFs) who catalyze and support change, and (3) support from CWSEI science education experts. Specifically: - STLFs are trained Earth scientists but were not initially science education experts. Continuous support from CWSEI has been crucial for building expertise about how science is learned. - STLFs neither teach nor do course development alone. Rather, they bring dedication, focus, and enthusiasm to work with faculty members, and involve them in research aspects of the project. - Faculty effort is supported with reduced teaching loads. By project’s end, most (45-50) faculty members will have participated. Already, some have begun to actively pursue GER. - Students are involved: a new geoscience education course encourages graduate students to adopt scientific approaches to teaching early in their careers, and we engage undergraduates to assist with collection and analysis of education research data. Sustaining GER is challenging, therefore all reporting requirements are designed with transfer and sustainable practice in mind. Half way into the project, we have involved over 60% of our teaching faculty, worked on over 20 courses, and initiated several projects that affect our Department’s teaching in general. Faculty are beginning to engage in their own GER projects by observing where improvement is desirable, proposing and implementing changes, and measuring the effects. This scientific approach to teaching and learning is helping catalyze a sustainable GER presence in our department.

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.

How a science methods course may influence the curriculum decisions of preservice teachers in the Bahamas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wisdom, Sonya L.

The purpose of this study was to examine how a science methods course in primary education might influence the curriculum decisions of preservice teachers in The Bahamas related to unit plan development on environmental science topics. Grounded in a social constructivist theoretical framework for teaching and learning science, this study explored the development of the confidence and competence of six preservice teachers to teach environmental science topics at the primary school level. A qualitative case study using action research methodologies was conducted. The perspectives of preservice teachers about the relevancy of methods used in a science methods course were examined as I became more reflective about my practice. Using constant comparative analysis, data from student-written documents and interviews as well as my field notes from class observations and reflective journaling were analyzed for emerging patterns and themes. Findings of the study indicated that while preservice teachers showed a slight increase in interest regarding learning and teaching environmental science, their primary focus during the course was learning effective teaching strategies in science on topics with which they already had familiarity. Simultaneously, I gained a deeper understanding of the usefulness of reflection in my practice. As a contribution to the complexity of learning to teach science at the primary school level, this study suggests some issues for consideration as preservice teachers are supported to utilize more of the national primary science curriculum in The Bahamas.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobin, Kenneth

2012-03-01

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

Technology Integration in Science Classrooms: Framework, Principles, and Examples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Minchi C.; Freemyer, Sarah

2011-01-01

A great number of technologies and tools have been developed to support science learning and teaching. However, science teachers and researchers point out numerous challenges to implementing such tools in science classrooms. For instance, guidelines, lesson plans, Web links, and tools teachers can easily find through Web-based search engines often…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2013-01-01

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

Integrating Science in Agricultural Education: Attitudes of Indiana Agricultural Science and Business Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balschweid, Mark A.; Thompson, Gregory W.

2002-01-01

In a survey of Indiana agriscience and business teachers (n=170), one-half reported their students receive science credit for agriscience and business courses; they felt prepared to teach integrated biological sciences; and integration required more preparation time. They needed appropriate equipment and adequate funding to support integration.…

Elementary student teachers' science content representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zembal-Saul, Carla; Krajcik, Joseph; Blumenfeld, Phyllis

2002-08-01

This purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which three prospective teachers who had early opportunities to teach science would approach representing science content within the context of their student teaching experiences. The study is framed in the literature on pedagogical content knowledge and learning to teach. A situated perspective on cognition is applied to better understand the influence of context and the role of the cooperating teacher. The three participants were enrolled in an experimental teacher preparation program designed to enhance the teaching of science at the elementary level. Qualitative case study design guided the collection, organization, and analysis of data. Multiple forms of data associated with student teachers' content representations were collected, including audiotaped planning and reflection interviews, written lesson plans and reflections, and videotaped teaching experiences. Broad analysis categories were developed and refined around the subconstructs of content representation (i.e., knowledge of instructional strategies that promote learning and knowledge of students and their requirements for meaningful science learning). Findings suggest that when prospective teachers are provided with opportunities to apply and reflect substantively on their developing considerations for supporting children's science learning, they are able to maintain a subject matter emphasis. However, in the absence of such opportunities, student teachers abandon their subject matter emphasis, even when they have had extensive background and experiences addressing subject-specific considerations for teaching and learning.

Taking the lead from our colleagues in medical education: the use of images of the in-vivo setting in teaching concepts of pharmaceutical science.

PubMed

Curley, Louise E; Kennedy, Julia; Hinton, Jordan; Mirjalili, Ali; Svirskis, Darren

2017-01-01

Despite pharmaceutical sciences being a core component of pharmacy curricula, few published studies have focussed on innovative methodologies to teach the content. This commentary identifies imaging techniques which can visualise oral dosage forms in-vivo and observe formulation disintegration in order to achieve a better understanding of in-vivo performance. Images formed through these techniques can provide students with a deeper appreciation of the fate of oral formulations in the body compared to standard disintegration and dissolution testing, which is conducted in-vitro. Such images which represent the in-vivo setting can be used in teaching to give context to both theory and experimental work, thereby increasing student understanding and enabling teaching of pharmaceutical sciences supporting students to correlate in-vitro and in-vivo processes.

Teacher candidates in an online post-baccalaureate science methods course: Implications for teaching science inquiry with technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colon, Erica L.

Online learning is becoming more prevalent in today's education and is changing the way students learn and instructors teach. This study proposed using an informative case study design within a multilevel conceptual framework as teacher candidates were learning to teach and use science inquiry while in an online post-baccalaureate science methods course. The purposes were to (a) explore whether the teacher candidates had a thorough understanding of scientific inquiry and how to implement higher-order thinking skills, (b) examine whether or not the teacher candidates used a variety of computer-based instructional technologies when choosing instructional objectives, and (c) identify barriers that impede teacher candidates from using science inquiry or technology singly, or the ability to incorporate technology into learning science inquiry. The findings indicate that an online approach in preparing science teachers holds great potential for using innovative technology to teach science inquiry. First, the teacher candidates did incorporate essential features of classroom inquiry, however it was limited and varied in the type of inquiry used. Second, of the 86 lesson plans submitted by the teacher candidates, less than twelve percent of the learning objectives involved higher-order skills that promoted science inquiry. Third, results supported that when using technology in their lesson planning, participants had widely varying backgrounds in reference to their familiarity with technology. However, even though each participant used some form or another, the technology used was fairly low level. Finally, when discussing implementing inquiry-based science in the lesson plans, this study identified time as a reason that participants may not be pushing for more inquiry-based lessons. The researcher also identifies that school placements were a huge factor in the amount of inquiry-based skills coded in the lesson plans. The study concludes that online teacher preparation programs hold promise for teacher candidates by providing them knowledge and strategies for implementing innovative technologies to teach science inquiry when designing curriculum. By identifying specific implications for methods course design and implementation, as well as future research, this study contributes to teacher education improvement efforts, and therefore supports changing learning styles of their future students, so-called the iGeneration.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Implementing Seminars as a Teaching and an Assessment Method in a Children's Literature Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al'Adawi, Sharifa Said Ali

2017-01-01

The classroom environment should support students' autonomy through teaching and assessment methods. This article highlights students' perceptions about the value of implementing seminars as a teaching and an assessment method in a children's literature course in a college of applied sciences (XCAS). Additionally, preparation considerations and…

Supporting the Teaching of the Visual Literacies in the Earth and Life Sciences in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paxton, Moragh; Frith, Vera; Kelly-Laubscher, Roisin; Muna, Natashia; van der Merwe, Mathilde

2017-01-01

Internationally, there has been increasing emphasis on the teaching of the academic literacies, particularly reading and writing, in higher education institutions. However, recent research is highlighting the need for more explicit teaching of multimodal forms of communication, such as the visual literacies, in undergraduate courses in a wide…

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.

Exploring the interaction of personal and contextual factors during the induction period of science teachers and how this interaction shapes their enactment of science reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saka, Yavuz

The first years of teaching are demanding as the novice works to gain a degree of familiarity in her/his professional work. It is during this period that many teachers decide to leave the teaching profession or move away from the reform-minded beliefs and practices acquired during their teacher preparation programs. To understand what happens during induction requires a focus on both the cognitive and contextual issues related to science teaching. The goal of this qualitative, multi-case study was to describe the induction experiences of two reform-minded first year science teachers and the strategies they used to negotiate contradictions embedded the context of schooling. Using the frame of Cultural Historical Activity Theory, in this research I focused on changes in science teachers' personal and professional identities, self-efficacy and pedagogical discontentment, the manner in which these factors shaped science teaching practices, and beliefs and practices shaped and were shaped by the context of the novices' work. Data included a year of participant observations, surveys, open-ended questionnaires, interviews, classroom observations, and mediating artifacts such as lesson plans and assignments. Identities and dispositions of these teachers played significant role their attempts to become competent members of their school communities, attempts that influenced and were influenced by their teaching self-efficacy and pedagogical discontentment. Mild contradictions in the system allowed for the refinement of reform-minded science teaching practices, while extreme contradictions in the system served to change one teacher's goals and prevented his successful enactment of science education reform. Findings indicated that the successful enactment of reform-minded practice depends not just on contextual factors related to schools, or just on individual factors associated with science teaching. Instead, personal and contextual factors interact to shape a novice's first year experience. This research also demonstrated that participation in a professional community that both acknowledges the strengths novices bring into the community and recognizes the support novices need is essential if novices are to become successful members of a community of practice. One implication of this research is the need to move beyond a singular focus on science teaching and learning in teacher education programs to include an exploration of the affective and professional aspects of teaching. Because this research points to the important role professional development communities play in the development of reform minded science teachers, a second implication of this research is that teacher preparation programs should include a close examination of the role and importance of communities in a teacher's initial success and long term development. Clearly disbanding the professional community constructed throughout a preservice experience upon graduation is artificial and counterproductive. Instead, induction programs that include some members of the preservice science teacher's community may be invaluable for providing support, recognition, and critical lens needed for novices to examine their work as they move into schools as professionals engaged in practice of reform-based science teaching.

minimUML: A Minimalist Approach to UML Diagramming for Early Computer Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Scott A.; Perez-Quinones, Manuel A.; Edwards, Stephen H.

2005-01-01

In introductory computer science courses, the Unified Modeling Language (UML) is commonly used to teach basic object-oriented design. However, there appears to be a lack of suitable software to support this task. Many of the available programs that support UML focus on developing code and not on enhancing learning. Programs designed for…

Environmental literacy framework with a focus on climate change (ELF): a framework and resources for teaching climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huffman, L. T.; Blythe, D.; Dahlman, L. E.; Fischbein, S.; Johnson, K.; Kontar, Y.; Rack, F. R.; Kulhanek, D. K.; Pennycook, J.; Reed, J.; Youngman, B.; Reeves, M.; Thomas, R.

2010-12-01

The challenges of communicating climate change science to non-technical audiences present a daunting task, but one that is recognized in the science community as urgent and essential. ANDRILL's (ANtarctic geological DRILLing) international network of scientists, engineers, technicians and educators work together to convey a deeper understanding of current geoscience research as well as the process of science to non-technical audiences. One roadblock for educators who recognize the need to teach climate change has been the lack of a comprehensive, integrated set of resources and activities that are related to the National Science Education Standards. Pieces of the climate change puzzle can be found in the excellent work of the groups of science and education professionals who wrote the Essential Principles of Ocean Sciences, Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science, Earth Science Literacy Principles: The Big Ideas and Supporting Concepts of Earth Science, and Essential Principals and Fundamental Concepts for Atmospheric Science Literacy, but teachers have precious little time to search out the climate change goals and objectives in those frameworks and then find the resources to teach them. Through NOAA funding, ANDRILL has created a new framework, The Environmental Literacy Framework with a Focus on Climate Change (ELF), drawing on the works of the aforementioned groups, and promoting an Earth Systems approach to teaching climate change through five units: Atmosphere, Biosphere, Geosphere, Hydrosphere/Cryosphere, and Energy as the driver of interactions within and between the “spheres.” Each key concept in the framework has a hands-on, inquiry activity and matching NOAA resources for teaching the objectives. In its present form, we present a ‘road map’ for teaching climate change and a set of resources intended to continue to evolve over time.

Relationship between teacher preparedness and inquiry-based instructional practices to students' science achievement: Evidence from TIMSS 2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Lynn A.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teachers' self-reported preparedness for teaching science content and their instructional practices to the science achievement of eighth grade science students in the United States as demonstrated by TIMSS 2007. Six hundred eighty-seven eighth grade science teachers in the United States representing 7,377 students responded to the TIMSS 2007 questionnaire about their instructional preparedness and their instructional practices. Quantitative data were reported. Through correlation analysis, the researcher found statistically significant positive relationships emerge between eighth grade science teachers' main area of study and their self-reported beliefs about their preparedness to teach that same content area. Another correlation analysis found a statistically significant negative relationship existed between teachers' self-reported use of inquiry-based instruction and preparedness to teach chemistry, physics and earth science. Another correlation analysis discovered a statistically significant positive relationship existed between physics preparedness and student science achievement. Finally, a correlation analysis found a statistically significant positive relationship existed between science teachers' self-reported implementation of inquiry-based instructional practices and student achievement. The data findings support the conclusion that teachers who have feelings of preparedness to teach science content and implement more inquiry-based instruction and less didactic instruction produce high achieving science students. As science teachers obtain the appropriate knowledge in science content and pedagogy, science teachers will feel prepared and will implement inquiry-based instruction in science classrooms.

Supporting pre-service elementary teachers in their understanding of inquiry teaching through the construction of a third discursive space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greca, Ileana M.

2016-03-01

Several international reports promote the use of the inquiry teaching methodology for improvements in science education at elementary school. Nevertheless, research indicates that pre-service elementary teachers have insufficient experience with this methodology and when they try to implement it, the theory they learnt in their university education clashes with the classroom practice they observe, a problem that has also been noted with other innovative methodologies. So, it appears essential for pre-service teachers to conduct supportive reflective practice during their education to integrate theory and practice, which various studies suggest is not usually done. Our study shows how opening up a third discursive space can assist this supportive reflective practice. The third discursive space appears when pre-service teachers are involved in specific activities that allow them to contrast the discourses of theoretical knowledge taught at university with practical knowledge arising from their ideas on science and science teaching and their observations during classroom practice. The case study of three pre-service teachers shows that this strategy was fundamental in helping them to integrate theory and practice, resulting in a better understanding of the inquiry methodology and its application in the classroom.

A short history of the Science and Mathematics Education Centre at Curtin University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treagust, David F.

2011-09-01

This article is presented in four parts. In the first part, I describe the foundation of the Science and Mathematics Education Centre (SMEC) at Curtin University. In the second part, I explain the development of SMEC's teaching and research capacity under its three directors. In the third section, I describe how federal government support of SMEC as a national Key Centre for Teaching and Research in School Science and Mathematics provided enhanced postgraduate study opportunities for science and mathematics teachers throughout Australia by offering degree programs through distance education and face-to-face contact, short courses, and seminars. At the same time, research and teaching capacity of the academic staff was enhanced through the internationalisation of the programs being offered. In the final section, I describe current and future developments at SMEC.

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.

The Translation of Teachers' Understanding of Gifted Students Into Instructional Strategies for Teaching Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Soonhye; Steve Oliver, J.

2009-08-01

This study examined how instructional challenges presented by gifted students shaped teachers’ instructional strategies. This study is a qualitative research grounded in a social constructivist framework. The participants were three high school science teachers who were teaching identified gifted students in both heterogeneously- and homogeneously-grouped classrooms. Major data sources are classroom observations and interviews. Data analysis indicated that these science teachers developed content-specific teaching strategies based on their understanding of gifted students, including: (a) instructional differentiation, e.g., thematic units, (b) variety in instructional mode and/or students’ products, (c) student grouping strategies and peer tutoring, (d) individualized support, (e) strategies to manage challenging questions, (f) strategies to deal with the perfectionism, and (g) psychologically safe classroom environments.

Talking Science: Developing a Discourse of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hackling, Mark; Smith, Pru; Murcia, Karen

2010-01-01

A key principle of inquiry-based science education is that the process of inquiry must include opportunities for the exploration of questions and ideas, as well as reasoning with ideas and evidence. Teaching and learning Science therefore involves teachers managing a discourse that supports inquiry and students engaging in talk that facilitates…

The Efficacy of Educative Curriculum Materials to Support Geospatial Science Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodzin, Alec; Peffer, Tamara; Kulo, Violet

2012-01-01

Teaching and learning about geospatial aspects of energy resource issues requires that science teachers apply effective science pedagogical approaches to implement geospatial technologies into classroom instruction. To address this need, we designed educative curriculum materials as an integral part of a comprehensive middle school energy…

Supporting Newly Hired Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luft, Julie A.; Nixon, Ryan S.; Dubois, Shannon L.; Campbell, Benjamin K.

2014-01-01

New teachers are common in the teaching workforce (Ingersoll and Merrill 2012). All new teachers will learn about the school curriculum and school policies in their first years. New science teachers, however, need to attend to the "Next Generation of Science Standards" (NGSS Lead States 2013) as they build their instruction and knowledge…

Inquiry Identity and Science Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2016-01-01

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…

Epistemological Beliefs and Practices of Science Faculty with Education Specialties: Combining Teaching Scholarship and Interdisciplinarity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Addy, Tracie Marcella

2011-12-01

Across the United States institutions of higher education address educational reform by valuing scholarship that focuses on teaching and learning, especially in STEM fields. University science departments can encourage teaching scholarship by hiring science faculty with education specialties (SFES), individuals who have expertise in both science and science education. The goal of this study was to understand how the epistemological beliefs and teaching practices of SFES relate to national reform efforts in science teaching promoting student-centered instruction. The research questions guiding this investigation were: (1) What epistemological belief systems do science faculty with education specialties espouse concerning the teaching and learning of science?; and (2) What are the classroom practices of science faculty with education specialties? How are these practices congruent with the reform efforts described by the National Research Council (1996, 2001, 2003)? The theoretical framework guiding the study was interdisciplinarity, the integration of knowledge between two or more disciplines (science and science pedagogy). The research design employed mixed (qualitative and quantitative) approaches and focused on 25 volunteer SFES participants. The TBI, ATI, and RTOP were used to triangulate self-report and videotaped teaching vignettes, and develop profiles of SFES. Of the 25 SFES participants, 82 percent of their beliefs were transitional or student-centered beliefs. Seventy-two percent of the 25 SFES espoused more student-focused than teacher focused approaches. The classroom practices of 10 SFES were on average transitional in nature (at the boundary of student-focused and teacher-focused). The beliefs of SFES appeared to be influenced by the sizes of their courses, and were positive correlated with reform-based teaching practices. There was a relationship between the degree to which they implemented reform-based practice and their perceived level of departmental emphasis on teaching scholarship. These findings support the epistemological beliefs of this cohort of SFES as congruent with the recommendations given by the National Research Council on educational reform. Further research is needed to understand the teaching beliefs and practices of SFES compared their non-SFES colleagues, the departmental climates of SFES, the influence of the classroom practices of SFES on student learning and achievement in science, and SFES belief systems within particular STEM disciplines. SFES may play a crucial role at enacting reform-based teaching within undergraduate science courses across our nation, and address the needs of STEM education brought forward by national calls to action.

Perceived Barriers and Strategies to Effective Online Earth and Space Science Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pottinger, James E.

With the continual growth and demand of online courses, higher education institutions are attempting to meet the needs of today's learners by modifying and developing new student centered services and programs. As a result, faculty members are being forced into teaching online, including Earth and Space science faculty. Online Earth and Space science courses are different than typical online courses in that they need to incorporate an inquiry-based component to ensure students fully understand the course concepts and science principles in the Earth and Space sciences. Studies have addressed the barriers in other inquiry-based online science courses, including biology, physics, and chemistry. This holistic, multiple-case qualitative study investigated perceived barriers and strategies to effective online Earth and Space science instruction through in-depth interviews with six experienced post-secondary online science instructors. Data from this study was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach and revealed four common themes when teaching online Earth and Space science. A positive perception and philosophy of online teaching is essential, the instructor-student interaction is dynamic, course structure and design modification will occur, and online lab activities must make science operational and relevant. The findings in this study demonstrated that online Earth and Space science instructors need institutional support in the form of a strong faculty development program and support staff in order to be as effective as possible. From this study, instructors realize that the instructor-student relationship and course structure is paramount, especially when teaching online science with labs. A final understanding from this study was that online Earth and Space science lab activities must incorporate the use and application of scientific skills and knowledge. Recommendations for future research include (a) qualitative research conducted in specific areas within the Earth and Space sciences to determine if similar conclusions may be reached, (b) conduct a quantitative study looking at the available online technologies and their effectiveness in each area, and (c) utilize students that took online Earth and Space science classes and compare their perception of effectiveness to the instructor's perception of effectiveness in the online Earth and Space science classroom.

Supporting Teachers and Technicians in the Delivery of High-Quality, Effective Practical Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langley, Mark

2014-01-01

Science is at heart a practical subject, but the perception of what makes good teaching and learning through practical science is often misunderstood. Through working with teachers on professional development courses at the UK's National Science Learning Centre, and drawing on work carried out by other organisations, we present some thoughts and…

Energy. Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, William C.

This book explains science concepts in a manner in which non-science teachers and parents can understand and learn science through activities. The concepts covered in this book include energy, simple machines, temperature, and heat transfer. Each chapter is supported with internet resources available at SciLinks and ends with a summary and…

High Hopes--Few Opportunities: The Status of Elementary Science Education in California. Strengthening Science Education in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorph, R.; Shields, P.; Tiffany-Morales, J.; Hartry, A.; McCaffrey, T.

2011-01-01

This report addresses how well California is doing to prepare its young people for the evolving economy and societal challenges. Specifically, it describes the status of science teaching and learning in California public elementary schools. This study was conducted in support of "Strengthening Science Education in California," a…

Using Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development to Propose and Test an Explanatory Model for Conceptualising Coteaching in Pre-Service Science Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Colette; Scantlebury, Kathryn; Milne, Catherine

2015-01-01

Coteaching offers a model for the school-placement element of pre-service science teacher education, based on its demonstrated positive impacts on lessening classroom anxiety, supporting inquiry-based science teaching, improving students' attitudes, and addressing diversity effectively in science classrooms. Coteaching between pre-service and…

Curriculum-Dependent and Curriculum-Independent Factors in Preservice Elementary Teachers' Adaptation of Science Curriculum Materials for Inquiry-Based Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forbes, Cory T.

2013-01-01

In this nested mixed methods study I investigate factors influencing preservice elementary teachers' adaptation of science curriculum materials to better support students' engagement in science as inquiry. Analyses focus on two "reflective teaching assignments" completed by 46 preservice elementary teachers in an undergraduate elementary science…

Typical Didactical Activities in the Greek Early-Years Science Classroom: Do They Promote Science Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kallery, Maria; Psillos, Dimitris; Tselfes, Vassilis

2009-01-01

This paper presents an epistemological analysis of typical didactical activities noted in early-years science lessons, which was carried out in an attempt to diagnose the extent to which the teaching practices adopted by early-years educators are successful in supporting young children's understanding in science. The analysis of didactical…

Learning Science Content through Socio-Scientific Issues-Based Instruction: A Multi-Level Assessment Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadler, Troy D.; Romine, William L.; Topçu, Mustafa Sami

2016-01-01

Science educators have presented numerous conceptual and theoretical arguments in favor of teaching science through the exploration of socio-scientific issues (SSI). However, the empirical knowledge base regarding the extent to which SSI-based instruction supports student learning of science content is limited both in terms of the number of…

Exploring How Research Experiences for Teachers Changes Their Understandings of the Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buxner, Sanlyn R.

2014-01-01

The nature of science is a prevalent theme across United States national science education standards and frameworks as well as other documents that guide formal and informal science education reform. To support teachers in engaging their students in authentic scientific practices and reformed teaching strategies, research experiences for teachers…

Supporting Reform-Oriented Secondary Science Teaching through the Use of a Framework to Analyze Construction of Scientific Explanations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richmond, Gail; Parker, Joyce M.; Kaldaras, Leonora

2016-01-01

The Next-Generation Science Standards (NGSS) call for a different approach to learning science. They promote three-dimensional (3D) learning that blends disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts and scientific practices. In this study, we examined explanations constructed by secondary science teacher candidates (TCs) as a scientific practice…

Pedagogy for the Connected Science Classroom: Computer Supported Collaborative Science and the Next Generation Science Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foley, Brian J.; Reveles, John M.

2014-01-01

The prevalence of computers in the classroom is compelling teachers to develop new instructional skills. This paper provides a theoretical perspective on an innovative pedagogical approach to science teaching that takes advantage of technology to create a connected classroom. In the connected classroom, students collaborate and share ideas in…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maass, Katja; Engeln, Katrin

2018-01-01

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

Teachers' Practices of Inquiry When Teaching Investigations: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dudu, Washington T.; Vhurumuku, Elaosi

2012-01-01

Teacher practices are essential for supporting learners in scientific inquiry practices of framing research questions, designing and conducting investigations, collecting data, and drawing conclusions. This study examines instructional practices of two Grade 11 Physical Science teachers engaged in teaching practical investigations. Data were…

An analysis of the relationship between K--5 elementary school teachers' perceptions of principal instructional leadership and their science teaching efficacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Ian

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between K-5 elementary school teachers' perceptions of principal instructional leadership and their science teaching efficacy. The influence of background variables on both leadership and efficacy is also analyzed. A sequential mixed methods approach was used in this study. The survey sample was comprised of teachers in the elementary divisions of schools from the nine international school regional associations. Teacher participation was obtained through an email containing an online survey link. Following the analysis of survey responses (N=356), in-depth interviews (N=17) were conducted. Reliability for the instructional leadership scale was found to be .94 (coefficient alpha) and .69 for the personal science teaching efficacy (PSTE) scale. The results show a significant correlation between elementary school teachers' perceptions of principal instructional leadership and their PSTE levels, with the most significant correlation that between the study of a science-related major or minor at college and higher PSTE scores. Strong correlations were also found between PSTE levels and having principals who discussed goals at faculty meetings, participated in science curricular review, supported recognition of student progress, encouraged new skills and concepts, discussed student progress with faculty, and used assessments to see science progress towards easily understood goals. PSTE levels were also higher in schools where principals had grade or school level science coordinators in place and where they supported the use of science kits.

The ASM-NSF Biology Scholars Program: An Evidence-Based Model for Faculty Development.

PubMed

Chang, Amy L; Pribbenow, Christine M

2016-05-01

The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) established its ASM-NSF (National Science Foundation) Biology Scholars Program (BSP) to promote undergraduate education reform by 1) supporting biologists to implement evidence-based teaching practices, 2) engaging life science professional societies to facilitate biologists' leadership in scholarly teaching within the discipline, and 3) participating in a teaching community that fosters disciplinary-level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) reform. Since 2005, the program has utilized year-long residency training to provide a continuum of learning and practice centered on principles from the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) to more than 270 participants ("scholars") from biology and multiple other disciplines. Additionally, the program has recruited 11 life science professional societies to support faculty development in SoTL and discipline-based education research (DBER). To identify the BSP's long-term outcomes and impacts, ASM engaged an external evaluator to conduct a study of the program's 2010-2014 scholars (n = 127) and society partners. The study methods included online surveys, focus groups, participant observation, and analysis of various documents. Study participants indicate that the program achieved its proposed goals relative to scholarship, professional society impact, leadership, community, and faculty professional development. Although participants also identified barriers that hindered elements of their BSP participation, findings suggest that the program was essential to their development as faculty and provides evidence of the BSP as a model for other societies seeking to advance undergraduate science education reform. The BSP is the longest-standing faculty development program sponsored by a collective group of life science societies. This collaboration promotes success across a fragmented system of more than 80 societies representing the life sciences and helps catalyze biology education reform efforts.

The ASM-NSF Biology Scholars Program: An Evidence-Based Model for Faculty Development

PubMed Central

Chang, Amy L.; Pribbenow, Christine M.

2016-01-01

The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) established its ASM-NSF (National Science Foundation) Biology Scholars Program (BSP) to promote undergraduate education reform by 1) supporting biologists to implement evidence-based teaching practices, 2) engaging life science professional societies to facilitate biologists’ leadership in scholarly teaching within the discipline, and 3) participating in a teaching community that fosters disciplinary-level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) reform. Since 2005, the program has utilized year-long residency training to provide a continuum of learning and practice centered on principles from the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) to more than 270 participants (“scholars”) from biology and multiple other disciplines. Additionally, the program has recruited 11 life science professional societies to support faculty development in SoTL and discipline-based education research (DBER). To identify the BSP’s long-term outcomes and impacts, ASM engaged an external evaluator to conduct a study of the program’s 2010–2014 scholars (n = 127) and society partners. The study methods included online surveys, focus groups, participant observation, and analysis of various documents. Study participants indicate that the program achieved its proposed goals relative to scholarship, professional society impact, leadership, community, and faculty professional development. Although participants also identified barriers that hindered elements of their BSP participation, findings suggest that the program was essential to their development as faculty and provides evidence of the BSP as a model for other societies seeking to advance undergraduate science education reform. The BSP is the longest-standing faculty development program sponsored by a collective group of life science societies. This collaboration promotes success across a fragmented system of more than 80 societies representing the life sciences and helps catalyze biology education reform efforts. PMID:27158300

STENCIL: Science Teaching European Network for Creativity and Innovation in Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cattadori, M.; Magrefi, F.

2013-12-01

STENCIL is an european educational project funded with support of the European Commission within the framework of LLP7 (Lifelong Learning Programme) for a period of 3 years (2011 - 2013). STENCIL includes 21 members from 9 European countries (Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Turkey.) working together to contribute to the general objective of improving science teaching, by promoting innovative methodologies and creative solutions. Among the innovative methods adept a particolar interest is a joint partnership between a wide spectrum of type of institutions such as schools, school authorities, research centres, universities, science museums, and other organizations, representing differing perspectives on science education. STENCIL offers to practitioners in science education from all over Europe, a platform; the web portal - www.stencil-science.eu - that provides high visibility to schools and institutions involved in Comenius and other similar European funded projects in science education. STENCIL takes advantage of the positive results achieved by the former European projects STELLA - Science Teaching in a Lifelong Learning Approach (2007 - 2009) and GRID - Growing interest in the development of teaching science (2004-2006). The specific objectives of the project are : 1) to identify and promote innovative practices in science teaching through the publication of Annual Reports on Science Education; 2) to bring together science education practitioners to share different experiences and learn from each other through the organisation of periodical study visits and workshops; 3) to disseminate materials and outcomes coming from previous EU funded projects and from isolated science education initiatives through the STENCIL web portal, as well as through international conferences and national events. This contribution aims at explaining the main features of the project together with the achieved results during the project's 3 year lifetime-span.

The relationships of gender, ethnicity, past performance, pedagogy, and access to a role model/mentor with college student attitudes toward science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy-Hagan, Karla Jean

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships of gender, ethnicity, past performance in science, experience with teaching pedagogy, and access to a role model/mentor with freshmen college student attitudes toward science. Specifically, the researcher wanted to know the relationship between these variables and incoming attitudes toward science at the beginning of the semester. The sample for this study consisted of 316 freshmen students enrolled in an entry-level chemistry course at a large midwestern university. The results indicate that students who received higher grades in previous science courses possessed more positive attitudes regarding their ability to perform in science compared to less successful students. Similarly, students who had previous exposure to interactive teaching pedagogy possessed more positive attitudes toward the use of interactive teaching pedagogy; felt supported by various people, including their teachers; and had more positive attitudes toward their personal world view of science compared to students that had not been exposed to interactive teaching pedagogy. Finally, the results indicated that attitudes toward science are multidimensional, meaning there is more than one attitude toward science. The results of this study add to the literature regarding attitudes toward science in freshmen students at a large midwestern university. Additional discussion and research is warranted. Specific recommendations for practice and future research are included in the document.

Earth Systems Science in an Integrated Science Content and Methods Course for Elementary Education Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madsen, J. A.; Allen, D. E.; Donham, R. S.; Fifield, S. J.; Shipman, H. L.; Ford, D. J.; Dagher, Z. R.

2004-12-01

With funding from the National Science Foundation, we have designed an integrated science content and methods course for sophomore-level elementary teacher education (ETE) majors. This course, the Science Semester, is a 15-credit sequence that consists of three science content courses (Earth, Life, and Physical Science) and a science teaching methods course. The goal of this integrated science and education methods curriculum is to foster holistic understandings of science and pedagogy that future elementary teachers need to effectively use inquiry-based approaches in teaching science in their classrooms. During the Science Semester, traditional subject matter boundaries are crossed to stress shared themes that teachers must understand to teach standards-based elementary science. Exemplary approaches that support both learning science and learning how to teach science are used. In the science courses, students work collaboratively on multidisciplinary problem-based learning (PBL) activities that place science concepts in authentic contexts and build learning skills. In the methods course, students critically explore the theory and practice of elementary science teaching, drawing on their shared experiences of inquiry learning in the science courses. An earth system science approach is ideally adapted for the integrated, inquiry-based learning that takes place during the Science Semester. The PBL investigations that are the hallmark of the Science Semester provide the backdrop through which fundamental earth system interactions can be studied. For example in the PBL investigation that focuses on energy, the carbon cycle is examined as it relates to fossil fuels. In another PBL investigation centered on kids, cancer, and the environment, the hydrologic cycle with emphasis on surface runoff and ground water contamination is studied. In a PBL investigation that has students learning about the Delaware Bay ecosystem through the story of the horseshoe crab and the biome that swirls around this remarkable arthropod, students are exposed to interactions between the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere and they examine ways in which climate change can affect this ecosystem.

Science Thought and Practices: A Professional Development Workshop on Teaching Scientific Reasoning, Mathematical Modeling and Data Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robbins, Dennis; Ford, K. E. Saavik

2018-01-01

The NSF-supported “AstroCom NYC” program, a collaboration of the City University of New York and the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), has developed and offers hands-on workshops to undergraduate faculty on teaching science thought and practices. These professional development workshops emphasize a curriculum and pedagogical strategies that uses computers and other digital devices in a laboratory environment to teach students fundamental topics, including: proportional reasoning, control of variables thinking, experimental design, hypothesis testing, reasoning with data, and drawing conclusions from graphical displays. Topics addressed here are rarely taught in-depth during the formal undergraduate years and are frequently learned only after several apprenticeship research experiences. The goal of these workshops is to provide working and future faculty with an interactive experience in science learning and teaching using modern technological tools.

Emotions and elementary school science teaching: Postmodernism in practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zembylas, Michalinos

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

The College Science Learning Cycle: An Instructional Model for Reformed Teaching.

PubMed

Withers, Michelle

2016-01-01

Finding the time for developing or locating new class materials is one of the biggest barriers for instructors reforming their teaching approaches. Even instructors who have taken part in training workshops may feel overwhelmed by the task of transforming passive lecture content to engaging learning activities. Learning cycles have been instrumental in helping K-12 science teachers design effective instruction for decades. This paper introduces the College Science Learning Cycle adapted from the popular Biological Sciences Curriculum Study 5E to help science, technology, engineering, and mathematics faculty develop course materials to support active, student-centered teaching approaches in their classrooms. The learning cycle is embedded in backward design, a learning outcomes-oriented instructional design approach, and is accompanied by resources and examples to help faculty transform their teaching in a time-efficient manner. © 2016 M. Withers. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Becoming urban science teachers by transforming middle-school classrooms: A study of the Urban Science Education Fellows Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furman, Melina Gabriela

The current scenario in American education shows a large achievement and opportunity gap in science between urban children in poverty and more privileged youth. Research has shown that one essential factor that accounts for this gap is the shortage of qualified science teachers in urban schools. Teaching science in a high poverty school presents unique challenges to beginner teachers. Limited resources and support and a significant cultural divide with their students are some of the common problems that cause many novice teachers to quit their jobs or to start enacting what has been described as "the pedagogy of poverty." In this study I looked at the case of the Urban Science Education Fellows Program. This program aimed to prepare preservice teachers (i.e. "fellows") to enact socially just science pedagogies in urban classrooms. I conducted qualitative case studies of three fellows. Fellows worked over one year with science teachers in middle-school classrooms in order to develop transformative action research studies. My analysis focused on how fellows coauthored hybrid spaces within these studies that challenged the typical ways science was taught and learned in their classrooms towards a vision of socially just teaching. By coauthoring these hybrid spaces, fellows developed grounded generativity, i.e. a capacity to create new teaching scenarios rooted in the pragmatic realities of an authentic classroom setting. Grounded generativity included building upon their pedagogical beliefs in order to improvise pedagogies with others, repositioning themselves and their students differently in the classroom and constructing symbols of possibility to guide their practice. I proposed authentic play as the mechanism that enabled fellows to coauthor hybrid spaces. Authentic play involved contexts of moderate risk and of distributed expertise and required fellows to be positioned at the intersection of the margins and the center of the classroom community of practice. In all, this study demonstrates that engaging in classroom reform can support preservice teachers in developing specialized tools to teach science in urban classrooms.

Case studies of tenure-track science professors: Exploring the relationship between teaching and research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robert, Jenay

Current STEM workforce issues and retention problems faced by postsecondary STEM education have renewed educational research efforts in this arena. A review of literature on STEM professors indicates that although this population reports difficulties integrating teaching and research responsibilities, there have not yet been any qualitative studies conducted to deeply investigate the complexities of the relationship between teaching and research. This study utilized a set of four phenomenological case studies to address the following research questions: (1) What is the relationship between the teaching and research roles for individuals in a sample of tenure-track science professors at an RU/VH institution? (2) What types of activities and experiences (particularly professional development) do participants engage in to support their roles as teachers? What types of activities and experiences impede their roles as teachers? In what ways do these activities support or impede participants' roles as teachers? (3) What connections can be made between the participants' personal, cultural, and professional histories and the way they are currently experiencing the relationship between teaching and research? The results of this study suggest that science professors might make decisions about the way they allocate limited time in an unlimited work environment based on their intrinsic, personal career goals and desire to help students. Furthermore, all of the participants in the study indicated that other than research training, they received little to no preparation for their jobs. These findings provide the field with points of interest for further study as well as the design of educational support and interventions.

The Impact of Using Mobile-Supported Learning Management Systems in Teaching Web Design on the Academic Success of Students and Their Opinions on the Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tezer, Murat; Çimsir, Burcu Turan

2018-01-01

This research aimed to examine the impact of using mobile-supported learning management systems (LMS) in teaching web design on the academic success of students and their opinion on the course; and it was conducted on 70 volunteer students (35 experimental, 35 control) enrolled at Giresun University, Technical Sciences Vocational School, Computer…

Elementary teachers' acquisition of science knowledge: Case-studies and implications for teaching preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, Morton

Elementary school is a key time for students to develop their understanding of basic science concepts as well as their attitudes towards science and science learning. Yet many elementary teachers do not feel comfortable teaching science; as a result, they are likely to devote less time on that subject and to be less effective as science teachers. The literature suggests that weaknesses in elementary teachers' knowledge of science could be a main cause of this problem and, furthermore, that current elementary teacher preparation programs have contributed to this weakness. This study aims at gaining more knowledge about how elementary teachers who are successful in teaching science have acquired their science content knowledge and how such knowledge could be best acquired, with the ultimate goal of informing the design of more effective elementary teacher preparation programs. More specifically, this study addresses the following research questions: Which science learning experiences for elementary teachers seem most conducive to develop the kind of science content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge needed to support the teaching of science as called for by the most recent national and state standards? Which of these experiences should be included in elementary teacher preparation programs, and how? The core of this study consists of case studies of eight elementary school teachers who were identified as successful in teaching science. These subjects were selected so as to ensure differences in their teacher preparation programs, as well as gender and years of teaching experience. Information about each teacher's self-efficacy and motivation with respect to teaching science, history of pre-service and in-service preparation with respect to science, and how his/her current science knowledge was acquired, was sought through a series of interviews with each subject and triangulated with data collected from other sources. A cross-case analysis revealed some interesting similarities and differences in how these successful elementary science teachers developed their science knowledge, and identified the following main sources of science learning opportunities: (a) science content courses; (b) methods courses; (c) student teaching; (d) in-service workshops; (e) opportunities to work with colleagues on the design and/or delivery of science units. Based on what was learned from these case studies, a preliminary set of recommendations to improve elementary teacher's science learning opportunities was identified. Two focus groups were held---one with elementary teachers and another with teacher educators---to share these preliminary recommendations and gather feedback and additional suggestions. Informed by the information gathered in these focus groups, a final set of recommendations to improve elementary teacher's preparation to teach science was articulated.

Frequency and Efficacy of Talk-Related Tasks in Primary Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braund, Martin; Leigh, Joanne

2013-04-01

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

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucero, Maria; Valcke, Martin; Schellens, Tammy

2013-06-01

This paper describes Ecuadorian in-service teachers and their science teaching practices in public primary schools. We wanted to find out to what extent teachers implement inquiry activities in science teaching, the level of support they provide, and what type of inquiry they implement. Four questionnaires applied to 173 teachers resulted in the identification of high context beliefs and moderately high self-efficacy beliefs. Teachers declared to implement activities mostly to develop understanding of the material, as contrast to actual manipulation of data and/or coming to conclusions. They adopt rather a strictly guided approach in contrast to giving autonomy to learners to work on their own. Finally, teachers keep control with regard to question formulation and choice in solution procedures, which constrains the development of real inquiry. When comparing teacher beliefs, we found that teachers' context beliefs make a difference in the level of support that teachers provide to their students. Teachers with lower context beliefs ask students to perform inquiry activities on their own to a lesser extent when compared with teachers with higher context beliefs. This implies that further research on the implementation of inquiry in science teaching should take into account teachers' differences in their context beliefs. We also found out that the use of high or low support in inquiry activities remained the same for teachers with either higher or lower self-efficacy beliefs.

Teach the Earth: On-line Resources for Teachers and Teachers of Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manduca, C. A.

2007-12-01

Effective Earth science education depends on excellent teachers: teachers who not only possess a strong grasp of geoscience but are also well-versed in the pedagogic methods they need to connect with their audience. Preparing Earth science teachers is a task no less challenging that also requires strengths in both areas. The Teach the Earth website provides a variety of resources to support preparation of Earth science teachers. Here you can find collections of teaching activities addressing all aspects of the Earth system; discussions of teaching methods linked to examples of their use in geoscience courses; and the Earth Exploration Toolbook, a resource specifically designed for teachers who would like to incorporate data rich activities in their teaching. These resources are suitable for use by teachers, students in courses addressing the methodology of teaching Earth science and science, and faculty designing courses. Faculty working with current and future teachers will find a section on Preparing Teachers to Teach Earth Science with a collection of courses designed specifically to benefit future Earth Science teachers, examples of key activities in these courses, and descriptions of programs for pre-service and in-service teachers. The materials housed in this web-resource demonstrate a wide range of fruitful approaches and exciting opportunities. On the order of 25,000 individuals use the site repeatedly during the year. We estimate that 27 percent of these users are geoscience faculty and 12 percent are teachers. We invite teachers, faculty, researchers, and educators to enhance this resource by contributing descriptions of activities, courses, or programs as a mechanism for sharing their experience with others engaged in similar work.

The Use of Organising Purposes in Science Instruction as a Scaffolding Mechanism to Support Progressions: A Study of Talk in Two Primary Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johansson, Annie-Maj; Wickman, Per-Olof

2018-01-01

Purpose: This study examines how different purposes can support teachers in their work with progressions as a part of a teaching sequences in science in primary school. Design/Method: The study was carried out in two classes working with inquiry and the events that took place in the classroom were filmed. In the study, we have chosen to use the…

The Texas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution: A Model for the Delivery of Earth Science Professional Development to Minority-Serving Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellins, K. K.; Snow, E.; Olson, H. C.; Stocks, E.; Willis, M.; Olson, J.; Odell, M. R.

2013-01-01

The Texas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution was a 5-y teacher professional development project that aimed to increase teachers' content knowledge in Earth science and preparing them to teach a 12th-grade capstone Earth and Space Science course, which is new to the Texas curriculum. The National Science Foundation-supported project was…

Supporting Teachers Learning Through the Collaborative Design of Technology-Enhanced Science Lessons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafyulilo, Ayoub C.; Fisser, Petra; Voogt, Joke

2015-12-01

This study used the Interconnected Model of Professional Growth (Clarke & Hollingsworth in Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 947-967, 2002) to unravel how science teachers' technology integration knowledge and skills developed in a professional development arrangement. The professional development arrangement used Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge as a conceptual framework and included collaborative design of technology-enhanced science lessons, implementation of the lessons and reflection on outcomes. Support to facilitate the process was offered in the form of collaboration guidelines, online learning materials, exemplary lessons and the availability of an expert. Twenty teachers participated in the intervention. Pre- and post-intervention results showed improvements in teachers' perceived and demonstrated knowledge and skills in integrating technology in science teaching. Collaboration guidelines helped the teams to understand the design process, while exemplary materials provided a picture of the product they had to design. The availability of relevant online materials simplified the design process. The expert was important in providing technological and pedagogical support during design and implementation, and reflected with teachers on how to cope with problems met during implementation.

The Impact of Collaborative Reflections on Teachers' Inquiry Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2013-01-01

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

Scientific Teaching: Defining a Taxonomy of Observable Practices

PubMed Central

Couch, Brian A.; Brown, Tanya L.; Schelpat, Tyler J.; Graham, Mark J.; Knight, Jennifer K.

2015-01-01

Over the past several decades, numerous reports have been published advocating for changes to undergraduate science education. These national calls inspired the formation of the National Academies Summer Institutes on Undergraduate Education in Biology (SI), a group of regional workshops to help faculty members learn and implement interactive teaching methods. The SI curriculum promotes a pedagogical framework called Scientific Teaching (ST), which aims to bring the vitality of modern research into the classroom by engaging students in the scientific discovery process and using student data to inform the ongoing development of teaching methods. With the spread of ST, the need emerges to systematically define its components in order to establish a common description for education researchers and practitioners. We describe the development of a taxonomy detailing ST’s core elements and provide data from classroom observations and faculty surveys in support of its applicability within undergraduate science courses. The final taxonomy consists of 15 pedagogical goals and 37 supporting practices, specifying observable behaviors, artifacts, and features associated with ST. This taxonomy will support future educational efforts by providing a framework for researchers studying the processes and outcomes of ST-based course transformations as well as a concise guide for faculty members developing classes. PMID:25713097

Promoting Issues-based STSE Perspectives in Science Teacher Education: Problems of Identity and Ideology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedretti, Erminia G.; Bencze, Larry; Hewitt, Jim; Romkey, Lisa; Jivraj, Ashifa

2008-09-01

Although science, technology, society and environment (STSE) education has gained considerable force in the past few years, it has made fewer strides in practice. We suggest that science teacher identity plays a role in the adoption of STSE perspectives. Simply put, issues-based STSE education challenges traditional images of a science teacher and science instructional ideologies. In this paper, we briefly describe the development of a multimedia documentary depicting issues-based STSE education in a teacher’s class and its subsequent implementation with 64 secondary student-teachers at a large Canadian university. Specifically, we set out to explore: (1) science teacher candidates’ responses to a case of issues-based STSE teaching, and (2) how science teacher identity intersects with the adoption of STSE perspectives. Findings reveal that although teacher candidates expressed confidence and motivation regarding teaching STSE, they also indicated decreased likelihood to teach these perspectives in their early years of teaching. Particular tensions or problems of practice consistently emerged that helped explain this paradox including issues related to: control and autonomy; support and belonging; expertise and negotiating curriculum; politicization and action; and biases and ideological bents. We conclude our paper with a discussion regarding the lessons learned about STSE education, teacher identity and the role of multimedia case methods.

[School museums, collections, and elementary teaching of the natural sciences in late XIX century Argentina].

PubMed

García, Susana V

2007-01-01

In this study we analyze the organization of natural science teaching within the Argentinian school context starting with teaching practices and material support in the late XIX century. By that time, school staff and teachers fostered modernization and nationalization of teaching by using collections with national issues and the foundation of museums within the schools. In particular, we examine the official debates over the mineralogical collections offered for sale by the naturalist Enrique de Carlés, and the "school museums" by professors Pedro Scalabrini and Guillermo Navarro. These account for the tension between searching for modern didactic materials associated with foreign models, and the importance of counting on elements that represented the country nature and industry.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cost, Michael George

2000-10-01

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

Making mathematics and science integration happen: key aspects of practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ríordáin, Máire Ní; Johnston, Jennifer; Walshe, Gráinne

2016-02-01

The integration of mathematics and science teaching and learning facilitates student learning, engagement, motivation, problem-solving, criticality and real-life application. However, the actual implementation of an integrative approach to the teaching and learning of both subjects at classroom level, with in-service teachers working collaboratively, at second-level education, is under-researched due to the complexities of school-based research. This study reports on a year-long case study on the implementation of an integrated unit of learning on distance, speed and time, within three second-level schools in Ireland. This study employed a qualitative approach and examined the key aspects of practice that impact on the integration of mathematics and science teaching and learning. We argue that teacher perspective, teacher knowledge of the 'other subject' and of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), and teacher collaboration and support all impact on the implementation of an integrative approach to mathematics and science education.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deneroff, Victoria Matzenauer

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

Exploring Energy with TOYS. Complete Lessons for Grades 4-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Beverley A. P.

The project Teaching Science with TOYS promotes toys as an ideal mechanism for science instruction, because they are an everyday part of the students' world and carry a user-friendly message. TOYS Teacher Resource Modules are collections of "TOYS" activities grouped around a topic or theme with supporting science content and pedagogical…

Exploring Matter with TOYS: Using and Understanding the Senses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1997

The project Teaching Science with TOYS promotes toys as an ideal mechanism for science instruction, because they are an everyday part of the students' world and carry a user-friendly message. TOYS Teacher Resource Modules are collections of "TOYS" activities grouped around a topic or theme with supporting science content and pedagogical…

Tapping into the Resources on Our Doorstep

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaikh, Maha

2014-01-01

With the introduction of the new science curriculum in September 2014 in England, there is an even greater need to teach science that is real and relevant to the children. Bringing in support from external sources can give children hands-on science experiences with meaningful outcomes that will improve and enhance their learning. A wide-reaching…

Connecting Earth Systems: Developing Holistic Understanding through the Earth-System-Science Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gagnon, Valoree; Bradway, Heather

2012-01-01

For many years, Earth science concepts have been taught as thematic units with lessons in nice, neat chapter packages complete with labs and notes. But compartmentalized Earth science no longer exists, and implementing teaching methods that support student development of holistic understandings can be a time-consuming and difficult task. While…

Original Research and Peer Review Using Web-Based Collaborative Tools by College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cakir, Mustafa; Carlsen, William S.

2007-01-01

The Environmental Inquiry program supports inquiry based, student-centered science teaching on selected topics in the environmental sciences. Many teachers are unfamiliar with both the underlying science of toxicology, and the process and importance of peer review in scientific method. The protocol and peer review process was tested with college…

Are Teachers Ready to Integrate Science Concepts into Secondary Agriculture Programs?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scales, Jason; Terry, Robert, Jr.; Torres, Robert M.

2009-01-01

For the past two decades, the idea of integrating more science concepts into the secondary agriculture curriculum has gained support. The purpose of this study was to assess the confidence and competence of agriculture instructors to teach concepts related to science. The sample was derived from the population of agriculture instructors teaching…

Introducing the TAPS Pyramid Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Earle, Sarah

2015-01-01

The Teacher Assessment in Primary Science (TAPS) project is a three-year project based at Bath Spa University and funded by the Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT). It aims to develop support for a valid, reliable and manageable system of science assessment that will have a positive impact on children's learning. In this article, the author…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hume, Anne

2016-01-01

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

Talk Like a Scientist! Simple "Frames" to Scaffold the Language of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Lisa

2013-01-01

This article shares a teaching strategy for science teachers to use when supporting language development among English language learners. Students from other language backgrounds who are learning English need to learn both grade-level academic content and the language necessary to express scientific concepts. However, most science teachers are not…

A Remotely Operated Science Experiment Framework for Under-Resourced Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Donggil; Karimi, Arafeh; Kim, Paul

2016-01-01

Teaching argumentation with appropriate activities and strategies would support a wide range of goals in science education. Though science labs have been suggested and employed for argumentation activities, such educational expenditures are likely to be beyond the means of most schools in under-resourced areas. Due to the lack of appropriate…

Mathematics and Science Teaching for New Alternative Certification Teachers. Editor's Perspective Article

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Brian R.

2014-01-01

Mathematics and science education has increasingly become more important for students in our globally competitive society. New alternative certification teachers, particularly in mathematics and science, need to support student learning in these areas in order for the United States to stay globally competitive. This article presents some ideas…

Can Experiential Education Strategies Improve Elementary Science Teachers' Perceptions of and Practices in Science Teaching?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sindel, Kasey D.

2010-01-01

This study was prompted by the growing amount of research that is in support of science reform and from this researcher's personal experience and concern that science instructions is no longer a top priority in elementary schools nor are young scientists given the opportunities to act as scientists in a real world setting. This study uses…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2003-01-01

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

Collaborative Science Work in the Elementary Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kersey, Denise A.

Not all students with disabilities receive special education accommodations in science class. Without special education support, students with disabilities are unable to comprehend and apply science concepts. Implementing a co-teaching model could be a remedy for this lack of supports. Framed by constructivist theory, this study sought to determine if there was a difference in science assessment scores between students in a co-taught science class and those in a regular education science class. Following a pretest-posttest control group design, this study examined the relation between two teaching models and achievement in science. Using a convenience sample of 84 students drawn from a population of 144 fourth grade special education students in a public school district located in the Southeastern United States, analysis of variance was used to compare the mean growth of the two groups. The data revealed no statistically significant difference in mean gain scores between the two groups. Additional studies using a larger sample and longer trial are needed. Implications for social change include understanding instructional strategies that allow educators to differentiate for diverse learners in mainstreamed classrooms as well as removing barriers for underrepresented groups, thereby allowing equal access to science related professions.

Learning Pedagogy in Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harlow, Danielle B.; Swanson, Lauren H.; Dwyer, Hilary A.; Bianchini, Julie A.

2010-10-01

We report on an adapted version of the Physics and Everyday Thinking (PET) curriculum. A unique aspect of PET is its inclusion of special activities that focus on Learning about Learning (LAL) in which undergraduates analyze videos of children talking about science and explicitly consider the nature of science. To create a course that intentionally linked science content, children's ideas, and strategies for science instruction, we augmented the existing LAL activities with discussions about teaching, and added activities focused on LAL from companion curricula such as Physical Science and Everyday Thinking (PSET) and Learning Physical Science (LEPS). To compensate for the additional time on LAL, we reduced the content activities to only those that directly supported LAL activities. We found that students made significant gains on the CLASS and expressed beliefs about teaching consistent with the PET pedagogy.

Bethune-Cookman University STEM Research Lab. DOE Renovation Project

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

Thompson, Herbert W.

DOE funding was used to renovate 4,500 square feet of aging laboratories and classrooms that support science, engineering, and mathematics disciplines (specifically environmental science, and computer engineering). The expansion of the labs was needed to support robotics and environmental science research, and to better accommodate a wide variety of teaching situations. The renovated space includes a robotics laboratory, two multi-use labs, safe spaces for the storage of instrumentation, modern ventilation equipment, and other “smart” learning venues. The renovated areas feature technologies that are environmentally friendly with reduced energy costs. A campus showcase, the laboratories are a reflection of the University’smore » commitment to the environment and research as a tool for teaching. As anticipated, the labs facilitate the exploration of emerging technologies that are compatible with local and regional economic plans.« less

Providing undergraduate science partners for elementary teachers: benefits and challenges.

PubMed

Goebel, Camille A; Umoja, Aminata; DeHaan, Robert L

2009-01-01

Undergraduate college "science partners" provided content knowledge and a supportive atmosphere for K-5 teachers in a university-school professional development partnership program in science instruction. The Elementary Science Education Partners program, a Local Systemic Change initiative supported by the National Science Foundation, was composed of four major elements: 1) a cadre of mentor teachers trained to provide district-wide teacher professional development; 2) a recruitment and training effort to place college students in classrooms as science partners in semester-long partnerships with teachers; 3) a teacher empowerment effort termed "participatory reform"; and 4) an inquiry-based curriculum with a kit distribution and refurbishment center. The main goals of the program were to provide college science students with an intensive teaching experience and to enhance teachers' skills in inquiry-based science instruction. Here, we describe some of the program's successes and challenges, focusing primarily on the impact on the classroom teachers and their science partners. Qualitative analyses of data collected from participants indicate that 1) teachers expressed greater self-confidence about teaching science than before the program and they spent more class time on the subject; and 2) the college students modified deficit-model negative assumptions about the children's science learning abilities to express more mature, positive views.

Providing Undergraduate Science Partners for Elementary Teachers: Benefits and Challenges

PubMed Central

Goebel, Camille A.; Umoja, Aminata

2009-01-01

Undergraduate college “science partners” provided content knowledge and a supportive atmosphere for K–5 teachers in a university–school professional development partnership program in science instruction. The Elementary Science Education Partners program, a Local Systemic Change initiative supported by the National Science Foundation, was composed of four major elements: 1) a cadre of mentor teachers trained to provide district-wide teacher professional development; 2) a recruitment and training effort to place college students in classrooms as science partners in semester-long partnerships with teachers; 3) a teacher empowerment effort termed “participatory reform”; and 4) an inquiry-based curriculum with a kit distribution and refurbishment center. The main goals of the program were to provide college science students with an intensive teaching experience and to enhance teachers' skills in inquiry-based science instruction. Here, we describe some of the program's successes and challenges, focusing primarily on the impact on the classroom teachers and their science partners. Qualitative analyses of data collected from participants indicate that 1) teachers expressed greater self-confidence about teaching science than before the program and they spent more class time on the subject; and 2) the college students modified deficit-model negative assumptions about the children's science learning abilities to express more mature, positive views. PMID:19723818

Alternative certification science teachers' understanding and implementation of inquiry-based instruction in their beginning years of teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, Abdulkadir

The purpose of this phenomenographic study was to: (a) understand how beginning science teachers recruited from various science disciplines and prepared in an Alternative Teacher Certification Program (ATCP) implemented inquiry during their initial years of teaching; (b) describe constraints and needs that these beginning science teachers perceived in implementing inquiry-based science instruction; and (c) understand the relation between what they learned in their ATCP and their practice of teaching science through inquiry. The participants of this study consisted of four ATCP teachers who are in their beginning years of teaching. Semi-structured interviews, classroom observation, field notes, and artifacts used as source of data collection. The beginning science teachers in this study held incomplete views of inquiry. These views of inquiry did not reflect inquiry as described in NRC (2000)---essential features of inquiry,---nor did they reflect views of faculty members involved in teaching science methods courses. Although the participants described themselves as reform-oriented, there were inconsistencies between their views and practices. Their practice of inquiry did not reflect inquiry either as outlined by essential features of inquiry (NRC, 2000) or inquiry as modeled in activities used in their ATCP. The research participants' perceived constraints and needs in their implementation of inquiry-based activities. Their perceived constraints included logistical and student constraints and school culture. The perceived needs included classroom management, pedagogical skills, practical knowledge, discipline, successful grade-specific models of inquiry, and access to a strong support system. Prior professional work experience, models and activities used in the ATCP, and benefits of inquiry to student learning were the declared factors that facilitated the research participants' practice of inquiry-based teaching.

Computer Simulations to Support Science Instruction and Learning: A critical review of the literature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smetana, Lara Kathleen; Bell, Randy L.

2012-06-01

Researchers have explored the effectiveness of computer simulations for supporting science teaching and learning during the past four decades. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive, critical review of the literature on the impact of computer simulations on science teaching and learning, with the goal of summarizing what is currently known and providing guidance for future research. We report on the outcomes of 61 empirical studies dealing with the efficacy of, and implications for, computer simulations in science instruction. The overall findings suggest that simulations can be as effective, and in many ways more effective, than traditional (i.e. lecture-based, textbook-based and/or physical hands-on) instructional practices in promoting science content knowledge, developing process skills, and facilitating conceptual change. As with any other educational tool, the effectiveness of computer simulations is dependent upon the ways in which they are used. Thus, we outline specific research-based guidelines for best practice. Computer simulations are most effective when they (a) are used as supplements; (b) incorporate high-quality support structures; (c) encourage student reflection; and (d) promote cognitive dissonance. Used appropriately, computer simulations involve students in inquiry-based, authentic science explorations. Additionally, as educational technologies continue to evolve, advantages such as flexibility, safety, and efficiency deserve attention.

Project science inquiry: An exploration of elementary teachers' beliefs and perceptions about science teaching and learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, Dawn Renee

This dissertation examined elementary teachers' beliefs and perceptions of effective science instruction and documents how these teachers interpret and implement a model for Inquiry-Based (I-B) science in their classrooms. The study chronicles a group of teachers working in a large public school division and documents how these teachers interpret and implement reform-based science methods after participating in a professional development course on I-B science methods administered by the researcher. I-B science teaching and its implementation is discussed as an example of one potential method to address the current call for national education reform to meet the increasing needs of all students to achieve scientific literacy and the role of teachers in that effort. The conviction in science reform efforts is that all students are able to learn science and consequently must be given the crucial opportunities in the right environment that permits optimal science learning in our nation's schools. Following this group of teachers as they attempted to deliver I-B science teaching revealed challenges elementary science teachers face and the professional supports necessary for them to effectively meet science standards. This dissertation serves as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at George Mason University.

How Computer-Assisted Teaching in Physics Can Enhance Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karamustafaoglu, O.

2012-01-01

Simple harmonic motion (SHM) is an important topic for physics or science students and has wide applications all over the world. Computer simulations are applications of special interest in physics teaching because they support powerful modeling environments involving physics concepts. This article is aimed to compare the effect of…

Transdisciplinary Learning and Teaching as Answers to Urban Sustainability Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biberhofer, Petra; Rammel, Christian

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explain the relevance of science-society interfaces and their potential for higher education institutions to engage stakeholders in supporting sustainable change in cities, via the transdisciplinary learning and teaching approach of the Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development Vienna.…

Interview: Bryce Hach--High School Chemistry Teaching Gets a Boost

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Kate

2009-01-01

Science education reached the headlines of the local newspaper: "Foundation donates $33M! American Chemical Society gets support for chemistry teaching." This windfall came from the Hach Scientific Foundation in Fort Collins, Colorado. The $33 million will go to continue three programs initiated by the Hach Scientific Foundation. One…

Integration of basic sciences and clinical sciences in oral radiology education for dental students.

PubMed

Baghdady, Mariam T; Carnahan, Heather; Lam, Ernest W N; Woods, Nicole N

2013-06-01

Educational research suggests that cognitive processing in diagnostic radiology requires a solid foundation in the basic sciences and knowledge of the radiological changes associated with disease. Although it is generally assumed that dental students must acquire both sets of knowledge, little is known about the most effective way to teach them. Currently, the basic and clinical sciences are taught separately. This study was conducted to compare the diagnostic accuracy of students when taught basic sciences segregated or integrated with clinical features. Predoctoral dental students (n=51) were taught four confusable intrabony abnormalities using basic science descriptions integrated with the radiographic features or taught segregated from the radiographic features. The students were tested with diagnostic images, and memory tests were performed immediately after learning and one week later. On immediate and delayed testing, participants in the integrated basic science group outperformed those from the segregated group. A main effect of learning condition was found to be significant (p<0.05). The results of this study support the critical role of integrating biomedical knowledge in diagnostic radiology and shows that teaching basic sciences integrated with clinical features produces higher diagnostic accuracy in novices than teaching basic sciences segregated from clinical features.

PROFILES Networks: Three International Examples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rauch, F.; Dulle, M.; Namsone, D.; Gorghiu, G.

2014-01-01

This paper explores the effectiveness of networking in promoting inquiry-based science education (IBSE) through raising the self-efficacy of science teachers to take ownership of more effective ways of teaching students, supported by stakeholders (Holbrook & Rannikmae, 2010). As PROFILES project (Professional Reflection Oriented Focus on…

The REVEL Project: Long-Term Investment in K-12 Education at a RIDGE 2000 Integrated Study Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robigou, V.

2005-12-01

The REVEL Project has provided dozens of science teachers from throughout the U.S. an opportunity to explore the links between mid-ocean ridge processes and life along the RIDGE 2000 Juan de Fuca Ridge Integrated Study Site. In turn, these educators have facilitated deep-sea, research-based teaching and learning in hundreds of classrooms, contributed to mid-ocean ridge curriculum and programs development ranging from IMAX movies and museum exhibits to the R2K-SEAS (Student Experiment At Sea) program. In addition, the REVEL educators take on the mission to champion the importance of science in education and to bring ocean sciences into their local and regional communities. For the scientific community, research in an environment as large, dynamic and remote as the ocean intrinsically requires long-term investment to advance the understanding of the interactions between the processes shaping our planet. Similarly, research-based education requires long-term investment to incrementally change the way science is taught in schools, informal settings or even at home. It takes even longer to perceptibly measure the result of new teaching methods on students' learning and the impact of these methods on citizens' scientific literacy. Research-based education involving teachers practicing research in the field, and collaborating with scientists to experience and understand the process of science is still in its infancy - despite 20 years of NSF's efforts in teachers' professional development. This poster reports on strategies that the REVEL Project has designed over 9 years to help teachers that adopt research-based education transform their way of teaching in the classroom and bring cutting-edge, exciting science into schools through rigorous science learning. Their teaching approaches encourage students' interest in science, and engage students in the life-long skills of reasoning and decision making through the practice of science. Evaluation results of how the research-based teacher development program REVEL contributes to changing the way teachers view the scientific process once they have 'done' science and how the program supports teachers to change their teaching methods will be presented. The REVEL Project is funded by the National Science Foundation and receives additional support from the University of Washington and private donors. REVEL - Research and Education: Volcanoes-Exploration-Life.

Evaluating Students' Perceptions of Library and Science Inquiry: Validation of Two New Learning Environment Questionnaires

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz-Jones, Barbara A.; Ledbetter, Cynthia E.

2013-01-01

As part of a larger study, the How My Library Supports Inquiry and the How My Science Class Supports Inquiry questionnaires were developed for evaluating the extent of inquiry-based teaching in classrooms and school libraries and the effect of this instruction on student literacy and, by extension, the social good. Each has 28 items in seven…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathers, Naomi; Pakakis, Michael; Christie, Ian

2011-09-01

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

Doubling the number of physics majors who teach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marder, Michael

2009-03-01

The American Physical Society has adopted a doubling initiative to increase the number of physics majors. One of the main motivations is to increase the number of physics majors certified to teach secondary physics. I will review some of the possible strategies for reaching this goal, and discuss some of the steps we have taken with UTeach, the program for secondary science and mathematics teacher preparation at The University of Texas at Austin.I will discuss the roles of curriculum revision, financial support, and community support in convincing majors to teach. Finally, I will talk about the expansion of UTeach into engineering.

A Longitudinal Study of Implementing Reality Pedagogy in an Urban Science Classroom: Effects, Challenges, and Recommendations for Science Teaching and Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borges, Sheila Ivelisse

Statistics indicate that students who reside in forgotten places do not engage in science-related careers. This is problematic because we are not tapping into diverse talent that could very well make scientific strides and because there is a moral obligation for equity as discussed in Science for all (AAAS, 1989). Research suggests that one of the reasons for this disparity is that students feel alienated from science early on in their K--12 education due to their inability to connect culturally with their teachers (Tobin, 2001). Urban students share an urban culture, a way of knowing and being that is separate from that of the majority of the teacher workforce whom have not experienced the nuances of urban culture. These teachers have challenges when teaching in urban classrooms and have a myriad of difficulties such as classroom management, limited access to experienced science colleagues and limited resources to teach effectively. This leads them to leaving the teaching profession affecting already high teacher attrition rates in urban areas (Ingersol, 2001). In order to address these issues a culturally relevant pedagogy, called reality pedagogy (Emdin, 2011), was implemented in an urban science classroom using a bricolage (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005) of different theories such as social capital (Bourdieu, 1986) and critical race theory (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995), along with reality pedagogy to construct a qualitative sociocultural lens. Reality pedagogy has five tools, which are cogenerative dialogues, coteaching, cosmopolitanism, context, and content. In this longitudinal critical ethnography a science teacher in an alternative teaching certification program was supported for two years as she implemented the tools of reality pedagogy with her urban students. Findings revealed that the science teacher enacted four racial microaggressions against her students, which negatively affected the teacher-student relationship and science teaching and learning. As the tools of reality pedagogy were implemented the teacher-student relationship in the science classroom changed from negative to positive. This then impacted the teachers' decision whether to stay in the teaching profession. Where initially she wanted to leave teaching due to the disconnect with her culturally diverse urban students she decided to stay teaching in urban schools as a consequence of implementing reality pedagogy. In addition, students together with their science teacher were able to redefine the traditional science curriculum by including their community health and science concerns. This led to an increase in students' interest in school science because their urban science interests were incorporated in the science curriculum. Moreover, in order to inform other science teacher educators and teachers on how to implement reality pedagogy this study describes how it was implemented, the challenges that were encountered, and recommendations of an effective sequence of the tools.

An investigation into the factors that motivate teachers to implement inquiry in the science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robbins, Beth Schieber

Inquiry-based science teaching is an inductive approach to science instruction that originated in constructivist learning theory and requires students to be active participants in their own learning process. In an inquiry-based classroom, students actively construct their knowledge of science through hands-on, engaged practices and inquiry-based approaches. Inquiry-based teaching stands in contrast to more traditional forms of teaching that see students as empty vessels to be filled by the teacher with rote facts. Despite calls from the NSF, the NRC, and the AAAS for more inquiry-based approaches to teaching science, research has shown that many teachers still do not use inquiry-based approaches. Teachers have cited difficulties including lack of time, high-stakes testing, a shortage of materials, problems with school-wide logistics, rigid science curricula, student passivity, and lack of prerequisite skills. The objective of this mixed-methods study was to examine to what extent specific, identifiable personality traits contribute to the likelihood that a teacher will use inquiry in the science classroom, and what factors figure predominantly as teachers' reasons for implementing inquiry. The findings of the study showed that the null hypotheses were not rejected. However, reduced conscientiousness and increased openness may be significant in indicating why teachers use inquiry-based teaching methods and avenues for further research. In addition, the qualitative results aligned with previous findings that showed that lack of resources (e.g., time and money) and peer support act as powerful barriers to implementing inquiry-based teaching. Inquiry teachers are flexible, come to teaching as a second or third career, and their classrooms can be characterized as chaotic, fun, and conducive to learning through engagement. The study suggests changes in practice among administrators and teachers. With adjustments in methods and survey instruments, additional research could provide valuable insights and further recommendations. Overall, this study has yielded information that may lead to changes in both practice and thinking related to inquiry-based teaching and learning.

The Impact of Collaborative Reflections on Teachers' Inquiry Teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2013-12-01

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

Building Future Directions for Teacher Learning in Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Kathy; Lindsay, Simon

2016-04-01

In 2013, as part of a process to renew an overall sector vision for science education, Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM) undertook a review of its existing teacher in-service professional development programs in science. This review led to some data analysis being conducted in relation to two of these programs where participant teachers were positioned as active learners undertaking critical reflection in relation to their science teaching practice. The conditions in these programs encouraged teachers to notice critical aspects of their teaching practice. The analysis illustrates that as teachers worked in this way, their understandings about effective science pedagogy began to shift, in particular, teachers recognised how their thinking not only influenced their professional practice but also ultimately shaped the quality of their students' learning. The data from these programs delivers compelling evidence of the learning experience from a teacher perspective. This article explores the impact of this experience on teacher thinking about the relationship between pedagogical choices and quality learning in science. The findings highlight that purposeful, teacher-centred in-service professional learning can significantly contribute to enabling teachers to think differently about science teaching and learning and ultimately become confident pedagogical leaders in science. The future of quality school-based science education therefore relies on a new vision for teacher professional learning, where practice explicitly recognises, values and attends to teachers as professionals and supports them to articulate and share the professional knowledge they have about effective science teaching practice.

A study of the influence of a preservice science teacher education program over time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maher, Terrence Patrick

2009-12-01

This dissertation looks at the beliefs and practices of thirteen science teachers across the teaching continuum. Three pre-service teachers, four student teachers, three first year teachers and three teachers with three or more years of experience were participants in this longitudinal study that took place between 2006 and 2009. All participants were graduates of a large university in the southeastern United States. The study found that inquiry-based teaching practices were taught at the university and most participants believe that it is a superior way of teaching science. Using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) instrument to measure the amount of inquiry-based teaching, the following findings were made: The highest level of inquiry-based teaching occurs during pre-service education. This was the only group to score within the "reformed-based" teaching range. The total RTOP scores decreased into the traditional teaching practice range during student teaching. The scores continued to decrease during the first and second years of teaching, showing an even stronger prevalence toward traditional teaching. A slight increase in the average total RTOP scores was noted with teachers having three or more years of experience. But even these teachers' scores were well within the traditional teaching method range. When interviewed, the most common reasons cited by these teachers for not using inquiry-based practice in the public classrooms were high stakes testing, crowded class sizes, and lack of equipment/support.

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…

An evaluation of a science professional development model: Examining participants' learning and use of new knowledge and skills, organizational support and change, and student learning outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zender, Georgi Anne

The problem of this study was to determine in what ways science professional development would support kindergarten through sixth grade teachers in their implementation of a revised curriculum. The problem centered on evaluating the relationship between professional development involvement and teachers' learning and use of new knowledge and skills, organizational support and change, and student learning outcomes. Using data derived from survey responses and other sources (e.g., test scores, financial records, etc.), this study examined use of a science course of study, use of activities/experiments from workshops, use and adequacy of materials adoptions, administrative support, and achievement scores. This research was completed using an Ex Post Facto research design. Using the General Linear Model and causal-comparative analyses, thus study significantly concluded that teachers with a higher level of involvement in science professional development were more likely to use the revised course of study for lesson planning and to perceive materials adoptions as being adequate, and that districts that had participated in science professional development to revise curriculum showed more gains in student learning outcomes. Data on teachers' learning and use of new knowledge and skills implied that districts needed to continue to design teacher leadership situations that implement long-term professional development, build capacity for shared decision making, create a supportive environment for leaders, and incorporate assessments. Teacher leaders needed to actively engage in action research as a professional development strategy to promote reflection on their teaching and student learning. Data on organizational support and change implied that without logistical and financial support for teaching and learning in terms of hands-on materials, teachers would be unable to support future curriculum improvement efforts. Building principals needed to play a more active role in the implementation of curriculum. Data on student learning outcomes implied that both content knowledge and inquiry skills were critical bases for curriculum in terms of teacher efficacy and student achievement. Teachers needed to examine student work as a professional development strategy to also promote reflection on teaching and learning. Further research and professional development in the area of science assessment, in terms of scientific content and processes, was suggested.

The impact of a professional development model on middle school science teachers' efficacy and implementation of inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lotter, Christine; Smiley, Whitney; Thompson, Stephen; Dickenson, Tammiee

2016-12-01

This study investigated a professional development model designed to improve teachers' inquiry teaching efficacy as well as the quality of their inquiry instruction through engaging teachers in practice-teaching and reflection sessions. The programme began with a two-week summer Institute focused on both inquiry pedagogy and science content and continued with academic year support for participants' inquiry implementation. An inquiry teaching efficacy instrument was administered 3 times to 25 teacher participants to gauge changes in their personal self-efficacy and outcome expectancy across 5 essential features of classroom inquiry. To examine actual practices, pre/post classroom observations of the teachers' inquiry enactments were evaluated using a quality of inquiry observation protocol. Following the summer Institute, teachers had statistically significant increases in their self-efficacy for teaching inquiry in four of the five essential features and increases in one of the five essential features for outcome expectancy. Teachers' quality of inquiry teaching also increased after the professional development programme. We discuss implications of this PD model for moving teachers towards implementation of new instructional techniques as well as the influence of a supportive school community on teachers' efficacy with inquiry instruction.

Scientix: the new internet-based community for science education in europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunha, C.; Gras-Velázquez, À.; Gerard, E.

2012-04-01

The objectives of the Lisbon declaration (2000) and the affirmation of the European Commission that there is a need to promote more widely inquiry based science education methodologies in primary and secondary schools and to support teachers' networks (2007), were the basis for launch by European Schoolnet (EUN) of Scientix, a new web-based information platform for science education in Europe. It's aim is to ensure the regular dissemination and sharing of progress, know-how, and best practices in the field of science education and providing a feedback mechanism. Scientix is a three-year project run by EUN since December 2009 on behalf of the European Commission Directorate General Research and is funded under the 7th Framework Programme. The portal (http://www.scientix.eu), available in six European languages, offers a resource repository containing hundreds of teaching materials from European projects, but also research reports and policy-making documents; a translation on demand service for the teaching materials towards any of the 23 languages of the European Union; a community including a forum and chat rooms; an online news service featuring international science education topics and a calendar of forthcoming events and training opportunities; and also a newsletter sent once a month to registered users. The Scientix main targets are teachers, providing teaching materials, scientific support and documentation that are able to give them some quality tools for the development and implementation of inquiry based science education teaching methodologies. Besides the website, several events and workshops will be organized during the three years of the project. Workshops and newsletters to inform science teachers, give them tools to use the Scientix platform in class effectively and meet other science teachers in Europe will be organized from 2010 to 2012 and will take place in several European countries. An example of this was the Scientix European Conference that took place at Brussels from 6 to 8 of May 2011, which had the participation of around 400 teachers and education staff from 37 countries.

Developing a Framework of Scientific Enquiry in Early Childhood: An Action Research Project to Support Staff Development and Improve Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNerney, Karen; Hall, Nichola

2017-01-01

Research in science in early childhood is an area that has not received much attention (Fleer, M., & Robbins, J. (2003). "Hit and run research" with "hit and miss" results in early childhood science education. "Research in Science Education," 33, 405-431.) and it has been reported that early children teachers lack…

How Science Works: Bringing the World of Science into the Classroom through Innovative Blended Media Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Windale, Mark

2010-01-01

During the past three years, a team from the Centre for Science Education at Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Salford, the University of York, Glasshead and Teachers TV, has been working in collaboration to develop a series of blended media resources to support the teaching and learning of How Science Works (HSW) at Key Stages 3 and…

e-Science Partnerships: Towards a Sustainable Framework for School-Scientist Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falloon, Garry

2013-01-01

In late 2006, the New Zealand Government embarked on a series of initiatives to explore how the resources and expertise of eight, small, state-owned science research institutes could be combined efficiently to support science teaching in schools. Programmes were developed to enable students and teachers to access and become involved in local…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2008-01-01

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

A New Lens for Supporting and Studying Science Teacher Reflections: Situating the Self in the [Activity] System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Criswell, Brett; Calandra, Brendan; Puvirajah, Anton; Brantley-Dias, Laurie

2015-01-01

This paper presents a new lens for analyzing written reflections on the teaching experiences of pre-service [science] teachers. The lens, which borrows heavily from Activity Theory, allows science education researchers and teacher educators to identify tensions, disturbances, conflicts, and contradictions within teachers' written reflections as a…

The MESTEP Record: A Report on the First Six Years. Math English Science Technology Education Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Richard J.; And Others

The Math English Science Technology Education Project (MESTEP) was established to recruit, select, prepare, support, and retain in teaching diverse and talented recent college graduates with strong academic majors in math, English, or a science. A collaborative partnership of the University of Massachusetts (Amherst), public schools, and private…

Teaching with Insects: An Applied Life Science Course for Supporting Prospective Elementary Teachers' Scientific Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haefner, Leigh A.; Friedrichsen, Patricia Meis; Zembal-Saul, Carla

2006-01-01

The National Science Education Standards (National Research Council [NRC], 1996) call for a greater emphasis on scientific inquiry in K-12 science classes. The Inquiry Standards recommend that students be engaged with scientific questions in which they collect and interpret data, give priority to evidence to construct explanations, test those…

Enhancing Literacy Practices in Science Classrooms through a Professional Development Program for Canadian Minority-Language Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivard, Léonard P.; Gueye, Ndeye R.

2016-01-01

'Literacy in the Science Classroom Project" was a three-year professional development (PD) program supporting minority-language secondary teachers' use of effective language-based instructional strategies for teaching science. Our primary objective was to determine how teacher beliefs and practices changed over time and how these were enacted…

Using Technology to Support Expository Reading and Writing in Science Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montelongo, Jose A.; Herter, Roberta J.

2010-01-01

Students struggle with the transition from learning to read narrative text in the early grades to reading expository text in the science classroom in the upper grades as they begin reading and writing to gain information. Science teachers can adapt their teaching materials to develop students' reading comprehension and recall by writing summaries…

Nurturing Quality Science Learning and Teaching: The Impact of a Reading Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Ange; Cooper, Rebecca; Sarkar, Mahbub

2016-01-01

Teachers are key to the delivery of quality science education experiences in Australian classrooms. In achieving this, there is a need for teachers to be better supported in thinking reflexively and critically about their practice. The Centre for Science, Mathematics and Technology Education (CSMTE) at Monash University took action to address this…

The science experience: The relationship between an inquiry-based science program and student outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poderoso, Charie

Science education reforms in U.S. schools emphasize the importance of students' construction of knowledge through inquiry. Organizations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Research Council (NRC), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) have demonstrated a commitment to searching for solutions and renewed efforts to improve science education. One suggestion for science education reform in U.S. schools was a transition from traditional didactic, textbook-based to inquiry-based instructional programs. While inquiry has shown evidence for improved student learning in science, what is needed is empirical evidence of those inquiry-based practices that affect student outcomes in a local context. This study explores the relationship between instructional programs and curricular changes affecting student outcomes in the Santa Ana Unified District (SAUSD): It provides evidence related to achievement and attitudes. SAUSD employs two approaches to teaching in the middle school science classrooms: traditional and inquiry-based approaches. The Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) program is an inquiry-based science program that utilizes resources for implementation of the University of California Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science Education for Public Understanding Program (SEPUP) to support inquiry-based teaching and learning. Findings in this study provide empirical support related to outcomes of seventh-grade students, N = 328, in the LASER and traditional science programs in SAUSD.

Purposeful and Targeted Use of Scientists to Support In-Service Teachers' Understandings and Teaching of Scientific Inquiry and Nature of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Kevin

2010-01-01

Efforts have been made to enhance teachers' understanding and teaching of NOS and/or SI by immersing teachers into the field and lab work of scientists through intensive summer institutes. Results have been mixed and the samples have been small. This may be due to several factors: implicit strategies to learn and teach about NOS and/or SI…

Virtual tutorials, Wikipedia books, and multimedia-based teaching for blended learning support in a course on algorithms and data structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knackmuß, Jenny; Creutzburg, Reiner

2014-02-01

The aim of this paper is to describe the benefit and support of virtual tutorials, Wikipedia books and multimedia-based teaching in a course on Algorithms and Data Structures. We describe our work and experiences gained from using virtual tutorials held in Netucate iLinc sessions and the use of various multimedia and animation elements for the support of deeper understanding of the ordinary lectures held in the standard classroom on Algorithms and Data Structures for undergraduate computer sciences students. We will describe the benefits, form, style and contents of those virtual tutorials. Furthermore, we mention the advantage of Wikipedia books to support the blended learning process using modern mobile devices. Finally, we give some first statistical measures of improved student's scores after introducing this new form of teaching support.

Monkey Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Sullivan, Connie; O'Sullivan, Michael

2005-01-01

Intelligent design lacks scientific validity and has been repudiated by every leading scientific organization, including the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, both of which assert that design theory lacks any scientific merit and cannot be supported by scientific research. Teaching it would…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welstead, C.; Forder, S. E.

2014-12-01

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

Features of an Emerging Practice and Professional Development in a Science Teacher Team Collaboration with a Researcher Team

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olin, Anette; Ingerman, Åke

2016-10-01

This study concerns teaching and learning development in science through collaboration between science teachers and researchers. At the core was the ambition to integrate research outcomes of science education—here `didactic models'—with teaching practice, aligned with professional development. The phase where the collaboration moves from initial establishment towards a stable practice is investigated. The study aims to identifying features of formation and exploring consequences for the character of contact between research and teaching. Specific questions are "What may be identified as actions and arrangements impacting the quality and continuation of the emerging practice?" and "What and in what ways may support teacher growth?" The analysis draws on practice architectures as a theoretical framework and specifically investigates the initial meetings as a practice-node for a new practice, empirically drawing on documented reflections on science teaching, primarily from meetings and communication. The results take the form of an analytical-narrative account of meetings that focused planning, enactment and reflection on teaching regarding the human body. We identify enabling actions such as collaborative work with concrete material from the classroom and arrangements such as the regular meetings and that the collaborative group had a core of shared competence—in science teaching and learning. Constraining were actions such as introducing research results with weak connection to practical action in the school practice and arrangements such as differences between school and university practice architectures and the general `oppression' of teachers' classroom practice. The discussion includes reflections on researchers' roles and on a research and practice base for school development.

What secondary science teachers pay attention to in the classroom: Situating teaching in institutional and social systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levin, Daniel Matthew

This study concerns the issue of secondary science teachers' attention. In particular, I consider if, how, and when science teachers attend to the substance of student thinking, which is called for by science education reform (NRC, 2007). Using a case study approach, and drawing on ethnographic data sources, I explore what novice and experienced secondary science teachers regularly attend to while teaching, what shapes teachers' attention, and how teachers' attention is consequential for students' science learning. I find that both novice and experienced teachers can attend to the substance of student thinking, although the institutional and social systems of school draw teachers' attention to other foci---particularly to correctness of conceptual knowledge and the vocabulary that signals correctness and "misconceptions." Furthermore, I argue that when teachers regularly attend to the substance of student thinking, they can contribute to a classroom culture that supports student inquiry. I discuss implications of this work for understanding teaching and for teacher education and professional development, and I suggest areas for future research that are motivated by these findings.

Preservice elementary teachers' use of a discursive model of meaning making in the co-construction of science understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyer, Elisebeth C.

This research investigates how three preservice elementary teachers were prepared to teach science using a Discursive Model of Meaning Making. The research is divided into two parts. The first consists of the nature of the participants’ learning experiences in a science methods course within a school-university Professional Development School partnership. This part of the investigation used Constant Comparative Analysis of field notes gathered through participant observation of the methods course. The analysis investigated how the methods instructors employed productive questioning, talk moves, and a coherent research based Teaching Science as Argument Framework. The second part of the study consisted of an investigation into how the participants applied what they experienced during the methods course in their initial science teaching experiences, as well as how the participants made sense of their initial science teaching. Data consisted of teaching videos of the participants during their initial science teaching experiences and self-analysis videos created by the participants. This part of the research used Discourse Analysis of the teaching and self-analysis videos. These inquiries provide insight into what aspects of the methods course were taken up by the participants and how they made sense of their practices. Findings are: 1) Throughout the methods course, instructors modeled how the Teaching Science as Argument Framework can be used to negotiate scientific understanding by employing a Discursive Model of Meaning Making. 2) During lesson plan conferences the Discursive Model was emphasized as participants planned classroom discussion and explored possible student responses enabling them to anticipate how they could attempt to increase student understanding. 3) Participants displayed three distinct patterns of adoption of the Teaching Science as Argument Framework (TSAF), involving different discursive practices. They were, • Detached Discursive Approach: Use of some discursive strategies without an apparent connection to the TSAF. • Connected Approach with a Focus on Student Thinking: Intentional use of the Discursive Model informed by aspects of the TSAF. • TSAF Approach: Priority is given to the TSAF supported by substantial application of the Discursive Model. 4) The evidence participants chose to highlight in their self-analysis videos is reflective of their patterns of adoption of the Teaching Science as Argument Framework and their differing discursive practices. Analysis led to the formation of the middle theory that when learning to teach science in the elementary school, teacher commitment to the discourse and practices of science is constructed through participation in a learning community where a discursive model of meaning making is the norm. Curricular and methodological implications, as well as implications for future research are presented.

The Galileoscope project: community-based technology education in Arizona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompea, Stephen M.; Fine, Leonard W.; Sparks, Robert T.; Walker, Constance E.; Dugan, Charles L.; Dokter, Erin F. C.

2014-07-01

A program model has been developed and implemented over the last three years to provide a robust optical technologybased science education program to students aged 9-11 years (5th grade), a formative time in the development of a student's interest in science and engineering. We have created well-tested and evaluated teaching kits for the classroom to teach about the basics of image formation and telescopes. In addition we provide professional development to the teachers of these students on principles of optics and on using the teaching kits. The program model is to reach every teacher and every student in a number of mid-sized rural communities across the state of Arizona. The Galileoscope telescope kit is a key part of this program to explore optics and the nature of science. The program grew out of Module 3 of the NSF-Supported Hands-On Optics project (SPIE, OSA, and NOAO) and from the Science Foundation Arizona-supported Hands-On Optics Arizona program. NOAO has conducted this program in Flagstaff, Yuma, Globe, and Safford, Arizona and is being expanded to sites across the entire state of Arizona (295,254 square kilometers). We describe the educational goals, evaluations, and logistical issues connected to the program. In particular, we proposed that this model can be adapted for any rural or urban locations in order to encourage interest in science, astronomy and optics.-

School Teachers' Experiences of Science Curriculum Reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryder, Jim; Banner, Indira

2013-02-01

We examine teachers' experiences of a major reform of the school science curriculum for 14-16-year olds in England. This statutory reform enhances the range of available science courses and emphasises the teaching of socio-scientific issues and the nature of science, alongside the teaching of canonical science knowledge. This paper examines teachers' experiences of the reform and the factors that condition these experiences. A designed sample of 22 teachers discussed their experiences of the reform within a semi-structured interview. Our analysis considers how the external and internal structures within which teachers work interact with the personal characteristics of teachers to condition their experiences of the curriculum reform. In many cases, personal/internal/external contexts of teachers' work align, resulting in an overall working context that is supportive of teacher change. However, in other cases, tensions within these contexts result in barriers to change. We also explore cases in which external curriculum reform has stimulated the development of new contexts for teachers' work. We argue that curriculum reformers need to recognise the inevitability of multiple teaching goals within a highly differentiated department and school workplace. We also show how experiences of curriculum reform can extend beyond the learning of new knowledge and associated pedagogies to involve challenges to teachers' professional identities. We argue for the extended use of teacher role models within local communities of practice to support such 'identity work'.

Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) - Supporting the Scientists and Citizens of Tomorrow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ledley, T. S.; McCaffrey, M. S.; Gold, A. U.; Buhr, S. M.; Manduca, C. A.; Fox, S.; Kirk, K. B.; Grogan, M.; Niepold, F.; Lynds, S. E.; Howell, C.

2011-12-01

The US Global Change Research Program and a consortium of science and education partners in 2009 concluded "climate change will bring economic and environmental challenges as well as opportunities, and citizens who have an understanding of climate science will be better prepared to respond to both." In order for citizens to achieve that understanding there is a clear need to support teachers, students, and the public in becoming climate and energy literate and to enable them to make responsible decisions about the environment and energy use for themselves and for society. However, to pursue climate and energy literacy it is necessary to identify and access educational materials that are scientifically accurate, pedagogically effective, and technically robust, and to use them effectively. The CLEAN Pathway (http://cleanet.org) is a National Science Digital Library (http://www.nsdl.org) project that is stewarding a collection of materials for teaching climate and energy science in grades 6-16. The collection contains classroom activities, lab demonstrations, visualizations, simulations and more. Each resource is extensively reviewed for scientific accuracy, pedagogical effectiveness, and technical quality. Once accepted into the CLEAN collection, a resource is aligned with the Climate Literacy Essential Principles for Climate Science, the AAAS Project 2061 Benchmarks for Science Literacy and other national standards. The CLEAN website hosts a growing collection of currently 300+ resources that represent the leading edge of climate and energy science resources for the classroom. In this presentation we will demonstrate the various avenues of how the CLEAN portal that can help educators improve their own climate and energy literacy, help them determine why and how to effectively integrate the climate and energy principles into their teaching, and facilitate educators successfully using the resources with their students. This will include a brief overview of the: a) Breath of the collection and the faceted search that can help educators quickly find what is relevant to their needs; b) Teaching Climate Science and Energy Awareness pages that describe why each principle is important, why it is difficult to teach, information on how to effectively teach it, and links to resources in the collection that can be used to teach it at various levels; c) Annotations of an individual resource that provide information extracted from the reviews about the science, pedagogy, teaching tips as well as the climate or energy principles and the AAAS Benchmarks for Science Literacy addressed; d) Strandmap service that connects the benchmarks addressed by an individual resource to those that come immediately before and immediately after in a learning sequence, and to the resources that can help educators teach those benchmarks; and e) Professional development opportunities that can help teachers improve their own climate and energy literacy and explore how to integrate the materials into their classroom.

Teach Astronomy: An Online Resource for General Education and Informal Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardegree-Ullman, Kevin; Impey, C.; Patikkal, A.; Srinathan, A.; Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars CATS

2012-01-01

Teach Astronomy is a website developed for students and informal learners who would like to learn more general astronomy knowledge. This learning tool aggregates content from a myriad of sources, including: an introductory astronomy text book by C. D. Impey and W. K. Hartmann, astronomy related articles on Wikipedia, images from the Astronomy Picture of the Day, two to three minute video clips by C. D. Impey, podcasts from 365 Days of Astronomy, and news from Science Daily. In addition, Teach Astronomy utilizes a novel technology to cluster and display search results called a Wikimap. We present an overview of the website's features and suggestions for making the best use of Teach Astronomy in the classroom or at home. This material is based in part upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

In Brief: Science teaching certificate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2008-11-01

More than 200 educators will receive fellowships over the next 5 years to participate in NASA's Endeavor Science Teaching Certificate Project, the agency announced on 14 November. Through workshops, online and on-site graduate courses, and NASA educational materials, the project will expose educators to NASA science and engineering and support them in translating the information for use in classrooms. ``Through the program, educators will learn to deliver cutting-edge science into the classroom, promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education,'' according to Joyce Winterton, assistant administrator for education at NASA Headquarters, in Washington, D. C. Project fellows will earn a certificate from Teachers College Innovations at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, and graduate credit from other institutional partners. For more information, visit http://education.nasa.gov/home/index.html.

The Influence of Repeated Teaching and Reflection on Preservice Teachers' Views of Inquiry and Nature of Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lotter, Christine; Singer, Jonathan; Godley, Jenice

2009-12-01

This study describes the influence of a secondary science methods program on secondary science preservice teachers’ views and enactment of nature of science and inquiry-based instructional practices. Built into the structure of this program were three cycles of practice teaching and reflection in which the preservice teachers focused on key pedagogical ideas in classroom settings with middle and high school students. The nine secondary preservice teachers improved both their understanding and enactment of inquiry and nature of science throughout the program period. This study provides evidence of the importance of incorporating multiple low-stakes practicum experiences that are closely tied to methods course goals that are highly scaffolded through both methods instructor and cooperating teacher support and tied to analytic self-reflection.

Investigation of effective strategies for developing creative science thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Kuay-Keng; Lee, Ling; Hong, Zuway-R.; Lin, Huann-shyang

2016-09-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of the creative inquiry-based science teaching on students' creative science thinking and science inquiry performance. A quasi-experimental design consisting one experimental group (N = 20) and one comparison group (N = 24) with pretest and post-test was conducted. The framework of the intervention focused on potential strategies such as promoting divergent and convergent thinking and providing an open, inquiry-based learning environment that are recommended by the literature. Results revealed that the experimental group students outperformed their counterparts in the comparison group on the performances of science inquiry and convergent thinking. Additional qualitative data analyses from classroom observations and case teacher interviews identified supportive teaching strategies (e.g. facilitating associative thinking, sharing impressive ideas, encouraging evidence-based conclusions, and reviewing and commenting on group presentations) for developing students' creative science thinking.

The practice report of a cooperation teaching with an aquarium and an elementary school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kureha, R.; Matsumoto, I.

2013-12-01

In Japan, recognition that cooperation with an eco-museum, a science-museum, an aquarium, a zoo, etc. is important in the science education in a school is spreading. Simultaneously with it, the institution of each museum which offer the learning program to the children of a school has increased. In this presentation, we introduce some of program for which an aquarium provides schools with the aquarium "AQUAS" of Shimane prefecture. Moreover, we arrange also about a viewpoint when making these programs. In addition, in these programs, the role of the teacher of a school serves as an important very much for a child's study. That is, since study before and after study in an aquarium is performed in the classroom of a school, it is important how we assemble a prior preparation and subsequent review. Here, the teacher of the school divided the type of educational support into three kinds from the position of the teacher when participating in programs of aquarium. That is, they are a type with which the staff of an aquarium take charge of all the teaching, a type with which the staff of an aquarium mainly take charge of a lesson and a teacher offers the teaching support, and a type with which the school teacher mainly takes charge of a lesson, and the staff of an aquarium offer teaching support. It being an important is that the teacher of a school leaves not all study to the staff of an aquarium in an aquarium. That is, a teacher needs to offer lesson support according to a situation, or to make an effort to promote a teaching activity. Moreover, the teacher needs to perform a prior meeting so that common recognition may be shared about the main point which should be taught to a student using a school textbook of science with the staff of an aquarium.

Aztec Ruins National Monument. Teacher's Guide, Grades 4-7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nichols, Theresa, Comp.

This teacher's guide is for educators in classrooms, outdoor education, youth groups, scouting, and after-school programs to teach about the Aztec Ruins National Monument (New Mexico). The teaching materials in the guide support the New Mexico educational standards in science, social studies, language arts, mathematics, and art. Since the guide's…

The Development of Creative Thinking in Graduate Students Doing Scientific Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truran, Peter

2016-01-01

The teaching of research methodology to graduate science students places an emphasis on scientific reasoning and on the generation and evaluation of evidence in support of research conclusions. Very little attention is paid to the teaching of scientific creativity, the processes for generation of new ideas, hypotheses, and theories. By contrast,…

A Study of Faculty Data Curation Behaviors and Attitudes at a Teaching-Centered University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scaramozzino, Jeanine Marie; Ramírez, Marisa L.; McGaughey, Karen J.

2012-01-01

Academic libraries need reliable information on researcher data needs, data curation practices, and attitudes to identify and craft appropriate services that support outreach and teaching. This paper describes information gathered from a survey distributed to the College of Science and Mathematics faculty at California Polytechnic State…

Video-Enhanced Training to Support Professional Development in Elementary Science Teaching: A Beginning Teacher's Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamel, Christine; Viau-Guay, Anabelle; Ria, Luc; Dion-Routhier, Justine

2018-01-01

Elementary teachers are expected to teach complex and authentic lessons and integrating multiple disciplines. In so doing, they must take many elements into account, such as disciplinary content, learning standards, and pedagogical knowledge, in an ever more complex environment, including pupils' increasingly heterogeneous characteristics. Our…

A Computer-Assisted Instruction in Teaching Abstract Statistics to Public Affairs Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozturk, Ali Osman

2012-01-01

This article attempts to demonstrate the applicability of a computer-assisted instruction supported with simulated data in teaching abstract statistical concepts to political science and public affairs students in an introductory research methods course. The software is called the Elaboration Model Computer Exercise (EMCE) in that it takes a great…

Creating Hybrid Learning Experiences in Robotics: Implications for Supporting Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frerichs, Saundra Wever; Barker, Bradley; Morgan, Kathy; Patent-Nygren, Megan; Rezac, Micaela

2012-01-01

Geospatial and Robotics Technologies for the 21st Century (GEAR-Tech-21), teaches science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through robotics, global positioning systems (GPS), and geographic information systems (GIS) activities for youth in grades 5-8. Participants use a robotics kit, handheld GPS devices, and GIS technology to…

Educative Mentoring: Promoting Reform-Based Science Teaching through Mentoring Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradbury, Leslie Upson

2010-01-01

Educative mentoring is an idea developed by Feiman-Nemser [Feiman-Nemser, S. (1998). Teachers as teacher educators. "European Journal of Teacher Education," 21(1), 63-74; (2001). Helping novices learn to teach: Lessons from an exemplary support teacher. "Journal of Teacher Education," 52(1), 17-30] to reflect current conceptions of mentoring that…

Practicing the practice: Learning to guide elementary science discussions in a practice-oriented science methods course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Ashima Mathur

University methods courses are often criticized for telling pre-service teachers, or interns, about the theories behind teaching instead of preparing them to actually enact teaching. Shifting teacher education to be more "practice-oriented," or to focus more explicitly on the work of teaching, is a current trend for re-designing the way we prepare teachers. This dissertation addresses the current need for research that unpacks the shift to more practice-oriented approaches by studying the content and pedagogical approaches in a practice-oriented, masters-level elementary science methods course (n=42 interns). The course focused on preparing interns to guide science classroom discussions. Qualitative data, such as video records of course activities and interns' written reflections, were collected across eight course sessions. Codes were applied at the sentence and paragraph level and then grouped into themes. Five content themes were identified: foregrounding student ideas and questions, steering discussion toward intended learning goals, supporting students to do the cognitive work, enacting teacher role of facilitator, and creating a classroom culture for science discussions. Three pedagogical approach themes were identified. First, the teacher educators created images of science discussions by modeling and showing videos of this practice. They also provided focused teaching experiences by helping interns practice the interactive aspects of teaching both in the methods classroom and with smaller groups of elementary students in schools. Finally, they structured the planning and debriefing phases of teaching so interns could learn from their teaching experiences and prepare well for future experiences. The findings were analyzed through the lens of Grossman and colleagues' framework for teaching practice (2009) to reveal how the pedagogical approaches decomposed, represented, and approximated practice throughout course activities. Also, the teacher educators' purposeful use of both pedagogies of investigation (to study teaching) and pedagogies of enactment (to practice enacting teaching) was uncovered. This work provides insights for the design of courses that prepare interns to translate theories about teaching into the interactive work teachers actually do. Also, it contributes to building a common language for talking about the content of practice-oriented courses and for comparing the affordances and limitations of pedagogical approaches across teacher education settings.

A five year study of the attitudes, perceptions, and philosophies of five secondary science education teachers prepared in the constructivist teaching methodology advanced at the University of Iowa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollenbeck, James Edward

1999-11-01

The present study researched the attitudes, Perceptions, and philosophies of five secondary education science teachers prepared in the constructivist teaching methodology advanced at the University of Iowa. This study is a continuation of a three-year study---the Salish I Project supported by the US Department of Education. The teachers studied are five 1993 University of Iowa Science Education Center graduates who have taught for five years. The main objective of the present study was finding answers to four questions aiming at further understanding of the impact and importance of the preservice education in I the constructivist teaching methodology of new teachers, and the changes they experience in the first five years of teaching. The instruments used in the study are various as they cover a wide range of different categories of beliefs I in terms of teaching, learning, teacher performance and view of school. The following trends came out on reviewing all of the data: in the first year of teaching three of the five teachers studied taught as constructivist teachers. in the third year of teaching, the classroom practices of the teachers converged more closely to their beliefs and preservice preparation. In the fifth year, all five teachers were ranked as constructivist in their teaching methodology in the classroom. Using the Wilcoxson test, significant, positive relationships were revealed between the teacher's philosophy of teaching and learning, with their actual practice. Teacher's philosophy and teaching practice were compared with selected standards set forth by the National Science Education Standards and were found to be in close alignment in their fifth year of teaching. Teachers prepared in the constructivist methodology are concerned about their subject content and value student input and reflection. The teachers reported using student-initiated ideas, alternative assessment strategies and being receptive to alternatives. Other important factors identified by the teachers as condition to their successes are maturation, experience, and acceptance in the school and community. All five teachers attributed their preservice education at the University of Iowa as a significant factor in their successes in the science classroom. in the science classroom.

Rasch Validation of a Measure of Reform-Oriented Science Teaching Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Hye Sun

2016-06-01

Growing evidence from recent curriculum documents and previous research suggests that reform-oriented science teaching practices promote students' conceptual understanding, levels of achievement, and motivation to learn, especially when students are actively engaged in constructing their ideas through scientific inquiries. However, it is difficult to identify to what extent science teachers engage students in reform-oriented teaching practices (RTPs) in their science classrooms. In order to exactly diagnose the current status of science teachers' implementation of the RTPs, a valid and reliable instrument tool is needed. The principles of validity and reliability are fundamental cornerstones in developing a robust measurement tool. As such, this study was motivated by the desire to point out the limitations of the existing statistical and psychometric analyses and to further examine the validation of the RTP survey instrument. This paper thus aims at calibrating the items of the RTPs for science teachers using the Rasch model. The survey instrument scale was adapted from the 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education (NSSME) data. A total of 3701 science teachers from 1403 schools from across the USA participated in the NSSME survey. After calibrating the RTP items and persons on the same scale, the RTP instrument well represented the population of US science teachers. Model-data fit determined by Infit and Outfit statistics was within an appropriate range (0.5-1.5), supporting the unidimensional structure of the RTPs. The ordered category thresholds and the probability of the thresholds showed that the five-point rating scale functioned well. The results of this study support the use of the RTP measure from the 2012 NSSME in assessing usage of RTPs.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manno, Jacqueline L.

Reform-oriented science teaching with a specific focus on evidence and explanation provides a student-centered learning environment which encourages children to question, seek answers to those questions, experience phenomena, share ideas, and develop explanations of science concepts based on evidence. One of the ways schools have risen to meet the challenge of ever-increasing demands for success in science and all other curricular areas has been in the development of professional development schools (PDSs). Dedicated to the simultaneous renewal of schools and teacher education programs, the structure of a PDS plays a significant role in the change process. The purpose of this research study was to investigate the nature of change in mentor teachers' beliefs and pedagogical practices toward science teaching in the elementary school as conveyed through their own "stories of practice". The major research questions that guided the study were: (1) How do mentor teachers describe their science teaching practices and how have they changed as a result of participation in PDS? (a) In what ways do PDS mentor teachers' descriptions of practice reflect contemporary reform ideas and practices in science education? (b) To what extent do their stories emphasize technical aspects of teaching versus epistemological changes in their thinking and knowledge? (c) How is student learning in science reflected in teachers' stories of practice? (2) What is the relationship between the levels and types of involvement in PDS to change in thinking about and practices of teaching science? (3) What is the depth of commitment that mentors convey about changes in science teaching practices? Using case study design, the research explored the ways experienced teachers, working within the context of a PDS community, described changes in the ways they think about and teach science. The connection to the issue of change in teaching practices grew out of interest in understanding the relationship 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.

Exploring reforms while learning to teach science: Facilitating exploration of theory-practice relationships in a teacher education study group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, Jacob G.

This dissertation inserts a new view into an old problem in teacher education. The study explores the theory-practice gap, the large distance between what preservice science teachers experience in schools, are able to enact, and are told they should hold themselves to in their practice. It does so by narrowing the focus of analysis to a secondary science study group and examining how the facilitator uses sociocultural constructivism to promote discussion. The analysis surfaces key communicative moves made by the facilitator and preservice teachers that yield fruitful discussion of theory-practice relationships. Additionally, the study's use of discourse analysis as a methodology and intertextuality as a conceptual framework opens new directions for applied sociolinguistic research and scholarship in science teacher education. Findings from the study focus on what was discussed and how explorations of theory-practice relationships were facilitated. Preservice teachers in the study group engaged in meaningful conversations about constructivist theory and its application to their students and teaching of science. They discussed many science education topics such as planning science lessons that actively engage students, assessment of content understanding, and management of content-based activities. Discussions of broader science education goals, including implementation of inquiry or development of collaborative communities, were not promoted. Examination of the facilitation illuminates a number of strategies found to be helpful in supporting these explorations. This study shows that facilitation can successfully support preservice teachers to construct understanding of social constructivist assumptions underlying the National Science Education Standards (NSES), as well as a few components of the Standards themselves. The focus on the underlying assumptions suggests that science teacher education should focus on these so that preservice teachers can build a strong foundation from which to later implement broader science education reform efforts. The study group serves as a bridging structure between university courses and classroom experiences to support preservice teacher navigation of theory-practice relationships in the context of their classroom teaching. The study group contributes to helping preservice teachers navigate the theory-practice gap by complementing other teacher education structures to achieve this long-standing goal.

Such Low Temperatures in the Arctic Region: How Can the Polar Bears Call It Home?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pringle, Rose M.

2002-01-01

Presents an activity on polar bears that integrates language arts and science. Teaches the characteristics of organisms and how distinct environments support distinct organisms. Uses both mathematics and science skills and targets students at the K-4 grade level. (YDS)

Supporting Teachers Learning through the Collaborative Design of Technology-Enhanced Science Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kafyulilo, Ayoub C.; Fisser, Petra; Voogt, Joke

2015-01-01

This study used the Interconnected Model of Professional Growth (Clarke & Hollingsworth in "Teaching and Teacher Education," 18, 947-967, 2002) to unravel how science teachers' technology integration knowledge and skills developed in a professional development arrangement. The professional development arrangement used Technological…

Introductory Statistics Education and the National Science Foundation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Megan R.; Rowell, Ginger Holmes

2008-01-01

This paper describes 27 National Science Foundation supported grant projects that have innovations designed to improve teaching and learning in introductory statistics courses. The characteristics of these projects are compared with the six recommendations given in the "Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE)…

Pedagogical Approaches for Technology-Integrated Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hennessy, Sara; Wishart, Jocelyn; Whitelock, Denise; Deaney, Rosemary; Brawn, Richard; la Velle, Linda; McFarlane, Angela; Ruthven, Kenneth; Winterbottom, Mark

2007-01-01

The two separate projects described have examined how teachers exploit computer-based technologies in supporting learning of science at secondary level. This paper examines how pedagogical approaches associated with these technological tools are adapted to both the cognitive and structuring resources available in the classroom setting. Four…

Secondary Science Teachers Making Sense of Model-Based Classroom Instruction: Understanding the Learning and Learning Pathways Teachers Describe as Supporting Changes in Teaching Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hvidsten, Connie J.

Connie J. Hvidsten September 2016 Education Secondary Science Teachers Making Sense of Model-Based Classroom Instruction: Understanding the Learning and Learning Pathways Teachers Describe as Supporting Changes in Teaching Practice This dissertation consists of three papers analyzing writings and interviews of experienced secondary science teachers during and after a two-year professional development (PD) program focused on model-based reasoning (MBR). MBR is an approach to science instruction that provides opportunities for students to use conceptual models to make sense of natural phenomena in ways that are similar to the use of models within the scientific community. The aim of this research is to better understand the learning and learning pathways teachers identified as valuable in supporting changes in their teaching practice. To accomplish this aim, the papers analyze the ways teachers 1) ascribe their learning to various aspects of the program, 2) describe what they learned, and 3) reflect on the impact the PD had on their teaching practice. Twenty-one secondary science teachers completed the Innovations in Science Instruction through Modeling (ISIM) program from 2007 through 2009. Commonalities in the written reflections and interview responses led to a set of generalizable findings related to the impacts and outcomes of the PD. The first of the three papers describes elements of the ISIM program that teachers associated with their own learning. One of the most frequently mentioned PD feature was being in the position of an adult learner. Embedding learning in instructional practice by collaboratively developing and revising lessons, and observing the lessons in one-another's classrooms provided a sense of professional community, accountability, and support teachers reported were necessary to overcome the challenges of implementing new pedagogical practices. Additionally, teachers described that opportunities to reflect on their learning and connect their experiences to a larger literature base and rationale helped them negotiate the dissonance occurring as they tried new practices in their own classroom. Teachers associated these elements with learning about both science content and effective instructional pedagogy and producing a level of dissatisfaction with current understanding that motivated their persistence when met with obstacles or struggles. The second of the three papers analyzes what teachers said they learned in the ISIM program. Teachers' reported learning about scientific models, both how they are used in both the scientific community and how they can support students' classroom learning. Additionally, teachers mentioned learning more about the science they taught through interacting with models during the PD and learned more about effective teaching strategies. Teachers also reported learning about themselves as teachers and learners, as well as about the school and classroom contexts that shape their ability to implement new instructional practices. Finally, the third paper draws from interviews occurring a year or more after the program ended to identify how teachers reported changes in their classroom instruction resulting from their ISIM participation. Four of the teachers reported little or no change in classroom practice. Eight teachers described changes to their teaching to incorporate elements of the professional development, but who fell short of adopting model-based reasoning as a core feature of their classroom instruction. Nine teachers expressed a strong understanding of modeling instruction, and its ongoing influence on their classroom instruction.

ASTRO 101 Labs and the Invasion of the Cognitive Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slater, Stephanie J.

2015-04-01

Since the mid 1800's there has been widespread agreement that we should be about the business of engaging students in the practices of scientific research in order to best teach the methods and practices of science. There has been significantly less agreement on precisely how to teach science by mimicking scientific inquiry in a way that can be empirically supported, even with our ``top students.'' Engaging ``ASTRO 101 students'' in scientific inquiry is a task that has left our astronomy education research community more than a little stymied, to the extent that it is difficult to find non-major science students practicing anything other than confirmation exercises in college labs. Researchers at the CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education Research have struggled with this problem as well, until in our frustration we had to ask: ``Can research tell us anything about how to get students to do research?'' This talk presents an overview of the cognitive science that we've brought to bear in the ASTRO 101 laboratory setting for non-science majoring undergraduates and future teachers, along with the results of early studies that suggest that a ``backwards faded scaffolding'' approach to instruction in Intro Labs can successfully support large numbers of students in enhancing their understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry. Supported by NSF DUE 1312562.

SKyTeach: Addressing the need for Science and Math Teachers in Kentucky

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonham, Scott

2008-10-01

The shortage of good science and math teachers is a chronic problem that threatens to undermine the future of our profession and economy. While our world is becoming increasingly dependent on technology, many high schools do not even offer physics, in part due to of the unavailability of a qualified teacher. The entire state of Kentucky typically produces 0-2 new physics teachers per year, compared to 200+ elementary teachers per year from WKU alone. The picture is not much better in math and other sciences. SKyTeach is a new program at WKU to address this great need and is part of a national effort to replicate the successful UTeach program. The University of Texas UTeach program graduates 70-90 new math and science teachers a year, in the process providing them with a strong preparation based on current research on how people learn science and math, experience teaching in real classrooms from the start, and strong mentoring and support. UTeach graduates stay in the classroom at rates above the national average, and some fairly quickly move into leadership positions within their schools. A key element is good collaboration between the college of science, that of education, local P-12 schools, and others. Last year thirteen universities across the nation were selected as part of an effort to replicate the UTeach program nation-wide. This effort is supported by the National Science and Math Initiative in a partnership with the UTeach Institute. Our first cohort of students has started this fall, and we have had many successes and challenges as we move forward.

View of socioscientific issues among educators: The willingness of teachers to accept SSI into the classroom and the reasoning underyling those beliefs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parr, John Carlos

Socioscientific issues (SSI) are potentially controversial topics, which can be examined using a social and a scientific perspective. The inclusion of these topics in elementary and secondary classrooms has caused a number of conflicts over the past century. In the present study, I explore the willingness of teachers to include three SSI: evolution, stem cell research, and global climate change in the science curricula. Participants included 221 educators currently employed in K-12 schools. Teachers have the greatest impact on classroom instruction, regardless of state curricula. I found most educators willing to include the three previously named SSI in the curricula, but support was not an indication of a pro-science perspective. Teachers modestly preferred the inclusion of scientific perspectives over alternative ideas, but this support was not universal. Potentially important demographic factors were collected; participants from rural populations, Evangelicals, frequent church attendees, Republicans, and conservatives were found to be less receptive to science-supported ideas. A similarly lower level of support was found among those teachers who did not teach secondary science and those who had taken fewer science courses while in college. Interestingly, a possible correlation between the aforementioned demographic factors and chosen teaching position was identified. I identified a perceived low level of support for the science underlying the selected SSI as one possible explanation for the lack of emphasis on empirically supported concepts. Similarly, the majority of educators were willing to support legislation which formally encouraged the idea of "balanced" coverage. I found the lack of support for scientific ideas and the reasoning quality supporting these views surprisingly low. Educators consider SSI using very different lenses. It was these lenses, and not empirical evidence, which had the greatest impact on decision making. For some participants these frames of reasoning seemed so engrained that they were unwilling to even contemplate the validity of opposing viewpoints.

Reaching the Future Teachers in Your Classroom: New Directions in Pre-Service Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grier, Jennifer A.; Ruberg, L.

2006-09-01

We will present results and progress from initiatives seeking to improve the experiences of future teachers in college level science classes. A future teacher (pre-service teacher) is inspired to teach science based on personal experiences with college science classes. The most critical opportunity to make a real difference in science education in schools comes when the teachers themselves are first being educated. Given the difficulties in identifying future teachers and the wide variations in their needs, how can we best help future teachers in training? What critical thinking skills are most important for them to absorb from their exposure to science as undergraduates and graduate students? What teaching and learning experiences can we offer that will help science teachers in training confidently assess the relationship between evidence and explanations and then bring that understanding and experience effectively into their own classroom? Recent initiatives in pre-service education have identified several key strategies for improving teacher preparation at the post-secondary level: - Using a constructivist approach to teach physical science concepts and guided inquiry - Knowing common misconceptions about key scientific concepts that students bring to college-level science classrooms - Applying documented strategies for identifying and addressing student misconceptions; and - Knowing how to select and adapt curriculum materials based on common preconceptions held by students. The challenge of reaching these outcomes is complex and cannot be addressed with simple solutions. Teaching strategies that help prepare future teachers include modeling effective teaching of science, understanding the relationship between student/teacher misconceptions, designing and implementing evaluation and assessment, appropriate use of technology tools, and tapping into the existing community of learners to provide ongoing education opportunities and support as the pre-service teacher progresses. Several examples of student preconceptions and a description of the teaching strategies used to help address specific misconceptions will be provided.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kye, Hannah Anne

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

The effect of instructional methodology on high school students natural sciences standardized tests scores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, P. E.

Educators have recently come to consider inquiry based instruction as a more effective method of instruction than didactic instruction. Experience based learning theory suggests that student performance is linked to teaching method. However, research is limited on inquiry teaching and its effectiveness on preparing students to perform well on standardized tests. The purpose of the study to investigate whether one of these two teaching methodologies was more effective in increasing student performance on standardized science tests. The quasi experimental quantitative study was comprised of two stages. Stage 1 used a survey to identify teaching methods of a convenience sample of 57 teacher participants and determined level of inquiry used in instruction to place participants into instructional groups (the independent variable). Stage 2 used analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to compare posttest scores on a standardized exam by teaching method. Additional analyses were conducted to examine the differences in science achievement by ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status by teaching methodology. Results demonstrated a statistically significant gain in test scores when taught using inquiry based instruction. Subpopulation analyses indicated all groups showed improved mean standardized test scores except African American students. The findings benefit teachers and students by presenting data supporting a method of content delivery that increases teacher efficacy and produces students with a greater cognition of science content that meets the school's mission and goals.

Teaching beyond the walls: A mixed method study of prospective elementary teacher's belief systems about science instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asim, Sumreen

This mixed method study investigated K-6 teacher candidates' beliefs about informal science instruction prior to and after their experiences in a 15-week science methods course and in comparison to a non-intervention group. The study is predicated by the literature that supports the extent to which teachers' beliefs influence their instructional practices. The intervention integrated the six strands of learning science in informal science education (NRC, 2009) and exposed candidates to out-of-school-time environments (NRC, 2010). Participants included 17 candidates in the intervention and 75 in the comparison group. All were undergraduate K-6 teacher candidates at one university enrolled in different sections of a required science methods course. All the participants completed the Beliefs about Science Teaching (BAT) survey. Reflective journals, drawings, interviews, and microteaching protocols were collected from participants in the intervention. There was no statistically significant difference in pre or post BAT scores of the two groups; However, there was a statistically significant interaction effect for the intervention group over time. Analysis of the qualitative data revealed that the intervention candidates displayed awareness of each of the six strands of learning science in informal environments and commitment to out-of-school-time learning of science. This study supports current reform efforts favoring integration of informal science instructional strategies in science methods courses of elementary teacher education programs.

Tools for Engaging Scientists in Education and Public Outreach: Resources from NASA's Science Mission Directorate Forums

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxner, S.; Grier, J.; Meinke, B. K.; Gross, N. A.; Woroner, M.

2014-12-01

The NASA Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forums support the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and its E/PO community by enhancing the coherency and efficiency of SMD-funded E/PO programs. The Forums foster collaboration and partnerships between scientists with content expertise and educators with pedagogy expertise. We will present tools to engage and resources to support scientists' engagement in E/PO efforts. Scientists can get connected to educators and find support materials and links to resources to support their E/PO work through the online SMD E/PO community workspace (http://smdepo.org) The site includes resources for scientists interested in E/PO including one page guides about "How to Get Involved" and "How to Increase Your Impact," as well as the NASA SMD Scientist Speaker's Bureau to connect scientists to audiences across the country. Additionally, there is a set of online clearinghouses that provide ready-made lessons and activities for use by scientists and educators: NASA Wavelength (http://nasawavelength.org/) and EarthSpace (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/earthspace/). The NASA Forums create and partner with organizations to provide resources specifically for undergraduate science instructors including slide sets for Earth and Space Science classes on the current topics in astronomy and planetary science. The Forums also provide professional development opportunities at professional science conferences each year including AGU, LPSC, AAS, and DPS to support higher education faculty who are teaching undergraduate courses. These offerings include best practices in instruction, resources for teaching planetary science and astronomy topics, and other special topics such as working with diverse students and the use of social media in the classroom. We are continually soliciting ways that we can better support scientists' efforts in effectively engaging in E/PO. Please contact Sanlyn Buxner (buxner@psi.edu) or Jennifer Grier (jgrier@psi.edu) to give us feedback on these resources or others you would like to see.

Towards a Metadata Schema for Characterizing Lesson Plans Supported by Virtual and Remote Labs in School Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zervas, Panagiotis; Tsourlidaki, Eleftheria; Sotiriou, Sofoklis; Sampson, Demetrios G.

2015-01-01

Technological advancements in the field of World Wide Web have led to a plethora of remote and virtual labs (RVLs) that are currently available online and they are offered with or without cost. However, using a RVL to teach a specific science subject might not be a straightforward task for a science teacher. As a result, science teachers need to…

Investigating Solids, Liquids, and Gases with TOYS: States of Matter and Changes of State. Activities for Middle School Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarquis, Jerry; Hogue, Lynn; Sarquis, Mickey; Woodward, Linda

The project Teaching Science with TOYS promotes toys as an ideal mechanism for science instruction, because they are an everyday part of the students' world and carry a user-friendly message. TOYS Teacher Resource Modules are collections of "TOYS" activities grouped around a topic or theme with supporting science content and pedagogical…

Integrated Interdisciplinary Science of the Critical Zone as a Foundational Curriculum for Addressing Issues of Environmental Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Timothy; Wymore, Adam; Dere, Ashlee; Hoffman, Adam; Washburne, James; Conklin, Martha

2017-01-01

Earth's critical zone (CZ) is the uppermost layer of Earth's continents, which supports ecosystems and humans alike. CZ science aims to understand how interactions among rock, soil, water, air, and terrestrial organisms influence Earth as a habitable system. Thus, CZ science provides the framework for a holistic-systems approach to teaching Earth…

Teaching the science of learning.

PubMed

Weinstein, Yana; Madan, Christopher R; Sumeracki, Megan A

2018-01-01

The science of learning has made a considerable contribution to our understanding of effective teaching and learning strategies. However, few instructors outside of the field are privy to this research. In this tutorial review, we focus on six specific cognitive strategies that have received robust support from decades of research: spaced practice, interleaving, retrieval practice, elaboration, concrete examples, and dual coding. We describe the basic research behind each strategy and relevant applied research, present examples of existing and suggested implementation, and make recommendations for further research that would broaden the reach of these strategies.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, Michael James

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

Case study of science teaching in an elementary school: Characteristics of an exemplary science teacher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kao, Huey-Lien

Improving the quality of science teaching is one of the greatest concerns in recent science education reform efforts. Many science educators suggest that case studies of exemplary science teachers may provide guidance for these reform efforts. For this reason, the characteristics of exemplary science teaching practices have been identified in recent years. However, the literature lacks research exploring exemplary teacher beliefs about the nature of science and science pedagogy, the relationships between their beliefs and practices, or how outstanding teachers overcome difficulties in order to facilitate their students' science learning. In this study, Sam-Yu, an identified exemplary science teacher who teaches in an elementary school in Pintung, Taiwan, was the subject. An interpretative research design (Erickson, 1986) based on principles of naturalistic inquiry (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) was used. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed in this case study. The qualitative method involved conducting interviews with the teacher and students, observing classroom activities and analyzing the structure of the learning materials. The quantitative methods involved using the Learning Climate Inventory (LCI) (Lin, 1997) instrument to assess the learning environment of the exemplary science classroom. This study found that Sam-Yu had a blend of views on the nature of science and a varied knowledge about science pedagogy. Personal preferences, past experiences, and the national science curriculum all played important roles in the development and refinement of Sam-Yu's beliefs about science and pedagogy. Regarding his teaching practices, Sam-Yu provided the best learning experiences, as evidenced in both classroom observations and the survey results, for his students by using a variety of strategies. In addition, his classroom behaviors were highly associated with his beliefs about science and pedagogy. However, due to school-based and socio-cultural constraints, Sam-Yu could not always translate his beliefs about science and pedagogy into practice. Nevertheless, Sam-Yu's personal traits, support from colleagues and his school, and research played an influential role in helping him overcome constraints and evolve into an exemplary science teacher.

If Science Teachers Are Positively Inclined Toward Inclusive Education, Why Is It So Difficult?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spektor-Levy, Ornit; Yifrach, Merav

2017-08-01

This paper describes the unique challenges that students with learning disabilities (LD) experience in science studies and addresses the question of the extent to which science teachers are willing and prepared to teach in inclusive classrooms. We employed the theory of planned behavior (TPB), according to which behavioral intentions are a function of individuals' attitudes toward the behavior, their subjective norms, and their perceived control—i.e., their perception of the simplicity and benefits of performing the behavior. The study comprised 215 junior high school science teachers, who answered a TPB-based quantitative questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to support and enrich the findings and conclusions. We found that teachers held positive attitudes and were willing to adapt their teaching methods (perceived control), which correlated and contributed to their behavioral intention. In terms of subjective norms, however, they felt a lack of support and ongoing guidance in providing the appropriate pedagogy to meet the needs of students with LD. We therefore recommend that educational policy makers and school management devote attention and resources to providing professional training and appropriate instructional materials and to establishing frameworks for meaningful cooperation between the science teachers and special education staff. This could ensure the efficient cooperation and coordination of all the involved parties and send a positive message of support to the science teachers who are the actual implementers of change.

[The educational context to train health care professionals. A qualitative approach].

PubMed

Matus B, Olga; Ortega B, Javiera; Parra P, Paula; Ortiz M, Liliana; Márquez U, Carolina; Stotz R, Melita; Fasce H, Eduardo

2017-07-01

There are differences in the educational context in Health Sciences, between clinical and non-clinical teachers. Therefore, the didactic and reflexive peculiarities of both educational scenarios should be analyzed. To describe the conditions of the educational context in Health Sciences for the practice of the teaching role in a Chilean university. Qualitative study, performed according to Grounded Theory of Strauss and Corbin. Thirty one teachers from six health sciences programs were selected according to Patton's maximum variation criterion and contacted personally, after an informed consent process. Semi-structured interviews and focus group were performed, analyzed by open coding, using the constant comparison method, with the Atlas-ti 7.5.2 software. Six conditions of the educational context that can support the teaching role in these careers emerged. Namely, a clinical field suited for patient attention and teaching, classrooms designed for the new educational models, number of students in the classrooms and clinical settings, insertion programs for teachers' training, teachers' coordination and economic resources of the program. Health Sciences programs are developed in a complex educational context, having to articulate diverse elements to train professionals. Therefore, it is fundamental to understand the conditions of the educational context that can favor the practice of the teaching role, thus generating improvements in teaching-learning process.

CU’s Department of Geological Sciences - Science Education Initiative Project (GEOL-SEI): A five-year plan for introducing and supporting an evidence-based and scientific approach to teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arthurs, L.; Budd, D. A.

2009-12-01

The Science Education Initiative (SEI) at the University of Colorado at Boulder was conceived in 2006 with the goal of improving science education at the undergraduate level by changing the basic approach to teaching in science departments. Five departments were selected on a competitive basis for participation in the SEI. The SEI is operating as a five year plan with funding of ~$1 million/year for the five departments. The goal of the SEI is to implement sustainable department-level change for an evidence-based and scientific approach to teaching. Among the five departments receiving funding for discipline-specific SEI projects is the Department of Geological Sciences (GEOL-SEI). The GEOL-SEI has worked to transform geology courses beginning with lower division large enrollment courses and moving towards upper division courses. They are transformed on the basis of existing research into how people learn, and they are characterized by the use of learning goals and effective instructional approaches. Furthermore, a natural component of the transformation towards evidence-based and scientific approaches to teaching is geocognition and geoscience education research. This research focuses on how students think about geologic concepts (e.g. misconceptions) and the effectiveness of different instructional approaches (e.g. the implementation of instructional technologies, peer learning activities, homework, and labs). The research is conducted by post-doctoral fellows (with PhDs in geology and pedagogical training) in collaboration with the instructional faculty members. The directorate of CU’s Science Education Initiative provides the fellows with training useful for conducting the research. Currently, into the 4th year of its 5-year plan, the GEOL-SEI is working towards publishing its findings and exploring options for sustaining various changes made to courses and new departmental programs that support student learning (e.g. GEOL Tutoring & Study Room).

Teaching energy using an integrated science approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poggi, Valeria; Miceli, Cristina; Testa, Italo

2017-01-01

Despite its relevance to all scientific domains, the debate surrounding the teaching of energy is still open. The main point remains the problems students have in understanding some aspects of the energy concept and in applying their knowledge to the comprehension of natural phenomena. In this paper, we present a research-based interdisciplinary approach to the teaching of energy in which the first and second laws of thermodynamics were used to interpret physical, chemical and biological processes. The contents of the three disciplines (physics, chemistry, biology) were reconstructed focusing on six basic aspects of energy (forms, transfer, transformation, conservation, degradation, and entropy) and using common teaching methodologies. The module was assessed with 39 secondary school students (aged 15-16) using a 30-question research instrument and a treatment/control group methodology. Analysis of students’ learning outcomes suggests a better understanding of the energy concept, supporting the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary approach in the teaching of energy in physics and science in general. Implications for the teaching of energy are briefly discussed.

Characteristics of medical teachers using student-centered teaching methods.

PubMed

Kim, Kyong-Jee; Hwang, Jee-Young

2017-09-01

This study investigated characteristics of medical teachers who have adopted student-centered teaching methods into their teaching. A 24-item questionnaire consisted of respondent backgrounds, his or her use of student-centered teaching methods, and awareness of the school's educational objectives and curricular principles was administered of faculty members at a private medical school in Korea. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were conducted to compare faculty use of student-centered approaches across different backgrounds and awareness of curricular principles. Overall response rate was 70% (N=140/200), approximately 25% (n=34) of whom were using student-centered teaching methods. Distributions in the faculty use of student-centered teaching methods were significantly higher among basic sciences faculty (versus clinical sciences faculty), with teaching experiences of over 10 years (versus less than 10 years), and who were aware of the school's educational objectives and curricular principles. Our study indicates differences in medical faculty's practice of student-centered teaching across disciplines, teaching experiences, and their understanding of the school's educational objectives curricular principles. These findings have implications for faculty development and institutional support to better promote faculty use of student-centered teaching approaches.

Scientific teaching: defining a taxonomy of observable practices.

PubMed

Couch, Brian A; Brown, Tanya L; Schelpat, Tyler J; Graham, Mark J; Knight, Jennifer K

2015-03-02

Over the past several decades, numerous reports have been published advocating for changes to undergraduate science education. These national calls inspired the formation of the National Academies Summer Institutes on Undergraduate Education in Biology (SI), a group of regional workshops to help faculty members learn and implement interactive teaching methods. The SI curriculum promotes a pedagogical framework called Scientific Teaching (ST), which aims to bring the vitality of modern research into the classroom by engaging students in the scientific discovery process and using student data to inform the ongoing development of teaching methods. With the spread of ST, the need emerges to systematically define its components in order to establish a common description for education researchers and practitioners. We describe the development of a taxonomy detailing ST's core elements and provide data from classroom observations and faculty surveys in support of its applicability within undergraduate science courses. The final taxonomy consists of 15 pedagogical goals and 37 supporting practices, specifying observable behaviors, artifacts, and features associated with ST. This taxonomy will support future educational efforts by providing a framework for researchers studying the processes and outcomes of ST-based course transformations as well as a concise guide for faculty members developing classes. © 2015 B. A. Couch et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Towards a Learning Progression of Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neumann, Knut; Viering, Tobias; Boone, William J.; Fischer, Hans E.

2013-01-01

This article presents an empirical study on an initial learning progression of energy, a concept of central importance to the understanding of science. Learning progressions have been suggested as one vehicle to support the systematic and successful teaching of core science concepts. Ideally, a learning progression will provide teachers with a…

The Activity Summary Board

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Touitou, Israel; Barry, Stephen; Bielik, Tom; Schneider, Barbara; Krajcik, Joseph

2018-01-01

Project-based learning (PBL) is an instructional approach to science teaching that supports the "Next Generation Science Standards" (Krajcik 2015; NGSS Lead States 2013). In a PBL lesson, students design and solve real-world problems or explain scientific phenomena. Students using a PBL model learn and retain more than those not using…

Science Teacher Attitudes toward Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiBiase, Warren; McDonald, Judith R.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine teachers' attitudes, values, and beliefs about inquiry. The participants of this study were 275 middle grade and secondary science teachers from four districts in North Carolina. Issues such as class size, accountability, curricular demands, and administrative support are perceived as constraints,…

Engineering Encounters: Reverse Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGowan, Veronica Cassone; Ventura, Marcia; Bell, Philip

2017-01-01

This column presents ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This month's issue shares information on how students' everyday experiences can support science learning through engineering design. In this article, the authors outline a reverse-engineering model of instruction and describe one example of how it looked in our fifth-grade…

Enhancing Science Kits with the Driving Question Board

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nordine, Jeff; Torres, Ruben

2013-01-01

This article describes the driving question board (DQB), a visual organizer that supports inquiry-based instruction through the use of guiding questions. The DQB is a teaching aid designed to increase student engagement alongside science kits. Information is provided on its application to a lesson on buoyancy, highlighting how it improved…

Networked Environments that Create Hybrid Spaces for Learning Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Otrel-Cass, Kathrin; Khoo, Elaine; Cowie, Bronwen

2014-01-01

Networked learning environments that embed the essence of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework utilise pedagogies that encourage dialogic practices. This can be of significance for classroom teaching across all curriculum areas. In science education, networked environments are thought to support student investigations of scientific problems,…

Research Report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawes, Lyn

2004-06-01

This paper examines what is important about talk between learners during school science and, having identified this, suggests how we can ensure that what we consider important happens. By looking at the interaction between teachers and learners talking about science, it is possible to indicate ways in which learners can be helped to continue this learning conversation with one another when teacher support is withdrawn. Strategies for teaching and learning are examined. The paper reports on the findings of a research project designed to teach children how to negotiate their ideas about science concepts through rational dialogue. Children's development of scientific concepts in classrooms is undertaken through structured activity and mediated through oral language. Children must move forward simultaneously in their use of specialized vocabulary and in their understanding of current scientific explanations, models and ideas. New language and new ways of using language are learned by doing, which means for children, primarily speaking and listening. Children's understanding of science can benefit from teaching them to understand that spoken language is a powerful tool for thinking together.

An Examination of Black Science Teacher Educators' Experiences with Multicultural Education, Equity, and Social Justice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atwater, Mary M.; Butler, Malcolm B.; Freeman, Tonjua B.; Carlton Parsons, Eileen R.

2013-12-01

Diversity, multicultural education, equity, and social justice are dominant themes in cultural studies (Hall in Cultural dialogues in cultural studies. Routledge, New York, pp 261-274, 1996; Wallace 1994). Zeichner (Studying teacher education: The report of the AERA panel on research and teacher education. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, pp 737-759, 2005) called for research studies of teacher educators because little research exists on teacher educators since the late 1980s. Thomson et al. (2001) identified essential elements needed in order for critical multiculturalism to be infused in teacher education programs. However, little is known about the commitment and experiences of science teacher educators infusing multicultural education, equity, and social justice into science teacher education programs. This paper examines twenty (20) Black science teacher educators' teaching experiences as a result of their Blackness and the inclusion of multicultural education, equity, and social justice in their teaching. This qualitative case study of 20 Black science teacher educators found that some of them have attempted and stopped due to student evaluations and the need to gain promotion and tenure. Other participants were able to integrate diversity, multicultural education, equity and social justice in their courses because their colleagues were supportive. Still others continue to struggle with this infusion without the support of their colleagues, and others have stopped The investigators suggest that if science teacher educators are going to prepare science teachers for the twenty first century, then teacher candidates must be challenged to grapple with racial, ethnic, cultural, instructional, and curricular issues and what that must mean to teach science to US students in rural, urban, and suburban school contexts.

Affordances and Challenges of Using Argument as a Connective Discourse for Scientific Practices to Teach Climate Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sezen-Barrie, A.; Wolfson, J.

2015-12-01

An important goal of science education is to support development of citizens to participate in public debate and make informed decisions relevant to their lives and their worlds. The NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) suggest engaging students in science classrooms in argumentation as a practice to help enhance the quality of evidence based decision making. In this multi-case study, we explored the use of written argumentation in eight secondary school science classrooms during a lesson on the relationship between ocean temperature and its CO2 holding capacity. All teachers of these classrooms were trained during a day long NSF funded Climate Literacy Workshop on the basic concepts of climate science, scientific practices and implementation of an activity called "It's a Gassy World". The data of the current study involved students' written arguments, teachers' written reflections on the implementation of the activity as well as field notes from the Climate Literacy Workshop. A qualitative discourse analysis of the data was used to find common themes around affordances and challenges of argument as a connective discourse for scientific practices to teach climate change. The findings show that participating in written argumentation process encouraged students to discuss their experimental design and use data interpretation for their evidences. However, the results also indicated the following challenges: a) teachers themselves need support in connecting their evidence to their claims, b) arguing a socioscientific issue creates a sensitive environment c) conceptual quality of an argument needs to be strengthen through background in courses other than science, and d) graphing skills (or lack of) can interfere with constructing scientifically accurate claims. This study has implications in effectively teaching climate change through argumentation, and thus creating opportunities for practicing authentic climate science research in K-12 classrooms.

The effects of national cash awards for science teaching on recipients and their peers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weld, Jeffrey Donn

Cash teaching awards available to science teachers in the U.S. have goals to improve science teaching. This study assessed the effectiveness of five national cash award programs at identifying exemplars and inspiring better science teaching. Award winning secondary science teachers provided their perceptions of the effects of an award on their own teaching and on the profession as a whole. Randomly selected secondary science teachers across the U.S. reported their perceptions of the effects of the existence of awards on their own teaching and on the profession. Program directors for the five national cash awards were interviewed to determine the intentions and strategies of their award programs. The criteria that guide the selection of award winners were found to align with research-supported exemplar characteristics, but the methods used for identifying outstanding teachers were found to be inadequate for that purpose. Award winning science teachers perceive awards to result from, rather than to inspire, good teaching. Their motivation derives from student achievement and a job well done. The valued effects of winning an award are the recognition and increased respect that follow. Award winners perceive awards as difficult to win, minimally motivating, and frequently causing of dissension among peers. In most respects award winners perceive increased intrinsic rewards to accompany recognition through cash awards. Randomly selected U.S. science teachers who have not won cash awards perceive them as poor motivational incentives because too few awards exist, the basis for recognition is unclear, and the award itself is not a valued outcome. Most science teachers consider themselves good teachers and would apply for an award despite doubts that they would win. Direct comparisons reveal that winners and nonwinners have widely divergent opinions of awards. Winners of lesser cash amounts have the same perceptions of awards as winners of greater cash amounts. Effective award programs, or other incentives for teacher improvement should: (1) publicize widely; (2) require minimal applications; (3) employ expert, trained evaluators; (4) use clear and consistent guidelines; (5) facilitate expert pedagogy; and (6) award all teachers who attain a standard of excellence.

Managing clinical education through understanding key principles.

PubMed

Cunningham, Joanne; Wright, Caroline; Baird, Marilyn

2015-01-01

Traditionally, a practicum facilitated the integration of on-campus learning and practical workplace training. Over the past 3 decades, an educative practicum has evolved that promotes clinical reasoning, including analytical and evaluative abilities, through reflective practice. Anecdotal evidence indicates that the delivery of clinical education within medical radiation science entry-level programs continues to vacillate between traditional practicums and the new reflective practicums. To review the literature about clinical education within the medical radiation sciences and identify key principles for practitioners seeking to reflect upon and improve their approach to teaching and supporting students in the clinical environment. A search of 3 major journal databases, Internet searches, and hand searches of reference lists were conducted to identify literature about clinical education in the medical radiation sciences from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2012. Twenty-two studies were included in this review. The 5 key elements associated with clinical education include the clinical support model and quality, overcoming the theory-practice gap, learning outcomes and reliable and valid assessment, preparing and supporting students, and accommodating differing teaching and learning needs. Many factors influence the quality of clinical education, including the culture of the clinical environment and clinical leadership roles. Several approaches can help students bridge the theory-practice gap, including simulators, role-playing activities, and reflective journals. In addition, clinical educators should use assessment strategies that objectively measure student progress, and they should be positive role models for their students. The successful clinical education of students in the medical radiation sciences depends upon the systems, structures, and people in the clinical environment. Clinical education is accomplished through the collaborative efforts of the clinical practitioner, the academic, and the student. Universities should include introductory material on clinical learning and teaching in their radiologic science curriculum.

Elucidating elementary science teachers' conceptions of the nature of science: A view to beliefs about both science and teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keske, Kristina Palmer

The purpose of this interpretive case study was to elucidate the conceptions of the nature of science held by seven elementary science teachers. The constructivist paradigm provided the philosophical and methodological foundation for the study. Interviews were employed to collect data from the participants about their formal and informal experiences with science. In addition, the participants contributed their perspectives on four aspects of the nature of science: what is science; who is a scientist; what are the methods of science; and how is scientific knowledge constructed. Data analysis not only revealed these teachers' views of science, but also provided insights into how they viewed science teaching. Four themes emerged from the data. The first theme developed around the participants' portrayals of the content of science, with participant views falling on a continuum of limited to universal application of science as procedure. The second theme dealt with the participants' views of the absolute nature of scientific knowledge. Participants' perceptions of the tentative nature of science teaching provided the basis for the third theme concerning the need for absolutes in practice. The fourth theme drew parallels between participants' views of science and science teaching, with two participants demonstrating a consistency in beliefs about knowledge construction across contexts. This study revealed both personal and contextual factors which impacted how the participants saw science and science teaching. Many of the participants' memories of formal science revolved around the memorization of content and were viewed negatively. All the participants had limited formal training in science. Of the seven participants, only two had chosen to be science teachers at the beginning of their careers. The participants' limited formal experiences with science provided little time for exploration into historical, philosophical, and sociological studies of science, a necessary requirement for understanding the scientific enterprise. This study also offered support for the elucidation of teachers' conceptions of the nature of science through in-depth conversations rather than convergent types of assessment. Data analysis of participant responses to isolated aspects of the nature of science yielded incomplete or inconsistent pictures of how the participants saw science. A more consistent picture of science emerged as the participants' beliefs about science and knowledge construction merged. This study proposed that all science teachers need to address their beliefs about knowledge construction across contexts.

Wikis for a Collaborative Problem-Solving (CPS) Module for Secondary School Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeWitt, Dorothy; Alias, Norlidah; Siraj, Saedah; Spector, Jonathan Michael

2017-01-01

Collaborative problem solving (CPS) can support online learning by enabling interactions for social and cognitive processes. Teachers may not have sufficient knowledge to support such interactions, so support needs to be designed into learning modules for this purpose. This study investigates to what extent an online module for teaching nutrition…

Towards Meaningful Learning through Digital Video Supported, Case Based Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakkarainen, Paivi; Saarelainen, Tarja; Ruokamo, Heli

2007-01-01

This paper reports an action research case study in which a traditional lecture based, face to face "Network Management" course at the University of Lapland's Faculty of Social Sciences was developed into two different course versions resorting to case based teaching: a face to face version and an online version. In the face to face…

Supporting Pre-Service Elementary Teachers in Their Understanding of Inquiry Teaching through the Construction of a Third Discursive Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greca, Ileana M.

2016-01-01

Several international reports promote the use of the inquiry teaching methodology for improvements in science education at elementary school. Nevertheless, research indicates that pre-service elementary teachers have insufficient experience with this methodology and when they try to implement it, the theory they learnt in their university…

Math Is All around Us: Exploring the Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development of Three Urban Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cosby, Missy; Horton, Akesha; Berzina-Pitcher, Inese

2017-01-01

The MSUrbanSTEM fellowship program aims to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educators teaching in an urban context. In this chapter, we used a multiple case studies methodology to examine the qualitatively different ways three urban mathematics educators implemented a yearlong project in their mathematics classrooms…

Do Science Teachers Distinguish between Their Own Learning and the Learning of Their Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brauer, Heike; Wilde, Matthias

2018-01-01

Learning beliefs influence learning and teaching. For this reason, teachers and teacher educators need to be aware of them. To support students' knowledge construction, teachers must develop appropriate learning and teaching beliefs. Teachers appear to have difficulties when analysing students' learning. This seems to be due to the inability to…

The Effects of an Autonomy-Supportive Teaching Intervention on Chinese Physics Students and their Teacher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Danhui; Bobis, Janette; Wu, Xiaolu; Cui, Yiran

2018-04-01

Increasing student exposure to autonomy-supportive teaching approaches has been linked to enhanced student intrinsic motivation to learn. However, such approaches are rare in mainland Chinese science classrooms. An intervention-based study with quasi-experimental design and mixed methods was conducted to explore the impact of a 9-month-long autonomy-supportive teaching intervention on a physics teacher and 147 grade 8 students attending a middle school in China. Data collected through questionnaires, interviews, and observations were analyzed to elicit and track shifts in teacher practices and students' perceptions of learning physics at pre-, post-, and follow-up intervention phases. General linear modeling confirmed significant changes in students' perceptions of their learning environment over time in terms autonomy, satisfaction of autonomy needs, and agentic engagement. Interview and observational data analyses confirmed increased use of autonomy-supportive teaching behaviors and provided further insights into teacher and students' perceptions of the impact on student learning.

Effectiveness of a Constructivist Approach to Science Instruction for Prospective Elementary Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Ling L.; Gabel, Dorothy L.

2005-08-01

This study examines the effectiveness of a new constructivist curriculum model (Powerful Ideas in Physical Science) in improving prospective teachers’ understanding of science concepts, in fostering a learning environment supporting conceptual understanding, and in promoting positive attitudes toward learning and teaching science and chemistry in particular. A non-equivalent pretest post-test control-group design was employed. Analysis of covariance and repeated-measures analyses of variance were performed to analyze the scores on concept tests and attitude surveys. Data from videotaped observations of laboratory sessions and interviews of prospective teachers were analyzed by employing a naturalistic inquiry method to provide insights into the process of science learning and teaching for the teacher trainees. The interpretations were made based on the findings that could be corroborated by both methodologies. Conclusions and limitations of the present study as well as recommendations for future implementation of constructivist science curriculum in general are also included.

Moving toward equitable, systemic science education reform: The synergy among science education and school-level reforms in an urban middle school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Mary Kathryn

The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the relationships among school-level and science education reform efforts and how, collectively, they contribute to the progress of equitable, systemic science education reform. A case study research design was employed to gather both qualitative and quantitative data between 1995 and 1999. The site of this study is a non-selective, urban middle school in a large district that participated in several reform efforts. These reforms include both efforts focused on school-level change and efforts focused on change in science teaching and learning. Its program incorporates aspects of several school-level reforms---from the underlying Paideia philosophy, to structural characteristics of middle schools, to site-based decision-making, to its status as a magnet school, to its participation as a professional development school. Further, the participation of all science teachers in the intensive, standards-based professional development offered by Ohio's systemic reform of mathematics and science created a critical mass of reform-oriented teachers who supported one another as they incorporated reform-based practices into their teaching. The interplay of the reform efforts has manifested in a high level of science achievement in comparison to the school's district. Addressing the third component of O'Day and Smith's model for systemic reform, the need for school-level change to enable implementation of curriculum frameworks and aligned policies, this study illustrates two important points. First, the high-quality teacher professional development increased teachers' capacity to change their practices by enhancing their knowledge of and skills in implementing standards-based teaching practices. Second, because of the synchrony among the school-level reforms and between the school-level and science education reforms, the context of Webster provided a supportive environment in which lasting changes in science teaching and learning were implemented. Science education reform efforts were mediated by the school's context to create an environment in which the reform practices could be implemented and sustained. Using Kahle's (1998) Equity Metric, this study demonstrates that the synergy of the policies and practices of school-level and science education reforms can contribute to the progress of equitable, systemic science education reform.

Integrating Inquiry-Based Science and Education Methods Courses in a "Science Semester" for Future Elementary Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madsen, J.; Fifield, S.; Allen, D.; Brickhouse, N.; Dagher, Z.; Ford, D.; Shipman, H.

2001-05-01

In this NSF-funded project we will adapt problem-based learning (PBL) and other inquiry-based approaches to create an integrated science and education methods curriculum ("science semester") for elementary teacher education majors. Our goal is to foster integrated understandings of science and pedagogy that future elementary teachers need to effectively use inquiry-based approaches in their classrooms. This project responds to calls to improve science education for all students by making preservice teachers' experiences in undergraduate science courses more consistent with reforms at the K-12 level. The involved faculty teach three science courses (biology, earth science, physical science) and an elementary science education methods course that are degree requirements for elementary teacher education majors. Presently, students take the courses in variable sequences and at widely scattered times. Too many students fail to appreciate the value of science courses to their future careers as teachers, and when they reach the methods course in the junior year they often retain little of the science content studied earlier. These episodic encounters with science make it difficult for students to learn the content, and to translate their understandings of science into effective, inquiry-based teaching strategies. To encourage integrated understandings of science concepts and pedagogy we will coordinate the science and methods courses in a junior-year science semester. Traditional subject matter boundaries will be crossed to stress shared themes that teachers must understand to teach standards-based elementary science. We will adapt exemplary approaches that support both learning science and learning how to teach science. Students will work collaboratively on multidisciplinary PBL activities that place science concepts in authentic contexts and build learning skills. "Lecture" meetings will be large group active learning sessions that help students understand difficult concepts, make connections between class activities, and launch and wrap-up PBL problems. Labs will include activities from elementary science kits as launching points for in-depth investigations that demonstrate the continuity of science concepts and pedagogies across age levels. In the methods course, students will critically explore the theory and practice of elementary science teaching, drawing on their shared experiences of inquiry learning in the science courses. Field placements in elementary classrooms will allow students to ground their studies of science and pedagogy in actual practice.

Teachers' Coping Strategies for Teaching Science in a ``Low-Performing'' School District

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Felicia M.

2007-10-01

This study describes how teachers use their personal knowledge of a school district and their students to cope with teaching under stressful situations associated with economic, social, and institutional factors. The 3 teachers dealt with these issues in unique ways, focusing on helping students to overcome negative perceptions, value the importance of an education, and build strong relationships. A model of multicultural science professional development is proposed that complements the strengths that these teachers have. A task for science educators working with teachers and administration in schools and districts that are “critically low performing” is to support everyone in implementing pedagogical methods aimed at empowerment, social justice, and high achievement for all students.

Brokering at the boundary: A prospective science teacher engages students in inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meis Friedrichsen, Patricia; Munford, Danusa; Orgill, Marykay

2006-05-01

Using a theoretical perspective of communities of practice, this case study examines a prospective chemistry teacher's inquiry-based teaching during his practicum. Conrad was a former student of an inquiry-oriented science course, Inquiry Empowering Technologies (IET). The research questions were (a) How did Conrad translate the IET inquiry practices during his practicum?; (b) How did the mentor teacher shape Conrad's participation?; (c) In what ways did Conrad negotiate new meanings of inquiry as a result of his practicum? Interview transcripts were the primary data source. Conrad carried many of the IET inquiry practices into his practicum. He equated inquiry with the use of evidence and had students create evidence-based explanations for how soap works. He chose not to incorporate the tentative nature of science. Although traditional in his own teaching, the mentor teacher supported Conrad by allowing him to teach through inquiry and by removing time constraints. As a result of his practicum, Conrad negotiated new meanings of inquiry teaching and developed an expanded view of technology. Conrad believed that high school students needed guidance when engaging in inquiry and that the tentative nature of science does not transfer to secondary chemistry. Implications for theory and practice are given.

Taking a Scientific Approach to Science Teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pollock, S.

2011-09-01

It is now well-documented that traditionally taught, large-scale introductory science courses often fail to teach our students the basics. In fact, these same courses have been found to teach students things we don't intend. Building on a tradition of research, the physics and astronomy education research communities have been investigating the effects of educational reforms at the undergraduate level for decades. Both within these scientific communities and in the fields of education, cognitive science, psychology, and other social sciences, we have learned a great deal about student learning and environments that support learning for an increasingly diverse population of students. This presentation will discuss a variety of effective classroom practices, (with an emphasis on peer instruction, "clickers," and small group activities), the surrounding educational structures, and examine assessments which indicate when and why these do (and sometimes do not) work. After a broad survey of education research, we will look at some of the exciting theoretical and experimental developments within this field that are being conducted at the University of Colorado. Throughout, we will consider research and practices that can be of value in both physics and astronomy classes, as well as applications to teaching in a variety of environments.

Teacher change in implementing a research-developed representation construction pedagogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubber, Peter; Chittleborough, Gail

2016-05-01

The Representations in Learning Science (RiLS) project developed a representation construction approach to teaching and learning in science, which has successfully demonstrated enhanced student learning through sustained engagement with ideas, and enhancement of teachers' pedagogical knowledge and understandings of how knowledge in science is developed and communicated. The current Constructing Representations in Science Pedagogy (CRISP) project aims at wider scale implementation of the representation construction approach. This paper explores a range of issues that confronted four Year-8 teachers in implementing this research-developed approach, such as: preparedness of the teacher in terms of epistemological positioning and positioning as a learner, significant support for planning and modelling by the university expert, and a team ethos where teachers share ideas and plan jointly. The Year-8 teachers implemented a representation construction approach to the teaching of the topic of astronomy. The Interconnected Model of Teacher Growth (IMTG) (Clarke and Hollingworth, Teach. Educ., 18 (2001) 947) was used to analyse the teachers' experience in planning and delivering the teaching sequence. This model was found to be flexible in identifying the experiences of teachers in different situations and useful in identifying issues for implementation of a research-developed pedagogy.

A storied-identity analysis approach to teacher candidates learning to teach in an urban setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibourk, Amal

While many studies have investigated the relationship between teachers' identity work and their developing practices, few of these identity focused studies have honed in on teacher candidates' learning to teach in an urban setting. Drawing upon narrative inquiry methodology and a "storied identity" analytic framework, I examined how the storied identities of science learning and becoming a science teacher shape teacher candidates' developing practice. In particular, I examined the stories of three interns, Becky, David, and Ashley, and I tell about their own experiences as science learners, their transitions to science teachers, and the implications this has for the identity work they did as they navigated the challenges of learning to teach in high-needs schools. Initially, each of the interns highlighted a feeling of being an outsider, and having a difficult time becoming a fully valued member of their classroom community in their storied identities of becoming a science teacher in the beginning of their internship year. While the interns named specific challenges, such as limited lab materials and different math abilities, I present how they adapted their lesson plans to address these challenges while drawing from their storied identities of science learning. My study reveals that the storied identities of becoming a science teacher informed how they framed their initial experiences teaching in an urban context. In addition, my findings reveal that the more their storied identities of science learning and becoming a science teacher overlapped, the more they leveraged their storied identity of science learning in order to implement teaching strategies that helped them make sense of the challenges that surfaced in their classroom contexts. Both Becky and Ashley leveraged their storied identities of science learning more than David did in their lesson planning and learning to teach. David's initial storied identity of becoming a science teacher revealed how he highlighted his struggle with navigating talkativeness in the class, but also his struggle being an authority figure in his classroom. At present, only Becky and Ashley pursued teaching in a high needs setting. A storied identity analysis provided as well an insight into their storied strategies, or the teaching strategies shaped by the stories the interns told about how they made sense of the challenges they faced in their teaching practice. There were five teaching strategies the interns named that were important in supporting their learning to teach were (1) building relationships with their students, (2) being resourceful and creative when faced with limited lab materials, (3) making science relevant to their students, (4) scaffolding their students in their learning, and (5) having a network of people as resources in helping them be better teachers and helping their students learn. Out of these five teaching strategies, I called those they named and highlighted as helping them teach in ways they valued and that connected back to their storied identity of science learning their storied strategies. Implications for further pushing storied identities as a tool for teacher educators to help pinpoint priorities that surface in teacher candidates' practice are discussed. An insight into the priorities that teacher candidates highlight in their practice as well as the storied strategies they name and use to deal with challenges that surface in their practice has potential in better helping teacher candidates navigate their developing practice.

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

PubMed

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

2016-12-01

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

Design and practice of a novel experiment teaching system based on the optoelectric information chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Yunhan; Chen, Zhe; Li, Yan; Di, Hongwei; Li, Zhen; Bai, Chunhe; Tang, Jieyuan; Zhang, Jun; Yi, Xiao

2017-08-01

The course of optoelectronic information science is a diverse science and technology with wide range of disciplines, intensive technology, and strong applicability. As a result, the practice teaching in undergraduate education occupies the strategic important position, which is a key link in the process of innovative talents cultivation of photoelectric information, plays a unique and irreplaceable role by any other teaching methods. In order to meet the requirements of national innovative talents of photoelectric information, the complete teaching reform strategy was put forward by combining with the higher education policy and development strategy of teaching and professional characteristics. The goal of the experimental teaching reform is to cultivate innovative talents and to construct the photoelectric information industry chain system of experimental teaching platform and cultivating creative personnel. The key clue is the photoelectric information surrounding photoelectric information, like "generation - modulation - transformation - detection - procession" which will be realized by resource integration and complementary among cross disciplines, and focusing on scientific research support for the teaching and the combination of professional knowledge and practical application. This teaching reform scheme presented in the paper will provide very good demonstration effect in the curriculum reform of other photoelectric information related courses.

Avenues of access to future science teachers: An interview study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Richard

2007-12-01

This research study explored the experiences of individuals who chose careers in secondary science education by examining two cohorts of science education students in a teacher credential program and a group of current secondary science teachers in their first five years of teaching. Issues of how these individuals became interested in science education and the characteristics common among them were examined. This study explored the educational experiences that appeared to contribute to people becoming science teachers. This study also explored the participants' motivation and key turning point moments that appeared to contribute to their choice to pursue a career in science education. The research design used in this study was a two-year, semi-structured interview protocol. Research was conducted at one main university site and within one local unified school district. During the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 academic years, twenty-five secondary science pre-service teacher candidates at a University of California were interviewed, and during the 2005-2006 academic year, twenty-five current practicing science teachers within a Southern California unified school district were also interviewed. Data collection consisted of interviews with the fifty participants typically between 30-45 minutes in length. The EZ-Text software program was employed to aid in the analysis of the transcribed interview data. This study found that much of the previous research on the characteristics of entrants to teaching in general was supported, but that some specific differences exist among science teachers and the general population of teachers. The majority of the participants had exposure to internships or tutoring experiences and indicated that this made them more willing to pursue science teaching as a profession. This study found that high achieving female students constituted the entire female portion of the sample and cited teaching as a friendly avenue for females in science. Teacher influence was also found to be a contributing factor for entering science teaching. Finally, this study also found that science majors with interests in athletics and other extracurricular activities may be more likely to pursue careers as science educators than to remain in the research avenues of science.

Elementary science teachers' integration of engineering design into science instruction: results from a randomised controlled trial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeng, Jennifer L.; Whitworth, Brooke A.; Gonczi, Amanda L.; Navy, Shannon L.; Wheeler, Lindsay B.

2017-07-01

This randomised controlled trial used a mixed-methods approach to investigate the frequency and how elementary teachers integrated engineering design (ED) principles into their science instruction following professional development (PD). The ED components of the PD were aligned with Cunningham and Carlsen's [(2014). Teaching engineering practices. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 25, 197-210] guidelines for ED PD and promoted inclusion of ED within science teaching. The treatment group included 219 teachers from 83 schools. Participants in the control group included 145 teachers from 60 schools in a mid-Atlantic state. Data sources, including lesson overviews and videotaped classroom observations, were analysed quantitatively to determine the frequency of ED integration and qualitatively to describe how teachers incorporated ED into instruction after attending the PD. Results indicated more participants who attended the PD (55%) incorporated ED into instruction compared with the control participants (24%), χ2(1, n = 401) = 33.225, p < .001, ? = 0.308. Treatment and control teachers taught similar science content (p's > .05) through ED lessons. In ED lessons, students typically conducted research and created and tested initial designs. The results suggest the PD supported teachers in implementing ED into their science instruction and support the efficacy of using Cunningham and Carlsen's (2014) guidelines to inform ED PD design.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2011-10-01

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

Ocean Tracks: Investigating Marine Migrations in a Changing Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumhansl, R.; Kochevar, R. E.; Aluwihare, L.; Bardar, E. W.; Hirsch, L.; Hoyle, C.; Krumhansl, K.; Louie, J.; Madura, J.; Mueller-Northcott, J.; Peach, C. L.; Trujillo, A.; Winney, B.; Zetterlind, V.; Busey, A.

2015-12-01

The availability of scientific data sets online opens up exciting new opportunities to raise students' understanding of the worlds' oceans and the potential impacts of climate change. The Oceans of Data Institute at EDC; Stanford University; and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography have been collaborating, with the support of three National Science Foundation grants over the past 5 years, to bring marine science data sets into high school and undergraduate classrooms. These efforts have culminated in the development of a web-based student interface to data from the Tagging of Pacific Predators (TOPP) program, NOAA's Global Drifter Program, and NASA Earth-orbiting satellites through a student-friendly Web interface, customized data analysis tools, multimedia supports, and course modules. Ocean Tracks (http://oceantracks.org), which incorporates design principles based on a broad range of research findings in fields such as cognitive science, visual design, mathematics education and learning science, focuses on optimizing students' opportunities to focus their cognitive resources on viewing and comparing data to test hypotheses, while minimizing the time spent on downloading, filtering and creating displays. Ocean Tracks allows students to display the tracks of elephant seals, white sharks, Bluefin tuna, albatross, and drifting buoys along with sea surface temperature, chlorophyll-A, bathymetry, ocean currents, and human impacts overlays. A graphing tool allows students to dynamically display parameters associated with the track such as speed, deepest daily dive and track tortuosity (curviness). These interface features allow students to engage in investigations that mirror those currently being conducted by scientists to understand the broad-scale effects of changes in climate and other human activities on ocean ecosystems. In addition to supporting the teaching of the Ocean and Climate Literacy principles, high school curriculum modules facilitate the teaching of content, practices and cross-cutting concepts in the Framework for K-12 Science Education. Undergraduate modules currently under development support the teaching of content related to marine productivity, ocean circulation and upwelling, animal-environment interactions, ocean ecosystems, and human impacts.

An Added Layer of Support: Introducing a Heterarchical Peer Mentoring Intervention to a Preservice Science Teacher Education Cohort

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neesemann, Lisa Ann

In an effort to support preservice science teachers during their concurrent student teaching experiences and masters coursework, I created and implemented a Peer Mentoring Intervention to add an additional layer of support to those most traditionally curated. In this intervention, preservice secondary science teachers were paired into heterarchical (as contrasted with hierarchical) mentoring groups, instructed in norms of collaboration and given class time to work as dyads offering support and feedback to one another. During the three-semester span of the intervention data was collected in many forms, such as prompted journal entries, course assignments and semi-structured interviews. Qualitative findings are reported and the case study of one dyad is also presented. Findings included concerns and solutions regarding relating to the assigned peer, developing academic and organizational skills, navigating and learning to appreciate different layers of support, a deeper level of reflection, varying levels of commitment to social justice, and realized self-efficacy. Next steps include refining and implementing the program with a new cohort of students as well as following the participants as they move forward in their teaching careers as well as rethinking the role of mentorship to realize equality among members and challenge the traditionally established hierarchies in mentor relationships.

Feedback about Teaching in Higher Ed: Neglected Opportunities to Promote Change.

PubMed

Gormally, Cara; Evans, Mara; Brickman, Peggy

2014-01-01

Despite ongoing dissemination of evidence-based teaching strategies, science teaching at the university level is less than reformed. Most college biology instructors could benefit from more sustained support in implementing these strategies. One-time workshops raise awareness of evidence-based practices, but faculty members are more likely to make significant changes in their teaching practices when supported by coaching and feedback. Currently, most instructional feedback occurs via student evaluations, which typically lack specific feedback for improvement and focus on teacher-centered practices, or via drop-in classroom observations and peer evaluation by other instructors, which raise issues for promotion, tenure, and evaluation. The goals of this essay are to summarize the best practices for providing instructional feedback, recommend specific strategies for providing feedback, and suggest areas for further research. Missed opportunities for feedback in teaching are highlighted, and the sharing of instructional expertise is encouraged. © 2014 M. Evans et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2014 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

The role of academic institutions in leveraging engagement and action on climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, T. M.; Palca, J.

2016-12-01

Growing global concern over the impact of climate change places climate scientists at the forefront of communicating risks, impacts, and adaptation strategies to non-scientists. Academic institutions can play a leadership role in providing support, incentives, and structures that encourage scientific engagement on this, and other, complex societal and scientific issues. This presentation will focus on `best practices' in supporting university scientists in communicating their science and engaging in thoughtful dialogue with decision makers, managers, media, and public audiences. For example, institutions that can provide significant administrative support for science communication (press officers, training workshops) may decrease barriers between academic science and public knowledge. Additionally, financial (or similar) support in the form of teaching releases and institutional awards can be utilized to acknowledge the time and effort spent in engagement. This presentation will feature examples from universities, professional societies and other institutions where engagement on climate science is structurally encouraged and supported.

Providing Health Sciences Services in a Joint-Use Distributed Learning Library System: An Organizational Case Study.

PubMed

Enslow, Electra; Fricke, Suzanne; Vela, Kathryn

2017-01-01

The purpose of this organizational case study is to describe the complexities librarians face when serving a multi-campus institution that supports both a joint-use library and expanding health sciences academic partnerships. In a system without a centralized health science library administration, liaison librarians are identifying dispersed programs and user groups and collaborating to define their unique service and outreach needs within a larger land-grant university. Using a team-based approach, health sciences librarians are communicating to integrate research and teaching support, systems differences across dispersed campuses, and future needs of a new community-based medical program.

An Evaluation of the Impact of an Agricultural Science Outreach Program on the Attitudes of Rural Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Jessica; Oliver, Richard; Oliver, Mary

2017-01-01

A "citizen science" outreach program was aimed at high school students in Western Australia with a focus on agricultural sciences. The program had two main objectives: the collection of samples and the mapping of the distribution of the leaf disease powdery mildew of barley across the state; and support for the teaching and learning of…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Logerwell, Mollianne G.

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

High school teachers' perspectives on effective approaches for teaching biology to students with special needs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kos, Agnieszka

The demands of national educational reforms require high school biology teachers to provide high quality instruction to students with and without special needs. The reforms, however, do not provide teachers with adequate teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students in the same context. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand high school biology teachers' perspectives, practices, and challenges in relation to teaching students with special needs. This approach was used to develop a substantive model for high school biology teachers who are challenged with teaching students with and without special needs. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 15 high school teachers in a Midwestern school district. The data were analyzed using open coding, axial coding, and selective coding procedures in accordance with the grounded theory approach. Essential model components included skills and training for teachers, classroom management strategies, teaching strategies, and student skills. The emergent substantive theory indicated that that teacher preparation and acquired skills greatly influence the effectiveness of inclusion implementation. Key findings also indicated the importance of using of a variety of instructional strategies and classroom management strategies that address students' special needs and their learning styles. This study contributes to social change by providing a model for teaching students and effectively implementing inclusion in regular science classrooms. Following further study, this model may be used to support teacher professional development and improve teaching practices that in turn may improve science literacy supported by the national educational reforms.

Design, Development and Preliminary Student Evaluation of Virtual Field Guides as aids to teaching and learning in the Earth sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stott, Tim

2010-05-01

In Universities the benefits of teaching and learning through fieldwork has been brought under closer examination in recent years (e.g. Andrews et al., 2003) and the notion of supporting fieldwork in the Geography, Earth and Environmental Science (GEES) disciplines has been gathering momentum over the past decade as evidenced by conferences on ‘Supporting fieldwork using information technology' (Maskall et al., 2007) and a Higher Education Academy GEES Virtual Fieldwork Conference at University of Worcester (May 2007). Virtual environments and e-learning resources have been shown to help students become active rather than passive learners by appealing to their multi-sensory learning ability with interactive media (Fletcher et al., 2002; 2007). Research on glacial and fluvial processes has been conducted since 2003 by Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) staff, sometimes in collaboration with other Universities, at field sites in the French Alps, Swiss Alps and Cariboo Mountains in British Columbia. A virtual field guide (VFG) (www.virtualalps.co.uk) has been developed which uses maps, site photos, panorama movies, video clips, a google earth tour, student exercises using hydrological and glacial datasets collected in the field and revision exercises. A preliminary evaluation of this learning resource has been carried out with two groups of LJMU students and an article written (Stott et al. 2009a). The Ingleton Waterfalls VFG (http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/BIE/ingleton/) was developed by LJMU staff to meet the needs of Foundation degree and undergraduate students. A workshop was presented at the Earth Science Teachers Association 2008 Annual Conference at LJMU, and a subsequent article written (Stott et al. 2009b). The final section of this presentation will summarise some staff perspectives and raises some questions and issues concerned with development and accessibility of VFGs in the light of new developments of a ‘semantic web' at LJMU (Carmichael, 2009). Andrews, J., Kneale, P., Sougnez, Y., Stewart, M., and Stott, T. A. (2003). Carrying out Pedagogic research into the Constructive Alignment of Fieldwork. Planet Special Edition 5: Linking Teaching and Research and undertaking Pedagogic Research in Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, 51-52. Carmichael, P. (2008) ‘The Semantic Web and ‘Web 3.0' in: Selwyn, N. (ed.) Education 2.0? Designing the web for teaching and learning. London: ESRC Teaching and Learning Research Programme. Fletcher, S., France, D., Moore, K. and Robinson, G. (2002). Fieldwork education and technology: A GEES perspective, Planet 4, 17-19. Fletcher, S., France, D., Moore, K. and Robinson, G. (2007). Putting technology into fieldwork education: A pedagogic evaluation. Journal of Geography in Higher Education 31, 2, 319 - 330 Maskall, J., Stokes, A., Truscott, J. B., Bridge, A., Magnier, K. and Calderbank, V. (2007) Supporting fieldwork using information technology, Planet 18, 18-21. Stott, TA., Nuttall, AM. and McCloskey, J. (2009a) Design, Development and Student Evaluation of a Virtual Alps Field Guide www.virtualalps.co.uk. Planet 22, 64-71. Publication of the Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Learning & Teaching Support Network www.gees.ac.uk/planet/. Stott, TA, Clark, H., Milson, C., McCloskey, J. and Crompton, K. (2009b) The Ingleton Waterfalls Virtual Field Trip: Design, Development and Preliminary Evaluation, Teaching Earth Sciences 34 (1), 13-19, Magazine of the Earth Science Teachers Association.

The use of parent involved take-home science activities during student teaching: Understanding the challenges of implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarazinski, Jill

The purpose of this study was to identify student teachers use and implementation of Science in a Bag when it was no longer a required course-based assessment. This take-home science activity acted as the elaboration component of the 5Es lesson teacher candidates designed and taught in the classroom, utilized household items, and directly involved parents in their child's education. The purposeful sample was comprised of six teacher candidates during their student teaching practicum, the last semester of the childhood education teacher certification program. This collective case study centered on student teachers' use of the focused activity, Science in a Bag, in order to gain knowledge of challenges faced in applying take-home science kits and working with parents. Data collection was comprised of student teacher and parent interviews, candidate reflections, as well as in-class observations and discussions carried out during weekly seminars. Data collection occurred throughout the seven-week student teaching practicum. The four research questions were: 1) What factors do teacher candidates identify as interfering with their ability to implement Science in a Bag during student teaching placements? 2) What factors do teacher candidates identify as enhancing their ability to carry out Science in a Bag? 3) What forms of support do teacher candidates believe are important to their success in implementing Science in a Bag during student teaching? 4) How do teacher candidates deal with obstacles when implementing Science in a Bag? Despite the fact that no student teacher was prohibited from implementing Science in a Bag, the level to which candidates valued and utilized this instructional strategy varied compared to how they were taught and practiced it during the science methods course. Some student teachers attempted to hide their feelings toward Science in a Bag, however their actions revealed that they were simply carrying out the instructional strategy because they had agreed to implement it, not because they appreciated its worth to students and their families. Altering candidate beliefs in one semester prior to student teaching proved difficult, especially when cooperating teachers were demonstrating and encouraging methodologies which were frowned upon during the science methods coursework. Therefore, this study also raised issues with teacher education and identified the need to better align educational philosophies taught throughout the program and those showcased by cooperating teachers if science education reform is to transpire. Teacher candidates very often abandoned the inquiry-based modes of instruction taught to them during the science methods course prior to student teaching and replaced them with ideas and suggestions from their cooperating teacher, approaches which were more traditional and teacher-centered. Cooperating teacher opinions and suggestions appeared to take precedence over what was taught and practiced during their preparation coursework. Candidates' prior beliefs and experiences with education appeared to dominate their teaching repertoire. The culmination of their own K-12 education and much of their undergraduate courses made altering their beliefs toward inquiry-based methodologies difficult during only one semester prior to student teaching. Therefore, all candidates reverted back to some level of teacher-centered, recipe-like science lessons and tasks. It was also noted that the candidates' understanding of hands-on versus inquiry learning was often blurred. Hands-on learning was often demonstrated and applauded by cooperating teachers, as well as parents, once they responded to Science in a Bag surveys and interviews, further supporting this misconception by praising hands-on learning and in some cases stating it was the way students learned best. Most parents were willing to and enjoyed performing these take-home family activities. Some of the most frequent parent comments related to family time, being informed about the content their child was learning in school and the child taking on the role of teacher. The level to which candidates acknowledged and embraced student and parent feedback of Science in a Bag differed. Finally, it became apparent that teacher educators need to acknowledge components of instruction outside content and pedagogy. Many candidates had issues when it came to designing lesson materials which were aesthetically pleasing with proper writing quality and conventions. It is clear that this component of teaching is absent and needs to be addressed throughout the program's coursework and during field experience placements. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

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.

Preservice teachers' use of lesson study in teaching nature of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDowell, Amy Virginia

The purpose of this study was to explore preservice teachers' lived experiences in a lesson study focused on teaching and learning nature of science (NOS). The body of knowledge about shifting pre- and in-service novice NOS understandings is substantial. The focus of science education research is now exploring ways to move these informed NOS understandings into classroom practice (Abd-El-Khalick & Lederman, 2000b). The research questions guiding the study were (a) how do preservice teachers' understandings of NOS shift as a result of the lesson study experience?, and (b) how does the reflective practice that occurs in lesson study influence preservice teachers' transition of NOS tenets into classroom practice? The participants in this study represented a sample of graduate preservice teachers, who were part of a middle and secondary science teaching alternative certification program in a southeastern university. In the first summer semester of this certification program, the participants were immersed in reform based science instruction; a section of which included NOS teachings (INTASC, 2002). In the following semester, participants were placed in a practicum setting; where the exploration of the preservice teachers' teaching of NOS was supported through the modified lesson study framework. Data sources included the Views on Nature of Science-Form B (VNOS-b), interviews, and lesson study portfolios. Analysis of NOS understandings was guided by instruments found in literature associated with the VNOS-b (Lederman et al., 2002) and reflection (Ward & McCotter, 2004). Results showed successful transfer of NOS into classroom practice using the modified lesson study framework, with less success in the deepening of participants' NOS understandings. Of particular significance was that results indicated a deepening of NOS pedagogical content knowledge for those participants functioning at higher levels of reflection. The study's results contributes to two knowledge bases. First it provides insight to how lesson study can be used in the United States in alterative teacher preparation programs. Second, it contributes to what is understood about how to support the transition of NOS understandings into classroom practice.

Professional Parity Between Co-Teachers in Secondary Science and Math As Influenced By Administrative Support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordh, Camilla S.

2011-12-01

School improvement plans, budget constraints, and compliance mandates targeting academic progress for all students indicate a need for maximal professional efficacy at every level in the educational system, including parity between co-teachers in the co-teaching service delivery model. However, research shows that the special education co-teacher frequently assumes an assistive role while the general education co-teacher adopts a leading role in the classroom. When the participants in a co-teaching partnership fail to equitably share the professional responsibilities for which both teachers are qualified to perform, overall efficacy is compromised in that the special education teacher is not exercising his or her qualified expertise. Administrative support can be a primary influencing factor in increasing parity between the co-teachers. A qualitative study using a phenomenological design was conducted to explore the influences of co-teacher attitudes and administrative support on professional parity in co-taught secondary science and math classrooms. Content analysis was used to interpret data from interviews with five special education and 15 general education co-teachers at eight secondary schools in a suburban school district in a mid-Atlantic state. Five themes emerged from the data: content mastery by the special education co-teacher, joint planning time for co-teachers, continuity within co-teaching dyads, compatible personalities between co-teachers, and clear administrative expectations about co-teaching. Results indicate that administrative support to consider the content mastery of the special education co-teacher is the most influential factor to parity, followed by the co-teaching partners having joint planning time and that both can be implemented through scheduling and assignment considerations rather than training initiatives. The results provide an examination of each theme as it pertains to the issue of professional efficacy in co-teaching and offer an important foundation on which to develop further research addressing administrative support for co-teaching. Further research in areas such as accountability in the co-taught classroom, the marketing and delivery of professional development initiatives targeting co-teaching, general education teachers' pre-service training in special education services and strategies, as well as administrative factors influencing co-teaching assignments is needed as a part of continued efforts to maximize professional efficacy.

Supporting elementary science education for English learners: An evaluation instrument to promote constructivist teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibbons, Beatrice Lowney

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop an evaluation instrument to be used by elementary school administrators in the promotion of constructivist teaching of elementary science for English Learners using a qualitative and quantitative design that identified effective instructional strategies to be included on the evaluation instrument. This study was conducted in fifth grade classrooms of predominately English Learners whose teachers are CLAD-certified, tenured teachers with at least three years of teaching experience. The classroom observations took place within a multicultural school district with predominantly Hispanic and Filipino students in the Southern San Joaquin Valley of California. The evaluation instrument was used to observe these teachers teach elementary science lessons to classrooms of predominately English Learners. The frequency of the use of the ELD/SDAIE instructional strategies were noted on the evaluation instrument with a check mark, indicating the fact that an instructional technique was employed by the teacher. These observation visits revealed what type of instructional strategies were being utilized in the teaching of science to fifth grade English Learners, whether these CLAD-certified teachers were using ELD strategies, and whether the incidence of ELD/SDAIE constructivist instructional techniques increased with the repeated use of the evaluation instrument. As a result of this study, an evaluation instrument to be utilized by school administrators in the evaluation of elementary science instruction to English Learners was developed. The repeated use of this evaluation instrument coupled with preobservation and postobservation conferences may result in the increase in frequency of ELD/SDAIE methodology and constructivist strategies listed on the evaluation instrument in the elementary science classroom.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taştan Kırık, Özgecan

2013-12-01

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

From the Voices of Kindergarten Teachers: Factors That Impact Decisions about When to Engage the Natural Curiosities of Their Students in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamilton, Frances A.

Students enter kindergarten as natural-born scientists, curious about the world around them. They enter middle school disliking science. Although implementing science in kindergarten has the potential to improve learning in other subjects in addition to science, it is not taught much in kindergarten. There are many reasons for this according to the literature. The purpose of the study is to gain insight into teachers' thinking as they decide when and how to engage their students in science, to better understand why student enjoyment of science fades in early grades; to contribute teachers' voices to the existing literature on teaching science in the early grades; and to investigate how teachers' science teaching methods align with current research regarding how students learn best. The key research question is "What are the factors that impact teachers' decisions about when to engage the natural curiosities of their students?" Broken down, the supporting research questions include: 1. What factors impact teacher decisions about when to teach science? 2. Under what conditions do teachers engage students' natural curiosities in science? 3. How do teachers describe engagement in their classrooms? This was a participatory action research study that used autoethnography, case studies, and grounded theory methods. Five co-researchers took part in the process. Purposeful sampling was used to select a range of kindergarten teachers in Tennessee and Alabama with different perspectives on teaching science--some from county systems and some from city systems; some using Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) kits and some not using kits. Co-researchers were selected during initial meetings, interviewed, collected journal entry data, and interviewed again at the culmination of the study. Interviews were transcribed and coded. Analysis included individual cases, each co-researcher, as well as across-case analysis. Results indicated that co-researchers did not have time to teach science many days due to requirements for teaching reading and math, and because of benchmark testing. Recommendations include integrating science concepts including hands-on explorations with reading and math. Ideas for future study include collecting data for a full year, as opposed to eight weeks, to see how factors change from beginning to end in one school year. The idea of learning during spontaneous interactions emerged from interviews with two co-researchers. Exploring spontaneous interactions is another area for future study.

Emotions in prospective secondary teachers when teaching science content, distinguishing by gender

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belén Borrachero, Ana; Brígido, María; Mellado, Lucía; Costillo, Emilio; Mellado, Vicente

2014-05-01

Background:Until recently, the affective components of education had long been undervalued. Today, one finds ever more studies on cognitive and affective interrelationships that are lending support to the idea that affect and cognition are best understood when viewed as independent and complementary mental functions. Purpose:The present work analyses the emotions of prospective secondary education teachers, distinguishing them by gender, in relation to the teaching of Biology, Geology, Physics and Chemistry in order to contribute to designing subsequent interventions targeted at improving science teachers' occupational health. Sample:The total sample consisted of 178 students (53 male and 125 female) of the post-graduate teaching certificate course at the University of Extremadura, all of whom were prospective secondary school teachers. We also worked with a sub-sample of 66 Science and Engineering graduates (33 male and 33 female). Design and methods:A questionnaire was prepared that includes items on each of the emotions that the prospective teacher might feel when teaching the science content of the proposed courses. The chi-squared test was used to determine whether a relationship exists between emotions and the variable gender when it came to their teaching Biology, Geology, Physics and Chemistry at the compulsory secondary education level. Results:The results showed that the male teachers more frequently report positive emotions than the female. The latter manifested an increase in negative emotions in teaching Geology, Physics and Chemistry content. And the study of the sub-sample showed positive emotions are more frequently reported than negative ones in all four subjects, with this being particularly so in Biology. Conclusions:The study of emotions is vital in the educational formation of prospective secondary teachers. These students will soon face day-to-day life in the classroom, and many of them, especially the women, declare themselves to be emotionally vulnerable, since they describe themselves as experiencing stronger negative emotions. It is essential to provide prospective secondary teachers with a program of support and monitoring during their teaching practice so as to foster awareness of their emotions towards science and its learning. The aim must be to enhance their capacity for self-regulation and control to change those emotions, and to consolidate healthy habits.

Supporting Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices through Practice-Based Coaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Patricia A; Hemmeter, Mary Louise; Fox, Lise

2015-01-01

In active implementation science frameworks, coaching has been described as an important competency "driver" to ensure evidence-based practices are implemented as intended. Empirical evidence also has identified coaching as a promising job-embedded professional development strategy to support implementation of quality teaching practices.…

Leadership in Freshman Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rebello, Carina M.; Hanuscin, Deborah; Sinha, Somnath

2011-01-01

Physics First--a movement to invert the traditional science course sequence to teach physics at the ninth-grade level--is gaining interest. However, there is limited literature exploring how to support teachers in successfully implementing Physics First. To address this, a professional development (PD) program supporting a cadre of teacher-leaders…

Gesture Supports Spatial Thinking in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stieff, Mike; Lira, Matthew E.; Scopelitis, Stephanie A.

2016-01-01

The present article describes two studies that examine the impact of teaching students to use gesture to support spatial thinking in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) discipline of chemistry. In Study 1 we compared the effectiveness of instruction that involved either watching gesture, reproducing gesture, or reading…

Teaching Strategis Designed to Change the Undergraduate Experience for College Women Learning Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Samia

A college for women has been cited as one of the most productive origins of female physical science doctorates in the United States. A case study was conducted to investigate teaching strategies that support the retention of women in the physical sciences, based on evidence from one of the college's most notable instructors and her teaching strategies. The strategies this teacher used included a personal "contract", confidence building techniques, and science internships. Data were collected from classroom documents, classroom observations, teacher interviews, student focus groups, student feedback sheets, Likert-response student surveys, and student final exams. Evidence from the Likert-response survey and focus groups suggested that the contract increased students' likelihood of success in the course and that confidence-building strategies improved students' confidence in their ability to succeed in science. An analysis of students' final exam scores indicated that student marks improved after the introduction of the aforementioned teaching innovations: 4% of students taking the same science course with the same teacher earned less than a C-, compared to a previous three-year average of 18% of students with below C- grades. In addition, notably fewer minority women dropped the course than they had in the past. The findings of this study suggest that this teacher's strategies may have played a part in retaining these women in the physical sciences. Based on the data, a theoretical model is proposed that suggests how switching or "fading" out of the course may have been addressed and how multiple teaching strategies can work in concert with each other to contribute to women's positive experiences in the physical sciences.

Mathematics for the Elementary School, Unit 15, Addition and Linear Translations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Julia, Ed.; Myers, Donald E., Ed.

The Minnesota School Mathematics and Science Teaching (MINNEMAST) Project is characterized by its emphasis on the coordination of mathematics and science in the elementary school curriculum. Units are planned to provide children with activities in which they learn various concepts from both subject areas. Each subject is used to support and…

Memorisation Methods in Science Education: Tactics to Improve the Teaching and Learning Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pals, Frits F. B.; Tolboom, Jos L. J.; Suhre, Cor J. M.; van Geert, Paul L. C.

2018-01-01

How can science teachers support students in developing an appropriate declarative knowledge base for solving problems? This article focuses on the question whether the development of students' memory of scientific propositions is better served by writing propositions down on paper or by making drawings of propositions either by silent or…

The Evaluation of Role-Playing in the Context of Teaching Climate Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belova, Nadja; Eilks, Ingo; Feierabend, Timo

2015-01-01

Role-plays are a common pedagogical tool in the Social Sciences. As an imitation of societal practices, role-plays are thought to support the development of argumentation and decision-making skills among learners. However, argumentation and decision making are also goals in science education in general and in socioscientific issues-oriented…

Stirring the Pot: Supporting and Challenging General Education Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Faculty to Change Teaching and Assessment Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stieha, Vicki; Shadle, Susan E.; Paterson, Sharon

2016-01-01

Evidence-based instructional practices (ebips) have been associated with positive student outcomes; however, institutions struggle to catalyze widespread adoption of these practices in general education science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (stem) courses. Further, linking ebips with integrated learning assessment is rarely discussed…

Seeing Relationships: Using Spatial Thinking to Teach Science, Mathematics, and Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newcombe, Nora S.

2013-01-01

The author discusses four specific strategies for enhancing and supporting the spatial aspects of the science, mathematics, and social studies curricula. However, these four strategies are examples of what can be done, not an exhaustive list. The overarching concept is to embrace the spatial visualizations used for discovery and communication in…

Idea Bank: Using Apps That Support Scientific Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Kelly; Seligman, Eileen; Ketelhut, Diane Jass

2017-01-01

The Idea Bank provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. For this article, the authors analyzed 93 educational applications (apps) that have the potential to help students meaningfully engage in the science practices outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards. Some of the ways teachers can use these apps in…

Applying TLC (a Targeted Learning Community) to Transform Teaching and Learning in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steiner, Hillary H.; Dean, Michelle L.; Foote, Stephanie M.; Goldfine, Ruth A.

2013-01-01

This article describes the development of a Targeted Learning Community (TLC) that supports first-year science students enrolled in a General Chemistry course. Drawing on student feedback and knowledge and expertise in their respective disciplines, four faculty members from two colleges at Kennesaw State University came together to develop a…

Developing Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Pedagogical Practices While Planning Using the Learning Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Danielle K.; Cartier, Jennifer L.

2015-01-01

Without the science content knowledge required to effectively teach this discipline, many elementary teachers struggle without the support of curriculum materials. Curriculum materials are often the main means by which these science practices and canonical knowledge are incorporated into lessons. As part of a 5-year longitudinal research and…

Supporting New Science Teachers in Pursuing Socially Just Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruggirello, Rachel; Flohr, Linda

2018-01-01

This forum explores contradictions that arose within the partnership between Teach for America (TFA) and a university teacher education program. TFA is an alternate route teacher preparation program that places individuals into K-12 classrooms in low-income school districts after participating in an intense summer training program and provides…

Interacting with a Suite of Educative Features: Elementary Science Teachers' Use of Educative Curriculum Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arias, Anna Maria; Bismack, Amber Schultz; Davis, Elizabeth A.; Palincsar, Annemarie Sullivan

2016-01-01

New reform documents underscore the importance of learning both the practices and content of science. This integration of practices and content requires sophisticated teaching that does not often happen in elementary classrooms. Educative curriculum materials--materials explicitly designed to support teacher and student learning--have been posited…

Implementation of a Curriculum-Integrated Computer Game for Introducing Scientific Argumentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallon, Robert C.; Jasti, Chandana; Lauren, Hillary Z. G.; Hug, Barbara

2018-01-01

Argumentation has been emphasized in recent US science education reform efforts (NGSS Lead States 2013; NRC 2012), and while existing studies have investigated approaches to introducing and supporting argumentation (e.g., McNeill and Krajcik in "Journal of Research in Science Teaching," 45(1), 53-78, 2008; Kang et al. in "Science…

Preparing Mathematics and Science Teachers through a Residency Program: Perceptions and Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garza, Rubén; Werner, Patrice

2014-01-01

The critical challenge of recruiting, preparing, and retaining high-quality mathematics and science teachers for high-need urban schools is complex. Therefore, identifying factors that support and impede a teaching residency program's implementation may have the potential to build an effective initiative that will benefit all stakeholders. The…

Looking through the lenses of science literacy and cultural diversity: learning from Helena's mistake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinn, Pauline W. U.

2012-06-01

Maria Andrée focuses on an immigrant student whose error in a laboratory activity leads to a novel, colorful outcome that she excitedly shares with peers. After engaging in class activities for a few weeks she returns to her earlier dislike of science, saying: "I hate science, particularly Chemistry." The classroom activity system focused on reproduction of school knowledge did not expand to accommodate Helena's "new activity system with an object of learning science." This essay suggests teachers be prepared to teach diverse students in ways supporting multiple ways to engage in science. This becomes possible when teachers view their classrooms as dynamic, participatory activity systems that support content mastery as contributing to but not being identical to science identity and science literacy.

How Five Master Teachers Teach about Climate Chang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloch, L.

2015-12-01

The AGU Position Statement, "Human-Induced Climate Change Requires Urgent Action," calls on scientists to "[work] with stakeholders to identify relevant information, and [to convey] understanding clearly and accurately, both to decision makers and to the general public". Everyday, K-12 teachers communicate with an important segment of the general public, and they represent important stakeholders with unique needs. The terms 'global warming', 'greenhouse effect', and 'climate change' appear nowhere in the 1996 National Science Education Standards, but under the Next Generation Science Standards, millions of teachers- most of whom have little to no experience teaching about climate change- will be required to cover the topic. This presentation discusses research conducted with five veteran public school teachers, each of whom has been teaching about climate change for many years. The group comprises three high school teachers, a middle school teacher, and an elementary school teacher. The study examined: 1) What these teachers teach about climate change; 2) How they teach about climate change; 3) What resources they use in teaching and learning about climate change; and 4) How they think the scientific community can support teachers in their efforts to teach about climate change. The teachers varied in their teaching practices and in their conceptions of 'climate change', but they all said that the academic community can support climate change education by developing locally relevant educational resources. Scientists working with K-12 teachers can build on the work of these master teachers, and attendees can access detailed descriptions of all of the lessons and the associated learning materials.

Chinese and US Middle-School Science Teachers' Autonomy, Motivation, and Instructional Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, Laura; Jones, M. Gail

2013-06-01

This study examined Chinese and US middle-school science teachers' perceptions of autonomy support. Previous research has documented the link between teachers' perceptions of autonomy and the use of student-oriented teaching practices for US teachers. But is not clear how the perception of autonomy may differ for teachers from different cultures or more specifically how motivation factors differ across cultures. The survey measured teachers' motivation, perceptions of constraints at work, perceptions of students' motivation, and level of autonomy support for students. Exploratory factor analysis of responses for the combined teacher sample (n = 201) was carried out for each of the survey assessments. Significance testing for Chinese (n = 107) and US (n = 94) teachers revealed significant differences in teachers' motivation and perceptions of constraints at work and no significant differences for perceptions of students' motivation or their level of autonomy support for students. Chinese teachers' perceptions of constraints at work, work motivation, and perceptions of student motivation were found to significantly predict teachers' autonomy support. For the US teachers, teacher motivation was the only significant predictor of teachers' autonomy support. A sub-sample of teachers (n = 19) was interviewed and results showed that teachers in both countries reported that autonomy was important to their motivation and the quality of science instruction they provided to students. The primary constraints on teaching reported by the US teachers related to materials and laboratory space while the Chinese teachers reported constraints related to the science curriculum and standards.

Designing an educative curriculum unit for teaching molecular geometry in high school chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makarious, Nader N.

Chemistry is a highly abstract discipline that is taught and learned with the aid of various models. Among the most challenging, yet a fundamental topic in general chemistry at the high school level, is molecular geometry. This study focused on developing exemplary educative curriculum materials pertaining to the topic of molecular geometry. The methodology used in this study consisted of several steps. First, a diverse set of models were analyzed to determine to what extent each model serves its purpose in teaching molecular geometry. Second, a number of high school teachers and college chemistry professors were asked to share their experiences on using models in teaching molecular geometry through an online questionnaire. Third, findings from the comparative analysis of models, teachers’ experiences, literature review on models and students’ misconceptions, the curriculum expectations of the Next Generation Science Standards and their emphasis on three-dimensional learning and nature of science (NOS) contributed to the development of the molecular geometry unit. Fourth, the developed unit was reviewed by fellow teachers and doctoral-level science education experts and was revised to further improve its coherence and clarity in support of teaching and learning of the molecular geometry concepts. The produced educative curriculum materials focus on the scientific practice of developing and using models as promoted in the Next Generations Science Standards (NGSS) while also addressing nature of science (NOS) goals. The educative features of the newly developed unit support teachers’ pedagogical knowledge (PK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The unit includes an overview, teacher’s guide, and eight detailed lesson plans with inquiry oriented modeling activities replete with models and suggestions for teachers, as well as formative and summative assessment tasks. The unit design process serves as a model for redesigning other instructional units in science disciplines in general and chemistry courses in particular.

Using the CLEAN educational resource collection for building three-dimensional lessons to teach the climate system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gold, A. U.; Sullivan, S. M.; Manning, C. L. B.; Ledley, T. S.; Youngman, E.; Taylor, J.; Niepold, F., III; Kirk, K.; Lockwood, J.; Bruckner, M. Z.; Fox, S.

2017-12-01

The impacts of climate change are a critical societal challenge of the 21st century. Educating students about the globally connected climate system is key in supporting the development of mitigation and adaptation strategies. Systems thinking is required for students to understand the complex, dynamic climate systems and the role that humans play within them. The interdisciplinary nature of climate science challenges educators, who often don't have formal training in climate science, to identify resources that are scientifically accurate before weaving them together into units that teach about the climate system. The Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) supports this work by providing over 700 peer-reviewed, classroom-ready resources on climate and energy topics. The resource collection itself provide only limited instructional guidance, so educators need to weave the resources together to build multi-dimensional lessons that develop systems thinking skills. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) science standards encourage educators to teach science in a 3-dimensional approach that trains students in systems thinking. The CLEAN project strives to help educators design NGSS-style, three-dimensional lessons about the climate system. Two approaches are currently being modeled on the CLEAN web portal. The first is described in the CLEAN NGSS "Get Started Guide" which follows a step-by-step process starting with the Disciplinary Core Idea and then interweaves the Cross-Cutting Concepts (CCC) and the Science and Engineering Practices (SEP) based on the teaching strategy chosen for the lesson or unit topic. The second model uses a climate topic as a starting place and the SEP as the guide through a four-step lesson sequence called "Earth Systems Investigations". Both models use CLEAN reviewed lessons as the core activity but provide the necessary framework for classroom implementation. Sample lessons that were developed following these two approaches are provided on the CLEAN web portal (cleanet.org).

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capobianco, Brenda M.

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

JPRS Report China

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-23

materials and teach them the technol- ogy. Once armed with the technology, they went into business on their own, borrowing capital from overseas Chinese or...opened this year. 12802 AGRICULTURE Projects Supported by National Natural Science Foundation 40060239 Beijing ZHIWU XUEBAO [ACTA BOTANICA SINICAJ...On Research in Educational Psychology; * 1. Research in the psychology of esthetics; * 2. Study and application of psychology of teaching ; 3

Teachers' Engagement in and with Research: Supporting Integrity and Creativity in Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Lesley

2006-01-01

This article explores the relationship between research and teaching, arguing that each of them is both a demanding science and an imaginative art, and that they both manifest the values and processes of learning, the open mind and the open heart, as it were. This is a rather different proposition from the notion that "evidence" can be "applied"…

Exploring the Possibility of Using Humanoid Robots as Instructional Tools for Teaching a Second Language in Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Chih-Wei; Lee, Jih-Hsien; Chao, Po-Yao; Wang, Chin-Yeh; Chen, Gwo-Dong

2010-01-01

As robot technologies develop, many researchers have tried to use robots to support education. Studies have shown that robots can help students develop problem-solving abilities and learn computer programming, mathematics, and science. However, few studies discuss the use of robots to facilitate the teaching of second languages. We discuss whether…

Feedback about Teaching in Higher Ed: Neglected Opportunities to Promote Change

PubMed Central

Evans, Mara; Brickman, Peggy

2014-01-01

Despite ongoing dissemination of evidence-based teaching strategies, science teaching at the university level is less than reformed. Most college biology instructors could benefit from more sustained support in implementing these strategies. One-time workshops raise awareness of evidence-based practices, but faculty members are more likely to make significant changes in their teaching practices when supported by coaching and feedback. Currently, most instructional feedback occurs via student evaluations, which typically lack specific feedback for improvement and focus on teacher-centered practices, or via drop-in classroom observations and peer evaluation by other instructors, which raise issues for promotion, tenure, and evaluation. The goals of this essay are to summarize the best practices for providing instructional feedback, recommend specific strategies for providing feedback, and suggest areas for further research. Missed opportunities for feedback in teaching are highlighted, and the sharing of instructional expertise is encouraged. PMID:26086652

Factors Influencing Science Content Accuracy in Elementary Inquiry Science Lessons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2013-06-01

Elementary teachers face increasing demands to engage children in authentic science process and argument while simultaneously preparing them with knowledge of science facts, vocabulary, and concepts. This reform is particularly challenging due to concerns that elementary teachers lack adequate science background to teach science accurately. This study examined 81 in-classroom inquiry science lessons for preservice education majors and their cooperating teachers to determine the accuracy of the science content delivered in elementary classrooms. Our results showed that 74 % of experienced teachers and 50 % of student teachers presented science lessons with greater than 90 % accuracy. Eleven of the 81 lessons (9 preservice, 2 cooperating teachers) failed to deliver accurate science content to the class. Science content accuracy was highly correlated with the use of kit-based resources supported with professional development, a preference for teaching science, and grade level. There was no correlation between the accuracy of science content and some common measures of teacher content knowledge (i.e., number of college science courses, science grades, or scores on a general science content test). Our study concluded that when provided with high quality curricular materials and targeted professional development, elementary teachers learn needed science content and present it accurately to their students.

Effects of Web based inquiry on physical science teachers and students in an urban school district

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephens, Joanne

An inquiry approach in teaching science has been advocated by many science educators for the past few decades. Due to insufficient district funding for science teaching, inadequate science laboratory facilities, and outdated science materials, inquiry teaching has been difficult for many science teachers, particularly science teachers in urban settings. However, research shows that the availability of computers with high speed Internet access has increased in all school districts. This study focused on the effects of inservice training on teachers and using web based science inquiry activities with ninth grade physical science students. Participants were 16 science teachers and 474 physical science students in an urban school district of a large southern U.S. city. Students were divided into control and experimental groups. The students in the experimental group participated in web based inquiry activities. Students in the control group were taught using similar methods, but not web based science activities. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected over a nine-week period using instruments and focus group interviews of students' and teachers' perceptions of the classroom learning environment, students' achievement, lesson design and classroom implementation, science content of lesson, and classroom culture. The findings reported that there were no significant differences in teachers' perception of the learning environment before and after implementing web based inquiry activities. The findings also reported that there were no overall significant differences in students' perceptions of the learning environment and achievement, pre-survey to post-survey, pre-test to post-test, between the control group and experimental group. Additional findings disclosed that students in the experimental group learned in a collaborative environment. The students confirmed that collaborating with others contributed to a deeper understanding of the science content. This study provides insights about utilizing technology to promote science inquiry teaching and learning. This study describes students' and teachers' perceptions of using web based inquiry to support scientific inquiry.

Student Teachers' Approaches to Teaching Biological Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borgerding, Lisa A.; Klein, Vanessa A.; Ghosh, Rajlakshmi; Eibel, Albert

2015-06-01

Evolution is fundamental to biology and scientific literacy, but teaching high school evolution is often difficult. Evolution teachers face several challenges including limited content knowledge, personal conflicts with evolution, expectations of resistance, concerns about students' conflicts with religion, and curricular constraints. Evolution teaching can be particularly challenging for student teachers who are just beginning to gain pedagogical knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge related to evolution teaching and who seek approval from university supervisors and cooperating teachers. Science teacher educators need to know how to best support student teachers as they broach the sometimes daunting task of teaching evolution within student teaching placements. This multiple case study report documents how three student teachers approached evolution instruction and what influenced their approaches. Data sources included student teacher interviews, field note observations for 4-5 days of evolution instruction, and evolution instructional artifacts. Data were analyzed using grounded theory approaches to develop individual cases and a cross-case analysis. Seven influences (state exams and standards, cooperating teacher, ideas about teaching and learning, concerns about evolution controversy, personal commitment to evolution, knowledge and preparation for teaching evolution, and own evolution learning experiences) were identified and compared across cases. Implications for science teacher preparation and future research are provided.

The effects of traditional learning and a learning cycle inquiry learning strategy on students' science achievement and attitudes toward elementary science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrahim, Ali

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of two instructional methods on students' academic achievement and attitudes toward elementary science in the State of Kuwait: traditional teaching method and the 4-E learning cycle inquiry teaching method. The subjects were 111 students from four intact 4th grade classes. The experiment group (n = 56) received the learning cycle instruction while the control group (n = 55) received a more traditional approach over a four week period. The same female teacher taught the experimental and control groups for boys and a different female teacher taught experimental and control groups for girls. The dependent variables were measured through the use of: (1) a science achievement test to assess student achievement; and (2) an attitude survey to measure students' attitudes toward science. Quantitative data were collected on students' pre- and post-treatment achievement and attitudes measures. The two way MANOVA reveals that: the 4-E learning cycle instructional method produces significantly greater achievement and attitudes among fourth grade science students than the traditional teaching approach F (2, 93) = 19.765, (P = .000), corresponding to Wilks' Lambda = .702 with an effect size of .298 and a power of 1. In light of these findings, it is therefore suggested that students can achieve greater and have higher science attitudes when the 4-E learning cycle is used. In addition, these findings support the notion that effective instruction in teaching science, such as the 4-E learning cycle instruction, should be proposed and implemented in elementary schools.

Electricity and Vital Force: Discussing the Nature of Science Through a Historical Narrative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiffer, Hermann; Guerra, Andreia

2015-05-01

Seeking a historical-philosophical approach to science teaching, narrative texts have been used as pedagogical tools to improve the learning experience of students. A review of the literature of different types of narrative texts and their different rates of effectiveness in science education is presented. This study was developed using the so-called Historical Narrative as a tool to introduce science content from a historical-philosophical approach, aiming to discuss science as a human construction. This project was carried out in a 9th grade Physics class in K-12 school, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The steps involved in constructing a Historical Narrative based on the controversy over animal electrical fluid between Luigi Galvani and Alessandro Volta is reported herein. Finally, qualitative research results of the activities inspired by this Historical Narrative are presented with the purpose of answering the research question: to what extent do Historical Narratives support and enhance discussions about the Nature of Science (NOS), through teaching the scientific content in a historical-philosophical approach with 9th grade students? The results indicate that Historical Narrative, based on historical episodes, is a good "door opener" to teach scientific content in a historical-philosophical approach, introducing discussions about the Nature of Science without neglecting the scientific content or simplifying the discussions about the NOS.

A Model for Postdoctoral Education That Promotes Minority and Majority Success in the Biomedical Sciences

PubMed Central

Eisen, Arri; Eaton, Douglas C.

2017-01-01

How does the United States maintain the highest-quality research and teaching in its professional science workforce and ensure that those in this workforce are effectively trained and representative of national demographics? In the pathway to science careers, the postdoctoral stage is formative, providing the experiences that define the independent work of one’s first faculty position. It is also a stage in which underrepresented minorities (URMs) disproportionately lose interest in pursuing academic careers in science and, models suggest, a point at which interventions to increase proportions of URMs in such careers could be most effective. We present a mixed-methods, case study analysis from 17 years of the Fellowships in Research and Science Teaching (FIRST) postdoctoral program, to our knowledge the largest and longest continuously running science postdoctoral program in the United States. We demonstrate that FIRST fellows, in sharp contrast to postdocs overall, are inclusive of URMs (50% African American; 70% women) and as or more successful in their fellowships and beyond as a comparison group (measured by publication rate, attainment of employment in academic science careers, and eventual research grant support). Analysis of alumni surveys and focus group discussions reveals that FIRST fellows place highest value on the cohort-driven community and the developmental teaching and research training the program provides. PMID:29196426

Teaching the nature of physics through art: a new art of teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colletti, Leonardo

2018-01-01

Science and art are traditionally represented as two disciplines with completely divergent goals, methods, and public. It has been claimed that, if rightly addressed, science and art education could mutually support each other. In this paper I propose the recurrent reference to certain famous paintings during the ordinary progress of physics courses in secondary schools, in order to convey, in a memorable way, some basic features of physics methodology. For an understanding of the overall characteristics of science should be regarded as one of the crucial goals of physics education. As a part of a general education, the forgetting of physics concepts may be acceptable, but failing to grasp the very nature of science is not. Images may help in conveying the nature of science, especially for humanities-oriented students. Moreover, famous paintings, with their familiarity and availability, are a valid tool in facilitating this.

Understanding Male Underachievement in Middle School Science: Challenging the Assumptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holbrooks, Marilyn Jane

The overall purpose of this collaborative action research study was to explore the experiences of eight middle school science teachers. This collaborative action research study concerned itself with male student underachievement in science at the middle school level. The study was conducted at Sherwood Forest Middle School (a pseudonym) with sixth through eighth grade science teachers with more than three years of experience, various teaching backgrounds within academic subjects as well as special education, and different grade levels. The interviews probed the teachers' personal experiences and insights regarding male underachievement in science. This collaborative action research study relied on qualitative data from interviews and other pieces of evidence that might support the teachers' observations, specifically standardized test data and class grades. In addition, four of the seven teachers participated in a focus group, developing strategies for more effective teaching in science for all students. Understanding the experiences of science educators for sixth through eighth grade students can assist local, state, and federal policymakers in educational decision-making processes for the future.

Enhancing Teacher Preparation and Improving Faculty Teaching Skills: Lessons Learned from Implementing ``Science That Matters'' a Standards Based Interdisciplinary Science Course Sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potter, Robert; Meisels, Gerry

2005-06-01

In a highly collaborative process we developed an introductory science course sequence to improve science literacy especially among future elementary and middle school education majors. The materials and course features were designed using the results of research on teaching and learning to provide a rigorous, relevant and engaging, standard based science experience. More than ten years of combined planning, development, implementation and assessment of this college science course sequence for nonmajors/future teachers has provided significant insights and success in achieving our goal. This paper describes the history and iterative nature of our ongoing improvements, changes in faculty instructional practice, strategies used to overcome student resistance, significant student learning outcomes, support structures for faculty, and the essential and informative role of assessment in improving the outcomes. Our experience with diverse institutions, students and faculty provides the basis for the lessons we have learned and should be of help to others involved in advancing science education.

Robert Noyce mathematics and science teacher preparation and retention at two California State University campuses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arvizu, Jaime

There is a persistent and growing shortage in the supply of "highly qualified" future science and mathematics teachers in the nation's classrooms. As a consequence, as many as 53% science and 23% math students take classes from teachers who are teaching out-of-field. Currently, there are many established programs that provide incentives for science and math students to enter the teaching profession. One program in particular, the Robert Noyce Scholars Program, was the genesis of the Authorization Act of 2002 - P.L. 107-368 and is funded by the National Science Foundation specifically to address the need for highly qualified STEM Teachers. IHEs, which are awarded these grant funds, are provided with significant funding for student scholarships and are expected to provide programmatic support for these students who are planning to become teachers. Programmatic support is intended to enhance the preparation of these future STEM teachers who are expected to teach in high needs classrooms. The purpose of this study was to examine if different views of the teacher education program exist between teachers who have been supported by the Noyce programs and those who have not received Noyce support. Noyce teachers and non-Noyce teachers are two aggregate groups that included teachers from CSU, Fresno and CSU, Long Beach. This study also examined retention percentages and demographic composition of Noyce-supported teachers from both campuses as an aggregate group in comparison to teachers in the nation and in the state. The study found no significant differences between Noyce teachers and non-Noyce teachers on their views about their teacher preparation program. Both groups on average reported their preparation to be adequate. Significant proportional differences by ethnicity were found between Noyce teachers and the general teacher population in the U.S. and California. Significant proportional differences by ethnicity and content area were also found between high school teachers in the U.S. and high school teachers in the Noyce Teacher community. Retention rates among beginning teachers were also found to be higher for the Noyce Teacher Community when compared to the general population of teachers in the U.S. and California.

Editors' overview perspectives on teaching social responsibility to students in science and engineering.

PubMed

Zandvoort, Henk; Børsen, Tom; Deneke, Michael; Bird, Stephanie J

2013-12-01

Global society is facing formidable current and future problems that threaten the prospects for justice and peace, sustainability, and the well-being of humanity both now and in the future. Many of these problems are related to science and technology and to how they function in the world. If the social responsibility of scientists and engineers implies a duty to safeguard or promote a peaceful, just and sustainable world society, then science and engineering education should empower students to fulfil this responsibility. The contributions to this special issue present European examples of teaching social responsibility to students in science and engineering, and provide examples and discussion of how this teaching can be promoted, and of obstacles that are encountered. Speaking generally, education aimed at preparing future scientists and engineers for social responsibility is presently very limited and seemingly insufficient in view of the enormous ethical and social problems that are associated with current science and technology. Although many social, political and professional organisations have expressed the need for the provision of teaching for social responsibility, important and persistent barriers stand in the way of its sustained development. What is needed are both bottom-up teaching initiatives from individuals or groups of academic teachers, and top-down support to secure appropriate embedding in the university. Often the latter is lacking or inadequate. Educational policies at the national or international level, such as the Bologna agreements in Europe, can be an opportunity for introducing teaching for social responsibility. However, frequently no or only limited positive effect of such policies can be discerned. Existing accreditation and evaluation mechanisms do not guarantee appropriate attention to teaching for social responsibility, because, in their current form, they provide no guarantee that the curricula pay sufficient attention to teaching goals that are desirable for society as a whole.

Developing Intuitive Reasoning with Graphs to Support Science Arguments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grueber, David

2011-01-01

Graphs are important for supporting critical thinking and scientific argumentation because students can use them to reason, make judgments and decisions, and solve problems like a scientist (Connery 2007). Yet teaching students how to use math to actually think critically continues to be difficult for teachers. This article describes two…

Nihithewak Ithiniwak, Nihithewatisiwin and science education: An exploratory narrative study examining Indigenous-based science education in K--12 classrooms from the perspectives of teachers in Woodlands Cree community contexts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michell, Herman Jeremiah

This study was guided by the following research questions: What do the stories of teachers in Nihithewak (Woodlands Cree) school contexts reveal about their experiences and tendencies towards cultural and linguistic-based pedagogical practices and actions in K-12 classrooms? How did these teachers come to teach this way? How do their beliefs and values from their experiences in science education and cultural heritage influence their teaching? Why do these teachers do what they do in their science classroom and instructional practices? The research explores Indigenous-based science education from the perspectives and experiences of science teachers in Nihithewak school contexts. Narrative methodology (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) was used as a basis for collecting and analyzing data emerging from the research process. The results included thematic portraits and stories of science teaching that is connected to Nihithewak and Nihithewatisiwin (Woodlands Cree Way of Life). Major data sources included conversational interviews, out-of-class observations and occasional in-class observations, field notes, and a research journal. An interview guide with a set of open-ended and semi-structured questions was used to direct the interviews. My role as researcher included participation in storied conversations with ten selected volunteer teachers to document the underlying meanings behind the ways they teach science in Nihithewak contexts. This research is grounded in socio-cultural theory commonly used to support the examination and development of school science in Indigenous cultural contexts (Lemke, 2001; O'Loughlin, 1992). Socio-cultural theory is a framework that links education, language, literacy, and culture (Nieto, 2002). The research encapsulates a literature review that includes the history of Aboriginal education in Canada (Battiste & Barman, 1995; Kirkness, 1992; Perley, 1993), Indigenous-based science education (Cajete, 2000; Aikenhead, 2006a), multi-cultural science education (Hines, 2003), worldview theory (Cobern, 1996), personal practical knowledge (Clandinin, 1986), and narrative discourse as a way of knowing (Bruner, 1996) as the basis for examining the nature of science education in Nihithewak cultural contexts. Analysis of the data was compared to the literature under the rubric of Indigenous-based science education. The experiences of teachers and their patterns of responses in the interviews indicate teaching approaches used in Nihithewak cultural contexts are congruent with Indigenous-based science education discourse. In this study, teaching science revolves around connecting students with Nihithewatisiwin , Nihithewak Ithiniwak and their worldview, ways of knowing, culture, values, language, and traditional practices. Teachers shared the importance of connecting school science with the everyday world of students including with Khitiyak, the land, natural seasonal cycles/activities, the animals, and plants, and traditional technologies used for survival. This study is significant because it is the first to explore teacher stories in relation to Indigenous-based science education with a specific focus on the experiences of teachers in Nihithewak contexts. The findings have implications for (pre)(post) service teacher education as well as those who play a supportive role in the development of Indigenous-based science curriculum from place. Although the study revealed patterns of Indigenous based science education in Nihithewak contexts, the goal of narrative research is not to seek generalizations, nor to analyze teachers or the approaches they use.

Colleagues as Change Agents: How Department Networks and Opinion Leaders Influence Teaching at a Single Research University.

PubMed

Andrews, T C; Conaway, E P; Zhao, J; Dolan, E L

2016-01-01

Relationships with colleagues have the potential to be a source of support for faculty to make meaningful change in how they teach, but the impact of these relationships is poorly understood. We used a mixed-methods approach to investigate the characteristics of faculty who provide colleagues with teaching resources and facilitate change in teaching, how faculty influence one another. Our exploratory investigation was informed by social network theory and research on the impact of opinion leaders within organizations. We used surveys and interviews to examine collegial interactions about undergraduate teaching in life sciences departments at one research university. Each department included discipline-based education researchers (DBERs). Quantitative and qualitative analyses indicate that DBERs promote changes in teaching to a greater degree than other departmental colleagues. The influence of DBERs derives, at least partly, from a perception that they have unique professional expertise in education. DBERs facilitated change through coteaching, offering ready and approachable access to education research, and providing teaching training and mentoring. Faculty who had participated in a team based-teaching professional development program were also credited with providing more support for teaching than nonparticipants. Further research will be necessary to determine whether these results generalize beyond the studied institution. © 2016 T. C. Andrews et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

SUPPORTING TEACHERS IN IMPLEMENTING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES IN EARTH SYSTEMS SCIENCE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, C. J.; Penuel, W. R.; Haydel Debarger, A.; Blank, J. G.

2009-12-01

An important purpose of formative assessment is to elicit student thinking to use in instruction to help all students learn and inform next steps in teaching. However, formative assessment practices are difficult to implement and thus present a formidable challenge for many science teachers. A critical need in geoscience education is a framework for providing teachers with real-time assessment tools as well as professional development to learn how to use formative assessment to improve instruction. Here, we describe a comprehensive support system, developed for our NSF-funded Contingent Pedagogies project, for addressing the challenge of helping teachers to use formative assessment to enhance student learning in middle school Earth Systems science. Our support system is designed to improve student understanding about the geosphere by integrating classroom network technology, interactive formative assessments, and contingent curricular activities to guide teachers from formative assessment to instructional decision-making and improved student learning. To accomplish this, we are using a new classroom network technology, Group Scribbles, in the context of an innovative middle-grades Earth Science curriculum called Investigating Earth Systems (IES). Group Scribbles, developed at SRI International, is a collaborative software tool that allows individual students to compose “scribbles” (i.e., drawings and notes), on “post-it” notes in a private workspace (a notebook computer) in response to a public task. They can post these notes anonymously to a shared, public workspace (a teacher-controlled large screen monitor) that becomes the centerpiece of group and class discussion. To help teachers implement formative assessment practices, we have introduced a key resource, called a teaching routine, to help teachers take advantage of Group Scribbles for more interactive assessments. Routine refers to a sequence of repeatable interactions that, over time, become automatic to teachers and students. Routines function as classroom norms, governing how students and teachers interact with subject matter (i.e., the way ideas are elicited, taken up, and revised). We use the qualifier teaching because we view good classroom assessment as seamless with instruction. Each teaching routine defines a sequence of instructional moves, supported by classroom network technology, for creating formative assessment opportunities that address 3 goals: (1) Increase student-teacher and student-student communication;(2) Motivate students to participate and learn from discussion, investigation, and reading; and (3) Provide real-time feedback for the teacher who can then adjust instruction. We report on key features of our support system for helping teachers develop proficiency with using formative assessment to inform instruction and advance learning in Earth Systems science. We also present preliminary findings from the implementation of the support system with a test group of teachers in a large, urban school district. Findings highlight the promise of teaching routines as an important resource for structuring student opportunities to showcase their thinking.

A study to define and verify a model of interactive-constructive elementary school science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henriques, Laura

This study took place within a four year systemic reform effort collaboratively undertaken by the Science Education Center at the University of Iowa and a local school district. Key features of the inservice project included the use of children's literature as a springboard into inquiry based science investigations, activities to increase parents' involvement in children's science learning and extensive inservice opportunities for elementary teachers to increase content knowledge and content-pedagogical knowledge. The overarching goal of this elementary science teacher enhancement project was to move teachers towards an interactive-constructivist model of teaching and learning. This study had three components. The first was the definition of the prototype teacher indicated by the project's goals and supported by science education research. The second involved the generation of a model to show relationships between teacher-generated products, demographics and their subsequent teaching behaviors. The third involved the verification of the hypothesized model using data collected on 15 original participants. Demographic information, survey responses, interview and written responses to scenarios were among the data collected as source variables. These were scored using a rubric designed to measure constructivist practices in science teaching. Videotapes of science teaching and revised science curricula were collected as downstream variables and scored using an the ESTEEM observational rubric and a rubric developed for the project. Results indicate that newer teachers were more likely to implement features of the project. Those teachers who were philosophically aligned with project goals before project involvement were also more likely to implement features of the project. Other associations between reported beliefs, planning and classroom implementations were not confirmed by these data. Data show that teachers reported higher levels of implementation than their classroom teaching indicated. Qualitative analysis indicated teachers who were more likely to implement the goals of this project were flexible, spontaneous, and able to give students more choices and responsibilities for their own learning. These teachers routinely used children's ideas and interests to guide instruction. Recommendations for future inservice are included. Discussion centers around elements of time, teacher input, teacher reflection, teachers as leaders and leaders' modeling of advocated practices.

Quality knowledge of science through virtual laboratory as an element of visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizman Herga, Natasa

Doctoral dissertation discusses the use of virtual laboratory for learning and teaching chemical concepts at science classes in the seventh grade of primary school. The dissertation has got a two-part structure. In the first theoretical part presents a general platform of teaching science in elementary school, teaching forms and methods of teaching and among modern approaches we highlight experimental work. Particular emphasis was placed on the use of new technologies in education and virtual laboratories. Scientific findings on the importance of visualization of science concepts and their triple nature of their understanding are presented. These findings represent a fundamental foundation of empirical research presented in the second part of the doctoral dissertation, whose basic purpose was to examine the effectiveness of using virtual laboratory for teaching and learning chemical contents at science from students' point of view on knowledge and interest. We designed a didactic experiment in which 225 pupils participated. The work was conducted in the experimental and control group. Prior to its execution, the existing school practice among science and chemistry teachers was analysed in terms of: (1) inclusion of experimental work as a fundamental method of active learning chemical contents, (2) the use of visualization methods in the classroom and (3) the use of a virtual laboratory. The main findings of the empirical research, carried out in the school year 2012/2013, in which 48 science and chemistry participated, are that teachers often include experimental work when teaching chemical contents. Interviewed science teachers use a variety of visualization methods when presenting science concepts, in particular computer animation and simulation. Using virtual laboratory as a new strategy for teaching and learning chemical contents is not common because teachers lack special-didactic skills, enabling them to use virtual reality technology. Based on the didactic experiment, carried out over a period of two school years (2012/2013 and 2013/2014) in ten primary schools, the effectiveness of teaching carried out with the support of a virtual laboratory was analyzed. The obtained empirical findings reveal that the use of virtual laboratory has great impact on the pupils' knowledge and interest. At the end of the experiment, pupils in the experimental group had an advantage according to knowledge of chemical contents in science. Also, the use of virtual laboratory had an impact on the sustainability of the acquired knowledge of science contents and pupils' interest at the end of the experiment, because the pupils in the experimental group had a higher interest for learning science contents. The didactic experiment determined, that the use of virtual laboratory enables quality learning and teaching chemical contents of science, because it allows: (1) experimental work as an active learning method, (2) the visualization of abstract concepts and phenomena, (3) dynamic sub micro presentations (4) integration of all three levels of the chemical concept as a whole and (5) positively impacts pupils' interest, knowledge and sustainability of the acquired knowledge.

Develop, Discuss, and Decide: How New Science Teachers Use Technologies to Advance Their Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, Joshua Alexander

For decades, there has been a nationwide demand to increase the number of science teachers in K-12 education (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983; National Research Council [NRC], 2007). This demand is in large part due to increases in state science graduation requirements. Teacher preparation programs have been preparing new science teachers on pace with the resulting increase in demand (Ingersoll & Merrill, 2010), however, shortages have continued as up to 50% of these new teachers leave the profession within their first five years of teaching (Smith & Ingersoll, 2004), creating a "revolving door" phenomenon as districts scramble to address this early attrition with yet more beginning teachers. We need to address what Ingersoll (2012) describes as the "greening" of the teaching force: the fact that an increasingly large segment of the teaching force is comprised of beginning teachers who are at a high risk of leaving the profession. The three related studies that comprise this dissertation focus on the role of technological interventions for in-service and pre-service science teachers. The context for the first two studies is TIN, an online induction program for beginning secondary science teachers. These two studies consider the impact of technological supports on the reflective practice of participating teachers. The design interventions included VideoANT (an online video annotation tool) and Teachers as Leaders roles (a structured response protocol) for the Venture/Vexation online forum activity. The context for the third study is T3-S, a university licensure course for pre-service science teachers designed to explore technology integration in secondary science classrooms. This study investigated the impact of pre-service teacher participation in the creation of an Adventure Learning (AL) environment (Doering, 2006) on their understanding of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) and its role in their future science instruction. The supporting interventions took the form of three separate groups of pre-service teachers, each tasked with a specific role in the creation of the AL environment. Findings from the first two studies indicate that specific, explicit supports for teacher discourse in TIN activities is needed in order to foster the reflective practice that course designers and instructor-facilitators desire. The third study reveals that pre-service teacher participation in the creation of an AL environment supported their understanding of the nature of TPACK and allowed them to define their content-based technology pedagogy for future science instruction.

Project-Based Teaching: Helping Students Make Project Connections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Heather Jo Pusich

Project-based curriculum materials are designed to support students in engaging with scientific content and practices in meaningful ways, with the goal of improving students' science learning. However, students need to understand the connections between what they are doing on a day-to-day basis with respect to the goals of the overall project for students to get the motivational and cognitive benefits of a project-based approach. In this dissertation, I looked at the challenges that four ninth grade science teachers faced as they helped students to make these connections using a project-based environmental science curriculum. The analysis revealed that in general when the curriculum materials made connections explicit, teachers were better able to articulate the relationship between the lesson and the project during enactment. However, whether the connections were explicit or implicit in the materials, enactments of the same lesson across teachers revealed that teachers leveraged different aspects of the project context in different ways depending on their knowledge, beliefs, and goals about project-based teaching. The quantitative analysis of student data indicated that when teacher enactments supported project goals explicitly, students made stronger connections between a lesson and the project goal. Therefore, a teacher's ability to make clear connections during classroom instruction is essential. Furthermore, when students made connections between each lesson and the larger project goals their attitudes toward the lesson were more positive and they performed better on the final assessment. These findings suggest that connections between individual lessons and the goals of the project are critical to the effectiveness of project-based learning. This study highlights that while some teachers were able to forge these connections successfully as a result of leveraging cognitive resources, teachers' beliefs, knowledge and goals about project-based teaching are variable. As such, teachers adopting project-based curriculum materials need more support - through educative curriculum materials, coaching, or ongoing professional development - to help them support project connections consistently and explicitly in their teaching practice.

DLESE Teaching Boxes and Beyond: A promising prototype for structuring web services to support concept- and inquiry-based STEM learning and interdisciplinary partnerships.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, L.; Weatherley, J.; Bhushan, S.; Khan, H.; de La Chica, S.; Deardorff, R.

2004-12-01

An exciting pilot program took place this summer, pioneering the development of Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) Teaching Boxes with the Univ. of CA. Berkeley Museum of Paleontology, SF State Univ., USGS and 7 middle/high school teachers from the San Francisco area. This session will share the DLESE Teaching Box concept, explain the pilot program, and explore the tremendous opportunities for expanding this notion to embrace interdisciplinary approaches to learning about the Earth in the undergraduate science and pre-service teaching arenas. A Teaching Box is a metaphor for an online assembly of interrelated learning concepts, digital resources, and cohesive narration that bridges the gap between discrete resources and understanding. Within a Teaching Box, an instructor or student can pick a topic and see the concepts that build an understanding of that topic, explore online resources that support learning of those concepts, and benefit from the narration (the glue) that weaves concepts, activities, and background information together into a complete teaching/learning story. In this session, we will demonstrate the emerging Teaching Box prototypes and explore how this platform may promote STEM learning by utilizing DLESE tools and services in ways that begin to blur traditional disciplinary boundaries, overcome limitations of discipline-specific vocabularies, and foster collaboration. We will show ways in which new DLESE Web Services could support learning in this highly contextualized environment. We will see glimpses of how learners and educators will be able to modify or create their own Teaching Boxes specific to a unit of study or course, and perhaps share them with the Earth Science Education community. We will see ways to stay abreast of current Earth events, emerging research, and real-time data and incorporate such dynamic information into one learning environment. Services will be described and demonstrated in the context of Teaching Boxes: - DLESE Web Services provide a programmatic interface that allows the Teaching Box (or any web page) to have the same DLESE search, bookmarking features, and data management that are found at the DLESE web site. - DLESE Smart Links are hyperlinks that can be created by anyone and implemented as easily as defining a specific query. Clicking a Smart Link displays a list of resources that corresponds to the specific query. We'll talk about how this service can help to bridge the gap between vocabularies and disciplines and the interesting possibilities it presents for contextualizing searches and building custom topical menus. - The Really Simple Syndication (RSS) service delivers online information immediately, and allows end-users to subscribe to receive regular news, events, and data on a given Teaching Box topic. This opens the door to event-based learning. - Strand Maps, developed by the AAAS, are diagrams of interconnected learning concepts across a range of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. The University of Colorado and its project partners are developing the Strand Map Service (SMS) to provide an interactive interface to interrelated learning goals, content knowledge, (including student misconceptions) and educational resources in the National Science Digital Library and DLESE.

The Effect of Contextualized Conversational Feedback in a Complex Open-Ended Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Segedy, James R.; Kinnebrew, John S.; Biswas, Gautam

2013-01-01

Betty's Brain is an open-ended learning environment in which students learn about science topics by teaching a virtual agent named Betty through the construction of a visual causal map that represents the relevant science phenomena. The task is complex, and success requires the use of metacognitive strategies that support knowledge acquisition,…